Visit Confluence Winery (19111 NW 67th Ave,Ridgefield) for an evening of fun including a silent auction, door prizes, live music, hors d’oeuvres, and wine (of course!) on Saturday, January 28, 2012 from 5 pm to 8 pm. Funds raised will benefit the BlackPearl Equestrienne Troupe.

“The quaint community of Ridgefield, WA is home to the BlackPearl Equestrienne Troupe, a team of horses and riders dedicated to the philanthropic value of equestrian art. The troupe now travels along the west coast and performs with some of the world’s most beautiful and talented equines including Friesian, Andalusian and Spotted Baroque horses. Comprised mainly of stallions, the troupe performs choreographed dances to music, highlighting the trick training of Susan Dyer-DeBoer, the troupe’s founder and organizer.

The BlackPearl Equestrienne Troupe self-funds the majority of these costs and does so in honor of the immeasurable value these horses bring to the hearts of their public. In times like these, touching others through love is priceless.

In 2012, the BlackPearl Equestrienne Troupe will be piloting a one hour show in Albany, Oregon entitled “If Wishes Were Horses”. The intent is to take the viewer along on a journey of dreams that really do come true. The costs for creating such a production are significant and in an attempt to help offset these costs, the troupe and their supporters are hosting a silent auction to raise funds. Your help will keep the BlackPearls dancing for many others to enjoy.

Please join us on Saturday, January 28, 2012 from 5-8 pm at Confluence Winery, located at 19111 NW 67th Avenue, Ridgefield, WA. We will provide a slideshow of some of our performances, along with the beautiful, live music of the Montavilla Jazz Committee. Premium Confluence wine will be available for purchase, along with complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

Donations for this auction will also be accepted until January 21, 2012. Items to be auctioned vary greatly from fine art to local artisan goods and services to stud fees, tack and much more. Cash and checks accepted. Payment may also be made by PayPal within 24 hours of auction completion. We look forward to seeing you there!” ~The BlackPearl Equestrienne Troupe

Tickets are $15 per person, or $25 per couple; call 360-909-6251 for more information.

Thanks to Susan Dyer-DeBoer of FeatherDance Equine Entertainment for the information!

This post: “Horsing Around at Confluence Winery” 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!

The Second Annual Vancouver USA Marathon will take place Sunday, June 17, 2012; and that means What? events are already up and running!

What? That’s right, What? events are the Vancouver USA Marathon “pre-functions” that take place monthly (usually on a Wednesday evening) where you can get together and meet others who are training to run, or walk, the Vancouver USA Marathon. These run/walks are free and are a great opportunity to run a portion of the course, get some free stuff, a free beer, discounts on Pasta and/or Happy Hour, and hang out with other cool people who are also training.

The running routes and restaurant change each month, but will begin at 6 pm, prizes at 7 pm and wrap up by 8:30. Sign ups begin around 5:30 and the first 10 people receive a free Vancouver USA Marathon Training shirt! Speaking of free…during the month of October, when you register for either the Vancouver USA Marathon or Half Marathon, you will receive a free entry for the Fort Vancouver Run in March 2012.

Here is the What? schedule so far:

October 19, 2011: Main Event (800 Main Street)
November 16, 2011: Tiger Garden (312 W 8th Street)
December 21, 2011: TBD
January 18, 2012: TBD
February 15, 2012: TBD
March 21, 2012: TBD
April 18, 2012: TBD
May 16, 2012: TBD

For more information visit the Vancouver USA Marathon.

This post: “What is Getting You Prepared for the Vancouver Marathon” 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!

East Fork Cellars, Three Brothers Vineyard and Winery, and Bethany Vineyards have joined forces for the North Clark County Wineries Spring Barrel Tasting Tour on Saturday, April 9, 2011 and Sunday, April 10, 2011.

These three award winning wineries are all within a corks toss of each other, so you have time to enjoy a unique wine tasting experience, as you tour all three wineries and taste their newest releases directly from the barrel. Wine, food, music… “Indulge yourself in a relaxing day experiencing the best of SW Washington wine country, and be the first to taste and reserve these limited releases from each winery.”

