The ¡«DEPENDENT, July 4, 2002
Page 3
Lotters to the Editor
Collections will be
for Fireworks Fund
To the Editor:
We would like to thank
everyone who has already do
nated to the Fireworks Fund. It
isn’t too late to make a dona
tion. It should be a fun 4th of
July - a parade - Cub Scouts
and Boosters will have their
stands open while we all wait
for the fireworks display.
As reported in the last paper,
Vernonia Cares (Bill Yeo) is go
ing to be collecting during the
parade, however, not for Ver
nonia Cares. Bill will be collect
ing for the Vernonia Pride Fire
works Fund. We would like to
thank Vernonia Cares for help
ing us and, in turn, we plan to
help them with an upcoming
project. We will also have oth
ers collecting during and after
the parade.
Thank you for your support
each year.
Enid Parrow
Vernonia Pride
Never underestimate
power of good ideas
To the Editor:
My friend, Jessie Roberts,
and I decided to fix up the old
Between the Bookends
By Ann Krutsinger, Library Assistant
Banks Public Library
Sign-ups for the Summer Reading Program
are well under way! The theme is “Don’t Bug Me
I’m Reading.” Our next free special program will
be on Thursday, July 11th. Tom Question will
present his show of juggling, comedy, poetry, stilt
walking and acrobatics in REALLY BIG way! On
Thursday, July 18th, Anne Louise Sterry’s pro
gram of music and stories, “Guess We’ll Go Eat
BUGS,” is sure to entertain. Steve Taylor and his
“dummy” friend will be “Buggy About Books” on
Thursday, July 25th. All programs begin at 2:00
p.m., but it’s wise to arrive early, as seats are
limited! Each week, readers will have the op
portunity to enter a drawing for a gift certificate to
one of our local booksellers. Ask us how you can
join the fun.
Remember, the library will be closed on
Thursday, July 4th.
New titles arrive at the library each week!
This week, Sue Henry’s newest, Cold Company,
is here. Set in the long summer days of Alaska,
this mystery joins the past and the present in a
chilling tale. While rebuilding her home on the
ashes of her old house, Jessie Arnold discovers
a skeleton that is probably tied to a series of
murders which occurred twenty years earlier.
Now, another woman has disappeared and
Jessie is wondering if she will be next. Keep cool
with this one!
Also on the shelves are Jean Auel’s newest
book, Shelters of Stone, and the new Tony Hiller-
man mystery, The Wailing Wind. Some of our
new non-fiction includes Mario Thomas’ inspira
tional book The Right Words at the Right Time,
and Anthony Bourdain’s best selling A Cook’s
Tour, about traveling the world in search of the
perfect meal. We also have a great selection of
books on the Friends’ book sale shelves, so you
can take a paperback or two on vacation and
leave them behind if you want to!
Recycle Saturday, sponsored by the Friends
of the Banks Library is held from 9:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m. on the second Saturday of each
month. Library patrons with internet access can
browse library resources and reserve materials
electronically.
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 -13 82
Internet: www.WILInet.wccls.lib.or.us.
Ike Says.. .
From page 2
an e-mail reply from our District biologist...who I
suggested should be fired in my e-mail to Port
land. His response contained the usual “we don't
see anything wrong” report. I would have to dis
agree, with last year’s buck harvest being only
37 percent of historical highs and 66 percent of
recent years’ harvest, there is something seri
ously wrong. My prediction for this year is that
less than 500 bucks will be harvested and, in the
years following, the harvest will fall off the chart.
It’s only reasonable to expect that Mr. Beider-
back will resign when this happens. Local
sportsmen have repeatedly expressed their con
cern to him, only to be ignored. If I did this on my
job, I would not have one for long.
On a more pleasant note, the kayaking has
been great. I am slowly getting more confidence
in my kayaking skills and have steadily found
myself wanting bigger and better water. I have
been on two trips to the Clackamas and once to
the Sandy. Class III water while putting a knot in
your stomach, sure is thrilling. So far the Dodge
Park to Oxbow Park trip was the most interest
ing. The very first rapid is the Class III pipeline,
where I watched as my new friend, Alex, got
flipped and then rolled back up in the middle. We
joked about him doing most of the best rapid on
this run, upside down. I eventually had a swim
when I paddled back upstream and took another
shot at the Jumping Rock.
