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“Where the Rain and Sunshine Meet”
______________________________________________________________________________
2010:1 January—March 2010
Lyle’s Blog: http://lyle-wa.blogspot.com/ Lyle’s Website: community.gorge.net/lyle
Community Enrichment
for Klickitat County
Lorie Hull
It is official! Community Enrichment for
Klickitat County (CEKC) is a 501(c)(3) tax
exempt nonprofit corporation. We now have
a not-for-profit countywide organization
working to improve the well being of
Klickitat County communities.
What is CEKC? Many new community
projects have been the result of the Horizons
program. Horizons is an 18 month
community leadership program aimed at
reducing poverty in small rural and
reservation communities. It is funded by the
Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF), which
is a private foundation that, among other
things, explores the perceptions and causes
of poverty. Poverty may include lack of
economic resources, limited educational and
job skills opportunities, scarcity of social
and health services, absence of community
or cultural support, limited access to
nutritional foods, as well as other sources of
impoverishment.
Horizons efforts here in Lyle and other
involved Klickitat County communities
inspired the vision of establishing a
countywide nonprofit to ensure community
enrichment opportunities would continue to
be available once the 18 month program was
completed. Community Enrichment for
Klickitat County (CEKC) is this nonprofit. It
has been created alongside these community
projects with the aspiration of picking up
and moving forward where Horizons will
leave off. (continues on page 3)
What’s Inside??
Birthdays & Anniversaries----------------------------2
What’s Up in Town?-----------------------------------2
Buy Local-------------------------------------------------3
Is Horizons Making a Difference--------------------4
No One Ever Tells Me What’s Going On?!--------4
Notes on Fire Safety-----------------------------------5
Fire Commissioners------------------------------------6
Spring Clean-up, Flyer------------------------------7, 8
Yard Sale Reminder------------------------------------7
New at the Museum ----------------------------------7
Cougar Football, Next Issue-------------------------9
Game Night----------------------------------------------9
Eagle Spotting, Perception-------------------------11
Strangers in the Box----------------------------------11
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Birthdays & Anniversaries
January
Betty Tuthill, Marg Johnson,
Martha Hamill, Terry Mills,
Mike Sayler
February
Barbara Sexton, Andy Anderson,
Glenda Lovejoy, Wendy Hamm,
Danny Chase, Ida Roane
Destiny Lawrence, Jackie Wolcott
March
Pam Essley, Joan Titus,
Louise Hills, Patty Elkins
Know anyone who’d like to have their birthday or anniversary acknowledged? Send names &
dates to Joy Collins at [email protected]
PO Box 952, Lyle WA 98635
Serving Lyle and her neighboring communities. Sponsored by the Lyle Community Council;
published quarterly—compliments of Klickitat County Economic Development Council.
Contributions are welcome! Contact any Lyle Community Council member (contact info is on back
page) or [email protected].
www.community.gorge.net/lyle
What’s Up in Town??
Alcoholics Anonymous: Monday nights at 7:30 at the High School Library. Community Breakfast: 1st Saturday of the month, 7-10:30 a.m. at the Lion’s Club. Klickitat Trail Conservancy: hikes or bike trips on the 1st Saturday and 3rd Sunday of the month. See www.klickitat-trail.org for details. Lion’s Club: meeting & potluck on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month. Lyle Celebration Center: 10:30 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. on Sundays Lyle Community Council: 4th Monday at 7 p.m. at the Lion’s Club, 5th & State Streets. Lyle Fire Department: Business meeting is open to the public on the 4th Thursday at 8 p.m. Drills on the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Thursdays at 7 p.m. Lyle Grange: meeting & potluck on 2nd Saturday at 12:30 p.m. School Board Meetings: next to the last Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the High School Senior Meals: Tuesdays at noon at the Lion’s Club. United Methodist Church: Sundays- 10:00a.m. Adult Sunday School at 9:00 a.m.
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We all stop in at
the Merc for an
item or two when
every now and
then, usually when
we don't have time
to go to the big
cities, but few folks do most or even some of
the regular grocery shopping there. I would
like to try to help keep some of our grocery
money here in town, and save time and
money not driving to those other towns.
The Merc will obviously never be a
full-service Freddie’s, but maybe we could
change things so that you can find the things
you want or need at the Merc first rather
than heading off to The Dalles or Hood
River for every shopping trip?.... Think what
a treat it would be if you find you didn't
need to cross the river all the time! (Stay
tuned for news about a shelf dedicated to
local gardeners this summer!)
