The INDEPENDENT, June 6, 2002
Page 3
Letters to tbo Editor
Habitat for Humanity
is strong in our area
To the Editor:
I would like to report from
your Columbia County Habitat
For Humanity that things are
looking great! We are excited at
the good response to our re
cent pledge drive and we thank
you for your donation. Remem
ber, it is never too late, as this
ministry goes on and on.
A family has been selected
to partner in the next home (re
quirements: low income, good
credit history, employment sta
bility). A buildable lot has been
donated in St. Helens and the
plans are being reviewed by
the City.
There is another opportunity
that is a once in a lifetime for
CCHH. Oregon Housing and
Community Services has pro
vided $1.2 million dollars at
zero percent interest to pur
chase 20 single-family home
loans made to Habitat for Hu
manity families, so the organi
zation can immediately recoup
the amount of the first mort
gage. This money can then be
put to work building another
home right now, instead of wait
ing to receive the zero percent
loan payments from the fami
lies over a 20 to 30 year period!
The catch...the home must be
completed by December 31,
2002!
How can this be accom
plished? Many hands make
light work. We continue to need
cash to purchase the permits
and supplies that aren’t donat
ed, donations of building sup
plies, labor (skilled and non-
skilled) and representatives
who are willing to offer the op
portunity to others.
Presently, there is a very
pressing need for Vernonia. A
career opportunity will severely
limit my ability to participate, so
I am resigning from the Board
of Directors. This will leave Ver
nonia without a representative.
It has been the commitment of
CCHH since their inception, to
fairly serve the entire County.
The new project in St. Helens is
moving ahead because of the
time constraint on the OHCS
opportunity and because there
have been no other buildable
lots offered. Vernonia needs a
representative. Is it you?
R eflecting on my life, it
seems that the successes I
claim are not as much of my
doing as they are of circum
stances, of “breaks.” A Habitat
home is an opportunity to give
a “break” to a family who works
hard, but cannot achieve
enough for our ever-increasing
housing market. Please consid
er participating in this important
ministry, for families and for our
community, and for the person
al satisfaction of giving back.
Lani Vandehey
Vernonia
VHS team thanks all
for their support
To the Editor:
Thanks to all the parents,
host parents, grandparents,
friends and family for their sup
port of the high school equestri
an team throughout our sea
son. Having you in the stands
Between tbe Bookends
By Ann Krutsinger, Library Assistant
Banks Public Library
This is the library’s fifth year in our beautiful
building. Please help celebrate our anniversary
by attending the programs scheduled Saturday,
June 1st. We will host a workshop on bookmak
ing, taught by Colleen Cavin from 11:00 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. In the evening, we invite you to enjoy
a free concert performed by the Quartette Bar
bette. This saxophone group plays an eclectic
variety of music, from jazz and ragtime to folk,
classical, popular and klezmer styles. These pro
grams are funded by the RACC, NEA, and WC-
CLS.
The Summ er Reading Program theme is
“Don’t Bug Me, I’m Reading.” Sign-ups start
June 1st. Schedules for the special programs
are available in the library. These programs are
geared toward preschool children, and kinder
garten to sixth graders. Readers of all ages, in
cluding teens and preschoolers, are invited to
participate in the reading program. Readers who
complete their goals will be able to choose a free
paperback book. There will also be weekly draw
ings for special prizes.
Saturday, June 8th is recycling day sponsored
by the Friends of the Banks Library at the Swat-
co Service Yard between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. If
you miss this date, look for the mixed paper re
cycle bins that were near to Main Street in the
parking lot of Dayspring Christian Fellowship.
They have been moved away from the street
onto the City of Banks’ gravel parking lot, next to
the paved library parking lot. Proceeds from the
bins now benefit the library. The hauler accepts
mixed paper (including old paperback books,
magazines and newspapers) but not cardboard.
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: Wednesdays, 10:15
a.m., when school is in session.
Phone: (503 ) 324-1382
Internet: www.WILInet.wccls.lib.or.us.
