Wahkiakum graduation will be held on June 9

NOT TOO BAD--It wasn't blazing hot this weekend, but by golly, it was just about perfect for the car buffs that showed up as last year's scalding temperatures were replaced with much milder, and more comfortable ones for the annual Rods and Reels Rod Run that happened this past Saturday! Sunday was the same mix of clouds and sunshine moments, so it was a great time to be outside doing yardwork or just enjoying the dry time. Looks like we've got some more dry days ahead during the first part of this week, so the BBQ season may be in full swing, but as the school season comes to a close, we may be on the damp side once again, so keep those umbrellas handy; it's still Spring!

GRADUATION--The Wahkiakum High School Class of 2017 will hold their graduation ceremonies this Friday night, June 9, and we wish them all the best as they end one chapter of their young lives and embark on another. Whether it's off to college, or maybe a military career, or even to a new town with a new job, we wish all of you the very best! Congratulations to the WHS Class of 2017; well done!

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from June 8-14 are Mike McLaighlin, Tyson Hjaltalin, Ryan Helms, Nicole West, Rodney Ingersol, Brenden McClain, Justin Anderson, Erin Turner, Nick Danker, Matalyn Longtain, Peyton Souvenir, John C. Doumit, Veronica Gilbertsen, Sandy Boldt, Kelsey Briscoe, Kylee Souvenir, Gina Robbins, Mark Howie, Shirley Good, Colton Reynolds, Andrea Hess, Sandray K. Hess, Alex Christianson, Amy Horman, Kristian Pedersen, Bailey Pedersen and 67'er Noni Meredith! Belated birthday wishes to MacKenzie Stevens and Scott Ahrndt who both celebrated their special day this past Monday.

Also, belated birthday wishes to 67'er, Mike Hicks who celebrated his birthday last Thursday; I didn't get that listed on time. However, it sounded like Mike had a great birthday gathering with the family last weekend, which included most of his grandkids he said, so he had a celebration with great food and plenty of family!

Those celebrating anniversaries this coming week are Stewart and Ginger Moonen, David and Connie Shrum and the Wally Wrights. Enjoy those special anniversary celebrations everybody! Belated anniversary wishes to the Merle Brockways

FRIDAY MOVIE--The free Friday movie this week at the Community Center in Cathlamet is a documentary and is fit for all audiences. It is about our country versus one of the Beatles. It will start at 7 p.m., as usual with free popcorn. No children under 12 are permitted without their parents. Call ahead to Sharon's Pizza Mill to have pizza delivered to the center at approx. 6:45 p.m., 795-3311.

BINGO--You can win cash if you have a bingo, so why not head over to the Norse Hall this Saturday evening, June 10, where the doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the games begin at 6. The cards are $5 each and if you're the lucky winner, you'll go home much richer by the end of the evening. The Sons of Norway lodge members invite all of you to come by for an evening of fun on Puget Island, at the historic Norse Hall.

BERRIES--Don't forget to order your berries from the Lions Club, as the cut off date is June 17, so don't delay! Order forms can be found in area businesses. You can get 14 pounds of fresh sliced, unsweetened strawberries for $28, or buy the economy sized bucket, which is 28 pounds of berries for just $48, which is an $8 savings. If you have any questions, call 795-3337 or 849-4003. Berries must be paid for in advance, and they will be ready for pick up on June 24. All monies earned go towards the Lions Club's many great causes, like free eye exams, sight conservation and local scholarships.

TWO SERVICES--This Saturday, June 10, the celebration of life service for Ray "Teed" Prestegard will be held at the St. James Family Center at 11 a.m. The center is located at 1134 Columbia Street. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to either the Hospice Care Center in Longview or the St. James Family Center.

The family of Doris Takko will hold her celebration of life service the following Saturday, June 17, at the Skamokawa Grange Hall at 2 p.m. She is survived by her daughter, Adrienne (Addy) Hauff and her two sons of Cathlamet; a daughter Beth and her son of California, a brother Dean (Debra) Takko as well as a nephew and two great nieces. During all the years that I have known Doris, I found her to be fiercely independent, outspoken, funny and witty, loyal and helpful, and while she could be "crusty" at times, she was also a big softie. I will miss all our chats. We send our deepest condolences to her family; RIP Doris.

KM TRIVIA--A big thank-you to Rick Foster for finding out some information for me in regards to the origin of the name "KM Mountain." I knew it had to do with a timber or lumber company. Recently I was asked by one of my classmates about it, so I asked, and Rick was able to provide me with this answer: KM Mountain is named after "Knappton Mills and Lumber Company." I'm told that it was the last logging company to operate the railroad that summited the "Hill" from the Grays River side. After the tracks were removed, some of the railroad grade was actually used as the highway. So, there you have it. If you have a different story, let me know!

SPIETHS HAPPY--Larry and Linda Spieth are pleased to announce that their daughter, McKenna Spieth, has been accepted into the "Doctor of Physical Therapy Program" at USC, so it looks like they have a Trojan in the family! Congratulations to her.

FLAG DAY--Next Wednesday, June 14, is Flag Day. While the Flag Resolution of 1777 was officially established by President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916, it wasn't until August 3, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 of each year as our National Flag Day. Let's see the flags fly this coming Wednesday!

