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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 2011)
The INDEPENDENT, January 6, 2011 Page 15 Power of the People By W. Marc Farmer, General Manager, West Oregon Electric Cooperative Kiwanis Past Lt. Governor Jewell Bailey and Division 62 Lt. Governor Oscar Domingo came to Vernonia on December 21 to Vernonia Cares Food Bank. Vernonia Kiwanis president Marilyn Nicks helped Vernonia Cares Director Sandy Welch as they received ham, cheese, sausage and other items total- ing almost 200 lbs. of food for needy families in Vernonia. Ki- wanis has been donating to Vernonia Cares Food Bank every year since the 2007 flood. Our own West Oregon Electric Cooperative Board President, Robert VanNat- ta, was honored as the 2010 recipient of the Ore- gon Rural Electric Cooper- ative Association (ORECA) Pioneer Award. ORECA represents the legislative and regulatory interests of Oregon’s 18 not-for- profit, consumer-owned electric cooperative util- ities, and the Pioneer Award recognizes out- standing political advocacy for electric coopera- tives. Robert did not know he would be receiving the award, even though he was also serving as President of the ORECA board of directors. Ted Case, Executive Director of ORECA, kept it a se- cret so that Robert would be surprised at the ORECA annual meeting that was held in Port- land the first two days of December. As he pre- sented Robert with an engraved ax, Ted ex- pressed the gratitude from the co-ops around the state for work and time that Robert has con- tributed to political advocacy for electric cooper- atives not only within Oregon, but also at a na- tional level. Robert has served on the West Oregon Elec- tric Board of Directors since 1986, and has been Board President for many of those years. He is chairman of the board of Lightspeed Networks (LSN), of which West Oregon Electric’s sub- sidiary Columbia Broadband is a part owner. LSN is committed to providing high speed telecommunications service throughout the State of Oregon and Robert is helping to make that happen. Robert attends both the ORECA and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) legislative conferences in Salem and Washing- ton, D.C., to meet with our Legislators and advo- cate for electric co-ops and our members. He was also instrumental in encouraging participa- tion in the Action Committee for Rural Electrifica- tion (ACRE) program among other board mem- bers and co-op managers around the state. ORECA received a special “Bigfoot” award at the NRECA Region 9 meeting this October for hav- ing the top ACRE program. Ted summed it up best during the Pioneer Award presentation to Robert when he said, “No person better exempli- fies electric co-op political activism than Robert VanNatta”. Vernonia 2010 Year in Review SSCP to hold auditions January 11 and 12 From page 2 No. 10-07 on Rebuilding Vernonia. Aug. 6-8 – 54th Friendship Jamboree. Aug. 15 – Vernonia’s Biggest Class Reunion. Sept. 7 – Sergeant Mike Conner named Interim Chief of Police. Sept. 9 – School board names P & C Construction to build new school. Sept. 16-19 – St. Mary’s Quilt Fair. Sept. 18 – Community Garage Sale. Sept. 21 – City Council approves UGB expansion for new schools site. Sept. 30 – City attorney resigns. Oct. 1 – WOEC raises rates by 4%. Oct. 2 – Salmon Festival. Oct. 4 – Mayor Harrison announces her withdrawal from the mayoral race. Oct. 5 – Mayor Harrison withdraws her withdrawal. Oct. 8 – WOEC new building groundbreaking. Oct. 29 – Last section of Banks-Vernonia State Trail opened. Nov. 2 – Josette Mitchell elected Mayor, Willow Burch and Marilyn Nicks elected as councilors. Nov. 15 – City hires Alexandra E. Sosnkowski PC as city attorney. Nov. 16 – Ford Family Foundation announces $1 mil- lion challenge grant for new school project. Dec. 2 – Groundbreaking for new school. Dec. 4-5 – Christmas in the Country Bazaar and Spirit of Christmas in Vernonia Celebration. The fascinating tales of an- cient Greek and Roman mythologies are brought alive with the crisp, modern dialogue of two narrators and a very flex- ible cast. Phaethon asks the Sun God if he can “borrow the car” for a day. Dad fears disas- ter but relents with the admoni- tion to “Fasten your seat belt!” In another tale, Arachne is turned into a spider for beating Athena in a weaving contest. Even the story of Pygmalion is included. The tales are expertly woven together by the narra- tors, who alternate in describ- ing the stories as they unfold. Actors alternate between speaking parts, mime and be- ing props such as trees or rocks. We will be casting for roles for men and women 14 and older. “Mankind and Co.” was adapted by Thomas His- chak and will be performed by special arrangement with Pio- neer Drama Service. Auditions will take place at Bertucci’s, 2017 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, on Tuesday, January 11 and Wednesday, January 12. Auditions will start promptly at 6:30 p.m. For plan- ning purposes, performances are planned for late March. For more information email bvae rewyck@comcast.net. ShoeString Community Players (SSCP) was very busy in 2010 with the spring radio play “Sam Spade and the Per- sian”, the traditional summer musical “The Sound of Music”, fall radio play “GunSmoke”, and an additional fall play “Hat Tricks”. The director and play have been chosen for the sum- mer musical; audition dates and times will be announced shortly. Formed from a dedicated group of “Reader’s Theater” performers, SSCP was official- ly founded in 1982. Meyers ‘ Auto Body,Inc 503-429-0248 493 Bridge St, Vernonia, OR
