News Briefs
- Boldman House Museum Receives Preservation Award
- Columbia County Children's Fund Grants Available
- Columbia County Fund Invites Grant Applications
- Dayton Community Garden in Works
- Dayton Days Turns 91
- Future of Patit Gun Range Under Discussion
- Jim Gallaher to Compete in Beard Contest
- Junior Interns Enjoy Their Work
- Lewis and Clark Walk May 7th
- Mike Hewitt at the Dayton Historic Depot
- Veterans' Memorial Construction Moves Ahead
- Weinhard Vacation Cottage
Columbia County Children's Fund Grants Available
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 (INWCF) between May 4 and June 30.
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
• Medical and dental services and/or supplies (glasses, hearing aids, braces) for disadvantaged children
Requests of up to $8,000 will be considered for funding.
For full funding guidelines and application instructions, visit the Inland Northwest Community Foundation website at www.inwcf.org, or contact Grants Program Officer Molly Sanchez at 1-888-267-5606, msanchez@inwcf.org. Applications may be submitted online at www.inwcf.org beginning May 4 and are due on June 30.
INWCF serves ten Eastern Washington counties and ten North Idaho counties and manages 262 funds valued at $48.4 million. The group has awarded over $34 million in grants and scholarships since its inception in 1974. For more information on INWCF and its work in the Inland Northwest, contact Sarah Bain, marketing & communications associate at 509-624-2606.
Jim Gallaher to Compete in Beard Contest
On a lunch break in 2005, a Life Magazine article about a biennial contest caught Jim Gallaher's eye. He decided, then and there, that some day he would be part of it. And so, this Memorial Day weekend, Jim will be Dayton's entrant in the World Beard and Mustache Championships in Anchorage, Alaska.
Jim, who is the groundskeeper for the Dayton Schools, is really excited about seeing Anchorage. He will be staying at the "Anchorage Walk-About-Town Bed and Breakfast", so he can be close to all the action and mingle with fellow beard aficionados. He is entered in the "Full Beard Free-Style" Category.
The contest includes several facial hair categories, including those for partial beards and for mustaches. For full-beards, besides freestyle, the categories are "natural", "verdi", "garibaldi" and "styled mustache".
The World Beard and Mustache Championships have been held every two years since 1995, when it was held in Germany. Prior to this year, each competition has been held in Europe, except for 2005, when it was held in Carson City, NV.
When asked the last time he shaved off his beard, Jim said: "It was April of 1978. I got up one morning and shaved it off and I don't even remember why I did it." He hasn't shaved it since.
If you see Jim working at the football field or around the school, wish him luck. Even if he doesn't bring home a trophy or a ribbon, he'll undoubtedly bring home some really good stories.
Mike Hewitt at the Dayton Historic Depot
State Senator Mike Hewitt will be at the Dayton Historic Depot Saturday morning, May 23rd, to participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of a major construction project at the Depot.
The ceremony will be held in the Depot Courtyard following the conclusion of the Dayton Days Parade that starts at 10:00 a.m. on Main Street. The parade ends around 11:00 a.m. Refreshments will be served at the Depot.
The boardwalk, poured-concrete courtyard and surrounding benches were recently reconstructed. Senator Hewitt was responsible for obtaining grant funds that made this project possible.
The Dayton Historic Depot is located at 222 East Commercial Street. For more information, call the depot at (509) 382-2026.
Lewis and Clark Walk May 7th
Would you walk two miles for free beef stew with cornbread? A lot of your friends and neighbors will be doing just that on May 7th when they take part in the 3rd Annual Lewis and Clark Community Walk.
The walk will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Dayton Historic Depot, at the corner of 2nd and Commercial Streets. Participants will then walk to the Lewis and Clark exhibit on Patit Road approximately two miles west of Dayton. Free transportation will be provided back to Dayton.
At the end of the walk, beef stew, cornbread and desert will be provided at the Lewis and Clark site. Entertainment and exhibits will be available for the entire family.
The Lewis and Clark walk is sponsored by Columbia County Health System and the Dayton Development Task Force.
