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The INDEPENDENT, December 17, 2009
Flu shot clinic, St. Helens, Dec. 29
Between the Bookends
By Nancy Burch, Librarian
Vernonia Public Library
This time of year finds
many of us reminiscing
about holidays and family
traditions. Current issues
of most of the periodicals
include many inspira-
tional, humorous, and
sometimes
downright
heartbreaking
experi-
ences contributed by readers of these maga-
zines. As you think about holidays in your past, I
would like to share some events that our family
will never forget. Gravy will forever be called “oil”
after one grandson wanted more for his potatoes
and asked for more of that “oil”; each family gets
a roll of toilet tissue in memory of my mom who,
in her later years, always gave each of us a gi-
ant pack of toilet paper; while Mary, Joseph,
baby Jesus, the wise men, shepherds, and an-
gel, etc. of my nativity scene are called “grand-
ma’s guys” after they were dubbed that by a
grandson years ago.
Probably my most touching holiday occurred
in 1971, following the death of our special needs
daughter, Janelle. Living in Lincoln County, we
parents of handicapped youngsters had few re-
sources to aid in helping these children develop
to their potential. Not only that, but one seldom
saw these children out in the community.
Fairview was still in operation and many parents
chose this for their youngsters. With help from
students from the University of Oregon and the
local support group (It was still called LARC—
Lincoln County Association for Retarded Chil-
dren), our daughter and five more youngsters at-
tended “school” at a local church. We were
grateful to recruit a fantastic group of local high
school students as volunteers. Most of these
young adults had never encountered any child
who was “not normal”, but quickly came to see
them as regular children who just needed extra
help in learning to function to the best of their ca-
pabilities. The most special and touching
evening of my life occurred as these beautiful
young adults sang the Christmas songs as our
special needs (also beautiful) youngsters were
cast in the nativity scene. Everyone shed a tear
that night.
Who of us living in Vernonia will forget the
Christmas of 2007—as we celebrated following
the flood? What a bittersweet holiday that was
as we rejoiced in the unimaginable donations of
strangers and friends, but had no place to put
them as many homes were still unlivable. Living
in their travel trailer parked in our driveway, Jeff
and Heidi used a motorcycle boot for their tree
stand. Then there was last year—snowed in with
no electricity! That probably created memories of
one kind or another for each of you.
Reading familiar books such as The Night Be-
fore Christmas, The Polar Express, and The Cin-
namon Bear might be a tradition in your family.
Maybe watching The Christmas Story, It’s a
Wonderful Life, or Miracle on 34th Street is
something to which your family looks forward to
each year. The library has all of these as well as
numerous other holiday books and movies.
Maybe this is the year you would like to start a
family tradition of watching one of the movies
that will be offered here during the holidays.
Matinees will be shown at 2:00 p.m. on the fol-
lowing days: Saturday Dec. 21—The Best
Christmas Pageant Ever, Monday Dec. 21—
Annabelle’s Wish, Tuesday Dec. 22—How the
Grinch Stole Christmas, Monday Dec. 28—Den-
nis the Menace’s Christmas, Tuesday Dec. 29—
The Polar Express.
The library staff wishes that each of you will
take time to reminisce about your past holidays
as you celebrate with family and friends and con-
tinue to make new memories and traditions.
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, 10:30 a.m.
when school is in session.
Phone: 503-429-1818
Oregon Public Health offi-
cials started making the H1N1
vaccine available to everyone
beginning December 14. Previ-
ously the vaccine had been pri-
oritized to groups most at risk
from H1N1 influenza.
Columbia Health District
Public Health Authority has
scheduled an H1N1 Vaccina-
tion Clinic for Tuesday, Decem-
ber 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00
p.m. at the St. Helens High
School cafeteria, 2375 Gable
Road. There will be no cost for
the vaccination. There are a
limited number of vouchers for
CCRider transportation. Call
503-397-4651 to request a
voucher.
“We have been hearing for
some time that people outside
the target group are interested
in getting vaccinated,” said Mel
Kohn, M.D., M.P.H., director of
Oregon Public Health Division.
“We’ve received a substantial
amount of vaccine, and more is
flowing into Oregon at a brisk
pace, so it makes sense to
open up it up to all.”
While cases of H1N1 flu
have dropped off over the past
few weeks, there is a good pos-
sibility that additional waves of
illness may occur over the next
few months. Health officials
continue to urge people to get
vaccinated to prevent problems
later this winter.
“County health departments
will continue working to get
vaccine directed to a variety of
providers so that, as vaccine
continues to be shipped, the
public will be able to get immu-
nized,” said Kathleen O’Leary,
administrator of Washington
County Public Health Division
and chair of the Conference of
Local Health Officials. “Private
healthcare providers, retail
pharmacies and public health
clinics will be receiving vac-
cine.”
To find out where vaccine
will be available in the coming
weeks, go to the flu vaccine lo-
cator on the Oregon Public
Health’s flu web site (www.flu.
oregon.gov).
“During the busy holiday
season, finding time to get vac-
cinated can be challenging,”
Kohn said. “Now that everyone
will be eligible, it will be more
convenient for multiple family
members to get vaccinated at
once, and that can save time.”
Kohn recommends that
everyone get vaccinated, but
that it’s especially important
that those at high risk do so.
“H1N1 flu is not a gift any of us
want to get or give this holiday
season.”
Columbia
County
Mental Health
800-294-5211
-----------------
Suicide Hotline
1-800-784-2433
or
1-800-273-
TALK(8255)
-----------------
Domestic Abuse
Hotline
503-397-6161
or
866-397-6161
GIVE THE GIFT OF HEALTH
Gift certificates in any amount
Your local Shaklee distributor
503-901-1705
503-704-2973