10
schools
september7
2017
VHS Receives Donation
Mary DeVaney presented a check
for $10,000 to the Vernonia Education
Foundation (VEF) Alumni Scholarship
Fund at the 1961 class reunion, held at the
Vernonia Golf Club on August 19. The do-
nation is in memory of her late husband Jim
DeVaney, a 1961 graduate of VHS.
VHS Alumni Jim Eckland shared
ed to transfer to VHS. I understand he was
not doing well at Hillsboro. In Vernonia,
he lived with his Uncle and Aunt Ben and
Ann Westerberg up Rock Creek just beyond
the McDonalds. Ann was the high school
secretary at that time. Although Jim was a
year ahead of me in school, my perspective
was he was not a real serious student and
probably barely squeaked
by in order to graduate in
1961.
After a few years
of a failed marriage and
heavy drinking, Jim some-
how found
Mary and
completely turned his life
around. He became quite
successful and invested
wisely. I believe Mary was
a big factor!
I understand just
before he passed away in
early March of this year,
he told Mary he wanted
to “do something nice for
the students of VHS,” I as-
sume as a form of payback
and to assist a few deserv-
ing students to further their
education beyond high
school. Kathy and I had
dinner with Jim and Mary
about three years ago in
Kathy and Jim Eckland with Mary DeVaney (center)
Yuma. Soon after that he
contributed $100 to the
the following thoughts on Jim DeVaney:
Sports Initiative. I believe the VEF news-
“Jim transferred to VHS from Hill- letter mailed out last November (our last
sboro at the beginning of his junior year. one!) somehow inspired Jim to assist with
I’m not completely clear as to why he decid- scholarships.”
Adams Named to
Eastern Oregon University
Spring 2017 Dean’s List
Makayla Adams, a graduate of Vernonia High School who
will be a junior at Eastern Oregon University (EOU), was one of
458 EOU students who qualified for the spring Dean’s List. These
students maintained a GPA of 3.5 or higher while completing at least
12 hours of graded coursework during the term.
Schools Update: Gratitude
By Aaron Miller
Once again, Thank You!
The passing of the bond and the lift-
ing of the school’s debt is such a
tremendous relief for the Vernonia
School District, and we are so thank-
ful to our community for making this
happen.
Celebrating the passage of
the bond over the summer and re-
flecting on the entire, decade-long
recovery effort, I have felt an intense
pride in our community and for our
kids. We have taken a natural disas-
ter, turned it into an opportunity and
moved ourselves forward. We all
have a lot to be proud of, as we con-
tinue to develop Vernonia’s future.
Now, as our school and com-
munity recovery continues to inch
closer to completion, our friends and
family in Texas are faced with the
aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and
similar recovery issues. While the
flood waters are present, all these
people are hoping for is that the wa-
ter will go away.
But once it does go away,
what is left in its wake is devastation
and a decade or more of recovery ef-
forts. Our hearts go out to all who
have been affected by this recent di-
saster, as we can certainly empathize
with their plight.
As we start another year of
school in our dry building above the
flood waters, I am hopeful that we
will all take a few moments to reflect
on our own community’s past, to re-
member the immediate and intense
help that was provided for us by oth-
ers, to be thankful for everyone who
has helped move us beyond our own
natural disaster and to determine
how we can begin paying back some
of what was bestowed upon us.
Thank you again for your
part in our recovery, and thank you
in advance for finding ways to pass
it forward to others in need in the fu-
ture.
Farmwoman’s Nursery
Lorna Poetter
(503) 429-8200
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Do you believe that people and
communities have a basic right to healthy
environments and economies?
Then come check out Clean Columbia
County! We hold meetings the second
Thursday of every month.
Columbia Soil and Water Conservation District
(Old Warren Grange)
35285 Millard Road St. Helens, OR 97051
(503)-799-6968
info@cleancolumbiacounty.info
and check us out on Facebook!
June thro
V ernonia C hristian C hurch
Everyone is welcome in our vibrant & active community!
Sunday
Worship Service
11:00 am
Pastor Sam Hough
410 North St.
Vernonia
MIKE PIHL
LOGGING CO., INC
Free Estimates
Specializing in Private Timber
• Youth and Adult Sunday School
• Evening Youth Groups
4th-6th Grade
Junior & Senior High
• Home Study Groups
• Outdoor Ministry
503-429-1470
cell 503.789.1268
fax 503.429.0252
Christian Bow Hunters of America
Annual Sportsman’s Banquet
office@VernoniaChristianChurch.org
503-429-6522
mplogging@frontier.com
1984 mist drive, po box 321 vernonia, or 97064
