As part of her recovery, Dionne Varney needed to find a new career. Before coming to Anna Ogden Hall, she spent 14 years in the adult entertainment industry. “I had all this experience,” she said, “but I wanted to do something that my family and the Lord and I could be proud of. Bottom line, something wholesome.”
Dionne worked with Tiffany Riddle, Director of Vocational Advancement, and determined she had strong skills in customer service, hospitality and sales. Next, they found a match for those skills at the Mirabeau Park Hotel. Dionne interviewed and was hired for a business practicum – a 12-week, unpaid staff position aimed at increasing her employability.
As Dionne prepares to move out, she is poised to get a job in which she can “succeed and be healthy” at the same time.
Staff and management at Mirabeau are pleased, as well. “They have had nothing but great things to say about Dionne’s work ethic and professionalism,” Tiffany said. “She has earned an excellent reference.”
6 min read
From 2001 to 2026 This year, Union Gospel Mission of the Inland Northwest celebrates 75 years of changing lives in our communities. Over the years,...
1 min read
Phil Altmeyer, Executive Director, Leanne White, Content and Communications Specialist: June 4, 2026
In the 1980s, I was part of Campus Crusade, a ministry working with students—future leaders—on a college campus, believing they'd make an impact on...
5 min read
In our previous newsletter, we reflected on the Mission’s early years—those initial twenty-five years driven by courageous women and men who launched...
1 min read
Union Gospel Mission : July 1, 2014
I was ashamed, and you lifted my head. Christian was once interviewed for an article in Salon Magazine entitled, “Nazi Family Values: Chewing the fat...
1 min read
Union Gospel Mission : January 1, 2012
Trish's Direct Supervisor, Angela, guides her through tasks on the computer.
2 min read
Union Gospel Mission : July 1, 2012
In the waiting room of the law office where she now works, Gigi Leger described her old approach to life: “What I struggled with and what sent me...
