NEWS BRIEFS: Port Angeles Sons of Norway to serve up waffles Saturday morning … and other items

PORT ANGELES — The Sons of Norway Lodge will whip up Norwegian waffles at Scandia Hall on Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to noon.

Entry will be $7.

President Dick Grinstad will mix the waffles and the irons will be ready to go at 9 a.m. at the hall, 131 W. Fifth St.

Many toppings will be available — butter, syrup, jam, lingonberries, whipped cream and even peanut butter.

Coffee, tea and juice also will be served.

Proceeds from the breakfast will support the lodge’s programs.

Free audiobook downloads

The North Olympic Library System has partnered with Sync to provide free audiobook downloads for members of the library system.

Sync, a program for ages 13 and older, began April 27 and will last until Wednesday, Aug. 16.

Each week, two complete audiobook downloads will be available, based upon weekly themes.

The program is currently offering “The Dead House” by Dawn Kurtagich and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde.

Those interested can sign up for notifications by text message, email or by visiting www.audiobooksync.com, which will update every Thursday at 10 a.m.

The downloads will be available for only seven days each.

Sync seeks to develop the audience of audiobook listeners by providing free audiobook downloads during the program dates, according to a news release.

Sync is sponsored by AudioFile Magazine, and titles are delivered through the OverDrive app.

Audiobook downloads are in MP3 format, hosted by OverDrive, and are Mac- and Windows-compatible.

For more information, visit www.nols.org, email discover@nols.org or contact a nearby library branch location.

Bucket-list contest

PORT ANGELES — The public is invited to participate in the “Dream a Little Dream” contest to nominate seniors who have bucket lists.

Those interested can write a story to nominate themselves or someone they know by sharing their wish and why they feel the wish should be granted.

The contest — sponsored by Highland Court Memory Care and Park View Villas — is open to anyone 65 or older.

There is no word count requirement.

Submissions are due Friday, May 19, and can be dropped off at Highland, 1704 E. Melody Lane; the villas, 1430 Park View Lane; Crestview Convalescent Center, 116 E. Lauridsen Blvd.; and the Port Angeles Senior & Community Center, 328 E. Seventh St.

Stories will be reviewed and chosen by a committee, with the winning story announced by Wednesday, May 31, with the wish to be granted during June.

For more information, phone Bryanne Stewart at 360-640-4827.

Membership meeting

SEQUIM —The Peninsula Friends pf Animals’ annual membership meeting will be held Wednesday, May 24, at Lazy Acres Clubhouse, 111 Dryke Road.

A social hour will be held at 5 p.m., followed by the business meeting at 6 p.m.

For more information, phone 360-452-0414, ext. 3.

Film contest

PORT ANGELES — Current and former Peninsula College students are encouraged to submit their video work for the fourth annual Moving Pictures Festival.

Entries must be family-friendly, available as a high-quality video on YouTube and less than 11 minutes in length.

To submit an entry, email a YouTube URL to Renne Emiko Brock, multimedia communications program coordinator, at rbrock@pencol.edu.

Entries must include a name, years attending the college, title of the film or animation and year produced.

Those whose videos are accepted will be notified by email and will be invited to attend the festival at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 7, in the Little Theater on the campus, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd.

The films will be showcased on a YouTube play list.

The video submission deadline is May 25 at noon.

There is no cost to submit a video.

For more information, email Brock.

Safety workshops

PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management will present a free four-part workshop series for senior citizens Fridays, June 9-30.

The series, titled “Special Training in Emergency Preparedness for Unique People,” will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. every Friday.

The workshops will be held in the north dining room of Seaport Landing Retirement & Assisted Living Community, located at 1201 Hancock St.

The series will include information about emergency first aid, caring for support animals in a disaster, how to shelter in place and guidelines about post-disaster financial, medical and insurance documents.

Each week, a drawing for five “Grab & Go” backpacks will be held.

Due to limited seating space, organizers advise those interested to register by Thursday, June 1.

To register, contact Deb Reithmeyer at 360-344-9728 or dreithmeyer@co.jefferson.wa.us.

ECHHO in need of medical supplies

PORT TOWNSEND — Ecumenical Christian Helping Hands Organization (ECHHO) is currently seeking select medical equipment donations.

Donations of electric wheelchairs, toilet risers with handles, four-wheeled walkers and commodes will be accepted.

Items are expected to be clean and in good condition.

To drop off a donation, visit ECHHO’s office at 1110 Jefferson St.

Items can also be arranged for pickup by phoning ECHHO at 360-379-3246.

The items will be lent to elderly, disable and low income people.

Donations are tax-deductible.

More than 30 middle school students honored

PORT ANGELES — Thirty-one Stevens Middle School students were selected as Students of the Month for April and were recently honored during a luncheon at the North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center.

The seventh- and eighth-grade students were recognized by their teachers for exhibiting Stevens Stampeder pride, according to a news release.

