The INDEPENDENT, May 1, 2008
Help cut wood and get doughnuts for pay
There will be another wood-
cut for Vernonia flood relief on
Saturday, May 4. Volunteers
should meet at the Wauna
Credit Union parking lot (corner
of Weed Ave. and Bridge St.) at
8:30 a.m.
Volunteers will finish cutting
the deck of pine logs started
last Saturday and go to the
BLM cutting area near Scap-
ponia Park for more work there.
Volunteers need to bring
field gear and sturdy boots;
lunches with plenty of water to
drink; chain saws and gas (Stihl
has donated bar oil and oil to
mix with gas); saw chaps, ear
plugs, gloves, eyewear; split-
ting mauls and wedges. Also
needed are power wood split-
ters, open bed pickup trucks
and small trailers to haul wood.
Everyone who comes out
will sign up as a Columbia
County volunteer. This will cov-
er everyone in case of injury.
Volunteer Robert Alverts has
committed to bringing Krispy
Kreme doughnuts again.
Bear Creek Run will help feed hungry
Get out those running shoes
and mark your calendars for
August 16, the date of the sixth
annual Bear Creek Run/Walk.
Beginning and ending at An-
derson Park, this event boasts
the diversity of a 5K Run/Walk
encompassing a lap of Vernon-
ia Lake, and a 10K Run that
heads south along the Banks/
Vernonia Linear Trail. Both
routes are flat and fast, winding
through tree-lined sections of
the trail, and providing wel-
come shade for all participants.
This event is a fundraiser for
the Vernonia Cares Food Bank
– an organization that has sup-
ported local families for the
past 23 years.
In addition to entering the
race as either an individual or a
group, there are many ways
you can help: Become a spon-
sor, volunteer for advance plan-
ning or the event, or come to
cheer on those who run or
walk. Be there at the finish line!
It is said that charity begins at
home – this is a chance to be a
role model through all levels of
support for this event.
Did you know that statistics
consistently show that one-
third of the population who ben-
efit from Vernonia Cares are lo-
cal children? The saying – it is
hard to play when you are hun-
gry – is sadly true.
The help and support of Ver-
nonia residents is needed in or-
der to successfully provide for
approximately 11 percent of our
community. Vernonia Cares is
also aided through United Way
of Columbia County. In addition
to monthly groceries, Vernonia
Cares distributes special food
boxes at Christmas, containing
the basic groceries for a Christ-
mas meal.
See the following website for
more details of the run/walk:
http://www.signmeup.com/579
93, or contact Race Director
Maria Lemay at 503-429-1069.
Online registration is encour-
aged. Rewards are available
for those who register before
August 1.
Page 9
Bits & Bites
By Jacqueline Ramsay
I am
ticked,
happy-
s a d ,
worried
and a lit-
tle per-
turbed
t h i s
week.
I
f
green tea is such a wonder for
all that ails a person why aren’t
my
fingernails
getting
stronger?
Why are so many people
getting maimed or killed in the
smaller cities?
Who among any of us has
the right to say “this” is best for
a child? Even if it isn’t old
enough to talk, a child can feel
and knows who loves it. When
I was a child (oh yes, I was) at
the age of 12 (the People that
Be) decided with whom my sib-
lings and I would live. I be-
grudged both of my parents
most of their lives because I
had no voice.
Does your phone have a
half-finished sentence greeting
you when you say hello? Two
out of six times you can’t un-
derstand what your ear is hear-
ing.
Now to the lighter side. The
saga of my Tempo. It is really
beginning to own me. I now
can’t tell how much fuel is in
the tank. I inquired of the price
to fix the problem – the me-
chanic called for a price, he
said, “It costs what?” Oh, and
for $60 more you get the whole
unit, now I’m in shock. So I’m
putting in five gallons at a time
and computing my mileage
while I save up my pennies.
Eeeeeek.
Oh yes, the garter snakes
are finally out sunning them-
selves at the lake.
Time for another cup of tea.
Chapter 2: Sunday, April 20,
3 p.m., Shadow and I were
walking the lake – only I was
gawking and gaping at the sky.
There were eleven Osprey
soaring and riding the air cur-
rents above the lake. I watched
til my neck was stiff and I was
dizzy. Oh yes, also the fisher
fold weren’t having much luck
catching fish. I wonder why??
Ho ho.
It was a grand sight.
Just heard from my oldest
grandson – he passed all his
entrance tests into the Marine
Corp. He is as happy as a
clam. His mother and grand-
mother have other kinds of
thoughts – I’ve got three more
grandsons the wrong age for
this stage in life – Yes, I’m self-
ish. How about you?
Vernonia Rural Fire Protection District
A film crew was in Vernonia last week working on the movie
“Twilight.” Some signs, including a welcome sign, were
changed to read “Forks,” the name of the city in the movie.
New York Life Insurance Company
Life Insurance - Long Term Care Insurance - Retirement
Planning - Fixed Annuities* - Mortgage Protection
Mutual funds - Business Insurance - IRA/SEP/TSA
Jim Presley, Financial
Services Professional
Vernonia, Oregon
Office: 503-429-0747
Cell: 503-929-3455
*Issued by New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corporation (A Delaware Corporation)
Can You Fill These Boots?
Call Chief Paul Epler @ 503.429.8252