Paddle boarding business comes to Skamokawa

COOLER--Last week's cooler weather certainly made me happy, as the bright sunny days were almost getting to be annoying. I was tired of hiding from the heat and sweating when I had to venture out in it. I know, the heat lovers are booing me, and I may regret wishing for rain, as once it starts, it may never stop, but for now, I was happy to see the rain that fell on Sunday.

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from August 13-19 are Tim Schmitz, Jessica Scheik, Judy Smith, Kathleen Morgain, Steve McClain, Addy Hauff, Tyna Zink, Kassy Burdick, Eileen Free, Vivian Olsen, Toni Sue Ostling, Sarah Exum, Barbara Blix, Peggy Pedersen, Deanna Dachtler, Stoney Anketell, Krista Blix McGuire and Lori Pedersen Finkas. Here's hoping your birthday celebrations are just spectacular this year!

Happy Anniversary wishes go out to the following this week: Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Gribskov, Mike and Mary MacLaughlin, Gene and Karen Healy and Mr. and Mrs. Larry Bonds. Here's to celebrating your anniversaries this year in style!

FROZEN BERRIES--Once again, the Lions Club has been advertising their frozen berries and hopefully you filled out the form you saw in last week's Eagle and have yours reserved and paid for already. If not, you only have a couple more days to take advantage of this offer. There's nothing like having some marionberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries to make those pies and jams with, so get ahold of a Lions Club member today!

NEXT WEEK--As you know, the Wahkiakum County Fair begins next week and will run from Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 20-22. Be sure to check out the fair book for times to enter your various projects, with a good deal of them needing to be entered on Monday, while things like baked goods come in later. Be sure to make the deadline as judges are only available at certain times, so read the instructions carefully.

If you're interested in getting an animal from the 4-H kids duirng fair time, note that this "4-H Market Sale" is being held at a different time than past years, so write down Friday, Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m., on your calendars now so you don't miss out on these purchases. You can also contact the Extension office at 795-3278 for more information about it.

Don't forget, the passes will be pulled from the area businesses on Aug. 17, so buy yours now and support your favorite princess and save a buck to boot!

NEW BUSINESS IN TOWN--Talk about perfect time, as I just happened to be coming by the west end of Skamokawa when I saw Katie Vegvary and another person putting out a sign for a new business that's going to open in Skamokawa: Paddle boarding! It's time to try out this fun sport called standup paddle boarding. Clatsop Paddle Company is being operated by CJ Johnson who is the SUP Instructor and guide for the new business. The paddle board business is located directly across from the entrance to Skamokawa Vista Park, and at the south end of the foot bridge over the creek. With their very own dock behind the building on Skamokawa Creek, you can easily get right on the board and paddle away! Of course, if you're new to the sport, they have lessons, and there are also guided tours. A plan to have a Grand Opening is in the works but they are open for business now. Most young folks do everything online these days, so you can find this latest Skamokawa business on the web at http://www.clatsoppaddle.com or you can email them at: cj@clatsoppaddle.com or just call: 503-791-9619.

VISTA PARK--Have you checked out the new clothing wear at Skamokawa Vista Park lately? They have a great new design, which comes in many colors and also many items, from hats to sweats and sweatshirts to t-shirts. There are other great items for sale that represent the park and are very useful, like the new coasters they have with scenes from the park on them. Also available is a new book by Carole Elizabeth entitled, "Vista Tales" so that might be a great read while you're camping or even give as a Christmas gift. With the park bustling every weekend, it's imperative to book early. Call: 795-8605.

67'ERS--I hope all of you who went to WA-KI-HI and were a part of the Class of 1967 at one time or another, will remember that we will gather at the Wahkiakum County Fair next Saturday, Aug. 22 at 1 p.m., in front of the food booth located across from the bingo building. Here's to a fun gathering in which we will support the fair by coming to it and eating at it, plus, have fun while we do it!

Also, speaking of fun and Vista Park, the 67'ers will gather for a "Fireside Chat" on Sept. 26, so bring a favorite dish and join the 67'ers who are camping there for a fun evening. Most of the group/campers will be situated at the far left of the park along the beach front.

GREAT TURN OUT--The Duck Inn was hopping last Saturday as a fund raiser for "Team Turner" was put on. It was great to see everyone come out and show their support for Grant Turner who was seriously injured awhile back in a diving accident. Grant is the husband of Ashley (Moore), daughter of Joel Moore and granddaughter of Bruce and Patty Moore, who live here locally. Kudos to Logan Britt for donating part of the night's receipts to the cause, and also donating so many of the prizes for the various drawings, which included two television sets. Lance and Shannon Britt also donated items from the Skamokawa Resort, so there were lots of things to give away. The "Team Turner" dinner specials were great as well, so I was happy to turn the cooking over to someone else that night and make a donation to the Turner family at the same time! If you missed this event but you'd like to donate something towards Grant's medical bills, transfer costs, etc., you can always drop by the Bank of the Pacific and donate money directly to a fund that has been set up there for the Turners. May we all add some good thoughts and prayers on Grant's behalf today.