The students were Ana Arndt, Jeannette Cary-Dewater, Teagan Clark, Harmon Colfax, Kira Commerton, Brantyn Fisler, Lane Flanigan, Marissa Graham, Emi Halberg, Sadie Hancock, Daniel Hedden, Lillian Hickey, Trenton Indelicato, Harley Leonard-Buchmann, Ethan Michaelis, Johnathan Nicholls, Colby Nicholson, Jaeden Platt, Tanner Price, Ashton Reynolds, Jenna Sanders, Avery Saul, Kristina Shumway, Khloe Stanard, Claire Tyson, Gunnar Volkmann, Maxine Waddell, Samuel Willey, Noah Willey, Zoe Williams and Amy Zhu.

The meal was prepared by the center’s culinary arts students.

Wilder donation

PORT ANGELES — Wilder Auto recently presented a $5,000 donation to the Pirate Athletic Association at Peninsula College to support athletic scholarships.

“This is a very significant gift and will greatly impact our ability to provide scholarships for student athletes,” said Rick Ross, associate dean for athletics and student life.

“We are very blessed that Dan Wilder Jr. and his team chose to provide such a high level of support.

“The success we’re having in soccer and basketball can directly be linked to the support we get from the businesses and fans in our community.”

For more information, email Ross at rross@pencol.edu or phone 360-417-6533.

Talent show benefit

PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles High School Leadership Class recently hosted its eighth annual Benefit & Talent Show, “A Journey through the Looking Glass.”

The event’s proceeds totaled $3,716.11 and were presented to Brandy Christian, a 2010 Port Angeles High graduate.

“Brandy was working at Shaltry Orthodontics when she was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer,” said PAHS Leadership Class adviser Pam Helpenstell.

“She is currently undergoing chemo treatments and is not able to work, which has caused a financial strain for her family.”

A silent auction of donations from local businesses and a bake sale were held prior to the show.

Citizens awarded

SUQUAMISH — Two Port Angeles citizens — Cmdr. Mark Hiigel, U.S. Coast Guard, and Barb Ihrig — recently received Washington Association of School Administrators Community Leadership Regional awards during a celebration at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino & Resort.

The school administrators and its membership annually honors and recognizes individuals who have made contributions to education.

The criteria includes benefit to students, leadership, motivation, success, cooperation/coordination with local districts, recognition by others and a history of service.

Port Angeles School District Assistant Superintendent Chuck Lisk, along with school board directors Cindy Kelly and Sarah Methner, attended the award presentation.

“Commander Hiigel has set the standard for community engagement with Port Angeles High School and its Navy JROTC program,” said Capt. Jonathan Picker, U.S. Navy (retired) and senior naval science instructor.

“Mrs. Barb Ihirg has been the champion of the ‘Clay Play’ art enrichment program at Dry Creek Elementary for nearly twenty years,” wrote Dry Creek kindergarten teacher Cindy Bradford.

Tuna drive results

PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles High School Key Club members partnered with the Olympic Kiwanis Club of Port Angeles recently for the Community Tuna Drive.

Students, guided by adviser Jon Hamilton, collected 1,322 cans of tuna from staff and students, which exceed the club’s goal of 1,000 cans.

“I want to personally thank everyone who has donated to the tuna drive and for the entire support of the high school, school district and Kiwanis Clubs in Port Angeles for helping make our effort to collect 1,000 cans a huge success,” Hamilton said.

“With the help of local community service organizations, we’ve collected 22,986 cans of tuna,” said Tim Crowley, 2017 tuna chair.

The club’s members also created a short video promoting the drive, which can be accessed through the club’s Facebook page by visiting www.facebook.com/PAHSKeyClub.

Conference results

SPOKANE — Twenty-three members of the Port Angeles High School Chapter of Future Business Leaders of America recently competed at the Washington State Business Leadership Conference in Spokane.

More than 2,000 students and advisers from 126 chapters attended the conference.

Advisers Pam Helpenstell and Bernie Brabant accompanied the students.

The top four finishers are automatic qualifiers for the national conference in Anaheim, Calif., from Tuesday, June 27, to Sunday, July 2.

The high school students placed were Amber Benoit, Accounting II, sixth place; Taylor Beebe, Business Law, eighth place; Senator Atwater, Future Business Leader, seventh place; Areej Al Awadhi, introduction to business, 10th place; Kiara West, intro to parliamentary procedure, eighth place; Jackie Young, intro to parliamentary procedure, 10th place; Senator Atwater, local chapter annual business report, seventh place; Noah Sinnes, Taylor Beebe and Haylen Gerhard, network design, sixth place; and Haylen Gerhard, networking concepts, ninth place.

Educator of Month

PORT ANGELES — Jefferson Elementary School counselor Victoria Rockholt received the April Educator of the Month award at a recent schoolwide assembly.

