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In early 2009, nine basalt pillars and a 70 foot lighted flag pole will be installed at Fourth and Main Streets, creating Dayton's new Veterans' Memorial. A special flag pole has been designed, which can be lowered over Main Street at a 45 degree angle during special occasions. A wrought iron sitting bench will be located next to the pole. This is the first phase of a long planned Veterans' Memorial, which will be located on property leased from AmericanWest Bank.
Brian Black, of the Dayton America Legion, which has taken on this project, says their goal is to complete the installation by Memorial Day. The group contracted with an engineering firm in Wisconsin to design and construct the flag pole.
The nine basalt pillars represent the nine wars in which American soldiers have fought. The Memorial honors all Columbia County veterans past and present.
The Memorial is being funded primarily by private donations, along with a few small grants and local fundraisers. The budget for the project's first phase is $141,000 – the estimated cost for all labor, materials and fees. Because of the generous "in kind" donations of time and talent by local citizens, Phase 1 should cost far less than budgeted.
A second phase of the Veterans' Memorial installation will involve engraving the name of every Columbia County veteran to date somewhere on the memorial. The exact plan and location haven't yet been decided.
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Nonprofit organizations that serve children in Columbia County are invited to apply for funding through the Columbia County Children's Fund at Inland Northwest Community Foundation between January 5 and February 18.
The Columbia County Children's Fund typically benefits organizations that provide one of the following types of services: Educational enrichment and special needs programs (with preference given to elementary school-aged children); guidance, counseling and therapy to children and their families; or medical and dental services and/or supplies (glasses, hearing aids, braces) for disadvantaged children. Grants awarded generally range from $500 to $2,000.
For full funding guidelines and application instructions, visit the Inland Northwest Community Foundation web site at www.inwcf.org, or contact Grants Program Officer Molly Sanchez at 1-888-267-5606, msanchez@inwcf.org. Applications may be submitted online beginning January 5 and are due on February 18.
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Enjoy the rush of the adventure without the danger at the Banff Mountain Film Festival, to be held Tuesday, Jan. 20th, at Whitman College. This annual festival will again thrill viewers with some of the best outdoor and adventure films of the year. Held each year in Banff, Alberta before going on the road, the festival features perilous scenes of skiing, diving, mountaineering, and traveling. It regularly draws outdoor enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.
Films will begin at 7 p.m. at Cordiner Hall. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger. The festival is presented by National Geographic and New Balance and hosted by the Whitman Outdoor Program.
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Jim & Angela MacArthur and Phyllis Rothauge, owner/operators of the Last Resort/Blue Mountains KOA, have reached agreement with the Port of Columbia to take over management of Lyons Ferry Park and Marina. The agreement was effective January 1st.
Phyllis, Jim, and Angela came to the Dayton area in 2003 after purchasing The Last Resort, an RV Park and Campground in the Tucannon Recreation Area southeast of Dayton. "We've enjoyed building our business in the Tucannon Recreation Area and look forward to expanding our operations to the Snake River," says Jim MacArthur. "Many of our customers will be the same, and they'll now be able to enjoy quality recreation opportunities at both ends of the Tucannon Valley."
The Port of Columbia holds a long term lease with the Corps of Engineers on both Lyons Ferry Marina and Park. They have held the lease on the marina since the 1970's, but the park has only been in the hands of the Port since 2006. Both facilities will be subleased to the MacArthur/Rothauge team, who will run them as a private business. Lyons Ferry will now join the KOA system.
Reservations at the Park or Marina for 2009 may be made by calling the Marina directly at 509-399-8020. Moorage customers will be contacted by the new concessionaire during January.
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Auditions for the 2009 Variety Show at Dayton's Liberty Theater will be held January 5th through 8th, beginning at 5:30 p.m. each evening. This year's theme is "Passport to Paradise", with performances relating to international travel and culture.
Five performances of the Variety Show will be held at the theater this year, between March 11th and 15th. Show organizer Bev Startin says that an additional show was added this year, since all shows have been sold out in previous years.
Singers and dancers ages six and up are needed for the show. Rehearsals will be held each Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evening, beginning January 26th.
To schedule an audition appointment, or for more information, call Bev Startin at 382-1998 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. or 382-4093, between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. The 2009 Variety Show is supported by TVAC Productions and the Touchet Valley Arts Council.
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Performing Saturday, Feb. 22nd, at Whitman College, is Marley's Ghost, a group of musicians lost in a time warp. These veteran pickers meld mandolins and banjoes with Scottish bagpipes to trace the roots of folk music back across the sea—by way of some sea shanties—to its birthplace in the United Kingdom. This rustic music acknowledges its predecessors but soars beyond these influences into a style all its own.
