Schools collect 1,075 lbs. of food

My apologies to the readers for not entering a column last week. My husband spent five days in the hospital for what we had originally thought was pneumonia and it turned out to be more complicated than that. He is on the mend now and we are a little better educated on what some symptoms can indicate. A word of advice to those of you with health issues: Keep a journal of everyday actions and always take it with you to a doctor visit. It makes answering questions much more simple and accurate. Sometimes the simplest entries can indicate a problem before it gets to be a big one.

I hope everyone had as wonderful a Christmas as we did. We were so happy to have our son and daughter in law here from Bend, Ore., our son and his girlfriend from Seattle, our daughter-in-law and two grandsons from Kelso and two of our favorite neighbors here for our annual Christmas Eve dinner. It’s always so much fun to share Christmas with those you love. The rest of the weekend was very relaxing, for me anyway. When my kids are around, Mom doesn’t have to cook (the best gift ever).

News from Naselle:

Sports calendar for the Naselle Comet teams this week includes: Tuesday, boys and girls basketball at North River at 5:30 p.m. Go Comets!

I want to congratulate the classes in the Naselle schools for collecting more than 1075 pounds of food for the local food banks. The three top classes for collections were: Sixth grade with 323 pounds, kindergarten with 264 pounds and fourth grade with 112.5 pounds. The winning class (sixth grade) then, in the spirit of the season, donated their 323 pounds to the kindergarten class, and that made them the winners of the pizza party. In actuality I think the sixth graders were the big winners in the field of giving.

Need feed for your farm animals? Check out the selection at the Deep River Camp Store. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday-Friday. For more info call 360-783-2638.

Westend news:

The Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park will host its annual January fundraiser on the 17th. Our three C’s Chowdown will feature chili, corn chowder and chicken noodle soup, with crackers and breads to go with them. Donations will be accepted for the meal and will benefit the ongoing expenses for the grounds and building. More info in next week’s column.

This year’s annual Crab and Oyster Feed, sponsored by the American Legion Deep River Post #111 will be held on January 23. Tickets are available now from Ken Elliott at 465-2271, Nick Nikkila at 465-2595 and Dale Rose at 465-2234. Only 200 tickets are available at $28 each, and include dinner, raffles and a dance. Call now and purchase your ticket while they last.

Collection boxes for non perishable food donations are still located at both the Rosburg and Naselle post offices for the local food pantries. Even though the holidays have probably taken much of the excess stock on hand, the food pantries are still working hard to stock a good amount of items to maintain their regular clients. Canned or dry packaged food can be brought to the drop off locations as well as the food pantries. Other appreciated items are personal care items, toiletries and laundry soaps. To make a monetary donation to the West End Food Pantry you can contact Suzie Whalen at 465-2312 or Shonda Ware at 465-2722.

Don’t forget the Free Friday Night Movie in the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park. This week’s show will include a musical suite of cartoons for the kids. Kind of a wind down from all the excitement of the holidays. Won’t you join us for a relaxing evening? The show starts at 7 p.m. and concessions are available with candy, pop and popcorn as well as the free movie.

The Rosburg Wednesday Senior Lunch Bunch meets each week in the Rosburg Hall at noon for a delicious meal prepared and served by Pat Potter and her volunteers. It’s a terrific place to enjoy good food and do a little socializing with your neighbors.

On Thursdays a senior lunch is also served and is sponsored by CAP, also at the Rosburg Hall.

Happy Birthday to Delores Nelson, Dorothy Johnson, Leonard Vaughn, Marcie Dunham, Cheryl Caetano, Heather Leonard, Alan Wirkkala, Keith Wirkkala, James Ray Smith, Capri Parrino, Lawrence Busse, Logan Sandell, Tracy Sherek, Will Wuorinen, Marshall Wirkkala, Michelle Condon, Vickie Wirkkala, Brian Cooper, Gary Queener, Harvey Johnson Jr., Michael Busse, Richard Angstrom, Jammie Eastham, and Meghan Albright. Here’s to a perfect day of celebrating.

Happy Anniversary to Richard and Gwen Angstrom. Wishing you many more celebrations together.

It hardly seems possible that today is the last day of 2015. Be safe if you are celebrating the incoming new year. We have so many things to remember from this past year, globally as well as locally and personally. Some of those memories have been wonderful and some not so much, but if you stop and think about it, we still have a future to look to and many do not. So, I wish everyone a very happy New Year, filled with love, happiness, good health, friendship and peace. Happy 2016 from our house to yours.