The Jumping Rock is a big boulder in the mid
dle of the stream that, at the right water condi
tions, forms a large water pillow that allows a
kayaker to boat right over the top of the rock and
free fall into the hole behind the boulder. My run
didn't go quite as anticipated and I got forced off
the side of the boulder, but somehow ended up
in the hole behind it. When I hit the hole, I was a
little too sideways and got flipped. I didn’t even
try my roll, I just wanted out of there! Soon my
buddies were towing me to shore and we contin
ued. Near the takeout we started seeing lots of
people, since this was the 97-degree day in Port
land. Needless to say, the wildlife was very inter
esting, especially the two young maidens who
happened to forget their bathing suit tops. Now I
know why kayakers are always smiling.
Catch you on the next wave!
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.
girls’ softball field. We knew to
do this we would need money
so we contacted SOLV (I knew
about them because my mom
does a lot of stuff with them.).
We asked them if we could
get a grant and they gave one
to use. We got $250.00. Then
we started working. Steve Lan
ders came down with his tractor
and tilled it. Also my dad, Roy
Gehrke, brought down his tiller.
Then we dragged it with an old
railroad tie and fencing.
We ordered bases and the
home plate and pitcher’s rub
ber and all the other little things
needed and will put them out
soon. Hopefully, we will use the
field again.
Erin Gehrke
Vernonia
What is purpose of
Historical Museum?
To the Editor:
When you wander through
the many treasures of an his
torical museum, you may expe
rience an overwhelming sense
of the past and the people who
occupied a particular space in
time. Emotions run free, sur
rounded by mementos of the
past, and you can draw conclu
sions as to how the past influ
ences the present.
Conversations with the cura
tor bring forth stories and re
membrances of times gone by.
An old photograph may al
low you to put a face to a name
you’ve heard, or it may rekindle
the memory of an event from
the past.
You may view with envy or
disdain the fashions of the past,
through the wardrobes on dis
play.
A phonograph or music box
may cause you to remember
what you were doing when you
first saw or heard one. (How
many of today’s youth know
what an LP record is?)
A collection of old docu
ments allows you the opportu
nity to research the past of an
area or town.
A historical museum gives
today’s youth a glimpse into the
vibrant past, letting them see
roots that have grown through
the years. This helps strength
en the generational bond and
solidify a lifetime sense of pride
in their community that they, in
turn, can pass on to their chil
dren to help keep a community
strong far into the future.
Visitors to the com m unity
can witness the ups and downs
of the area and gain a better
understanding of why we
choose to live where and how
we do. In the process, they
might decide to return or tell
their friends, who might want to
visit.
There are many more rea
sons an historical, museum is a
benefit to a community and the
citizens who reside there, too
many to list here.
Personally, an historical mu
seum brings to the surface feel
ings and emotions I am not al
ways able to experience in the
“day to day struggle." It also re
minds me that “the struggle"
existed before and will continue
long after I am gone and, with
that knowledge, I am feel a
sense of peaceful humility.
Unfortunately, when an his
torical museum is closed, AS
OURS HAS BEEN FOR THE
PAST FEW MONTHS, none of
the above is possible.
Some of the people who are
concerned about the closure of
the Columbia County Historical
Museum in Vernonia, are trying
to find solutions so it can again
be open for the public to enjoy.
For that reason there will be a
Town Hall Meeting at Vernonia
City Hall on Monday, July 15 at
7:00 p.m.
We NEED a large turnout of
community and area residents
who can show their support
and offer ideas that will help to
open the museum again. This
m eeting is OPEN TO ALL
CONCERNED CITIZENS, not
just Vernonians.
Please attend this meeting
to show your support for the
museum and, more importantly,
our community.
Glen Purvee
Vernonia
Flexible Senior Center
policy on donations
To the Editor:
To those folks who do and
those folks who don't donate
goods to the senior center here
in Vernonia:
It has been brought to our at
tention that we (folks who work
here) skim the good stuff and it
is never put out for sale to the
public. Our policy is to keep
clean, repaired, usuable items.
If it is appropriate, some will be
used by folks living here. Other
wise, we ship to ARC, St. Vin
cent dePaul or Goodwill. We
also hold back items for gifts,
door prizes or - as is coming up
- auctions, raffles or “Christ
mas and Halloween in July ’’
Please see page 16