The NSCNA will welcome Michelle Solari from the Goddard School and Dave Brown from Northwest Wild Fish Rescue to the January 24th general meeting to be held at 7:00 pm at Riverview Community Bank Salmon Creek (by Salmon Creek Fred Meyer, 800 NE Tenney Rd). We will also be presenting the awards for the 2011 Holiday Lighting Contest.

Michelle will give a short presentation on the new Goddard School that is being built in Salmon Creek.  The brand new state-of-the-art 8000 sq. ft. building will be built between Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital and WSU Vancouver, near the junctions of both I-5 and I-205. The school will feature a year round extended day program for ages six weeks to six years and will offer an accredited education program designed to enhance the development of its students.

Dave Brown grew up in Northern California and had the luck to be able to fish for steelhead on some of their most storied rivers. But the fish started to disappear. Jobs took him away but he always managed to continue fly fishing. He eventually settled in north Clark County where he has lived for 20+ years. In the early nineties he decided to try to make a difference for the fish. Using his own funds and a lot of hard, physical labor, he started to rescue wild coho and steelhead fry from Mill Creek in areas where the water had dried up. When he started he rescued only about 600 fry. He has since expanded his rescue work to Mason Creek and Salmon Creek. Last year he formed a non-profit, Northwest Wild Fish Rescue. To hear more about this program, please attend the meeting on January 24th.

Not so with Vancouver’s local bank, Riverview Community Bank. As part of their recent Annual Food Drive, Riverview has already generated the equivalent of 428,000 pounds of food in donations and cash from their employees, clients, friends and media partners. The effort supports local food banks, and it just one way that Riverview gives back in our community.

But they’re not done yet. Riverview is taking food and donations at all locations through Tuesday, January 17, as they look to finish strong and tip the scales at 500,000 pounds (that’s half a million, for us not used to seeing so many zeros).

Riverview is also donating $1 for when folks “like” and “share” on their facebook page, so it can be a simple couple of clicks to add 40 pounds to this great cause.

We can’t ‘weight’ to see how they finish.

This post: “Riverview Annual Food Drive Looking to Finish Strong” was originally featured at Clark County Live!

For more detailed coverage of the People, Places, Activities and Events throughout the neighborhoods of Clark County, please visit Clark County Live!

Our young athletes have got heart, and the Quinn Driscoll Foundation along with PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center want to be sure it keeps beating strong! On Saturday, February 25, 2012 Southwest’s Heart and Vascular Center and the Quinn Driscoll Foundation are offering  Young Champions Heart Screenings.

“Young Champions is a program providing advanced heart screenings for student athletes in Clark County, sponsored by PeaceHealth Southwest’s Heart and Vascular Center and the Quinn Driscoll Foundation.

The Quinn Driscoll Foundation is named for 13-year-old Quinn Driscoll, a student athlete at Wy’ East Middle School who died in 2009 after suffering cardiac arrest while running on the track during gym class. Quinn had undiagnosed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a serious heart condition that is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.

It is believed to exist in roughly 1 out of 500 individuals, and approximately one case of sudden cardiac death occurs every three days in organized youth sports across the United States. “Young Champions” heart screenings can detect HCM using an Echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, in addition to a comprehensive EKG.”

Any Clark County middle or high school athlete, band member or cheerleader from 13 – 18 years old is eligible for a “Young Champions” screening. Although designed for the student athlete, this screening event also accommodates all children in the age group who may be at risk. This screening does not take the place of the pre-performance examination requirement for all student athletes who wish to participate in a school sport.

Pre-registration is required. Call 360-514-7755, or you can register online.

*Originally published on February 23, 2011. Updated January 10, 2012.

This post: “Clark County Young Champions” was originally featured at Clark County Live!

For more detailed coverage of the People, Places, Activities and Events throughout the neighborhoods of Clark County, please visit Clark County Live!

Klineline Pond at Salmon Creek Park has long been a popular destination for summertime fun. With the addition of the play structure, spray feature and lifeguards, the popularity only increased.

The good news is that Klineline will be open for the summer. The bad news is that the spray feature will be off, and the lifeguards absent.

