At those levels, emergency departments are required to have protocols in place and meet several performance goals.

Goals include having EKGs completed within 10 minutes and transferring to a higher level facility for a heart attack within a half-hour.

Hospitals must have a full range of specialists, like neurosurgeons, and highly sophisticated equipment available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to earn Level 1 status.

“Snoqualmie Valley Hospital has effectively developed strong collaborative relationships with area hospitals,” Director of Nursing Rachel Weber said in a press release, “to assure that patients receive the right care at the right time regardless of where that care occurs.”

The Middle Fork-South Fork invasive weed project trains volunteers to survey along the trails of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Valley and in the upper South Fork Snoqualmie watershed.

Help survey the area’s trail system for invasive weeds to stop them before they get entrenched. Workers are surveying trails from Mount Si near North Bend to Dutch Miller Gap in the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

Upcoming orientation:

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 23

Where: North Bend Ranger Station, Back Conference Hall,

902 S.E. North Bend Way

What: Training and orientation for volunteer weed surveyors including a survey hike in the Middle Fork Valley

Details: Bring water, lunch, hiking shoes and other hiking essentials.

Attendees will carpool from the ranger station and return by 5 p.m.

Sign up or learn more by contacting Sasha Shaw at sasha.shaw@kingcounty.gov or 206-296-0290.

• Share Your Story: Pop-up Museums, 11 a.m. May 27, Cedar River Watershed Education Center, 19901 Cedar Falls Road S.E.
•  Tween Nights, 7 p.m. June 1, at Si View Community Center. Fee $5. For children in grades 5-7. 400 S.E. Orchard Drive, North Bend
•  Valley Center Stage presents “Zelda,” a one-time performance to raise funds for Valley actress Denise Paulette’s trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland in August. 7:30 p.m. June 1. Admission is pay-what-you-will. 119 W. North Bend Way.
• Daddy-Daughter Dance, 6:30 p.m. June 2, Si View Park. Fees: $25 per couple, $10 per additional child.
•  All Comers Fun Meets, 2 p.m. June 3, Mount Si High School. This is a chance for children ages 3-14 to participate in up to five events, including sprints, runs, long jump and javelin. Register online at www.siviewpark.org. Call 831-1900. $5 drop-in fee
• SnoValley Indoor Playground, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays when school is in session, Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive. A donation of $1 per child per visit is appreciated.
•  Sallal Grange Community Games Night, 7 p.m. last Wednesday of each month. Please consider bringing a small monetary donation to help the Grange keep organizing events like this, www.sallalgrange.org.
• Carnation Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m. every Tuesday from May to November, fresh food from family farms and small producers, including vendors from the Upper Valley. Downtown Carnation.
•  Watercolor exhibit at Mount Si Senior Center through June 9, artists range from high-schoolers to senior citizens, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend

 North Bend Library

The following events take place at the North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St. The library will be closed May 28 in observance of Memorial Day.

• Mount Si Artists Guild exhibit, May 1 to June 15. Themes are “Summer is Coming,” and “Summer in the Valley.” All ages are welcome during library hours.
• Snoqualmie Valley Chess Club, 7 p.m. Thursdays. Learn to play chess or get a game going; all ages/skill levels welcome.
•  Study Zone, 4 p.m., May 24, 31; 3 p.m. May 29; 7 p.m. May 30; free tutoring for grades K-12
•  Game On! 3 p.m. May 25; play Xbox 306, PlayStation and Nintendo, “Guitar Hero” and “Dance Dance Revolution;” board games and snacks available
•  SnoValley Writers Work Group, 3 p.m. May 27
•  Volunteer with the Peace Corps, 7 p.m. May 29, for adults
• Preschool Story Time, 10:30 a.m. May 29; ages 3-6 with adult, siblings welcome
• Toddler Story Time, 9:30 a.m. May, 29; ages 2-3 with adult
•  One-on-one Computer Assistance, 1 p.m. May 30; for adults
•  Pajamarama Story Time, 6:30 p.m. May 30 all young children welcome with adult.

Snoqualmie Library

The following events take place at the Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E. The library will be closed May 28 in observance of Memorial Day.

•  Pajama Story Times, 7 p.m. May 31. All young children welcome with adult. Wear your PJs if you like.
•  EReader Assistance, 11 a.m. May 24, 31. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer.
•  Cenerentola: The Italian Cinderella Puppet Show, 7 p.m. May 24, ages 4 and older
•  Study Zone, 3 p.m. May 29; free tutoring for grades K-12
•  Preschool Story Times, 10:30 a.m. May 30, ages 3-6 with adult
•  Young Toddler Story Times, 9:30 a.m. May 30; ages 6-24 months with adult
•  Anime and Manga Club, 3 p.m. May 30. Watch anime movies, eat popcorn and practice anime drawing.

Churches

•  River Outreach seeks donation of coats, pants, sweatshirts, long underwear, hats, gloves, socks, and anything that may help homeless people stay warm. Call 830-1654 or 681-7380.
•  St. Clare Episcopal Church is collecting cereal for the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank. People wanting to donate money instead may write a check to the food bank, P.O. Box 2464, North Bend, WA 98045.
•  Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church seeks to collect, tarps, candles, duct tape, flashlights, toilet paper, toiletries, hats, gloves, ropes and scarves for the homeless. Bring donations to the church’s parish hall at 39025 S.E. Alpha St.

Classes

• Butterfly Magic ballet lessons at Si View Community Center, 10:45-11:45 a.m. Wednesdays, through June 6, $42, for ages 3-6
•  “Tween Yoga” at Si View Community Center, 4:30 p.m. Thursdays from May 3 to June 7, $50 fee, ages 9-13
•  Swimming lessons at Si View Community Center, Tuesdays and Thursdays, $70; through May 19 Saturdays only, $42. More swimming lessons are coming. Learn more at www.siviewpark.org.

River Awareness and Safety, 2-5 p.m. June 1, Tanner Landing Park, corner of 433rd Ave. S.E. and S.E. Mount Si Road. For children 10 and older. Ages 10-14 must be accompanied by an adult. Fee $30.

Volunteer opportunities

• The Boeing Classic golf tournament seeks volunteers for its 2012 edition. Tournament will occur Aug. 20-26 at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge. Volunteers will receive two golf shirts, a jacket, headwear, admission passes, meal vouchers and more. Further details are at www.boeingclassic.com.
•  Encompass is currently seeking volunteers to help with our landscape and maintenance at both the downtown North Bend and Boalch Avenue locations along with office help. This can be a weekly or monthly commitment. Email michelle.mccormick@encompassnw.org or call 888-2777.
•  Snoqualmie Sister Cities Association invites community members to join a newly formed group to support Snoqualmie’s new sister city, Chaclacayo, Peru. The association already has developed a close relationship with sister city Gangjin, South Korea, which more than 30 residents have visited in the past four years. Email maryrcorcoran@gmail.com or call 503-1813.
•  The Mount Si Food Bank is looking for volunteers to help unload food at noon Mondays, sort food at 9 a.m. Tuesdays or pass out food on Wednesdays. Call the food bank at 888-0096.
•  The Elk Management Group invites the community to participate in elk collaring, telemetry and habitat improvement projects in the Upper Snoqualmie Valley. Project orientation meetings are at 6 p.m. the third Monday of the month at the U.S. Forest Service Conference Room, behind the Forest Service office, 130 Thrasher Ave. Email research@snoqualmievalleyelk.org.
•  Snoqualmie Valley Hospital is accepting applications for ages 16 or older to volunteer in various departments of the hospital. Email carolw@snoqualmiehospital.org to arrange an interview.
•  Senior Services Transportation Program needs volunteers to drive seniors around North Bend and Snoqualmie. Car required. Mileage reimbursement and supplemental liability insurance are offered. Call 206-748-7588 or 800-282-5815 toll free, or email melissat@seniorservices.org. Apply at www.seniorservices.org.
•  Mount Si Senior Center needs volunteers for sorting and sales in the thrift store, reception and class instruction. The center is at 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend. Call 888-3434.
•  Hopelink in Snoqualmie Valley seeks volunteers for a variety of tasks. Volunteers must be at least 16. Go to www.hopelink.org/takeaction/volunteer.com or call 869-6000.
•  AdoptAPark is a program for Snoqualmie residents to improve public parks and trails. An application and one-year commitment are required. Call 831-5784.
•  Study Zone tutors are needed for all grade levels to give students the homework help they need. Two-hour weekly commitment or substitutes wanted. Study Zone is a free service of the King County Library System. Call 369-3312.

Clubs

•  Survivors of the Snoqualmie Valley School District. Meets once a month, the third Tuesday of the month, except September, at the Si View Community Center. Please contact 292-7191, for a complete list of upcoming meetings.
•  Mount Si Fish and Game Club, 7:30 p.m. first Thursday (October through May), Snoqualmie Police Department, 34825 S.E. Douglas St.
•  Snoqualmie Valley Rotary Club, 7 a.m. every Thursday, TPC Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Club Restaurant. All are welcome. Go to www.snoqualmie-valleyrotary.org.
•  Snoqualmie Valley Garden Club, 6:30 p.m. second Thursday, Mount Si Senior Center, North Bend, 888-4646
•  American Legion Post 79 and the American Legion Auxiliary, 7 p.m. second Thursday, 38625 S.E. River St., Snoqualmie, 888-1206
•  Snoqualmie Valley Kiwanis Club meets at 7 a.m. every Thursday at the Mount Si Golf Course restaurant in Snoqualmie, snovalley@member.kiwanis.org

Submit an item for the community calendar by emailing smoraga@snovalleystar.com or go to www.snovalleystar.com.

But good things are happening in the Snoqualmie Valley thanks to dedicated volunteers at the Snoqualmie Valley Pet Food Bank.

For the past four years the Pet Food Bank, inspired and started by Snoqualmie resident Louis Oien, has been handing out donated pet food at the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank in North Bend the first Wednesday of every month to low-income pet owners in need.

By Sebastian Moraga Tracy Skylstad, of North Bend’s Pooch Play, loads bags of dog and cat food into her truck at The Humane Society for Seattle/King County warehouse. The bags will be donated to the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank so food bank customers can feed their pets.

“I’m just thrilled to be part of it,” said Dusty Cavaliere, the current Pet Food Bank director.

Nicknamed “the pet food lady,” Cavaliere took over the program last August and has seen a steady increase in donations and need.

What began in 2008 with just 17 bags and 300 pounds of food has ballooned into 300 bags and roughly 2,300 pounds of food last April.

And the numbers continue to rise.

It is one of the largest pet-food distribution programs on the Eastside, with roughly 1,800 pounds of food — the maximum allowed — donated to the Pet Food Bank each month, according to the Seattle Humane Society.

While the majority of donations come from the humane society, Cavaliere has worked with local businesses, including Pet Place Market and U-Dirty Dog, to set up donation bins to help meet the need.

“No one can do everything, but everyone can do something,” Cathi Linden, of U-Dirty Dog, said. “Whatever we can do to give back, we’re there.”

Cavaliere has taken to Facebook and created a Pet Food Bank website to help increase exposure.

Community support in the Valley has been an overwhelmingly positive thing since the program’s inception.

“Neighbors will drop food off on my porch because they know,” Cavaliere said. “If people give me money, I buy pet food. If they give me food, I hand it out.”

While food is the primary requested item, anything and everything pet related is welcomed and given away. Used toys, dog collars, kitty litter — people appreciate it all, according to Cavaliere.

Still, requests continue to grow for food and the supply doesn’t always meet demand.

“We’re really a supplement. We don’t hand out enough food to sustain them for the month,” she said. “When donations are down, I give out less food.”