Junior Interns Enjoy Their Work
Brittany Briggs, Jessica Darby and Jenny Hubner
E
ach year, Dayton High School Juniors participate in the Junior Internship Program. There is a variety of workplaces to choose from when searching for an internship. I obviously picked the Blue Mountain News, but not everyone wants to write articles. Jennifer Hubner, this year's German Exchange student, chose to intern at the Dayton Veterinary Clinic.
"I chose the vet clinic because I want to become a vet one day; also because I love animals," Jenny said. She has a bunch of stories about the many animals she has helped, or witnessed being helped in her time there. You can clearly see in her eyes that she really loves her internship every time she talks about it.
Jenny's work includes helping with the animals that come in, and cleaning up afterwards as well. She helps with the many procedures at the clinic, including spaying or neutering dogs and cats and even sometimes helping to mend a broken bone. Jenny loves doing anything and everything she can in the service of an animal.
Jessica Darby is an intern at the Wenaha Gallery. She described her internship as being a ton of work with computers and tagging items with sale prices, among other things. She enjoys the work and interacting with her co-workers. Jessica gets to be around wonderful works of art by an array of outstanding artists. Her internship is every art-lover's dream.
The Junior Internship Program was founded to create a situation where the students get to go out into the real world and see what it would be like to have a real job and work for a living. "It's better then sitting in school all day," most juniors said when asked which was better. Mr. Rob Moore is the teacher who leads the class at Dayton High School. He enjoys seeing the fun the interns have going to and from work each day.
Here are a few words for the sophomores that will be doing this next year: don't skip, and get an internship at a place you would enjoy working – that's what makes it fun!
Columbia County Fund Invites Grant Applications
The Dayton/Columbia County Washington Fund Committee is now accepting applications for 2008 grant money. The fund is comprised of donations by community-minded people for the purpose of "enhancement, for the long term, of the social and economic well-being of the citizens of Columbia County, Washington."
The earnings of the fund, administered by the Blue Mountain Community Foundation of Walla Walla, are made available annually to Columbia County residents for worthwhile projects. Applications will be reviewed and selections will be made by a committee consisting of Columbia County residents.
Funds were used last year to support the Blue Mountain Heritage Society, Dayton Elementary School, Columbia County Marksman 4-H Club, Dayton Parent Co-op Preschool, Dayton Task Force for West End Beautification, Community Food Bank and the Touchet Valley Arts Council.
The deadline for application is June 1, 2009. Details and application packets may be picked up at the offices of Nealey & Marinella, 338 E. Main Street, Dayton, Washington, or call (509) 382-2541 to have them mailed.
Boldman House Museum Receives Preservation Award
In May, the many dedicated volunteers who have worked so hard to restore the Boldman House and garden will be honored with a special award. The Boldman House has been chosen to receive the State Historic Preservation Officer's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Historic Preservation from the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.
Restoration of the house, an 1880 Victorian Queen Anne, and the garden is now complete and replicates the 1912-era when the Boldman family lived there.
The Boldman House Museum will be open every Saturday this June from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The museum is located at 410 N. First Street. Admission is $5 per person, with children aged 12 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
This is a chance to see the latest renovations and restorations that have been done to the house and to enjoy the garden in full summer glory. For more information, call the Dayton Historic Depot at (509) 382-2026 or email info@daytonhistoricdepot.org.
Dayton Days Turns 91
Dayton Days happens this year, for the ninety-first time, Friday, May 22nd through Sunday the 24th at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. Rodeo and pari-mutuel horse racing will again be the feature attractions.
This year's Dayton Days court includes Princesses Madeline Jensen, Brittney Cutlip, Kellie Wessels and Queen Brittany Prince.
Pro West Rodeo will be held all three days at 7:00 p.m. The rodeo will feature bull riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, barrel racing and special kids' events.
At 1:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, pari-mutuel horse racing will be held on the fairgrounds track. Eight races will be run each day, with two special races Saturday: the 2nd annual Breast Cancer Awareness Race and the $5,000 John Deere Bonus Challenge Quarter Horse Race. Special kids' activities and contests will be held between races.
