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