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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2000)
The INDEPENDENT, March 1, 2000 Page 5 Vernonia Head Start meets the needs of both children and families Story and photos by Judy Hill Vernonia Head Start Center M anager Ruth Donaldson is living proof that the program works. The product of a low- income and abusive family, she found herself m arried with three young children before she was twenty-one. “I had no parenting skills. Becoming a Head Start parent turned my life around and gave me training and a career,” she said. Today, all three of her sons have graduated from col lege and are doing well. Don aldson is close to com pleting her own Bachelor degree in social services, although she jokes that retirem ent may come before the degree does. In between tasks and visi tors and obvious excitem ent about a trip to Anchorage for the Regional Head Start C on ference, Donaldson talks about Head Start. “When I came to Vernonia eight years ago to develop the program here, I had to go door- to-door explaining Head Start to people. Few knew what it was," she said. Now Vernonia’s Head Start is housed in a bright new build ing dedicated in March, 1998, and paid for by a Community D evelopm ent Block Grant. Several play areas, a kitchen, offices, study and instruction areas cluster around a large central room filled with light. One senses industry and pur pose and lots of positive ener gy here. There is tremendous need in some of the counties in the C olum bia-P acific Head Start region, said Donaldson. “We are not seeing 45 percent of eligible kids in these counties. The pre-school waiting lists can be 30-40 names long. The situation is better in Columbia County. But there is never enough money.” The Vernonia Head Start pre-school operates 12 hours a week, Tuesday, W ednesday, Thursday, 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., and serves three- and four-year old low-income and Jacob Titus, left, and Christopher Curtis, both 5, engage in a fierce game of Bingo at Little Loggers Pre-School, held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons at the Ver nonia Head Start Center. This new program is open to the public and costs $65. per month. V e ^A /O A /i/1 H6AV CENTER Vernonia Head Start Staff pose together with their 1999 Community Partnership Award. Pre sented by Head Start’s Community Action Team at the annual CAT dinner in November 1999 in St. Helens, the award recognizes outstanding collaboration with the community and oth er social service agencies. Left to right: cook Wendy West, teacher Karla Long, center man ager Ruth Donaldson, family advocate Carol Roberts and teachers Kathy Kelly and Charo- lette Ziegler. special-needs children. The school is free to qualifying chil dren and is federally funded for 18 students. Bus service is pro vided, as well as USDA approved breakfast, lunch and a snack. Lead teacher Kathy Kelly, assistant teacher Carla Long and aides Kerry Schaum burg and Charolette Ziegler make up the teaching staff of the program’s pre-school. Vol unteers are always appreciat ed and do not need previous training. Head Start is a family pro gram, Donaldson reiterates. Parenting is a big part of the Head Start curriculum , she said. Parents can tap into all kinds of help, from parenting classes and talks to becoming parent volunteers. Through the Even Start pro gram, Parents-in-Training can learn about goal setting and career training, complete their Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) and increase know l edge in math, reading and life skills. Many parents find the skills and confidence to get jobs or make career changes. Family Advocate Carol Roberts is on staff to help parents. An upcom ing parenting class is free to anyone and will run four Wednesdays, 10:00 MARCH Community Calendar VERNONIA Al-Anon Mondays 6:30 p.m., Head Start Bldg. Alcoholics Anonymous Mondays 6:30 p.m., Head Start Bldg. Alcoholics Anonymous Saturdays 7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg. Boosters 2nd W ednesday 7:30 p.m., VHS Library Tuesdays Boy Scout Troop 201 7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg. Boy Scout Troop 860 W ednesdays 7:00 p.m., LDS Church Cemetery Beautification Comm. 2nd Thursday 7:00 p.m., City Library Cham ber of Commerce 2nd Wed. Noon, Lew’s