in other words
Like Deer, We Run
january7
2016
continued from front page
What candle, I would wonder, can a one- steam-powered fantasies of Jules Verne, the gothic
stoplight town hold to the great cities? I felt that I horrors of Poe and Lovecraft, the autobiographies
belonged elsewhere, that water from a different stream of Franklin, Grant, Roosevelt; they all carried me
would quench my thirst. I daydreamed about the away. I rode through Spain with gangly Don Quixote,
smoked stale Mississippi tobacco
pyramids, the glitter of New York, the
cobbled streets of Europe. I did not Sometimes we get thirsty with Huckleberry Finn, stalked grimy
London with Holmes and Watson,
know where my trail led, only that it
for things we cannot
led away. The few chances I got to see
even quite name. Like traveled with John Steinbeck and his
dog.
a bit of the world—British Columbia,
deer, we pant, then
When I slept, in a bunk bed behind
Los Angeles, the white pillars of Hearst
follow
some
inner
instinct
a musty pocket door, King Arthur’s
Castle, only sharpened the longing.
and start running.
knights haunted my dreams, always the
I had few friends to distract me,
same. They rode in single file, rusted
and endless time. I lived in the woods,
in a bike saddle, my backpack a burden of books. I read armor creaking down Bridge Street. They whispered
hundreds every year, emptying libraries. Facebook did to the attendant of the Mini-Mart gas pumps that they
not exist, I had never heard of Wikipedia or Google, but sought the Holy Grail, guarded by the dark Fisher-
paper pages gave me a window beyond my holy woods. King, who endlessly bled, angling for steelhead in the
Richard Halliburton’s Complete Book of Marvels, the dead Nehalem. They went down to the river, one by
13
one.
In my dream, they never found their Grail, only
stood quietly sinking into the muddy bank, watching
the water rush away.
***
There were many moments of happiness,
too—but the overwhelming drive was to run. Not to
escape, but to discover. I’m told that in Welsh there is a
word—hiraeth—for a sense of home that you have not
experienced yet. Like a memory of the future. It is the
right word.
Sometimes we get thirsty for things we cannot
even quite name. Like deer, we pant, then follow some
inner instinct and start running. We may look for what
we thirst for in a thousand good and bad things. We
can look for it in money, in work, in family. We can
look for it at the bottom of a bottle or pipe or syringe.
continued on page 15
Bridge Street Bits
SENIOR CENTER BOARD ELECTS
NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND
OFFICERS. At its December 10 th
meeting, the Senior Board elected
its 2016 officers: President, Jack
Harvey; Vice President, Sykes
Mitchell; Secretary, Sandy Welch;
Treasurer, Pat Ray; and in a newly-
approved position, Assistant
Treasurer, Tobie Finzel. Four
board members (Wayne Marr,
Sykes Mitchell, Pat Ray and Ilene
Grady) were re-elected and Karen
Miller was elected to the position
vacated by Tom Sherman. Thanks
for your faithful service, Tom, and
welcome Karen. There are twelve
board positions, a third of whose
three-year terms expire each year.
NEW SENIOR CENTER AND
FOOD BANK BUILDING GRANT
APPROVED. As detailed in a
press release in the last issue of
Vernonia’s Voice, we were notified
of our successful community
development block grant
application for a combined use
building that will be located next
to the Vernonia Health Center.
Planning will commence this
month. We’re looking forward to
having our services – excluding
the thrift store which will remain
on Bridge Street – consolidated in
one high ground location.
OUR NEW SENIOR AND HOME-
DELIVERED MEAL PROGRAM
CONTINUES. In cooperation with
three Vernonia restaurants - Black
Iron Grill, Mariolino’s and Vernonia
Subway - the Senior Center is
providing daily home-delivered
meals and issues donation-based
certificates for in-house dining
from specially designed senior
menus for residents 60 and older.
You may obtain the certificates
Mondays from 10 am to 3 pm
from Wendy at 939 Bridge Street.
Questions? Call Wendy on the
special telephone number for
this program, 503-405-0187. See
below for home delivered meal
information.
Vernonia on that day.
BARGAINS ON BRIDGE STREET
at 939 Bridge accepts donations
during its regular business hours:
Monday – Friday 9-3 and Saturday
10-3. Please bring donations
inside. The thrift store welcomes
you as a shopper, too. All
donations and purchases support
senior services in Vernonia. Watch
for special SALE signs in front of
the store. VOLUNTEERS are always
needed to keep this vital program
going; please let Pam, Thrift Store
Manager, know if you are willing
to help out occasionally – or
regularly!