Getting the donated food from the humane society in Bellevue to the Pet Food Bank has been a task in and of itself since the program began, but Tracy Skylstad, owner of Pooch Play in North Bend, has been making the trip by truck since 2008.

Skylstad, who originally used her own truck to move the food, quickly switched to the dog bus (a converted King County Access bus she uses for Pooch Play) in order to accommodate the increased load.

Although it can take anywhere from a couple of hours up to four hours to transport, sort and bag the food, Skylstad said she is happy to help in any way she can.

“I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that we are a very pet-friendly area,” she said. “People that have pets care about other people that have pets.”

The mission of the Pet Food Bank is to make a difference in the lives of low-income pet owners by offering food for their pets.

“For a lot of people out there who have lost their job or might be in a tough financial position, having a pet brings comfort,” Skylstad said. “You shouldn’t have to compromise having a pet for that.”

Jacob Rogers is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

How to help

Donate money or food to help low-income pet owners in need at www.facebook.com/svpetfoodbank.

You didn’t? Here, have another glass of swamp water.

What? You don’t drink swamp water? Well, these people have to.

Contributed photo. Kimberly Calhoun hugs Dativa, a Ugandan girl Calhoun and her husband John sponsor.

Welcome to Uganda, a country like many others in Africa, attacked by the triplets of poverty, ignorance and the scourge of AIDS and HIV.

Uganda also houses the hopes of a local couple, insistent on improving the lives of children there.

“Their level of poverty is something I had never seen before,” said Kimberly Calhoun, whose husband John talked her into going to Uganda five years ago to help install a sand filter for clean water. She balked and promised to go on the second trip if he survived the first one.

He did, so she did.

“I just fell in love with the people there,” she said.

They began raising money to build wells. It took years of gathering cash and finding tools, but the drill trucks finally arrived in the mountainous village of Rwenjiri in 2009.

Kimberly calls that day one of the best of her life. It took three tries, but clean water finally arrived.

“There were people celebrating something that we take for granted, just go and turn on the tap,” she said. “They had been getting water out of a swamp for years.”

The Calhouns also helped build an elementary school and housing units for teachers, who had lived in mud huts until then.

More than 400 children attend that school. Ugandan children aren’t expected to stay in school after age 11, according to the CIA’s World Factbook.

“The only way these kids are going to get out of the poverty cycle is if they have an education,” Kimberly said. “If you live out in the boonies, there’s no reason to get one because, where are you going to go?”

The Calhouns want to help bring the basic necessities of health, education and shelter to areas of Uganda, she said. Their latest project entailed buying 25 acres of land an hour northwest of Kampala, Uganda’s capitol.

“We built a storage facility with a caretaker room and a bathroom, and just finished building a clinic,” she said. “It’s not up and running yet, we’re raising funds for it.”

Kimberly said she wants Ugandans to take ownership and care of what’s being built, the clinic now and a second school later.

The 25 acres will have crops planted, and children attending the new school will work each day for 30 minutes, weeding or planting.

“We want it to be self-sustaining,” she said. “We want them to take ownership. We don’t want a bunch of people here sending money every month to keep it going.”

The clinic will charge those seeking help.

“It’s important that everybody pays a fee when they come,” Kimberly said. “If they can’t pay a fee, they need to bring a chicken or something.”

The only time the clinic will open for free is when American doctors, particularly dentists, work there. Kimberly and her husband will try to take American doctors there twice a year, she added.

The U.S. has an estimated 3.1 hospital beds and 2.6 doctors per every 1,000 people. In comparison, Uganda has 0.3 hospital beds and 0.1 doctors, according to the factbook.

“We had a friend there who went to the dentist because he had a tooth hurting,” she said. “And the dentist pulled the wrong tooth.”

Furthermore, some Ugandan parents Kimberly has encountered see teeth care as “an American thing,” and some Ugandan children have never seen a toothbrush.

“They have a lot of issues,” Kimberly added.

Kimberly sees no end to their work in Uganda. And that’s the way she likes it. Once terrified of the idea of going to Africa, she dreams of seeing 25 acres of self-sustaining land become 25 more. And then 25 more.

Encouraging signs exist, like Ugandans using bricks instead of mud. Discouraging signs exist, too, like the firm belief that if you’re white you are rich, or if you sleep with virgins, certain things happen.

The key, she said, is in turning Ugandan children into self-reliant, educated adults.

“When you bring hope to a place where there is no hope,” she said, “that’s an amazing thing to watch.”

Darla Kohlruss, president of the Snoqualmie Valley Riding Club, said she wants to change that.

Mary Luty tends to a horse during a trail clinic at the Snoqualmie Valley Riding Club. The clinics are to increase the trust between rider and beast, especially when in narrow, wooded trails that can make a horse nervous. Photo contributed

The club is holding trail clinics June 9-10, July 21-22 and Aug. 18-19.

The clinics will teach horses to deal with obstacles they encounter out on the trail, Kohlruss said.

“Things blowing at them, water, logs, going through brush, and having things going through their legs and chest,” she said. “And teaching them to not be afraid of them.”

Instead of actual obstacles, the clinic uses giant balls, floating devices also known as noodles, bridges, ditches and other obstacles, clinic instructor Shannon King said.

The horses aren’t the only ones learning, she added. Riders learn how to help the horses deal with their fears.

“It’s just as much for the riders,” Kohlruss said. “If you’re nervous about something, the horse can feel it.”

The end result of the clinic will be a stronger trust between horse and rider. The horse will look at the trail ahead, without fear.

All clinics happen on weekends. Saturday clinics are $75 with an emphasis on mastering individual obstacles. Sunday clinics will consist of runs on challenge courses. Each run costs $15, with evaluation notes on each run costing $5. A $35 fee gives a rider unlimited runs for the day. The clinics welcome experienced and inexperienced riders alike. You don’t even need to own a horse, Kohlruss she added. If you need one, the club will provide one for $10, King said.

“Anybody who wants to learn about horses,” Kohlruss said, “we are all for it.”

If you go
Snoqualmie Valley                Trails Clinic
June 9-10
July 21-22
Aug. 18-19
Snoqualmie Valley                Riding Club
13121 415th Way                S.E., North Bend

For a fisherman, that’s a frustrating evening.

For the ladies in Casting for Recovery, it’s a step forward.

By Sebastian Moraga Judy Graham, left, trains cancer survivor Jane Gutting how to cast a line on the Snoqualmie River. Graham helps run Casting for Recovery, a fishing-based therapy group for breast cancer survivors.

Casting for Recovery uses fly-fishing as therapy for women recovering from breast cancer.

On April 28, women practiced the casting motion with no hook, but that was almost beside the point for these ladies.

“We use casting as a way to cope with the treatment and the recovery,” said Judy Graham, the coordinator of the Washington chapter of the Vermont-based program.

“The casting motion is also really beneficial” to breast muscles, she added.

On this day, Graham and cancer survivors like Jane Gutting met in Fall City for a casting clinic as part of a two-and-a-half day retreat.

“We talk about how we deal about different aspects of breast cancer,” Graham said.

“Mental and emotional” as well as physical, she added.

On this bright morning, the women enjoyed hours of casting and 15 minutes of fame, as a TV crew from Seattle interviewed Graham and the women.

And while fishing season on rivers was still weeks away, past seasons have turned neophytes into devotees of the activity.

“I just started going to retreats this past October,” Gutting said. “I caught two trout and I was hooked.”

Graham said that instead of a session where people spill their troubles and struggles, the fishing allows people to relax and recharge their batteries, sometimes drained by long sessions of radiation or chemotherapy.

“We’re not just talking about it,” Gutting said. “We are fishing. Every once in a while, we stop and say, ‘So, how are you doing?’”

The retreats leave the women feeling renewed, surrounded by friends, and filled with memories that last a long time.

“It’s so beautiful out here,” Gutting said. “How can you not be happy?”

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

With her son’s home risking foreclosure, she said she felt a responsibility to take herself to the street, sign in hand, and protest the corporate policies that hurt her child.

“He’s gotten the runaround, he’s gotten a lot of harassment,” she said, later adding, “They just don’t want to work with him.”

Her son’s mortgage was with Wells Fargo, but there Krieger stood, outside the North Bend branch of Bank of America with other supporters of MoveOn.org.

By Sebastian Moraga Christopher Chapman, Megan McInnis and Luz Krieger demonstrate outside the North Bend branch of Bank of America. The demonstration, organized by area members of MoveOn.org, sought to protest the corporate policies they see as favoring large companies to the detriment of citizens.

The difference did not seem to bother Krieger, a resident of Duvall. The two banks’ policies, she said, look a lot alike, and Bank of America’s have hurt a lot of people, too.

“I decided it was time to let people know what’s happening to other people and try to affect some change,” Krieger said.

The protest (“demonstration,” Bonnie Lawlor, an organizer of the event, corrected), occurred as a show of solidarity with those demonstrating in North Carolina, site of Bank of America’s shareholders’ meeting May 9.

Hundreds of people protested in Charlotte. On Bendigo Boulevard in North Bend, about 10 showed up. Still, they said, the support was palpable.

Drivers honked their horns or waved. Demonstrator Christopher Chapman, from Snoqualmie, said reaction to the demonstration was positive. No middle fingers or downturned thumbs.

“Nothing hostile,” he said. “Normally there’s more hostility.”

That shows, Lawlor said, that people feel the way the demonstrators feel: like banks and other corporations have not played fair with the American public.

Demonstrator Nance Myhre, of Fall City, agreed.

“That means the 99 percent concept is real,” she said.

Chapman said the demonstrators hoped to engineer more interest in the cause, so that more demonstrations happen in small towns and not just in big cities.

Lawlor said some bigger fish need frying, too.

“The attempt is to hold Bank of America accountable for many corporate abuses it’s perpetrating,” Lawlor said. “They haven’t paid their taxes for several years, they are raking huge amounts of money and they are responsible for more foreclosures than any other bank in the country.”

Bank of America and other corporations, Lawlor said, have shown they do not care.

“I can’t grasp how they cannot care,” she said, “and not do whatever they have the power to do to make things better.”

Krieger said plenty of sin is there to go around. The Obama administration has reacted slowly to corporate predators, she said.

“There’s something deeply immoral about these corporations that caused the meltdown in the first place and then being given bailout money twice,” she said. “Then they turn around, give their CEOs millions of dollars in bonuses, and then they put people on the street. Something is wrong with that.”