Place Doll Club 4th Tuesday 1:00 p.m., Senior Center Friends of the Scout Cabin 4th Monday 7:00 p.m., City Library Girl Scouts Thursdays 6:30-8 p.m., Christian Church Izaak Walton League 3rd Thursday For location call 429-7193 Lions Club 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 6:30 p.m., Lew's Place Nehalem Valley Car Club For Info Call 429-4074 Preschool Story Hour W ednesdays 10:30 a.m., City Library Senior Center Directors 1st Friday 1:00 p.m., Senior Center TOPS Thursdays 6:30 p.m., 1st Baptist Church Upr Nehalem Watershed Council 4th Thursday For location call 429-2401 7:00 p.m., City Library Vernonia Airport Comm ittee 3rd W ednesday For location call 429-1414 Vernonia Cares Directors 1 st Thursday 6:30 p.m., City Library Vernonia City Council 1st & 3rd Mondays Vernonia Comm. Dev. Corp. 2nd Monday 7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg. Vernonia Grange 2nd Friday 7:00 p.m., Grange Hall Vernonia Health Center 2nd W ednesday 6:00 p.m., 854 Grant Ave. Vernonia Planning Comm. 7:00 p.m., City Library 1st Thursday Vernonia Pride For Info Call, 429-1204 7:00 p.m., VHS, Rm. 6 Vernonia Ridge Riders Last Thursday 7:00 p.m., Fire Station Vernonia RFPD Board 2nd Tuesday 8:00 p.m., District Office 2nd Thursday Vernonia School Board 7:00 p.m., Fire Station 2nd Monday Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters 7:00 p.m., WOEC 3rd Tuesday W OEC Directors S M 5 12 19 26 6 13 20 27 T W 1 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 29 T 2 9 16 23 30 APRIL F 3 10 17 24 31 S 4 11 18 25 S M T W 2 9 16 23 30 3 10 17 24 4 11 18 25 5 12 19 26 a.m .-12 noon, beginning March 15. The four classes will cover “You and Your C hild”, “ Prevent ing P roblem s”, “ Encouraging Positive Behavior” and “O ver view.” “Tem peram ent Talk” and "Managing Your Tim e” , part of an ongoing series of talks, are unscheduled but will be pre sented in the near future. “ Shopping and C ooking on Low B udgets” is an event which is practical and lots of fun. Participants get to have a feast at the end of class. Call Head Start at 429-9243 Please see page 10 MAY T F 6 13 20 27 7 14 21 28 S 1 8 15 22 29 S M 1 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 29 < 2 9 16 23 30 W 3 10 17 24 31 JUNE T 4 11 18 25 F 5 12 19 26 S 6 13 20 27 S M 4 11 18 25 5 12 19 26 T W 6 13 20 27 7 14 21 28 T 1 8 15 22 29 F 2 9 16 23 30 S 3 10 17 24 MIST-BIRKENFELD M-BRFPD Board M-B Ambulance Assoc. M-B Firefighters Assoc. M-B Rescue M-B Helping Circle Natal Grange 2nd & 4th Tuesday 1st & 2nd Thurs. 1st & 2nd Wed. 3rd W ednesday 2nd W ednesday 2nd W ednesday 7:30 7:00 7:00 7:00 10:00 p.m., Main Fire Station p.m., Main Fire Station p.m., Main Fire Station p.m., Main Fire Station am, 755-2346 for info. 7:30 p.m., Grange Hall BANKS Alcoholics Anonymous Fridays 8:00 p.m., Methodist Church Banks City Council 2nd Tuesday 7:30 p.m., City Hall Banks Planning Commission Last Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Banks School Board 2nd Monday 7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library Banks Youth Group Sundays, W ednesdays 7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg. Chamber of Commerce 1st Thursday 12:30 p.m., Brown Derby Citizen Participation Org 3rd Monday, odd months 7:15 p.m., City Hall Friends of the Library 1st Saturday 10:00 a.m., City Library Lions Club 1st & 3rd W ednesdays 7:00 p.m., Methodist Church Sunset Park Assoc. 3rd W ednesday 8:00 p.m., Gun Club TOPS W ednesdays 7:00 p.m., Jr. High Library Tri-City RFPD Board 2nd W ednesday 7:00 p.m., Station 13 COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.) Board of Commissioners W ednesdays 10 a.m., Courthouse Citizens for Senior Justice 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church COLCO Transportation 2nd Friday 10:30 a.m., Courthouse 2nd Friday County Council of Seniors 1:00 p.m., Courthouse 2nd & 4th Mondays County Fair Board 7:00 p.m., Fairgrounds County Parks Commission 3rd Thursday 6:00 p.m., 1054 Oregon St. Emergency Comm. Dist. (9-1-1) 3rd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Courthouse Historical Society 4th W ednesday Noon, location call 429-3713 Traffic Safety Commission 1st W ednesday 7:00 a.m., Village Inn Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410 or by mail to The INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.
