Polk County Social
Polk County itemizer-Observer • October 11, 2017 7A
Dirty your hands and feed your brain
Kris LaMar and Barb Cary
live at opposite ends of state
and have never met, but
they’ve got a lot in common.
Both women are up to their
trowels as Master Gardeners.
A shade under 3,000 Ore-
gonians join the two women
who went through the inten-
sive two- to three-month
course that covers everything
from soils to disease diagno-
sis. In return, they agreed to
volunteer to advise garden-
ers and potential gardeners
with the research-based in-
formation they learned in
class. The program — part of
Oregon State University Ex-
tension Service — reached
106,000 people in 2016.
“Becoming a Master Gar-
dener is a fantastic way to in-
crease your knowledge of
sustainable gardening, to
meet like-minded gardeners
and to give back to your
community,” said Gail Lan-
gellotto, statewide coordina-
tor of Oregon State Universi-
ty Extension Service’s Master
Gardener program. “People
are excited about growing
their own food and garden-
ing for wildlife. Master Gar-
deners help people under-
stand how to meet their
goals in a way that protects
and conserves natural re-
sources.”
LaMar, who has been a
Master Gardener for five
years, knew nothing about
the program until she saw
something about it in the
newspaper. At the same time
she was qualifying to be a
Master Recycler. Once she
got her hands into compost
and saw the overlap, she was
hooked. She took both
K YM
P OKORNY
These Polk County groups would welcome individuals
who have time or expertise to volunteer. Organizations
that would like to be added to this list should call 503-623-
2373 or email IOnews@polkio.com.
Your
Garden
courses and has become one
of the most active Master
Gardener volunteers, teach-
ing classes, monitoring the
Clackamas County speakers
bureau and, most of all, an-
swering hundreds of ques-
tions — 2,200 since she
started a little over a year
ago — in Ask an Expert, an
online question and answer
service through Extension.
“I can stay home in my
jammies,” she said. “I don’t
have to drive. I can answer
questions from all over the
world. It’s wonderful be-
cause I get to learn all this,
too. Like an insect that lives
in Mozambique or India or
Norway. I’ve found my
niche. I can’t think of a better
way to spend my time.”
LaMar makes a good
point. Master Gardeners
don’t stop learning after fin-
ishing the course. When they
can’t immediately diagnose
and solve a problem, they
turn to the wealth of re-
search from OSU, other uni-
versities and reputable
sources.
The breadth of activities
Master Gardeners do for vol-
unteer hours is wide. Some
answer questions via email
or phone hotlines, Langel-
lotto said. Others spend time
teaching in learning gar-
dens, community gardens,
even correctional institu-
tions. Cary, a Master Gar-
https://flic.kr/p/Z4xM73
Barb Cary fulfills her volunteer hours as an OSU Exten-
sion Master Gardener by teaching preschool children
about gardening.
dener since 2013, works in a
preschool that’s next door to
a food bank where she vol-
unteered. “They jumped on
it,” she said.
For an hour a week for 18
weeks, Cary spends time
with 3 and 4 year olds, read-
ing books, germinating
seeds, planting, watering
and harvesting. A tomato
taste test is always a winner.
“It’s fun, so fun,” she said.
“The little kids are really en-
gaged and we get positive
feedback from the parents.
We use it as a carrot for good
behavior and it works.”
You don’t have to be an ex-
perienced gardener to sign
up for the classes. In fact,
many people join to learn
more about their own gar-
den. LaMar, who was a judge
in Portland for 25 years, grew
houseplants and container
plants. Cary was too busy
during her career days to
garden, but once she retired
and moved from Orange
County, Calif., to Brookings
she got busy. Both said being
a Master Gardener has
helped enormously.
While Cary took the class
in person, LaMar took the
online course — a new op-
tion — and recommends it
to people who can’t make it
to classes.
“Master Gardeners tend to
be retired,” she said. “I’d like
to see more young people get
involved, and the online
course offers that flexibility.”
The in-person course,
which is given in most coun-
ties, commits participants to
40 to 70 volunteer hours after
completing the series. Call
your local Extension office to
see if one is offered near you.
Each county has a different
price scale and schedule.
Registration is taking place
now in most areas for classes
held this winter. The online
class can be taken any time.
MI TOWN
It’s that time of year
when grapes are ripening,
and tomatoes and squash
are just about at the end of
their life cycles. We’re busily
cleaning up the garden
beds and preparing for the
end of the growing season,
while coping with those
sometimes not-so-gentle
autumn breezes that bring
yet another crop of fir and
pinecones onto lawns and
driveways and sidewalks.
