Roy Franklin Atwood, Jr., 84 years old, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on July 9, 2011. Frank was a lifelong member of Faith Lutheran Church.

Frank grew up in Ellensburg, WA and enlisted in the U.S. Army when he was still only seventeen. In his Army career Frank received several decorations, the highest being the Legion of Merit.

Frank was a political science major at Washington State University and graduated in 1949. He went on to attend the University of Washington Law School, and became a prominent attorney in Bellingham. A political career followed, including City Council and the office of State Senator.

A former colleague, James Anderson, who served with Frank in the Senate, and is now retired Chief Justice of the State of Washington Supreme Court, said it best, "Frank is an outstanding example of a generation of courage, integrity and principle. He grew up in the Depression, served his country in the Armed Forces and established himself in his chosen profession. He served with distinction in the public sector during the era of the true citizen legislature - where you served your fellow citizens because you believed that public service was the highest calling."

Frank leaves to survive, his wife Marie Atwood; daughter Deborah Atwood and her husband, Robert Hyman of Washington, DC; son Roy Franklin Atwood, III and his wife, Julie of Graham, Washington; and daughter Suzanne and her husband Mitchell Bleicher of Voorhees, NJ. Frank is survived by five grand children, Victoria Atwood, Thomas Atwood, Erica Bleicher, Jane Bleicher and Isaac Bleicher.

A memorial service to celebrate Frank's life is scheduled for Friday, August 12 at 2 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, Bellingham, Washington. Donations should be directed to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation "Fund a Cure"; Seattle Guild Office; 1215 Fourth Ave, Suite 1400; Seattle, WA, 98161 or your favorite charity.

All singers interested in joining us for the fall should come to our first rehearsal of the season on Wednesday, August 31 @ 7:15PM. 

Because people have varying schedules, there are new options this year: join for a season, through Christmas, or longer. 

Of course those who are available at different times are always welcome too, but some seasonal break downs could be: 

Early Fall

August 31, through October 30, (Reformation).

Late Fall

November 6, (All Saints), through December 18, (Advent 4), including Thanksgiving Eve.

Christmas & Epiphany

(Rehearsals from Dec. 7), December 24 through February 27.

Faith's Adult Choir has a wonderful blend of good singers incorporating all age groups, who sing to God, for God, and about God.

 Join us!

 Call Renee King at 733-3970 or 927-6331

 Or email to

renee.king@faithbellingham.org

   

Global Consciousness:

 The Somalian Refugee Crisis

 and the Lutheran World Federation 

 DADAAB, Northeastern Kenya/GENEVA, 13 July (LWI) - Interviews conducted by The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) staff at the Dadaab refugee camp show that newly arriving people from neighboring Somalia have walked on the average for 15 days before reaching the site. 

"Most of the people arriving are dehydrated and very hungry. Many lack clothing and are barefoot," says Mr Lennart Hernander, LWF Department for World Service (DWS) representative for the Kenya/Djibouti program. 

The LWF manages the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camp, and is also filling in gaps occasioned by the high influx of arrivals estimated at 1,300 daily. 

Drought and Insecurity

The main reason for fleeing is the prolonged drought that led to failed harvests and dying animals, coupled with growing insecurity inside Somalia. The influx of new refugees began to increase early 2011, and has since escalated. 

The total number of refugees that were registered in the three refugee camps that make up Dadaab (Dagahale, Ifo and Hagadera) between January and May 2011 was 46,852 persons. In June alone, another 38,514 were received, the LWF representative says of the 20-year-old camp, currently hosting some 360,000 people. 

Numbers Hamper Registration 

 The high numbers also slow down the refugee registration process, which was initially planned for three days-from the first contact at the reception centers to the registration center and back to the camps to receive food, non-food items (NFIs) and firewood. 

Currently, a 15-day dry food ration per person is provided by the World Food Program at the reception centers along with items such as cooking pots, mats, jerry cans and plastic sheets. The delay in processing means that many refugees who haven't received services such as tents end up living in small, unsafe makeshift shelters. 

Prioritizing Most Vulnerable

  The LWF undertakes a "vulnerability assessment" of refugees upon arrival to identify persons with disabilities or social vulnerabilities, female-headed households, unaccompanied minors, separated children and unaccompanied elderly persons. These more vulnerable people are then prioritized for registration and issuance of ration cards.

Discussions are underway with the agencies involved to strengthen the screening, identification and referral system at the registration and documentation points for appropriate interventions and follow up in the three camps, says Hernander.