Annual Dinner Report
La Casa Hogar held its Annual Dinner on Sunday, March 13, at the
Clarion Hotel from 4-7 p.m. The evening featured a delicious dinner,
diverse company, and inspiring stories. The Sister of Providence
were recognized for their continued support of La Casa Hogar/Yakima
Interfaith Coalition, and the Silent Art Auction featured delightful
works from Yakima's "Hidden Artists".
Bruce Willis's message from the annual dinner
A friend of mine recently gave me a new perspective for looking at life. He
considers life a journey, filled with experiences and adventures
with people, that inspire us, give meaning to our lives and that
take us in new directions. Each step helps us define who we are
as individuals and where we fit in our community and the world.
I love this approach looking at life. It has allowed me to focus
on the things that bring enrichment and fulfillment to my life.
My experience at La Casa Hogar has greatly enriched my journey.
My first exposure to La Casa was when my wife Ann and I signed
up to take Spanish lessons last fall. At our first class, Carol
Folsom-Hill introduced to us one of the missions of La Casa as one
of empowering women to become participating and contributing members
of our community. Many arrived in Yakima with spouses who had jobs,
and perhaps children, and spoke no English. I remember our very
first language class with us students sitting in the living room
of La Casa and our teachers all huddled together in the kitchen
nervous to come out and meet us. After only 4 weeks it was really
fun to see such a transformation in our teachers, the change in
their confidence as they taught us their language, taught us a Mexican
song or two and we even danced our way toward learning about their
culture. It was a real change I saw in these women but I experienced
a transformation as well. My association with these women and hearing
their stories has been an inspiring experience for me.
I am sure many in this room at one time or another have tried to
learn a foreign language. I recall one day we were learning the
word refregerador. We were all struggling to pronounce this word
and Luz, our teacher, went around the room and had each of us repeat
it out loud. I think we went around the room several times trying
to get it right. Then Rose, another of our teachers, piped up and
said, if you think that is hard in Spanish, try learning to say
it in English. Ree frig er a tor. This gave me a new appreciation
for the many people in our valley that our trying their hardest
to learn a second language.
I am just beginning to realize the large number of people that
the programs at La Casa serve. The more I learn abut this organization
the more I realize what a gift and asset they are to our community.
I think La Casa is very successful in their original mission of
empowering women to participate in our community but I see a new
direction for them in empowering women in roles of leadership as
well.
Muchas gracias a mis maestras de La Casa Hogar, por el enriquecimiento
que han dado a mi vida, y por hacer de Yakima un major lugar para
vivir. I think I said, To my teachers at La Casa Hogar, thank you
very much for making Yakima better place to live and for the enrichment
you have added to my life journey.
Muchas Gracias
Bruce Willis, March 13, 2005
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