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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (June 16, 2011)
Page 10 The INDEPENDENT, June 16, 2011 OCF announces education grants Between the Bookends by Nancy Burch, Librarian Vernonia Public Library The “good ol’ sum- m e r - time” has fi- nally ar- rived, bringing with it memories of delightful experiences of past summers — running through sprinklers, roasting marshmallows over a campfire, playing flashlight tag, jumping into a chilly river or lake, listening for the bell of the ice cream man, or watching “shooting stars” on a cloudless night. Depending on our age, the locale in which we grew up, or in which we vacationed, the images conjured in our minds will vary but, as the days grow warm, the cloudless skies be- come filled with stars, and the smell of newly mown hay wafts through the air we seem to be rejuvenated as we think on past summers and look forward to making the most of the one that is now at hand. Your local library offers many activities and materials to help you enjoy the summer to the utmost. Programs for youngsters and adults, includ- ing movies, a juggler, a presen- tation of live reptiles, crafts and stories, visits to local places of interest, and a scavenger hunt are just some of the activities that will be offered free to the public this summer. (A full schedule of activities is avail- able in the library and on the city website.) The library has a total of 214 items pertaining to summer for your reading, listening or view- ing pleasure. Current maga- zines including Reminisce, Family Fun, simple & delicious, Northwest Travel, and Country offer ideas to add to your enjoy- ment of summer. If you are gardening, you might wish to check out two new arrivals — Fresh Food from Small Spaces and Small- Plot, High-Yield Gardening, or if you are in the mood to create while relaxing, we have a new knitting book containing pat- terns for 20 hats, 20 scarves, and 20 mittens. Other new ac- quisitions include Trader of Se- crets by Steve Martini, Miles to Go by Richard Paul Evans, Children and Fire by Ursula Hegi, The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry, Hell is Empty by Craig Johnson, and Misery Bay sby Steve Hamilton. Now is the perfect time to look through the books you own but no longer read, and donate them to the Friends of the Library for their upcoming book sale. Donations will be ac- cepted any time the library is open. Please do not leave them outside, and please do NOT donate encyclopedias, Read- er’s Digest Condensed Books, textbooks, or books in poor condition. Book discussion will take place Monday, June 27 at 5:30 p.m., with satirist George Or- well’s novel of an imaginary fu- ture totalitarian world—1984, being the topic. Be sure to look at the sched- ule of summer events offered through the library, and take advantage of those that are of interest and will allow you to take full advantage of this up- coming summer. As James Dent said, “A per- fect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing and the lawn mower is broken.” Enjoy! Summer is truly a special time. Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Avenue Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tues., Thu. 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 Vernonia Veterinary Clinic Formerly Midway Veterinary Clinic Monday, Wednesday & Saturday Action Ads INEXPENSIVE – EFFECTIVE 503-429-9410 $4.50 for the first 10 words, then just 700 Weed Avenue Vernonia 10¢ for each additional word The Oregon Community Foundation (OCF), on June 1, announced $1.4 million in grants through the Oregon Par- enting Education Collaborative, a multi-year initiative to en- hance parenting education pro- grams across Oregon. The Parenting Education Collabora- tive helps communities build stronger, more coordinated parenting education services. Community Action Team, Inc. is leading development of a Northwest Oregon Regional Parenting Education and Sup- port Hub, along with a diverse group of collaborators including school districts in both Clatsop and Columbia counties, family courts, state and county social service agencies, Head Start, child care centers, libraries, the Columbia County Women’s Resource Center, and United Way. Grant funds will support a parenting education coordina- tor, training for facilitators, home visits, and delivery of classes and workshops in a va- riety of settings and locations. “Research continues to show that support for parenting education is one of the most important investments we can make in our children’s futures as well as our society’s longer- term economic health,” said Mary Louise McClintock, OCF’s Early Childhood Pro- gram Director. A recent report by Oregon State University found that un- stable funding undermines the availability and consistency of Oregon’s parenting programs and that rural areas are fre- quently underserved. The Par- enting Education Collaborative takes aim at these issues, pro- viding grants of $80,000 to $90,000 per year to support re- gional parenting education “hubs.” In addition to the Colum- bia/Clatsop hub, four other hubs will be launched in July with the help of initiative grant support. They will serve Lane, Lincoln, Polk, and Umatilla/ Morrow counties. Hubs serving Coos/Curry, Deschutes/Crook/ Jefferson, Douglas, Hood Riv- er/Wasco, Linn/Benton and Wallowa/Baker counties re- ceived second-year renewal grants. The hubs will be funded for at least three years. This initiative is a partner- ship of several of the state’s largest foundations, including OCF, the Meyer Memorial Trust, The Ford Family Foun- dation and the Collins Founda- tion. The Whipple Fund and Crane Creek Fund of The Ore- gon Community Foundation are contributing to the initiative, and Oregon State University is also a partner. For a full listing of grants, please visit www.oregoncf.org. Host a foreign exchange student Be part of the solution! World Heritage International is now looking for American fami- lies to host high school stu- dents from Eurasia. All these students have received schol- arships through the U.S. State Department sponsored Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) Program and will spend an academic year in the U.S. This historic program seeks to foster democracy and values inherent in a free market econ- omy. Your support of these stu- dents and this program rein- forces the United States’ com- mitment to education and op- portunity. World Heritage International is currently seeking host fami- lies for well-qualified, bright, motivated and well-screened students coming from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kaza- khstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turk- menistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. By living with local host families and attending lo- cal high schools, FLEX schol- arship students acquire an un- derstanding of American val- ues and build on leadership skills. From the beginning of this program, FLEX scholar- ship students work together af- ter returning home to share what they have learned while in America and are making a sig- nificant difference in their home countries! If you, or someone you know, are interested in learn- ing more about our programs and how to become involved, please call 1(800) 888-9040 or go online at www.world-her itage.org.
