Share House supplies running
short for children’s programs
The Children’s Backpack
program, an innovative volunteer effort to ensure that Clark County
children eligible for free or reduced-cost meals through the schools, do
not go hungry at home, is in dire need of food donations. There are
17,000 children in our community who are eligible for free or reduced
cost meals.
Children’s Backpack, along
with the Children’s Summer Meals Program, is operated in partnership
with Evergreen Public Schools, Vancouver School District and Washington
State University Vancouver. The programs served 313 children through the
2008 Summer Lunch Program and 330 children and their families each week
through the backpack program.
The Backpack Program serves
students at 22 participating schools. More than 400 packs filled with 5
to ten pounds of donated, non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food, are
distributed discreetly each Friday after school to ensure that children
and their families have nutritious food to eat during the weekend.
Food items currently needed
include: peanut butter, tuna, pasta/rice-a-roni, macoroni and cheese,
canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned beans, canned soups and stews,
snacks (granola bars, crackers, apple sauce, puddings, small candies).
Donations can be delivered to
the following Share shelters in Vancouver, 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 7
p.m.:
Share Orchards Inn, 5609 NE
102nd Avenue
Share Homestead, 4921 NE Hazel
Dell Avenue
Share House, 1115 W 13th
Street
For more information and to
donate online go to
www.sharevancouver.org or call (360)
695-7658.
SWMC unveils gem of a
treatment device for treating artery disease
The “Diamondback 360°"
sounds more like the name of a fancy mountain
bike than a surgical device, but it is actually a brand new treatment
tool from Cariovascular Systems, Inc.™.
The device was
unveiled today by Southwest Washington Medical
Center as a new option for its patients and a gem of a tool for treating
tough cases of PAD — Peripheral Artery Disease.
Experts said the device spins
in an orbital motion to grind away calcified plaque. The catheter uses
tiny diamonds to pulverize calcified plaque in the arteries that carry
blood from the heart to the legs and the feet. Medical Center officials
said its surgeons are among the first in the Pacific Northwest to offer
treatment utilizing the device.
With every rotation,
centrifugal force of the device presses a diamond “crown” against the
hardened area to remove small particles of plaque until the artery is
smooth again.
“This device is an excellent
option for patients facing major amputation because of advanced PAD,”
says Dr. Stephen Nicholls, MD,
vascular surgeon with Southwest Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, PS..
“We’re saving feet and legs with this technology.”
Clark County Fire & Rescue is
proud to announce the second annual Rides for Toys! The event is
scheduled for Friday, December 12, from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. in the parking
lot to the Battle Ground Fred Meyer located at 401 NW 12th Avenue.
Firefighters will provide free
rides in a fire engine, to both children and adults, in exchange for
new, unwrapped toys for children of all ages.
The toys will be distributed
to children of low-income families, living in our community, through the
North County Community Food Bank.
For additional information,
contact Tamara Bailey at 360-887-4609.
Outdoors on sale: Oregon parks
passes on sale for a whole year
Day-use passes good for 12
months at 26 popular Oregon state parks go on sale today (Dec. 1) for
$20, five dollars off their regular price. The passes will be good
through Dec. 31, 2009.
The annual day-use pass sale is
becoming an Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) holiday
tradition. "We've been having this sale in December since the year 2000,
and the price is still the same," said OPRD Recreation Programs Manager
Richard Walkoski. "That alone has to make the pass one of the best gift
bargains you can find."
This year, customers buying
passes as gifts can add something special to their packages. A 2009
Oregon Sesquicentennial edition of the Oregon State Parks calendar also
is on sale for $10. "It's a one-of-a-kind calendar," said OPRD marketing
specialist Jennifer McCormick. "It's a calendar that can turn into a
souvenir if not a collector's item."
Customers can buy the
calendar, the 12-month day-use pass and a 24-month day-use pass through
the Oregon State Parks Information Center, 1-800-551-6949. Callers can
use either a VISA or a MasterCard credit card. Extra vehicle passes, $5
with a 12-month pass and $10 with a 24-month pass, must be purchased at
the same time.
The state park calendar also
can be purchased through the Oregon State Parks Trust by calling
503-227-0479, or using an online mail order form available at
http://www.oregonstateparkstrust.org/.
