The INDEPENDENT, October 1, 2009
CCWRC looking for volunteers
Columbia County Women’s
Resource Center (CCWRC) is
looking for volunteers. There
are many needs in a variety of
areas of the work CCWRC
does with domestic violence
and/or sexual assault victims
and survivors. Volunteers can
help in the office, in our 26-bed
shelter, working with clients
one-on-one, answering the 24-
hour crisis line, gardening or
day-to-day maintenance, etc.
In some cases, special talents
and interests can be put to use.
For example, for those who like
children and books, conducting
a weekly or even monthly read-
ing hour for the kids in shelter
would be a wonderful activity.
CCWRC will provide approx-
imately 40 hours of training and
staff will be available with infor-
mation and help.
If you can spare a few hours
a week or a month and would
like to do something meaning-
ful and rewarding, contact
Karin at 503-397-7110 or e-
mail karink @ccwrc.com.
Wouldn’t it be great to get
started volunteering during Oc-
tober, which is Domestic Vio-
lence Awareness Month!?
20 Years Ago This Month
The October 26,1989, issue
of The Independent included
the following news story on the
front page, under the heading,
“Tradition disappears as Sam’s
Food Store plans final closing”:
Around the first of the year,
there will be a large hole in the
fabric of Vernonia when, for the
first time in more than 50 years,
there won’t be a Sam’s Food
Store here.
Sam “Buck” Hearing, who
will be 70 in December, has de-
cided to hand up the grocery’s
apron he’s worn since going to
work in the store owned and
named by his father in 1938.
Hearing bought the store in
1947, and except for vacations,
he has opened Sam’s at 7:30
a.m. seven days a week for 52
years. What is he going to do
now?
“Well, I might sleep in,” he
mused, “or go fishing, or I might
play golf.”
Hearing and his wife Alvilda,
a retired teacher, actually plan
on doing a lot of traveling, a
pastime they have already sa-
vored with trips to Europe,
Alaska, Hawaii and most of the
United States.
“Alvilda really likes camping,
too,…as long as we sleep in
motels and eat in restaurants,”
he deadpanned.
Looking back on his life in
the small town grocery busi-
ness, Hearing said the most
satisfying part of it was getting
acquainted with so many peo-
ple, and having the opportunity
to help some of them along the
way. Part of that helping was
done during 20 years as a vol-
unteer ambulance driver, too.
Many, many people were
helped by Sam’s old-fashioned
policy of letting them charge
their groceries until the money
came in. It wasn’t a good fiscal
policy, he acknowledged, but it
was a good people policy.
Hearing’s “right hand,”
Emma Etheridge, was sup-
posed to fill in for only six
weeks when she started at
Sam’s – 19 years ago. Prior to
that, she owned the Birkenfeld
Store for six years, and says
she’s ready to retire, too.
“Twenty-five years of this is
enough,” she
emphasized,
though she’s been asked to go
to work for others after Hear-
ing’s retirement.
Another tradition that will
disappear when Hearing re-
tires, is home delivery of gro-
cery orders but, he allowed, he
probably will still help “a few” of
his long-time customers.
Hearing doesn’t plan to re-
tire from his elected position as
Please see page 21
Page 9
Bits & Bites
By Jacqueline Ramsay
Ah, I think Fall is call-
ing, for sure. The trees are
shedding all over town,
even the old pine and fir
and whatever else has
stuff in them are shedding
all over town and when
the wind blows from the
east it is quite a sight to
behold, especially if you
are out walking in it. Jim’s tomato basket is think-
ing of producing more flowers but if it turns cold,
he will have a crop of green tomatoes to fry.
I must be getting healthier, Shadow and I
walked 22 blocks the other day. I didn’t know
when I left home there was one dead end street
and one cul-de-sac in the path I took. We were
pooped and in need of water and a chair. After a
rest, I baked (from scratch) a Lemon Meringue
Pie. (It could hold up to Tessie any time.) It was
mmmm delicious.
Not much going on with me, but Shadow is
going through a very dramatic experience. “Mox-
ie” has come into her domain, a brown and or-
ange tortoise shell cat (2 mo. old kitten). It is now
exploring every room but mine. Door closed
when it’s about. They are like a couple of two
year-olds vying for Top Pet status. At present
they are laying, facing each other with the “I
Dare You Stare.”
It is so strange while walking to see on the
same lot a bush of Snow Berries (fully ripe) and
a rose bush loaded with flowers from bud to
those fading and falling.
Last night the breeze told me – dig out your
fall jammies girl. it’s going to be cool nights from
now on, unless I have a streak of hot weather left
that I don’t know about. So, I dug out my blue
loungers and I slept great – a warning from the
Concrete Jungle winter is on its way someplace.
Comment on your local news. Some of it dis-
turbs me greatly. I was in hopes “things” would
find someone to help the inner workings of the
city. And the hitch in the grounds for the school.
Complex – Gee Whiz to put it nicely.
You’re all in my prayers.
Halloween in St. Catholic women’s retreat, Oct.
Helens now
The Archdiocesan Council of retreat, following the theme,
Olde Towne Saint Helens
becomes
Halloweentown
every weekend in October.
Shopkeepers and servers will
be turned into ghosts, goblins
and ghouls every Friday at
3:00 p.m. and won’t be re-
stored to their mortal forms un-
til 3:00 on Sunday. Wear your
costume and take advantage
of special offers at local busi-
nesses. Vote for your favorite
scarecrow with a canned food
donation to the Columbia
County Food Bank. See full
event listings at www. travel-
columbiacounty.com.
Catholic Women invites women
from throughout the Archdio-
cese of Portland to attend their
annual retreat on Wednesday,
October 14, at Our Lady of
Peace Retreat House, in Bea-
verton. Sessions will begin at
9:00 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m.
Father
Charles
Wood,
Parochial Vicar at St. Henry’s
Parish, Gresham, will direct the
“As We Wait in Joyful Hope.”
Father Wood will also celebrate
the 11:30 a.m. Mass.
Please make reservations
by October 5, with Joan Galles,
109 NE 140th, Portland OR
97230; or call her at 503-252-
2807, or email at accwtreasur-
er@aol.com. A $25 fee covers
the retreat and lunch.
Meyers
‘ Auto Body,Inc
503-429-0248
493 Bridge St, Vernonia, OR