Fair board dinner was huge success

WILD ONE--Last Saturday was a wild one fr awhile, as the wind came up and was just wreaking havoc in several places. Some cars in the Costco parking lot were not overly impressed with the windy weather when a culvert from a neighboring construction site took flight and landed on their vehicles. Wow, that would have ruined your day wouldn't it? Around our neck of the woods, we just had a lot of limbs scattering the roadways and some patio furniture had to be rescued by some East Valley residents, but I hadn't heard of anything real bad. On Monday we got to hear some thunder and experience a couple of pounding rain storms, but while breezy, it wasn't too bad. Just in case we get some of that snow that they say is dropping down real low this week, I hope you were prepared. Here's to not getting much of the white stuff; it can go back East where they should be quite used to it by now. Poor folks have been getting pummelled with the stuff lately.

NICE NIGHT--The wind and rain did not deter the 100 plus folks who showed up at the Valentine Diamond Dinner put on by the Wahkiakum Fair Board at the Skamokawa Grange Hall last Saturday. My steak was delicious and tender, and purchased locally I might add, and the cooks had their hands full with the massive amount of people to cook for, so they did an outstanding job I thought. This dinner is a lot of work to put on, so kudos to Becky Ledtke and the other fair board members, who worked so hard to organize this event, as well as all the other folks who volunteered to help with the cooking and the serving and the clean up. For awhile I thought we'd all be eating by candlelight but by golly, the wind died down and the weather wasn't too bad by the time we got out of there. The hum of so many people almost drowned out the music but we certainly enjoyed the piano playing and guitar performances of our local musicians. We are so fortunate to have so much talent in our area. I have to admit my night ended on a very happy note, as I wound up being the lucky winner of the diamond necklace that got raffled off!

CONGRATS--While at the dinner it was announced that Becky Ledtke will soon be our new Wahkiakum County Fair Manager, and we were very happy to send our congratulations her way. Becky has been working at the fairgrounds practically non-stop as the fair board president for free, so now she'll at least get compensated a little for all her hard work. It's so great to see a person with a passion for keeping a tradition alive and with the fair being in existence for over 100 years, it's folks like Becky who will see it continue on and keep creating great memories for our children to cherish in the future. Stepping up from VP of the fair board, to fill in Becky's vacant spot, will be Neil Beerbower. If you'd like to help out the fair by volunteering work on the grounds or buildings, call 795-3480 and leave a message.

ROAD OPEN--It is nice to have the highway open to Astoria now as several folks who live in our area work down that way and the extended trip was about a 20 mile detour for them. During the day, the road will be open for just one lane of traffic but from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., both lanes will be open.

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from February 17-23 are Vickie Reid, Christa Hoven, Chuck Parker, Verna Almer, Milli Elven, Mac Johnson, Sara Buennagel, Rebecca Castillio, Tawny Almer, Nick Tarabochia, Jade Hauff, Morgan Spieth, Wanda Evenson, Logan Blain, Justin McCarthy, Julie Gorman Chamberlain, Kris Baldwin and 67'er Shari Gorman Parker. Belated birthday wishes to Reese Gullickson, who birthday was on the 11th; sorry about that Reese, hope you had a great day! Happy Anniversary wishes go to Dale and Margaret Strueby. Hope all of your birthday and anniversary celebrations are memorable. We'll be adding a new anniversary to the list, as I just found out that a couple of WA-KI-HI graduates, Vickie Jacobsen and Mike Gregory, got married on February 11 and so we offer them our heartiest congratulations; they make an awesome looking couple!

PIONEER CHURCH--This Saturday, beginning at 7:30 p.m., Willapa Hills will perform a benefit concert for the Pioneer Church Association with limited seating. Tickets are available at the Bank of the Pacific and at the door. They will showcase their new CD so go and tap your toes and smile along to songs written and sung by locals Jennifer Hanigan, Fern Fey, Andrew Emlen, Kerrie McNally, and Sunrise and Jessica Fletcher.

CRAB FEEDS--Coming up are the crab feeds in Rosburg at the Rosburg Hall (March 5) and on Puget Island in the Norse Hall (March 12). These are always fun events, as well as being very tasty ones, so we hope you've gotten your tickets as time is ticking away.

FEEL BETTER SOON--There were so many folks sniffling and coughing, that I can't even name them all, but we want to send get well wishes to all of you. We were happy to hear that Jeanne Paulsen was feeling better now and we hope the rest of you will be able to get out soon as well.

VISTA PARK MARKET--The planning for the 30th anniversary celebration of Skamokawa Vista park is coming along nicely and we've had a few more vendors join in. So, local vendors, please contact the park right away and get on the list before March 31, and before we expand our search for other vendors out of the area. We are trying to keep it local and so far, it's looking good. It should be a fun time on July 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

NEXT MEETING--The Skamokawa Grangers canceled their last meeting as it fell on Valentine's Day. Our next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on February 28. On the discussion table that night will be the movie that we want to have for "free movie night" that we'd like to have at the end of March. We are certainly open to ideas so feel free to give me a call and I'll pass on your suggestions to the board.

One of our local gals suggested we have a "game board night" where people would come and interact with other families with their favorite board games. Is that something you would like to do with your family? Give me a call and let's see what we can work out!

FOLLIES--The three day musical revue is the next big venture for the Skamokawa Grangers and if you haven't been contacted yet and want to be in this fun, funny and entertaining fund raiser, give Sunrise Fletcher a call 795-8770. Musicians, please feel free to let Sunrise know you can be part of the band as well. It was time to showcase the logging aspect of our area, so our setting will be in an old logging camp this year. It is sure to be a skit full of "woodsy humor"!

PUGET ISLAND SALE--June 24-26, the 11th annual Puget Island Garage Sale will be held. Dean Wesner says the hours are listed as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., some stretch it a little longer. Helping Dean organize this thing is Howard Brawn. You can contact them at 849-4253 and 849-4700 respectively to get more information.

Personally, I would urge all folks who are going to be involved in this sale, to have a list of coming events at their homes, so that people can see that there are a lot of things going on around here, like The Follies going on at the Skamokawa Grange that same weekend, and that we'll be having a Bald Eagle Days event in Cathlamet in mid-July; then the Skamokawa Vista Park 30th anniversary Vista Market on July 30 and our county fair August 18-20, as this would be a perfect time to promote the goings on in our area. Let's bring the people back by spreading the word about all that our area has to offer!