Here is an excerpt from a recent Clark County press release:

“For a second year, the county will not provide lifeguards or operate the children’s “spray ground” water feature at Klineline Pond in Salmon Creek Regional Park, 1112 N.E. 117th St., Vancouver. Swimmers, parents and anyone else using the park should review water safety guidelines and pay attention to warning signs at Klineline Pond.

“We were able to keep regional parks open this past winter and had hoped to reinstate lifeguards for the summer swimming season,” Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation Director Pete Mayer said. “But the ongoing economic slump and reduced revenues made that difficult, given other regional park maintenance and operations needs, countywide.””

For the full press release from Clark County, Washington, read  Be safe without lifeguards at Klineline Pond and elsewhere, this summer.

The next North Salmon Creek Neighborhood Association meeting is coming up Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 7 pm at Riverview Community Bank (800 NE Tenney Rd).

Staff from Clark County Public Works and Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation will present two draft conceptual development plans for Chinook Neighborhood Park to residents for review and gathering input at the meeting.

Stay and chat a bit and enjoy the refreshments supplied by Starbuck’s and our local Wayside Market. There will also be door prizes from Burgerville and Salmon Creek Cleaners.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training is about readiness, people helping people, rescuer safety, and doing the greatest good for the greatest number. CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations where citizens will be initially on their own and their actions can make a difference. Through Basic CERT training, citizens can organize themselves and use spontaneous volunteers to manage utilities, put out small fires, provide basic medical first aid, search for and rescue victims calmly, safely, and efficiently.

Following a major disaster, first responders who provide fire and medical services will not be able to meet the demand for these services. Factors such as number of victims, communication failures, and road blockages will prevent people from accessing emergency services they have come to expect at a moment’s notice through 911. People will have to rely on each other for help in order to meet their immediate life saving and life sustaining needs.

Clark County Fire District 6 will begin CERT training classes (ages 18 and older) on Saturday, February 26, 2011. The classes will be held at Clark County Fire District 6 (8800 NE Hazel Dell Avenue) on February 26, March 5, March 12, and March 19 from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm; with a final drill on March 26 9 am to 1 pm. Cost to participate is $30; knowledge gained, priceless.

For more information, please contact Dawn Johnson (Clark County Fire District 6) at 360-576-1195.

The Southwest Clean Air Agency has issued a Stage 2 Burn Ban for Clark County, upgraded from the Stage 1 Burn Ban last week.

What that means is “The use of all fireplaces, pellet stoves, wood stoves and inserts is prohibited until air quality improves and the Stage 2 Burn Ban is lifted.” If wood burning is your only source of heat, then you are exempt from this restriction. ” According to Bob Elliott, executive director for the SWCAA, “We are not asking anyone to go without heat, but to use an alternative source of heat if possible until weather patterns change and our air quality returns to healthy levels.’

The air in Clark County currently exceeds the federal health-based standard for “fine particulate matter pollution.” The purpose of a burn ban is to reduce the amount of pollution that is creating unhealthy air. It is especially harmful to people with heart and lung problems, children, and adults over 65, and can trigger asthma attacks.

For more on the current Burn Ban, and information about the SWCAA, visit Southwest Clean Air Agency online.

This post: “Clark County Burn Ban Now at Stage 2″ was originally featured at Clark County Live!

For more detailed coverage of the People, Places, Activities and Events throughout the neighborhoods of Clark County, please visit Clark County Live!

When it’s for the 12th Annual Community Youth Holiday Event at Sarah J Anderson School (2215 NE 104th St, Hazel Dell)! The party will be Thursday, December 16, 2010 at Sarah J. Anderson Elementary School between 6pm and 8pm, and will have gifts and activities for kids, photos with Santa, refreshments, and a chance to win a bicycle or a decorated tree! This is a free event, and no RSVP is required, just bring the kiddos and come join the fun!

Volunteers have been working very hard to make this year’s party special! Last year about 665 kids came out and had a great time, and the coordinators  are planning for about 700 this year!

It’s not too late to help! Volunteers are needed for wrapping presents Thursday, December 9th from 4 pm to 7pm at Sarah J Anderson in the Art Room. The biggest need, however, will be on December 16 to help get everything set up. The party starts at 6pm, but volunteers do not have access to the school until 4pm. If you can help with either (or both) of these, please contact Bud Van Cleve, President of the Northeast Hazel Dell Neighborhood Association, at 360-695-1466, or email bsvanc@aol.com.