The show begins at 3 p.m. at Cordiner Hall. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youths younger than 18. They can be purchased online at www.wws.org. This concert is presented by the Walla Walla Symphony as part of its Discovery Series.
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The Walla Walla Community College IMPACT! Life Transitions Program (formerly The Displaced Homemaker Program) offers free classes to men and women who want to enter the workforce or participate in education/training programs to become self-sufficient. Each class session meets Monday through Thursday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. for four weeks. The first session begins Jan 12th.
The classes cover identification and application of personal assets and strengths; time/stress/money management; essential workplace skills; employment/training resources and opportunities; effective job search strategies; and a plan of action. The program also provides a variety of personalized support services to help participants become successful. "We have one of the best programs in the state because we work with the whole person from beginning to end to address their individual needs," says program director Deana York.
To Register for Impact! classes, or for more information, call Deana York at (509) 524-5166 or toll free at 1-888-922-1716. A second session will begin Feb 23rd.
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If you have ever considered assisting a 4-H member in a project area that interests you, now is definitely the time. The Columbia County 4-H program has had a large increase in membership in the past year and is in need of new leaders.
Volunteers can work individually with a 4-H member on a project, assist a club as a project leader or present a workshop in a 4-H project area. Training is available for leaders and anyone interested is invited to attend the monthly 4-H Leader's Council meeting. Volunteers must be 18 years of age and must complete the WSU 4-H Volunteer Application Form which includes information to facilitate a background screening of the applicant.
For more information about becoming a 4-H leader, contact the Columbia County WSU Extension Office located in the post office building at 202 S. 2nd Street in Dayton, or call 382-4741.
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Columbia County Health System has announced that Dr. Barry Kellogg has joined Columbia Family Clinic in Dayton. His office hours will be from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Mondays and he is available to see new patients.
Dr. Kellogg is a family practice provider in the area and spent many years at the Blue Mountain Medical Group in Walla Walla. He is a graduate of Loma Linda University, School of Medicine.
Columbia Family Clinic accepts Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurances. Clinic phone number is (509) 382-3200 and is located at 1012 S. 3rd Street in Dayton.
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Lori Dobbs recently assumed the Store Manager position at Tumac Machinery's Dayton store. Dobbs has worked at the Dayton store for nine years. She attended Dayton Schools and has lived in Dayton most of her life.
Dayton resident, Jeff George, has transferred from Tumac's John Deere store to the Dayton store to work as Dobb's assistant. George draws on a lifetime of agricultural experience, including 19 years employment at a John Deere dealership in Baker, OR.
Former Dayton store Manager, Tim Alexander, has been promoted to Parts Manager of Tumac's Eastgate store in Walla Walla. Alexander has been with Tumac for over ten years and has lived in the Walla Walla valley for the past 20 years. He brings 27 years of agricultural experience to his new position.
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This Veterans' memorial quilt was made by a group of local quilters, including (l to r) Judy Fee, Patti Eaton, Linda Clarys, Jan Gerlitz, Bobbi Buttons, Arlene Himmerich, Sharon Eaton, and Sandy Hawks. The quilt is being raffled as a fund raiser for the Dayton Veterans' Memorial, which is being constructed next to the American West bank branch at Fourth and Main Streets in Dayton. Five-dollar raffle tickets are on sale at AmericanWest Bank, Banner Bank, the Dayton Chamber of Commerce Office and at Patit Valley Products.
The drawing will be held Saturday, Feb 7th at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. You don't have to be present to win. The quilt is currently on display at Patit Valley Products on Dayton's Main Street.
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Get deep in the blues with the Lloyd Jones Struggle on Friday, Feb. 6th, at the Crossroads in Walla Walla. A leader of the northwest scene for more than two decades, Jones tells stories through the filter of blues, funk and R&B, and the band behind him will get you out of your seat and on the dance floor.
Showtime is 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased in advance at Hot Poop and the Crossroads. This is the first concert of the year brought to you by the Walla Walla Blues Society. See what else is in the works at www.wwbs.org.
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Blue Mountain Counseling, of Dayton, will be conducting a blanket drive from January 2nd through the 16th. New or gently used, clean blankets are needed for low income families this winter. Please bring blanket donations to Blue Mountain Counseling at 221 E. Washington, Dayton.
Donated blankets will be available for distribution from January 20th- 30th. For more information, call 509-382-1164.
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