The Educator of the Month program is organized by local students, staff and community members to honor school staff members.

Nominations for featured staff in the Port Angeles, Sequim and Crescent school districts, as well as Queen of Angels and Olympic Christian schools, are solicited throughout the fall and announced monthly throughout the school year.

Doniell Wyant from Umpqua Bank and Port Angeles School District Assistant Superintendent Chuck Lisk granted Rockholt the award.

“[Rockholt] is compassionate, caring and has a demeanor that calms students, staff and parents,” one nomination read.

Rockholt helps give staff a better understanding of students who need additional mental health services outside of school, according to a news release.

Lions award

SIDNEY, B.C. — A contingent of Olympic Peninsula Lions recently attended the club’s District 1 conference in which a Clallam Bay Sekiu Lion received a prestigious award.

Twenty-two members from Forks, Clallam Bay Sekiu, Port Angeles and Sequim Valley attended the event where members participated in displaying clubs’ projects, singing, honoring past members, workshops and emceeing a banquet.

During the event, Dr. Nancy Messmer received the Distinguished Leardership Award for her efforts to publicize the group’s environmental protection actions.

The award is the third highest-ranking award within the nonprofit organization, according to a news release.

Messmer is environment chair for Multiple District 19, which serves approximately 500 clubs in Washington state, British Colombia and northern Idaho.

She recently organized a video featuring the club’s Earth day beach cleanup. The video is viewable at www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIWT6DhdXh0.

Academic honors

WALLA WALLA — Port Angeles native Erin Hennessey achieved Whitman College’s academic distinction for fall 2016.

To qualify, students must have completed a minimum of 12 credits, passed all credits attempted and earned a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.

Lions award

SIDNEY, B.C. — A contingent of Olympic Peninsula Lions recently attended the club’s District 1 conference in which a Clallam Bay Sekiu Lion received a prestigious award.

Twenty-two members from Forks, Clallam Bay Sekiu, Port Angeles and Sequim Valley attended the event where members participated in displaying clubs’ projects, singing, honoring past members, workshops and emceeing a banquet.

During the event, Dr. Nancy Messmer received the Distinguished Leardership Award for her efforts to publicize the group’s environmental protection actions.

The award is the third highest-ranking award within the nonprofit organization, according to a news release.

Messmer is environment chair for Multiple District 19, which serves approximately 500 clubs in Washington state, British Colombia and northern Idaho.

She recently organized a video featuring the club’s Earth day beach cleanup. The video is viewable at www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIWT6DhdXh0.

Bank donates to help end homelessness

PORT ANGELES — Sound Community Bank recently donated $2,500 to Serenity House of Clallam County.

The check was to support Serenity’s mission to prevent and end homelessness in Clallam County, according to a news release.

“Through our partnership with Serenity House of Clallam County, we’re able to effectively make a difference in the lives of homeless individuals and families,” said bank President and CEO Laurie Stewart.

Sound Community Bank Vice President Julie Hatch, business development officer; Michele Sorrentino, Sequim branch manager; and Laurie Szczepczynski, Port Angeles branch manager presented the check.

Serenity House Board President Scott Schaefer; Executive Director Doc Robinson; board members Gina Witz, Lisa DelGuzzi, Jacki Marquardt, Patrice Varela-Daylo and Mike McEvoy; and business manager Kathy Allen received the donation.

For more information, phone 360-452-7224, email serenity@serenityhouseclallam.org or visit serenityhouseclallam.org.

PA marine presentation set Thursday

PORT ANGELES — A presentation covering the Washington Marine Spatial Plan will be held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at The Landing mall.

Jennifer Hennessey, an ocean policy lead with the state Department of Ecology, will speak at the event in the mall, located at 115 E. Railroad Ave.

She will provide an overview of the planning process, what the plan includes and means for informing future management of the Washington coast, and how the public can engage in the review of the plan.

Following the presentation, there will be a moderated panel discussion and Q-and-A with stakeholder representatives who have been involved in the planning process.

The state has been leading an effort to develop a marine spatial plan for the outer coast throughout the past few years and the plan is nearing completion, according to a news release.

The draft plan is expected to be released for public review and comment in mid-May.

For more information about the marine spatial planning process, visit http://msp.wa.gov/ or https://washington.surfrider.org/.

Volunteers sought

The Peninsula Trails Association is seeking volunteers for setup and teardown duties for its booths June 3-4 during the North Olympic Discovery Marathon.

On Saturday, June 3, two volunteers will be needed for tent and table setup as well as teardown from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel, 221 N. Lincoln St., Port Angeles.

On the day of the race, Sunday, June 4, three volunteers will be needed for tent and table setup as well as teardown from 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. at 7 Cedars Casino, 270756 U.S. Highway 101, Blyn.

In Port Angeles, two volunteers will be needed for tent and table setup from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. as well as 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for teardown.

To register, email info@peninsulatrailscoalition.org.

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