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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2007)
The INDEPENDENT, March 15, 2007 CAT grant for parenting skills training Community Action Team (CAT) is the recipient of a $23,701 grant through the John and Betty Gary Early Childhood Initiative of The Oregon Com- munity Foundation (OCF). The funding will be used to provide education and support to im- prove parenting skills through- out Columbia County. The mission of CAT is to “Build Bridges to Self-Sufficien- cy.” CAT seeks to reduce the extent and negative effects of poverty by increasing family self-reliance. The grant is part of OCF’s five-year $2.5 million John and Betty Gray Early Childhood Ini- tiative, aimed at improving the quality of early childhood edu- cation on behalf of Oregon’s children, parents, and childcare providers. Eighteen grants were awarded in February 2007, for a total of $319,334. The OCF, established in 1973, manages charitable funds donated by individuals, families, and businesses to en- hance and support the quality of life in their communities. To- day, the foundation’s endow- ment consists of over 1,200 funds with combined assets of $850 million. March 23, eat soup to help fight hunger The Columbia County Com- mission on Children and Fami- lies is currently organizing a fund-raising event to benefit the Columbia Pacific Food Bank, which provides food county- wide for low-income people. Fight hunger, promote the arts and get involved in your community. Join members of the Commission on Friday, March 23, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. for a simple meal of soup and bread. Keep the bowl as a reminder of hunger in our coun- Swim for free Free swim passes are avail- able through June 30 for Co- lumbia County Seniors, 60 and over, for the Forest Grove Aquatic Center. For more information, call Community Action Team Se- nior Services Representative Karen Miller at 503-429-9112. ty. The event will be held at 215 S. 1st Street, in the 3rd floor ballroom above Antique St. He- lens. There will also be a silent auction, featuring ceramic work by featured artists. Tickets are $10 each and will be limited to the number of bowls available. All proceeds will go to the Co- lumbia Pacific Food Bank, and all donations are welcome. Students taught in a pottery classes by Pat Brame at St. Helens High School and Mrs. Dutkiewicz at Scappoose High School have contributed bowls for this event, as have a num- ber of professional artists. Ac- cording to event coordinator Susan Easley, everything nec- essary for the event has been donated by local individuals and businesses. Mary Walyer, long-time ad- vocate of Empty Bowls projects throughout Oregon, comment- ed that although Empty Bowls Driving class to be held in March An AARP Safe Driving Class will be held at the Vernonia Se- nior Center on March 29 and 30. The class is not limited to seniors. Call Karen Miller at Vernon- ia Senior Center 503-429- 9112 to sign up. The class is only $10 and there are no tests. Schann’s Basket has evolved over time and tak- en different forms, the simple meal offered in the Columbia County event is true to the orig- inal spirit of this fund raising event. In 1990 a high school art teacher in Michigan helped his students solve a problem. They were searching for a way to raise funds to support a food drive. What evolved was a class project to make ceramic bowls for a fund raising meal. Guests were served a simple meal of soup and bread, and were invited to keep the bowl as a reminder of hunger in the world. Since then Empty Bowls events have been held throughout the world, and mil- lions of dollars have been raised to combat hunger. For more information about the Empty Bowls Fund raiser, please call the CCCCF office at 503-397-7211. Every Thursday, 10am til the eggs are gone, inside Black Bear Coffee Co. 831 Bridge St., Vernonia Eggs ~ $2 dozen Page 9 Bits & Bites By Jacqueline Ramsay Some- o n e asked me the o t h e r d a y , “What are you going to w r i t e about this week?” Answer, “Who knows, I don’t yet.” It started raining about 1:30 a.m. – waking me from a sound sleep. I drifted off into half sleep, the word “Fleet” crossed my mind, who’s “Fleet?” In ‘42, she was a just-weaned minia- ture Australian Shepherd ball of black fur. Always on the go – hence the name, Fleet. A throat cancer claimed her in about ‘49. Then came “Snicklefritz”, a mutt. He and a stray cat were fighting over who owned the in- tersection and a truck claimed the victory. Along came “George” (remember the car- toon character, “Which way did they go, George?”). Big and clumsy, but a lover. He went the way of all chicken killer dogs. In ‘56, I got my first Eng- lish Bull Dog, “Beauty,” she went to a new home in ‘68. Then came “Little George” an abandoned pup in a snow- storm. Next a German Shep- herd, “King,” he was, he got shot and had to be put down. “Linus” was a Rat Terrier with a broken leg. In the ‘80s our sec- ond English Bulldog, “Bernice” a sick giveaway. She commit- ted dog-side, walked in front of a big pickup. Then came “Bru- tus,” our third English Bulldog, from ‘82 - ‘94. Now Shadow. In that same length of time I’ve had five cats. There have also been a Box turtle, a snake, a white rat, raised Hampsters, Gerbils, two canaries, finches, goldfish, guppies and assorted other tropical fish and several talking Parakeets. I’ve housed quite a few field mice in my time also. The most fun though was raising a newborn kid (goat, that is). It grew up with Fleet. He finally became some- one’s dinner. No – not mine. He was my first child. Ho,ho. What am I trying to say? If you’re blue, lonesome or in a rut because you’re alone now, remember the good times through your past pets and fond memories they bring back. You might have considered them a pain in the neck at some point but they do have a place in the scheme of a healthy life. See you at the St. Paddy’s parade.