SafeSpace - April is Child Abuse Awareness Month

Gorge Fly Shop has been supporting SafeSpace for over six years.  The toy drive during the Holiday Season and donations of fly fishing gear for summer auctions.  Gorge Fly Shop's goal is to bring awareness and support for SafeSpace.  Gorge Fly Shop's Community of anglers from all over has supported SafeSpace.   We support SafeSpace because we believe in the work that they do for the children in our communities. 

Over the past six years, Gorge Fly Shop and our community of fly anglers have donated well over ten thousand dollars worth of money and donations.  The support from our angling community over the years has been very touching and heartfelt.  

Last year, we changed our Toy drive by asking our angling community to help "Build a Backpack".  This idea came to life as we learned that children often come to Safespace, leaving a situation that is not safe, and are placed into a safer living situation.   

These backpacks provided more than just the contents inside.  Providing children with a sense of security, ownership, and comfort.  Our friend Terry learned about the need for backpacks and took it upon himself to build and donate backpacks.  He filled each backpack with personal care items shampoo, combs, water bottles, deodorant, plus comfort items like blankets and stuffed animals.  SafeSpace staff shared with us just how much these backpacks meant to each child who received one.  We decided our goal for the Toy Drive for 2024 would be to build backpacks so that each child would receive one.

Terry and Lyndsey worked together creating SafeSpace Closet after finding out how great the need is for clean clothing.

In March 2025, Lyndsey Duddles was elected to the SafeSpace board.  She is excited to join SafeSpace, having a greater role in supporting SafeSpace and her community.  Terry also joined the board in February 2025, with his extensive skills in accounting for nonprofits, they were beyond happy to have his support.

Gorge Fly Shop would like to extend its sincerest gratitude to the angling community for their support of SafeSpace.

If you would like to learn more about SafeSpace and how you can support them, feel free to reach out to us or them directly.

                                                                                   

        

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Help Build a Backpack for the SafeSpace Children

Gorge Fly Shop is proud to be supporting SafeSpace and all their help in the community. This is our fourth year for our "Toy Drive" initiative to help children in need. 

For information on how to contribute visit our "Help Build a Backpack" page for more information. 

Learn more about SafeSpace

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

SafeSpace Summer of Hope Fundraiser August 10th 2024

SafeSpace's Summer of Hope Fundraiser is happening next weekend right here in Hood River Oregon. 

This Christmas will mark 6 years of our annual toy drive for our friends at SafeSpace.  What started out as an idea to support our local non profit at the Holiday's has blossomed into so many great things all thanks to the support you have provided.

One customer in particular (Terry Watson) has been so generous with donations and earlier this Summer we have created SafeSpace Closet.  He has generously supplied clothing and so more they now have the ability to provide clothing to children if needed while they are at SafeSpace.

You maybe asking yourself. What is SafeSpace?  That is a great question.  When there is suspicion of possible child abuse children are referred to SafeSpace.  At SafeSpace the child undergoes all necessary interviews/medical exams in one space.  This means the child only has to tell their story once.  Prior to SafeSpace this took place over several days and multiple different places including an ER and or a Police station.  Revictimizing the child each time.   Additional details about SafeSpace

Their next big goal is to fill in the piece of mental health care for these children.  Providing the support and healing that is needed for these children to heal and go back to being children again.  

SafeSpace Columbia River Gorge serves the Columbia River Inter-Tribal and the four tribes in our area Umitilla, Warm Springs, Yakima and the Nez Perz, plus Gilliam, Wasco, Hood River, Wheeler and Klickitat Counties.  Their resources stretched thin as the demand for their services has been really high this year and growing.

Child abuse is not something anyone wants to talk about, but our children deserve us to talk about it and do a better job at protecting them.  

We hope you join us in Supporting SafeSpace

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

SafeSpace Needs our Help!

Our friends at SafeSpace have reached out and have asked for help.  We want to do just that, and give them all of the support they need.

SafeSpace Children's Advocacy Center of the Gorge is a single point of contact for child abuse victims.  When child abuse is suspected, physical, sexual, or emotional they are referred to SafeSpace. SafeSpace will coordinate with local law enforcement, medical and social professionals so the child only has to tell their story once.  Each time the child has to retell their story they are re traumatized.  

