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The INDEPENDENT, September 17, 2009
Between the Bookends
By Nancy Burch, Librarian
Vernonia Public Library
September means dif-
ferent things to different
people. To families the fo-
cus is on the beginning of
school and the related ac-
tivities; to gardeners it
means reaping the har-
vests of produce; to re-
tired people it often means
travel time with more
available camp spots and less traffic; to hunters
it means preparation for the opening of the sea-
sons; and for some, the focus might be on
weatherizing homes or making sure there’s an
adequate supply of wood for that trusty stove.
Whichever of these activities might be in your
immediate future, the library has materials to
help with the seasonal transition, including mate-
rials to encourage and help your child in learning
and developing a love of reading. Many books
on gardening and preserving fruits, vegetables,
and meats are available, as well as the Mother
Earth News magazine. Northwest Travel and
Oregon Coast are two magazines to which the li-
brary subscribes, but there are also numerous
books on campgrounds and traveling in Oregon
and the United States. For the hunter and the
homeowner, the library carries Issues of Oregon
Hunter and books with information on sealing
windows, choosing woods that burn most effi-
ciently, etc.
In the library, September means that pre-
school story time is once again taking place on
Monday mornings at 10:30 (when school is in
session). September themes will be related to
“school” and will include stories and a related
craft. The mature movie night for the month will
be Remember the Titans, a true story of a small
town in Virginia during the 1970s, where a
“white” high school is forced to combine with a
“black” school, and the resulting racial havoc this
creates. Starring Denzel Washington, the story
is about dedication that goes beyond the playing
field. This movie will be shown Thursday, Sep-
tember 24th at 7:00 p.m. Book discussion will be
Monday, September 28th at 5:30 with The
Shack, by William P. Young, being the choice of
the month.
Be sure and mark your calendars for Thurs-
day, October 1st when George Byron Wright will
introduce his new novel, Driving to Vernonia.
This event will begin at 6:60 with an informal re-
ception for Mr. Wright—to meet with him and talk
while enjoying some refreshments, followed by a
reading and discussion of the book. Mr. Wright
will have books available to be purchased follow-
ing the discussion, with part of the proceeds go-
ing to the Friends of the Library. While the novel
is entitled, Driving to Vernonia, it is not really
about Vernonia or anything that happened here.
It is the story of a man reconnecting with some-
one who gave meaning to his past—someone
with whom he has lost touch. We hope the com-
munity will show its appreciation and interest in
Mr. Wright’s book by attending this event.
The best book I’ve read in quite some time is
Henry’s Sisters by Portland author, Cathy Lamb.
This novel may not be for everyone because the
Bommarito sisters are dysfunctional and regular-
ly express themselves using some pretty rough
language, but they are also so charming they
can make you cry on one page and laugh on the
next. The sisters are summoned home to Trillium
River to care for their mentally disabled brother,
Henry, and their demented grandmother (who
believes she is Amelia Earhart) when their dom-
ineering mother has open heart surgery. This is
the story of how one family triumphs over adver-
sity and figures out how to love and trust again.
Other new acquisitions include The Spire by
Richard North Patterson, Evil at Heart by
Chelsea Cain, Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler, In
the Valley of Mist by Justine Hardy, The Last
Song by Nicholas Sparks, Heaven’s Keep by
William Kent Krueger, and Wisdom of the Last
Farmer by David Mas Masumoto.
Keep in mind that voter registration forms
must be postmarked by the 21st day before an
election in order to vote in that election. These
forms are available in the library. Just ask.
Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Ave.
Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tues., Thur. 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Preschool Story Time: Mondays, at
10:30 a.m. when school is in session.
Phone: 503-429-1818
Lyden is only one of many children looking for a home.
Got room for one more at home?
Lyden, age 13, is a boy who
loves the outdoors. He is espe-
cially interested in fishing and
crabbing, but loves camping,
hiking, and boating, too. His fa-
vorite subject in school is
hands-on science. If he can't
be outside, Lyden likes playing
video games or watching the
Discovery Channel on TV.
He has dark strawberry hair
and blue green eyes, with a fair
complexion
and
freckles
across his nose, dimples in his
cheeks and a stocky build. Ly-
den loves to tell stories.
A family willing to make Ly-
den the center of attention and
are nurturing and will listen to
him will be a perfect match for
him. Mainly allowing him to
vent when angry or upset and
allowing him a chance to tell his
side of the story when in trou-
ble is best. Lyden will continue
to need supervision and he
wants to help and learn new
things from caregivers.
Lyden has two older siblings
who he will need to maintain
continued
contact
with,
whether by in-person visits or
talking on the telephone. Lyden
has been making progress in a
therapeutic environment and
will need continued support,
encouragement, and perma-
nency to meet his potential.
A Family For Every Child
(AFFEC) is dedicated to finding
loving, permanent families for
every waiting Oregon foster
child.
For more information con-
tact: Christy Obie-Barrett, Ex-
ecutive Director, A Family For
Every Child / Lane County
Heart Gallery at 1-541-343-
2856 or 1-877-343-2856 or
www.afamilyforeverychild.org
Good behavior could win Blazer ticket
Last year over 15,000 stu-
dents and families participated
in the Portland Trail Blazers
student achievement programs
and over 150 schools per-
formed, played on the court or
organized a special group
event.
The Portland Trail Blazers
are pleased to again offer local
area students, staff and their
friends and families several
nights designated just for you
with incredible ticket savings!
For the Super Saver $5 nights,
tickets must be ordered two
weeks prior to each game. For
the Saver $10 nights, the order
deadline is three weeks prior to
each game. Reserved seating
for this program is limited and
is filled on a first come, first
serve basis. If you have any
questions, call Athena Demas
at the Portland Trail Blazers at
503-963-3959.
If any student, K-5, at WGS
maintains positive school be-
havior, as demonstrated by
having no disciplinary referrals
or stingers through the end of
the 1st quarter on November 4,
they will receive a free compli-
mentary Portland Trail Blazer
ticket! Parents/Guardians of
the specific student can get
their ticket at a discounted
price.
The same procedure will be
followed for the second quarter,
ending January 28, and the 3rd
quarter, ending April 9.
The opportunity for a free
Portland Trail Blazer ticket will
end at the close of the second
quarter. The NBA season ends
around the same time as the
See Blazer on page 11