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Readers offer help, and hope Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Medford resident Misty Bandfield and her children, 4-year-old Michael and 6-year-old Kristyn, will have a brighter Christmas thanks to the generous response of readers to the Mail Tribune's "Light One Candle" series. She received two months' rent, a Christmas tree and presents, and - best of all - a job. By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune Three weeks ago, Misty Bandfield was out of work, out of money and out of hope. The 25-year-old Medford mother of Kristyn, 6, and Michael, 4, was laid off in October from a job at Weaver Forest Products in White City. She'd been looking hard for work, with no luck. Rent was due, with eviction looming Dec. 10. Providing Christmas for the kids seemed like just the latest in a series of impossible tasks. "From October on, I probably sent out 100 resumes," Bandfield said. "I don't know what it was, but nobody wanted to hire me." Examples of readers' generosity Mail Tribune readers responded generously to many of the "Light One Candle" stories during the paper's annual holiday series. Here's how some of the stories turned out: A 33-year-old Medford father of three who couldn't afford medicine for cancer treatment received more than $3,000 in pharmacy vouchers. The man is a client of CERVS of Medford. "It was wonderful," said Rob Grimm, owner of Christian's pharmacy. "One donor gave $1,000. He'll be OK with his medication for six months. It just makes you get warm fuzzies." More than $5,000 in donations and gift certificates, offers for art lessons from three local teachers and dozens of donations of paper, pens and other tools came to a 17-year-old Medford boy who spent most of his life in foster care. Now a client of the Independent Living Program run by Community Works, the boy will be able to pursue his dream of a career in art. A 43-year-old diabetic woman won't have to worry about paying for glucometer strips to monitor her disease. A donor agreed to take care of the cost of the treatment for the rest of the year. In addition, donations of cash and supplies to the Community Health Center will help at least 30 people in similar predicaments. A 27-year-old Medford mother of six will travel to Portland in comfort, thanks to the donation of a 1992 Dodge Caravan. The ages of the woman's kids are actually newborn to 10, not 2 to 17, as Capt. Lisa Van Cleef of the Salvation Army originally indicated. That was the largest item in a flood of donations for clients of the Medford agency, Van Cleef said. "I was skeptical, especially with the van, but the response has just been incredible," Van Cleef said. A clean house and a revamped roof await two clients of Food & Friends in Central Point. Molly Maids of Phoenix volunteered to provide a six-week housecleaning service for a 78-year-old man who fell from a ladder. And an 86-year-old blind former roofer will sleep beneath a sound ceiling thanks to Evergreen Roofing. "I came back from lunch to 26 voice mails," said Evelyn Kinsella, of the Food & Friends program. "The man said to me, 'This is the best Christmas ever.'" That was before Bandfield tapped into reserves of public awareness and holiday generosity spurred by the Mail Tribune's annual series "Light One Candle." Within days of her story's Dec. 8 appearance in the newspaper, Bandfield had three job interviews, two months' paid rent and a lighted Christmas tree with presents beneath it. "I didn't really think anything would come out of this," she said, "especially job-wise." Last Wednesday, Bandfield started a new position as an entry-level accounting clerk with Michael Piels' certified public accounting firm in Medford. She'll earn more than $1,700 a month, with benefits and paid vacation. "He said, 'When can you start?' and I got all giggly and started bouncing around inside of myself," she said. "I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. This is a big opportunity." Piels saw the Tribune article and contacted Southern Oregon Head Start, where caseworker Barbara Sonday had pursued every avenue to find help for Bandfield. A job interview confirmed that Bandfield had the skills, the personality and the work ethic to fill Piels' position. "She's so sincere about wanting to provide for herself and her family. She's very bubbly and vibrant and she has all the basic skills that we need," said Piels. "She does 10-key by touch, she's familiar with the computer and she's willing to learn. The article depicted her as a person who just needed a chance." That chance could change the lives of Bandfield and her children. Piels has promised continued training and the chance for advancement. "It's exciting," Bandfield said. "I'm waiting to wake up." Piels was just one of dozens of Mail Tribune readers moved to generosity by stories of individual need. Agencies throughout Southern Oregon were inundated with donations of cash, clothing, Christmas gifts - even karaoke machines - stemming from the three-week series. "It's incredible," said Cydney Nestor, coordinator of the Central Point center that houses a 17-year-old girl with a tragic history of abuse. The girl asked for a karaoke machine to pursue her dream of a singing career. "We had 18 phone calls right away," Nestor said. " One doctor called to donate voice lessons. One elderly sex abuse survivor made gift baskets for all the girls here." Eight karaoke machines were donated; two will remain at the center and the other six will be distributed to youth programs, said Stephanie Mauer of Southern Oregon Child Study and Treatment Center, which runs the girls' home. Other "Light One Candle" responses to the agency were equally generous. "We have never been able to buy for Christmas because we don't have those kinds of funds," said Mauer, whose agency received $800 and a flood of goods from socks to a set of tires donated by Les Schwab of Medford. SOCSTC provides services to emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children and their families. "Our workers were in tears," Mauer said. "A lot of these kids would have woke up without even a Christmas present." Tears welled, too, at the Legal Services office in Medford, where readers responded to requests for socks, warm pajamas and bed blankets for two elderly nursing home residents. Executive Director Debra Lee said the agency received enough to comfort not only the 81-year-old man and 75-year-old woman, but also resources for the three dozen other clients they serve. "I was very touched," she said. "The whole office was very surprised at the response. Because we're a law office, we don't have much contact with the community. It really demonstrates that if people knew what we were doing, we'd get a lot more support." Not all "Light One Candle" pleas worked out so well. At St. Vincent de Paul in Medford, workers had to turn away donations for a 39-year-old mother of three seeking housing. Bill Schueller, president of the volunteer agency, said the woman wasn't cooperative. "She broke every rule in the book," he said, citing no-alcohol and residency requirements. "We're a little bit embarrassed and a little bit upset, but she disappeared on us. It's not unusual; it has happened to me many times." Potential donors were encouraged to continue to give to help the estimated 65,000 people the agency serves in Medford each year. But most of the "Candle" stories ended like Misty Bandfield's, with a tale of generosity - and hope. "If you could just say 'Thank you,' to everybody who helped," Bandfield said. "I know there's people out there who care." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.