Before SafeSpace these interviews and exams often happened in jails, emergency rooms, doctors offices and the child has to repeat their story over and over again.  Now, children are brought to one location and with technology they only have to tell their story once.  

Signs of Child Abuse

With your donations and support children are gifted toys, blankets, stuffed animals, backpacks filled with personal care essentials, clothing if needed and of course snacks.  

Some of these children are removed from their home and the only items they have are the clothes they are wearing.  

One SafeSpace employee told us that they wish we could see the joy, and smiles that your donations provide.  They say it really and truly makes a difference.  

Our Toy drive has grown every year, but this is the first time they reached out in need of toys and donations during the summer.  So why not do a "Christmas in July Toy Drive"

Here is how you can help:

1) Cash donation - Follow the link below to their website for direct donation

2) Drop off or mail an item into Gorge Fly Shop, we can deliver to SafeSpace

DONATE DIRECTLY TO SAFESPACE HERE

Here is a list of ideas but keep in mind they serve all ages from birth to 18 years old.

They do request no gift cards/cash with intentions to gift to a child.  

1) Blankets

2) Stuffed Animals

3) Art set, color books with crayons or colored pencils

4) Legos

5) Playdough

6) Puzzles

7) Cards

8) Craft sets

9) Cars/Trucks

10) Lincoln logs

From everyone at SafeSpace and Gorge Fly Shop we appreciate all of your generous donations. 

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

SafeSpace Toy Drive 2023!

Gorge Fly Shop donations Delivered to SafeSpace in their Brand new location in Hood River!

A huge "Thank You" to everyone who donated to our Toy Drive this year. We truly appreciate each and every donation.

SafeSpace Children's Advocacy center in Hood River Oregon has just moved into their brand new space at the end of December 2023.  I was able to get a tour of their new facilities and really excited for their new space.

Currently SafeSpace serves the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Police and the four tribes they also serve: Umatilla, Warm Springs, Yakima, Nez Perce, in addition to serving Hood River, Wasco, Gilliam, Wheeler and Klickitat Counties.

With your donations and those from our local communities they now have the space they have needed.  This new space will allow them to council more than one child at a time and still allow for complete privacy for the child and family.  Plus, they now have space for onsite mental health counselors, which is a top priority and important step in healing these children.

SafeSpace CAC new building in Hood River Oregon - Look at all that space!

When children are brought in they undergo interviews by local law enforcement, investigators and others depending on the case. Sometimes a physical exam is also needed to complete the process.  This used to be done at Police Stations, Doctors offices, or other official offices. Sometimes it took several days to be completed.  The child had to provide the same details over and over again.  Now these happen all under the same roof.  With the help of modern technology these interviews are completed with the comfort of the child as their top priority.  The team can obtain the information they need and the child is as comfortable as can be.   It is during this time that your donations of toys, stuffed animals, blankets and the backpacks are given out.

 Look our "Terry Bear" is waiting to comfort children in their brand new waiting room!

  

Imagine being a child that is removed from at home and brought in for evaluation or brought in by family or law enforcement. They often have very little of their own personal belongings. SafeSpace presents these children with the blankets, stuffed animals, games and backpacks that were donated by you!

"The smile on their face when they realize they get to keep what we just gave them is priceless. I wish I could share that experience with you, but just know it means so much to each child." 

From a SafeSpace child advocate. 

These children don't deserve to go through any of this, this is what drives our passion to do what we can to support SafeSpace.  They are giving these children a fighting chance to overcome something they should never have experienced in the first place, they can get the help they need to begin the healing process.

While we call it a "Toy Drive" it's not really set to be specifically gifted to children during the Holiday Season, these gifts are given out and needed for children year round.

We have decided to continue to support SafeSpace not only during the Holiday Season but year round.  There will be a spot on our website where you can make donations, and we will present SafeSpace with a check quarterly.  They have some exciting fundraising planned for 2024 that we will be part of as well.

All of us at Gorge Fly Shop, and SafeSpace Children's Advocacy Center want to extend our sincere appreciation for your generosity and support.

While we are supporting a local SafeSpace CAC, these Child Advocacy centers are all across the country.  This is not something that is talked about, but we owe it to our children to say something if we see something and there are resources out there to help provide support and information.

Please don't be afraid to speak up, our children deserve us to stand up for them!

Make your Donation Here

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us"