THE VERNONIA SENIOR CENTER
OPERATES IN TWO LOCATIONS.
FOOT CARE appointments may be The Senior Center Office and the
made with the Vernonia Health
Thrift Store, “Bargains on Bridge
Center receptionist during clinic
Street,” reside in the former VCLC
hours, 8 am through 4:30 pm, at
building at 939 Bridge Street.
503-429-0622, Monday through
Certificates for senior meals at
Friday. The next foot care date
participating restaurants are
is Wednesday, January 27, 2016;
available there on Mondays
appointments can be made
from 10 am to 3 pm. Daily
now. She may add a second day
home-delivered meals are still
per month. Watch for details.
available to qualifying persons;
Our provider, Joyce Jossi, RN, is
contact Community Action Team
certified in diabetic and elder foot office on Mondays at 503-366-
care. In case of unexpected snowy 6584 for more information or to
or icy road conditions, please
register. Board meetings and
verify with the Health Center
social activities such as the Friday
whether Joyce is able to drive to
afternoon card games are held in
the American Legion Hall at 627
Adams.
WALKING WEDNESDAY is an
opportunity for gentle exercise
for seniors and anyone in the
community who’d like to join us.
Walking Wednesdays continue
at Vernonia Lake at 9:00 am each
Wednesday, rain or shine. Walk
at your own pace with a friend
or solo. No fee and no pre-
registration – just come and walk
one or more circuits around the
lake.
RUSS CLARK, COLUMBIA COUNTY
VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER, IS
AVAILABLE to meet with clients
in Vernonia. Russ will be at the
Senior Center (former VCLC) in the
office at the end of the hallway on
the first Tuesday of each month
from 1:00 to 7:00 pm.
NEXT SENIOR CENTER BOARD
MEETING is Friday, January 8,
10:00 am at the American Legion
Hall/Cares. All members are
invited to attend.
VERNONIA SENIOR CITIZENS, INC.
939 Bridge Street,
Vernonia OR 97064
Phone: 503-429-3912
Non-Profit Tax ID #23-7422295
Vernonia Senior Center • 939 Bridge Street • 503-429-3912
Church Directory (in alphabetical order)
Assembly of God
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Morning Worship: 11:00 AM
Sunday Evening Prayer: 6:00 PM
Wayne Marr, Pastor
662 Jefferson Avenue
503-429-0373
Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints
Sunday Schedule:
Sacrament Meeting: 10:00 AM
Sunday School & Primary: 11:20 AM
Relief Society, Priesthood and
Young Women: 12:10 PM
Roger Cook, Branch President
1350 E. Knott Street
503-429-7151
The Crossing
Southern Baptist Church of Vernonia
Wednesday, 7:00 PM
Troy Pound, Pastor
Cabin in Vernonia
901 Park Drive
503-819-8921
Grace Family Fellowship
Sunday School: 9:00 AM
Worship Service: 10:30 AM
Thursday Prayer: 6:00 PM
Greg “Mac” McCallum, Pastor
957 State Avenue
503-429-6790
www.GraceFamilyFellowship.org
Nehalem Valley Bible Church
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Worship Service: 10:45 AM
Tues. Ladies Bible Study: 9:30 AM
Wednesday Service: 7:00 PM
Sat. Men’s Prayer Meeting: 6:30 AM
Gary Taylor, Pastor
Grant & North Streets
503-429-5378
Open Door Gathering Place
Service: Sunday 6:00 PM
Grant Williams, Pastor
375 North Street
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
Wednesday Religious Education:
3:15-4:30 PM
Sunday Mass: 12:00 PM
Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator
960 Missouri Avenue
503-429-8841
Vernonia Christian Church
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Worship Service in Youth &
Family Center: 11:00 AM
www.VernoniaChristianChurch.org
Sam Hough, Pastor
410 North Street
503-429-6522
Vernonia Foursquare Church
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 AM
Children’s Sunday School
Carl Pense, Pastor
850 Madison Avenue
503-429-1103
Vernonia Seventh-day Adventist Church
Sabbath (Saturday) Services
Sabbath School: 9:30 AM
Worship Service: 11:00 AM
www.VernoniaSDAC.org
Larry Gibson, Pastor
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St.
503-429-8301