The barrel tasting is from 12 noon to 6 pm, and is available at East Fork Cellars, Three Brothers Vineyard and Winery, and Bethany Vineyards for $5 per person. For more information visit North Clark County Wineries.

This post: “Barrels of Fun in North Clark County” 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!

You don’t need to be a Cougar to join the fun! The Cougar Community 5K will take place on Saturday, April 23, 2011 starting at the WSU Campus in Salmon Creek.

This is a five kilometer race/walk which raises funds for an annual Student Leadership Award. This is a challenging cross country course with both steep descents and inclines that transition from: concrete, curbs, bark chips, dirt, mud, gravel, uneven ground, grass, wooden bridges, and wooden boardwalks. Due to the variety of terrain there will be no wheelchairs or strollers allowed.

However, if you are looking for a race the whole family can do, this event also offers a one mile family walk as an alternative for those with young children.

The race will feature official timing (AA Sports), a gear check and changing stations, as well as water, sports drinks, food; and of course T-shirts, gift bags, photographers, music, and more…

Registration is open to everyone. For more information, visit WSU Vancouver Cougar Community 5K.

Clark County Fire District 6 and Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center are challenging the community to become a life- saving one by seeing how many members of our community can be trained in CPR in a single evening. The training is free and open to the public of all ages. It will be held at Salmon Creek Elementary School Thursday, May 19th from 6:30-8 p.m.

Participants will learn hands-only CPR, which is CPR without rescue breathing. “People often hesitate to start CPR because they’re uncomfortable giving mouth-to-mouth,” said Dawn Johnson, Public Information Officer for Fire District 6. “Hands-only takes away that stigma, and still saves lives.” The training can be learned in as little as 22 minutes.

Effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival. At the CPR Community Challenge, in just a single evening, you can learn how to save a life.

“Twenty-two minutes to learn something that can save a life,” added Brian Willoughby, spokesperson for Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center. “There’s not much better return on investment than that.”

CPR with rescue breaths is recommended for infants and children; and victims of drowning, drug overdose, and breathing problems.

Please join us, and encourage your friends and family to attend, this life-saving event. Please pre-register online at Clark County Fire District 6. CPR manikins kindly donated by Fire District 6, Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, Vancouver Fire Department, Camas Fire Department, and North County Fire.

Come learn how to save a life.

They have partnered with Downtown Camas Association to bring the Camas community an event for all ages. On March 19 from 4-10 pm the Liberty is hosting a benefit concert for Camas public Schools and their music programs.  There will be live music, food, drinks and a raffle all for only $5 per ticket.

The live performances will showcase The Go Project, Social Gravy, Jon Hecox, Bob Calhoun, James Kerridge, Julia’s Misfortune, Storm Runner and also a special show from Camas Public School students.

The raffle will include electronics from Logitech, a Bike from Camas Bike & Sport as well as a basket put together from downtown merchants.  Many of the downtown businesses will be staying open late to accommodate the event and offer special items for ticket holders.

“CEF is always looking for new ways to support the school district and engage with the community. We are thrilled to have students participate alongside professionals in the re-opening of the Liberty Theatre in a way that directly benefits music programs. In addition to raising funds and visibility for music programs, two CHS students are working on this event as part of their Senior Projects. It’s a great event on many levels and we’re delighted to be part of this historic evening.” Ron Gompertz, President of the Camas Educational Foundation.

For those over 21 Nuestra mesa will be offering food and beverages in the lounge and the Liberty Theatre snack bar will be open for all ages.

The event is part of Liberty Theatres opening weekend event and all proceeds will go Camas Education Foundation and the Downtown Camas Association.

Tickets are available online through the Camas Education Foundation, the Downtown Camas Association and through the Liberty Theatre.

Tickets are also on sale at some downtown businesses and will be available at the door.

This post: “Liberty Theatre Grand Opening and Benefit Concert” 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!

