Our new community center needs citizens' input

Our new Community Center, which occupies the renovated space on Main Street under the Library, is now open and is looking for input from the people of Cathlamet and Wahkiakum County. What kinds of services and activities do you want us to provide?

The Center has computers and high-speed wireless Internet; it has meeting space for 30-40 people, public restrooms, and a kitchenette area; there’s an interactive kiosk to help people looking for jobs and a comfortable corner for those who simply want to sit and chat.

In general, we’re hoping to operate the facility as a Senior Center during morning hours, as a Meeting Center in the early afternoon, as a Learning Center from mid to late afternoon, and possibly as a Meeting Center again in the evenings. Special events may be scheduled on weekends.

How will this general plan work for you?

If you are a college student, you can use our computers to access online classes. If you are a high school student, you might use the computers to do research for school projects. Or, you might bring your own laptop or tablet computer and use our wireless high-speed fiber optic access to surf the Net.Weekday afternoons will be set aside particularly for students.

If you are a senior citizen, you might use our computers to access your e-mail or Facebook account. If you are computer-savvy, you might volunteer to help other, more technologically-challenged, seniors use the computers. Or you might recruit other seniors to play a hand of bridge or canasta or bingo. You might set up a scrabble game or a jigsaw puzzle. You could encourage others to join you for a knitting session or quilting bee. You could set up workshops to facilitate genealogical searches or investment strategies. Seniors will be encouraged to spend weekday mornings in the Center, say 10 a.m. to noon.

If you are an organization, whether fraternal, civic, philanthropic, or other, we encourage you to consider holding your monthly, weekly, or quarterly meetings at the Center. In general the facility will be available for meetings weekdays from noon until 3 pm and after 6 pm. Weekends are up for grabs. Reservations will be made on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Community Center was made possible by the combined efforts of Wahkiakum Community Network, Wahkiakum County Health & Human Services, Lower Columbia College, WSU Extension/4-H, WorkSource, Goodwill, and the Town of Cathlamet. Its mission is “to foster community involvement by providing a facility to serve residents of the Town of Cathlamet and Wahkiakum County in a variety of educational, civic, cultural and leisure activities”.

Please give us some feedback.

Ginger Hake, 360.751.0497 or admin@wahkiakumcommunitynetwork.org

Hannah Booth-Watts, 360.795.0018 or booth-watts@townofcathlamet.com.