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Bits ‘n’ Pieces: Garden experts bring convention to Clark County

The Columbian
Published: January 8, 2010, 12:00am
3 Photos
Master Gardeners, from left, Fran Hammond, Dean Sutera and Karen Palmer
Master Gardeners, from left, Fran Hammond, Dean Sutera and Karen Palmer Photo Gallery

After Dean Sutera retired from Fred Meyer, he finally had the time to take classes to become a Master Gardener. It had been an interest of his since his wife graduated from the program in 1996 and he’d started attending Master Gardener conventions with her.

As Sutera, 63, was graduating in 2008, he learned there was an opportunity for Clark County to compete to host the 2010 Washington State Master Gardener Advanced Education Convention.

Bringing the convention here was a goal he shared with fellow Master Gardeners Fran Hammond, a 63-year-old Vancouver resident, and Karen Palmer, 54, who lives in Hockinson.

The three all sort of pointed fingers at each other and said they’d be willing to head up the effort if the others would help, Hammond and Palmer explained.

Sutera, who lives near Battle Ground, agreed to be the chairman of the convention committee.

Sutera, Hammond and Palmer were successful and the Master Gardener Foundation of Clark County will host the convention from Sept. 23 to 25 at the Red Lion Hotel at the Quay in Vancouver. It’s the first time the convention has been held here since the Master Gardener program was started in Washington state 37 years ago, Sutera said. “We think that’s quite an honor.”

Hospital worker spearheads fundraising calendar effort

At last year’s walk benefitting NAMI Clark County, team captain Suzi Ayres decided she wanted to do more for the organization that provides free support to those suffering from mental illness, as well as their families.

“I was excited that we had this resource in the community,” said Ayres, a 58-year-old Washougal resident who works as a monitor technician and teaches CPR and first aid at Southwest Washington Medical Center. “Working at the hospital, I’ve worked with people who were in the manic phase or in a bad place with their mental illness.”

Ayres approached 12 male nurses, certified nursing assistants and monitor technicians working in the medical center’s Firstenburg Tower about posing for a 2010 calendar, “Real-Men of Medicine.” All proceeds go to NAMI Clark County.

Each month features one man either on the job or doing an activity of interest, whether it’s playing basketball or the violin. The inside photos were taken by Vancouver School of Arts and Academics senior Julie Kuhlman and her boyfriend, Clark College student Andrew Jeffers. The cover shot was taken by Southwest Washington Medical Center registered nurse Steve Purvis.

The calendar is available in the medical center gift shop or through NAMI at 360-695-2823.

Vancouver boy a born volunteer

Vancouver’s James Welch was looking for a way to give back to the community when a friend suggested he become involved with the Children’s Home Society of Washington’s Giving Tree event.

Through the Giving Tree, volunteers can adopt families and ensure they have presents on Christmas.

Welch adopted a family in 2006 and his son Joe joined him at the event where the gifts were distributed.

Joe was only 3 years old on his first visit, but became more and more involved each year.

This past year at 6 years old, Joe developed into a full-fledged volunteer in his own right. He helped man a booth to recruit volunteers at Vancouver’s Westfield Vancouver mall and at the Giving Tree event he helped distribute hats to families, load presents into recipients’ cars, signed volunteers in and even offered to get a cup of coffee for an elderly man. He was the event’s youngest working volunteer, a Children’s Home Society spokeswoman said.

“We got there at 10, left at 6 and he worked every minute of it,” Welch said of his son who attends first grade at Fisher’s Landing Elementary School. “Hopefully he can impact someone’s life, even if he doesn’t know it.”

Bits ’n’ Pieces appears Mondays and Fridays. If you have a story you’d like to share, call Features Editor Elisa Williams, 360-735-4561, or e-mail elisa.williams@columbian.com.

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