By ELSIE DENTON
News intern
August 2, 2007

WINGS, a Hood River-based program designed to launch troubled youth forward into a successful life, had been having trouble getting off the ground.

On Thursday July 26, the program finally received the permission it needed to start making a difference in the lives of young men in the Gorge area.

The transition to the adult world can be difficult for many young men aging out of foster care, said Allyson Pate of Hood River, founder and chair of the board for WINGS.

“Most of these young men have no direction, no job, no place to live and no future,” said Pate on the program’s Web site. “There is no clean and sober housing and no place to rehab from drugs and alcohol.”

WINGS is designed to provide a springboard for young men ages 18-23 who need direction in their lives. Men participating in the program will receive housing and on-site training in life skills like cooking, money management and personal development.

WINGS will help participants develop a strong work ethic, stay away from drugs and alcohol and discover where they want to go in life, according to Pate. The program will be voluntary and completely free. Its full title appends the following to its name: Transitional Housing, Education, Trade School and Wrap-Around Support.

By the time they graduate after nine to 12 months in the WINGS program, the young men will be “clean, sober, hard working, stable and ready to own their own place and become contributing members of the community,” said Pate.

The WINGS program had been floundering without a launch site. The WINGS board of directors wanted to use the old United States Forest Service buildings at Camp Wyeth as a base, but the Forest Service had the buildings scheduled for demolition. Pate admitted that it was a struggle to change the agency’s mind.

Last Thursday Pate finally received a letter of intent to lease from Forest Service National Scenic Area Director Dan Harkenrider. With the property now in reach WINGS can fly forward.

The lease would never have gone through without the support of U.S. Rep. Greg Walden and Pacific Northwest Regional Forester Linda Goodman, according to Pate.

WINGS has a grant pending through Oregon Housing and Community Services. The grant will provide the funds necessary to lease the Wyeth site and begin restoration of the buildings such as adding handicap accesses and bringing the buildings up to code, explained Pate.

WINGS hopes to take possession of the Camp Wyeth by February 2008 and have the camp open to young men by June 1 of the same year.