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

• Chris Clark and Darin Clendenin, 7 p.m. May 17, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307
• Donny Osborne Trio with Pete Petersen, 7 p.m. May 18, Boxley’s
•  Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, with opening act Down The Road, 7 p.m. May 18, Sallal Grange, 12912 432nd Ave. S.E., North Bend, $15
•  Sundaes on Monday and Jay Pinto and Friends, 8 p.m. May 18, The Black Dog Café, Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-DOGS (3647)
•  Moon Valley, 7:30 p.m. May 19, The Black Dog
•  Mike Longo Trio, 7 p.m. May 19, Boxley’s
•  The Hipsters, 9 p.m. May 19, Finaghty’s Irish Pub, 7726 Center Blvd. S.E., Ste. 110, Snoqualmie
•  Claude Bourbon, medieval and Spanish blues, 7 p.m. May 20, The Black Dog
•  Canyon Park Bands, 1:30 p.m. May 20, Boxley’s
•  Tony Foster Trio, 6 p.m. May 20, Boxley’s
•  Chief Kanim Middle School Jazz Band, 7 p.m. May 22, Boxley’s
• Randy Halberstadt, 7 p.m. May 23, Boxley’s
•  Chad McCullough and Bram Weijters Quartet, 7 p.m. May 24, Boxley’s
•  Roy Reinertsen and Benny Sidelinger, 7 p.m. May 24, The Black Dog
•  Ian Hendrickson-Smith Trio, 7 p.m. May 25, Boxley’s
•  Janette West Quartet, 7 p.m. May 26, Boxley’s
•  Danny Kolke Trio, 6 p.m. May 27, Boxley’s
•  Carolyn Graye’s Singer Soiree, 7 p.m. May 28, Boxley’s

Events

•  Twin Falls Middle School Drama Club presents “Willy Wonka,” 7 p.m. May 17-19, tickets $8, 46910 S.E. Middle Fork Road
•  Mother’s Day Tea Party, 7 p.m. May 18 at the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., Snoqualmie. Free to YMCA members; $10 per family for nonmembers. Registration beforehand required.
•  Reptile Man at Si View, 7 p.m. May 18, arts and crafts show and dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. Scot Petersen helps children get up close and personal with 15 live reptiles from around the world. A donation of $10 per family is suggested.
•  Print-making, 10 a.m. May 19, Cedar River Watershed Education Center. Fee of $15 for a parent with a child; $7 for each additional child. Participants will gather leaves and use nontoxic inks and a portable press to make prints for notecards or to take home.
•  Art opening for Jennifer Stewart, 7:30 p.m. May 19, The Black Dog
•  Fundraising plant sale and raffle, 9 a.m. May 19, Mount Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend. Funds will help Mount Si High School students pursuing careers in botany
•  Community Barbecue, 11 a.m. May 19, Snoqualmie Railroad Park, 7971 Railroad Ave. S.E. Residents of Snoqualmie welcome Waste Management as their new service provider for recycling, garbage and composting.
• All Comers Fun Meets, 2 p.m. May 20, Mount Si High School. This is a chance for children ages 3-14 to participate in up to five events, including sprints, runs, long jump and javelin. Register online at www.siviewpark.org. Call 831-1900. $5 drop-in fee
•  SnoValley Indoor Playground, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays when school is in session, Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive. A donation of $1 per child per visit is appreciated.
• Sallal Grange Community Games Night, 7 p.m. last Wednesday of each month. Please consider bringing a small monetary donation to help the Grange keep organizing events like this, www.sallalgrange.org.
•  Carnation Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m. every Tuesday from May to November, fresh food from family farms and small producers, including vendors from the Upper Valley. Downtown Carnation.
• Watercolor exhibit at Mount Si Senior Center through June 9, artists range from high-schoolers to senior citizens, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend

North Bend Library

The following events take place at the North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St.

•  Mount Si Artists Guild exhibit, May 1 to June 15. Themes are “Summer is Coming,” and “Summer in the Valley.” All ages are welcome during library hours.
•  Snoqualmie Valley Chess Club, 7 p.m. Thursdays. Learn to play chess or get a game going; all ages/skill levels welcome.
•  Study Zone, 4 p.m., May 17, 24, 31; 3 p.m. May 22, 29; 7 p.m. May 23, 30; free tutoring for grades K-12
•  Game On! 3 p.m. May 18, 25; play Xbox 306, PlayStation and Nintendo, “Guitar Hero” and “Dance Dance Revolution;” board games and snacks available
•  English as a second language classes, 6:30 p.m. May 21
•  Merry Monday Story Time, 11 a.m. May 21; newborns to age 3 with adult; siblings and other children are welcome
•  EReader assistance, 6 p.m. May 21. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer.
•  Preschool Story Time, 10:30 a.m. May 22; ages 3-6 with adult, siblings welcome
•  Toddler Story Time, 9:30 a.m. May, 22; ages 2-3 with adult
•  One-on-one Computer Assistance, 1 p.m. May 23, 30; for adults
•  Pajamarama Story Time, 6:30 p.m. May 23; all young children welcome with adult.
• SnoValley Writers Work Group, 3 p.m. May 27
• Volunteer with the Peace Corps, 7 p.m. May 29, for adults

Snoqualmie Library

The following events take place at the Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E.

•  Pajama Story Times, 7 p.m. May 17, 31. All young children welcome with adult. Wear your PJs if you like.
• EReader Assistance, 11 a.m. May 17, 24, 31. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer.
• Friends of the Snoqualmie Library book sale, all day May 18-19
•  Preschool Story Times, 1:30 p.m., May 21; 10:30 a.m. May 23, 30, ages 3-6 with adult
•  Study Zone, 3 p.m. May 22, 29; free tutoring for grades K-12
•  Young Toddler Story Times, 9:30 a.m. May 23, 30; ages 6-24 months with adult
•  Anime and Manga Club, 3 p.m. May 23, 30. Watch anime movies, eat popcorn and practice anime drawing.
•  Cenerentola: The Italian Cinderella Puppet Show, 7 p.m. May 24, ages 4 and older

Churches

• River Outreach seeks donations of coats, pants, sweatshirts, long underwear, hats, gloves, socks, and anything that may help homeless people stay warm. Call 830-1654 or 681-7380.
• St. Clare Episcopal Church is collecting cereal for the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank. People wanting to donate money instead may write a check to the food bank, P.O. Box 2464, North Bend, WA 98045.
• Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church seeks to collect tarps, candles, duct tape, flashlights, toilet paper, toiletries, hats, gloves, ropes and scarves for the homeless. Bring donations to the church’s parish hall.
• Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church Book Club, 9:30 a.m. May 19. The book is “The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew — Three Women Search For Understanding,” by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver and Priscilla Warner.
• The Snoqualmie United Methodist Church, Saint Clare’s Episcopal Church, the Mount Si Lutheran Church and Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church will host a Car Wash and Bake Sale, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Les Schwab Tire Center in North Bend. Funds raised will benefit the annual CROP Walk.
•  Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church will be the starting and finish points for this year’s version of the CROP Walk, 12:30 p.m. May 20, with lunch to follow. Twenty-five percent of the funds raised will benefit the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank.

Classes

• Butterfly Magic ballet lessons at Si View Community Center, 10:45-11:45 a.m. Wednesdays, through June 6, $42, for ages 3-6
• “Tween Yoga” at Si View Community Center, 4:30 p.m. Thursdays from May 3 to June 7, $50 fee, ages 9-13
•  Pickling class, 6:30 p.m. May 17, The Black Dog, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie

Submit an item for the community calendar by emailing smoraga@snovalleystar.com or go to www.snovalleystar.com.

Two groups of longtime friends, Mount Si Senior Center members and the area’s Girl Scouts, renewed their friendship with an annual afternoon tea in North Bend on April 20.

It was the 11th edition of the tea, where the Girl Scouts prepare and serve food for senior citizens, including B.J. Libby, the center’s director, who is also a Girl Scout.

“Some of the best years of my life,” Libby said of her time as camp counselor for the Girl Scouts.

By Sebastian Moraga Girl Scouts from the Valley hosted the 11th annual Girl Scout Tea with the members of the Mount Si Senior Center. Natalie Brookes and other older Girl Scouts began the tradition more than a decade ago and as they prepare to graduate high school, they passed on the teapot to younger Girl Scouts like Lindsey Flanagan.

Reminiscences aside, a mixture of joy and melancholy reigned during the tea. The first generation of girls to serve the tea 11 years ago is graduating high school this year. This was their last tea.

“They were in the second grade when they started,” said Jo Ann Brookes, troop leader for Girl Scout Troop 41784.

Taylor Wiles, one of the graduating seniors, has participated in the last five teas. She said she likes the camaraderie that builds between women and women-to-be, sometimes standing decades apart.

“They are hilarious ladies,” she said. “They are pretty fantastic. I really would not want to do this tea if it weren’t for them. I wouldn’t keep coming back every year if we didn’t have the same ladies coming back.”

Carmen Krochel highlighted the things she had learned from some of the senior citizens over the years, remembering a chat she had with one of them, a onetime resident of an Issaquah very different from today’s.

“She lived there before there were any stores,” Krochel said. “She had to go to Seattle if she wanted something.”

As the graduating Girl Scouts chatted at one table and the grownups talked at another, younger Girl Scouts looked on, some amused and some awed.

Wiles said younger Girl Scouts should continue with the tradition, even as their schedules get busier and they get older.

“It is a bit of work,” she said, later adding it gives girls a chance to leave their comfort zone.

“Little girls especially, and a lot of teenagers, don’t get the chance to talk to adults outside of their family. That kind of interaction is interesting. It’s rewarding,” Wiles said.

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com.

Place ingredients for icing in a medium-large bowl and set aside while butter and cream cheese come to room temperature.

Syrup ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter

Lemon coconut pancakes with cream cheese syrup

3 cups powdered sugar

Juice of half a lemon

Zest of lemon (optional)

Dash of salt

Few drops of water if needed to reach the consistency you would like

To make these fresh, sweet puffs of perfection, begin by measuring out the dry ingredients and set aside.

Dry ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Place wet ingredients into a medium-large bowl.

Wet ingredients:

1/2 cup milk

2 large eggs

Zest of 1 to 2 lemons

3/4 cup juice from 1 to 2 fresh lemons (Use water to fill 3/4 cup measure to make up for any shortage in the amount of lemon juice.)

Sift all dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir well. Stir in 1 cup of sweetened coconut.

Give your batter a sniff. There it is. That is spring in a bowl. You’re welcome.

Preheat a good quality nonstick pan on just below medium-low heat.  Allow batter to sit while pan preheats and then use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop batter into pan then smooth the pancake out just a bit.

Tips for how to cook a perfect pancake:

Never use a scratched nonstick pan. Keep your nonstick pans in a special location all their own to prevent scratching and only use plastic and wooden utensils when cooking with them.

Don’t use too much sugar. Too much sugar in the batter will make the pancakes burn.

Preheat your pan. If you’re not sure what temperature will work best on your stove, try low and slowly work your way up one smidge at a time until you find a heat that is perfect for pancakes and then remember it for the future. You can’t speed up the cooking time by using a higher heat or they will simply burn.

Low and slow. Cooking at a low heat does two things. It helps the bottom not to burn before the inside finishes cooking and it helps the pancake to rise a bit.

Wait for the bubbles. When the bubbles start to form in the middle of the pancake and start popping around the outer edges, it’s time to flip.

After pancakes are cooked, blend syrup ingredients with hand mixer. Heat the syrup on low heat while continuously whisking until creamy, melted and warmed. If needed, add a few drops of water at a time after it’s cooked to make it the consistency you’d like it to be. Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint or a fresh pansy for a beautiful touch.

This recipe makes four 8-inch pancakes or eight 4-inch pancakes. In my opinion, the eight 4-inch pancakes taste considerably better.

Deanna Morauski owns, operates and cooks at the Old Hen Bed and Breakfast near North Bend with her husband, John. She also blogs about food and cooking at www.thecleverculinarian.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/clvrculinarian.

“So far, I’ve only caught rocks and seaweed,” said the 7-year-old from Kirkland.

Two of the three ponds behind the Snoqualmie Police Department on Douglas Avenue were lined with young anglers trying their luck at the May 5 derby.

At stake were prizes, like poles and fishing gear — not to mention bragging rights.

By Michele Mihalovich Doug Turnure (left) watches his son D.J. Turnure, 6, practice casting at the 63rd annual Kid’s Trout Derby in Snoqualmie. The Mount Si Fish and Game Club put on the derby.

Ruby Richter, 9, of Issaquah, came with the goal of winning, like she’d done in years past. But it wasn’t to be.

Prizes were awarded for the four fish that weighed the most for each age category from 5- to 14-year-olds, and her fish got bumped off the board.

