Prosperity Center, Hastings featured at luncheon

OTHELLO - About 100 people learned more about The Prosperity Center and Rep. Doc Hastings' work during the Adams County Development Council luncheon Thursday.

Center Director Candi Jaeger explained the Prosperity Center is a division of the Opportunities Industrialization Center of Washington, providing coverage to Grant and Adams counties.

Services include a small loan fund for people starting their own businesses, starting your own business course, youth entrepreneurship program, Dave Ramsey money management course, credit report and repair workshop, credit coaching and a first time home buyer class.

"Instead of a hand out, we give a hand up," Jaeger said.

One highlight of last year was the start of the youth entrepreneurship program in Moses Lake, Warden, Grand Coulee, Mattawa and Creston high schools. The program was offered to 140 juniors and seniors.

"Some have started their own businesses and it's really exciting to see this," Jaeger commented.

Jaeger mentioned a male student in Mattawa. 

Without using a pattern, he sewed a beautiful red prom dress for a student who couldn't afford to buy one, Jaeger said.

When he learned the girl wanted a white dress instead, he spent all weekend sewing her another one.

He now plans on starting his own business in Mattawa.

This year, the program holds a business plan writing competition for the students and offers a $1,000 scholarship for the winner.

Jaeger said they are looking for Adams County schools to participate in the program.

The center also offers a business mentoring program for new business owners completing their workshops.

"We're always looking for mentors," she said. "We've had several Adams County people graduate from our workshops."

The center also takes part in a nationwide mentor match with MicroMentor, www.micromentor.org.

Jaeger shared figures representing people served by the center's programs from 2007 to 2010.  They are: credit reports, 315, Dave Ramsey's class, 150, taxes filed electronically, 2,600, with a total of $5.2 million in tax refunds, business workshop graduates, 117, adults, and 140, teens.

Hastings also addressed the group in a personalized video address because he is back in Washington, D.C. serving in the new House majority party.

"Our nation is still facing significant economic challenges," he commented.

Too much money was spent on bailouts and expansions of government, he said.

But the new Republican majority in the House "is taking concrete steps to "fix what is broken" in Washington, D.C., restoring some fiscal responsibility, he said.

They banned earmarks for the next two years, he said.

He also discussed his priorities as chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.

They include helping the private sector create new jobs and cutting spending through responsible stewardship of our natural resources.

Doing so will put Americans back to work and strengthen the economy.

He also discussed providing oversight to the executive branch of government.

"Our goal will be to hold the administration accountable and get much-needed answers on a range of issues," Hastings remarked.

Those issues involve an offshore drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico and potential new monument designations that will restrict access to public lands all across the West, he said.

Hastings said he supports an "all-of-the-above energy plan" that makes the nation less dependent on foreign energy supply and creates a more stable energy supply for all Americans.

He said only Congress has the authority to authorize dam removal.

"You can be certain I'll do everything in my power to stop such extreme action," Hastings commented.