Ike Says^..____________
From page 2
of the clams in your head, count and recount
your clams; OSP has zero tolerance for exceed
ing your limit. If an officer stops you, be polite,
but insist that a witness observe the clams being
counted and insist that they be counted slowly
and deliberately. Also, do not leave the wet sand
to count your clams; this is called leaving the
beach, and it will be marked on your citation that
you intentionally exceeded your bag limit.
The reason for limits on the number of clams
you can dig is to protect the resource from over-
harvesting. The question needs to be asked
though, why an unlimited number of commercial
permits are issued? Of course the commercials
do pay for a permit, proof again of how ODF&W
manages our resources!
Izaak Walton League
Nehalem Valley Chapter meetings are on
the third Thursday of each month at 7:00
p.m. The public is welcome.
For meeting location, call (503) 429-7193.
to cheer us on was great. We
could not have achieved the
successes we did without you.
A special thanks to the Seib
ert family for generously allow
ing us to use their arena for our
practices and to Walter “Verne”
Ferguson for his donation of
team belt buckles. Thank you
to the Vernonia Ridge Riders
for their continued support and
to all who donated to our team
in one form or another.
CASAs can prevent
“lost” children cases
Judy Clifford
Sheila Day
Norma Stewart
Jan Martin
Executive Director
CASA of Columbia County
To the Editor:
Five year old Rilya Wilson,
under the care of the State of
Florida, was missing for 15
months. No one knew about it
until a few weeks ago. Rilya
must be found. The State of
Florida also needs to find out
who was responsible and hold
them accountable. Above all,
we need to prevent future
Barb Carr, Volunteer Coach tragedies of this sort. Fortu
Vernonia High School nately, we know how.
Equestrian Team
In Oregon, as in every state,
volunteer CASA advocates
It’s not yet time for watch out over cases like this.
Banks “Centennial” They help assure that child pro
tection agencies and the courts
properly perform their responsi
To the Editor:
This letter is to clarify the re bilities to the children. The goal
ported “Centennial of Banks.” is a safe, permanent home for
The City of Banks is not 100 each child.
years old. Banks was incorpo
O regon’s CASA volunteer
rated in 1921. As is common advocacy system is particularly
practice (based on incorpora strong, because CASA volun
tion date) the City of Banks will teers are full parties to the juve
celebrate its 100th year in nile case. Which means they
2021. The Banks community have the authority to visit the
began with the arrival of the child, view all records, and ap
Peyton and Anna Wilkes family, pear before the court to speak
circa 1840. It was named for up for the child. The weakness
the Banks family who arrived of the system in Florida, as well
during the 1890s. The com mu as Oregon, is that there are not
nity has grown for over 150 enough volunteer CASAs for
every Rilya that the state is
years.
In 1902 the Postmaster Gen supposed to be caring for.
In Columbia County, we now
eral granted the Banks com mu
nity the right to establish a Post have 15 volunteer advocates,
Office. This Post Office lasted but unfortunately, it is not
two years, then was closed and enough, demand is high, we
need more responsible adults
moved back to Greenville
(south of Banks). After Banks who would like to speak up for
began to grow with the new rail our abused and neglected chil
road passing alongside, some dren. It may be too late for
new businesses began in Rilya, who did not have a
Banks. Others moved from
CASA volunteer on her case,
Greenville to Banks. In April of but it may not be too late for a
1907, the Post Office in Banks little boy or girl in your own
was re-opened. The need for neighborhood. New volunteer
water in the town prompted a training begins in late Septem
vote to incorporate the city. In ber; please mark your calendar
April of 1921 the voters ap with our chapter’s phone num
ber, 503-366-7644, to become
proved incorporation.
This year, during the Banks a resource for the little ones in
Barbecue (August 17-18) the our community without som e
Historical Society will have a one to speak up for them. If you
(free) open house at the Log cannot spare the approximately
Cabin City Park. Historical in 10 hours a month it takes to
formation and artifacts will be manage a case, perhaps you
on display. If additional Banks can help support a volunteer fi
nancially with your tax-de
historical data is desired,
please call (503) 324-6191 or ductible donation to CASA of
Columbia County, PO Box 209,
(503) 324-7955.
St. Helens, OR 97051.
Banks Historical Society
Respectfully,