The competition began at daybreak, and organizers who showed up at about 5:30 a.m. to set things up found children already casting lines.

Ericka Scholz of Normandy Park, one of the early birds, brought her twin, 6-year-old daughters.

By 9:30 a.m., not one fish had hit the girls’ Barbie and princess fishing pole lines.

“But we remain optimistic,” Scholz said.

Byron Brown, 5, of Snoqualmie, had no trouble whatsoever landing a fish — and not just any fish.

The shy little fisherman hooked a 2-pound, 10-ounce trophy trout, not only winning first place in the 5-year-old category, but landing the biggest fish of the derby.

This is the third year Brown has competed in the derby.

His uncle Chad Charbonneah has been bringing the seasoned pro to the derby to “teach him how to fish and learn values and good sportsmanship.”

It seemed to be working, because Brown left with a bag of fishing gear.

Garry Trussell, president of the Mount Si Fish and Game Club, said the derby is a fun way to get children interested in the sport of fishing.

“These kids are the future of fishing,” said Milton Keizer, a club member. “And it’s a day they will remember the rest of their lives.”

Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com.

•  North Bend Public Health and Safety Committee, 4 p.m. May 8, City Hall, 211 Main Ave. N.
• North Bend Planning Commission, 7 p.m. May 10, City Hall
•  North Bend Community and Economic Development Committee, 1:30 p.m. May 15, Community and Economic Development Department, 126 E. Fourth St.
•  North Bend Finance and Administration Committee,    4 p.m. May 15, 4 p.m. City Hall
• North Bend City Council, 7 p.m. May 15, Mount Si. Senior Center, 411 Main Ave. S.
•  North Bend Transportation and Public Works Committee, 3:45 p.m. May 16, Public Works office, 1155 E.  North Bend Way
•  North Bend Economic Development Commission, 7:45 a.m. May 17, 126 E. Fourth St.
•  Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Board meeting, 6:30 p.m. May 10, Snoqualmie City Hall, 38624 S.E. River St.
• Snoqualmie City Council, 7 p.m. May 14, Snoqualmie City Hall
•  Snoqualmie Community and Economic Affairs Committee, 5 p.m. May 15, Snoqualmie City Hall
•  Snoqualmie Arts Commission, 6:30 p.m. May 15, Snoqualmie City Hall
• Snoqualmie Economic Development Commission,     8 a.m. May 16, Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District Office, 34929 S.E. Ridge St.

Music/entertainment

• Benefit for Bead for Life and the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank, 4 p.m. May 10, The Black Dog
•  Alexey Nikolaev and Chuck Kistler, 7 p.m. May 10, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way
•  Dar Stellabotta will perform at the Black Dog Café in Snoqualmie at 7 p.m. May 10.
•  Forrest Roush, 8 p.m. May 11, The Black Dog
• Vintage Jazz Quartet,       7 p.m. May 11, Boxley’s
•  Poetry Alive, 6-9 p.m. May 11, The Black Dog
•  Leah Stillwell Quartet,     7 p.m. May 12, Boxley’s
•  Charlie Loesel, 8 p.m. May 12, The Black Dog
•  Left Coast Gypsies, 8 p.m. May 12, Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery, 8032 Falls Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie
•  Jon Hamar Trio, 6 p.m. May 13, Boxley’s
•  Carolyn Graye’s Singer Soiree, 7 p.m. May 14, Boxley’s
•  Future Jazz Heads, 7 p.m. May 15, Boxley’s
•  Bob Hammer, 7 p.m. May 16, Boxley’s
• Chris Clark and Darin Clendenin, 7 p.m. May 17, Boxley’s

Events

•  Teen Late Night at the Y includes classic movies, trivia challenges, ping pong, Kinect tournaments and board games, 7-10 p.m. May 11, 35018 S.E. Ridge St. Free to all teens. Participants must register beforehand.
•  Adult hike, 9 a.m. May 12, 8-mile roundtrip around the Valley. Meet at the YMCA lobby, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., Snoqualmie. Free to the community.
• Community Barbecue, 11 a.m. May 12, Snoqualmie Community Park, 35016 S.E. Ridge St. Residents of Snoqualmie welcome Waste Management as their new service provider for recycling, garbage and composting.
• Walk to the Big Cedar, 10 a.m. May 12, Meadowbrook Farm, 1711 Boalch Ave. North Bend. Hike to see a 500-year-old 9.5-foot diameter tree.
•  Gravity Fest, featuring local teen bands, 7:30 p.m. May 12, Si View Community Center, $6 admission
•  Quiet Water: Exploring Wetland Ecology, 9 a.m. May 12, Cedar River Watershed Education Center, 19901 Cedar Falls Road S.E., North Bend. Fee: $15. Call 831-7390.
•  All Comers Fun Meets,     2 p.m. May 13 and 20, Mount Si High School. This is a chance for children ages 3-14 to participate in up to five events, including sprints, runs, long jump and javelin. Register online at        www.siviewpark.org. Call 831-1900. $5 drop-in fee
• Mother’s Day Tea and Talks, 10 a.m. May 13, Cedar River Watershed Education Center. Free to the public. Watch a slideshow about the watershed, stroll around and learn about Rattlesnake Lake, discover fun tidbits about moms (human and otherwise) in the watershed.
• Reptile Man at Si View, 7 p.m. May 18, arts and crafts show and dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. Scot Petersen helps children get up close and personal with 15 live reptiles from around the world. A donation of $10 per family is suggested.
•  Fundraising plant sale and raffle, 9 a.m. May 19, Mount Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend. Funds will help Mount Si High School students pursuing careers in botany.
•  Art opening for Jennifer Stewart, 7:30 p.m. May 19, The Black Dog
•  Print-making, 10 a.m. May 19, Cedar River Watershed Education Center. Fee of $15 for a parent with a child; $7 for each additional child. Participants will gather leaves and use nontoxic inks and a portable press to make prints for notecards or to take home.
•  SnoValley Indoor Playground, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays when school is in session, Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive. A donation of $1 per child per visit is appreciated.
•  Sallal Grange Community Games Night, 7 p.m. last Wednesday of each month. Please consider bringing a small monetary donation to help the Grange keep organizing events like this, www.sallalgrange.org.
•  Carnation Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., every Tuesday from May to November, fresh food from family farms and small producers, including vendors from the Upper Valley, downtown Carnation
•  Watercolor exhibit at Mount Si Senior Center through June 9, artists range from high-schoolers to senior citizens, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend

North Bend Library

The following events take place at the North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St.

•  Mount Si Artists Guild exhibit, May 1 to June 15. Themes are “Summer is Coming,” and “Summer in the Valley.” All ages welcome during library hours.
•  Snoqualmie Valley Chess Club, 7 p.m. Thursdays. Learn to play chess or get a game going; all ages/skill levels welcome
•  One-on-one Computer Assistance, 1 p.m. May 16; for adults
• Study Zone, 4 p.m., May 10, 17; 3 p.m. May 15, 22;         7 p.m. May 16; free tutoring for grades K-12
•  Game On! 3 p.m. May 11, 18; play Xbox 306, PlayStation and Nintendo, “Guitar Hero” and “Dance Dance Revolution;” board games and snacks will be available
•  English as a second language classes, 6:30 p.m. May 14, 21
•  Merry Monday Story Time, 11 a.m. May 14, 21; newborns to age 3 with adult; siblings and other children are welcome
• EReader assistance, 6 p.m. May 14. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer.
• Preschool Story Time, 10:30 a.m. May 15, 22; ages 3-6 with adult, siblings welcome
•  Toddler Story Time, 9:30 a.m. May 15, 22; ages 2-3 with adult
• Pajamarama Story Time, 6:30 p.m. May 16; all young children welcome with adult.
•  Special Needs Story Time, 10 a.m. May 12. Stories, songs and activities designed for children with special needs and their families. Program focuses on developmental ages 3-6, though all ages and abilities are welcome.
• In the Garden – Northwest Perennials, with Master Gardener Pat Roone,      3 p.m. May 12
•  SnoValley Writers Work Group, 3 p.m. May 13. Join local writers for writing exercises, critique and lessons on voice, plot and point of view. Adults only. Email snovalleywrites@gmail.com for assignment prior to coming to class.
•  Friends of the North Bend Library meet, 9:30 a.m. May 14

Snoqualmie Library

The following events take place at the Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E.

•  Pajama Story Times, 7 p.m. May 10, 17. All young children welcome with adult.
•  EReader Assistance, 11 a.m. May 10, 17. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer.

Submit an item for the community calendar by emailing smoraga@snovalleystar.com or go to www.snovalleystar.com.

Yes, the “capitalized” game is an Internet craze, with people playing several games at once.

Comouche, an information technology specialist with the Sno Falls Credit Union, said the real charm lies in the “lowercase” version: talking with a friend and playing a game live and in person. No wi-fi, just the occasional high-fives.

Comouche and the North Bend-based Sallal Grange host Community Games Night at 7 p.m. the last Wednesday of every month.

By Sebastian Moraga Tiani Blakely tries to cure Peter Griffin from “Family Guy” of his latest ailment, during a round of “Operation” with her best friend Stephanie Turner. The Sallal Grange has started Community Games Night to get people away from the computer screen and the handheld phone and get them talking face to face again.

April 25 saw about a dozen people show up. Tables, chairs, snacks and a huge pile of games awaited.

“Every game has been donated by the community. That’s pretty awesome,” Comouche said, as teenagers and adults took their seats.

One room was almost full, the other one was almost empty.

“We’re the cool kids,” said Tiani Blakely, sitting with her best friend Stephanie Turner by themselves in the room, playing a “Family Guy” version of the game Operation.

Blakely said she liked the idea of a games night.

“You can come here with your family, but you can also spend time with friends and people you don’t know,” Blakely said.

In the other room, her family mingled, while she and Turner tried being surgeons.

So far, crowds amount to friends and family of Grange members. Comouche said things will change once more people learn about games night.

“I want to keep this going for as long as possible,” he said.

In summer, Comouche said he wants to take games night outdoors.

“Maybe set up some nets, play some badminton, some croquet, maybe a soccer ball,” he said.

The events are alcohol-free and free of charge, though the Grange appreciates donations to help pay for the light and heat bills.

Blakely’s father, Bill, the treasurer of the Grange, said games nights happen on Wednesdays to keep the building available on weekends.

“We kind of leave the weekend sacred for rentals,” he said, “which provide much-needed income to keep the place open.”

Comouche described games nights as family friendly, open to all ages.

Anthony Wallace and his girlfriend Taylor Reeves, both teenagers, put the family friendliness to the test, playing a game called “Dirty Minds.”

The game, clean despite its name, requires contestants to guess something based on clues that sound like double-entendres.

“It looked fun,” Reeves said.

To Wallace, the same could be said of games night.

“It’s a really good idea,” Wallace said. “It’s nice for people to get out from the house and do something face to face.”

Larry Houch, president of the Grange, agreed, saying the idea was not competing with technology, but  offering an alternative.

“I like the concept of an old-fashioned night,” he said. “I got a phone, I got apps. But it’s nice to talk to someone not over a wire.”

If you go

Community Games Night

7 p.m. May 30

Sallal Grange and  Community Hall

12912 432nd Ave. S.E. North Bend

888-0825

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

He doesn’t know for how much longer he will.

By Sebastian Moraga Vivian and Phil Williams perform at the Snoqualmie Library last month. Longtime students of traditional American music, the couple played themes from the Civil War era on instruments such as the fiddle and the banjo.

“It’s dying out, frankly,” he said. “We want to put together a group to play at Victorian balls and we are having a hard time finding musicians.”

The media has ignored fiddle music and few venues exist for it, said Williams, a musician like his wife Vivian.

