4
community bulletin board/letters to the editor
january16
2014
Healthy Living VERA Open House
Presentation at
Senior Center
The Vernonia Health Center has
invited Pacific University to offer a free
presentation on Motivation for Healthy
Living. It will be hosted at the Senior
Center following lunch and open to the
entire community on Monday, January
27th at 1:00 PM. If you are interested
in lunch prior to the
presentation it will be
served at noon, $5 per
person.
On Sunday, January 26 Verno-
nia Emergency Radio Association/Ver-
nonia Amateur Radio Klub (VERA/
VARK) will hold an Open House at
the Vernonia Rural Fire Department
from 3:00-5:00 PM. Come and meet
some of the Amateur Radio operators
that work in the area when called upon
to help with communications.
When all else fails amateur ra-
dio works.
Interested in getting your li-
cense? You can stop by and sign up.
There will a class in February or March
depending on the needs and availabil-
Readers Lend Their Voices...
To the Editor,
I am aware that this is a
distressed economic area and that some
people are on the cusp of surviving day
to day. It has come to my attention that a
local health care provider who practices
alternative medicine is also struggling
to keep the doors open. She provides
a much needed service to Vernonia and
is an accepted alternative to traditional
medicine. The Dr. is a caring person and
a great asset to Vernonia. She graciously
gives of herself to support the health and
well being of this community.
My concern is that people in
this area are getting services from the
good Dr. and not paying her for her great
work. I think she would do it for free if
she could but alas not so. I work in the
health care industry and I am aware that
health care bills are the last thing that
people will or want to pay. If we want to
keep this amazing person and health care
Vernonia Weather
December 2013
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Ave/Tot
HIGH
56
41
38
31
31
24
25
24
28
35
40
34
42
41
46
42
43
30
38
47
49
49
49
45
47
47
44
42
40
43
47
40.2
LOW
37
30
24
14
13
5
3
6
14
25
22
22
33
34
36
30
24
23
31
27
41
31
31
26
25
25
26
30
32
30
34
25.6
PRECIP
1.19
.23
0
0
.02
.01
0
0
.05
0
0
.06
T
0
.01
0
T
.12
.25
.05
.06
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.13
2.18
Weather data is collected at the
U.S. Weather station at the
Vernonia Water Plant
practitioner in our community we need
to step up and pay her for the services
we receive, or else we could lose a great
resource in Vernonia.
This is just my opinion and
none of the above has been motivated
by anyone in the health care business,
except me.
Phillip Bettin
Vernonia
To the Editor,
Like me, have you broken
any of your resolutions yet? Good
intentions without a solid plan to execute
really don’t have a chance. That is
why I support our local United Way of
Columbia County. Our local United Way
has a solid history of executing their
plans and leveraging their donations to
help the most people. They don’t have
the numerous high rise corporations
lining up Hwy. 30 to support them.
They have us, our businesses and
community. With their new $5/month
($60/year) plan, I can help more
people than by donating directly to a
single charity. Having the guaranteed
tax deduction doesn’t hurt either. Why
not? For me, it’s better than adopting a
photo or texting to a foreign country.
At least, I can help my own community
TODAY, who need it just as much as
the others. Direct results from a well
executed plan.
It’s not that I’m against helping
big organizations. Lately though,
my thoughts have been more urgent
and local. Maybe its seeing more
teenagers couch surfing, or a former
sassy neighbor destroyed financially
and visiting a soup kitchen. People
still care, but I think are overwhelmed.
Whatever the reason, why is it easier
to donate thousands of miles away and
ity of those interested in classes.
VERA recently added another
station at the West Oregon Electric
Company. Now they will be able to
have communications on both sides
of town if needed. They have also
added a HF radio to the station at the
Fire house giving them greater reach if
needed for emergency operations.
Members of VERA look for-
ward to meeting you… and as always
they have meetings the second Tues-
day of every month fall, winter and
spring at Mariolino’s from 7:00-8:00
PM.
not feel as good about helping the people
in our own towns and county siblings?
Unless a miracle occurs and we become
sexy to support, we’re not going to have
the music stars and paparazzi descend
upon Columbia County and sing “We
are the one, we are the children” – no, we
have to make our own miracle and each
and every one of us need to contribute a
drop or two to fill our own bucket.
For myself, I volunteer and
donate online, but I used to donate
through my employer. (What I didn’t
realize though is that if the employer
is out-of-county, my donations didn’t
come back to my neighborhood unless I
specified that they come to United Way
of Columbia County. So please continue
to donate through your employer, but
make certain they know to send it to
United Way of Columbia County.) I
once read that in order to help others,
you need to take care of yourself first.
Our county needs our help, sooner not
later.
Anita Bolin
Rainier, OR
Save the Date!
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Make
Vernonia Shine
Day
Columbia County
Hazardous Waste Collection
will also be at Vernonia Lake.
Vernonia Transfer Station
will be open.
her up. I told her as a diabetic she can
dehydrate quickly. Karen assured me
that she had everything under control.
This was the 17 th of June, 2011. On the
20 th Karen called me again and told me
Shelly was worse. I told her to call 9-1-1;
she refused. I then called the Vancouver
Police and they called for an ambulance.
Shelley was taken to Vancouver Medical
Center. When I got there she was on life
support. Karen was there and showed
no remorse. Shelley never regained
consciousness. I never got to tell her I
love her. She died on June 23 at 4:00
PM.
Karen was arrested in December
2011 and taken to the Vancouver jail.
Her trial was held in June of 2012. She
was given 27 months in jail, however
she was released in May of 2013. My
rage became huge; where was God? I
knew I was suppose to forgive her, God
commands it!
In August 2013 I attended
GSM family therapy camp, held at The
Christian Renewal Center. The topic
was “forgiveness.” Two prayer warriors
prayed with me and the spirit of God
touched my heart. I forgave Karen. I
have since written her a letter and told her
and gave a copy of it to the prosecuting
attorneys office.
I will miss you Shelly forever,
but I will see you again. You will see
your loved one again!
To the Editor,
“God says to forgive, but I
cannot!” Those were my words after
my daughter died, in the care of Karen
Dupee.
All she had to do was call 9-1-1
and Shelly would have lived, but Karen
refused. I received a call form Karen Gail Law
about Shelly being sick and not to pick Vernonia
HOW TO SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Vernonia’s Voice welcomes and requests your thoughts, opinions and ideas.
Please include your name, address and phone number, limit your letters to 300
words or less. Vernonia’s Voice reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for
a response to letters submitted. We will print letters space permitting. Deadline
is the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Email: scott@vernoniasvoice.com or
mail to: Letters, PO Box 55, Vernonia, OR 97064.
Need
body
work?
Time to call
Meyer’s
Auto Body
Meyer’s Auto Body 493 Bridge Street, Vernonia. 503-429-0248
Silkscreen printing
Printing while you wait for small orders
Vinyl lettering and heat transfers
Teams, groups, special events
Hoodies, dress shirts, aprons & more
No order too large or too small
No set-up fees
728 Madison Avenue, Vernonia
(503) 822-0110
kavila@kaptanskraft.com
