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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2004)
The INDEPENDENT, May 6, 2004 Page 7 Community Senior News By Karen Miller VOLUN- TEERS t a k e n o t e : M a r k your cal- endar for Wed- nesday, May 19 – we will be honoring volun- teers who faithfullly help out the local Senior Center with their time and energy. DON’T FORGET to come in and check out our list of free items people donate for needy persons. It has proven to be a well received service. Remem- ber the 1/2 OFF sale in our thrift shop on the last Friday of every month. WE NEED volunteers who can be on call to help in our thrift area. Call or come in to see our President, Bill James. TO ONE AND ALL: Regard- less of age, everyone is wel- come here. You don’t have to be a senior to get a good deal here at lunchtime or in our thrift store. Our affordable lunches are open to all. $2.50 for those under 60 is quite a deal! Hey, all you singers! We had a blast on Wednesday, April 21. Watch this column and join us for our next Karaoke Day. Come hear Bill Yeo on the spoons. Do you know a senior 60 and over in need of respite care or housekeeping, or needing to have Meals-on-Wheels deliv- ered? Call our office to see about qualifying for services. REMEMBER: • Pastries and bread Wednesday and Saturday a.m. • Bingo, Mondays at lunch. • Music with the Golden Oldies on Wednesdays. • Games on Thursdays. • Willoughby Hearing every second Friday at 11:00 a.m. • Sign language class on Mondays, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. • Free blood pressure checks the first and third Fri- days in the mornings. If you know of a senior who would like a visit from the Se- nior Advocate or has any senior needs and concerns, call our office. INFORMATION NUMBERS Senior Advocate... 429-9112 Senior Center....... 429-3912 Transportation...... 429-4304 Annual Silver Tea scheduled for May 12 at Vernonia Public Library The 2004 Silver Tea, an an- nual benefit for the Vernonia Public Library, hosted by the Vernonia Study Club, will be held Wednesday, May 12, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Thiele- Petti Room at the library. At about 3:30 p.m., musical entertainment will be provided by Madeleine Gendron and friends. For visual enjoyment, there will also be a display of cups and saucers located about the room. Punch, coffee, tea, and cookies will be served. Feel free to drop by to con- verse with old and new friends, look over the facilities and en- joy the entertainment. Members of the local Study Club actively support the Ver- nonia Public Library with gifts purchased from monies earned through a variety of projects, such as coffees, bazaars, and n recent years, the Silver Tea. Among items supplied to the library through proceeds from the Tea, have been a speaker system, a book cart, and, most recently, a video shelving sys- tem. Vote for Yard of the Month now Voting has now opened for the yard of the month. The yard must be within Vernonia city limits and cannot include past winners. Let Vernonia Pride know what yard you think deserves this honor by calling Donna Webb at 503-429-5201, or by dropping your suggestion in the box at City Hall. Submis- sions are due by May 27. Volunteers sought for Elder Safe Food Drive by letter carriers program with Sheriff’s Office Elder abuse has made the Volunteers with an under- will be May 8 headlines recently, from an eld- erly Marine Colonel swindled out of money from his book- keeper, to the older woman sexually assaulted at a nursing home. The Sheriff’s Office Elder Safe Program is seeking volun- teers to work with the elderly and people with disabilities af- ter they have filed a police re- port. The program is a partner- ship with Disabilities, Aging and Veterans Services and the Dis- trict Attorney’s Office. “This is a unique opportunity to help individuals – often at the most difficult point in their lives,” said program coordina- tor Joyce DeMonnin. “In addi- tion to receiving excellent train- ing by Washington County offi- cials, volunteers have the satis- faction of knowing the work they do is important to seniors and the community.” standing of banking and fi- nance are always in particular demand. Because financial ex- ploitation is the number one crime committed against sen- iors, Elder Safe has a financial specialist team that works with seniors and banks in elder crime prevention. “For this group, loss due to scams, frauds and identity theft can be devastating, because the elder probably won’t be able to continue earning more money. Once the funds are gone, they’re gone,” she said. Elder Safe volunteers must complete an intensive state- ment of personal history and undergo a complete criminal background check. They must also be available for the train- ing program. To apply for Elder Safe sum- mer training, call Maxine Leag- jeld, (503) 846-6048. Annual plant trade will take place during May 15 Country Market By Schann Nelson Twenty-odd years ago, when I first lived in Vernonia, there was an established spring tradition, sometime in April or May, when a group of gardening women would gath- er to share plants and stories. I was thrilled to get an invitation! Over the years, the event ex- panded and contracted as folks came and left, but the tradition continues. Last year, Vernonia lost one of the area’s great gardeners and long-time plant trader, Jen- nie Siedelman. This year, her sister, Irene, will be honored for her achievements. She helped many young families overcome gardening problems that seemed insurmountable to us, but were just pesky, almost triv- ial, to her. Her solutions are practical and don’t allow for any nonsense. Irene Siedelman is the only person I know who could get ripe cantaloupes and eggplant! Come and share your memories. Since so many of the old group have moved on, and there are many new families in town, this year’s plant trade will be part of the Vernonia Country Market on May 15th. There will be a prize for the best dressed pioneer woman and plants will be traded within the “trade area,” or given away, because we often bring stuff that we have way too much of, and don’t want to take home. Nei- ther can we bear to throw it out! Look for the full color invitation at various locations around town – everyone is invited. Bring your gardening ques- tions for discussion, your treas- ures and trials to share, as we celebrate the return of spring and honor the pioneering women who made the roses bloom in the Nehalem Valley. Plants, seeds, bulbs, trees, books, manure, tools, stories and recipes are all welcome. Coming empty-handed means you can take more stuff home with you, so don’t be shy! Letter carriers throughout Columbia County will join with letter carriers across America to do much more than deliver mail when they walk and drive along their postal routes on Saturday, May 8. They will also collect gener- ous donations of nonperish- able food from their postal cus- tomers to Stamp Out Hunger during the annual National As- sociation of Letter Carriers Food Drive – the largest one- day food drive in Oregon and in the nation. “Letter carriers know the people along our routes and in our communities,” St. Helens Postmaster Willie Thayer not- ed. “We know that the need for food donations continues to in- crease. We are proud to cele- brate the 10 year anniversary of participating in this event and hope for full participation from those who are able. We are proud to help fight hunger in our community.” The process is simple. Here’s how all citizens can help letter carriers Stamp Out Hunger: 1) During the first week of May, letter carriers will deliver cards announcing the food drive. There will be a second delivery of specially marked plastic bags donated by Fred Meyer. 2) Fill the bags with nutri- tious, nonperishable food such as tuna fish, peanut butter, soups, stews and boxed meals. 3) Place the filled bags by your mailbox on the morning of Saturday, May 8. 4) On Saturday, May 8, let- ter carriers will collect the do- nations along their routes and take them to their local station. Trucks will pick up the food and deliver it to the Columbia Pacif- ic Food Bank. Last year’s NALC Food Dri- ve generated more than 1.4 million pounds of food through- out the state. “The number of people in need of emergency food in Co- lumbia County is on the rise. We have one of the highest un- Please see page 20
