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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Oregon House approves landmark minimum wage proposal ... Massive boulders blocking Douglas County road blasted with TNT ... New wolf makes its way to Southern Oregon ... Oregon House approves landmark minimum wage proposal ... Massive boulders blocking Douglas County road blasted with TNT ... New wolf makes its way to Southern Oregon ... The Family Connection By JONEL ALECCIA,Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By JONEL ALECCIA,Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 11, 2002 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 9:05 AM By JONEL ALECCIA,Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 11, 2002 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 9:05 AM » Social News A local support group dedicated to households with young children hopes to renew itself with new members wanting to make ? For 20 years, Jessica Rumble's work at Medford's Bear Creek Corp. provided job satisfaction, sure, but also a social circle that kept her involved in the wider world. I was used to interacting with 20 or more people a day, says Rumble, whose expertise was in customer service and computer operations. One of those interactions led her to marriage ' with colleague Michael Rumble in 1992 ' and then to motherhood in 1998. But when Rumble quit work to raise baby Max, she discovered both deep satisfaction and a sense of profound isolation. My world shrunk down to this one little person, recalls Rumble, 40. She'd pack the baby off to local parks, hoping to meet new friends. During a conversation with one fellow mom, Rumble wondered why there wasn't a support group for parents like them. She said to me, 'There is. Have you heard of The Family Connection?' A new member was born. With one phone call, Rumble joined a local group that has been providing support, activities and community involvement for families with young children for 15 years. Since 1987, when original members of The Family Connection worked to raise & 36;61,000 for the Robert Leathers playground at Medford's Bear Creek Park, the organization has welcomed families with kids ages birth to age 6. Of course, those members' children are now teenagers and several cycles of preschoolers have passed through the group before leaving for the lure of school, soccer and Little League. Along the way, they've attended play groups, taken field trips to sites from the Mercy Flights headquarters to Donut Country, and raised money for a new crop of community projects, including swings at Medford's Donahue-Frohnmayer Park. In fact, the passage of time and a decline in members seem to be the only problems with The Family Connection. The group that once counted 92 families in its ranks now numbers 23, says Rumble, who has agreed to lead a membership drive. Many of our members' children are getting older, says Rumble. 'They do not need The Family Connection for activities for their children or the opportunity to meet other families with small children. To get the word out to preschoolers' parents, Rumble has put her work skills to use. She created a Web site ' ' and crafted brochures and fliers and business cards that she hands out on trips to the park. She's distributed press releases and chatted up parents who might be interested. Right now, the board is pondering ways to add shade at Donahue-Frohnmayer Park at Spring and Springbrook streets, where the playground equipment broils in the summer sun. It's part of the group's legacy that benefits more than the parents and kids who join, said Greg Jones, director of Medford's Parks and Recreation Department. They're very, very beneficial, Jones said. They just add to the quality of life for all residents. In addition to community projects and social events, The Family Connection also offers a toy library, occasional parenting classes and links to other resources for parents. Members pay annual dues of & 36;20 per family, with a & 36;10 sign-up fee for new members. Financial assistance is available to low-income families. Since she joined The Family Connection, Rumble's sense of isolation has vanished. She has found new friends for herself and her son and she'd like others to know they can, too. We hope to get new members so when the current board members' kids grow up, it won't just die out, she says. For information about The Family Connection, call 732-4878 or call Rumble at 772-5782. By JONEL ALECCIA,Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By JONEL ALECCIA,Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 11, 2002 at 2:00 AM Updated Feb 16, 2011 at 9:05 AM » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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