In your neighborhood, Dec. 23

West Vancouver and Downtown

Esther Short: More than 150 people gathered in Esther Short Park on Dec. 13 for the grand lighting of the menorah by members of the Chabad Jewish Center. Chabad Hebrew School students led the blessings before the menorah was lit. Afterwards, inside the Hilton Vancouver Washington, guests enjoyed traditional Hanukkah foods including doughnuts and latkes. Students from the Gan, Vancouver’s Jewish preschool, performed their Hanukkah songs and the Sasson Klez band from Seattle led the entertainment.

Hazel Dell, Felida and Salmon Creek

Salmon Creek: It was an incredibly festive — and tiring — day as Harold Van Norman’s Farmers Insurance Agency on Northeast 20th Avenue exchanged Christmas trees for donated food on Dec. 7. People brought in more than 1,000 pounds of food for the Clark County Food Bank; in return, he gave out more than 100 trees. Van Norman thanked Mike and Jean Baggs of White Lane Christmas Tree Farm in Oregon City, Ore.; Ken Leava for transporting the trees and helping all day; and the Good Pizza Company for keeping everybody fed. Look for another food-for-trees drive next year.

Northeast Hazel Dell: It may be cold outside, but work at the Hazel Dell School and Community Garden carries on. On a recent cool and dry afternoon, Clark College students assisted Washington State University Food $ense and 4-H Coordinator Jodee Nickel and WSU master gardeners Bobbi Bellomy and Barbara Nordstrom in planting raspberries, spreading bark, moving soil into beds, and removing weeds. The garden is being “put to bed for the winter” and prepared for the 15 new families and 10 returning families who will garden raised beds in spring. In addition, the children of the adjacent Boys and Girls Club and Hazel Dell Elementary School will participate in spring projects including Hazel Dell Elementary School’s annual Enrichment Fair.

North Salmon Creek: Chinook Elementary School Principal Joe Lapidus accepted a $5,000 Key Community Grant from the Adalis Corp. on Dec. 4. The money will be used for an after-school math enrichment and tutorial program. The grant was one of three given out by Adalis, a packaging company headquartered in Vancouver. Adalis gave out the money to help promote the education of young people in science, math and engineering.

Central Vancouver, Minnehaha and The Heights

Central Park: More than 300 people turned out Dec. 11 at the Luepke Center for the annual holiday party hosted by the Clark County chapter of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The event featured a full catered meal and music from the Metropolitan Youth Symphony. Usually the group charges by the musician, according to NAMI chapter president Don Greenwood, but not for NAMI. Santa Claus was there and everybody got gifts and stockings.

Central Park: Clark College communications studies professor and debate coach David Kosloski has been given the Community College Outstanding Educator Award by the National Communication Association. The award was presented in Chicago on Nov. 14 during the association’s national convention. The award is given annually to an NCA member who has a minimum of five years’ experience of teaching, scholarship, and service within the communication discipline. “I was both thrilled and honored when I was told I had received this award,” Kosloski said in a news release. “Though teaching has its own rewards, it’s icing on the cake when your colleagues recognize your efforts, as well.”

Central Park: Clark College automotive technology professor Mike Godson was the highest scorer among nearly 15,000 people on the national L1 (advanced engine performance) exam. In recognition of his achievement, Godson was awarded the L1 Master Technician of the Year award by Automotive Service Excellence and Motor Age Training during the ASE board meeting, held Nov. 18-19 in New Orleans. This is the second honor Godson received in recognition of his performance on the exam. In July, he was named Educator of the Year during the 2009 North American Council of Automotive Teachers conference for excelling on all ASE automotive tests (A1-A8) and the L1 exam.

Vancouver Heights: Employees at the WorkSource Vancouver donated more than 100 toys and 74 gift cards to the Clark County Sheriff’s Santa Posse to help less fortunate families during the holidays. Staff members paid for the privilege of wearing jeans on Fridays in order to provide the toys. “We knew the staff would step up and participate when we told them what we wanted to do. We managed to raise $1,500,” said Beth Hammer, co-director of WorkSource Vancouver. “Sometimes older kids are not included in donations because it’s more fun to buy toys for small children,” said Hammer. “So we made sure to purchase gift cards geared towards teens.” The group also wanted to support local businesses. “It was important to us that we spent the money locally and support a small toy store, so we picked Kazoodles,” said Hammer. Downtown Vancouver’s Kazoodles Toys provided a discount, allowing the money to go even further. The Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council heard what WorkSource was doing and offered to help match money that was raised. American Express rewards points allowed the Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council to match funds raised by WorkSource.

