Holiday happenings start this weekend

News from Naselle:

Sports calendar for the Naselle Comet teams this week: Thursday, middle school girls basketball at Raymond at 5:45 p.m .; Tuesday, middle school girls basketball in Naselle with North Beach at 5:45 p.m. Go Comets!

There will be a Veteran’s Day Assembly today at 12:30 p.m. in the Naselle gym, honoring our local veterans. Many, if not all vets in our community have received a personal invitation to attend this assembly in their honor.

The Naselle Lutheran Church will hold their annual Bazaar on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Here’s a perfect chance to purchase Christmas/holiday gifts and decorations, as well as baked goods, and enjoy home made donuts with fresh hot coffee. The soup bar will open at 11 a.m. with yummy lunch treats. This is a great way to enjoy a cool fall day and benefit our local community.

Proceeds from this event will be used to fight hunger and provide funds for missionary work.

Westend news:

Just a reminder to those of you who might want to donate blood today at the Valley Bible Church Blood Drive. Walk-ins are always welcome. The doors open at noon and the event runs until 6 p.m.

Come on in, give a live saving gift and enjoy a complimentary snack--one of April Zimmerman’s famous sliders.

It’s this weekend, the Veteran’s Day Pancake Breakfast sponsored by the American Legion Deep River Post #111, this year being held in the Rosburg Hall. Bring your appetite, and your family and friends on Saturday, 8-11:30 a.m.

Tickets for adults and teens are $6 and kids 3 to 12 will be $4 and you won’t leave hungry. Choose ham or sausage with eggs, coffee, juice, milk and all you can eat pancakes.

We have quite a few veterans right here in our little community, and what better way to show our appreciation for their service than join them for breakfast, and tell them thank you in person. All the proceeds from this breakfast will be used locally for youth and veterans.

Our local West End Food Pantry is asking for help to fill Thanksgiving food baskets again this year. Are you willing to lend a hand? A tax deductible $20 donation can provide a Thanksgiving meal for a family. Complete meals can be purchased at the Cathlamet Market or at Okie’s in Naselle and donated to the Pantry. Items needed for the baskets include canned or instant potatoes, canned gravy or packets, canned ham, canned yams, canned fruit, stuffing mix, biscuit or muffin mix, canned pumpkin pie mix, and ready made pie crusts.

Pantry hours are Thursdays from 1-5 p.m., located in the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park. Tax deductible cash donations made be sent to: West End Food Pantry, PO Box 55, Rosburg, WA 98643.

A “Secret Santa Workshop” will be held for kids at the West End Food Pantry, giving them the opportunity to shop for a special gift for their caregivers. Volunteers will be available to help them.

You can donate new, inexpensive items so that kids can shop for their caregivers, both male and female. Some suggestions would be flashlights, necklaces, coffee or tea mugs, hats or gloves, etc. They will be shopping for both male and female caregivers so plan donations accordingly. Also needed are Christmas wrap, tape and tags. This event is free for the children. Gift donations must be received by December 15, and the Secret Santa Workshop will be held on December 16 during normal pantry hours. Kids must be present to do their own shopping.

Happy Birthday to Otis Hunsinger, Isabella Hodson, Abbie Eaton, and Sarah Haataia. Wishing each of you a perfect day.

St. James Christmas Bazaar will be held November 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1134 Columbia St. in Cathlamet. “A Country Christmas” theme will ring true throughout the event. Lunch with home made favorites, home baked goodies for sale, lots of home made items for sale by many different local vendors, raffle baskets from local businesses (need not be present to win at the drawing held at 3:30 p.m.), live music throughout the day, and even a Children’s Christmas Store which is open to the public during bazaar hours. In the children’s store all gifts are under $1, for kids 12 and under and “no adults allowed” with a limit of five gift purchases. Volunteers will be available to help choose and wrap the gifts.

Sounds like a great way to spend the day with family and friends and buying local with all the proceeds benefitting St. James Family Center’s programs for our children and their families.

I would like to personally thank veterans everywhere for their service to our country and our freedoms. Many members of my immediate family have served in many branches of the military and I want to say how proud I am of their service to our nation and our people. If you see a vet or a military person, let them know how much you appreciate them by saying “thank you.”