BETWEEN THE LINES: ENTHUSIASM MAKES DIFFERENCE IN WELFARE TRANSITION

Moving from welfare to work isn't easy, but it's becoming necessary.

President Clinton intends today to introduce a plan that would offer more financial help to welfare recipients during the transition. He cites an increase in the number of people who have traded their welfare checks for paychecks as incentive for the aid.

In the past five years, the number of welfare recipients with jobs has risen from just 7 percent to 27 percent, the president and his advisers say. That increase is good for our nation and its economy.

But in the meantime, things aren't so easy for the people making that transition from welfare to work. Some have never held a job before. Others just don't have the skills and social graces necessary to keep a job.

But there is help.

Just last week, I met two hard-working women that once depended on public assistance and the people who were helping them get off the dole.

Thanks to prayer, encouragement and their own hard work and determination, Patricia and Chanel no longer want just a welfare check. They're longing for more -- and they want to earn it themselves.

Both women are making their way off welfare in return for a more independent lifestyle. And they've been rewarded for a job well done.

Members of an area Catholic church and other community agencies gave used vehicles to the women to help with transportation to and from their jobs.

But these vehicles weren't just a handout. They were hard-earned rewards.

Patricia and Chanel both related stories of their struggles getting to and from work without a vehicle of their own. For months, Patricia used much of her salary from the local department store to pay for transportation and child care. Chanel often asked friends and co-workers for rides to work when she couldn't find a taxi.

I thought things were bad for me when my car was at the mechanic's shop for a day, but not having a vehicle at all would certainly cramp my lifestyle. After talking to these women, I realized my struggles were minuscule compared with the hardships they had faced.

But this wasn't a story of sympathy or empathy. These women knew where they'd been and could see the road ahead. They were determined not to go back. They wanted to make life better for themselves and their families.

Although things have been tough, they knew that quitting wasn't the answer. They'd certainly thought about it, but decided against doing so.

While interviewing them for the newspaper, I think I learned more from Patricia and Chanel than just the facts of their situation. I saw two women who were excited about their new lives and ready to share that excitement with other people.

They spoke of determination, dedication and a desire to do better. I think maybe that's just what we are all looking for out of life. I know I certainly am.

~Laura Johnston is a copy editor for the Southeast Missourian.