Vancouver Housing
Authority Board of Commissioners elects new officers
Ceci Ryan Smith
Ceci Ryan Smith was elected
as chair of the board by the Vancouver Housing Authority Board of
Commissioners at their annual meeting on February 24. Smith was
appointed to the Board of Commissioners in 2003. In addition to her
duties on the VHA Board, she is past president of the Clark College
Alumni Association, and has served the community in many capacities,
including the Columbian Advisory Board, Design Review Board for the
City of Vancouver, InterAct Board framing Clark County Priorities,
West Vancouver Healthcare Advisory Committee for Southwest
Washington Medical Center, Fort Vancouver Regional Library
Foundation, and the Clark College Foundation Board of Directors.
Also elected is Art Miles to
the position of vice chair. Commissioner Miles has served on the VHA
Board since 2005. He is a Certified Public Accountant for Moss Adams
LLP, a regional Certified Public Accounting firm.
Other members of the VHA Board of Commissioners:
Ronald K. Kawamoto, who is a
commercial real estate broker for the firm of Norris Beggs & Simpson
and who has served as chair of the board for the past three years;
Debra Conway, who is parent
partner lead in Clark County’s Washington Division of Children and
Family Services office; Lloyd
Halverson, who is also Camas city administrator; and
Greg Kimsey, who is also
Clark County auditor.
The Board of Commissioners oversees the work of the Vancouver
Housing Authority, which serves more than 7,500 very low-income
children, parents, elderly, and disabled people with subsidized
housing. The VHA also contributes to the sustainability of Clark
County with non-subsidized affordable workforce housing and
community development activities that provide homes for an
additional 5,000 people.
Committee to Re-Elect Greg Kimsey hosts tenth annual “Pre-St.
Paddy’s Day” event
Greg Kimsey
Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey
is having his 10th annual “Pre-St. Paddy’s Day” from 5:30 to
7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 11, at Club Green Meadows, 7703 NE 72nd
Avenue. Everyone is welcome, including children. There is no
admission charge, although contributions of any amount will be
gratefully accepted. The purpose of the event is to support Kimsey
as he begins preparations for his next re-election campaign.
Entertainment will be provided by Irish Step Dancers from the
acclaimed Andaire Academy of Irish Dance, with performances at 6 p.m
and 7 p.m. Food and beverages will be provided.
This year’s event will have a new feature: following their second
performance, the Irish Step Dancers will be inviting children to
join them on the stage to participate in a
ce’ili, or group dance.
Last year’s event, from which all proceeds were donated to the Free
Clinic of SW Washington, was attended by more than 300 persons.
For more information or to confirm your attendance, call
521-6685 or email
gkimsey@comcast.net.
NW
Natural donates $7,500 to invest in young readers
Fort Vancouver Regional Library (FVRL) Foundation has announced a
$7,500 donation from NW Natural to support Fort Vancouver Regional
Library District’s 2010 Summer Reading Program. NW Natural’s gift
will be used to purchase approximately 7,500 prizes for the popular
program. The Summer Reading Program rewards children for time spent
reading, or being read to. Upon completing five hours of reading,
each child receives an achievement certificate and a prize for their
participation. Teens, 13–19 years of age, earn $5 Barnes & Noble
gift cards or an opportunity to enter ‘Grand Prize’ drawings after
10 hours of reading.
“A
thriving community depends on healthy and happy children and
families, which is why NW Natural is proud to provide ongoing
support for the Summer Reading Program,” says
Von Summers of NW Natural.
“The program provides an enriching experience that shapes children’s
lives for the better.”
In
2009, 22,000 children and teens participated in the Summer Reading
Program. Prizes awarded totaled 39,911, resulting in more than 13
million minutes of accumulated reading during the months June
through August.
Additional support for the 2010 Summer Reading Program was provided
by Les Schwab Tire Centers, The Columbian, The Rock Wood Fired Pizza
& Spirits, Vancouver Family Magazine, McDonald’s, Friends of the
Library, efforts from FVRL Teen Councils and the Fort Vancouver
Regional Library Foundation.
Wanted:
teachers who ‘make a difference’
It
is time for the annual “Teachers Make a Difference” awards in Battle
Ground.
Members of the public are invited to nominate Battle Ground School
District teachers or other employees who made a substantial,
positive difference in their lives or the lives of others. All
district employees are eligible to be nominated. The winners will be
announced and honored at a ceremony at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 22, at
Chief Umtuch Middle School.
The public, as well as employees, are encouraged to submit
nominations. The form is available on the district’s website at
www.bgsd.k12.wa.us.
Deadline for nominations is 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 6.
The awards are sponsored by the Battle Ground Education Foundation.
More information, contact Linda
Gellings, Battle Ground Public Schools,
885-5381.
News Briefs
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will
re-draw from all its ticket submissions to determine the winner of
its 2005 Ford Mustang LE convertible, which was donated by
Carolyn Propstra of
Vancouver, VSO Board Chair Betty Sue
Morris had announced last week. On Sunday, February 21, an
initial drawing was held at Skyview Concert Hall to determine the
winner of the car after fourteen weeks of raffle ticket sales.
Because of an inadvertent omission of 89 tickets not included in the
drawing, a decision was made by the VSO Board’s executive committee,
on advice from the Washington State Gambling Commission, to re-draw
a winner. Anyone wishing to withdraw his or her ticket for a full
refund is allowed to do so in person at The VSO office at 1220 Main
Street in downtown Vancouver until noon on Thursday, March 11. The
drawing will be held at noon on Monday, March 15, in the sixth floor
Hearing Room of the Clark County Public Service Center at 1300
Franklin Street, Vancouver. The drawing is open to the public, with
the winner being notified immediately.
<> Paper
Tiger Coffeehouse is having an open mic poetry reading at 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 18, 703 Grand Blvd., Vancouver.
Jim Martin will be the
featured reader. Martin, a retired biologist and teacher, spends
time with family, volunteering at animal shelters, advising and
board work in science inquiry education, doing tap and ballet,
writing and reading poetry at open mic, and doing and exhibiting
photography.
Calendar
Battle Ground Planning Commission
meets at 7 p.m. tonight, March 10, in City Council chambers, 109 SW
1st Street, 2nd floor.
<>
La Center City Council meets at 7 p.m. tonight,
March, 10, in City Council chambers, 214 East 4th Street.
<>
A senior luncheon is being held at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, March
11, in the La Center Community Center. Lunch will be served by
Loaves and Fishes. For more information, call
567-7670.
Wednesday
on the air
Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners (3-9)--4:30 p.m. CVTV
Clark County Planning Commission (2-18)--7:30 p.m. CVTV
Clark County Board of Health Work Session on Health Equity with the
Public Health Advisory Council (2-16)--8:45 p.m. CVTV
Community Choices Report Card Forum - "What Does It Take To Be
Healthy?" (2-3)--10:30 p.m. CVTV
Community
Calendar Links
Wednesday,
March 10, 2010 Headlines
Links to news of
local & national significance
Former Hudson's Bay teacher shoots for the stars--Columbian, Tom
Vogt
Tender young roots grafted onto Vancouver's Old Apple
Tree--Columbian, Tom Vogt
Construction spurs expansion for Great Western Malting--Columbian,
Libby Tucker
Students from Washington State School for the Blind try skiing at
Mount Hood--Oregonian, Tom Hallman Jr.
Port
launches joint marketing program--Columbian, Columbian Staff
Ex-Olympic star Marion Jones signs with WNBA team--USA Today, AP