ROADKILL FD SHOW--On June 17, from noon to three, there will be a "Father's Day Rod Run" to the Roadkill Saloon at 8 Fairgrounds Road, so if you're out and about, and have a great car, maybe you'll want to stop by and either check it all out or even enter your rig. For all the details, call April at 360-606-0179. They are open Thursdays through Sundays. If you are on Facebook, you can check out their special events and their upcoming menus as well.

FATHER'S DAY-- Speaking of Father's Day, don't forget his special day on June 18, as it's time to treat the man in your life to something special, like a great dinner out! You'll want to check out our local eateries for their specials that day, as I'm sure they will be geared for the "hungry man!" So, whether it's Dad, or step-dad or the father of your children, well, be sure to treat him like a king this Father's Day and surprise him with a real special day.

MUCH DESERVED--Our entire area should be mighty proud of our very own Cindy Seaberg Faubion, as she was just given an award for the top Care Co-ordination Nurse of the Year for Southwest Washington and Oregon; how about that?! A hearty congratulations to her, as everyone who has ever come in contact with her knows that she is certainly a very deserving recipient of such an award! Many of us have dealt with her over the years with either ourselves or family members, and she is always right there in every capacity. She is totally awesome. Way to go Cindy!

FOS--The members of the Friends of Skamokawa hope that you'll come and see the exhibit that is currently on display in the River Life Interpretive Center, which is located on the second floor of the historic Redmen Hall. It features several groups of women in our community who are just wonderful in their craft, whether it be weaving, quilting, photography, etc. The "Wonderful Women of Wahkiakum County" will end June 25, so you've just got a couple of weeks to see it.

The members of FOS are calling for all local people, of all ages, to submit their work, which features life on the Columbia River, which will then be displayed in their next exhibit to start on July 8. This exhibit would encompass all genres of art, like a sculpture, or a painting or a fantastic photo, or even a poem; anything that captures the love you have of the Columbia River and the effect it has on you. This exhibit will be entitled, "For the Love if the River" and would be your interpretation of what that means to you. If you have any questions, call Redmen Hall at 795-3007 and talk to either Jill Hatier or Judy Vandermaten, or leave a message and they'll get back to you as soon as possible. The hall is open Thursdays through Sundays from noon to four.

SHANGHIED IN ASTORIA--Every year the Astor Street Opry Company, ASOC, puts on a great show called "Shanghied in Astoria." It is a fun, fun show, with popcorn provided to throw at the villains and everyone claps and cheers for the hero, and well, it's just a great, old-fashioned, good time! Every year they are looking for people, 17 and up, to take part in this production. There is no experience necessary and with rotating times and roles, there isn't a long committment time either. So, if you'd like to be part of this annual event, call 503-325-6104 or go to their website to learn more and sign up! The show starts July 7 and runs through part of September, but remember, you won't be taking part in all of them, as they have multiple people for multiple roles, so it's not a huge commitment.

SEE IT?--Many folks were reporting seeing a rainbow like halo around the sun this past Monday; did you see it? Do you know what it's called? Just in case you were like me and had no clue, it's called a sun dog. It is caused by ice crystals high in the atmosphere and give that ringed rainbow look high in the sky around the sun; pretty neat! CAR

SHOW ROUNDUP--Unfortunately for me, I was down and out with a horrible sinus infection, so I missed the Twelfth Annual Wahkiakum Dollars For Scholars Rods and Reels (WDFS) Car Show that was held last weekend. I was able to see some great posts that others shared however, so yes, there were some awesome vehicles again this year. Many agreed that the weather was much more pleasant, as the 70 degree temperaures were much better than those 90s that baked everyone last year. However, anytime we are without a day of pouring down rain, it is always fantastic!

It was announced this year by Lee Tischer, head co-ordinator of this event, that next year's WDFS Rods and Reel Run will be the last one. You see, the Dollars for Scholars Group is retiring the "Rods and Reels Rod Run" name and another kind of fund raising event will be in the works; one that might not be so labor intensive. Lee Tischer and his family have worked a total of 18 years between the car show part and the sturgeon derby part, as you may remember, they were separate events, then they were combined and then, due to the lack of a sturgeon fishing season, the fishing part was eliminated and the event was strictly back to cars. If you have ever spear-headed a large fund raising event, you know how much work it is, and this was a huge undertaking, so kudos to Lee, his family and his entire team of volunteers that worked together all these years to put on this fantastic, money making event for our kids!

Once folks heard the car show was ending, some folks were hoping to carry on this event, but with the name being retired, and the insurance and the tax number being designated/used for only "Dollars for Scholars" fund raisers, this same event cannot just be taken over and continued. Now, a totally new group could be formed, with their own new name, with their own new tax number, insurance, their own sponsors, etc., but I'm not sure that there are many who want to start from scratch so to speak; it's a big undertaking to say the least!

I have been happy to have played a tiny part in this group, so I do sincerely thank all those who were on my contact list for their generous donations. Of course, you have probably not heard the last from me, as there's next year to plan for; the final car show; but there will be other fund raising events, so we hope you will all continue to be your generous selves and keep helping the "Dollars for Scholars" in their efforts to help our kids!