Page 34 RAIN Oct./Nov. 1982 county planning office. Governments in California, New York, Maine, Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as a number of federal agencies, are examining the new law. The Massachusetts Legislature is considering its own electromagnetic radiation limitation law as well—Patrick Mazza Computertown USA In Wenatchee, Washington, the Community Resource Center at Wenatchee Valley College has been selected as a Computertown USA test site, and will be provided development assistance from the Computertown USA Project in Menlo Park, California to develop local computer literacy projects. For information contact Marlene Curtis, Community Resource Center, Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, WA 98801 Living Lightly Networks An interesting new model social organization is taking place in the Puget Sound area with the formation of living-lightly networks designed to act as information exchange vehicles for people interested in living within the biological conditions of their region. A new regional journal is in the works by some of the members of the living lightly associations. For more information contact: Cascade Living Lightly Association, 3716 274th St. SE, Issaquah, WA 98027, or North Olympia Living Lightly Association, PO Box 1073, Sequim, WA 98382. Divine Profit for Oregon A recent issue of Oregon Business gives a startling economic profile of Rajneesh Puram, the central Oregon religious community, estimating that the group has pumped $20 million into Oregon's economy. The group has 5pent $3 million on modular homes, and spends $15,000 per month at local dealers on tires for their fleet of vehicles. Even the local telephone company. Cascade Utility, can speak of their economic gain of $10,000 per month from the community. Economics of Cool According to Oregon Magazine, (Sept. 1982, a special issue about Eugene) "of the sixty cooperatives incorporated in Oregon since the late 1960s almost half are based in Eugene." The cooperatives include Starflower wholesale food distributors with 30 employees and $3.5 million annual gross sales, and the 200 member Hoedads reforestation cooperative. Yet another way of viewing Oregon's economy is available by examining the University of Oregon Graduate Business School's report on the state's marijuana crop. In the study it is estimated that the annual cash value of the crop is between $100 million and $500 million, making it either the number one or number two cash crop in the state. Youth Assist Elderly/ Handicapped When most policy makers sit down to plan something involving young people, they raise the question, "What can we do for youth?" Portland Youth Advocates in Portland, Oregon rephrased the question: "What can youth do for ms?" And that was the beginning of the Mobile Assistance in Nutrition Program (MAIN), a youth employment program of shopping services for the elderly and the handicapped. It is a community self-help program bringing together the young and the old. The multi-disciplinary program, which combines learning and working, draws from the fields of sociology, geriatrics, nutrition, communication, economics and politics. The youths participate fully in the planning, decision-making and executing of the program. They develop their clientele by distributing leaflets and through personal contacts, as well as by tapping into community services for the aged and handicapped and the hospital out-patient services. Once in the field, youths aid in shopping, delivering, escorting to the grocery store and counseling in nutrition, without charge to the recipients. The youths are paid through the city CETA program and the Mayor's Get Set Program for the training and field work, while a small foundation grant and private donations finance the adult coordinators' positions. Youth Participation programs focus on the needs, as well as the resources and abilities of youth. By developing their abilities, youth become valuable, active members of the community. The social benefits of this approach in the MAIN program can best be expressed by the youths themselves. Abby Adamski shares her experience and insight: I feel that I fit in better here than anywhere else I've been. Usually 1 am just there, but in MAIN I have a say; I can voice my opinions and give suggestions and they are acknowledged. Anywhere else I would say something, I would be either ignored or put down.... I also feel good about my role in the community. Myjob is helpful to both the elderly and handicapped, and myself. I'm doing something constructive while I'm earning money and staying out of trouble at the same time. I found that a lot of the people I shop for are really interesting. I like to hear how things were before my time, and a lot of stories about foreign countries. One problem stems from this: some of my clients can talk forever ifI let them. But that is expected because so many are lonely. Besides, I feel that I'm helping them out by listening to them, because of their need to associate with other people. Another youth participant, Tracey Ann Haines, expresses her feelings
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