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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 2008)
The INDEPENDENT, August 21, 2008 Hazardous Waste Event scheduled Every month Columbia County hosts a free Household Hazardous Waste Event to help you and the environment. What’s in your garage? Do you have fertilizers and pesti- cides left over from this year’s gardening? Lawn care prod- ucts, pool and spa chemicals, and automotive fluids are haz- ardous and can be a hassle to dispose of. Are you making the switch to environmentally friendly home care products? What’s under your sink? Dispose of household haz- ardous waste safely and at no charge. Columbia County Solid Waste and Land Development Services hosts a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Saturday, August 30, from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Columbia County Transfer Sta- tion in St. Helens. Small businesses in Colum- bia County can get help with hazardous waste disposal, too. If you own or work for a small business and would like more information, call 503-397-7213. Accepted HHW items in- clude: oil based paints and stains, thinners and solvents, pool and spa chemicals, pesti- cides, herbicides, fertilizers and poisons, motor oil, an- “Undie Sunday” now til Sept. 17 This year’s “Undie Sunday”, a month of giving, started Au- gust 17 and will end on Sep- tember 17. This project responds to the need of many children in Co- lumbia County for basic neces- sities like underwear and socks. Churches, schools, or- ganizations, and community members are asked to partici- pate by collecting new under- wear and socks for children from birth through high school. The range is even broader, in- cluding diapers for little ones and slippers for the elderly. To donate, drop off items at Wal-Mart, Columbia County Commission on Children and Families (at 230 Strand St., Room 301), or one of your lo- cal churches. The donations will be distributed through Co- lumbia County schools. tifreeze and other automotive fluids, household cleaners and disinfectants, batteries, art and hobby chemicals, aerosol spray products, propane tanks or bottles from barbecue grills, fluorescent lamps and ballasts, items containing mercury, med- ical sharps, and small arms ammunition. No containers larger than five gallons please. Standard household gar- bage is not accepted at HHW events. At this time, the Trans- fer Station does not accept ra- dioactive material or electronic waste at HHW collection events or during regular opera- tions. Recycle. Antifreeze, used motor oil and automotive bat- teries, as well as many other recyclable materials, can be re- cycled at the Transfer Station any time. The HHW Intake Facility is located at the Columbia Coun- ty Transfer and Recycling Cen- ter, 1601 Railroad Avenue in St. Helens (Highway 30 to St. Helens, East on Gable Road at Walmart, to Railroad Avenue, Right on Railroad Avenue 1/8 mi). Page 15 Power of the People By W. Marc Farmer, General Manager, West Oregon Electric Cooperative Care to Share 2008 Each year our staff works to raise funds for our “Care to Share” program. These funds are then overseen by St. Vincent De Paul to provide energy as- sistance to our Co-op members throughout the year, especially during the cold- er winter months. In the past we have sold popcorn, had a large garage sale in our truck bays, and had our own staff donate funds. In the past three years we have raised $1,500, $2,000, and last year we raised $2,500 which our Board of Directors matched. The Board will match the funds we raise this year as well. Our goal is to raise $3,000 this year. Our popcorn machine became an unfortunate victim of the flood and had to be thrown away. We also felt that our garage sale might not be as big and successful as in past years, plus we still have flood recovery items in the space we normally use for the sale. Several of our staff members will in- stead be selling personal items during the annual garage sale day and will donate a portion of their funds to “Care to Share.” They will be selling them in our parking lot across the street. This year we have decided to have a bucket raffle to raise funds. There are four different prize buckets we are raffling, and the winners will be drawn on September 15. Tickets are one for $5 or five tickets for $20 and can be purchased at the West Oregon Electric Cooperative Office. So what is a prize bucket? There are four buckets and you purchase your tickets and place them in the bucket which has the prize you would like to win on the bucket. The four prizes include: 1) a fishing package with a Guides Choice Lamiglas fishing pole with and Abu Garcia reel with a retail value of $200; 2) a hunting package a pair of 100 percent waterproof Leupold Cascades 8x42mm binoculars valued at $320; 3) a tool package with RYOBI 18v power tools containing a flashlight, saws all, drill, and skill saw retailing at $199; and 4) a weekend retreat in wine country with overnight accommodations at a beautiful log home on 20 acres in Yamhill County. You can come and view the prizes at the Co-op headquarters in Vernonia. We are excited about the quality of the prizes we are raffling and the wonderful donation by one of our members for the log home stay. Together with our matching funds by our Board of Directors, we hope once again to be able to provide some much needed help to our neighbors and friends who could use some assistance to provide for their energy needs. We appreciate all in the past who have supported our efforts to do so, and we ask for your support in this effort to raise funds for “Care to Share.” On behalf of our staff and members, we thank you all so very much. Norbom named as State senior regional volunteer Volunteer Columbia has an- nounced that Sally Norbom, a Columbia County RSVP volun- teer serving at the Columbia County Courthouse, has been selected to receive the State of Oregon Governor’s Volunteer regional award from the Out- standing Senior Volunteer (55 +) category. The Governor’s Volunteer Awards recognize individuals and organizations for their ded- ication, commitment and deter- mination in promoting and sup- porting volunteerism through- out Oregon with the purpose of inspiring individuals to make a positive difference and strengthening Oregon commu- nities. This nomination was consid- ered alongside other regional winners for the statewide awards. On August 14, the statewide winners were an- nounced. The winner of the Statewide award for the Out- standing Senior Volunteer (55 +) category was Barbara L. Sackett, volunteering with The Arc of Benton County, in Cor- vallis. Greg Russo, Wil Warren and Ken Corliss from Volunteer Co- lumbia and their Advisory Board of Jan Kenna from Co- lumbia County Commission on Children and Families, Nancy Harwood from Columbia Coun- ty Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and Kathye Beck from United Way of Co- lumbia County all extend a well deserved thank you to Sally Norbom. Volunteer Columbia is a pilot project sponsored by the State of Oregon to match volunteers to volunteer opportunities with- in Columbia County. For more information about Volunteer Columbia see www. volunteercolumbia.com. VERNONIA INN Enjoy a quiet weekend with us. FULL SIZE, IN ROOM HOT TUBS Queen Beds • Private Bath • Separate Entrance Cable TV • Phones • Handicapped Access • Commercial Rates FOR RESERVATIONS CALL Internet Web Design Cell: 503-539-2101 www.VernoniaNorthern.com 1-800-354-9494 / 503-429-4006 Gift Certificates Available 900 MADISON AVE., VERNONIA, OR 97064 ©2008 Just one block off scenic Nehalem River Hwy. (Oregon 47)
