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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 2011)
10 schools january25 2011 Student Plans Clothing Drive/Student Closet at School Kaitlyn Taylor sees a need and wants to help. Taylor, an eighteen-year-old student at Vernonia High School, is working to organize a clothing drive that would supply a community closet for middle and high school students at her school that need clothing. Taylor is looking for donations of clean and lightly-used clothing of all types to get her project started. “I understand there is a big need for help in our community,” said Taylor. “The flood just happened a few years ago and there are lots of kids who didn’t get to go school clothes shopping this year.” Taylor is planning the initial clothing drive for Saturday, February 12th from 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. under the playshed area. Taylor says she is looking for shirts, blouses, jeans, pants, skirts and even shoes. “We are looking for all styles,” says Taylor. “We are even looking for dress clothes for kids that might be going to a career day or a job interview.” Taylor says she is even looking to collect prom dresses to help students for this year’s prom. The only thing she would like to avoid is underwear. Once clothes have been collected, Taylor says there will be a continuing designated space at the school where students can go, confidentially and free of charge, to try on and pick out clothing for themselves. Taylor even has a working name for her project-- “Kait-Mart.” “It’s kind of like K-Mart,” she says with a laugh. This is not a project that Taylor is doing for credit or for a class. It’s something she has decided to do on her own. “I feel we have a need for this and I want to help people,” says Taylor. If you are unable to attend the clothing drive and have clothes you would like picked up, you can email Kaitlyn Taylor at kait_mart@hotmail. com or call the school office at (503) 429-3521. Lifeguards in Vernonia - A Job Opportunity, And More Are you a young adult looking for a decent- paying job this summer in Vernonia? Well, an opportunity may out there just waiting to be grabbed-- Lifeguarding. Every summer, the City of Vernonia hires a couple of lifeguards to provide safety coverage at the Swimming Hole in Hawkins Park. There are also jobs available at Cedar Ridge Camp to help with swimming lessons that are offered there all summer, as well as work available for other events at the Camp like private picnics, company parties and more. Brittanie May-Fitch has worked as a lifeguard for the last three years in Vernonia, sharing the job with at least one other person each year. She says she doesn’t know of anyone in town this upcoming summer, besides herself, who will be a trained and certified lifeguard and is concerned about how all the hours will be covered. “When I started lifeguarding in 2008, there were four people in the area who were certified,” says May-Fitch. “This summer, I will be the only lifeguard available for the city.” According to May-Fitch, the City of Vernonia offers roughly forty-two hours of work per week, and s Na ce ath Health Se rv al P r i tu the swimming lessons offer twenty. Add on random work for picnics at Cedar Ridge and there will probably be about eighty hours of work on average available each week. And these are not minimum wage jobs, either. According to staff at City Hall, the city of Vernonia pays $12 per hour. And according to May-Fitch, Cedar Ridge usually pays close to the same wages as the City. So how does someone get a job as a lifeguard? To work for the city, the minimum age requirement is sixteen years of age. And you have to be certified. The Red Cross offers a thirty-one hour training certification course that includes First Aid and is valid for three years. This course includes certification in CPR/AED and Bloodborne Pathogens which must be renewed once a year. Lifeguard training is available at the following locations: Forest Grove Pool in Forest Grove-- (503) 359-3238; Shute Park Aquatic Center in Hillsboro-- (503) 681-5397; Beaverton Family YMCA in Beaverton-- (503) 644-3900, ext. 104; Eisenschmidt Pool in St. Helens-- (503) 391-2283; at many Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation facilities-- (503) 629-6300; at many Portland pools and at PCC’s Sylvania campus. The Red Cross recommends calling the facilities directly to find out about class schedules, information and registration. Forest Grove is offering training during the upcoming Spring Break. Cost for the FLOWERS AND PLANTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS initial certification is about $175. Vernonia Florist • Gifts • Balloons • Arts & Crafts • Sewing Supplies • Yarn Dr. Carol McIntyre Proud Sponsor of Mackenzie Carr 2011 Miss Rodeo Oregon Naturopathic & Chinese Medicine 503.481.4096 cccmnd@yahoo.com naturalpathhealthservices.com 786 Bridge Street Vernonia, OR, 97064 736 Bridge St, Vernonia (503) 429-2000 www.VernoniaFlorist.com Grey Dawn Gallery 879 Bridge St. (503) 429-2787 Photography - Bronze Jewelry - Glasswork Pottery - Custom Framing www.greydawngallery.com Featuring the finest in northwest art We saddle shoe. Do you? Muffy’s 950 Bridge Street Vernonia, O8 97064 503.429.5050 or 866.524.5050 www.muffys.com World Headquarters Vernonia, Oregon The VHS Wrestlers would like to say Thank You to everyone who supported their fundraising efforts on Saturday, January 22nd. Weight Watchers Available to Vernonia School Staff Last August Vernonia School District staff learned of a new benefit added to their OEBB health insurance plans. Starting in October, staff were able to sign up for a thirteen week long “At Work” Weight Watchers session. Washington Grade School teacher Debbie Stahlnecker organized the group by first contacting Weight Watchers, along with interested staff and was able to set up an initial meeting. Weight Watchers leader Cheryl Thiessen agreed to lead DENNIS the weekly weigh-ins and meetings. HM: 503-429-2810 CELL: 503-313-9044 The response to this opportunity was impressive. Sixteen staff members committed to at least ten weigh- ins over the thirteen week course. They also received 1264 G ST. VERNONIA, OR 97064 ROAD BUILDNIG free “E-Tools”, Weight Watchers on-line tracking, LAND CLEARING O.P.L. CERTIFIED recipes, and resources service. O.P.L.H. CERTIFIED EXCAVATION Over ten weeks the group has posted 205 total pounds lost. This represents over 5% total weight loss. “I really like the fact that the new Points Plus system supports eating healthy not just for weight loss, but as a lifestyle change for good health,” said Cici Bell, a staffer at Washington grade School. The second thirteen week session will begin in February. The program will be offered to all staff and their families. Vernonians interested in starting a community meeting can contact Weight Watchers through their website. WELLER & SON’S STEVE HM: 503-429-3400 CELL: 503-313-9006 SELF LOADER LONG LOGGER CUSTOM LOGGING “I really hope someone takes the initiative,” says May-Fitch. “What I’m afraid will happen is if we don’t have enough coverage, either people won’t want to bring their kids to the swimming area because there won’t be a lifeguard on duty, because some parents don’t want to do that with young children. Or, there won’t be swim lessons this year here in town.” May-Fitch believes there are many rewards to working as a lifeguard-- not just that it pays more than minimum wage. “It provides a level of respect and a sense of responsibility,” says May-Fitch. “One thing you learn in training is, more than almost any other job, you are responsible for people’s lives. And that is a big responsibility. And people respect you, because you are watching their children and they have to trust you. And you have to accept that responsibility and that trust.” As part of the swimming lesson program, May- Fitch gets a different kind of reward. “I’ve seen kids who were afraid of the water become really awesome swimmers. Parents are amazed what we can do with their children. And I feel really proud about that.” May-Fitch says she believes a lifeguard certification looks good on a resume or a scholarship application. “It makes someone valuable,” she says. “When an employer or school sees that someone has taken the time to get that training, and knowing they have these skills, it looks really good.” “For me, I feel like it’s my responsibility to give back to the community,” says May-Fitch. “I feel like giving back to the community is really important, because if you are not giving back then you are just taking. And I feel like this is a way to give back.”