—
October brings us the
Soup and Pie Sale at the
Monmouth Senior Center,
which is scheduled for Oct.
19, from 11 a.m. until 1:30
p.m. Here’s your opportuni-
ty to enjoy a bowl of fresh,
homemade soup for $3.50
and a slice of pie for $2.50,
and share in what’s been a
community tradition for
several years. A hardwork-
ing team of dedicated vol-
P ATTY
T AYLOR
D UTCHER
Columnist
u n t e e r s, i n c l u d i n g m y
friends Phyllis Harriman
and Angie Amos, have
made sure this wonderful
event runs smoothly for
many years. This year’s
soups include vegetable
beef, chicken noodle, clam
chowder, salmon chowder
and split pea. Full disclo-
sure: Over the years, I’ve
tasted every one of these
delicious soups and chow-
ders, and they are awe-
some. Considering the
soups and pies come from
the kitchens of some of the
best cooks in MI Town, that
should be no surprise. Pie
selections are equally tasty
and are made with love and
expertise. Some pies are
made from backyard ap-
ples, peaches and other
fruits that have been home-
grown, and all are delicious.
—
Senior Center Director
Sue Teal will be retiring in a
few months, so this sale is
as nostalgic and bittersweet
as can be. Let’s all mark Oct.
19 on our calendars in big,
red letters. This year, no-
body wants to be the one to
forget and miss out on all
the good things offered
right in our community,
and to get together with
friends and family.
—
Our Western Oregon Uni-
versity Wolves host the Cen-
tral Washington University
Wildcats Saturday at 1 p.m.
Let’s all keep our fingers
crossed for a cool and crisp
day of winning football. See
you there.
—
Since Halloween is hap-
pening during October,
we’ve all been busy with
decorations, new recipes
and tempting treats for
those little (and big) ghosts
and goblins who will soon
be coming to our doors for
goodies. There will be kid-
oriented programs at both
Independence and Mon-
mouth libraries, where
everyone can count on hav-
ing lots of fun and treats ga-
lore. Special thanks to the
library workers and volun-
teers who take the time and
energy to be sure these ac-
tivities are the best they can
be. Funding for many of
these special events is made
possible by contributions
from the Friends of the In-
dependence and Friends of
the Monmouth libraries.
PEDEE NEWS
After the Pedee Women’s
Club monthly potluck on
Sept. 29, June Clark took a
motorcycle ride to get a mo-
torcycle club checkpoint at
the Lincoln Store on Wallace
Road before joining some
friends for dinner in Albany.
Then on Thursday she took
off to get two more check-
points in Manzanita and
Skamokawa, Wash., before
enjoying the evening with
friends in Battleground. Fri-
day was a bit less fun as
there were some rain show-
ers on her way home.
—
Steve and Audrey
A RLENE
K OVASH
Columnist
Cameron spent last week-
end in Astoria, where they
attended Audrey’s 60th class
reunion at Astoria High
School. While there they vis-
ited Audrey’s brother, Bill
Moberg and family, who live
in their childhood home, a
beautifully remodeled older
home full of memories for
VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIES
the whole family. Highlights
of the weekend were going
to a tea party at daughter-
in-law Xiao Hong’s home,
staying with son Chris, and
going to the Fisherman’s
Memorial in Astoria.
—
Steve and Audrey also
went to church with her sis-
ter Georgia Marincovich
and husband Jack, then vis-
ited with older sister Eliza-
beth Moberg in Seaside.
They want to say a special
thanks to daughter
Stephanie Barth and neigh-
bor Linda Smith for feeding
the animals while they were
• AARP Foundation Tax-Aide – 503-930-7636
• After DARC — 503-623-9501
• American Cancer Society Road to Recovery
— 1-800-227-2345
• Arc of Polk County — 541-223-3261
• Ash Creek Arts Center – 971-599-3301
• Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of
Polk County inc. — 503-623-8473
• Central School District — 503-838-0030
• City of Dallas — 503-831-3502
• City of independence — 503-838-1212
• City of Monmouth — 503-751-0145
• Crime Victims Assistance Program — 503-623-9268
• Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce — 503-623-2564
• Dallas Fire Department — 503-831-3532
• Dallas Food Bank — 503-623-3578
• Dallas kids, inc. — 503-623-6419
• Dallas Police Department — 503-831-3582
• Dallas Public Library — 503-623-2633
• Dallas Retirement Village — 503-623-5581
• Dallas School District — 503-623-5594
• Delbert Hunter Arboretum — 503-623-7359
• ella Curran Food Bank — 503-838-1276
• Falls City Arts Center — 503-559-6291
• Falls City School District — 503-787-3531
• Family Building Blocks – 503-566-2132, ext. 308.
