Volunteers sought for Johnson Park board

Not that I dislike this cool drippy weather, but I think Mother Nature decided to cancel summer for this year. At least it was nice last Saturday afternoon for Poul and Zenaida Toftemark’s Pig Roast and Potluck. It looked like everyone had a wonderful time, as usual.

News from Naselle:

The School Board for the Naselle-Grays River Valley School District will meet on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., for their regular monthly meeting. This is a public meeting and the community is encouraged to attend.

This is an open invitation to parents, students and staff of the Naselle Schools to attend the Open House-Back to School BBQ on August 24 at 5 p.m. This event will be a time to gather and meet the teachers and see the student's classrooms. Hamburgers and hotdogs will be provided and parents are welcome to bring a side dish, dessert, soft drinks or chips. Sounds like a great way to meet and greet all involved in our children’s education opportunities.

The Naselle Marimba Band will perform in Long Beach for Summerfest on August 20 at 1 p.m. This is an amazing group of talented young people.

Westend news:

Check out the Grays River Grange Farmer’s Market every Tuesday, 2-6 p.m. Delicious produce, grown locally for reasonable prices.

Here is another local option for all organic produce from Glory B Farms in Grays River. Not sure if it is too late for this year but you can check out the info for Glory B Farms CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). They do weekly veggie boxes to these pick up locations- the Zimmerman Farm (Grays River), Naselle, South Bend/Raymond and the Long Beach Peninsula. The season will run from June 16 to November 17, and the delivery day will be Thursday.

This is how it works. They will have a drop location for the veggie boxes in each area. You will pick up your box each week and return the reusable box that you received with your last order. The boxes are expensive and each account will need three to make it work. The box fee is covered in your membership fee of $30. All boxes must be returned at the end of the season. Glory B will make arrangements for a final pick up.

For more information on this great program you can check them out on Face Book at Glory B Farms or call April Zimmerman at 465-2168.

The Grays River Valley Center will receive a new tenant next month, and it has been a dream of mine and many others, for years. Becky Erickson will once again have her pre-school kids in the building. More information on that as the opening day comes. This decision was made because the Naselle school needed the space she had been using there. This is great news.

The West End Food Pantry is located in the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park. It is open on Thursdays 1-5 p.m. You can drop off non-perishable items at the site when the building is open as they have a drop box there. Monetary donations can also be made to help fund items that are not donated. For more information please call Suzie Whalen or Shonda Ware.

The Grays River Valley Center Library sponsors the Free Saturday Night Movies in the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park. The show starts at 7 p.m. and concessions are available before the movie and during the intermission.

The Rosburg Wednesday Senior Lunch Bunch meets each week in the Rosburg Hall for a home cooked meal prepared by Pat Potter and her volunteers. Even though her health is not good, she pushes on with all her supporters and looks out for our local lunch goers. Thank you Pat and your helpers. You all make a difference and you are truly appreciated.

On Thursdays, CAP also makes a senior meal available to our community seniors at the same location, Lunch is served at noon for both venues.

Happy Birthday to Michelle Zilli, Kim Tarabochia, Carol Ervest, Cohen Bennett, Alina Ashe and J. J. McCullough. Here’s to a perfectly wonderful day.

Happy Anniversary to Greg and Karen Wirkkala, Ed and Amy Hunt, Travis and Jen Boggs and Glen and Shirley Miller. Wishing you many more celebrations together.

The Wahkiakum County commissioners have issued a call for volunteers for the Johnson Park Advisory Board. These are volunteer positions and if you are interested in serving, you can fill out an application with the county, at which time, if you are accepted as a candidate, you will be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners.

Having served on the above mentioned board for many years, and been involved with everything to do with the center since its inception, I would like to give some advice to those who want to serve. You will need unlimited energy and patience. The center takes a lot of time, a cohesive working board, without bosses, and probably the most important attribute for a board member would be integrity, at least in my opinion. It helps if you have contacts that are willing to help out with projects as well.

In my opinion, by overseeing the board, and its everyday workings at Johnson Park, the county commissioners also need to be consistent in decisions made regarding the Park and the Center. Now that there are funds available through the county this year, to help out with bills, that money needs to be spent wisely, not unnecessarily.

For most prior years, the bills, upkeep and any extra expenses incurred were paid strictly by renting a couple of rooms in the building, sponsorships, donations and fund raisers. And it was done without outside help from the county.