North Clark County and Woodland

Woodland: Verizon Wireless has placed a new cell tower site just east of Woodland to better serve an area along the North Fork of the Lewis River near Lake Merwin, the company said Dec. 15. The tower is also intended to boost cell phone and wireless access for residents in northeast Clark County. The new cell site will enable both residents and small businesses to access the Web, e-mail, text and make calls using wireless devices and is part of Verizon Wireless efforts to enhance services and coverage in Oregon and Washington where the company invested $213 million in service upgrades in 2008.

East Vancouver, Cascade Park, Fisher’s Landing and Evergreen

Mountain View: Courtne Schick, a sophomore at Mountain View High School, decided to raise a guide dog puppy, a yellow Labrador she named Corbin. She worked with him as a member of the Sight Seers 4-H club, led by Sharon Majewski. But instead of making life better for a blind person, Corbin was chosen to become a Washington State Patrol Narcotics K-9 officer, working with Trooper Rob Gardiner all over Southwest Washington. “Trooper Gardiner evaluates 500 dogs every year. Last year six dogs were accepted for advanced training and four graduated and are active narcotics K-9 officers. Corbin was the number one dog in his class,” proud mom Elaine Schick wrote in an e-mail.

Cascade Southeast: When the cold weather hit the area recently, members at Living Hope Church’s east Vancouver branch sprang into action to help keep the homeless warm. Earlier this month, member Karen Walker and about 30 others from the church filled a van with donated coats and took them to downtown Portland. The group fanned out around the Pioneer Square area and told homeless folks they could have a free coat if they wanted. Walker even gave her own mittens away.

Bella Vista: The neighborhood association has re-elected all its standing officers: Bob Rowe, president; Nancy Roth, secretary; and Kathy Carmody, treasurer. The vice president position remains open.

Northfield: The Northfield Neighborhood Association has elected some new officers and re-elected others. The officers and board of directors now are: Sarah Benson, president; Patricia Hittner, vice president; Esther Schrader, treasurer; Diane Lape and Dian Loftstrom, board members. Northfield is a “small but energetic neighborhood association with 270 homes,” according to the city.

Hazel Dell, Felida and Salmon Creek

Lake Shore: At last count, Frances Lyons had made 100-plus American flag afghans for current troops and military veterans. “Some are people who have lost a son or husband. Some are for the troops themselves. It’s my way of saying thank you,” she said. The first recipient was her own son, a disabled veteran. There’s no set way she distributes the flag afghans, she said; some are personal acquaintances and others are friends of friends. “I wrap each and every one and put a card in each and every one,” she said. “They’re not perfectly made but the love that went in is perfect.” Her preferred flag is an early American design with 13 stars in a circle.

Salmon Creek: Donna Hays and a group of parishioners at the North Creek Church on Northeast Highway 99 went above and beyond as they set out to meet a church challenge. They were given $100 and a mission: to bless someone in need by giving the money away. They settled on folks living at Share House in downtown Vancouver, and they supplemented the money by drumming up donations of goods and services from local businesses — $750 in gift certificates from Billygan’s Roadhouse, $275 in gift certificates from Vancouver Pizza; more than 100 pounds of clothing and 300 brand new toys; diapers, formula, and baby food; 200 tubes of toothpaste and hundreds of coupons for free medical visits; and one free car repair from Gaynor’s Automotive. With all those contributions, the original $100 was used to throw a party for the Share folks.

Battle Ground, Meadow Glade and Hockinson

Hockinson: The 72 families of the Apostolic Lutheran Church sure had a lot of stuff they didn’t need anymore. So, at the suggestion of Donna Aho, they held a clothing giveaway for anybody who wanted to come and shop for free. Church ladies organized everything on 29 long tables and hung signs to help folks find what they wanted. A huge amount of leftover clothes was bagged up for the Arc of Clark County, a charity that advocates for people with developmental disabilities. The giveaway was such a success, according to Jeanne LaViollette, that the church now plans to do it twice a year.

Ridgefield and Fairgrounds

Ridgefield: Students and families at Union Ridge Elementary School will be able to enjoy four math and science education nights because of a $5,000 donation from the Adalis Corp., a packaging company headquartered in Vancouver. Adalis gave out three Key Community Grants on Dec. 4 to help promote the education of young people in science, math and engineering. Anja Felton, a second-grade teacher and science liaison, and Kippi Barbouletos Brink, district math coach, accepted the grant on behalf of Union Ridge.