Dayton Days buttons are $15 in advance or $20 at the gate. Buttons allow admission to all fairgrounds events. Buttons are available in advance at AmericanWest Bank or the Dayton Chamber of Commerce office.
On Saturday at 10:00 a.m., don't miss the annual Dayton Days Parade on Main Street, sponsored by the Dayton Chamber of Commerce. Horses, bands, antique cars and lots of interesting people will move slowly down Main Street from East Sixth Street to Flour Mill Park. This year's Parade Marshall is Dewey Bell.
Don't miss any of the action at the 91st Dayton Days, May 22nd through 24th.
Veterans' Memorial Construction Moves Ahead
These pillars will join six others in the new Columbia County Veteran's Memorial which is being constructed at the corner of Fourth and Main Streets in Dayton. The nine pillars will represent the nine wars American soldiers have fought since 1812. A 70 foot flag pole, capable of angling over Dayton's Main Street at 45 degrees, will be set in the middle of the memorial - hopefully by Memorial Day.
A successful ham bingo event in early April helped our local veteran's group reach the halfway mark of their $140,000 fundraising goal for the new memorial. Donations can be made through AmericanWest Bank in Dayton in honor and memory of our country's veterans.
Weinhard Vacation Cottage
Dayton's Weinhard Hotel recently added a new lodging option – the Weinhard Vacation Cottage. The Cottage, located just 5 blocks south of the Hotel and Dayton's historic Main Street, opened March 2009 after a year-long renovation.
Weinhard Hotel owners, Gary and Shellie McLeod, have owned the property for many years and used it as a rental property. When the last renter moved out in early 2008, the McLeods decided to completely renovate the house and turn it into a vacation rental.
"We were both passionate about the project," says Shellie. "Gary loves restoring both houses and furniture and I love making spaces beautiful and giving them a special kind of energy."
The two-story house boasts 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, both formal and casual living areas, a fully equipped kitchen and wireless internet. The Dayton City Park and swimming pool are just one block away.
Pricing information and a slide show on the Weinhard Vacation Cottage can be found at www.weinhard.com . Call the Weinhard Hotel at (509) 382-4032 for reservations.
Dayton Community Garden in Works
A community garden may soon be a reality for residents of Dayton. During their regular April 13th meeting, the Dayton City Council approved a resolution establishing guidelines for creation and operation of the garden.
The garden will be located on City-owned property near the north entrance to the city cemetery off Eckler Mountain Road. The guidelines call for the formation of a community garden association, with at least four active gardeners, who will decide how the garden will be operated. The city clerk will establish a fee to be paid by the association for use of the garden, which will include use of water. The city will also determine the plot outlines and pathways for the garden.
Anyone interested in helping form a community garden association in Dayton is invited to contact Trina Cole, Dayton City Clerk, at (509) 382-2361.
Future of Patit Gun Range Under Discussion
At a meeting held April 21st at the Columbia County Extension office, ideas were discussed to restructure management and operation of the Patit Gun Range west of Dayton.
Until the end of 2007, the Patit Range was managed and maintained by the Dayton Gun Club. In January 2008, the Columbia County Marksmen 4-H Club assumed management of the public range at the invitation of the landowner. However, the financial burden proved too heavy for the 4-H club, as range memberships declined significantly in 2008 and anticipated grant money did not come through.
At the April 21st meeting, representatives from the Dayton Gun Club, Columbia County Extension, Columbia County Marksmen 4-H Club and Dayton FFA met with the landowner to identify and address various issues relating to operation of the gun range. Paul Carter, Columbia County Extension agent, facilitated the discussion. Participants agreed to work towards forming a new community shooting association in order to share maintenance, funding, insurance and capital improvement responsibilities. Dayton High School's FFA Advisor, Steve McLean, volunteered to help the effort as range manager.
"I'm excited to see what we can achieve by working together for the benefit of all," says Carter. Anyone who would like to help support the Patit Gun Range can make a contribution, or they can purchase a $50 range "use permit" through the Columbia County Extension Office. The office is located in the Dayton Post Office building on South Second Street, and can be reached at (509) 382-4741.