Innovative Services NW names
Caring Heart Award winners

Six individuals and three organizations are winners of Caring Heart Awards, presented annually by Innovative Services NW, which each week, through five agencies, serves over 950 children, adults and families with disabilities and social disadvantages.

Sandee and Al Kirkwood, founders of For the Children, who recently provided a $250,000 match gift to Innovative Services NW’s A Future for All capital campaign, were named winners of the organization’s Chairman of the Board Caring Heart Award.

Monica Meyer, coordinator and co-chair of Education Service District 112 Regional Autism Consulting Cadre, was named Community Advocacy Caring Heart Award Winner. Meyer is a member of the state Caring for Washington Individuals with Autism Task Force, chair of the Clark County Interagency Coordinating Council, a member of the Board of Directors for Autism Community Services and past president of the Autism Society of Washington.

Kassie Fisk, chair of Innovative Services NW Development Advisory Board and live auction chair of the organization’s annual Care Affair Auction, was named winner of the Board of Directors Caring Heart award.

Bronze artist Jim Demetro, who annually donates sculpture for the Care Affair Auction, was named the Hometown Caring Heart Award winner.

Rhonda Peterson earned the EveAnn Classen Leadership Caring Heart Award for the work she has done as a member of Innovative Services NW board of directors for the past 20 years. A high school child development teacher, Peterson is member of Vancouver Children’s Therapy Center Advisory Board.

The Assistance League of Southwest Washington was named Innovative Services NW’s Children’s Caring Heart Award winner. Cinetopia, luxury eight-screen movie theater and entertainment complex, won the Employment Caring Heart Award. The Equity Group Foundation, which during 2006 contributed $146 to local area nonprofit organizations, earned the Innovative Services NW Development Caring Heart Award.

The awards will be presented during the 5th annual Caring Heart Awards Dinner Saturday, March 31. For further information on the dinner, call Michael Wilson, 823-5177.

Bryon Hanke appointed to national
power policy makers council

Bryon Hanke, elected to the board of directors of Clark Public Utilities in 2002, has been appointed to a three-year term on the American Public Power Association’s Policy Makers Council. APPA is a Washington D.C.-based national service organization representing more than 2,000 nonprofit, community owned electric utilities serving over 44 million customers.

Hanke also is a member of the boards of directors of the Northwest Public Power Association and the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.

A Clark County native, Hanke is a retired executive director of the Port of Vancouver, where he served 15 years. He previously had served in a number of management positions with Clark Public Utilities prior to going to the port.

Southwest Washington Medical Center
earns sixth 100 Top Hospital designation

For the sixth time in 14 years, Southwest Washington Medical Center has been named one of the nation’s top 100 hospitals.

SWMC is the only hospital in Vancouver-Portland metropolitan area to earn the award for 2006. The medical center is one of only 40 hospitals in the United States to have earned the highly prized designation six times, putting SWMC in the top 1 percent of 3,000 hospitals nationwide.

The designation, presented annually by Solucient 100 Top Hospitals, measures hospitals in nine key performance areas. SWMC CEO and president Joe Kortum said: “I love this award because you can’t buy your way into this exclusive club of high performing hospitals. The award is an independent assessment of the outstanding team of professionals and volunteers working in concert to raise the bar on quality, safety and patient satisfaction.”

According to Kortum, 100 Top Hospital award winners treat more patients per bed at a lower cost than non-inning hospitals, pay $3,200 more in salaries and benefits to full-time employees than non-winning hospitals, and have profit margins nearly three times higher than average.

Calendar

A Native American blessing of the abundance of Clark County water opens the 6:30-to-9 p.m. World Water Day Forum this evening in the Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way. Presenters are Gary Boe, Daniel Barnett, Jerry Rollings, Ed Heidt and Glen Waller. There is no charge. n The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, directed by Jaynie Roberts, is being presented by the Magenta Theater Company in the First Baptist Church, 108 W. 27th Street. Show times are 7 p.m. this evening and Friday, March 23, and 3 p.m. Saturday, March 24. Admission is $10 to $13, slightly higher at the door. For reservations, call 635-4358.

Thursday, March 22 Headlines

County offers developers a deal; increased building fees to pay for improved traffic in exchange for permission to build two large commercial projects and 1,000 homes in the Orchards Area--Columbian, Michael Andersen

County population now 412,938, but rate of growth in 2006--2.2 percent--is roughly half that of the mid 1990s--Columbian, Jeffrey Mize

Southwest Washington Medical Center makes it to the top 100 for the sixth time--Columbian, Julia Anderson

Clark Public Utilities gas-fired turbine may be needed to supply power when wind isn't blowing turbines--Columbian

Pasco area was the fastest growing part of the state in  2006--Seattle Times, AP

Legislators approve enhanced $40 driver's  license that could ease Canadian border crossing without passport--Seattle Times, AP, David Ammons

Gang activity surging in the state--Seattle P-I, Chris McGann