THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2019 // 9
Community Safety Preparedness
If you would be interested in cohesive
neighborhood safety, Community Emer-
gency Response Team (CERT) is a volunteer
citizen’s interest group made up of people
with many different backgrounds.
“Not just medical or law enforcement
agencies, but people who are interested in
community resiliency in the event of a disas-
ter. And not just ‘the Big One,’ but a storm
or power outage; any event where services
aren’t readily available for whatever reason.”
said volunteer, Pat Wollner.
Volunteers don’t have to go through spe-
cific CERT training, which is certified by the
Federal Emergency Management Adminis-
tration to belong to the team. Outreach liai-
sons are most welcome.
Following a disaster, CERT’s main thrust
is to put your own house in order, and then
go into your neighborhood checking on and
reporting on the neighbors who need help.
This is where you live, this is what and
where you’re aware. “It ’s a citizen’s eyes
and boots on the ground,” said Wollner.
Another of the group’s tasks is prepar-
ing local citizen readiness. Each household
needs an emergency three-day supply of
food, water and sanitation supplies per per-
son, plus individual go-packs at the ready,
should the need to get to higher ground pres-
ent itself — as in run for your life.
Gearhart is one of several towns up and
down the coast that considers emergency
planning a must. CERT welcomes new vol-
unteers. For more information about the
group, contact Sharon Kloepfer at 303-817-
8450 or learn more at http://bit.ly/2Vm1B8M
Continuing Education
No tests. No homework. No compul-
sory attendance. Exploring New Concepts
of Retirement Education (ENCORE) is con-
tinuing education without pressure, plus a
chance to feel smarter around your kids and/
or contemporaries (or yourself). ENCORE
with the backing of Clatsop Community Col-
lege offers short courses run entirely by its
ENCORE members.
ENCORE was founded in 2001 by people
interested in adult education for folks 50 and
older. $50 is the cost for as many classes as
you wish during the three-term college cal-
endar year, and scholarships are available.
Try out a class — two sessions of any of
the wide range of classes offered free. Sub-
jects run the gamut from science, health, art,
music, literature, history, writing, religion
and current events.
President Dave Zunkel said, “A trip com-
mittee plans a couple of trips out of the area.
We went to Octoberfest in Mt. Angel and a
Native American reservation in Quinault,
Washington. We have a group that meets for
lunch each Friday, plus a couple of social
gatherings for all of our members during
the year.
“The fellow who got me interested in
ENCORE is a retired professor of linguistics.
He’s currently teaching a six-class course:
‘Germany from 1870 through today.’ Abso-
lutely fascinating. We bring in one major
speaker each year.” Zunkel said. “Last year
we did the history and impact of the Chinese
in this area. We don’t offer any courses that
would compete with the college’s courses
and we stay away from anything political,”
Zunkel added. Learn more at encorelearn.
org.
Kid and Adult Team-Building
The Beerman Creek Critters is a Seaside
4-H Group with a way cool name. It’s made
up of boys and girls ages 6-16, who meet
once a month.
“The first year we had 20 kids. Now we’re
up to 32 and going strong,” said co-leader
Seana Fields.
Fields with her partner, Jeremy Strimple,
and his sister and co-leader, Mindy Adren,
are all about crafts, critters and youth lead-
ership. The Critters bake, they sew and they
get to know all about animals.
“If the kids have their own animals, they
purchase them, do all of the feeding, shaving
beddings, cleaning pens and pay any vet bills
with money earned from the auction sale of
their animals at the county fair,” Fields said.
“Animals always have some kind of some-
thing needing a vet’s attention.”
New this year is a junior leader program.
It encourages the kids to be leaders of tomor-
row. At the beginning of the year, members
elected leaders in different categories. The
older youth lead the meetings and are avail-
able as go-to sources for younger members.
More Critter information is available by
contacting Seana Fields at seana.fields@
ticortitle.com
ENCORE photo
ENCORE President Dave Zunel introduces Clatsop Community College liaison Leah
Olson during the 2018 annual meeting.
ENCORE photo
Kit Ketcham leads a science class discussion.
Creative Knitting and Bonding
This tight-knit knitting group is closed to
newcomers. It’s not that they don’t ask peo-
ple to drop in to visit and view their proj-
ects — in fact they welcome it. It’s just that
their good juju works well. The six members
meet most Saturdays at noon for two or three
hours in Gearhart at Susan Thomas’ A Great
Gallery, an art and gifts, plus yarn gallery.
“It’s a closed group because we meet in
a business setting so we need to keep the
group small and respectful of the environ-
ment,” said member Claire McIntyre. Nee-
dles flying, stitches stitching and informa-
tion exchanged, be it health and wellness
of members, what’s new in the area and of
course a little “over the back fence” gossip
every now and then.
Interested in any local interest groups? We
full-timers have lots to chose from. To find
other groups, visit the Life section of The
Astorian and search for Community Groups. CW
ENCORE photo
Jane Francis on how to use our “smart” phones.