“You won’t see any of this referred to in the media anymore,” he said. “So, as a result it’s not being passed on.”

Phil and Vivian’s shows, like the one the last week of April at the Snoqualmie Library, double as a performance and a history lesson.

Married for 53 years, the couple specializes in fiddle music from the Oregon Trail, which goes back hundreds of years.

Their Snoqualmie show focused on music from the Civil War era, which they said also reached and affected the West.

They have done three shows for the King County libraries, focusing on Lewis and Clark-era music, the Klondike Gold Rush era, Oregon Trail era, and this one.

“A lot of these tunes overlap,” Phil said. “Some of these tunes have been around 300 years.”

In its heyday, fiddle music was played at presidential inaugurations, Phil said.

Now, he said, almost nobody listens to it.

Besides, people in the West have not listened to fiddle music as much as those on the East Coast, he said.

On the plus side, Vivian said, technology has preserved material that could have been lost decades ago. Many such songs appear in the couple’s repertoire.

A former attorney for 33 years, the 75-year-old Phil plays guitar and banjo. Vivian plays the fiddle.

Vivian is a member of the state’s Bluegrass Hall of Fame, and a music historian. Phil said the creator of bluegrass, Bill Monroe, called Vivian the best female fiddler he had ever heard.

When the 73-year-old Vivian dies, Phil said, “that will be the end of the Northwest fiddlers.”

The couple tries to help the music survive, holding community dances in places like Tacoma and Olympia. But few people can play it, few people can dance to it and few people can teach how to dance it.

“There’s square dance and there’s young square dance,” Phil said, “And never the twain shall meet. There’s ballroom people, there’s the contra dance people. When we were kids they were all together. Now they are not.”

Vivian said it’s still fun to perform in places like Kenmore or at the Northwest Folklife Festival on Memorial Day Weekend at the Seattle Center. They’re also compiling centuries’ worth of songs for a book about Oregon Trail music.

“One of the things about it that’s fun is carving my own niche, not going according to what other people have done, and striking out a new path,” she said.

Their path started in 1960 as folk musicians. Then it was on to old-time strings and bluegrass.

“We didn’t have a clue about the regional stuff,” said the Tacoma-born Vivian. “We were chasing what everyone else was doing.”

After 2001, Vivian said, they specialized in Oregon Trail music.

The tunes can’t pay the bills, but can make them happy. Vivian calls it butter-and-eggs money.

“Back on the farms,” she said, “it was the money families set aside for their little extras.”

Even if it did not pay for the butter and eggs, odds are these two would play on, the way they have for the past 50 years.

“It’s a hobby that’s gotten completely out of hand,” she said.

On the Web

Watch Phil and Vivian Williams play the song “Old Dan Tucker” at  www.snovalleystar.com. 

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

The family-owned café, at 202 North Bend Way just west of Bendigo Boulevard, will open its doors May 12.

Pioneer’s Wholesale Manager DeAnna P. Haverfield will oversee the opening and direct the daily operation of the café. Haverfield, a longtime North Bend resident, said she believes the new retail location will have a mature feel to it, but will be an enjoyable location for families, as well.

She said that plans for a comfy couch as well as laptop tables and community board are in the works.

There have been no conflicts between humans and bears in Snoqualmie, but you may want to review safety tips for living in neighborhoods with black bears that is posted on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website at      http://wdfw.wa.gov/living.

According to the website, the best ways to avoid conflicts with bears are:

Don’t feed bears. Often people leave food out for bears so they can take pictures of them or show them to visiting friends. More than 90 percent of bear/human conflicts result from bears being conditioned to associate food with humans. A wild bear can become permanently food-conditioned after only one handout experience. The sad reality is that these bears will likely die, being killed by someone protecting their property, or by a wildlife manager having to remove a potentially dangerous bear.

Manage your garbage. Bears will expend a great amount of time and energy digging under, breaking down or crawling over barriers to get food, including garbage. If you have a pickup service, put garbage out shortly before the truck arrives — not the night before. If you’re leaving several days before pickup, haul your garbage to a dump. If necessary, frequently haul your garbage to a dumpsite to avoid odors.

Keep garbage cans with tight-fitting lids in a shed, garage or fenced area. Spray garbage cans and dumpsters regularly with disinfectants to reduce odors. Keep fish parts and meat waste in your freezer until they can be disposed of properly.

If bears are common in your area, consider investing in a commercially available bear-proof garbage container. Ask a local public park about availability or search the Internet for vendors.

The Snoqualmie Police Department requests that the public call 911 for each bear sighting. Dispatchers will send Snoqualmie police to the location. The police want to track bear activity and they already work closely with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Office on this issue.

In June, garbage and recycle collection will transition from Allied Waste to Waste Management, and upon request, WM will provide the option of wildlife-proof garbage containers. The container is free; the collection service is $3.13 per month with regular service. WM will provide more information about this service option in May.

•  North Bend Public Health and Safety Committee, 4 p.m. May 8, City Hall, 211 Main Ave. N.
•  North Bend Planning Commission, 7 p.m. May 10, City Hall
• Snoqualmie Finance and Administration Committee, 5:30 p.m. May 8, Snoqualmie City Hall, 38624 S.E. River St.
•  Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Board meeting, 6:30 p.m. May 10, Snoqualmie City Hall

Music/entertainment

•  Valley Center Stage presents “Moon Over Buffalo,” May 3, 4 and 5; tickets $12.50 to $15; all shows at 119 W. North Bend Way
•  Poetry Open Mic Night, 6 p.m. May 3, The Black Dog, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-DOGS (3647)
•  Jim Marcotte, 8 p.m. May 4, The Black Dog
•  Jeremy Serwer, 8 p.m. May 5 The Black Dog
•  Extra Sauce Please, 8 p.m. May 5, Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery
•  SVSD music faculty in concert, 7 p.m. May 9, Mount Si High School Auditorium, 8651 Meadowbrook Way S.E.
• Dar Stellabotta, 7 p.m. May 10, The Black Dog
• Forrest Roush, 8 p.m. May 11, The Black Dog
•  Charlie Loesel, 8 p.m. May 12, The Black Dog
•  Left Coast Gypsies, 8 p.m. May 12, Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery

Events

•  Kidz Love Soccer spring session starts April 26 at Azalea Park, 6604 Azalea Way. Register at www.kidzlovesoccer.com or at the Snoqualmie Parks and Recreation Department, 38624 S.E. River St. $74 per child
•  Relay For Life German Dinner and Silent Auction, 4 p.m. May 5, Snoqualmie Eagles, 8200 Railroad Ave., Snoqualmie. Tickets: $15 for adults and $7.50 children 12 and younger. Contact Bev Jorgensen at bjorge623@comcast.net or 922-8645 to buy tickets.
•  Annual Children’s Trout Derby, daylight to 10 a.m., May 5 at the ponds behind Snoqualmie Police Station, 34825 S.E. Douglas St. Children younger than 5 may fish. Children ages 5-14 may compete for prizes. No registration necessary. There’s a two-fish limit; no nets, no dogs.
•  Gravity Fest, featuring local teen bands, 7:30 p.m. May 12, Si View Community Center, $6 admission
•  Quiet Water: Exploring Wetland Ecology, 9 a.m. May 12, Cedar River Watershed Education Center, 19901 Cedar Falls Road S.E., North Bend. Fee: $15. Call 831-7390.
•  All Comers Fun Meets, 2 p.m. May 13 and 20, Mount Si High School. This is a chance for children ages 3-14 to participate in up to five events, including sprints, runs, long jump and javelin. Register online at        www.siviewpark.org. Call 831-1900. $5 drop-in fee
• Mother’s Day Tea and Talks, 10 a.m. May 13, Cedar River Watershed Education Center. Free to the public. Watch a slideshow about the watershed, stroll around and learn about Rattlesnake Lake, discover fun tidbits about moms (human and otherwise) in the watershed.
•  Reptile Man at Si View, 7 p.m. May 18, arts & crafts show and dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. Scot Petersen helps children get up close and personal with 15 live reptiles from around the world. A donation of $10 per family is suggested.
•  Fundraising plant sale and raffle, 9 a.m. May 19, Mount Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend. Funds will help Mount Si High School students pursuing careers in botany.
•  Art opening for Jennifer Stewart, 7:30 p.m. May 19, The Black Dog
•  Print-making, 10 a.m. May 19, Cedar River Watershed Education Center. Fee of $15 for a parent with a child; $7 for each additional child. Participants will gather leaves and use nontoxic inks and a portable press to make prints for notecards or to take home.
•  SnoValley Indoor Playground, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays when school is in session, Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive. A donation of $1 per child per visit is appreciated.
•  Sallal Grange Community Games Night, 7 p.m. last Wednesday of each month. Please consider bringing a small monetary donation to help the Grange keep organizing events like this, www.sallalgrange.org.
•  Carnation Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., every Tuesday from May to November, fresh food from family farms and small producers, downtown Carnation
• Watercolor exhibit at Mount Si Senior Center through June 9, artists range from high-schoolers to senior citizens. 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend

North Bend Library

The following events take place at the North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St.

•  Mount Si Artists Guild exhibit, May 1 to June 15. Themes are “Summer is Coming,” and “Summer in the Valley.” All ages welcome during library hours.
•  Snoqualmie Valley Chess Club, 7 p.m. Thursdays. Learn to play chess or get a game going; all ages/skill levels are welcome.
• One-on-one Computer Assistance, 1 p.m. May 2, 9, 16; for adults
• Study Zone, 4 p.m., May 3, 10, 17; 3 p.m. May 8, 15, 22; 7 p.m. May 2, 9, 16; free tutoring for grades K-12
•  Game On! 3 p.m. May 4, 11, 18; play Xbox 306, PlayStation and Nintendo, “Guitar Hero” and “Dance Dance Revolution;” board games and snacks will be available.

•  English as a second language classes, 6:30 p.m. May 7, 14, 21
•  Merry Monday Story Time, 11 a.m. May 7, 14, 21; newborns to age 3 with adult; siblings and other children are welcome
•  Introduction to Computers, 7 p.m. May 7. Practice skills necessary for using a computer, including using mouse, selecting items and text, arranging windows, browsing the Internet and the library catalog.
•  EReader assistance, 6 p.m. May 7, May 14. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer.
•  Preschool Story Time, 10:30 a.m. May 8, 15, 22; ages 3-6 with adult, siblings welcome
•  Toddler Story Time, 9:30 a.m. May 8, 15, 22; ages 2-3 with adult
•  Pajamarama Story Time, 6:30 p.m. May 9, 16; all young children welcome with adult
• Special Needs Story Time, 10 a.m. May 12. Stories, songs and activities designed for children with special needs and their families. Program focuses on developmental ages 3-6, though all ages and abilities are welcome.
•  In the Garden – Northwest Perennials, with Master Gardener Pat Roone, 3 p.m. May 12
•  SnoValley Writers Work Group, 3 p.m. May 13. Join local writers for writing exercises, critique and lessons on voice, plot and point of view. Adults only. Email snovalleywrites@gmail.com for assignment prior to coming to class.
•  Friends of the North Bend Library meeting, 9:30 a.m. May 14

Snoqualmie Library

The following events take place at the Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E.

