March 28, 2024
The Liberty Lake Splash
PO Box 363
Liberty Lake, WA 99019
Phone: 509-242-7752
News Blog Business Community Opinion Sports
Submitted photo

Charlie Finck is a local counselor and author who has started a nonprofit called Building Ohana with his wife, Deborah. Finck hopes to raise $18,000 for the new nonprofit, which was inspired by their autistic son, Jonathan, as he participates in a half-Ironman event this August.

Search the News Archive Search the News Archive

In the July Fountain: Finck trains for 'Building Ohana'; Give Back
6/30/2015 11:29:41 AM

Finck trains for 'Building Ohana'
Author plans to complete half Ironman as fundraiser

By Sarah Robertson
Splash Contributor

Most of us know that our lives change the instant we have a child - whether it's going from a lovely eight hours of sleep to a precious few or watching your child graduate from medical school.

It wasn't any different when Charlie Finck, 70, and his wife, Deborah, become parents 20 years ago. Though, their journey and where they are today is quite unique and probably unlike anything they had ever imagined.

Finck and his wife adopted their son, Jonathan, in New Orleans when he was just 20 hours old. Jonathan has autism, as well as other medical issues, and will require primary care for his entire life.  

"It's a lot of work, but we're very thankful for all the help we get," Charlie said.

It's because of Jonathan that the Fincks have embarked on a journey of creating a better life and community for those with disabilities. Their venture is called Building Ohana.

Its mission is to create a mixed-use "village" where individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities can live and thrive alongside their neighbors.  Residents would not be limited to those with a disability, but open to anyone willing to commit to a lifestyle based around "cooperative relationships within home and neighborhood." 

"The idea was born out of a belief that I have that I can't really significantly impact the quality of my son's future or anyone's unless we start to impact the communities in which we live," Deborah said when recalling how the vision for Building Ohana was formed. "(It's) recognizing that it isn't always about bringing some sort of service to a person or group but looking outside of it for a healthy and lasting community response.  It's been a shift in my own heart about my responsibility to Jonathan and everyone else."

Building Ohana hopes to build a diverse and inclusive intergenerational community.  As Finck pointed out, the dream is that it becomes a "permeable" community rather than an isolated segment of the larger community. 

"This community is born out of my wife's heart and our desire for Jonathan and others like him to have people with disabilities and others that want to be part of a community," he said.

Practically speaking, the community would be on 20 to 30 acres of donated land and would house 120 to 150 individuals.  Their hope is to be near a bus line and include work opportunities on-site as well as medical and other necessary facilities.  

Part of the journey for Building Ohana right now is fundraising.  While Deborah is the executive director of the nonprofit, Finck is very much invested in the venture and is starting a very ambitious fundraising campaign.

An avid marathon and triathlon participant since the 1970s, Charlie is participating in a half Ironman in Lake Stevens this August. He hopes to raise $18,000 to fund Building Ohana's pre-development plan as a way to ensure the success and sustainability of the project.

"The vision is very segmented," he said. "We are taking everything in steps."  

This past year Deborah put together a board of directors, identified possible partners for the project and garnered valuable public input for the future village.  The pre-development plan will bring together all the logistics of the plan for Building Ohana and provide a roadmap for bringing the vision into existence.  

Deborah remembered with a chuckle the day Charlie sent her an email with information on the Ironman. 

"He sent me an email with the Ironman information, and on it was a commitment to do it in support of Building Ohana.  I was floored!" she said. "It seemed like such a sacrifice and a lot of work.  I knew he was doing it for Jonathan and Building Ohana."

Finck currently trains six days a week with a trainer, Marla Emde, who also organizes the Valley Girl triathlon. Training sessions are an hour to three hours long with a grueling mix of swimming, biking, running and core training.  

Finck's love for running and triathlons came from his longtime career in the military.  As a child, Finck dreamt of flying planes.  Growing up in New Jersey, Finck reminisced, "I loved everything to do with airplanes.  I always wanted to be a pilot more than anything.  I built so many model planes."

He joined the Air Force to make that dream come true and landed at Fairchild - after college in Texas - piloting B-52s.  

In 1985, Finck retired from the Air Force, continuing as a member of the Guard for the next ten years. 

"My faith grew in the military, and I really felt that my faith was drawing me out of the military and into counseling," he said.

Finck's faith led him to a long-time career as a counselor at Elijah House in Post Falls and eventually opening his own counseling and teaching practice - Liberty Cross Ministries.  His book, "As We Forgive Those," is about to go into its third printing.

While Finck has had a long career in the military as well as a fruitful counseling career, it's clear that his love for his son and family - and by extension Building Ohana - is his greatest passion.  

Finck's face lights up and he can't hide the giant grin when he speaks of Jonathan.  He is very proud that they have travelled to many corners of the globe with Jonathan.  Currently, Jonathan is learning to use an iPad to communicate his needs with others, and his parents couldn't be prouder of his progress.  

"He's a gift," Charlie said. "I wouldn't change a thing."

For more information about Building Ohana, visit www.buildingohana.org.

To donate to Finck's half-Ironman fundraiser, use the link www.crowdrise.com/2015otherraces/fundraiser/charlesfinck and click the "Donate to this Fundraiser" button.  

• • • 

Fountain Profiles: Charlie Finck

Age
70

Family
Wife, Deborah, and son, Jonathan

Current activities
Counseling with Liberty Cross Ministries, talking about his book "As We Forgive Those," and training for a half Ironman to raise funds for Building Ohana

Favorite Restaurant
Ding How

Local events he loves
Farmers Market, yard sale, symphony performance at Pavillion Park and the Fourth of July celebration 

• • • 

Give Back
Spotlighting timely needs our community can meet together

To our friends and neighbors in the greater Spokane Valley: 

Supplies are critically low in two key areas at the go-to clothing bank for our area, a need we hope you will join us in doing something about. 

The volunteer-operated Spokane Valley Partners Clothing Bank helped 8,613 local families last year. This year, this service continues to be a major lifeline in our community, but specific needs for children and men continue to be a gap. 

First, the bank is critically short on new-condition underwear and socks for children of all ages. Note that this is one of those rare areas where new condition really is important. Please help our local clothing bank have these necessities available as the next dozens of families come through. 

Second, men's clothing is in severe shortage, with mostly empty racks in this area. Typically, donations of men's clothing are far less common, so guys in particular stand to make a big impact by sorting through their wardrobe and donating those good-condition items that could receive better use in another closet. 

Donations can be dropped off at 10814 E. Broadway Ave., or call Spokane Valley Partners with any questions at 927-1153. 

Thank you in advance for helping Spokane Valley Partners continue to meet the needs of Valley-area families.

Sincerely, 

The Arger Family
Investing in Spokane Valley since 1979 
Local owners of Evergreen Fountains, sponsor of The Fountain senior spread in The Splash and The Current

Advertisement

Copyright © 2024 The Liberty Lake Splash | Print Page