In your neighborhood

Orchards, Sifton and Brush Prairie

Glenwood Place: John Leach always wanted to go back to Pearl Harbor and reflect on his experience of the Japanese attack there 69 years ago. He especially wanted to visit the memorial to honor shipmates lost in the attack. His health wasn’t good, but he mentioned his wish to Drew Shaffer, resident manager of Glenwood Place Senior Living, and Shaffer told the owners of Glenwood Place, Gary and Christine Rood. The Roods felt it was very important for the Glenwood Place community to make this wish come true for Leach. Employees at Glenwood Place Senior Living coordinated travel arrangements and accommodations, and sent caregiver Casey Grothaus on the trip with Leach. Grothaus, an ex-Marine and caregiver, bonded with Leach on their emotional journey back to Pearl Harbor. Leach joined in a “Walk of Honor” along with 200 more Pearl Harbor survivors and World II veterans.

Sifton: Heritage High School students Sylvia Hoel, Kristie Miles and Janet Gonzalez organized a school blood drive for the Southwest Washington Blood Program as their senior project. The two-day blood drive resulted in 102 registered donors and enough blood to serve 300 patients in Clark County.

Brush Prairie: Russian and Ukrainian musicians from the Smyrna Christian Church in Battle Ground and the Slavic Evangelical Church in Vancouver serenaded the residents of retirement community Merrill Gardens at Orchards Village on Dec. 23. Performing in the main dining room that doubles as the concert hall, the sounds of a traditional Russian Christmas filled the air. There were approximately 20 musicians and 20 singers, many of whom interjected their personal stories of faith and immigration to the Pacific Northwest. Activities director Douglas Webster, a former professional concert and event promoter, said more special concerts are headed for Merrill Gardens.

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

Evergreen High School: A huge children’s Christmas party was held at the high school for the patients of Sea Mar Community Health Care Centers on Dec. 18. Sea Mar has been hosting these parties for more than 20 years. The party included a holiday meal, a visit and photos with Santa, three presents for each child, entertainment, children’s activities, raffles, drawings and door prizes. Co-sponsors were the Vancouver Medical Clinic, WIC, MSS Dental and Sea Mar Behavioral Health.

West Vancouver and Downtown

Lincoln: On Dec. 17, Lt. Col. Duke A. Pirak of Vancouver completed a master of arts degree in security studies at the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Pirak has held numerous positions within the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Fighter Wing and is currently commander of the 142nd Maintenance Squadron. During the 18-month online and in-residence program, Pirak collaborated with Homeland Security officials from across the nation on current policy, strategy, and organizational design challenges. He wrote a thesis on overcoming internal obstacles to updating the National Guard for current security environment. Pirak was also recipient of the Curtis H. “Butch” Straub award given for academic achievement and leadership both inside and outside the classroom.

Fruit Valley: Dec. 17 was the last day of school for Carol Landrum, who’s taught at the Fruit Valley school for 10½ years and in the Vancouver school district for 22. Carol and her husband, Jim, are planning to adopt a snowbird lifestyle, splitting their time between Vancouver and Arizona. She’ll probably continue substitute teaching, she told the most recent Fruit Valley Neighborhood Association newsletter.

Lincoln: The big railroad overpass has been built, but road work is far from over on West 39th Street. Since the new bridge has brought a heavier flow of traffic, the city has embarked upon a variety of related road improvements, including new signs and roadway striping and marking, a new pedestrian signal, removal of some on-street parking and the addition of bike lanes, new curb extensions and accessible sidewalk ramps, a new overhead lighted crosswalk at Leverich Park and landscape enhancements. All should be finished this spring. Total cost: $619,000. The latest neighborhood newsletter notes that West 39th has seen frequent sideswipes and crashes related to on-street parking and speeding; these improvements will create a narrower-looking but slower and safer streetscape.

Ridgefield and Fairgrounds

Ridgefield: Longtime Ridgefield resident Jerry Stallings has been named 2010 Outstanding Citizen of the Year by a Ridgefield committee. Stallings supports and participates in numerous civic activities, including fundraisers for the community center and Ridgefield wrestling and football teams. He is an “honorary member” of the General Federated Women’s Club (dishwasher), works at the Lion’s food booth at the Clark County Fair and helps with National Night Out. He has been involved with Loaves & Fishes and served on the Community Center Board as well as the board of directors at the Ridgefield Nazarene Church.