Spring is just around the corner, and you can’t have a garden without seeds!The next Grow Vancouver: Seed Swap and Giveaway will be Tuesday, March 15, 2011, between 6:30 and 8:00 pm at Harney Elementary (3212 East Evergreen Blvd); the meeting will be held in the cafeteria (now that’s appropriate! ).  This event is hosted by Urban Abundance, who also recently held a Wildflower Seedball Making Workshop; if you like anything to do with food, gardens, flowers, or pollinators, you should definitely check them out!

So, bring your extra vegetable seed and trade with neighbors. Bring packets to fill with seed. Take home some of the packets of the 250 pounds of Free Vegetable and Herb Seed that have been donated to Urban Abundance. Besides seed exchanging there will be opportunities to plan more urban agriculture projects with neighbors. Vegetarian stew and cornbread will be available. Feel free to bring other food goodies to share!

Grow Vancouver meets the 3rd Tuesday of the month and is a place for neighbors to meet and work together on urban agriculture projects. The meetings are open to all and are a great opportunity to meet other people in Vancouver focused on urban agriculture.

Half of the meeting is dedicated to an activity or speaker, the other half is dedicated to Hot Topics brought by neighbors who show up. Bring your Hot Topic and break off into a small group to see what we can get done!

Hot Topic ideas:

• Getting neighborhood buy-in to utilize the new Neighborhood Garden Policy.

• Developing a plan to work with the owner of a 3 acre site near Andreson and 4th Plain that has committed the site to urban agriculture.

• Developing a plan to work a privately owned half acre site in Central Park and a half acre site in Edgewood neighborhood that have been offered as a site for a neighborhood garden.

• Funding has been offered for Pollinator Pathways in Vancouver. Where should we place the first one?

Bring your hot topics to Grow Vancouver and find neighborhood partners to work through the details of growing more food in Vancouver.

For more information, contact Warren Neth at 360-771-1296

This post: “Grow Vancouver” 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!

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.

Each year, on the third Monday of January, schools, federal offices, post office and banks across America close to celebrate the life and the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is a time for the nation to remember the injustices that Dr. King fought. A time to remember his fight for the freedom, equality, and dignity of all races and peoples. A time to remember the message of change through nonviolence.

Mosaic Blueprint is coordinating the Dr. Martin Luther King Breakfast Celebration on Saturday, January 15, 2011 at Clark College  Gaiser Hall from 9:00am to 11:00am.  Speakers include Pastor Matt Hennessee with Vancouver First Avenue Baptist Church, and the event’s Keynote Speaker is Dr. Terryl Ross, Diversity Director, Oregon State University.  There will be a special performance by Poet Emmett Wheatfall and a vocal performance by Clairece Rosati.

This is a participatory breakfast, so be prepared to interact in this celebration of  Dr. King’s legacy of community service.  Cost is $15 in advance, or $20 at the door (includes southern style breakfast).  Pre-registration is required and can be processed by clicking the following MLK Breakfast Reservation.

This post: “The Dream and the Dreamer” 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!

So maybe the next Iron Chef is already running around “helping” you in the Kitchen… but before they get their own TV show, you’d like them to know that Baking Soda is not a new flavor of pop. The Kids Cooking Corner was formed to help create a new generation of capable cooks! They focus on nutrition, kitchen safety, proper food preparation, etiquette, cleanliness and FUN!

Kids will learn everything from the rules of kitchen safety and adding ingredients to reading recipes and how to use various cooking tools. They offer classes from holiday cookie and gingerbread house workshops, all the way to creative cooking of meals that – get this – you’d actually eat. And viola, with no mess to clean up in YOUR Kitchen.

Right now (December 14-15) the Kids Cooking Corner is featured as the Clark County Live! Daily Deal. Whether you have an aspiring Asst. Chef (age 3-6) or a Sr. Chef (age 12 up) or a Chef-in-Training in between, you’ll get two classes – normally up to $37 each (a $74 value) – for only $32.

Kids Cooking Corner is located at 5206 NE 78th Street in Vancouver. We visited with Heidi, the mastermind behind KCC, and were able to take a tour and see (and taste) what’s cooking! Click here to check out the fun pictures!

For more information, visit their website, or call 360-433-9114.

This post: “Vancouver Kids are Cooking Up Fun” 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!