PCA, WCN--a mutually beneficial relationship

Dating back to early 2001 The Pioneer Community Association (PCA) and the Wahkiakum Community Network (WCN) have had a special relationship. When, in that year, the leadership and PCA indicated they not only wanted to see the significantly historic Cathlamet Community Pioneer Church saved and used as a center for the arts, they also determined that efforts were to be directed to ensuring the arts were available to the youth of this community.

Starting as early as 2001 and continuing through 2004 the WCN joined with the PCA by providing funding in support of Missoula Children’s Theater (MCT) in the Wahkiakum School System. Prior to 2001 MCT had been absent from our schools for several years.PCA took a leadership role for four years that ensured that the young people in the elementary school had the opportunity to take advantage of that fine program.

Additionally, in 2003 WCN provided funding for a youth art project, with pictures created by elementary school students that celebrated the history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The resulting art projects were displayed at the Cathlamet Pioneer Church during Bald Eagle weekend. Those very charming pictures served as the basis for a special Lewis & Clark calendar for the following year.

In 2004, PCA and the WCN combined with the school district to enable several middle school youth to participate with adult mentors in a special program with KLTV, public access television, in Longview.This program enabled 12 youth from our school; along with six senior citizens to learn about the technical and artistic aspects of film making using video technology provided them by KLTV. During this nearly six week class the children learned about the use of video recorders and created their own films.

PCA’s most recent project with the WCN is taking place in March and April. When PCA received a substantial grant from the Washington State Arts Commission, to bring top quality performers to the community they turned to the WCN to ensure those performers would be able to share their extraordinary musical skill with the youth of the community. As a result, Kim Angelis and Josef, on violin and guitar, performed for the Naselle-Grays River students on March 21, and The Northstar Saxophone Quartet will be performing for the Wahkiakum students on April 25. It would not have been accomplished without the cooperative effort of the WCN.

It is with pride, that PCA contributed a gift basket, including a set of tickets for the 2008 Monthly Medley of Music Series and a gift certificate for dinner at The Riverview, to WCN for their town hall meeting on underage drinking March 25.