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
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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.”
