february22 2011
V E R N O N I A’ S
reflecting the spirit of our community
Mater Introduces Phase II of Forest
Health-Human Health Initiative In
Vernonia
The Pinchot Institute for Conservation, BlueCross BlueShield, and the Corvallis-based
in cooperation with Portland-based Regence engineering firm Mater Ltd., the Forest Health-
BlueCross BlueShield, has announced the launch Human Health Initiative will help family forest
owners pay for health care with carbon credits
instead of dollars.
This creative twist on carbon markets
provides forest landowners with greater financial
security, helping to keep forest land in the family,
even if a catastrophic health event should occur.
“We are a three-generation forestland owner
family here in Vernonia” said Sharon Bernal, a
longtime Vernonia resident and forestland owner.
“The Pinchot Institute’s Forest Health-Human
Health Initiative gives us forestland owners the
first concrete innovative option for ensuring
our family forests can stay in family hands and
support the community we’ve been born and
raised in.”
Mater noted during her presentation in
Vernonia that this project will be exploring new
Catherine Mater explains details of the Forest terrain. “With this Phase II project that we are
Health-Human Health Initiative during a visit to presenting to you, this is brand new territory. No
Vernonia on February 16, 2011.
one in the nation has undertaken the work that
of a $200,000 innovative Forest Health-Human we are going to be doing and there is no other
Health Initiative that links forest carbon projects community in the United States that is doing what
with affordable health care opportunities for you are doing,” said Mater. She repeatedly used
forest landowners in Vernonia.
the phrase “first in the nation,” as she explained
Senior fellow at the Pinchot Institute, the many components of the project throughout
Catherine Mater, was on hand in Vernonia the evening.
on February 16th to introduce Phase II of the
Phase I of the Pinchot Institute study
ambitious project to the community. Mater found that one of the greatest sources of financial
also introduced several partners from Regance pressure on the region’s family forest owners is
BlueCross BlueShield, Western University of an unexpected major medical bill, and that this
Health Sciences and Oregon State University can result in families needing to sell or develop
who will be working on the project
land that they otherwise would have maintained
With major support from Oregon’s as family forest. Regence BlueCross BlueShield
Kelley Family Foundation, the U.S. Department took an interest in developing new health care
of Agriculture, the Pinchot Institute, Regence options for family forest owners to help address
this situation. A growing focus on sustainability at
inside
10
skein
slayers
11
joy for
jaden
12
coach
whiteman
retires
continued on page 9
free
volume5 issue4
It’s Time for Empty
Bowls Again
The fifth annual
EMPTY BOWLS event is
scheduled for Friday, March
11, 2011, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM
at McBride Elementary School,
2774 Columbia Boulevard in
St. Helens.
Empty
Bowls
is
sponsored by the Columbia
County
Commission
on
Children and Families and
designed and made by local
high school pottery classes.
Guests donating $10 receive a
ticket allowing them to choose
the bowl of their choice and to
have it filled with soup.
Restaurant
owners
of the Dockside, Klondike,
Nawitka Catering, and Sunshine
Pizza have generously agreed
to provide the soup while
is a major fundraiser for the
Columbia Pacific Food Bank.
Guests enjoy a communal
dinner of soup and bread while
at the same time supporting
community members who are
experiencing food insecurity.
This is truly a
community effort. Everything
involved in the event-- the
bowls, the soup, the bread
and butter, entertainment and
auction items-- are donated by
schools, individuals and artists
of the community who are
dedicated to making the lives
of those in need of food a bit
easier. A donation of $10 is
requested.
The
bowls
are
Houlton Bakery and Starbucks
will provide the bread and
butter, coffee and tea.
Advance
purchase
of tickets for the event is
appreciated for planning
purposes. The donation
includes the bowl, soup and
bread. Tickets are available
at the Columbia County
Commission on Children and
Families in the courthouse, in
St. Helens at Houlton Bakery
and Word for Word Books,
and in Scappoose at Dianna’s
Formal Affair .
A silent auction of
donated goods will be ongoing
during the event.
Loggers Opponents TWO Much
Wrestlers Finish Second at District;
Boys and Girls Basketball Eliminated From Playoffs
Two was definitely not a lucky number for the District Championship in two years; Jacob Alf at
Vernonia Loggers winter sports programs last week. 215, and Alex Barber at 285. Second place finishers
were Joe Benes at 140, Michael “Mississippi” Kinnan
Loggers Lose by Two, Six Wrestlers Headed to at 145, and Jake Barnes at 152. Also finishing strong
for the Loggers were third place finishers Quin
State Tournament
Johanson at 135, Cody Cowles at 160, Jake
The Vernonia Loggers finished
Stevens at 171, and Brett Benes at 189.
second at the District Wrestling
The State Tournament takes place February
Tournament, losing to Central Linn
25-26 at the Memorial Colosseum in Portland.
by the narrowest of margins, just two
points. After winning the District
Boys and Girls Basketball Exit Playoffs
Title in class 3A last year, the Loggers
After defeating Gaston 58-51 in the first
moved down a level to 2A and returned from the
2A/1A Special District 1 tournament with a great round of the league playoffs on February 17, and
with the League Title on the line, the Loggers lost to
showing and a number of individual champions.
Six Loggers qualified for the State Tournament Knappa on Saturday February 19, by two points, 54-
by finishing either in first or second place. Overall, 52.
The Lady Loggers were defeated in the first
fifteen of the seventeen Logger wrestlers at the meet
won medals, placing in the top six. Tournament round of the playoffs, losing to Neah-Kah-Nie, by,
winners included Shylo Dooley at 130--his second you guessed it, two points, 32-30.
