Students participate in program for troops

News from Naselle:

Naselle-Grays River Valley School sports calendar for the coming week includes: Thursday-middle school football with North Beach at home at 7p.m .; Saturday-high school cross country at Camp Rilea; Monday-middle school volleyball at Willapa Valley at 5:45 p.m .; Tuesday-high school volleyball with Northwest Christian in Naselle at 5:45 p.m .; Wednesday-middle school volleyball with Raymond in Naselle at 5:45 p.m. Go Comets!

Is your name listed on the Community Birthday/Anniversary Calendar annually published by the Comet Booster Club? The new 2012 edition is getting ready to go to press at the end of the month. If you have any additions, deletions or corrections please contact Crystal Lanz, Diane Mattson or Marilyn Strange, or Naselle School 484-7121 with those changes.

This is the 13th annual printing of the calendar and I for one really enjoy it. It is my main source for birthday and anniversary information. I also realize that the information can become outdated with births, deaths and divorces, so if you would let me know when I print something in my column that is wrong, I would really appreciate it and I can then update my copy of the calendar. Thanks in advance for everyone’s help.

Last week I wrote about holiday cards for the troops. The Naselle School is apparently participating in just such a program.

Soldiers’ Angels is preparing 140,000 holiday packs to send to the troops overseas. Students are invited to join them in sending holiday wishes to our troops by writing cards to our men and women in uniform. These cards will be included in their packs.

Cards may be made from ordinary paper or art supplies. Please, though, no glitter. It gets everywhere. Store bought cards can be used. Most 99¢ stores sell holiday cards. A variety of cards and coloring sheets for younger students may be downloaded from the project site at http://www.teachspace.org/soldiersangels/holidaycards.html. Do not place cards in envelopes. If you are using purchased cards, please include the envelopes separately. All cards must be reviewed.

Some soldiers may wish to contact the students who write to them. If you like, you may include the school’s address on your cards, not on the envelopes, please. Please do not include the children’s home address. Soldiers’ Angels permits children to adopt a service member only with the permission of a parent or guardian. However a teacher can adopt a soldier on behalf of his or her class. To adopt a soldier, e-mail groups@soldiersangels.org.

The deadline for cards is November 15, but they begin mailing November 1, so the sooner your cards get in the better.

Soldiers’ Angels address is: 1792 E Washington Blvd., Pasadena, CA. 91104. They are a 501-( c )-3 non profit foundation dedicated to the support of our troops and their families. For more information please contact the Naselle School District.

Other news from the Westend:

The Rosburg Community Club is made up of a few very dedicated people, and they are looking for a few more volunteers to join in and lend a hand with a worthwhile cause. The Rosburg Hall has been a huge asset here for many years and this group is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the building and grounds. If you are interested in becoming a part of this endeavor to keep this institution going please join them at their meeting tonight at the Rosburg Hall at 7 p.m.

The group also maintains the Rosburg Cemetery and gives a substantial scholarship to a local student every year. But that’s not all. We all enjoy their annual chicken dinners, salad bars, holiday bazaars and other events and fund raisers, so why don’t you give a few hours of your time and help out with some of the everyday workings of this dwindling group. They can really use your help. Regular monthly meetings occur on the fourth Thursday of each month at the hall at 7 p.m.

For those of you who enjoy using the gym at Johnson Park, please be advised that it will be closed from September 20 through October 3, in order to refinish the floor. No one will be allowed in that area for those dates.

The Grays River Valley Library will begin a weekly book reading group on September 23 at 1 p.m. For more information please call Cindy Lahti.

The septic sludge debacle is back in the news. On September 30 a hearing will take place in Kelso at the Cowlitz County Superior Court to hear arguments between the Department of Ecology and Wahkiakum County regarding the adoption of an ordinance restricting the use of septic sludge on a farm in Grays River. The time has not been announced yet.

For those of you who are interested in attending the hearing, I’m sure the county would appreciate your vote of confidence by attending. I know I will be there in support of the ordinance and the commissioners who passed it for the protection of their constituents and our way of life.

Happy Birthday to the following people this week: Mikko Ross, Marvin Paavola, Glen Smalley, Austin Kent, Johnnie Engelson, Donald Wiitala, Erin Noll, Jenelle Varila, Katie Klinger, Casper Schmand III, Crystal Salme, Greg Smith, Eli Gardner, Melissa Lewis, Phillip Zerr, Dawn Footh, Abbey Zimmerman, Brianna Olson, Scott Boyle, Courtney Keller, Richard Cary and Rosalie Eaton. I hope you each enjoyed a perfect day.

Anniversary wishes go out to these couples this week: Garth and Mindi Ullakko, Phillip and Mindy Penttila and Mark and Karen Swanson. Wishing you many more.

Son Shane Cruz is home from Iraq and is spending a few days here with us. It is so good to have him home and out of harm's way. We thank him deeply for his service to our country, as well as all the others who have done their time. Welcome home, son.