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desert
STAR W E E K L Y
PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID Desert Hot Springs, CA
Helping Fill the Coronavirus Learning Gap see page 6
PERMIT NO 00005
March 25, 2020 Vol. 16 No. 23
“Power Of One” (left to right) Harold Wilkinson, Event Sponsor, Kris “Tanto” Paronto, 2012 Hero of Benghazi, Lorraine Brinton, Co-Founder of Olive Crest Desert Communities, Jill Wilkinson, Harold Wilkinson IV, and Dr. James Brinton, Co-founder of Olive Crest Desert Communities. Photo by Gregg Felsen Photography.
Kris “Tanto” Paronto, 2012 Hero of Benghazi Attack was Featured Speaker at Olive Crest Desert Communities’ Sold-Out Luncheon By Madeline Zuckerman Olive Crest, known for its dedication to preventing child abuse, to treating and educating at-risk children and to preserving the family . . . “One Life at a Time,”
hosted its “POWER OF ONE” luncheon with a sold-out crowd of over 200 guests. This inaugural event, which exceeded all expectations, was Co-chaired by Georgialee and Doug Lang and held
at The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa. The night before the luncheon featured speaker Kris “Tanto” Paronto, made a special guest appearance at a private Champions’s
Dinner held at the Classic Club. Over 40 youth attended from Olive Crest Programs, including emancipated foster youth and young men from the Olive Crest Perris Group Homes. This special dinner
was generously underwritten by Judy Sumich, who commented, “I believe deeply in the work of Olive Crest, and when I was told of this Continues on Page 9
Homeless Shelters Seeking Help During Coronavirus Pandemic
By Desert Star Staff New Mexico’s homeless advocates say local communities, with help from the state government, need to make arrangements to house those living on the streets during the current health crisis. Even in normal times, those experiencing homelessness struggle to find bathrooms and a place to wash their hands. Now, with restaurants, coffee shops, libraries and other public places closed, a lack of proper hygiene makes them even more vulnerable to COVID-19. Hank Hughes, executive director of New Mexico Coalition to End
Homelessness, is asking the state and cities to make buildings or motel rooms available for homeless people who test positive to isolate and recover. “I think homeless people right now are mostly pretty scared,” he states. “Homeless shelters are not set up well for a pandemic. Usually everybody is sleeping in the same room or just a couple different rooms.” Hughes is discussing proposals to help the homeless with city officials in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces, the governor’s office and the state health department. He says the public
A lack of access to food, shelter and basic hygiene by those experiencing homelessness make them particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. (Leroy_Skalstad/Pixabay)