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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2014)
april3 2014 VERNONIA’S volume8 issue7 reflecting the spirit of our community www.vernoniasvoice.com Health Center Celebrates Groundbreaking Six years after the Flood of 2007 damaged the health clinic in Vernonia, the new Vernonia Health Center took another major step towards becoming a reality on Friday, March 28, 2014. Over 100 friends, family, dignitaries and citizens joined members of the Vernonia Health Board to In her opening remarks Paleck lauded the efforts of the many groups, organizations, foundations, civic entities, professionals and individual volunteers who worked together to move the project forward. Paleck noted that, not only was the Health Board breaking ground on a new facility, they were also breaking new ground on the The first shovels of dirt! (L to R) Vernonia Mayor Josette Mitchell, Senator Betsy Johnson, County Commissioner Tony Hyde, Heather Lewis, Health Board members Wendy Sears, Bob Wagner and Ralph Keasey celebrate the official groundbreaking for construction of the new health care facility on a rainy but joyous day. The event was held at the West Oregon Electric Cooperative truck bays and included speeches, light snacks and the ceremonial first shovels of dirt, which was held inside, due to the hard spring rain that was falling. Health Board President Erika Paleck welcomed the crowd to what she called a ”...long, and overdue occasion.” rural health care paradigm as well. “The old school paradigm said bring in a big conglomerate,” said Paleck. “In the new paradigm the Vernonia Health Board is entering into partnerships that emphasize not just primary care but partnerships that educate, that support mental health, that help clients navigate through the insurance mazes and in general support the whole human being.” inside 10 meet mac maccallum 11 chamber news 12 the carpenter’s house b&b 19 the girls of spring free continued on page 5 Library Event for Local Poet’s Publication Many of us have enjoyed read- her own words: ing the poetry of Kala Cota. Cota re- One day an announcement/ar- cords special occasions and events in ticle popped up on my Facebook page. the life of the Vernonia community and Somehow this announcement found me its residents with rhyming lines. Now one of Cota’s poems has been chosen to be published in a new “Chicken Soup for the Soul” edi- tion which collects 101 poems about Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Kala’s mother, Faye Millis Sword suffers from Alzheimer’s and is currently residing in a memory care fa- Kala Cota with her mother, Faye Millis Sword. cility. The Ver- nonia Library will host an open house from Chicken Soup for the Soul. They event on May 7th from 4:00 PM-8:00 were putting together a new book about PM to celebrate Cota’s poem being Alzheimer’s and other forms of Demen- published. Books will be available for tia and all the proceeds would benefit purchase for $14.95 (signed of course the Alzheimer’s Association. by Kala!) along with refreshments. Ac- Since my mom’s diagnosis and cording to Vernonia Librarian Jennifer subsequent move into a memory care Moloney the money raised from the sale home, over a year and a half ago I have of the books will be used for new land- written many poems and journal entries. scaping at the library. “Kala’s mother This seems to be my way of coping with loved reading and spending time in her my grief over this sudden and sometimes yard, said Moloney. “It seemed the per- overwhelming change in our lives. Po- fect fit to utilize all funds raised to beau- etry has become a form of therapy for tify the landscaping, starting with a re- me. membrance garden as you walk up to the Anyway, with the encourage- library from the parking lot.” ment of family and friends I submitted So how did Cota end up contrib- a few poems and one was chosen for the uting a poem to Chicken Soup for the book. I had originally entitled it “Hold- Soul, the Alzheimer’s edition? ing Hands” they have since changed the We’ll let Kala tell the story in Meet Bob Perry New General Manager at WOEC By Scott Laird continued on page 14 name plate, facing him) is “Non Sibi, sports, fishing and amateur radio. Seb Aliis,” Not for Themselves, But Bob, who is of Scottish decent, also Bob Perry has been the for Others. owns and plays a set of bagpipes. General Manager at West Oregon Perry says he will become Electric Cooperative (WOEC) since a member of the Lions January. Vernonia’s Voice sat down Club and would like to be to visit with him, find out about an active member of the his background and ask him a few Chamber of Commerce. questions about his view on the The question on operations at WOEC. everyone’s minds about the Perry is an intelligent and new General Manager is, thoughtful man who takes his time of course, “Can you lower and answers questions in a very our electric rates?” Perry’s deliberate manner. He is extremely answer, though probably knowledgeable about the electric not what the members want utility industry in general and to hear, was a simple, no. especially about cooperatives. He “You have a certain appears to approach his job with revenue requirement to pay a customer service mentality and Perry and wife Linda are your bills,” explained Perry. “That is is very community minded. He is purchasing a home in Vernonia with just a fact of life. The economics of approachable and easy to talk to, a yard for Megan, their Labrador this co-op are not going to change. with a dry sense of humor and a retriever. Together Bob and Linda It’s not that we can lower rates. I no-nonsense attitude. He says his enjoy riding motorcycles and think looking forward we could personal motto, which is etched in kayaking. Linda likes to quilt and stabilize rates.” stone on his desk (on the back of his garden; Bob says he enjoys shooting continued on page 8