I have talked to Kap and Lisa, and
they are quite willing to start stocking items
that locals would like. So, I am asking
everyone in the area to fill out the following
form and drop it off at the Merc. Kap and
Lisa will compile the lists and try changing
some of their inventory.
These are items I buy regularly in
Hood River, Bingen/White Salmon or The
Dalles, but would buy at the Merc if they
were available:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
CEKC
(continued from front page)
CEKC (Community Enrichment for
Klickitat County) has been formed with
representative members from Horizons
communities to continue the work as
established through the Horizons project.
Communities in Klickitat County now have
a nonprofit entity available to them that can
function as a fiscal agent that accepts and
manages grant money on their behalf.
CEKC also plans to serve in the role of
continuing with leadership training by
hosting grant writing workshops and
providing education in regards to
researching grant opportunities.
CEKC’s mission is to increase
prosperity and enhance the quality of life for
the people in Klickitat County, and provide
support that will ensure communities
flourish in the future. While CEKC was
developed through the efforts of the
Horizons communities’ leaders, the intent is
that CEKC’s services and support is
available to all Klickitat County
communities.
CEKC Purpose Statement: The
Community Enrichment for Klickitat
County is a not-for-profit Corporation
formed to focus community interests and
resources in order to repair, construct, or
modify public facilities; and provide or
enhance community services of the Klickitat
County area and engage in activities to
strengthen the social and economic well-
being of the communities and related
organizations.
The big secret in life is that there is no big
secret. Whatever your goal, you can get
there if you’re willing to work.
~Oprah Winfrey
Is the Horizons Program
Buy Local... …in Lyle???
Vern Harpole
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Making a Difference? Marcia Buser
The Cultural Exchange, the conversion of an
unused building into an Activity Center, a
Summer Celebration, community Game
Nights, the LAMBsCUP raffle, a door-to-
door Community Visioning Survey, a
Community Garden Planning Group…what
do these things have in common?
They are all a direct result of our
community coming together because of the
Horizons Program. Lyle is a little more than
a year into participating in this 18-month
grant program aimed at reducing poverty in
small, rural communities.
The Lyle Horizons Steering team, made
up of volunteer community members,
recently reflected on what is different now
in Lyle than a year ago. Here are some of
the things they identified:
Better communication: information on
what is happening is sent on via email,
posted on the Lyle website and the blog.
We can sit down and talk… and have
things to talk about!
We are getting things done.
We have established common values for
our community.
We have a building for a community
activity center that could have just been
a pile of rubble.
Long time residents are working
together with newcomers.
Less apathy and disinterest about Lyle’s
welfare.
Businesses are talking to each other; the
local wineries have gotten together for
their common benefit.
We can ask each other for support and
get it.
More attendance at Community Council
meetings.
Lots more information in the Lyle
newsletter.
The community is paying for the water
to support the Lyle Activity Center and
park.
We are far from done. There are many
long short and long term goals, and
hopefully it will be just as satisfying to
reflect back in another year on what has
changed for the better in our town.
Community members who participated in
this reflection are: Portia Masterson, Julie
Larson, Bob Hansen, Lori Hull, Sherri
Starkin, Barbara Sexton, Mildred Lykens,
Marcia Buser, Vern Harpole, and Roger
Hull. >< >< ><
No One Ever Tells Me What’s Going On?!
Marcia Buser
You can receive weekly emails about what
is happening in Lyle. Just sign up for our
community update by emailing
[email protected]. If you
provide your email address, it will NOT be
shared with anyone else or be used other
than to inform you about events or issues in
our community. You may request to be
removed from the list at any time.
If you have an event going on in
Lyle, please send information about it to
[email protected]. The
information will also be also posted on the
Lyle website, which features a “What’s
Happening in Lyle” web page.
If you do not have email, please
check the community bulletin board at the
Post Office to see what is coming up. The
Horizon’s Steering Team is looking into
getting a community information kiosk
installed to help us communicate better.
Notes on Fire Safety Fire Chief Peter Lovejoy
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We recently had a small grass fire caused by
discarded fireplace ashes that were two days
old. Fortunately, the fire remained small and
no damage occurred. There are two
important lessons here. Number one, we can
still have grass fires in winter months. It
happens every year in our county. When the
rain stops for a few days and the temperature
and humidity drop very low the grass and
other fuels quickly dry out. Although the
fuels are not easily ignited, once the get
going they can burn very hot and the fires
can be stoked by east winds.
