Community News - April 12, 2012

Gallery to feature work of artist Pearle Burns

The Tsuga Gallery will hold a special exhibition of Pearle Burns' paintings from April 15-30.

The exhibition will open with an artist's reception with Burns on April 15 from 2-5 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Burns was a 50 year resident of Cathlamet before moving to Arizona on retirement. She currently resides in Longview. Her son and daughter-in-law LeRoy and Donna, grandson Les and two great-grandchildren still live in Cathlamet.

Burns, who will celebrate her 96th birthday on April 27, remembers the gallery's benefactor Janet Cimino as a child, when her nickname was "Tuffy."

She took her first painting class in the 1940s and went on to join art associations and take part in exhibits and sales, working in a variety of other mediums and crafts. A variety of her work will be on display.

The gallery is expanding its opening hours starting April 15 and will open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lure coursing season begins with fun run

Misty Rivers Irish Wolfhounds will kick off the lure coursing season with a "fun run" event commencing at 1 p.m. on April 14, at Misty Rivers Plantation, 117 Cross Dike Road on Puget Island.

Dogs of all breeds and ages are welcome. Puppies must be 12 weeks or older, and will be offered a short straight course. Courses for mature dogs will be adjusted to match their skill. A $5 entry fee covers multiple runs, and the event will go on until all dogs are tired and happy, or dark, whichever comes first.

Many sighthounds are expected, warming up for an AKC sanctioned lure coursing event sponsored by the Willamette Valley Basenji Club at the same location the following weekend, but for this event, local dogs will be given priority. All dogs must be leashed or penned when not running. Parking is along the driveway. For further information contact Judy Brawn at 562-1925.

Time for English tea at

St. James Family Center

An exhibition of heirloom items entitled 200 Years of Tea Accessories will be a special feature of the Annual English Tea and Plant Sale to be held at St. James Family Center on April 28.

Traditional English food will be served on fine china in a specially constructed Tea Room, decorated with fresh flowers, white linens and silver. Tea service begins at noon and ends at 3:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased by calling 795-8612.

There will be a basket raffle featuring five specially created gift baskets with themes including Kitchen Kaboodle, Tea for Company, Serenity Spa, Butterflies, Birds and Blooms, and Summer Afternoon. Tickets are $1 and may be purchased ahead of time by calling 795-8612 or visiting the Family Center.

The plant sale will offer a variety of indoor and outdoor plants specially grown for the local climate, organic fertilizer, and gently used gardening books. A Master Gardener will be on hand to answer questions.

All proceeds from this event will help support St. James Family Center programs.

Naselle drama club brings Alice in Wonderland to life

The Naselle H.S. drama club's musical production this year is Disney's "Alice in Wonderland" Jr., based on the 1951 Disney version of "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll.

Forty cast members from grades 6-12 will play Alice, The Cheshire Cat, The White Rabbit, The Mad Hatter, The March Hare, The Queen of Hearts, The King of Hearts, The Caterpillar, Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum.

Performance dates are April 27, 28 and 29, and May 5 and 6, Friday and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students. For more information, call Barb Swanson at 360-484-3602.

LCC sets summer musical auditions

Auditions for Lower Columbia College’s summer musical, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” will be held April 18 and 19, 6–9 p.m. at the Center Stage Theatre in LCC’s Rose Center for the Arts, 15th Avenue at Washington Way in Longview.

Many roles are available for men and women, including dancers and physical action. Actors should be prepared to present a 90-second comedy monologue not from the show. Singers should be prepared to present 32 bars of music.

Performances are scheduled for August 22–26. Rehearsals begin July 9, although musicians will begin learning their parts earlier. For the latest information, go to lowercolumbia.edu/theatre.

CPR class April 26

Elder Options is offering a CPR class on April 26, noon to 4 p.m. covering the new American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) for healthcare providers. The class also covers adult, child/infant CPR with automatic external defibrillation (AED), one and two person rescue, and adult, child/infant choking. Upon completing the class, students will receive a two-year certification ID card. Class size is limited so call 360) 636-1000 or (800) 608-2388 to reserve a place.

Film explores environmental impact of plastic bags

The Willapa Hills Audubon Society and the Lower Columbia College Biological Society will present a free screening of the documentary movie "Bag It" on May 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Wollenberg Auditorium at LCC.

The film explores the environmental implications of the 12,000 plastic bags Americans throw away every minute. Anyone interested in this issue is welcome to attend.