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Thursday, Sept. 11,2014 - Mason County Journal - Page A-19
Journal photo by Gordon Weeks
Victoria Ahlfors is seeking donations to launch a Belfair site of The Coffee Oasis, a faith-based, nonprofit organization that caters to
homeless and street-oriented youths in Bremerton, Port Orchard and Poulsbo. The organization has already been given a new 3,800-square-
foot building at the five-corners intersection in Belfair, courtesy of Belfair resident Richard Moore.
Nonprofit seeks money to open
place for at-risk teenagers
By GORDON WEEKS
gordon@masoncoun com
Victoria Ahlfors was 13 and roaming the
nighttime streets of downtown Bremerton when
she found friendship and fellowship at The Cof-
fee Oasis.
The faith-based, nonprofit organization of-
fered pool tables, concerts and concerned adults
who acted as mentors, Ahlfors said. Plus, "It's
probably the first place people prayed for me,"
she said.
The Coffee Oasis now has locations in Port to eight residents to help create the site and to
Orchard and Poulsbo as well, catering to home- solicit funds.
less and street-oriented youths ages 13 to 25. As The nonprofit is seeking $624,000 to cover
an outreach coordinator for the group, Ahlfors initial setup and equipment and the first two
is seeking to establish a Coffee Oasis in Belfair. years of operations, including salaries, insur-
Older Belfair teens have few choices besides ance and furniture, Ahlfors said.
sports and parties, said Ahlfors, who moved to Anyone interested in making a tax-deduct-
Belfair in March. ible donation can reach Ahlfors at victoria.
"We give them something more luring thanahlfors@thecoffeeoasis.com.
a party: the ability to succeed in education and The Coffee Oasis was established by Bremer-
succeed in life," she said. ton residents Dave and Cindy Frederick. Accord-
The establishment has already cleared one ing to the organization's website, Dave was serv-
hurdle. Belfair resident Richard Moore has do- ing as a pastor and volunteering as a poIice chap-
nated a new 3,800-square-foot building at the lain when the couple became troubled by the pov-
five-corners intersection in Belfair, across the erty, drug abuse, neglected children, violence and
street from the Faith in Action Thrift Shop on homelessness they saw in downtown Bremerton.
Old Belfair Highway.
The Coffee Oasis is assembling a team of six see OASIS, page A-24
HARSTINE ISLAND NEWS
, open
Iam going to guess that
a lot of islanders were
glued to their TVs last
Thursday watching the
Seahawks fmishing
off the Packers. There
just seems to be a whole
lot more excitement in
the air this year. And
speaking of excitement,
I'm thinking that the
maples are going to
start busting out all
golden yellow and that
is going to make the
drive around the island
bright.
The Harstine Island Com-
munity Club will have its
mop tNypgtluc~ _an dmeet- .....
ing Friday. The women's club
will present a program that
will help celebrate the com-
mtmity hall's 100th
anniversary. Come
early, enjoy the social
hour and don't forget
that a contribution to
the potluck will help
feed eight hungry
mouths. Remember,
the hosts and host-
esses eat last. Also
remember that the
2015 calendars are
here and may be
bought for $10 at the Saturday
Market. The calendar is com-
posed of island photos by island
By MIKE
CALLAGHAN
have reminders of importantine Island, the Mason 5 Fire- squeeze, and then take a break
island activities, fighters' Association will be to walk the market and maybe
There is one more senior having a pancake breakfast. It tour the island.
lunch this month. On Sept. 17, is slated to run from 7 a.m. to Also, in conjunction with
they will be serving meatloaf 11 a.m. Oct. 11 at fire station October being National Fire
along with baked potatoes, 9. This is the station next to the Prevention month, Central Ma-
green salad and fruit crisp with community club. They will be son Fire & EMS will have open
whipped cream. They will open serving pancakes, French toast, houses at their stations on Oct.
the doors about a half hour sausage, eggs, coffee and juice. 11. Then watch for the firefight-
before noon, and you should get They are asking for donations ers the following Saturday as
there early because this has with proceeds going to Mason 5 they get out for their annual
become one of the most popu- Firefighters' Association. Give Burns the Boot collections
lar events on the island. If you The farmers market will at the bridge triangle. The pro-
are age 50 or older and looking be open that day as well asceeds from this event will go to
for a great meal, this is the the annual Island Apple the Northwest Burn Founda-
place. The workers all volun- Squeeze. With all the events go- tion.
teer their time, and all they ask ing on, it will be a perfect time
is a $3 donation to cover food to spend the day on the island. • Mike Callaghan lives on
costs. What a deal. Start with a great breakfast for Harstine Island. He can be
t~hotogr~phers.a:n_d the date~ ~,. i For t he~first tim_e pn' Harst- . . ~ome energy to go work at the cmaile.d, aJ sqba~_g@t~n.co~..:
