Pavel's Bag

This post has many openings:

#1 Last weekend, Dennis and I worked a Citizenship Day in Tacoma.  We had previously worked a huge event at the Exhibition Hall at Seattle Center in February.  I think I wrote about it; Dennis and I had a stapling numbered tickets job.  Over 1500 people came through.  In Seattle, they had two tracks, Naturalization and Immigration.  In the Naturalization track, eligible residents could work with people filling out the form, consult with attorneys and get their applications copied and ready to go.  The Immigration tracks gave those with possible immigration difficulties the chance to speak with an immigration attorney pro bono.  There were 1500 people who came through, the majority with immigration issues.  This surprised the organizers. 

This event in Tacoma was much smaller in a much smaller venue.  Just Naturalization.  The idea was, if you were eligible, you could consult with attorneys and others to fill out that Naturalization form and, again get it copied and ready to go.  This time, Dennis and I were in the copy section.  They had 97 clients and 53 of those got as far as the copying..  Many are 'red-tagged' ie not eligible and given other resources. 

#2 So far we have had two contacts in the Detention Center.  Evangelin (born in Philippines but lived in Alaska from a young age; she had been brought to the Detention Center after being released from jail) who was released last Spring.  I remember because we went to her niece's graduation party a few weeks after her release.  And Pavel (from Uzbekestan with much more serious charges)  He is still in Detention and gets shuttled back and forth between the Tacoma Center and one near The Dalles.  He prefers the Northwest Detention Center as there REALLY is nothing to do in the other facilities and no visiting either.

#3 Many of those in the Detention Center have little to do.  But several have done some sculpturing using folded paper strips (mostly from junk food wrappers, that's all they have_  Evangelin gave us a small sculpture, they are all around the Welcome Center (the RV AID NW parks in from the the Detention Center).  Pavel also made items with this technique.  He was part of an art show in a downtown Tacoma Gallery.,  Dennis and I went down one weekend just to see Pavel's art.  I bought one of the largest pieces; they assured me that Pavel would the full amount I had paid ($100).  It looked like a tote bag but it really wasn't.  I could see that it couldn't tolerate being dragged around with items in it.  We decided to give it to the AID NW auction.

So much for beginnings.  Last weekend, we did the Citizenship Day at Tacoma Community House.  They had a small reception room near the entrance with a glass display case.  Look, what's displayed in a place of honor there... Pavel's artwork!  The very same piece that I had purchased and donated.  So I'm guessing, that somebody connected with Tacoma Community House bought and now is displaying it prominently.  That's so great!!!!