Comets advance to playoffs

Winter is definitely on the way. We had beautiful, frosty white fields a couple of days in a row, though the sun warmed things up nicely in the afternoons. Now it seems that a little rain and spots of sunshine are in the offing for a while.

News from Naselle:

The KM trophy is in the hands of our own Naselle Comets after last Friday’s win over the Wahkiakum Mules. It was a good game. Congratulations to the Comet team.

The next game will be held on Saturday for the 1st round WIAA State 2B football playoffs. The Naselle Comets will meet Adna at home in Naselle at 7 p.m. Go Comets! You can do it.

Other sports on the calendar for this week include: Monday, the 14th- middle school girl’s basketball at Valley at 5:45 p.m .; Wednesday, the 16th- middle school girl’s basketball vs. Raymond at home in Naselle at 5:45 p.m.

There will be a Veteran’s Day Assembly on Thursday (today) at 12:30 p.m. The community is invited to attend.

Students will be out of school on Friday, the 11th in honor of Veteran’s Day.

The Naselle-Grays River Valley School Board will hold their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, the 15th at 6:30 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.

This weekend is the Naselle Lutheran Church Holiday Bazaar which will be held on Saturday, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the church located at 308 Knappton Road in Naselle.

The event will be held in the social hall of the church with lots of holiday items for sale. As usual there will be lots of local baked goodies from traditional items and new gourmet items for sale. Pick up fresh baked almond croissants, jam parfaits, pies, roasted nuts, candies, cardamom breads and cookies for gifts or your own consumption.

Lots of handcrafted items will also be available for your shopping pleasure. When you are through with your shopping, you can enjoy hot soups for lunch on the premises as well as a coffee bar and treats for dessert. A great place to do your shopping locally.

For more information about the event, phone 360-484-3826.

Get your copy of When Logging Was Logging, 100 years of Big Timber in SW Washington available at the Appelo Archives Center, and have it signed by the authors, including Bryan Penttila, Donna Gatens-Klint, Jim LeMonds and Karen Bertroch, at the Center on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Books are for sale at the Archives Center for $25 through December 15th. After that date, they will sell for $30.

This book is a beautiful, well done collaboration by folks who really care about our community and its history. With photographs and historical stories by locals and their families, it gives the reader a true sense of what life and work was really like when logging was a way of life for most of the people who lived in our area.

If you can’t decide on a gift for someone this Christmas, this book would be just the ticket for anyone who lives here, works here or knows anyone in the logging industry. It is a truly wonderful literary work.

The Appelo Archives Center is located at 1056 State Route 4 in Naselle. Books can also be purchased on line at the Center's web site at: http://www.appeloarchives.org and at The Eagle office in Cathlamet. For more information, contact the Center at (360) 484-7103 or Karen Bertroch at (360) 749-4955. The Center’s regular hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Speaking of giving the book as a gift, I would like to personally thank Anita Raistakka for donating a copy of When Logging Was Logging to the Grays River Valley Library at Johnson Park. This book has special meaning for our community as many of the local residents have been associated with the logging industry. Our library is truly grateful to everyone who has donated books and made this library what it is today, a comfortable and homey place to read, use computers and check out materials.

I received a call from Royce Larson whose mother, Nancy Larson of Naselle will be celebrating a milestone birthday this week. She will be 90 years old and her family, friends and neighbors are invited to help her celebrate on Sunday, November 13th at the Congregational United Church of Christ from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The church is located at 14 Parpala Road in Naselle.

Other news from the Westend:

Don’t forget to bring your appetite to the annual American Legion breakfast on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. All you can eat pancakes, with ham or sausage and eggs any way you like them, coffee, milk and juice. All this for only $5, cooked and served by the Legion members and students doing community service.

The breakfast will be held at Post #111 American Legion Hall in Deep River. Follow the signs to a wonderful meal with some wonderful people. Proceeds from these events benefit our local vets and community youth.

If you are wondering what goes on at Johnson Park, you can go on line and get the latest information on activities. We are also on FaceBook. Check us out and click the like button.

On Monday, I pulled into the parking lot on the north side of the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park and noticed a person parked in a van parked in the lot. She had the back of her vehicle open and as I approached she asked if I knew who was in charge. Since I was the only person around, I told her I guessed that would be me at the moment. This wonderful lady, whose name is Jackie Busse, lives in Arizona and is currently visiting in Naselle. She had noticed that the rhododendron bushes next to the parking lot were somewhat unkempt and took it upon herself to trim them up, dispose of the debris and even bring a shovel to get rid of the moss growing in the parking area.

How do you thank someone for doing such a nice thing? She did say that she would be returning to Arizona at the end of the month and was considering a move back to this area. Jackie, we can’t thank you enough for your generous actions and we hope to have you here again permanently.

Have you met the newest member of the staff at the Rosburg Store? His name is Savage, a beautiful St. Bernard and he weighs about 150 pounds. I would hope that the burglars that broke in to the store recently would think twice before doing it again. He is very protective of his new owner, Leslie Bolton.

There will be a special Thanksgiving worship service at Grays River United Methodist Church on November 20, at 10 a.m. followed by a potluck provided by the congregation, in the church social hall immediately after the service. Everyone is welcome to join in this special service.

This year's theme is “Come Home For The Holiday” featuring seasonal music by local artists, book signings and lots of homemade goodies and handmade gifts from artwork to glasswork, and jams to goat milk lotions. Or how about some hand knitted socks or a beautiful wreath to hang for the season?

Redmen Hall will be open for your shopping pleasure on November 25 and 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and November 27, December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18 from noon to 4 p.m. The hall is located at 1394 SR 4, Skamokawa. For information, contact Diane Stockhouse at 849-4145.

The Wednesday Senior Lunch Bunch meets at the Rosburg Hall each week for a filling meal cooked and served by Pat Potter and her volunteers. Lunch is served at noon and if you would like your blood pressure checked, there is usually someone in attendance to take it for you.

CAP also sponsors senior lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the same location. A great venue to enjoy nutritious meals and good company.

Happy birthday to the following celebrants this coming week: Aaron Larson, Philip Nelson, Adrianne Howard, Judsen Alves, Carolyn Simukka, Bill Pratt, Abigayle Eaton, Logan Albright, Otis Huntzinger, Jacob Scrabeck, Alfred Simukka, Rick Rose, Kori Johnson, Darryl Sotka, Jake Clark, Nancy Larson, Mary Rose Wirkkala, Danny Parker, Carl Adair, Judy Kent, Robert Trimble, Savannah Bryant, Cody Strange, Jacob Shelter and Kylie Legler.

Happy anniversary to Mr. and Mrs. John Berquist and to our good friends Merlin and Judy Durrah. Wishing you many more.

Also a special happy anniversary to Penny and Alan Gregory. They will have to celebrate together when Penny gets home from Hawaii and Alan comes in from the woods after hunting season. Maybe she will present him with a fresh pineapple and he will present her with a nice six-point elk. Congratulations to a wonderful couple.

Tomorrow is Veterans' Day. This is a time to honor those in the military who serve us and make sure that we can continue to live in the “land of the free.” Without men and women of our armed forces, who give up much to do their jobs, I’m afraid we might not be able to say we live in freedom. So if you see a man or woman in uniform, let them know we appreciate them, tell them thank you for their service to our country.

We must also remember those who gave their lives for their country. Keep them in your hearts and let their families know we appreciate what they have done. Happy Veteran’s Day. God Bless America!