“It seems to be an evenly-distributed tragedy in that this innocent man died, and these other men have to live with what certainly seems to be a loss of control in a difficult situation,” says Carol Wells, the newest member of the Alien Boy team, discussing James Chasse’s death. 
Wells, who will be our grant writer, gained a masters in English from PSU in 1988, and went on to teach writing and drama at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, on the edge of Amish country. Having decided not to pursue her PHD, Wells then went on to work as a copywriter at an advertising agency in Allentown, PA—her first job there was writing the copy for the in-house magazine of Mack Trucks, which was called “The Growler.”
“It was great fun to be at that time a 30-something former English teacher writing to truck salesmen, you know, ‘when the pedal hits the metal and the rubber hits the road,’ I’d giggle and think ‘if only they knew’,” she laughs.
Wells returned to Portland in 1995 and among other jobs, she has since worked as a researcher at the Veterans Association, as a copywriter for Norm Thompson Outfitters, and has been freelancing for the NW Examiner for the past six years.
Wells also started a non-profit trying to do peer-support for mental health patients in 2004, called Torri: Gateway to Community. The non-profit closed in 2006, but having watched our director, Brian Lindstrom’s film about Central City Concern’s recovery mentor program, Finding Normal, Wells says she is all the more convinced that peer support is the way forward for the mental health community.
“We were very obviously trying to fill a gap,” she says, referring to Torri. “When people come out of mental health treatment, they’re alone. They need someone to take them shopping, help them get on the bus, tell them it’s alright. It’s still not happening and it would be nice if it were.”
Wells has just written her first grant proposal for Alien Boy, to Portland’s Anne A. Berni Foundation, and is about to formally submit a proposal to the Spirit Mountain Community Fund. She is also excited about applying to the Paul Robeson Foundation, which specifically funds pre-production for films with a social justice focus.
“Clarity is absolutely crucial when I’m writing grant proposals,” says Wells. “I don’t try to manipulate, because these people have read and heard it all. I just try to make it as clear and concise as possible.”
She adds that she plans to keep applying for grants until we have the money we need to complete Alien Boy. Welcome aboard, Carol! We’re glad you’re with us!
