Community News - November 15, 2012

Conservation District sets meeting

The Wahkiakum Conservation District will meet to adopt an election resolution on December 3 in conjunction with the joint Cowlitz Conservation District Meeting at 4 p.m. The meeting will be held at 15 Oatfield Road in Skamokawa.

Bring happiness with a star this Christmas

The annual Stars Program, which aims to help families with children under 17 who are experiencing difficulties at Christmas time will begin soon.

Anyone wishing to take part can pick up a star with the age and Christmas wishes of a local child at the Bank of the Pacific, the Bank of America, Howies Coffee Shop, the Duck Inn, the Skamokawa Resort or the Rosburg Store.

Donors can purchase one or more of the requested gifts which can be wrapped and returned to the place the star came from by December 17. Gifts will be distributed on December 19-21.

Unwrapped gifts may be donated as filler presents and money may be donated at either of the above banks or sent to Mary Watkins, 60 Douglas Street, Cathlamet, WA 98612.

For more information, contact Watkins at 795-3341, Janelle Kerstetter at the Sheriff's Office, 795-3243 or Terrie Howell at Health and Human Services, 795-8630.

Come Home for the

Holiday at Redmen Hall

The theme for this year's annual Holiday Open House at Redmen Hall is Come Home for the Holiday and will feature seasonal music by local performers, book signings and homemade gifts and refreshments.

Gifts on offer include artwork, glasswork, jams, goat milk products, hand knitted socks and wreaths.

The open house will be November 23-24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and November 25 and December 1 and 2, from noon to 4 p.m. Redmen Hall is located at 1394 SR 4 in Skamokawa. New artisans are welcome. For more information, contact Diane Stockhouse at 849-4145.

Santa set to visit

Appelo Archive Center

The third annual Santa Photo Event will be held at the Appelo Archives Center on November 24 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 1056 SR 4 in Naselle. Photos of Santa with children, or with full families, will be taken by a local photographer with prints available before Christmas to give as gifts. The photos will be taken downstairs this year.

"For many years in the past, Santa was upstairs at the old Appelo Store so this event carries on that community tradition," said archive center staff member Linda Elliott. "Many remember following the pink shoe prints up the stairs to see Santa. Those pink shoe prints are still on the stairs and give many folks a smile as they remember their own trips to see Santa when they were small."

The center's book and gift shop will be open. All proceeds will support the Archive Center.

For more information, contact the center at (360) 484-7103.

Shop local for Christmas at St. James bazaar

Paintings and hand crafted items such as books, jewelry, knitwear, birdhouses, wreaths and centerpieces will be on sale at the St. James Holiday Bazaar this Friday and Saturday.

Hours are noon to 6 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at the St. James Family Center, 1134 Columbia Street in Cathlamet.

Also on offer are baked goods such as lefse, krumkake, Berliner kransa and English fruit cake and home cooked meals including soup and a biscuit, nachos, taco salad, hot dogs and various desserts.

Gift baskets will be raffled off; tickets are $1 each.

This year, local author Irene Martin will sign copies of her newest book Flight of the Bumble Bee: the Columbia River Packers Association and a Century in the Pursuit of Fish, as well as copies of her earlier publications.

All profits from the event go to fund programs at St. James Family Center. Visitors are asked to bring a donation of food or money for the local food bank.

Timberlands board

reschedules meetings

The November Timberland Advisory and Governing Board meetings were cancelled due to the lack of agenda items. The meetings have been rescheduled for December. The advisory board will meet December 7 and the governing board will meet December 14.

Advance RSVP notification is requested to guarantee seating and meeting materials. To RSVP and for further information contact TRSN at 795-3118, 800 392-6298 or timberlandsrsn@trsn.org.

Heritage Bible Church

offers Thanksgiving dinner

The Heritage Bible Church on Puget Island will host a Thanksgiving Dinner for the community on November 22 from 2-6 p.m. Transport to the church will pick up at the Cathlamet Pharmacy at 1:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m .; the church is located at 193 North Welcome Slough Road.

"No one should be alone or be hungry," said Pastor Ryan Frank. "If you want, you can donate a can of food at the door for the food bank, otherwise there is no cost."

Those planning on attending are asked to call (360) 957-5368 for planning purposes.

Begin quitting smoking today with Smoke Out

The Great American Smoke Out sponsored every year by the American Lung Association is today (Thursday).

Individuals will be encouraged to stop smoking today in hopes that they will give up tobacco in the near future. Smokers who call 1-800-QUIT-NOW will get immediate assistance which can include:

• A support team of quit coaches who can help create a quit plan that works.

• Research-based information about a wide range of topics related to smoking and quitting.

• A step-by-step quit smoking guide.

• A supply of free nicotine gum or patches.

Call 1-800-784-8669 or http://www.quitline.com.