Downriver Dispatches

I appreciated Rick Nelson’s statement in last week’s Letters to the Editor because it is hard to read letters from folks when they are negative and the information is not accurate. I recently watched a documentary on the PBS documentaries app on TV called, “The Forgotten Plague.” It gives the history of tuberculosis in our country and how the medicines were developed to cure it. People still get TB and still die, but nothing like the deaths in centuries past. TB is 3,000 years old and it took over 100 years to develop the science (bacteria/germs/contagious) before the medicine could even be invented. We are so blessed that we have a vaccine in such a short time. Most of us are okay after the shot is given. I am sad that there isn’t a full understanding of what science can do. It is not a theory; rather science is fact. Being afraid of science puts us back to the 1800’s again. I will get my booster shot and my regular flu shot and hopefully, another pneumonia shot before Halloween. Medicine kept me alive through cancer. Science saved me and I trust it.

Annual Halloween Bash: Now in its third year, the Annual Halloween Bash will be held at the Naselle Community Center at 14 Parpala Road. Holly Zabodyn Engelson started the event and this year, in partnership with the Finnish American Folk Festival, it will be held at the Naselle Community Center from 5-9 p.m. on Oct. 31. Donations are appreciated at the door with proceeds going to the community center. Babies through adults are welcome. It will be a walk-through event so everyone is asked to wear a mask. Holly is looking for volunteers to help with greeting families at the door. Older kids can get their community service hours by dressing up for Halloween, handing out candy or scaring people in a separate walk-through for those who want an extra fright! Hot dogs and a drink will be served at the end of the walk. Please consider grabbing some extra candy or prizes or even decorations like cobwebs, lights, or black and orange balloons the next time you go shopping. Children loved this event the last two years but now with the space at the community center there is plenty of room for all! The Bash is only possible with donations and volunteers, so if you want to sign up to volunteer or drop off candy or decorations, give Holly a call at (360) 484-3948.

Trunk or Treat: On Halloween, state troopers will be at the Washington State Patrol office in Naselle, next to the bus barn near the school with all their patrol cars parked there with candy in the trunks, and officers will be hosts for the kids. It was a hit last year, so I hope all kids will visit there as a stop on their trick or treat schedule. This one lasts from 3-6 p.m. so it will work for trick or treaters to visit this event, as well as the Halloween Bash at the community center.

Pole Building near Appelo Archives: The property near the Archives Center with a concrete pad was purchased by Phil Malmstadt from Chinook. A restaurant used to be there years ago. He is building a pole building there that will be for storage. It may grow into a business at some point, but for now it’s for personal storage. Phil owns Peninsula Auto Detailing on SR 101 in Chinook. The property has been cleared and cleaned up and logs set so visitors don’t park there. Having the property cleared and cleaned up has added a lot to the area.

Campground in Grays River: Mark and Lisa Yeager from Littleton, Colorado have purchased 22 acres from C.J. Schmand to build a home for themselves on the west side of Hull Creek Road and a campground for RV’s, hard sided tents, and motor homes on the east side of the road. It’s just past the Grays River Fire Hall. Lisa is the granddaughter of Ed Wirkkala and the daughter of Ron Forberg, so she comes with great credentials for this area. Mark has worked in the HVAC industry and Lisa has worked for a non-profit. Both quit their jobs and made the change to being Wahkiakum County folks. They have their own travel trailer set up near the old silos, but they’re setting up a pad for it with a roof to protect it from the weather. They will build a home in 2022. Their vision for the campground is to develop it into an attractive park with power and water, and possibly a pump out if that can be approved by the county. Mark is looking for photos of the old barn with a big bull on the side of the barn. If you know of that photo or have one yourself that he could copy, call him at (720) 979-1703.

Wahkiakum West photo entries: The phone company is looking for good vertical photos of scenery and buildings. Best one will be used for the cover of the phone directory. Call 360 465-2211 for more information. The chosen photo will bring $125 to the photographer. Submit jpg photo file by mid-November to support@wwest.net. Photo has to be in their service area.

Enhancement/Diking District meeting cancelled: The meeting that was scheduled Sept. 13 was cancelled due to lack of quorum. Poul Toftemark reminds us that this was caused by two commissioners who are not available for the meeting, thus no quorum. This is such a challenge. He is quite concerned that the district will have no one to lead it unless new volunteers step forward. He can be contacted at (360) 465-2232.

4-H Celebration: Oct. 30 is the date for the Wahkiakum County 4-H End of Year Celebration held at the Grays River Grange. For more information, call Carol Ervest at (360) 465-2275.

Art For Naselle Clinic: If you have any art you would like to donate or loan to the “new” clinic in Naselle, let me know at (360) 465-2414 or you can drop it off at the clinic.

Senior Lunches: CAP box lunches are available on Thursdays at Rosburg Hall by calling Denise at (360) 762-3111. Today’s lunch will be turkey roast, potatoes, carrots and mushrooms, sliced oranges; Oct. 21: beef and tater bake, California blend and strawberry parfait; Oct. 28: sausage tortellini bake, sweet potatoes, tropical fruit salad, garlic bread and cookies

Next Senior Lunch Club date: Potluck on Oct. 20 at noon at Rosburg Hall.

Appelo Archives Online Auction: First 10 days in November!

Word for the Week: Trust