6
community news
december13
2011
CASA for Kids Receives Community Grant
CASA for Kids, Inc. has received
an $11,000 Community Grant from The
Oregon Community Foundation to build
organizational capacity to advocate
for abused and neglected children in
Columbia County.
The mission of CASA for Kids
is to ensure that all children in foster care
can grow up in a safe, permanent home.
The organization recruits, screens,
trains and supervises volunteer Court
Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs)
who work in the best interests of the
children.
“Foster children need more
help than the system can provide,”
said CASA for Kids executive director
Kathryn Bourn. “A child with a CASA
has the best chance of success.”
The grant funds will enable
CASA for Kids to expand its staff to
supervise more CASAs, Bourn said.
Eight new CASAs just completed
training and have been sworn in to take
cases. The new CASAs are: Scott Kelly,
Janelle JahaAdams, Kristen Hinze,
Becky Hamshar, Melissa Campos, and
Shelly Thompson, all of St. Helens, Jean
Hoffman of Deer Island, and Tami Kemp
of Warren. The new CASAs are enabling
the Columbia County program to serve
21 more foster children, Bourn said.
“We still have a tremendous
need for more CASAs,” Bourn said.
“In November alone, 15 children in
Columbia County went into foster care.”
The organization currently is recruiting
volunteers for its February 2012 class.
The OCF grant funds will enable CASA
for Kids to continue to train and support
new CASAs.
The mission of The Oregon
Community Foundation is to improve
life in Oregon and promote effective
philanthropy.
OCF
works
with
individuals, families, businesses and
organizations to create charitable funds
to support the community causes they
care about. Through these funds, OCF
awards more than $60 million annually
in grants and scholarships.
The OCF makes grants through
an application process that involves local
citizens in the review and evaluation of
requests for funds. Application materials
are available through the foundation’s
Portland office. Individuals or businesses
interested in establishing a fund may
contact the Portland office at 1221
SW Yamhill, Suite 100, Portland, Ore.
97205, (503) 227-6846, or visit www.
oregoncf.org.
Columbia 9-1-1 Appoints New
Administrator
Columbia County Circuit Court Judge Ted E. Grove and CASA for Kids executive director
Kathryn Bourn congratulate the newly sworn Court Appointed Special Advocates (holding
certificates, from left to right): Melissa Campos, Becky Hamshar, Jean Hoffman, Janelle
JahaAdams, Scott Kelly, Kristen Hinze, Shelly Thompson and Tami Kemp.
New Spencer Park Design
continued from front page
construction of the new school campus.
The City of Vernonia now owns the cur-
rent school site after FEMA bought the
property for $13.2 million. The School
District is leasing the current school site
from the city and will continue to lease
the lower half of the property which con-
tains the grand stands, restroom facility,
and football, baseball and softball fields.
The School District is required to
construct Phase One of the project as part
of the land swap deal, which will include
the replacement ball fields. Phase One is
scheduled to be completed in the spring
of 2013. The City of Vernonia will add
additional amenities as part of the Phase
Two design plans as funds become avail-
able.
Vernonia City Administrator Bill
Haack stated that the City is currently
discussing the possibility of the re-appro-
priation of Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department (OPRD) funds awarded to
the City for construction of the Vernonia
Bicycle Skills Park through the State Lo-
cal Government Grants program. The
Vernonia
Coffee Roasters
“QUALITP COFFEE ROASTED
TO PERFECTION”
City received that grant, which includes
funding for a picnic shelter, restroom and
parking, in the fall of 2007. Haack is
currently working to develop a proposal
to present to OPRD that would allow the
City to use those funds to develop a Mas-
ter Park Plan for the entire 180 acres of
open space that stretches from Vernonia
Lake, along Rock Creek to Anderson
Park, and for development of Phase Two
of the New Spencer Park. Haack stated
that during a recent meeting with OPRD
Director Tim Woods in Vernonia, OPRD
seemed open to considering the idea of
re-tasking the grant funds for those pur-
poses.
At the Town Hall Meeting, Or-
egon Department of Transportation
(ODOT) staff were on hand to discuss the
improvements to Highway 47 and Mis-
souri Avenue as part of the new school
project. ODOT staff stated that there is a
need to remove some trees as part of the
project and that ODOT will be looking
for local contractors to bid on that work.
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58605 Nehalem Hwy S.
P.O. Box 292
Vernonia, Oregon 97064
(503) 429-7867
10-5 Tue-Sat, 12-4 Sun
The
Columbia
9-1-1
Communications District Board of
Directors is pleased to announce that
Operations Manager Lee Knowlton has
accepted the position of Administrator.
Knowlton began his career at
Columbia 9-1-1 in February of 1987 as
a Communications Specialist. He was
promoted to Chief Dispatcher in 1988
where he was in charge of day-to-day
operations. In addition to those duties,
he also became involved in many
aspects relating to the administration of
the agency including hiring, training,
personnel matters and budgeting.
Knowlton’s job title was later changed
to Operations Manager which more
clearly identified his job duties.
Knowlton has an Executive
certificate from Department of Public
Safety Standards and Training (DPSST)
and is a graduate of the Oregon
Executive Development Institute.
Knowlton also served the
community of Vernonia for 14 years
as a member of the Vernonia Volunteer
Ambulance Association as an EMT. He
lives in Vernonia with his wife Susan
and has four grown children.
Senior Center Activities
5-Area Luncheon: There are no
luncheons scheduled for November
and December.
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 beverage, 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
a $4 donation for seniors over 60;
cost is $5 for anyone under 60. To-
go meals are available for $5. 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. Meals on
Wheels are available for a $4 do-
nations for seniors over 60. Please
contact the Senior Center for an ap-
plication.
Maple Bars available locally! Con-
nie King, the cook at the Senior Cen-
ter, 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 Center’s front
door opens at 9:00, but the side park-
ing lot door opens at 7:00. Ah, sweet
treats!
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
off during those same hours, and do-
nated clothes need to be clean and
in good condition so they are “sales
ready”. We are offering half off dur-
ing 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.
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.
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.
Questions? Call: (503) 429-3912