The INDEPENDENT, December 5, 2001
Page 3
Between the Bookonds
By Cindy Stanley, Library Assistant
Banks Public Library
Many thanks to the Friends of the Banks Pub
lic Library for on-going contribution of new
books. Our most recent donation from the
Friends includes Black House by Stephen King
and Peter Straub, Mercy by Julie Garwood, The
Wild Blue: the Men Who Flew the B-24’s Over
Germany by Stephen Ambrose, and Envy by
Sandra Brown.
Also among our new books is a new title by
Nicholas Evans, author of the Horse Whisperer.
His latest book, The Smoke Jumper te\\s the sto
ry of three people’s quest for happiness and self-
fullfillment, played out against the heroism of fire
fighting in the wilderness. This mesmerizing ad
venture for the spirit is told in the grandest tradi
tion.
Don’t miss the next Saturday for recycling is
November 10th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This
is a great time to clear out the garage before the
holidays. The Friends of the Banks Public Li
brary continue to need support for monthly recy
cling Saturday. Volunteers are needed to work
two-hour shifts once or twice a year. Interested
persons please contact the library!
Fall is a great time to take advantage of the
Cultural Pass to Adventure program. This pro
gram, sponsored by Banks Pharmacy, Banks
Chamber of Commerce, Big Horn Logging,
Brown Derby Restaurant, City of Banks Tree
Board, Gookin Plumbing, the Linus Hermens
family, and the North Plains Chamber of Com
merce, allows library patrons and to reserve free
admittance passes to cultural institutions. Pass
es are available for the Children’s Museum, the
Portland Art Museum, the Japanese Garden, the
World Forestry Center, the End of the Oregon
Trail Interpretive Center and the Washington
County Museum, the Portland Chinese Garden
and the Oregon Historical Society. Registration
forms and program guidelines are available at
the library. Please note that this program is avail
able only to Washington County library card
holders.
Remember, library patrons with Internet ac
cess at home or work can browse the library re
sources by clicking on <www.WILInet.
wccls.lib.or.us> Materials can be reserved elec
tronically.
Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street
Hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.;
Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Preschool Story Time, Weds., 10:15 a.m.
Phone: (503 ) 324-1382
Internet: www.WILInet.wccls.lib.or.us.
Letters to the Editor
United Way is about
helping neighbors
To the Editor:
The United Way of Columbia
County Campaign is underway.
United Way has been helping
people in the cities of Clat
skanie, Rainier, St. Helens,
Scappoose and Vernonia, and
the surrounding communities
for 37 years. Guided by volun
teers who are your friends and
neighbors, United Way raises
money from individuals and
businesses to help your neigh
bors in need. After the money is
raised, your donations are allo
cated by volunteers to organi
zations that deliver services to
the people of Columbia County.
There are 24 funded service
providers.
Programs funded by United
Way often serve as a birth to
death safety net for people, just
like us, who have reached a cri
sis in their lives with nowhere
else to turn. Programs funded
by United Way reach all types
of people - families, children,
seniors, the poor, disabled, and
the ill.
Because United Way is
largely volunteer-driven (300
volunteers county-wide), 83
percent of every dollar con
tributed provides services. A
XT
great value! If all 24 organiza ing Neighbor,” give to United
tions attempted, independently, Way of Columbia County.
to raise the money they receive “Choose to Care!”
Sincerely,
from United Way, their costs
Tony
Hyde,
per dollar contributed would
County Commissioner
sky-rocket. Also, giving to Unit
Rick Bigelow,
ed Way ensures donors that
Fred Meyer Store Manager
their money will help someone
Campaign Co-Chairs
right here in Columbia County.
Why? Because each United
shows
Way is independently run by lo Community
cal volunteers for the benefit of love with response
the local community.
Never have the needs been To the Editor:
There is no greater time to
greater in Columbia County.
With severe cut backs antici be a part of the small town of
pated in federal and state fund Vernonia than when it comes
ing sources, and increased un together with an outpouring of
employment due to a slow love and generosity as it did on
economy, the United Way fund November 17. The benefit to
ed organizations are receiving honor Sheri Hiveley Wilson
more and more requests for as started with two people and the
idea grew to so very many
sistance.
more people giving of their
Who can help? You can!
time,
money and effort. People
If you are not currently giv
ing, call the United Way office who graciously baked desserts
to find out how. If you work out and made tacos, painted
of county and would like to di posters, auctioned, sang, refer
rect your gift back to Columbia eed, played volleyball, took
County, call and we can tell you tickets, donated raffle items
how. United Ways work togeth and money...the list goes on
er to honor the donor’s wishes. and on.
