6
community news
february22
2011
Smoke Alarms Really Do Save Lives
The Mist-Birkenfeld Rural Fire
Protection District has been participating
in the Oregon Fire Marshal’s Smoke
Alarm Program, working to increase
the number of residences with working
smoke alarms.
According to Mist-Birkenfeld
Assistant Chief Mary Lou Busch, last
year Mist-Birkenfeld staff and volunteers
went door-to-door in their community,
handing out fifty free smoke alarms
they received through the Oregon Fire
Marshal’s program.
Bill Armstrong, a resident in the
district was a recipient of one of those
smoke alarms and also a recipient of
the benefits of having a working alarm
installed and functioning properly.
Armstrong says he was asleep in
his home in the the middle of the night
when his pellet stove malfunctioned and
began filling the house with smoke. The
alarm sounded and he was able to get
the house opened up and safely cleared
out the smoke.
“That alarm probably saved his
life,” says Busch.
According to the Oregon Fire
Marshal, smoke alarms more than
double a person’s chance of surviving
a fire. Components of the smoke alarm
program include workshops, campaigns,
smoke alarms on fire department
apparatus, smoke alarms for the deaf
and hard of hearing, real estate agent
training, brochures, and partnering
Tourism Director Opens Office Hours at
County Chamber
The South Columbia
county Tourism Director will be
available for walk-in meetings at
the County Chamber of Commerce
office
Thursdays
beginning
th
February 24 . Tourism Director
Amber Dennis regularly visits with
local business owners and meets
with stake holders. But following
disbursement of a $10,000 grant
to the chamber from the Tourism
Fund, the chamber offered to
let the tourism committee use a
vacant office space in the chamber
building. Dennis thought this could
be great way for tourism efforts to
have a more visible presence in the
community.
If you have a business
that can benefit from attracting
visitors, belong to agencies, clubs
or associations that might like to
meet in St. Helens, or are working
to organize an event; Dennis would
love to meet you and coordinate any
kind of support possible.
The South Columbia
County Chamber office is located at
2194 Columbia Blvd, in St, Helens.
Call 503. 397. 0685 ext. #107
to schedule or email tourism@
travelcolumbiacounty.com for more
information.
Maple Bars available locally!
Connie King, the cook at the Senior
Center, is making maple bars each
day. The maple bars are available
to the public, too, and only cost
$1 each. Availability is subject to
quantity on hand. You can assure
yourself of a good supply by pre-
ordering them directly from Connie
by calling the Senior Center (503-
429-3912) any week day, from 7:00
AM-3:00 PM. Please allow one day
lead time for larger orders. The Cen-
ter’s front door opens at 9:00, but
the side parking lot door opens at
7:00. Ah, sweet treats!
off during those same hours, and
donated clothes need to be clean
and in good condition so they are
“sales ready”. We are offering half
off during the first week of each
month. Buy locally and support
your local Senior Center.
For after hours drop-offs please
contact Pauline 503-429-5810.
Thrift Store: Bargain prices can be
found in Vernonia’s Senior Center in
their Thrift Store. The retail store is
open Monday through Friday, from
9:00 AM until 3:00 PM. The Thrift
Store provides funds for the Senior
Center’s facility and its many activi-
ties. Donations can also be dropped
Membership Dues: Another way
to support Vernonia’s Senior Center
is to pay the $15 annual member-
ship dues. Checks may be mailed
or dropped off at the Senior Center.
Anyone 50 and older may join.
Senior Center Activities
5-Area Luncheon:
Monday,
February 28 at the Rainier Senior
Center
Connie’s Fabulous Breakfasts:
Fabulous breakfasts are available
to the public on Fridays for a cost
of only $3.50. The event happens
at the Senior Center (446 Bridge
Street) from 7:30 to 9:00 AM each
Friday. Meal price includes a bev-
erage, too. Enter through the side,
parking lot door. What a deal!
Week Day Lunches: The Verno-
nia Senior Center offers nutritious
and tasty lunches each weekday
for only $4. These are available to
the public, not just Senior Citizens.
(Mealtime is noon; late arrivals may
not be served.) You can reserve
your lunch by calling by 11:15 AM,
or further in advance if possible, to
assist the cooks as they prepare the
day’s meals.
Special Days: On the last Wednes-
day of the month Wauna Credit
Union will be serving ice cream. On
the last Friday of the month we will
serve birthday cake and ice cream
to celebrate that month’s birthdays.
Questions? Call: (503) 429-3912
Anonymous
Donor
in
with Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue to
support their multi-family housing fire
reduction program training. The smoke
alarm program supports the Office of
State Fire Marshal’s key performance
measure percentage for the homes in
which there is a working smoke alarm.
Have you checked recently to
insure your smoke alarms are working
properly? Maybe it’s time you did.
Who Wants to Be a
Dairy Princess?
Columbia County
Chapter of the Dairy
Women’s Association
is now accepting
applications
for
candidates for County
Dairy
Princess
Ambassador.
To
enter, a girl must be
at least sixteen, a high
school Junior, and not over 23 years of age as of June
1, 2011. Candidates must be a resident of Oregon at
least 12 months prior to the contest, unless they are
currently a full-time student in a college outside of
Oregon. She must be single, never married or had a
child; and IF not living at home, must NOT be co-
habitating with anyone.
Candidates must also qualify in ONE of
these areas: (a) lived or worked on a dairy farm or
facility at some time; (b) be the daughter of anyone
employed on an operating dairy farm, (c) anyone
who is employed or an owner of a milk processing
plant or distributor, (d) or any person employed in
a dairy related industry. (e) A member or former
member of 4-H or FFA that raised or showed a dairy
project.
A successful candidate must be willing
to represent Columbia County at the State Dairy
Princess Ambassador contest, travel throughout the
county and state promote healthy nutrition by eating
Three-A-Day Dairy products, and raise awareness
about the dairy industry. Training for these activities
is provided to all county candidates by the Oregon
Dairy Women. Any qualified candidates should
call Diane Larson at (503)397-0418 by Monday,
February 28 th 2011.
Donations for scholarship for Amanda
Worman, the outgoing County Dairy Princess
Ambassador, are also being sought at this time.
Anyone who would like to contribute a tax free
donation for Amanda may contact Pam Heimuller at
(503)369-1634 by April 1, 2011.
Each year, the Columbia County Dairy
Women vend at local events to promote Dairy
products and raise funds in support of scholarship
awards for any graduating Seniors and the Dairy
Princess from Columbia County. Scholarship
applications may be picked up at any high school
in the County or contact Diane Larson at (503)397-
0418. Applications are due by May 1, 2011.
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