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38 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, April 15, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend March 31, 2004 Minister joins Planned Parenthood By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune Three new staff positions will effectively double Planned Parenthood’s presence in Southern Oregon, and a veteran Medford pastor will become the organization’s public face. The Rev. Paul Robinson says working as Planned Parenthood’s community relations coordinator will give him a chance to help young people have access to comprehensive sexuality information and to preserve families’ access to family planning information. Robinson leaves Medford Congregational United Church of Christ to take a position formerly held by Kellie Shoemaker, who moved to the Eugene office of Planned Parenthood Health Services of Southwest Oregon. Kaisa Krafft has been hired as the second staff member of Planned Parenthood’s teen theater project, while Deanna Leitner and Maggie Bagon will serve as outreach coordinators. Leitner and Bagon will mobilize Planned Parenthood volunteers in projects such as letter writing, fund-raising, and organizing information booths at fairs, says associate executive director Diane Duke. "Wherever we need a voice, they’ll provide opportunities for people to help be the voice of Planned Parenthood." Leitner, a recent graduate of Southern Oregon University, will work in Jackson and Josephine counties. Bagon, of Coos Bay, will work in Coos and Curry counties. Advertisement A grant from the University of Oregon’s EC Brown Foundation will pay for Krafft’s position with the teen theater, which uses teen actors to help young people understand the problems they encounter in daily life. The grant also will enable the teen theater to travel to schools beyond Southern Oregon. Financial support from the national Planned Parenthood organization will pay for the staff outreach coordinators. Robinson brings a 25-year commitment to family planning to his new job. He served as a volunteer on several Planned Parenthood groups during a 33-year career in the ministry that took him to churches in Arizona, Alabama, North Carolina, Montana and Hawaii. He sat on the local board of directors for nine years, and was president when he decided to seek the community relations position. "I’ve been here 10 years," he says, "and the church is in good shape. This is a good opportunity for me to help a worthwhile agency do good in the community." In 2001 he traveled to Europe with a study group to learn how France, Germany and the Netherlands teach children and young adults about sexuality and reproductive choices. All three countries have dramatically lower rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases than the United States. Robinson says the group discovered a "culture-wide" focus on providing age-appropriate sexuality information in the media and through health care providers as well as members of the religious and educational communities. He says the European experience suggests "the more information you give young people, especially at an early age, the more responsible their decisions become." Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times