I know that the money
Do you have questions or
earned
was a phenomenal gift
would you like to just get in
volved? Great! Again, give us a to the Wilson family. However,
call. Our number is 503-556- the participation and love that
was shown that night towards
3614.
This year, help change a life Sheri was an exceptional
by becoming a "Neighbor Help blessing not only to Sheri, but
to us. Thank you, one and all,
for being a part of an extraordi
nary evening.
If you were not able to par
ticipate November 17 and
would like to have a part in
[helping with] her medical
costs, please make donations
to the Sheri Hiveley Wilson
Medical Fund at U. S. Bank.
Thank you and God Bless
You All.
Marci Gwin and
Brooke VanMeter
Vernonia
Ed. note: Sherri Hively Wilson has
been fighting a long, difficult battle
with breast cancer.
Ambulance crew really
delivered this time!
To the Editor:
We would like to say a spe
cial “Thank You” to some very
special people in our communi
ty who were there when they
were needed most and did an
excellent job. It was a positive
situation, which we know isn’t
frequent in their line of work.
The event happened Sun
day, November 25, early in the
morning. Our dear friend’s baby
girl decided to arrive a bit early
and not wait for the drive to St.
Vincents. This thank you is for
Paramedic Michael Petrasek,
who did a great job delivering,
with the assistance of EMTs
Robin Smith, Christy Brown,
Charlotte Davenport and Luke
Heckathorn, Firefighter/Driver
Norm Brown, Firefighters Jere
my Woodall anc Daryl Wolf,
and Fire Chief Paul Epler.
Roger and Wendy Pickering
of Vernonia are the proud par
ents of healthy McKenzie Rian
Pickering, 6 ibs. 5 oz.
Tom and Dawn Carr
Vernonia
Appreciates chance
to gather firewood
To the Editor:
I am one of the many who
appreciate Olympic Resource
Management for their wood
permits. Especially now that
the rains have set in!
It is bonafide work to get the
wood, but it is also so much
more. It becomes a rite of sea
sonal passage. We dress down
and put on clunky boots. The
thermos is filled, snacks are as
sembled and our truck is
brought out like an old work
horse from the pasture.
The same preparations go
into the event every year, but
each is a different memory. The
children who once needed su
pervision are now almost run
ning the show! The sore mus
cles finally abate, but the good
laughs we had remain.
Each time I put another
piece on the fire, I am grateful
for the extra boost in our supply
(even if I do have to ask, out-
loud, “doesn’t anybody fill this
wheelbarrow but me?!?’’)
Janell Johnston
Vernonia
Committed employee
will be missed
To the Editor:
Dianne Croissant has taken
another job and will be leaving
Columbia County on November
29, 2001. She has managed
the youth drug and alcohol pre
vention and education pro
grams for the past fourteen
years for Columbia County
Mental Health (CCMH) and will
be sorely missed.
She has educated communi
ties on risks and protective fac
tors and the importance of Drug
and Alcohol and Drug Preven-
tion/lntervention by developing
and managing programs in
schools county-wide.
Dianne is open, honest and
cares about youth and their
families. She worked with many
others to implement a county
wide Prevention Relay at Rai
nier High School. The purpose
of the Relay was to raise
awareness about drug and al
cohol issues and to provide a
safe place for people of all ages
to come together toward a
common goal of drug-free liv
ing.
She assisted with develop
ment of community coalitions
which work to decrease drug
and alcohol use. Dianne also
worked diligently writing grants
herself and worked with others
to write grants which brought
many thousands of dollars into
Columbia County.
Dianne Croissant has en
riched our county, our children
and their families. We all wish
her well in her new job. She will
be missed and not easily re
placed.
Darla Knytych, Chair
Sue Ferguson, Co-Chair
Local Alcohol & Drug
Planning Committee
Scappoose
Keep the Holidays Happy - Please DorTt Drink and Drive
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