Pick up your Star Program application

VERY COLD—Well, I don't know about where you live, but out here in West Valley, we saw temperatures plummet down into the low twenties on both Friday and Saturday nights, and I can tell you that my old bones were not appreciative of such frigid conditions. While Fall is here and cooler and damper conditions are expected, these particular temperatures belong to Winter weather and I hope they will not become a frequent thing just yet, way too cold for me. The forecast several days after this comes out on Thursday, shows a very wet pattern so now we can get a bit concerned since none of us like to see long stretches of rain due to flooding concerns. We should keep our boots handy and our supplies on hand, because who knows what we'll be dealing with during these next few months. If you're new here, you might not know that things can get ugly in a hurry around here, be prepared!

TWO CORRECTIONS—First of all, the dates for the upcoming Lefse making/sale over at the Norse Hall are not as listed in my last column, nor on the Community Calendar, so please be advised that the Lefse makers are at the Norse Hall as you are reading this, so if you want to help them out, you can head to the hall right away. If you want to learn how to make lefse, that is scheduled for Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. says President Jan Silvestri 360-431-1705. I was told you will also be able to buy Lefse on Saturday, Nov. 4 as well as Sunday, Nov. 5, which is their usual busy day to sell their lefse and other items. Go to the Norse Hall to either help out in the prep, the making of the rounds or the assembly. If you just want to buy some, you have until Sunday. Your support is very much appreciated. Now, correction number two, the Veteran's Dinner happening at our Saviors Lutheran Church on Puget Island will be held on Saturday Nov. 11, not as stated in my column, which said it was on Sunday, my apologies. The dinner will begin at 5 p.m, and will be catered by Maria's.

COMMUNITY BREAKFAST—Don't forget that every Thursday down here in Skamokawa, there is a free community breakfast that is available for those who would like to come on down to the Skamokawa Grange Hall between 10 a.m. and noon and enjoy a meal and a cup of coffee with others. Donations are always deeply appreciated in order to keep this program going, whether its cash to help pay the rent or a container of coffee or creamer or paper plates, etc., it's all appreciated. Don't forget, the Skamokawa Grange Hall is a great place to hold an event where more room is needed than you have at your house, so contact Becky Ledtke at (360) 795-3434 or Leah Cristaldi at (360) 916-6916 if you'd like to rent the place and check on availability. A half day rental is seventy dollars and a full day rental is One hundred and twenty, a refundable cleaning deposit is also required.

SHOP WITH A COP—The big event and fund raiser for our local officers to take local children Christmas shopping is happening this Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Duck Inn. We hope you have made your reservations and are bringing your wallets so we can make a lot of kids happy this year. Doors open at 4 to view the silent auction items and the all you can eat Italian dinner will be at 5 p.m, 360-795-6055. Let's get some Christmas cheer going with your generous bids and let's have some fun starting those bidding wars.

GIFTS AND DECOR BAZAAR—Just another quick reminder that the Holiday theme is going strong over at Our Saviours Lutheran Church this Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. It's always great to go and check out all the holiday crafts that the talented folks in the area have made and would be a beautiful addition to our own holiday decor or a wonderful gift as well. We hope you'll check them out. If you need more information about this event contact Susan Gentry at 702-403-3684.

TICK TOCK—It won't be long and the Star program will be putting out Christmas trees with kids' names on them with their wish list on it, so that you can take a star and buy those items for that particular child. The applications for this program that serves families who may struggle to provide a wonderful holiday experience for their children, just came out on Halloween. There are three places that you can pick up one of these applications and so if you feel you could use a little help this year, get it filled out and turned in as soon as you can, the cutoff date is November 20 but it's best to turn it in ASAP. You can pick up an application, as well as return it, to either the Bank of the Pacific, Health and Human Services or St. James Family Center. Once the applications are approved and the Star Trees are ready, you'll have seven places where they will be put up so you can pick a star, and they are: The Duck Inn, the Skamokawa Store/Resort, Scribbles, the Video Store, Cathlamet Pharmacy, the Bank of the Pacific and the First Interstate Bank. If you don't want to pick a star but want to help provide things for these kids, you can make your donations to the Star Program at the Bank of the Pacific, your help would truly be appreciated. The current Star Program team consists of NovaLee Knopp, John Knopp and Pam Conrad. A big thank-you to them for all their hard work and dedication all these years.

GET WELL—We want to give a get well shout out to our former local songbird, Laurie Miller, who has been under the weather with Covid, so that's certainly a bummer. It seems you can get through the worst of the worst of times without getting it and then wham, there ya go, got'cha. We definitely wish her the speediest of recoveries.

SPECIAL DAYS—Those celebrating their birthdays this coming week from Nov. 2 thru 8 are: Nicole McKinley, Greg Parke, Trystan Parke, Bev England, Elaine Britt, Phil Corbin, April Murdock, Aubrea Helms, Charlie McClain, Ginger Moonen, Anna Kuhn, Ryan Vincent, Pete Cooper, Mary Simpson Moonen, Marsha Souvenir, Chelsea Paulsen, Diane Tischer, Carol Carver, Mitchel Vik, Bobbie Clark, Kaden Chevalier, Jesse Holm, Teylor Sauer, Brody Ashe, Ashlynn Grasseth, Brad McNally, Lisa Robinson, James Tuner, Starla Hansen, Michael Watkins, Lindsey Anderson, Henry Pype, Skip Irving, Patty Hosley Shanahan, Linda Palmer Spieth, Libby Davison and Chris Bernard. Those celebrating their anniversaries this week are: Mr. and Mrs. Tim Dickson, Eric and Rachelle Velazquez, Skylor and Shelby Grasseth, Lucas and Austyn Getman and Tony and Kari Martin.....may you all have wonderful celebrations on your special days. Additions or corrections? Call me!

MAIL EARLY REMINDER—The holiday season is right around the corner and you're being urged to mail those Christmas packages during the first week of December to make sure your package arrives in plenty of time, as well as not getting lost in the shuffle of all the big rush closer to Christmas, so you've only got a month to go. Here's to swift deliveries and no lost packages.