The second important lesson is the
handling of fireplace ashes. We have had
numerous fires locally caused by discarded
ashes and the national statistics show this is
not an uncommon occurrence. Fireplace
ashes 3 days old have been documented to
start structure fires when improperly
disposed of. Fireplace ashes should be
soaked in water and placed in a metal
container. For more information, please see
the accompanying article entitled “Fireplace
and Home Fire Safety” from the U.S. Fire
Administration.
Fireplace and Home
Fire Safety U.S. Fire Administration
(http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/)
More than one-third of Americans
use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel-
fired appliances as primary heat sources in
their homes. Unfortunately, many people are
unaware of the fire risks when heating with
wood and solid fuels.
Heating fires account for 36% of
residential home fires in rural areas every
year. Often these fires are due to creosote
buildup in chimneys and stovepipes. All
home heating systems require regular
maintenance to function safely and
efficiently.
The United States Fire
Administration (USFA) encourages you to
practice the following fire safety steps to
keep those home fires safely burning.
Remember, fire safety is your personal
responsibility ...Fire Stops with You!
Keep Fireplaces and Wood Stoves Clean
Have your chimney or wood stove
inspected and cleaned annually by a
certified chimney specialist.
Clear the area around the hearth of
debris, decorations and flammable
materials.
Always use a metal mesh screen with
fireplaces. Leave glass doors open while
burning a fire.
Install stovepipe thermometers to help
monitor flue temperatures.
Keep air inlets on wood stoves open, and
never restrict air supply to fireplaces.
Otherwise you may cause creosote
buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.
Use fire-resistant materials on walls
around wood stoves.
(continues on page 6)
Fire Safety
(continued from page 7)
Safely Burn Fuels
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Never use flammable liquids to start a
fire.
Use only seasoned hardwood. Soft,
moist wood accelerates creosote buildup.
Build small fires that burn completely
and produce less smoke.
Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or
debris in your fireplace or wood stove.
When building a fire, place logs at the
rear of the fireplace on an adequate
supporting grate.
Never leave a fire in the fireplace
unattended. Extinguish the fire before
going to bed or leaving the house
Soak hot ashes in water and place them
in a metal container outside your home.
Protect the Outside of Your Home
Stack firewood outdoors at least 30 feet
away from your home.
Keep the roof clear of leaves, pine
needles and other debris.
Cover the chimney with a mesh screen
spark arrester.
Remove branches hanging above the
chimney, flues or vents.
Protect the Inside of Your Home
Install smoke alarms on every level of
your home. Test them monthly and
change the batteries at least once a year.
Consider installing the new long life
smoke alarms.
Provide proper venting systems for all
heating equipment.
Extend all vent pipes at least three feet
above the roof.
* * *
Lyle Fire Commissioners Fire Chief Peter Lovejoy
Fire District Commissioners are responsible
for maintaining and operating an efficient
Fire Protection District. More specifically,
they are responsible for the policies, the
budget and appointing the District Fire
Chief, Secretary and Treasurer. The Fire
Commissioners are elected by the registered
voters of the fire district for a six year term.
In our district, one commissioner is elected
every 2 years to stagger the terms.
The most recent elections resulted in
a changing of the guards for Lyle Fire
Department. Kris Joy, who is currently a
Firefighter and a First Responder, was
elected for the position previously held by
Don Brashers. In addition, to fill the seat
left vacant by Mike Sorenson’s resignation
in October, David McCune was appointed to
fill out the remaining 2 years of Mike’s
term. David is also a Firefighter and First
Responder.
Lyle Fire Department extends its
deepest gratitude and appreciation for the
years of service given by Mike Sorenson
and Don Brashers (both as Firefighters and
Commissioners). Each served the
department and the community of Lyle as a
Commissioner and/or a Firefighter and a
First Responder in excess of 25 years apiece,
a commendable feat!
Get Ready
for Spring Cleaning! Joy Collins
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I’m really looking forward to Spring and
warmer weather (hopefully)…which brings
us to the 2nd
week-end in April and the Lyle
Annual Spring Cleanup. This year, it’ll be
on Friday and Saturday, the 9th
& 10th
of
April, 2010. The spring cleanup has moved
happily into its “teens”. It was born in 1996
with a desire to clean up the old dump down
by the sewer facility. After that first year, we
were given access to the school bus yard on
5th
and Hwy 14 and have been there since.
