Porterville H.O.W. dinner is for Vanessa Winter

The Porterville Helping One Woman (H.O.W.) chapter will hold a dinner at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at the Elks Lodge, 386 N. Main St. in Porterville.

The Porterville Chapter of H.O.W. honors a recipient each month whose name is drawn from nominations offered at the previous month’s dinner.

Recipients of H.O.W. are always a woman whose family is going through an irreplaceable loss, or a woman who has been through an irreplaceable loss in the past 12 months. An irreplaceable loss is defined as a catastrophic loss that cannot be recovered.

Dinner is $10 per person, cash preferred. Recipient gift is $10 minimum, cash or check only. H.O.W. attendees purchase their own meal and provide a $10 cash gift at each dinner. The monetary gift participants offer to each recipient is a wonderful supplement to help them during their time of loss. However, the overwhelming emotional and heartfelt support the organization gives its recipients is the energy behind the H.O.W. organization.

January’s recipient is Vanessa Winter.

Winter is a long-time resident of Porterville. She and her husband, Wesley Winter are childhood sweethearts and will be married for three years in April. After years of Vanessa being told she would not be able to conceive a child due to her health, the couple was surprised when a positive pregnancy test came back from the doctor.

During the pregnancy, they found out that their son Riley has a rare congenital heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia, which requires open heart surgery to survive. Riley also has VACTERL Association, which is a disorder that affects many body systems.

People diagnosed typically have at least three of those features. The features affecting Riley is: Cardiac, vertebral and limbs.

On Nov. 11, 2017, Vanessa had an emergency C section at 35 weeks due to Riley’s heartrate decelerating.

Riley was born with fluid in his lungs that stopped his breathing. He was transferred to Valley Children’s due to his heart condition and respiratory issues. Once Riley’s lungs are better he will have heart surgery. After he recovers, then he will see doctors into regards to the VACTERL Association. This will determine if he will need physical therapy or any surgeries.

Vanessa said she was very grateful that she can be with her son during his stay at Valley Children’s.

The H.O.W. organization envisions a world where everyone is willing to provide comfort and support to another person when they need hope restored in their life. The H.O.W. motto is, “One woman with $10 can buy another woman lunch. Ten women with $10 can buy another woman groceries. One hundred women with $10 can make a real difference in another woman’s life.”

RSVP by Monday, Jan. 15, to howporterville@gmail.com or by calling or texting 2023598. Tickets are available for prize drawings. For those who can’t make the dinner, but want to help can do so by mailing a gift payable to H.O.W. Porterville, 729 N. Atwood St., Visalia.

H.O.W. is a nonprofit organization run entirely by volunteers and donations. To make a tax deductible donation, make checks payable to: Helping One Woman PO Box 3375, Pinedale, CA 93650.

If you would like to nominate someone for H.O.W., simply attend a H.O.W. dinner and complete the nomination form. The next month’s recipient will be selected that night.

For more information, send questions to howporterville@ gmail.com or visit www.helpingonewoman.org.