Clarence Edelman, the chairperson of Neighborhood Missions, knows from
personal experience about the struggles that some people go through - people
on the mountain that the organization helps every year. As a child, he grew
up during the Depression in a small town in Idaho, often without being able to
eat and with no resources that could offer some help.

“It hits pretty close to home,” Edelman said. “That’s my motivation.”

Neighborhood Missions, which provides food, wood, and financial assistance
for heating, medicine, utilities, gas vouchers and transportation for those in
the community in need, will hold its annual Spring Fling event on Saturday,
May 21, at the Mount Hood Lions Club, at the corner of Hwy. 26 and Woodsey
Way in Welches.

“We help everybody, we don’t draw any lines,” Edelman said. “Everybody gets
help, everybody is welcome to ask us for help.”

The event features a silent auction, bake sale and craft sale starting at 11
a.m., with the auction closing at 7 p.m. Silent auction items are expected to
include gift certificates to local restaurants, a gun cleaning kit and power yard
equipment. The crafts will be locally made, including quilts, socks and more
made by the Hoodland Lutheran Church quilt group.

A spaghetti dinner with dessert will start at 4 p.m., $10 for adults, $5 for
children four to 12 and free for children three and under. All proceeds will
benefit Neighborhood Mission. Tickets are available at Welches Building
Supply, El Burro Loco, Still Creek Inn, Coffee Brewsters and Clackamas
County Bank.

Edelman noted the organization serves up to 15 people a week, with tens of
thousands of hours donated by volunteers to keep it going. He added that
Neighborhood Missions is unique because it is available seven days a week to
those in need, plus it can deliver help to people.

“If we didn’t have the support of the whole community up here, we wouldn’t
be able to do this,” Edelman added.

For more information, call 503-622-5694.