•  Pajama Story Times, 7 p.m. May 3, 10. All young children welcome with adult.
•  EReader Assistance, 11 a.m. May 3, 10. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer.
•  Preschool Story Times, 1:30 p.m., May 7, 14, 21; 10:30 a.m. May 2, 9; ages 3-6 with adult
•  Study Zone, 3 p.m. May 8, 15, 22; free tutoring for grades K-12
•  Young Toddler Story Times, 9:30 a.m. May 9; ages 6-24 months with adult
•  Anime and Manga Club, 3 p.m. May 9. Watch anime movies, eat popcorn and practice anime drawing.
• qSpanish/English Story Time, 10:30 a.m. May 12. Todos bienvenidos; all ages welcome with adult. Hear fun stories and songs in Spanish and English.
•  Snoqualmie Book Club/Online Book Club, 6:30 p.m. May 15. Book for the month of May is “The Help,” by Kathryn Stockett.
• Friends of the Snoqualmie Library meeting, 6 p.m. May 16
• Friends of the Snoqualmie Library book sale, all day May 18-19

Churches

• River Outreach seeks donation of coats, pants, sweatshirts, long underwear, hats, gloves, socks, and anything that may help homeless people stay warm. Call 830-1654 or 681-7380.
• St. Clare Episcopal Church is collecting cereal for the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank. People wanting to donate money instead may write a check to the food bank, P.O. Box 2464, North Bend, WA 98045.
•  St. Clare Episcopal Church offers a Computer Recycling Event, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 28; 8650 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie
• Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church presents “Creating Effective Family Meetings” workshop, 6:30 p.m. April 29, 39025 S.E. Alpha St., Snoqualmie
•  National Day of Prayer, noon to 12:30 p.m. May 3, in front of North Bend City Hall, 211 Main Ave.

Submit an item for the community calendar by emailing smoraga@snovalleystar.com or go to www.snovalleystar.com.

In addition to spreading and teaching the Snoqualmie tradition of carving, Mullen also carries on the tribe’s tradition of singing and drumming.

On April 16, he was at Issaquah’s nonprofit Providence Marianwood skilled nursing facility, with his handmade tools, one of his handmade dugout canoes and plenty of stories and talk to share.

By Tom Corrigan During his presentation at Marianwood in Issaquah, John Mullen said one of the traditional Snoqualmie songs he sang was thought to be 800 years old.

Mullen’s visit was part of Marianwood’s marking of April 16, formally Mother Joseph Pariseau Day in Washington.

A member of the Catholic order of the Sisters of Providence, Mother Joseph is credited with building 29 hospitals, schools, orphanages and shelters for the aged or mentally ill in the late 1800s in Washington and surrounding states.

Her influence can be felt as far north as Canada, said Providence Marianwood’s Andrea Abercrombie, who told residents at least part of the story of the Sisters of Providence and Mother Joseph in Washington.

Some 155 years ago, the Sisters of Providence founded what became Providence Health Services, which operates Marianwood. The organization maintains ties to the Catholic order to this day, according to Arlene Carter, executive director of the Providence Marianwood Foundation.

Because Mother Joseph was dedicated to helping others, each year Providence Marianwood commemorates Mother Joseph Day with some kind of charitable drive. This year, residents, staff members and visitors collected several tables full of school supplies for donation to the Snoqualmie Tribe. Mullen was on hand to accept the donation.

During his talk, he showed off his handmade carving tools, some of which are specially designed for a lack of mobility he has in his right hand. And all of his tools are handmade. He even has a carved block of wood with a handle that he uses as a hammer.

While the carving tools are clearly important, the tops of dugout canoes, at least when they are made of cedar, eventually are steamed open. The bottoms of the canoes are filled with water.

Extremely hot rocks are placed in the water to create steam, which in turn spreads out the wood, making the canoe opening larger. The task can take three days to accomplish.

Mullen also had with him several kinds of handmade canoe paddles, including one that early Snoqualmie people could have used as a weapon in a pinch. A river paddle had points on the end for pushing floating obstacles out of the way as well as for potentially spearing fish.

Mullen also used a handheld drum to perform two traditional Snoqualmie songs. Both used more tones than actual words. He said one song was believed to be more than 800 years old.

Mullen has a personal connection to Providence Marianwood. Both his mother and his wife have been employees of the institution. He has volunteered at the facility. The Snoqualmie Tribe recently awarded a grant for upgrading Marianwood’s garden.

Prior to Mullen’s talk, Abercrombie supplied the 25 or so residents on hand with a brief history of Mother Joseph. Along with three other nuns, Mother Joseph arrived at Fort Vancouver in Washington in 1865. Within three weeks, the nuns were taking in orphans. At the time, the area had no hospital and few schools. Abercrombie credited Mother Joseph with changing that, founding dozens of charitable institutions and eventually becoming known as “The Builder.”

Mother Joseph died of a brain tumor at age 79 in 1902. Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke dedicated each April 16 as Mother Joseph Day in Washington beginning in 1999.

On the Web

In 2009 and 2010, The Issaquah Press documented John Mullen’s efforts to carve a traditional canoe for the Snoqualmie Tribe. Read the articles and watch videos of the process at http://bit.ly/I3F58G and http://bit.ly/dv2yyz. 

Comment at www.snovalleystar.com. 

The 12-year-old, a seventh-grader at St. Joseph Catholic School in Snoqualmie, dreams of succeeding in middle school, high school, college, med school and then becoming the oncologist who cures cancer once and for all.

She also said she hopes to meet Justin Bieber, even ranking meeting him a notch above curing the disease.

(Remember, she’s 12.)

By Sebastian Moraga Natalie Smith, here with her mother Dene James, won first prize in the young adult writer category of the SnoValley Writes writing contest. Smith, a leukemia survivor, based her story, ‘The Battle,’ on her struggle to beat the disease.

Diagnosed with leukemia as a first-grader in 2006, Smith overcame the disease once before it came back in 2008. She underwent a bone marrow transplant after the relapse, and now has penned her story of survival in a story titled “The Battle.”

The story won Smith first place in early April in the Young Adult Writing category of a writing contest organized by SnoValley Writes.

A painter and a poet, she has utilized her struggle against leukemia as a source of inspiration for her art, she said.

“It was good therapy for her,” said Dene James, Natalie’s mom, who admits to getting teary-eyed just hearing her daughter talk.

“It was hard,” she said of watching Natalie battle leukemia. “It was so hard.”

The experience left Natalie more than a story to tell or something to put on canvas. Natalie said she loves going to school, mainly because the disease robbed her of half of her first grade, half of her second grade and all of her fourth grade.

“It is a gift,” she said of attending class. “Most people don’t really realize it.”

Being away from the classroom meant time away from friends, she added.

Now, she said, she loathes to miss a day. The leukemia left no learning disabilities, hearing loss or any significant side effects, so school is a blast.

The disease also brought Natalie and her sister Anna closer than they were. Natalie credits her older sibling with keeping her spirits up by joking with her like she always had.

Anna had to be scared, Natalie said, but Anna kept her fear hidden under a thick armor of sisterhood.

“My mom would be like, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ and I really appreciate that, because I needed that,” Natalie said. “But Anna would be like, ‘Hey, loser.’”

The “loser” is now a bona fide winner, with a certificate, a brand new journal and a cool $100 in cash to show for it. Of course, that’s not nearly enough cash to fly to Canada and meet her idol, but she’s willing to be patient, sort of.

“I don’t know if when I’m 20 I will still want to,” she said of meeting Bieber. “Because he will be like 40.”

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

As the new executive director of the Snoqualmie Valley Community Network, she launched trivia cards highlighting good things about life in the Valley.

Twenty-seven days into the job, she also knows the future looks cloudy for the network’s current funding.

Laura Smith

State cuts will eliminate $50,000 this summer. Then, in 30 months, $125,000 in Drug-Free Communities grant money disappears.

Even without the uncertainty, the job is big.

Smith, hired April 2, said her respect for predecessor Kristy Trione has increased.

“Kristy was holding so many more details and so many more irons in the fire than I thought,” she said of Trione, who moved to Costa Rica this winter. “My hat’s off to her.”

Perhaps the only thing bigger than the challenges is Smith’s optimism.

“We are really working on the upper and lower Valleys to focus on the positive elements of each community,” said Smith, who has lived in the Valley for 13 years. “We are looking for the positive things that are happening with the kids, with the businesses, with the environment.”

Steven Bates, president of the network, said he’s very excited to have Smith as executive director.

“She brings lots of experience and enthusiasm, and she’s well respected in the community,” he said. “We’re expecting good things from her.”

The network’s Leanne Christensen praised Smith’s hire in a press release.

“Laura deeply cares and is invested in the community,” Christensen said. “She has proved this time and time again.”

Then there are the cards, conversation starters Smith said she hopes will change people’s views of the Valley.

“Within the answer of the trivia question people will learn more about what’s actually going in the lives of our youth,” she said. “Most of what goes on is positive and people need to know about it.”

People talk more about the unhealthy choices they make, and people end up hearing more about them than the good stuff, she added.

Highlighting good choices leads people to change, Smith said. One thing that needs changing is people’s unawareness of the network, which perplexes Smith.

During her six years in the network, Smith has participated in youth councils, the Key Leaders’ Summit, the Rise and Shine Breakfast, the Healthy Youth Forum and the “Hometown Trivia” campaign (the one with the cards).

People sometimes don’t realize it’s the network that starts many of these activities.

With heroin use, texting and “sexting” occurring in the Valley, the network’s mission will not disappear anytime soon.

Smith said she remains confident the network won’t either. Even if the big grant disappears.

Keeping the network vibrant won’t be easy, but nowadays it’s worth the fight, Smith said.

“Usually in a time like this, when services are being cut back, our role is figuring out how we hold on to services when we can, and figure out a way for the community to get through it, how you make it work when it’s tight,” she said.

Budget cuts and all, she has reason to hope. She attended the Be The Change teen leadership conference in mid-April.

“If there’s anything that will give you hope it’s sitting in a room with 50 middle-schoolers, who are excellent reminders of all the good that exists in the world,” she said.

The teenagers’ desire to know, lead and participate makes Smith feel lucky she has the job she has.

“People keep expressing their desire to partner, or their confidence that the job is in good hands,” she said. “My goal is to live up to their votes of confidence.”

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

North Bend Planning Commission, 7 p.m. April 26, City Hall. 211 Main Ave. N.

North Bend City Council, 7 p.m. May 1 at Mount Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave S.

North Bend Finance and Administration Committee, 4 p.m. May 1, City Hall

North Bend Public Health and Safety Committee, 4 p.m. May 8, City Hall

North Bend Planning Commission, 7 p.m. May 10, City Hall

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Board meeting, 6:30 p.m. May 10, Snoqualmie City Hall

No city of Snoqualmie meetings had been scheduled as of April 23.