GREAT EXHIBIT/WINE TASTING--Redmen Hall's current exhibit featuring Bob and Jenny Kizziar, entitled, "Clay and Fiber" is really a good one. I just love Jenny's scarves, as they are truly works of art. She has an array of various products, which range from aprons to rugs and many things in between. Bob's ceramic pieces are very interesting and varied as well, but his ceramic place settings are just gorgeous, with the blue set being my favorite. However, you need to check out this display and you can decide for yourself, as the pale green set was awesome too!

We hope to see you at the FOS annual Wine Tasting and Auction event, which will be held on Sept. 12 at the Skamokawa Grange Hall. This is their big fund raiser of the year, and it's really important to the continuing upkeep of our historic Redmen Hall that they have a good turnout, so here's hoping you can make it! It is always a fun event, and you're reminded that this is an adult evening so take a few hours away from the kids and come and bid on your favorite items, while enjoying some wonderful appetizers and desserts provided by Skamokawa Farmstead Creamery. There is always a silent auction and a live auction, and your help in providing some special gift items for this event is really important as well, so contact the hall if you'd be willing to donate something: 795-3007. If you're able, you can also drop it by the hall, Thursday through Sunday, noon to four. As always, there are a variety of wines to taste, and some non-alcoholic beverages will be available.

SYMPATHIES--I was so sorry to hear about the passing of Louise Lyda earlier this month. She and my mother had gone to the same church "forever" and she was just really a wonderful lady. My sympathies to all her surviving family members and her close friends as well.

GREAT TIME--Neighbors David and Connie Shrum had a great time this weekend, as they invited some friends over, and then headed to the NHRA drag races in Seattle, and with sunny temperatures up there, it was a great time with a huge turnout as usual. What makes it extra special for the Shrums is that David's cousin drives a semi loaded with sale items and other goodies for one of the dragster owners, Cruz Pedregon, so they are always able to get up close to all the action, which can be extra fun as well as extra loud!

SCHOOL/FOOTBALL--It seems like school just got out, but it's almost time for it to begin again, as the doors open to Wahkiakum schools on Sept. 2. Football practice will begin next week on Aug. 19, so soon we'll be cheering our mighty Mules on as we head to their first game in Toutle Lake on Sept. 4. Their first home game will be on Sept. 11. The Lady Mules will have their first volleyball game on Sept. 10. Also, if you'd like to be a Mule booster, now's the time to call Kathi Howell at The Wahkiakum County Eagle and get signed up!

OUT OF TOUCH--As you all know by now, there is a detour between Cathlamet and Skamokawa due to culverts being put in on SR 4 between the Hancock Forest Management office and the bridge prior to the refuge. If you're headed west from Longview or Cathlamet, the detour will mean that you will go out the Elochoman Road, take Foster Road and then wind up on Risk Road, which will take you back to SR 4 near the refuge pull off area. The speed limit for the entire detour will be set at 35 mph. This detour was to have begun Monday, but should be in place by the time you read this. WSDOT's website said it will be in effect until Oct. 2.

When contacted about the impact that this detour will have on businesses in Skamokawa, the person in charge said that the Skamokawa area is located far enough away from the proposed detour, so that it should not be affected by the detour in question. This is where we feel that some of these officials are totally disconnected with the areas in which they operate. Any time that you put a detour between Point A and Point B, the flow of traffic is bound to be altered and so the distance from the actual work site is totally irrelevant. The fact is that when people hear "detour," it is like a death knell to those on the other side of it. As we have experienced before, travelers headed to the beach will just take the Oregon side and skip the Cathlamet, Skamokawa and Naselle areas altogether. By doing so, they will bypass all of the businesses in these towns that rely very heavily on the summer traffic to make the money that they need to get through the slower winter months.

I am hoping people will realize that the detour isn't that big of a deal and will still head this way for the Wahkiakum County Fair, the Hoby Cats, Skamokawa Vista Park, Redmen Hall and their great exhibits, as well as the Friends of Skamokawa's Wine Tasting and Auction, and the Columbia River Country Days event, just to name a few. There will be the usual Labor Day traffic, which we rely on, as they usually stop and spend some money here, and of course, all those great old cars usually stop by as they head to the "End of the World Rod Run" in Long Beach. All of this traffic is needed in order to keep our businesses afloat.