This is a Klickitat County, Lyle City,
Roosevelt Land Fill and citizens’ effort that
is beneficial to all. Time has a way of
passing quickly—it’s not too early to start
thinking about what you need to dispose of.
Last year, recycling became a part of our
clean up so be sure to include your clear,
blue bags when you bring your trash. There
will be an area designated for recycle bags.
Sponsored by the Lyle Community Council,
the Clean-up is our main fundraiser of the
year. There is no charge for using the
dumpsters, however
donations are gladly
accepted and help finance
future council projects.
A flyer outlining the do’s
and don’ts is on the next
page, so I won’t include
them here. Please read it carefully so you are
aware of what items you can and can’t put in
the dumpsters. My thanks to all of you—see
you in the Spring!
Mark Your Calendar! Joy Collins
Just a heads up about
the 8th Annual 13+
Miles of Yard Sales—it
is always held county
wide on the 2nd
weekend of June. This
year, it will be June 12th
and 13th. There will be an article in the
April’s To the Point about the sale with
contact information and how to be included
in this event.
* * *
What’s New at the Museum Mildred E. Lykens
New articles have been donated to the
museum. One of the several items the
Dayton Henderson family has donated is
this very old washing machine. As we
cannot find any manufacturer's label on
it, we are asking the public to give us
their best estimate of its age. Any ideas?
Have you used one like this before? Call
Mildred Lykens at 365-0600.
L Y L
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E Annual Spring Clean Up
Friday & Saturday, April 9th
& 10th
, 2010
9 am to 5 pm [Dumpsters will be located in the school bus yard.]
2 light truck/passenger vehicle tires per pickup load.
No car parts and no cement chunks over 6”.
All loose garbage, like grass clippings, leaves or small bits of paper must be in bags.
Recycling must be in clear/blue bags.
Targeted Waste: The target waste here are the fire hazards accumulating in the back of your garage, that old clothes dryer sitting out on the back porch, the broken chair you were going to fix eight years ago, the litter that collected under the snow last winter in front of your house, the brush and tree limbs from cleaning up your yard, (please shake the dirt off the root balls) or maybe even that burn barrel you will never need to use again. This is a clean-up event, so we do not accept garbage generated from normal household activity such as bathroom or kitchen waste. Appliances: A local truck will be available to haul household appliances. A small fee will be charged for refrigerators, air conditioners, and freezers. Scrap metal: A local truck will also be available to haul scrap metal. No Hazardous Waste: No hazardous materials including liquid paint, cleaning supplies, motor oil, aerosol cans with contents, batteries, etc.
Organized by the Lyle Community Council
For information, call: 365-5102 or 365-5374
Donations are welcome and will be used to fund future community projects.
Our thanks and appreciation goes to Republic Waste Services
for their generous support of this annual community project
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Cougar Football Vern Harpole
It was my privilege to be
associated with a great bunch of young men
this past fall. With all the football I have
been around through the years, I had never
experienced 8 man teams. I was terrified for
the Cougars the first game I saw. The
Cougars dressed 10 players and the other
team had over 20. The Cougs were not the
least bit intimidated, and beat the over-
manned team by about 5 touchdowns.
They had an outstanding season and
had it not been for just a couple of plays this
year, they would very likely have had a
perfect season. (Their record was still good
enough to go to the playoffs, but because
they joined with Wishram, they were too big
a school and didn't qualify. This seemed
quite silly since every team they played had
2 to 4 times as many players).
It was amazing to see these 10 guys
essentially playing both offense and defense
without a rest, never get hurt or tired, rarely
make a mistake, and always be great sports
to the teams they were beating.
Congratulations to Coach Smith and his
staff, and the 2009 Cougars. You made me
quite proud to be part of a community with
such great kids.
* * * The Next Issue…
…of To The Point will be delivered on or
about April 1st. If you have information, a
story or an idea you’d like to see included,
you may contact any of Lyle Community
Council members (names and contact
information is on the back page) or Glenda
Lovejoy, 365-6831 or [email protected].
Deadline for submission is March 20th
—
earlier is just fine too!
Free Fun!! Glenda Lovejoy
What? Free? That’s
Right!! It’s Game Night
at Lyle Activity
Center—every other
Friday, from 7 to 10 p.m. (this month it’s
Jan 15th
and 29th
.)
Now, there’s something to do besides plunk
down in front of the TV and click through
all the stuff you’re not that
interested in anyway. And, it’s
something to do while it’s still
too dark to go outside and play.