Music/entertainment

•  Alexey Nikolaev and Michael Marcus, 7 p.m. April 26, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, 292-9307
•  Valley Center Stage presents “Moon Over Buffalo,” April 26, 27 and 28, May 3, 4 and 5; tickets $12.50 to $15; all shows at 119 W. North Bend Way
•  Bryant Urban’s Blue Oasis, 7 p.m. April 27, Boxley’s
•  Little Hurricane, 8 p.m. April 27, The Black Dog 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-DOGS (3647)
•  Floating House, 7:30 p.m. April 28, The Black Dog
•  Ravinwolf, 8 p.m. April 28, Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery, 8032 Falls Ave. S.E. Snoqualmie
• Bernie Jacobs Quartet, 7 p.m. April 28, Boxley’s
•  Danny Kolke Trio, 6 p.m. April, 29, Boxley’s

• Mount Si High School Jazz Band, 7 p.m. April 30, Boxley’s
• Poetry Open Mic Night, 6 p.m. May 3, The Black Dog
• Jim Marcotte, 8 p.m. May 4, The Black Dog
• Jeremy Serwer, 8 p.m. May 5, The Black Dog
•  Extra Sauce Please, 8 p.m. May 5, Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery
•  Dan Stellabotta, 7 p.m. May 10, The Black Dog
•  Forrest Roush, 8 p.m. May 11, The Black Dog
•  Charlie Loesel, 8 p.m. May 12, The Black Dog
•  Left Coast Gypsies, 8 p.m. May 12, Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery
•  Snoqualmie Strings Youth Orchestra, 7 p.m. May 15, Mount Si High School Auditorium, 8651 Meadowbrook Way
•  Sundaes on Monday and Jay Pinto & Friends, 8 p.m. May 18, The Black Dog
•  Bob Antone and Friends, 8 p.m. May 19, Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery
•  The Hipsters, 9 p.m. May 19, Finaghty’s Irish Pub, 7726 Center Blvd. S.E., Suite 110, Snoqualmie
• Moon Valley, 7:30 p.m. May 19, The Black Dog
• Claude Bourbon, 7 p.m. May 20, The Black Dog
•  Roy Reinertsen and Benny Sidelinger, 7 p.m. May 24, The Black Dog
•  Danae Dean, live recording, 7:30 p.m. May 25, The Black Dog
•  Gary Kanter and Friends, 8 p.m. May 26, The Black Dog

Events

•  Kidz Love Soccer spring session starts April 26 at Azalea Park, 6604 Azalea Way. Register at www.kidzlovesoccer.com or at the Snoqualmie Parks and Recreation Department, 38624 S.E. River St. $74 per child
•  Second Northwest Equine Fashion Show, 7 p.m. April 28, Northwest Natural Horsemanship Center, 31022 S.E. Redmond-Fall City Road, Fall City. Event benefits the Warrior Family retreats, providing equine therapy for soldiers who have served Iraq and Afghanistan. A donation of $15 suggested.
• Snoqualmie Hospital Auxiliary Plant Sale, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 28, Mount Si Senior Center; sales will support a $1,000 scholarship to a Mount Si High School graduate pursuing a career in the medical field

• Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 28 at the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA — fun, games, healthy snacks and facility tours. Free event for the community. First 100 children receive a free T-shirt.
• Household Recycling Event, 9 a.m. April 28, Snoqualmie Middle School, 9200 Railroad Ave. S.E., open to all King County residents wanting to dispose of electronics, computers, appliances, scrap metal, tires, batteries, petroleum products and more. No latex paint. Call 888-7651.
• Drug Take Back Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 28 at the Snoqualmie Fire Department, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway, and the North Bend Park & Ride, on the southeast corner of East North Bend Way and East McClellan Street. Dispose of unused prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs.
• All Comers Fun Meets, 2 p.m. April 29, May 13 and 20, Mount Si High School. This is a chance for children ages 3-14 to participate in up to five events, including sprints, runs, long jump and javelin. Register online at www.siviewpark.org. Call 831-1900. $5 drop-in fee
• Relay For Life German Dinner and Silent Auction, 4 p.m. May 5, Snoqualmie Eagles, 8200 Railroad Ave., Snoqualmie. Tickets: $15 for adults and $7.50 children 12 and younger. Contact Bev Jorgensen at bjorge623@comcast.net or 922-8645 to buy tickets.
• Annual Children’s Trout Derby, daylight to 10 a.m., May 5 at the ponds behind the Snoqualmie Police Station, 34825 S.E. Douglas St. Children ages 5-14 may compete for prizes. Children younger than 5 may fish. No registration is necessary. There’s a two-fish limit; no nets, no dogs.
• Quiet Water: Exploring Wetland Ecology, 9 a.m. May 12, Cedar River Watershed Education Center, 19901 Cedar Falls Road S.E., North Bend. Fee: $15. Call 831-7390.
• Mother’s Day Tea and Talks, 10 a.m. May 13, Cedar River Watershed Education Center. Free to the public. Watch a slideshow about the watershed, stroll around and learn about Rattlesnake Lake, discover fun tidbits about moms (human and otherwise) in the watershed.
• Reptile Man at Si View, 7 p.m. May 18, arts & crafts show and dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. Scot Petersen helps children get up close and personal with 15 live reptiles from around the world. A donation of $10 per family is suggested.
• Fundraising plant sale and raffle, 9 a.m. May 19, Mount Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend. Funds will help Mount Si High School students pursuing careers in botany.
•  Art opening for Jennifer Stewart, 7:30 p.m. May 19, The Black Dog
• Print-making, 10 a.m. May 19, Cedar River Watershed Education Center. Fee of $15 for a parent with a child; $7 for each additional child. Participants will gather leaves and use nontoxic inks and a portable press to make prints for notecards or to take home.
• SnoValley Indoor Playground, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays when school is in session, Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive. A donation of $1 per child per visit is appreciated.
• Sallal Grange Community Games Night, 7 p.m. the last Wednesday of each month. Please consider bringing a small monetary donation to help the Grange keep organizing events like this, www.sallalgrange.org.
• Carnation Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., every Tuesday from May to November, fresh food from family farms and small producers, downtown Carnation
• Watercolor exhibit at Mount Si Senior Center through June 9, artists range from high-schoolers to senior citizens. 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend.

North Bend Library

The following events take place at the North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St.

•  Teen Poetry Contest “Rhyme On.” Entries accepted until April 30 in person or at www.kcls.org/rhymeoncontest. Students must be middle- or high-schoolers to participate.
• Mount Si Artists Guild exhibit, May 1 to June 15. Themes are “Summer is Coming,” and “Summer in the Valley.” All ages welcome during library hours.
•  Snoqualmie Valley Chess Club, 7 p.m. Thursdays. Learn to play chess or get a game going; all ages/skill levels welcome
• Study Zone, 4 p.m. April 26, May 3, 10, 17; 3 p.m. May 1, 8, 15, 22; 7 p.m. May 2, 9, 16; free tutoring for grades K-12
• Spanish-English Story Time, 11 a.m. April 28. Todos bienvenidos. All ages welcome with adult.
• English as a second language classes, 6:30 p.m. April 30, May 7, 14, 21
• EReader assistance, 6 p.m. April 30, May 7, May 14. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer.
• Preschool Story Time, 10:30 a.m. May 1, 8, 15, 22; ages 3-6 with adult, siblings welcome
• Toddler Story Time, 9:30 a.m. May 1, 8, 15, 22; ages 2-3 with adult
• One-on-one Computer Assistance, 1 p.m. May 2, 9, 16; for adults
• Pajamarama Story Time, 6:30 p.m. May 2, 9, 16; all young children welcome with adult.
• North Bend First Tuesday Book Club, 7 p.m. May 1, discussion of “Sarah’s Key,” by Tatiana de Rosnay. Adults only, please.
• Game On! 3 p.m. May 4, 11, 18; play Xbox 306, PlayStation and Nintendo, “Guitar Hero” and “Dance Dance Revolution;” board games and snacks will be available

Submit an item for the community calendar by emailing smoraga@snovalleystar.com or go to www.snovalleystar.com.

Celebration turned to tragedy

The Fourth of July 2011 started like any other. Families were gathered at Denny Creek for a day of barbecues, hiking and fun.

Four-year-old Ainsley Hewson was walking with her father when he turned and saw she was no longer beside him. The rushing river, full from the spring run-off, masked any sound he might have heard.

By Sarah Gerdes Jason Mark, Lisa Hewson, Ainsley Hewson and Eric Zender pose after Mark and Zender were given the Nature Rescue Award at the Red Cross’ 2012 Heroes Breakfast. The pair rescued Ainsley who had fallen into a river and disappeared.

“I’d never heard a man scream,” Jason Mark recalled from the podium, during his acceptance speech. “I knew immediately what had happened.”

He ran to the bank of the river, along with many others, frantically looking up and down the stream without a sign of the little girl.

“After 10 minutes, people started giving up,” Mark said.

The water was cold and rushing, but Mark and Zender refused.

“I stopped to pray and tried again. This time, I had this impression to turn the other direction, for no reason,” Mark said.

Following the prompting, he walked around a large boulder, put his hand in the water and felt the hair of the little girl.

As Mark’s wife called 911, he felt for her vital signs.

“I was sure she was dead,” Mark said.

He couldn’t feel a pulse or vital signs.

Eric Zender, of Shoreline, an off-duty fireman for the Shoreline Fire Department, began performing CPR.

“He kept going for 10 minutes,” Mark said. “Then 15, then 20.”

Finally, Zender thought he felt a little gasp. Then another.

“With each gasp, came another very softly,” he said.

Finally, at nearly 25 minutes, Ainsley began breathing on her own.

She was taken to Harborview Medical Center and expected to require weeks of recovery, but was back home after only seven days.

“Only the persistence of those men brought our daughter back,” said Ainsley’s mother Lisa.

‘Surrounded by miracles’

When it was Zender’s turn to accept his award, he humbly thanked the Red Cross for its work in preparing and teaching life-saving techniques. Mark echoed that opinion.

“If we are prepared, we will not fear,” Mark said.

Both men also expressed an abiding belief that their actions were what any person would do.

“We were just happy we were at the right place at the right time,” Zender said.

For their part, Ainsley’s parents believe that on that day two very special men were placed in their lives.

“We were surrounded by miracles that day,” her father Darryn said. “We will forever be connected, us to them, and them to us.”

Since that day, the three families have grown close, often getting together.

As Ainsley’s mom Lisa publicly thanked the men once again, she spoke of the impact the event will have on Ainsley.

“Ainsley will be able to go grow up, go to college and live her life thanks to these men,” she said, noting it’s hard to even talk about the events of last July without becoming emotional. “But most of all, she will be able to follow her dreams.”

Sarah Gerdes is a freelance writer. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

•  Joan Jett, July 3
•  Smokey Robinson, July 6
•  Bachman & Turner, July 15
•  The Jacksons, July 29
•  Chris Young, Aug. 2
• Roger Hodgson, of Supertramp, Aug. 9
•  Kenny Loggins, Aug. 10
• YES, with special guests Procol Harum, Aug. 12
•  Frankie Valli, Aug. 19
•  War and Tower of Power, Aug. 31
• The Temptations and Four Tops, Sept. 2

The venue is only for people 21 and older. Tickets, available through www.ticketmaster.com, are now on sale.

North Bend City Council workstudy, 7 p.m. April 24, City Hall, 211 Main Ave. N.

North Bend Parks Commission, 6 p.m. April 25, Community and Economic Development Office, 126 E. Fourth St.

North Bend Planning Commission, 7 p.m. April. 26, City Hall

Snoqualmie City Council, 7 p.m. April 23, City Hall, 38624, S.E. River St.

Snoqualmie Community and Economic Affairs Committee, 5 p.m. April 24, City Hall

Snoqualmie Shoreline Hearings Board, 5 p.m. April 25, City Hall

Snoqualmie Public Safety Committee meeting, 5 p.m. April 26, Snoqualmie Fire Station, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway

Snoqualmie Valley School District Parent Partner Program, 6:30 p.m. April 24, SVSD offices, 8001 Silva Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie.

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Board meeting, 6:30 p.m. May 10, Snoqualmie City Hall

Music/entertainment

Tony Foster Duo, 7 p.m. April 19, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, 292-9307

Quill and Parchment, poetry readings, 6 p.m. April 19, The Black Dog, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-DOGS (3647)

Valley Center Stage presents “Moon Over Buffalo,” April 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28, May 3, 4 and 5; tickets $12.50 to $15; all shows at 119 W. North Bend Way

Dave Friesen Trio, 7 p.m. April 20, Boxley’s

Greasy Spoon, 8 p.m. April 20, The Black Dog

Mike and CJ, 8 p.m. Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery, 8032 Falls Ave. S.E.