Walk-in customers can buy
day-use passes at major OPRD offices, Joe's sports and outdoor stores,
some state park friends' group stores and selected local businesses
throughout the state. A list of vendors is posted at
www.oregonstateparks.org/dayuse_permit_vendors.php.
OPRD even has something for
campers. Gift certificates, redeemable at any state park campground at
any time of year, are sold through the information center and major OPRD
offices for any dollar amount. The certificates have no expiration date.
Calendar
12/1-12/3 -- Clark County
Budget hearings schedule: Wednesday,
November 26 — As soon as a 10 a.m. hearing is finished, the Board
will hold a work session with the Budget Office to consider any
modifications to the draft budget for the public hearings to follow; Monday,
December 1 — 2 p.m. public hearing for elected officials and
county department directors to discuss their 2009-2010 biennial
budgets, sixth-floor training room, Public Service Center, Vancouver; Tuesday,
December 2 — Hearings for the public to speak on the budget:
- 10 a.m., sixth-floor hearing room, Public Service Center, Vancouver
- 6:30 p.m., Rainier Room, Clark County Fire District 5 Northwest
Regional Training Center, 11606 N.E. 66th St., #103, Vancouver; Wednesday,
December 3 — 9 a.m., Board will meet to review the final
2009/2010 budget. Meetings will be held at 9 a.m. on December 4 and 5 if
necessary.
Copies of Clark County’s draft 2009-2010 biennial budget are available
online at
http://www.clark.wa.gov/obis/documents.html or at the Clark
County Office of the Budget, sixth floor, Public Service Center,
Vancouver.
12/2—Columbia River
Crossing Open House, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the
Hilton Vancouver Washington, 301 W. 6th St., Vancouver. Information
about plans for light rail on Hayden Island and in Vancouver; a
replacement bridge across the Columbia River; and improvements to
seven interchanges between SR 500 and Columbia Blvd. in Portland. CRC
technical staff will be available to provide information and answer
questions. More information:
www.columbiarivercrossing.org.
12/2—Public Utility District of Clark
County Board of Commissioners special meeting, Tuesday,
December 2, 2008, 9 a.m. The agenda includes: Consideration of
adoption of 2009 budgets for the electric, generating and water
systems; Discussion of water rates.
12/3—Port
of Ridgefield Commissioners Meeting, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008,
6:00-8:00 p.m., PORT OFFICE, 111 W. Division St., Ridgefield. Meeting
items include: Port Commissioner Applicant Interviews.
12/4—Divine Holiday Home Tour benefitting the hungry among us in Clark County through the Walk &
Knock program.
Click here for additional information and online signup via paypal.
12/5--Greater Vancouver
Chamber of Commerce Charitable Giving
Breakfast Friday, December 5 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Red
Lion at the Quay, 100 Columbia Street, Vancouver. The breakfast is
sponsored by Umpqua Bank. The GVCC will donate $10 from each admission
to its nonprofit members. Entry is $30 members/$50 non-members
pre-registered or $35 members/$60 non-members at the door. Register
online at www.vancouverusa.com or call the events line at
360-694-2588.
12/5--Columbia River Crossing Project Sponsors Council
meets 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Portland Building, 1120 SW Fifth Ave.,
Portland, Room C, second floor. More info:
http://www.columbiarivercrossing.com/
12/8—Fort
Vancouver Regional Library District Board of Trustees meets in
regular session on Mon., Dec. 8, 2008 at the Vancouver Community
Library (in Library Hall) 1007 E. Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver. An
executive session is scheduled for 5 p.m. The public meeting begins at
6 p.m.
Click here for the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce
Community Events Calendar
Today's
Headlines
Links to News of local
& national significance
Susan Forsyth looking
ahead to Scotland.
<>Elizabeth
Hovde
saying farewell & thanks.<>Ruth Waite
wishing for a visit.<>
Kathryn Scott updating.<>
Angela Bacon
getting warmer.<>Kristy Weaver rooting for
the other ducks.
<> Monday,
glorious fall day sunny, 38-56.
Tuesday,
mixed clouds and sun, 39-55. Wednesday, rain likely,
39-48.
The Daily Insider is
published by Tony Bacon P.O. Box 2597, Vancouver, WA 98668. (360)
696-1077.
Fax 694-9886. E-Mail
tony@dailyinsider.info. Annual subscription, $335.00. Free to all
retired persons.
