The Columbia Press
February 11, 2022
5
Teens sought for L&C historical program
John Sleutel
Firefighter of the Year 20-21
Robert Barber
Firefighter of the Year 2020
Lenard Hansen, left, receives his
award from Capt. John Shepherd.
Erika Griffin
EMS of the Year 2021
Firefighters win awards at banquet
John Sluetel, a 37-year vet-
eran of the Warrenton Fire
Department, was named fire-
fighter of the year during the
agency’s annual awards ban-
quet Feb. 5.
His award covers two years
– 2020 and 2021 – as the pan-
demic prevented an awards
ceremony last year.
Sluetel shares the award
with 2020 Firefighter Robert
Barber and 2021 Firefighter
David Bartlett.
Lenard Hansen was given
the Training Officer Award.
Emergency Medical Services
Provider of the Year went to
Robert Barber for 2020 and
Erika Griffen for 2021.
All but one of the awards are
voted on by members of the
Warrenton Firefighters Asso-
ciation. Chief Brian Alsbury
gets to name the winner of the
Chief’s Award.
This year, Alsbury gave
the award to Chaplain Kevin
Byers.
Scott Watson won this year’s
“Plug Ugly” award. He used a
chainsaw to open a wall in the
fire station and struck a water
line in the process.
Young people interested in
learning traditional basket
weaving are invited to a free
class from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
on Presidents Day, Monday,
Feb. 21.
The class is part of the Kla-
howya Youth Volunteer Pro-
gram at Fort Clatsop.
Susan Rhoads, who has
worked as a seasonal rang-
er since 2007, will lead the
class.
She has given talks and pro-
grams at Lewis and Clark Na-
tional Historical Park about
Clatsop and Chinook culture,
the Lewis and Clark Expedi-
tion and plants and animals
of the Lower Columbia River
region.
The session is open to high
school-age youth who join the
park’s Klahowya program. In
return for the free session,
participants are asked to con-
tribute four hours of demon-
stration time at Fort Clatsop
during the summer visitor
season.
Four more sessions are
planned March 21, April 16,
May 7, and May 21.
Rhoads’ interest in weav-
ing started with instructional
books and she most recently
took a class led by Stephanie
Craig, an enrolled member of
the Confederated Tribes of
the Grande Ronde.
The workshop is limited to
10 participants and requires
pre-registration by calling
Ranger Izzy Sanchez at 503-
861-4416.
Park Rang-
er Susan
Rhoads
works on a
project at
Fort Clatsop.
Below: An
example of
a handmade
item partici-
pants will be
able to take
home.
Students will learn ba-
sic weaving techniques and
make a basket to take home
and use later in Fort demon-
strations.
Participants should dress in
layers and bring a sack lunch.
Snacks will be provided by
the park education partner,
the Lewis & Clark National
Park Association.