Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Contact He1l prevent potei By ELLEN BILLES Gamecock Staff Writer 'It's four o'clock in the morning; it's dark outside, and things things look worse than ever." That's the way Lorraine Tablas, volunteer telephone worker for Contact Help, describes a potential suicide's view of life. "Our biggest service is providing someone who'll listen," she said. That could mean staying on the telephone from one and a half to four hours to listen to someone who has lost his will to live. "WE MAY TALK until six or seven in the morning. Then, when the sun comes up things look better,"she said. Tablas said the suicide is not the average call; it is the unusual call received at 782-9222, Contact Help, Columbia's all-problem hotline. Tablas has been a volunteer worker with the non-profit organization since its beginning in 1972. She was a member of the first class of volunteers who went through 24 hours of training and then manned phones June 1, 1972. Ironically, the first call was an obscene phone call. Now calls run to gamut from purely informational calls to the emergency suicide or drug overdose call. TABLAS SAID the OD calls are difficult because it is hard to convince the person to get the help he needs. "If someone calls whose friend National pi concept of BY ANDY THOMPSON Gamecock Staff Writer Since Monday, a table has been sitt displaying a bright orange poster with the Swamp." Their purpose? "We (Congaree S Association) are pushing for a 70,000-acre the Congaree Santee and part of the We (Buddy) Atkins, a senior Marine Biology TH E CONGAREE Swamp is described a~ bottom land forest by the Preserve Associa trees are 150' tall and 25' in circumferen state champion trees and at least six nation The Congarre National Swamp Preser' people interested in making this area a System. All of the Congaree Swamp is priv~ family of Chicago owning the largest tract Atkins said the Biedler tract is "by far th4 forest. The reason being is that this is the le land mixed forest that exists in this tour bottom land forests, but none that remain ni SINCE 1969 the Congaree Swamp has bei lnogged, Atkins aid. aims to itial disasters has ODed, we say.'Take them down to Richland Memorial emergency room. The caller usually hesitates for fear of being busted." According to Tablas, this will not happen because "once it's been in jected they can't arrest you. We tell kids 'As long as you're clean when you go in you're all right' " Contact Help does not provide transportation, and the caller's confidentiality is assured. Many persons with problems are told of agencies which might help them, Tablas said "FOR INSTANCE, very few people know that there's a Columbia Area Mental Health Center where rates are based on the client's ability to pay," she said. "Kids also don't know where to go to get a blood test for VD without their parents being told. Volunteers are screened, then trained in 12 two-hour sessions, Tablas said. Before they actually become telephone workers, they must apprentice under an ex perienced worker. Four-hour shifts are worked about once every three weeks, except for an 8-hour shift which begins at midnight. Tablas is now a senior worker with the organization. This means she is on call for 24-hours straight to help regular workers with special problems. "Most senior workers are professionals like ministers or "The booth,, of Sept. 20, ai swamp," Atki "It (the ral from all over legislators--G Spence-- who portance of C stand point ar Mary Tayl( eserve week. She eserve swamp."lk she conclude Dr. David Congaree Sw strongly abot ing outside Russell House "It reallyi phrase "Preserve Congaree where it woul is interested i wamp National Preserve JONES DOl national preserve including tourist attracl iteree Swamps," James B. would be valu student said. a unit of the an "extensive, near-virgin,, "oudt (atl Lion. Within the forest, some stuegrph (at ce. The swamp contains 24 Gogreeh Sw al record holders. ngaeSw re Association is made up of Congareeing unit of the National Parks pag booking~ ately owned with the Biedler apgeserve.d of land, around 19,000 acres. raly inColui most significant tract in the Jun iskee si st un-cut near virgin bottom million a yea1 try today. There are other good supplen ear virgin." The rally i en logged and continues to be Speakers at ti Jonhn Dlennis 'Our biggest service is providing someone who'll listen.' psychologists," she said. "Some are volunteers who have worked for a long time." People who volunteer are asked to commit themselves for one year because of the extensive training involved,Tablas said. VOLUNTEERS ARE trained to listen to any type problem. "Many people call who are very, very lonely," she said. "The only touch they have with the world is through Contact Help. We also have on file the names of some elderly it Russell House simply is to publicize our natior rid to give new students a chance to learn at ns continued. ly) will be a gathering of scientists and environ the nation. Hopefully, through their persuasion, overnor Edwards, Sen. Thurmond, Sen. Hollings will be in attendance, will be able to understan [ngaree Swamp, environmentally and from the: id the average man's point oif view," Atkins con >r, a USC graduate, has been helping run the b iid, "Everybody I have talked to wants to pres its worth my time to get the people to come to ti d. M. Jones, a geography professor teaching course at USC, said he has followed the happen amp as closely as possible. "It is something thai it as far as the preservation of the area," he contir i a unique area, and one, there is no doubt in n1 I be valuable to USC students and faculty and an: ni a concept as wide as nature," he commented. ES NOT think the Congaree Swamp would ever bi tion as the Sequoia National Park and its red woo able as a National Preserve. South Carolina does National Park system. describe the Congaree Swamp as a laborator; the University)," Dr. Robert Juniskee of epartment said. Since July he has been working amp National Preserve Association in their effori amp. with the Committee, Juniskee has contributed scribing the Congaree and the reasons it should be The book will be available to participants at the rnbia. iid that tourism in South Carolina brings in ab u A Congaree National Swamp Preserve would I ient, he added. i being held at the Carolina Inn from 11 a.m. unt le rally include nationally known environmentalis and Dr. .James T. Tanner. Gamecock Staff Photo by G*n Gaillard persons living alone. They are called every day, and if there's no answer we have someone go and check on them." According to Tablas, persons call with marital problems, pregnancy and abortion worries, concern over suspected child abuse and problems with alcoholl. "They also call and want to know how to spell shish kebab," she said. Whatever the problem, Contact Help has a trained worker waiting by the phone. ial rally >out the nentalist * ur state State's and Rep. d the im- economy wcientific . mented. improves ooth this erve the From News Releases South Carolina's economy e rally," showed signs of recovery in July in nearly every type of activity;, an en- according to a report just released ngs with at the University of South Carolina. I do feel "South Carolina Economic In ued. dicators, " published monthly by the USC Bureau of y mind, Business and Economic Research, tone that said the current statistics continue .to show improvement begun in the as big a second quarter of 1975. ds, but it Of the 17 indicators reported, 15 not have improved while only two declined. The only leading indicator with a /' for the decline in economic activity was :he USC the average manufacturing work with the week which, the report said, is s to save attributed to the seasonal practice in some industries of closing plants to a 156. and reducing output during July. saved as Initial claims for unem Sept. 20 ployment insurance showed a positive decline along with the total unemployment rate and the out $490- amount paid in unemployment >e a very insurance benefits. The report says these lower figures "may simply il 3 p.m. reflect exhausted unemployment t such as benefits rather than reem nployment."