Hi Everyone, Jackie and Noah here. We are long time friends of Clel and Olive/ Jasper’s and are here to ask you for your support for two of our favorite people. You probably know them, which is how you found this website, but if you need to be reminded they are some of the most fun, loving and kind people you could ever meet. 

Clel has been Olive/ Jasper’s primary parent for all 8 years of her life, living in Olympia and Tucson together.  Jasper’s other parent, Melinda (also known as Simon, Linri, Knives, and Mel) and Clel have had an agreement and parenting plan that names Clel as the primary and sole guardian of Olive. Since moving to Tucson, Melinda has started to spend more unsupervised time with Olive / Jasper as a parent. 

The situation at hand is a sensitive one, but Clel has made clear that she sees having open, clear and free communication with community as the best way to move forward and the best way to support Jasper. 

On Friday, September 20th, Clel found out that Jasper was checked out of school in the middle of the day by Melinda. Since then, Melinda has refused to answer any of Clel’s calls, emails or text messages, and has not allowed any communication between Clel and Jasper, and they have likely left to another state. 

After a great deal of concern and a large effort to try to locate Jasper and Melinda, Clel found out that Melinda had filed a custody case against her, using a protection order with false allegations of child endangerment. 

This all happened shortly after Melinda disclosed to Clel that she has been having mental health challenges and exhibiting concerning behavior, something that has been a pattern in the past. Clel is very concerned about Jasper’s psychological and emotional well being in Melinda’s care at this time, especially considering that Jasper has not been allowed to communicate at all with Clel, does not have access to her usual support network of friends, and is likely in another city with Melinda.

This crisis has come to a head with a series of legal interventions initiated by Melinda that will determine very significant things for Clel, Jasper and Melinda and their relationships with each other. Interacting with legal systems can become very expensive very quickly, and is emotionally taxing. Clel is in Super Mom mode, doing an incredible and amazing job of compiling documentation, legal resources, lawyers and paperwork so that she can be back with Jasper. 

The best and largest support that we as a community can provide is to make sure that the costs of these resources are as covered as they can be, and that we can make the rest of Clel’s life as simple as possible to navigate while she is focused on regaining custody of her daughter. 

Estimated Cost and Fee Breakdowns: 

• $9,000 Legal Fees 
• $875 Plane Tickets and Transportation Costs
• $450 Cost of living while thr legal process takes over most of Clel’s work time
• $350 Healing modalities such as acupuncture, massage and therapy 

Please donate if you are able to help Clel and Olive / Jasper during this very difficult time.

Lots of you who dearly love Clel and Jasper are spread out along different states and places, and we wanted to offer you a straightforward way to send some support without having to come to Arizona. We also ask that you please share this fundraiser among your networks and friends. 

If you are looking for non-monetary ways to show your support, please contact us directly with any questions through this site. Clel is also grateful for people supporting her through donations of various healing modalities such as massage and acupuncture, as well as by bringing by cooked meals or groceries and spending low stress social time together if you live locally. Finally, if you want to organize a show or event to raise funds, that would also be greatly appreciated and we’d love to support you in doing that. 

Clel wants any excess funds that are raised through this fundraiser to be made available to Melinda when the time comes for her own healing process. 

We hope that navigating the family legal system and mental health concerns can be done with as much care as possible for everyone involved, and deeply appreciate all of you for making that an option. 

Thank you for your support! 

<3 <3 <3