Aria Prame Quartet, 7 p.m. April 21, Boxley’s

Joseph and Alisa, 8 p.m. April 21, The Black Dog

Big Star Studios presents The Rock Star Show, 7 p.m. April 21, Finaghty’s Irish Pub, 7726 Center Blvd. S.E., Suite 110, Snoqualmie

Danny Kolke Trio, 6 p.m. April 22, 29, Boxley’s

Carolyn Graye’s Singer Soiree, 7 p.m. April 23, Boxley’s

Future Jazz Heads, 7 p.m. April 24, Boxley’s

Randy Halberstadt, 7 p.m. April 25, Boxley’s

Alexey Nikolaev and Michael Marcus, 7 p.m. April 26, Boxley’s

Bryant Urban’s Blue Oasis, 7 p.m. April 27, Boxley’s

Little Hurricane, 8 p.m. April 27, The Black Dog

Floating House, 7:30 p.m. April 28, The Black Dog

Ravinwolf, 8 p.m. April 28, Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery

Bernie Jacobs Quartet,      7 p.m. April 28, Boxley’s

Poetry Open Mic Night,   6 p.m. May 3, The Black Dog

Jim Marcotte, 8 p.m. May 4, The Black Dog

Jeremy Serwer, 8 p.m. May 5 The Black Dog

Extra Sauce Please, time TBD, May 5, Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery

Forrest Roush, 8 p.m. May 11, The Black Dog

Charlie Loesel, 8 p.m. May 12, The Black Dog

Left Coast Gypsies, time TBD, May 12, Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery

Bob Antone and Friends, time TBD, May 19, Snoqualmie Taproom and Brewery

Events

SnoValley Indoor Playground, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays when school is in session, Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive. A donation of $1 per child per visit is appreciated.

Sallal Grange Community Games Night, 7 p.m. last Wednesday of each month. Please consider bringing a small monetary donation to help the Grange keep organizing events like this, www.sallalgrange.org.

Girl Scout Tea Party,        2 p.m. April 20. Girl Scouts host a tea party for Mount Si Senior Center members and the community. Please contact the senior center at 888-3434 for more details.

Family Fun Night of Bingo at the YMCA, 7 p.m. April 20. Free to YMCA members. Non-YMCA members: $10 per family. Participants must register beforehand at 256-3115

“Boots to Booties” baby shower for military families, 2 p.m. April 22 at the Snoqualmie American Legion, 38625 S.E. River St. RSVP by contacting Pam Collingwood at 888-1206 or pam.collingwood@centurytel.net. The Legion encourages those who can’t attend to donate baby items.

Swedish Blood Drive at Swedish Issaquah, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 24, at the Swedish Issaquah Campus, 751 N.E. Blakely Drive. Make an appointment online at www.psbc.org/programs/, click on “Search Blood Drives” and type in “Issaquah.”

Kidz Love Soccer spring session starts April 26 at Azalea Park, 6604 Azalea Way. Register online at www.kidzlovesoccer.com or at the Snoqualmie Parks and Rec department, 38624 S.E. River St. $74 per child.

Snoqualmie Hospital Auxiliary Plant Sale, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 28 at the Mount Si Senior Center; sales will support a $1,000 scholarship to a Mount Si High School graduate pursuing a career in the medical field.

Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 28 at the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA — fun, games, healthy snacks and facility tours. Free event for the community. First 100 children receive a free T-shirt.

Drug Take Back Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 28 at the Snoqualmie Fire Department, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway, and the North Bend Park and Ride, on the southeast corner of East North Bend Way and East McClellan Street. Dispose of unused prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Carnation Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., every Tuesday from May to November, fresh food from family farms and small producers, downtown Carnation

North Bend Library

The following events take place at the North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St.

Teen Poetry Contest “Rhyme On.” Entries accepted until April 30 in person or at www.kcls.org/rhymeoncontest. Students must be middle- or high-schoolers to participate.

Snoqualmie Valley Chess Club, 7 p.m. Thursdays. Learn to play chess or get a game going; all ages/skill levels welcome.

Study Zone, 4 p.m. April 19, 26; 3 p.m. April 16, 17, 24;   7 p.m. April 18, 25; free tutoring for grades K-12

Game On! 3 p.m. April 20, 27. Play Xbox 306, PlayStation and Nintendo, “Guitar Hero” and “Dance Dance Revolution.” Board games and snacks will be available.

SnoValley Writers Work Group, 3 p.m. April 22. Join local writers for writing exercises, critique and lessons on voice, plot and point of view. Adults only. Contact snovalleywrites@gmail.com for assignment prior to coming to class.

Merry Monday Story Time, 11 a.m. April 23, 30. Newborns to age 3 with adult. Siblings and other children are welcome.

English as a second language classes, 6:30 p.m. April 23, 30

EReader assistance,           6 p.m. April 23, 30. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer.

Toddler Story Time,     9:30 a.m. April 24. Ages 2-3  with adult.

Preschool Story Time, 10:30 a.m. April 24. Ages 3-6 with adult, siblings welcome.

Pajamarama Story Time, 6:30 April  25, all young children welcome with adult.

One-on-one Computer Assistance, 1 p.m. April  25. For adults.

Spanish-English Story Time, 11 a.m. April 28. Todos bienvenidos. All ages welcome with adult.

Snoqualmie Library

The following events take place at the Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E.

Teen Poetry Contest “Rhyme On.” Entries accepted until April 30 in person or at www.kcls.org/rhymeoncontest. Students must be middle- or high-schoolers to participate.

Pajama Story Times, 7 p.m. April 19, 26, May 3. All young children welcome with adult.

EReader Assistance, 11 a.m. April 19, 26, May 3. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer.

Submit an item for the community calendar by emailing smoraga@snovalleystar.com or go to www.snovalleystar.com.

Members spent April 14 spiffing up the place, planting flowers and sweeping sidewalks for this “once-in-a-lifetime” event for most moose lodges.

Wesley Crowder, the Supreme Governor of the Loyal Order of Moose out of Chicago, was coming to visit April 17 and everything had to look perfect.

In its 88-year history in the Snoqualmie Valley, not once has the Supreme Governor of the Loyal Order of Moose ever visited, until now.

“This is a pretty big deal,” said Moose prelate Colwell Reed.

“Most of the time, members never get to meet the people at the top of the organization,” he said.

Some regional moose representatives heard that the Supreme Governor was already going to be in the area at a scheduled visit in Ellensburg.

“So we convinced him that he should stop by here,” Reed said, as he frantically swept the sidewalks outside the Moose Lodge.

As part of the celebration, Moose members will cook a pork roast dinner, pass out awards and listen to special guests from Encompass, the Washington State Patrol and local firefighters.

The North Bend lodge at 108 Sydney Ave. is waiving its initiation fee through April 30, in honor of the special occasion.

Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

A Snoqualmie Valley duplicate bridge group that has been around for ages is “getting decimated by old age and death,” and needs substitute couples to keep the group alive.

Anderson and his wife, Patty, who are in their 60s, are currently considered the kids of the group. But that title used to be held by 91-year-old Marian Danforth and her husband.

Danforth said her parents and some of their friends started the duplicate bridge club after World War II.

Contributed by Pat Anderson Carol Keller (left) and Patty Anderson play a hand of duplicate bridge at a recent gathering of the Snoqualmie Valley duplicate bridge group in Snoqualmie.

“When my husband returned after his service in the war, we were asked to join,” she said.

Back then, the group had four tables of players, made up of mostly North Bend and Snoqualmie business owners.

Danforth said her parents owned the Sunset Garage in North Bend, and then in the late 1940s, she, her husband and her parents built and operated the Sunset Hotel.

Anderson, Snoqualmie city attorney as well as the founder and president of Snoqualmie Brewery and Taproom, said his parents played bridge with the group, and when he and his wife moved back to town from New Jersey in 1975, they too “were drafted.”

These days, the group only sets up three tables of four players once a month, and Anderson said it’s sometimes hard to fill even those seats.

He listed several members who have passed away, including Danforth’s husband.

There are also many players who can’t make game night due to illness.

“We are seeking couples who would like to maybe be substitutes and potentially become permanent members of our little group,” Anderson said.

He pointed out that it’s not a cutthroat group and “great prowess is not required,” but if you love strategy, duplicate bridge might be for you.

The challenge of the game is what keeps bringing Danforth, who has now been playing for more than 60 years, to the table month after month.

“It keeps your mind active,” she said. “And I enjoy the sociability.”

Anderson’s desperate plea for substitutes kept the game alive, at least for the month of March.

A couple who recently moved from Florida to Snoqualmie Ridge read the Yahoo group post and contacted him and played with the group.

Anderson said anyone wishing to get in on the fun should email him at anderson5420@gmail.com.

Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

And when his teacher saw the cursive 5-year-old Richard Burhans was producing, she saw the boy’s future in the scribbles on the white sheets of paper.

“My teacher saw it and said, ‘You’re an artist. We got to get you into art,’” he said.

By Sebastian Moraga Artist Richard Burhans, of North Bend, will exhibit some of his works in Covington next month.

Seventy-four years later, Burhans is still making good on his teacher’s prediction. A longtime naval architect, he has painted for most of his adult life.

Almost a half-decade ago, he took a break to dedicate himself to community festivals.

Next month, Burhans will hold an art show for the first time since the break four years ago.

The city of Covington will exhibit Burhans’ work throughout the month of May at its City Hall Gallery, Burhans’ wife Sallie said in a press release.

“I don’t consider it work,” the painter said. “I consider it a privilege. I’m very grateful that the folks in Covington thought my work was good enough to show.”

The resident of North Bend, with his home at the foot of Mount Si, said he communicates through his art.

“Storytelling is part of painting,” he said. “If you see the sunshine come from behind the clouds above Mount Si, that’s a moment in time. I like to communicate that moment in time to you.”

A man who has delved into painting, etching, glassworks and drawing, Burhans said he sees art in everything.

“Art is here whether you like it or not,” he said.

Burhans said he wonders why art classes are the first ones to go when budget cuts occur within school districts.

“We live in a town bright enough to realize there are two sides in the brain,” he said. “Why can’t we accept the fact that we have people whose heads fit to music, fit to art?”

Celebrating his 80th birthday in May, the creator of renowned murals around the Valley, such as in the North Bend Library, Burhans still considers himself a work in progress.

Vases and glasses filled with brushes sit in his studio, yet he still considers a brush a special gift.

Oil painting is a proven skill of his, yet he said he has much to learn.

After 40 years in North Bend, recognition to his work hangs from his wall, yet that 5-year-old from New Jersey still lives inside him, at least in one way.

“I open a new box of crayons,” he said, “and I still get chills.”

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

The event, scheduled for 6 p.m. May 19, will feature entertainment, silent and live auctions, and an eclectic offering of foods from nations like Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, India, Uganda and the United States.

Tickets are $10 and go on sale April 15. Email info@svaonline.com to learn more.

Snoqualmie Valley Alliance Church is at 36017 S.E. Fish Hatchery Road, Fall City.

The state agency responsible for conservation lands and open space needs to fill engine leader and squad boss positions. Department of Natural Resources officials said serving as a member of a handcrew or wildland fire engine crew offers a chance for motivated people interested in a career in natural resource management to gain fundamental experience.

Candidates must be 18 or older.

Individuals must be willing and capable of performing strenuous outdoor work safely and productively. Candidates must also accept direction and act responsibly.

The agency provides safety clothing and training needed for the job.

The duration is usually three to four months. Work starts in about mid-June and ends mid-September.

Candidates can learn more at the Department of Natural Resources employment website, http://www.dnr.wa.gov/AboutDNR/Employment/Pages/Home.aspx.