September 22, 2017
T he C olumbia P ress
5
Beautify: Downtown eyed for improvements
Continued from Page 1
Submitted photo
Award winners (left to right) are Michael Autio, Randy McClelland,
Dr. William Armington and Willis Van Dusen.
CMH Foundation lauds four
instrumental in cancer center
Four men who have con-
tributed much toward Co-
lumbia Memorial Hospital’s
new cancer facility were hon-
ored recently with a dinner
and “tribute to giving.”
Michael Autio, immediate
past board chairman of the
CMH Foundation, was given
the Columbia Award for 22
years of service on behalf of
the foundation and the hos-
pital.
“Mike has played a signif-
icant role in the success of
both the Foundation and the
hospital,” said Bill Garvin,
the foundation’s current
chairman. “He has spent
countless hours volunteering
in the community as well.”
Dr. William Armington
was given the first Caduceus
Award, which recognizes a
physician or provider who
has gone above and beyond
to advance philanthropy at
the hospital and in the com-
munity.
“Dr. Armington believes in
giving back to his commu-
nity,” hospital board Chair-
woman Constance Waisanen
said. “He believes that is what
having a real community is
all about—people coming to-
gether to give their money,
their time and their talent to
make things happen.”
Willis Van Dusen, longtime
mayor of Astoria who has
raised millions of dollars for
programs throughout Clat-
sop County including $3
million for the new cancer
center, received the Terry
Award.
Randy McClelland, direc-
tor of strategic initiatives
for CMH, received the Pres-
ident’s Award for his work in
coordinating the artwork in
the new cancer center.
The CMH-OHSU Knight
Cancer Collaborate is slated
to open next month adjacent
to the hospital.
property surrounding much
of Harbor Drive, downtown
and along Main Avenue past
the high school.
And there were beautifica-
tion projects downtown and
water and sewer pump sta-
tion repairs to keep the area
from flooding.
An urban renewal agency is
tasked with removing blight-
ed areas, helping existing
businesses thrive and making
the town a better place for its
residents.
“I’ve lived here all my life
and I want to see it fixed up,”
advisory committee member
Dan Jackson said at a meeting
earlier this month. “It looks
like a dump sometimes.”
The plaza is a way to get on
the right track, group mem-
bers believe.
“Once you start to build a
beautiful community, people
want to get involved,” land-
scape architect Beth Holland
told them.
Her plans would increase
landscaping on all corners
of the four-way stop and put
seating and lights at what
would become the new veter-
ans memorial park.
In addition to the four-way
stop, Holland is working on
two other beautifi-
memorial to war
cation projects for
veterans.”
the city: landscap-
VFW Fort Stevens
ing the bulb-outs
Post 10580 has
under the power
raised money for
poles on Main Av-
the city’s first vet-
enue and making a
erans monument
pocket park in the
and the city is facil-
triangular-shaped
itating placement
parcel where Main
of their 13-feet
meets Alt Highway
bronze statue at the
101, just north of A replica of the four-way stop – as
the high school.
bronze statue that the centerpiece of
“It sets a tem- will go in the park at the new memorial
po,” Holland said the four-way stop. park plaza.
of the landscaping.
“I’m so glad to see
“It says ‘we care about our- this finally moving forward,”
selves. We’re a good com- Fraunfelder said. “Now we
munity.’ And I see that here, need the city to say, ‘Let’s do
where the fishermen helped it.’ These projects have been
create Lighthouse Park and wonderful for us. It’s a step in
the VFW wants to build a the right direction.”