Central Vancouver, Minnehaha and The Heights

Vancouver Heights: Five people were voted by their neighbors as deserving of the community pride “Vancouver Sparkles” award. They are Larry Richard, the so-called Mayor of 97th Avenue and “the go-to guy on the street when people need help,” according to one nominator. Salli and Dick Sether were selected for organizing neighborhood events, delivering newsletters and helping design and plant a new community garden. And Jan and Tom Kent, longtime neighborhood organizers, were chosen for their personal touch, their participation in foot patrols and their hard work in the neighborhood’s first cleanup event in a decade.

Minnehaha and Truman: As part of its 100th anniversary celebration, First Independent Bank has donated corporate dollars, volunteer hours and books in support of early learning. On Dec. 15 Mojgan Kasraei, manager at the Minnehaha branch at 4500 N.E. St. Johns Road, granted wishes by librarians at Minnehaha and Truman elementary schools. Kasraei delivered books to both schools. “Education has always been a priority for our bank, and we’re pleased to make an investment that supports our local schools and encourages children to keep reading and learning,” said Jeanne Firstenburg, president of First Independent. First Independent worked with the Fort Vancouver Library Foundation to buy the books.

Bagley Downs: After years of inactivity, 2010 was a banner year for Bagley Downs, a central Vancouver neighborhood association that’s home to many immigrants, renters and lower-income folks. Bagley Downs held a cleanup day in August and then a toy drive last month. Eight businesses agreed to toy-donation bins, which were eventually stuffed with 200 toys. Plus, the local Marines’ Toys for Tots program contributed another 1,000. That’s so many, the neighborhood gave all the stuffed animals, and more, to the Vancouver police to be given out to children in need. The rest were given to the local Boys & Girls Club, the OK Clubhouse, in time for its Dec. 15 holiday party. More’s in store in 2011, according to organizer Traci Weaver.

Ogden: After learning about the challenges of the homeless, fifth-grade students at Peter S. Ogden School wanted to make Christmas a little merrier for veterans in the Vancouver Division of the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The youngsters held a gingerbread man fundraiser for the local Transitional Services Center. Student efforts raised $660, which students presented to Rachel Leland, director of Vancouver’s Outreach Program in mid-December.

North Clark County and Woodland

Amboy: Mount St. Helens scientist Peter Frenzen was bestowed the U.S. Forest Service’s 2010 Gifford Pinchot Award for Excellence in Interpretation and Conservation Education at the annual meeting of the National Association of Interpretation in Las Vegas. “A special place like Mount St. Helens deserves the best, and we have it in Peter,” said forest supervisor Janine Clayton. “We are really happy to have his contribution recognized at a national level, and we couldn’t agree more.” The award recognizes Frenzen’s dedication to sharing the knowledge of scientific discovery and nature with volcano visitors, educators and students. He has led efforts to develop award-winning exhibits, educational programs, documentaries and news stories about North America’s youngest and most celebrated volcano. “It’s especially gratifying to receive an award associated with one of the fathers of conservation and the namesake of our own Gifford Pinchot National Forest,” Frenzen said.

Battle Ground, Meadow Glade and Hockinson

Battle Ground: The Washington Music Educators Association picked five Battle Ground Public Schools students to participate in all-state music groups that will perform at the organization’s annual conference in Bellevue in February. One of them was also picked for All-Northwest choir honors. Selections for these honors are made on the basis of audition tapes. In the senior division, alto Remi Skalisky of Battle Ground High School will sing in the All-Northwest Treble Choir, and Lana Ferris of Prairie High School will play French horn in the All-State Concert Band. In the junior division, Angie Sangiamputtakoon of Maple Grove Middle School will play clarinet and Savannah Hamann of Chief Umtuch Middle School will play trombone in the All-State Junior Band. Kaleb Burris of Laurin Middle School will sing baritone in the All-State Junior Choir.

East Clark County: Camas and Washougal

Fern Prairie: Our Family Adoptions, a private nonprofit agency started by Jilma Meneses out of her home north of Camas that aims to encourage adoptions out of the Democratic Republic of Congo, had a most successful — but difficult — year. According to its recent newsletter, OFA assisted in the adoption of 20 orphans out of the DRC 20. It also hand-carried approximately 1,500 pounds of infant formula into the country, delivered approximately $20,000 in direct humanitarian support in the form of 50-kilo bags of beans and boxes of dried fish to orphanages where protein is otherwise not found. OFA also delivered textbooks and toys to children. The downside is that there are so many adoptions in the pipeline, and so many political complications, that OFA is not accepting any new adoption cases right now. You can learn more by visiting http://www.ourfamilyadoptions.org.