• Friends of the Dallas Library — 503-559-3830
• Gentle House Gardens, Monmouth — 503-838-2995
• Girl Scouts of Southwest Washington and Oregon
— 1-800-338-5248
• H-2-O — 503-831-4736
HART (Horses Adaptive Riding and Therapy)
— 971-301-4278
• HandsOn Mid-Willamette Valley — 503-363-1651
• Heron Pointe Assisted Living — 503-838-6850
• independence Health and Rehabilitation
— 503-838-0001
• independence Public Library — 503-838-1811
• kings Valley Charter School — 541-929-2134
• Luckiamute Watershed Council — 503-837-0237
• Luckiamute Valley Charter School — 503-623-4837
• Meals on Wheels — 503-838-2084
• Monmouth-independence Chamber of Commerce
— 503-838-4268
• Monmouth-independence YMCA — 503-838-4042
• Monmouth Public Library — 503-838-1932
• Northwest Human Services — 503-588-5828
• Oregon Child Development Coalition — 503-838-2745
• OSU extension Service - Polk County — 503-623-8395
• Perrydale School District — 503-623-2040
• Polk Community Development Corporation
— 503-831-3173
• Polk County Community emergency Response Team
— 503-623-9396
• Polk County Museum — 503-623-6251
• Polk County Public Health — 503-623-8175
• Polk County Resource Center — 503-623-8429
• Polk Soil and Water Conservation District
— 503-623-9680
• Relief Nursery Classroom — 503-566-2132
• SABLe House — 503-623-6703
• SALT (Sheriff’s Auxiliary & Law enforcement Together)
— 503-851-9366
• Salvation Army — 503-798-4783
• SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) — 503-391-8423
• Salem Health West Valley Hospital — 503-623-8301
• Victim Assistance Program-Polk Co. District Attorney’s
Office — 503-623-9268 x1444
• Willamette Valley Hospice — 503-588-3600
• WiMPeG Community Access Television — 503-837-0163
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
gone, no easy task.
—
Several little girls in the
neighborhood had birth-
days in the last two weeks.
Mercy Heller turned 1 on
Sept. 30. Mother Cassandra
baked her a sugar-free cake
and they invited family and
family friends over for a
party. Nothing huge, but for
a first birthday it was big.
Kalina Brotherton celebrat-
ed her birthday with a slum-
ber party, which included a
scavenger hunt. Kailey
Traglia turned 8 on Oct. 2,
but didn’t tell me what she
did to celebrate.
Continued from page 6A
—
TUESDAY, OCT. 17
• James2 Community Kitchen Meal — 4:30 to 6 p.m., St.
Philip Catholic Church, 825 SW Mill St., Dallas. Free; everyone
welcome. 503-623-8429.
• James2 Community Kitchen Meal — 4:30 to 6 p.m., Unit-
ed Methodist Church located at 242 N Main St., Falls City. Free;
everyone welcome. 503-623-8429.
• Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) Club — 6 to 7 p.m.
weigh-in, 7 to 8 p.m. meeting, First Christian Church basement,
1079 Se Jefferson St., Dallas. Meetings offer programs and activ-
ities aimed at losing weight. Open to anyone. First meeting is
free.
• Dallas Wingdingers RC Flying Club — 7 p.m., Whitworth
elementary School library, 1151 Se Miller Ave., Dallas. 503-623-
7288.
• Polk County Coin Club — 7 p.m., Monmouth Senior Cen-
ter, 180 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-362-9123.
• Overeaters Anonymous — Noon to 1 p.m., Salem Health
West Valley, 525 Se Washington St., Dallas. Support group
meets in the quiet room/chapel immediately inside the emer-
gency entrance on Clay Street. Dee Ann White, 971-718-6444.
• Dallas Rotary — Noon, Dallas Civic Center, 945 Se Jefferson
St., Dallas. Lunch and speaker. Public is welcome.
—
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18
• Willamette Valley Food Assistance Program Food Bank
— 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., 888 Monmouth Cutoff Road, Building e,
Dallas. Weekly distribution for eligible community members.
503-831-5634.
• Day-2-Day Diabetes Support Group — 3 to 4 p.m., Salem
Health West Valley (main conference room inside main en-
trance), 525 Se Washington St., Dallas. 503-623-7323.
• Pickleball — 9 a.m. to noon, Roger Jordan Community
Park. Meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m.
to noon. karen Freeman, 503-871-4172.