Donations of cash and gifts are still needed to help make this a magical event for kids in our community. Also, new socks and underwear are always needed for the foster kids program and can be dropped off at the party, or at the Burgerville on the corner of Highway 99 and 99th Street in Hazel Dell.

Many thanks to our generous community partners: Hewlett-Packard, Burgerville, McDonald’s, Altrusa Organization, Yard N Garden, Walmart, Hazel Dell/Salmon Creek Business Association, Vancouver School District and Sarah J. Anderson PTA.

Also a shout out to all the co-sponsors of this event: the NE Hazel Dell Neighborhood Association, the West Hazel Dell Neighborhood Association, the North Salmon Creek Neighborhood Association, the Felida Neighborhood Association, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Clark County Fire District 6.

Yep, that’s right: Free Christmas Trees.

The first 40 people at the Boy Scout Christmas Tree Lot in Salmon Creek, located at the Salmon Creek United Methodist Church (12217 NE Hwy 99) parking lot, between 4 pm and 6 pm on December 8, will get a free Christmas Tree.

Columbia Credit Union will also be giving away Christmas Trees at the Boy Scout Christmas Tree Lot at 5411 Ne Mill Plain on December 9, between 4pm and 6 pm, to the first 40 people there.

But wait, there’s more! What makes Mondays Merry? Columbia Credit Union is sponsoring “Merry Movie Mondays” at the Old Liberty Theater in Ridgefield. Watch holiday flicks for free on Mondays; doors open at 6 pm and the shows start at 7 pm. December 6 will feature “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”; December 13 is “Prancer”, and December 20 is “White Christmas”.

And last, but not least, Columbia Credit Union will be offering FREE Carriage Rides at the Ridgefield Hometown Celebration on December 4, between 12 pm and 3 pm.

“Because sometimes it’s the little things…” Thanks Columbia Credit Union for spreading Christmas Cheer around Clark County!

November 16th is our annual meeting – time to elect your 2011 NSCNA board. Which means now is the time to start looking for candidates. We hope that you will consider running for one of the positions described below. Sometimes individuals are hesitant to volunteer believing that they are unqualified or that it will take a huge chunk of time out of their lives. In most instances it takes zero experience, simply a desire to support / improve the livability of our neighborhood.

Officer duties are defined in our bylaws. The list below identifies some specific tasks beyond the “generic description” found in the bylaws.

PRESIDENT Act as the primary executive officer, preside over all deliberations and activities of the NSCNA general membership, board, and advisory committees. Official spokesperson. Primary liaison to Clark County staff and member of Neighborhood Council of Clark County. Facilitate open communications. This position schedules speakers, creates and/or supports document creation (agendas, by-laws, action plan etc.), the newsletter and website.

VICE PRESIDENT Assist the President in all duties (see above) and perform the functions of the President in his/her absence.

SECRETARY This position is responsible for keeping a permanent file of all NSCNA’s general and executive meetings. Maintains the email list for notification of members of meetings and other county events. Coordinates notice of meetings with newspapers. May also write thank you notes for contributors, speakers or other general communications.

TREASURER This position writes checks for authorized expenses and make deposits as directed by the NSCNA board. Document and update financial records, transactions, match revenues and costs for general and project specific accounts or line items, and track account/fund balances. Prepare and provide quarterly and annual financial reports. Report to the NSCNA board, membership, advisory committee, and independent auditing agencies as necessary. Important work but it’s not as difficult as it sounds – we have only had about 5 transactions in 2010.

DIRECTOR Directors represent a specific geographic area of the NSCNA so they can be familiar with issues that affect their district. These positions have a two year term with half the positions expiring each year. This being an even number year means Directors from districts 2, 4, and 6 (see district map at Salmon Creek Live!) terms will expire this year. Directors are the key liaison to their district and may become involved in zoning issues and coordination of newsletter delivery in their area.

We don’t pressure; but it does take some time; like school, these positions, to be successful, require more than just showing up. It is worth it when you see what a difference you can make in our community. PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING. Contact us at NSCNA@salmoncreeklive.com or call an officer today (check the NSCNA Newsletter for officers’ phone numbers).