Alan Erickson earns Air Force commission

As I finish up this column, the temperature is climbing and it looks like a really warm day for this Tuesday. Personally, I prefer the cooler days, but as long as it doesn’t last too long, I guess I can tolerate it. I love the sudden warm showers, then sunshine and even some rainbows on occasion. It’s time to make hay though, guess I shouldn’t jinx the haymakers.

Fourth of July is tomorrow (Friday), and hopefully many will be celebrating with family and friends. Please remember to take special pains with your pets and keep them safe. So many animals are lost on this holiday, in particular, so please take special care.

News from Naselle:

Great news for the local folks who don’t want to drive to Oregon for their wine, beer and spirits, or will be looking for a place to hang their kill when they are successful during hunting season. Yes, the old liquor store behind Okie’s is open for business under new ownership, and the locker will be up and running later this month. I spoke with Nicole Hoff, and she tells me that the new business will be called Hoff Brothers Enterprises. Watch for the new sign going up this week.

Hours for the business are, Wednesday and Thursday10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The hours may vary slightly until they get everything sorted out. For more info or questions call 360-484-7800.

Nicole says that they are looking forward to bringing in a few new things to make this a community friendly business, and a “go to” place for everyone. As of now, they have wine, beer and spirits and a few local beers on tap where you can bring in your growlers and have them filled. Welcome to the community, and best of luck.

Westend news

The Play and Learn Group which is sponsored by St. James Family Center in Cathlamet will be meeting each Thursday throughout the summer months from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Valley Bible Church on SR 4 in Rosburg. This free group welcomes moms, dads, or caregivers of children 0-5 and encourages the children to come and play and learn together. The parents and children enjoy visiting, making friends, covering a topic, sometimes doing a craft, and a delicious, healthy snack. If you are interested in coming, please call Becky Erickson at 465-2555 for more information. NOTE: Today, July 3rd, and Thursday, July 10th the group will not be at Valley Bible Church but will be on a field trip and meeting elsewhere. Please call for information if you are interested in attending either of those days. The group will resume their regular time and place on July 17.

Earlier in June, Alan M. Erickson, son of Wayne and Becky Erickson of Rosburg, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Alan has been in the Air Force ROTC (Reserved Officer Training Corp) since he began attending college at Seattle Pacific University in the fall of 2010. While in the program he was a part of the color honor guard. The commissioning ceremony was held at the University of Washington campus where his parents Wayne and Becky, brother Ryan Erickson of Tacoma, and friend Sarah Conley of Seattle did the traditional pinning on Alan’s Air Force uniform. The ceremony was well attended by family and friends of 28 Air Force airmen, who took their oath, were pinned and topped off the ceremony by singing the Air Force anthem. Also attending the service were Mr. and Mrs. Myron (retired Army) and Yvonne (Kapron) Metcalf, Mr. and Mrs. Walter and Pam (Erickson) Hopp, and Joey Lyon. Lt. Erickson will be stationed at Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming and will begin his service there in October.

On the following day Alan graduated summa cum laude from Seattle Pacific University where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian, and also a minor in Theological Studies with an emphasis on Christian scriptures. Alan is a 2010 Naselle High School graduate. If you wish to contact him, please call his parents and they can get you the information.

I remember this nice young man when he was in third grade and I was volunteering in his class, just after we moved to the area. His first question for me was “Do you have little kids because my Mom has the best day care around.” He was a delight then and has grown into a very responsible young man, definitely making his family, friends and community very proud.

The Grays River Valley Center is planning their next big community event, their annual Community Potluck/Picnic. It will take place on July 20, on the Johnson Park grounds, after church.

The building will be open, games will be available (horse shoes, badminton, baseball, etc.), and hot dogs and hamburgers will be provided. Bring a salad or dessert to share, your friendliest face and your friends and family for a fun afternoon. This is an annual free event, and we look forward to seeing you there.

Our first Saturday morning breakfast in the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park last weekend went very well, and we have decided to hold another one on July 12 with the hope that it will become a regular event in the community. Let us know what you think. Breakfast will include pancakes, sausage, cheesy eggs, milk, coffee and tea, all for a $5 donation, discounts for children. We would like to thank Steve and Linda Ramsay, PJ Katims and Sarah Leeper for preparing and serving the meal. Thank you as well goes out to Diane Pile for decorating the cafeteria and Kim DeJesus for minding the cash box.

The sewing room at the Grays River Valley Center is getting more use lately. If you’re interested in learning to sew, just needing a sewing machine for your own project, or helping out, the room is now open on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information please contact Donna Moody.

There will be no movie at the Grays River Valley Center this Friday, as it is the 4th. We will continue with our regular schedule next week with another family friendly show. Movies are shown the first three Fridays of the month during the summer and you can pick up a flyer of coming shows in the Grays River Valley Library or call 465-2310 for a recorded message telling you what is playing. Shows start at 7 p.m. and concessions are available.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned the fact that our youngest basketball star trainees would be getting new adjustable basketball hoops and backboards? Well, their Coach Q has made it happen, by making music and singing, as well as soliciting donations. The new ones were delivered this week and should be installed soon.

With the adjustable hoops, our littlest basketball players will have a hand up when they get to another level of playing for a team. Thank you to all the donors, Coach Q and to the little players for giving us a reason to get them.

The Rosburg Wednesday Senior Lunch Bunch meets at the Rosburg Hall each week for a delicious meal prepared and served by Pat Potter and her volunteer crew. Lunch is served at noon.

On Thursdays, senior lunches are also served at the same location and the meals are sponsored by CAP.

Happy Birthday to the following this week: Taylor Rose Eaton, Courtney Lemon, Angelee Torppa, Alan See, Eleanor Saari, Jeffery Mennen, Wilho Saari, Morgan Weston, Matt Helvey, Connor Leaf, Ethan Smalley, June Bergquist, Mindi Ullakko, Dale Rose and Kinsley Lanz. Wishing you a wonderful day.

Happy Anniversary to Larry and Berniece Helton, Bill and Debbie Littlefield, Paul and Darlene Bjornsgard, Mike and Barb Swanson, Bryan and Jen Penttila, Evert and Rowena Ehrlund and Chuck and Judy Torppa. Wishing you many more celebrations together.

I would like to wish a belated Happy Birthday to a very special friend, Nancy George. I hope you had a delightful visit with all your family that were able to visit you and help you celebrate. You are a wonderful neighbor and we appreciate you very much. Here’s to many more happy and healthy years for our very good friend.

A belated Happy Anniversary to Steve and Linda Ramsay. Wishing you many more years of “wedded bliss” and thank you for being such a wonderful part of our lives and our community.

One final thought and invitation. There will be a meeting on July 28 in the Rosburg Hall at 6 p.m. regarding our local post office and the cutting of their hours or worse case scenario, closing it.

By now, you should have received a survey in the mail regarding this subject. Please take a few minutes to fill it out and mail it back, and then make a point of coming to the meeting to voice your thoughts. In rural areas, such as ours, we need the convenience of being able to buy stamps, mail packages, and use the other services available in our post office building. I use the post office regularly, and so do many others. Let’s not be complacent about this or we could lose it. Attend the meeting, send your survey back and support our local post office.