Come on down! It’s open
to all ages; play your
favorite board games,
videos or card games.
Rumor has it that there are
a few jigsaw puzzle fiends
out there?? Bring a friend or come make
new ones! No previous
experience required.
You can bring a game
if you want to, but it’s
not necessary. Make
sure you dress warm—
it’s still a bit chilly in
the Activity Center.
River Peoples
Cultural Exchange
Mark your calendars! Saturday, May 15, 2010.
Volunteers will be needed. To help with planning or set up, or for more information, contact Lorie Hull at (541)993-4061 or
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Perception (shared by Pam Essley)
In a Washington, DC Metro Station
on a cold January morning in 2007, there
was a man with a violin who played six
Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During
that time, approximately 2 thousand people
went through the station—most of them on
their way to work. After 3 minutes, a middle
aged man noticed there was a
musician playing. He slowed
his pace and stopped for a few
seconds and then hurried to
meet his schedule.
Four minutes later, the
violinist received his first
dollar: a woman threw the
money in the hat and, without
stopping, continued to walk. After 6
minutes, a young man leaned against the
wall to listen to him, then looked at his
watch and started to walk again.
At ten minutes, a 3-year old boy
stopped but his mother tugged him along
hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the
violinist again, but the mother pushed hard
and the child continued to walk, turning his
head all the time. This action was repeated
by several other children. Every parent,
without exception, forced their children to
move on quickly.
For 45 minutes, the musician played
continuously. Only 6 people stopped and
listened for a short while. About 20 gave
money but continued to walk at their normal
pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After an hour, he finished playing
and silence took over. No one noticed. No
one applauded, nor was there any
recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was
Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in
the world. He played one of the most
intricate pieces ever written, with a violin
worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before,
Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston
where the seats averaged $100.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell
playing incognito in the metro
station was organized by the
Washington Post as part of a
social experiment about
perception, taste and people's
priorities.
The questions raised: In
a common-place environment at an
inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we
recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached
from this experiment could be this: If we do
not have a moment to stop and listen to one
of the best musicians in the world, playing
some of the finest music ever written, with
one of the most beautiful instruments ever
made.... how many other things are we
missing?
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Eagle Spotting at Klickitat-Balfour Park
Donna Enz
On Saturday, January 30th
, come out to
experience an educational winter field
outing for bald eagles at Balfour Park.
Wildlife Biologist Cathy Flick will come
armed with a spotting scope, give a life-
history overview, and introduce you to
specific year-round pairs in the area. Part of
the outing will involve a short walk. Bring
binoculars, or a spotting scope, and dress
warmly. Meet at Klickitat-Balfour Park at
10 a.m. From Hwy 14 in Lyle, head west.
Just after the Klickitat River, turn left
(north) onto Old Hwy 8.
Follow Old Hwy 8 for approximately 1/4
mile to the parking lot on the east (right)
side of the road. There are toilet facilities at
the Park. For more information
www.klickitat-trail.org
Submitted by Mildred Lykens—this serves as a timely reminder to label photos and note family histories. It was credited to a very prolific author by the name of Anonymous. Research revealed the author to be a woman by the name of Pam Harazim She wrote this in 1997, when she was caring for her mother who had dementia.
Strangers in the Box Pam Harazim
Come, look with me inside this drawer
In this box I’ve often seen,
At the pictures, black and white
Faces proud, still serene.
I wish I knew the people
These strangers in the box,
Their names and all their memories
Are lost among my socks.
I wonder what their lives were like
How did they spend their days?
What about their special times?
I’ll never know their ways.
If only someone had taken time
To tell who, what or when,
These faces of my heritage
Would come to life again.
Could this become the fate
Of pictures we take today?
The faces and memories
Someday to be passed away?
Make time to save your stories
Seize the opportunity when it knocks,
Or someday you and yours could be
The strangers in the box.
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Lyle Community Council P.O. Box 952 Lyle, WA 98635
Presorted Standard
U.S. Postage Paid
Goldendale, WA
Permit # 7
Postal Patron
Sincere thanks to Klickitat County’s Department of Economic Development
for their support in publishing To The Point
Lyle Community Council Members
Darla Brashers 365-4432 Barbara Sexton 365-5374 Joy Collins 365-5102 Terry Mills 365-3903 Juliet Pouillion 365-2795 Mildred Lykens 365-0060
Everything has beauty, but not
everyone sees it.
~Confucius