December 8, 2017
T he C olumbia P ress
6
Senior Moments
with Emma Edwards
A look at six-fold symmetry
I was slightly under the
weather for a few days re-
cently. My television helped
pass the hours and, lo and
behold, the North Pole movie
was on. To my amazement, it
was quite the treat.
Lots of snow scenes and it
was slightly sci-fi, but very
entertaining. I wrote down a
quote about the snow from
the young girl, Clementine.
“Even the smallest snowflake
can turn into the biggest
snowball.”
Snowflakes have always
fascinated me and this is one
definition I found: “A flake of
snow, especially a feathery ice
crystal, typically displaying
delicate six-fold symmetry.”
Theologians tell us that the
six-fold symmetry of a flake
of snow is no accident, but
is representative of the tri-
une nature of God. Three of
the six sides of the snowflake
represent God the Father,
Son and Holy Ghost. The
other three represent man’s
body, soul and spirit.
A lot has been said and
written about the snowflake.
We love to show our chil-
dren how to fold paper and
cut many shapes into it
producing snowflakes that
us grandmothers and our
grandchildren love to paste
on our windows.
I am sure we all have heard
the expression “no two alike”
in reference to snowflakes.
Wikipedia, the online ency-
clopedia, tells us that initial
attempts were made to find
identical snowflakes by Wil-
son Alwyn Bentley, who pho-
tographed thousands of them
with a microscope begin-
ning in 1885. He found the
wide variety of snowflakes
we know about today. (They
have names.) By the way,
reading further we find that
Bentley lived until 1931 and
never found any two snow-
flakes alike.
Snow is white by the time
it reaches us, even though it
is made of clear crystal. As
it passes through the atmo-
sphere, things happen.
In further study, one could
learn of the multitude of col-
or shown in fine study of the
snowflake. Anyway, fun for
us to study some wintery day.
So why did I share that?
Our local meal site asked
that we make sure they have
our current phone num-
bers in case of snow so they
can call us. Cold weather is
ahead, I’m told, so maybe you
will have a chance to study a
snowflake.
I think that nothing creates
a big smile on a child or an
adult like sticking a tongue
out to catch that first snow-
flake. Enjoy!
Senior lunch menu
Monday, Dec. 11: Parmesan chicken, mashed potatoes and
gravy, green beans, tomato soup, apple pie.
Thursday, Dec. 14: Thai shrimp, brown rice with peanut sauce,
mixed vegetables, cucumber salad, bread pudding.
The Warrenton senior lunch program is at noon (doors
open at 10:30 a.m.) Mondays and Thursdays at Warrenton
Community Center, 170 SW Third St. Suggested donation is
$5 for ages 55 and older; $7 for those younger. For more
information, call 503-861-3502.
Giving: A way to get into Christmas spirit
Continued from Page 1
number of hours volunteers
donate per capita.
Here are some ideas for
those with giving hearts.
***
Clatsop Animal As-
sistance has its annual
fund-raiser and holiday party
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Satur-
day, Dec. 9.
Hundreds of dogs and cats
go through the shelter every
year. Many simply got lost
and aren’t claimed by their
owners. But others have been
given up, are hurt or have
been abused and need to find
new families.
The nonprofit CAA, which
works in conjunction with
the county animal shelter,
provides the funding for vet-
erinary care and medicines,
and also promotes adoption
of the animals.
This is their main fund-rais-
er for the year.
“We get success stories
from lots of people,” said
CAA President Marcy Dun-
ning. “Dogs and cats have
enhanced so many people’s
lives. Dogs have been shown
to improve the health of peo-
ple.”
The fund-raiser is free and
includes a silent auction, raf-
fle, bake sale and an opportu-
nity to have pictures of pets
taken with Santa.
The party is in the Lovell
Showroom at Fort George
Brewery, 1483 Duane St., As-
toria.
Because county shelters are
forced to take all animals left
there, CAA’s work has meant
all adoptable animals get to
remain at the shelter until a
family can be found.
***
Warrenton
Wish-
es, a joint venture of the
school district and Warren-
ton-Hammond Healthy Kids,
seeks kind-hearted residents
interested in adopting one or
more children in need of toys
and clothes for Christmas.
Residents also can partic-
ipate by donating money to
the tax-deductible organiza-
tion.
“So far, we have over 100
families with over 200 chil-
dren in need of extra support
this holiday season,” said
Rosa Gilbert, family liaison
and federal programs coor-
dinator for Warrenton-Ham-
mond School District.
Community members and
businesses can support the
program by stopping by the
Warrenton Grade School
front office and “adopting”
one or more children or by
giving money to the cause.
The gift drive runs through
Dec. 20.
For more information, con-
tact the school’s office at 503-
861-3376
***
The Veterans of Foreign
Wars post 10580 and Aux-
iliary will have a potluck and
“sock filling” for veterans and
their wives who are in local
nursing homes.
Veterans and those who
appreciate them are encour-
aged to participate, especial-
ly those who have a family
member who’s a veteran in a
nursing home.
The sock filling begins at
4:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec.
21, at the Masonic Lodge, 66
S.W. Fourth St., Warrenton.
***
Sunset Empire Trans-
portation District will let
you ride the bus with only a can
of donated food for bus fare
now through Christmas Eve.
The offer is for rides on
any fixed route bus in the
county. No dented, rusty or
out-of-date cans can be ac-
cepted and neither will dry
packaged food, ramen or gov-
ernment-issued food.
***
Here’s one for folks who
want to help but don’t want
to get out of the car.
Mike and Teale Adelmann,
owners of the D.K. War-
ren House built by the
town’s namesake, invite the
public to stop by the house
for an extravagant show.
The entertainment starts at
dusk every evening with syn-
chronized lights and music.
The house is at 107 N.E.
Skipanon Drive, north of the
four-way stop. After enjoy-
ing this unique show, there’s
a donation box in front to
raise money for charitable
programs of the Assistance
League.
***
The UPS Store hopes to de-
liver the gift of reading to less
fortunate children through
a holiday donation drive for
the Toys for Tots Litera-
cy Program.
The program was devel-
oped by The UPS Store com-
pany, the U.S. Marines and
the foundation in 2008.
All money donated local-
ly helps purchase books for
children in Clatsop County.
Since partnering with Toys
for Tots, The UPS Store net-
work has raised more than
$4 million to purchase books
for underprivileged children
nationwide.
According to research, chil-
dren who grow up in homes
where books are plentiful go
further in school than those
who don’t. Children from
traditionally low-education
families can do as well as
children from high-educa-
tion families if they have ac-
cess to books.
The UPS Store in Warren-
ton’s Premarq Center is ac-
cepting monetary donations,
providing the option to add
a donation to the total pur-
chase at check-out. To learn
more, or to donate online, go
to www.toysfortots.org/liter-
acy.