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About The Hood River news. (Hood River, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (April 8, 2015)
N EIGHBORS www.hoodrivernews.com Head Start programs earn 5-star rating BY TRISHA WALKER News staff writer Two of Mid-Columbia Chil- dren’s Council Head Start fa- cilities — Country Club and Parkdale — recently received the Quality Rating and Im- provement System (QRIS) five-star rating from the state of Oregon. The rating means both sites have met essential evaluation standards that support quali- ty learning for all children — a benchmark the state is sug- gesting, but not requiring, early education sites to achieve. MCCC is headquartered in Hood River, but serves Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Klick- itat and Jefferson counties. Doreen Hotchkiss, associated director of MCCC, said that the goal is for all Oregon Head Start sites to receive the five- star rating. A five-star rating shows “all of the staff at the sites are highly qualified early child- hood educators,” she said. The rating also covers the health and safety, management and curriculum at each site. “The state decided all early childhood programs (should) be of quality,” she said, and the QRIS program is a way to ensure consistency in educa- tion across the board in Ore- gon. Those who chose to par- ticipate were evaluated on a range of elements “that are essential for quality care and preparing children for kinder- garten and beyond,” accord- ing to a press release. The rating “is not some- thing Head Start has to do. It’s voluntary for childcare cen- ters, family home centers, but the State really put it out there for all of us because it’s striv- ing for quality programs across the board for all chil- dren,” Hotchkiss said. “There’s a standard of qual- ity,” she said. “That what I like about the QRIS system, why I wanted to work with my staff to do this rating.” The five-star rating is also helping to improve four-star sites, most of which depends on staff taking further educa- tion courses. Submitted photo STAFF AT THE Country Club Head Start and Early Head Start programs accept the QRIS 5 Star Award, including Matthew Solomon, Executive Director, back row left. Hood River News, Wednesday, April 8, 2015 A9 Soroptimist accepts ‘Woman of Distinction’ nominations Soroptimist Internation- al of Hood River invites in- dividuals and organiza- tions to honor a woman in their midst whose profes- sional or volunteer work has made a distinctive dif- ference in the life of Hood River County or in the lives of women and girls. Nomi- nations for the service club’s annual “Women of Distinction” award are being accepted until Thursday, April 30th. “We have been honoring amazing women in our community for over 40 years. We know we will never run out of worthy nominees,” says commit- tee chair Jean Harmon. “Our larger community benefits from the work of these outstanding citizens and we ask your help in making sure they are rec- ognized.” Nomination for ms, guidelines and a list of pre- vious winners are avail- able at Waucoma Book- store, on Facebook at Soroptimist International Hood River, or by calling Barbara Young at 541-490- 1996. Nominations need to include all activities that show the nominee’s dedi- cation, effectiveness and vision. Letters of support are particularly helpful. Winners and their nomi- nators will be notified in early May, and their names and pictures will be an- nounced in the Hood River News, on local radio sta- tions and on the Soropti- mist Hood River Facebook page. The Women of Dis- tinction awards luncheon is scheduled for Wednes- day, May 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Best Western Plus Hood River Inn. Tick- ets are $24 each and will be available at Waucoma Bookstore in early May. Soroptimist of Hood River, part of Soroptimist International, is a business and professional women’s service organization dedi- cated to empowering the lives of women and girls in local communities and throughout the world. For more information about Soroptimist Hood River, contact Barbara Young at barby@gorge.net. Equipment rentals available through OSU/Gorge Grown Submitted photo DOREEN HOTCHKISS, Associate Director (left) and Matthew Solomon, Executive Director (right) pre- sent the award to Parkdale staff Rosie Manzo and Susan Owens. MCCC is working closely with Columbia Gorge Com- munity College “as a re- source and refer ral,” Hotchkiss said. Nancy Pat- ton, director of CGCC’s Childcare Partners, is work- ing with MCCC to provide “training and support at the college so people can reach this highest rating of a five.” Head Start runs in tandem with county school districts to ensure children enter kinder- garten ready to learn. While the Parkdale site serves chil- dren ages 3-5 and the Country Club site children 2-5, Head Start also has programs that serve pregnant mothers and babies ages 0-3. At that age, Head Start “is already looking at, what are the skills we can develop for children that will help them be successful when they get ready for kindergarten and the rest of their lives,” said Hotchkiss. “We’re really proud we did this voluntarily,” she said. “The board of directors is pretty excited two of our sites in Hood River County re- ceived what Oregon rates as a five star.” Ever want to try out some kitchen equipment for food preservation before you buy them for yourself ? Or need some kitchen equipment to use for a short period of time? Or to try out some equipment that you might want to use for your up and coming food busi- ness? Oregon State University Ex- tension Service and Gorge Grown are pleased to be able to offer local residents the op- portunity to rent kitchen equipment for food preserva- tion to be used in your own home! Rentable items include crock pots, cookie sheets and pressure cookers. For a com- plete listing of items, visit www.gorgegrown.com/osugg equipmentrental. OSU Extension Service has made every effort to ensure that the equipment being rent- ed is in good working order, is clean, and ready for use. How- ever, we strongly recommend that you sanitize all equip- ment before use to ensure food safety. In order to maintain our equipment and provide a posi- tive rental experience for all of our participants, we ask that you return all equipment to us on or before the due date. We ask that you clean, sanitize, and reassemble the equip- ment prior to return. Viola Hutson turns 90 Viola Hutson will cele- brate her 90th birthday on April 11, from 2-4 p.m. at Down Manor, 1950 Sterling Place, Hood River. Viola was born in North Dakota, the third child and first daughter of a family of 11 children, and raised in Nyssa, Ore. She moved to Hood River around 1943 and Viola Hutson married Speed Hutson in December 1961. She worked for Diamond Fruit beginning in 1952, a career that spanned over 50 years. She has three children: Eldon, Jerry, and Selma. The family invites her friends to celebrate with her; please, no presents. Riverside Church dedicates kitchen on Sunday R ive r s i d e C o m m u n i t y Church, 4th and State Streets, invites community members to celebrate the completion of its new kitchen after the 10:30 a.m. worship service on April 12. “We are thrilled about the new ministries that we will be able to provide to the community,” stated Rev, Vicky Stifter. “Planning is already underway for op- por tunities such as job training, community meals, and education for chil- dren.” The kitchen upgrade was made possible by a gift from Scott and Elaine John- son. Scott died in June 2014. Chef Kathy Watson, a member of the kitchen planning team, will create refreshments for the recep- tion that will follow the cer- emony. Forestry employees offers food drive thanks generous support of the Gov- er nor’s State Employees Food Drive. “Through donations from local business such as these, the Oregon Department of Forestry was able to raise ap- proximately 224,960 pounds of food statewide during the February 2015 Food Drive,” writes ODF’s Deborah Gon- zalea. “ODF appreciates local support in our efforts to stop hunger in Oregon.” Thinking nking Of A Loan? n? THINK INK L LOCAL! OCA A L! Our team live lives es and works in the Hood River community - We W e know the local loca al market. Before Befor e you u call anyone else, call your neighbors for great gr eat rates and d the best service anywhere! s anywher e! JEFF SA SACRE C RE Sr. Sr r. Mortgage Specialist STEVE STE VE WOLF Sr. Sr r . 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Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Insurance Co., Allstate Indemnity Co., Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Co. © 2014 Allstate Insurance Co. 122212 The local Oregon Depart- ment of Forestry, which pro- vides wildfire protection to Hood River County, would like to thank Smokehouse Products of Hood River and Maryhill Winery for their
