The Columbian

Clark County Fairgrounds event a gift for the givers

Debbie Russell, left, one of the founders of the annual Caregiver Christmas, greets Asdrual Garcia, son of a caregiver, as he picks up a gift package on her behalf while joined by Santa, also known as Ralph Heiser.

Dozens of cars filled with caregivers lined up Wednesday outside of the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds, where their occupants were greeted by Santa and his elves, followed by a whole cast of other volunteers dressed in Christmas-themed clothes surrounded by inflatable snowmen, lights and Christmas music. Read story

Lifeline Connections honors two for work in Clark County

December 7, 2022, 5:06am Clark County News Free

Lifeline Connections announced two annual awards last week. Ami Hanna, Collaborative Impact Project Manager at Southwest Washington Accountable Community Health, received the Lifeline Connections’ Award of Excellence. This award is given to individuals in the community who further the cause of substance use disorders and mental health treatment, according to… Read story

The Washington State Department of Health's "Health-in-motion Care-a-van" makes a stop at St. Joseph Catholic Church to distribute COVID-19 vaccinations in February.

Triple whammy of respiratory illnesses hits Clark County

November 30, 2022, 11:23am Clark County Health

Washington, like the country at large, is in the middle of a “triple whammy” of respiratory illnesses as hospital beds continue to fill with COVID-19, flu and RSV patients. Read story

FISH of Vancouver receives donation from local credit union

November 30, 2022, 5:14am Clark County News Free

OnPoint Community Credit Union announced a $5,000 donation to FISH of Vancouver this Giving Tuesday. The donation will go toward supporting Fish of Vancouver’s mission of providing healthy food to Washingtonians in need. Read story

Clark County Food Bank President Alan Hamilton, center, and Board Chair Elson Strahan, left, stand and deliver speeches during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Clark County Food Bank's new Vision Center.

Clark County Food Bank sets sights expanding capacity, meeting county’s growing needs

November 29, 2022, 4:39pm Clark County News

Huddled together under a tent in the rain, community members watched as construction of the new Vision Center at the Clark County Food Bank began Tuesday morning while a group of seven people invested in the project broke ground on the plot a few hundred yards away from the Clark… Read story

Clark County organizations participate in Giving Tuesday

November 29, 2022, 6:04am Clark County News

Nonprofits across the county, state, nation and world are participating in the 10th annual Giving Tuesday campaign, a day promoting charitable donations on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Read story

Dan Ratermann talks about the work that went into building toys at Affinity at Vancouver. Members of the retirement community built and painted the wooden toys and are donating them to the Children's Center.

Vancouver toymakers bring joy to kids at Children’s Center

November 28, 2022, 5:39pm Clark County News

Some of Santa’s elves were hard at work this year, building toys for children in Clark County. The toymaker elves at Affinity at Vancouver, a local senior living community, built 46 wooden toys to donate to the Children’s Center. Read story

Stories by Nika Bartoo-Smith

Columbian staff reporter