OCT 21, 2019
Hope For Linda
[…]
AW and ML, who are closer in age to sisters — Wilson is 29 and Lane is 35 — share a love for the 52-year-old Peterson that is overshadowed by the trouble that came with the problems Peterson’s addiction and mental illness brought to their lives over the years.
[…]
“She had a lot of demons she was running from,” AW says of her mother’s inability to remain clean and sober despite several successful efforts over the years. “She had a lot of crappy things that happened to her in her lifetime.”
But that didn’t stop Peterson from reaching out to help others try to overcome similar struggles themselves.
[...]
The two women are starting a project they’ve titled “Linda’s Hope,” that will emphasize Peterson’s outreach to others.
“She always wanted to help people,” Lane said. “This is our way of keeping her going.”
[...]
What had been a missing person search was transformed into a full criminal investigation with the belief “that there is a strong possibility of foul play,” Shirtcliff said.
[…]
While her family members wait for resolution, they have decided to take action to help those who, like Peterson, have found themselves without food and shelter and maybe even looking for a good book as they try to get by on limited resources.
Peterson helped stock small food pantries and Little Libraries placed around town to help others, AW said.
[...]
With the help of AW’s husband, who works for his parents at Wilson’s Cabinet Shop in Halfway, Peterson’s daughter and sister plan to place pantries in private yards around Baker City, Halfway and possibly La Grande. And they will work to keep the pantries stocked with items donated to “Linda’s Hope.”
Chief Duman spoke in support of the effort.
“It’s great for the family to be proactive in potentially helping other people who have issues similar to Linda’s,” Duman said.
[...]
AW and ML are especially looking for nonperishable food items, hygiene/toiletry items, warm winter items for adults and children and yarn to be used by volunteers who have offered to crochet hats.
And they’ll be seeking donations of books.
Wilson said her mother loved books and used information she gained by reading about a wide variety of topics to help others.
[...]
Peterson’s loud and boisterous behavior resulted in her being banned from many places in Baker City designed to provide her with some of the help she needed or even places to come in out of the weather for short periods.
And when she wasn’t causing trouble for herself in that way, Peterson’s generosity sometimes left her without food or money, her daughter said.
“She helped people very much to the point that she was very easily manipulated,” Wilson said.
[...]
That was one reason Wilson took over guardianship for her mother two years ago after Peterson left treatment at Juniper Ridge Acute Care Center in John Day. Wilson helped her mother get set up in an apartment and Peterson worked to stay clean and sober in order to spend time with her grandchildren.
So when she failed to show up for Wilson’s daughter’s dance recital in March, Wilson knew immediately that something was seriously wrong.
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Since here mother went missing in March, Wilson said she’s received hundreds of messages and stories of what she’s done for people.
“She touched a lot of people’s lives in this town,” Wilson said.
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One of Peterson’s dreams was to become stable enough to serve as a peer counselor at Shelter From the Storm in Island City or at MayDay in Baker City, where she had volunteered in the past. Both agencies offer services to domestic violence and sexual assault victims.
“It was always Mom’s hope to help people — to get them to recovery and get them out of any negative situation,” Wilson said.
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Pommy
