Community

Red Cross gets groovy for volunteers

Van Mall — The Southwest Washington Chapter of the American Red Cross welcomed long hair, tie-dyes and headbands for a Flower Power-themed volunteer recognition dinner May 16 at the Heathman Lodge. There are more than 3,000 Red Cross volunteers across the region; nine were honored at the dinner. They are: Lynn Rullman, development; Jan Riske, blood services; Sue Anderson, media; Cathy Kuter, disaster services; Marjorie Varner, armed forces/veterans; June Lasch, administrative; Brandon Posey, board; Adam Griffis, youth; and Jim Boline, who was named 2013 Volunteer of the Year. The dinner was sponsored by Veolia Water North America, based in Vancouver.

High school musicals nominated for statewide honors

Camas — The Camas High School production of Stephen Sondheim's musical fairy-tale mashup "Into the Woods" has been nominated for a whole bunch of awards -- including Outstanding Overall Musical, Outstanding Direction, Lighting Design and Stage Crew as well as numerous individual actor nominations. Lewis and Clark High School's "In the Heights," Liberty High School's "The Wizard of Oz" and Prairie Ground (Battle Ground Public Schools)'s "Singin' in the Rain" are also in the running for multiple awards that will be given out June 11 by Seattle's 5th Avenue Theater in its annual statewide student theater competition.

Grant will buy 3-D printers for middle school

Ridgefield — A View Ridge Middle School teacher will use a $5,000 grant to purchase 3-D printers for classrooms. Tylor Hankins, who developed an "Applied Technology" course in 2011, was awarded the CenturyLink "Teachers and Technology" grant May 28. Students at View Ridge already have experience using 3-D modeling software in class projects. "The students could use the printers to create parts for class projects," Hankins said in a press release. "For instance, students could print their own gears for our recent dragster-racing project."

Park will shine brighter with new lights

Fruit Valley -- Fruit Valley Park will be a bit brighter later this year once two new lights are built behind the community center. The Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation Department is paying for the lights and installation with a newly awarded $30,000 Community Development Block Grant. The Vancouver Police Department and Fruit Valley Neighborhood Association helped the parks department pick the spot based on what they considered an "immediate need," according to the latest Fruit Valley Neighborhood Association newsletter. The project is expected to be completed in late summer or fall.

Surreal face wins real award for VSAA painter

Shumway — A surreal, smiling face painted by junior Melinda Hurst of the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics was featured in the 40th annual Superintendent's High School Art Show at the Office of Public Instruction in Olympia. The show was composed of award winners from across the state; Hurst's painting, "Foiling," won the Association of Washington School Principals award. You can see Hurst's painting, and all the other winners, at www.k12.wa.us/arts/artshow.

Students learn to heart their hearts

Meadow Homes — Fort Vancouver High School students learned about heart health during the May 22 "Heart Your Health: Stay Strong Live Long" fair. On average, an otherwise healthy young person will suffer sudden cardiac arrest in the country every three days. There are often no warning signs, according to The Hope Heart Institute, which coordinated the evening health fair. The event included heart screenings for hundreds of students, first aid instruction and other health-related activities.

Backyard scarecrow keeps watch for new gardener

Ridgefield — When 79-year-old Dolly Hanes' husband, Keith, died in March, she began a garden project in her yard to stay busy.

Girl wins two awards at rabbit show

Ridgefield — At Country Critters 4-H Club's Rabbit Extravaganza, 4-H member Autumn Richardson picked up both the Best of Show honor and Best Opposite Sex. Richardson impressed the judge with her Holland lop rabbits at the annual exhibition May 11 at the Clark County Fairgrounds. In addition to the show, the event included a rabbit costume contest.

JROTC cadet saves peer from choking

Brush Prairie — Air Force Junior ROTC cadet Ben Lee never thought he'd have to use the Heimlich maneuver when he learned the technique several years ago. But in February, the Prairie High School senior's Eagle Scout training paid off when Lee helped force out a piece of a hot dog that was blocking the airway of a peer using the abdominal thrusting move. Lee received the silver JROTC Valor Award for his life-saving action at the Reserve Officers' Training Corps senior awards ceremony on May 16. Lee was eating lunch on Feb. 23 at an ROTC drill competition at the high school when fellow cadet Diego Martinez began choking. "I looked at Ben, and I grabbed my throat and gargled the words, 'I'm choking,'" the Mountain View High School student said in a press release. "Because of Ben Lee's quick reaction and calmness, I am here today."

We want your graduates!

The annual rite of passage is upon us in Clark County. And every parent, grandparent and doting aunt and uncle will be snapping photos of graduates.

Neighbors calendar

A weekly list of neighborhood meetings and events

Everybody Has a Story: Mom-and-pop store taught lifelong lessons

Before there were supermarkets and convenience stores, there were mom-and-pop stores. I'd like to tell you about one in Butte, Mont., that was special to me. It was a small grocery store with a house behind it like a snail's shell. All the best parts of my childhood, including its beginning, happened there.

Volunteer firefighter operates out of rural home in Bear Prairie

He responded in April to first structure fire since station opened in 2008

Pulling up to a blue, one-story residence in rural Bear Prairie, firefighter Frank Billington is met by a Little Tikes plastic car in the yard, a basketball hoop in the driveway and a burly golden Labrador-retriever mix wagging its tail as it approaches.

Vancouver woman named Diver of the Year

Fisher-Mill Plain -- Maybe Janna Nichols spends more time underwater than she does up here. According to the Dive News Network, Vancouver resident Nichols is a scuba instructor, Diving Safety Officer for Washington State University Vancouver and a scientific diver for the American Academy of Underwater Sciences. As a volunteer, she has conducted more than 700 marine life surveys for the Reef Environmental Education Foundation; she has taught fish-identification classes and webinars ("fishinars"); and her underwater photography has appeared guidebooks, newspapers and websites. Now, Nichols has been named Diver of the Year for 2013 by the Dive News Network. Dive into more about Nichols at http://www.pnwscuba.com.

Wildlife refuge worker headed for Hawaii

Ridgefield — Josephine Finley, a staff member at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge who lives in Yacolt, is headed for the big island of Hawaii this summer. But it's not (all) a pleasure trip. Beginning in late July, Finley will study the extinction of species and what it takes to save them. It's part of a graduate course she's taking through Miami University of Oxford, Ohio, and its Project Dragonfly, which has joined with a nonprofit called Earth Expeditions. Earth Expeditions brings university students to global "hotspots" to study ecology and conservation in the field. Visit EarthExpeditions.org to learn more.