Why speaking up can mean so much
Published 11:07 pm Thursday, September 18, 2008
Children’s liaison Mary Jennings at the Camano Island Library is tickled about the success of the summer reading program.
Smart, they kicked off the plan with entertainment at two elementary schools that made children eager to participate.
“Over the course of the summer we gave away 250 reading kits,” Jennings said. “By the end of August we had awarded most of our finishing prize books.”
Many families made summer reading an important part of the season, she said. More than 80 folks attended a grand finale party.
Jennings enjoyed a poignant moment this summer when she was leading a program at the Camano Library. A girl in the second grade raised her hand to ask questions.
“This surprised me because I know that this little girl is a selective speaker, generally only speaking at home and not in group situations such as school. I called on this little girl a couple of times and she readily answered my questions.”
The child’s mother said indeed it was the first time her daughter spoke in public.
“This, of course, made me feel warm all over,” Jennings said. “There is no better job on earth than working at my library with children.”
Jeremy Carter walks the talk in Arlington.
The 1999 graduate of Stanwood High School is autistic.
He will join a Village Community Service walk at 1 p.m. Sunday at 114 N. Olympic Ave. in Arlington. Registration opens at 11 a.m.
There will be food and music.
Agency spokeswoman Michelle Dietz-Date said Carter has recently lost almost 60 pounds through exercise and healthy food choices.
“He is supported in his exercise and healthy eating by Village Community Services’ residential services staff,” she said. “VCS provides around-the-clock independent living skills training and in-home support to Jeremy. He has his own apartment which he shares with two roommates.”
Walkers who donate $25 will receive a commemorative T-shirt.
During recent hurricanes in the Gulf area, services from local ham radio operators weren’t needed, but were available.
Camano Islander Vic Henry, an amateur radio operator, said amateurs were available in the hurricane area. And cell phones were usable in most areas.
We don’t have to worry about hurricanes around here, but we need to be prepared for other storms and earthquakes. Mike Simmons, emergency manager for the Stanwood-Camano Fire Department, is asking folks to gather to talk about potential disasters at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Camano Senior and Community Center at 606 Arrowhead Road on Camano Island.
“I’d like to get some ideas from the island community as to what they are concerned about and then make sure that those areas get covered,” Simmons said. “The perception is that if you ask anyone on Camano what’s their biggest threat, it would probably be the loss of the Mark Clark Bridge (the only road to the Island), but then we need to examine the reality of that, the likelihood, and then plan for the results. Then again, I may be wrong and find some other issue is really more worrisome.”
He also needs volunteers to get some emergency training. For more information, call 360-629-3008 or e-mail msimmons@camanofire.com.
Fun Fact: Now I know two people in Guinea Bissau.
I wrote about John Blacken from Arlington in February. He is the former U.S. ambassador to the African country and still lives there.
Guinea-Bissau is on the Atlantic coast of Africa, by Senegal, and is about half the size of South Carolina.
Rachel and John Hiskey saw the column and I put them in touch with Blacken. The Hiskeys are missionaries in Guinea Bissau and saw my story online.
Their reason for contacting Blacken wasn’t fun. They wanted his take on terrorist violence invading the country.
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.
