Camas-Washougal Post-Record

March 1, 2011

Washougal High School students Chandler Audette (left) and Paige Wade are hosting a benefit concert for their friend, Robyn Pfeifer, who has Crohn's disease.

A concert of inspiration

Paige Wade has watched her best friend, Robyn Pfeifer, battle Crohn's disease since the eighth grade. The girls, who are juniors at Washougal High School, have been best friends since first grade. Watching Pfeifer spend 66 days in the hospital during the summer of 2009 and endure six surgeries, inspired Wade to do something to help. "Seeing what she has had to go through really inspired me to do something," she said. "So I talked to my mom about how to get the word out and she suggested a benefit concert."

March 1, 2011

The "Hello, Dolly!" cast sings "Put on Your Sunday Clothes," before an outing in New York City. The musical is based on Thornton Wilder's, "The Matchmaker," and features a colorful cast.

Celebrating the joy of living

The story of the joy of living will come to Camas High School during performances of "Hello, Dolly!" set to start this Friday. This Broadway musical is based on Thorton Wilder's "The Matchmaker," and is about Mrs. Dolly Levi's efforts to marry Horace Vandergelder, a well-known and well-to-do man. Dolly wants to send his money circulating among the less fortunate, just the way her late husband, Ephraim Levi, taught her. Along the way, she also succeeds in playing matchmaker and orchestrating the lives of several of the main characters in the musical.

February 22, 2011

Carrie Schulstad admires one of the pieces of artwork that's been submitted for Camas First Friday Arts and Letters. The event features an art contest for middle and high school students, as well as readings by local authors.

A celebration of Arts & Letters

Downtown Camas will be transformed into a book and art lover's venue next Friday. Several local authors and students artists will have their work on display at different downtown shops as part of the "Arts and Letters," Camas First Friday event on March 4. The event, in its second year, is being organized by Carrie Schulstad, local business owner and board member of the Downtown Camas Association; and local author Randal Houle.

February 22, 2011

Principals finalize contract with school district

Camas principals have agreed on a three-year contract with the School District. The School Board approved the contract at its meeting last week. Items that are new or changed include an option to negotiate wages during the third year of the contract, and clarification on paid leaves and out-of-state travel. Health benefits will remain the same, but will include an option to discuss potential changes in the third year.

February 22, 2011

A mother helping others

Karyce Wolfe was looking for potential missionary work when she came across a website that sparked her interest. It was MamaBaby Haiti, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of mothers and babies in Haiti. The organization was founded by a group of midwives and naturopathic doctors who serve women and families out of a free birthing center and clinic. It provides prenatal, birth, postpartum and pediatric care.

February 17, 2011

Geert Aerts, resource conservation manager for the Washougal School District, inspects a fan motor for the main gym at Washougal High School. The district has saved $48,831 from energy improvements, after expenses.

Energy conservation adds up for district

Thanks to several energy efficiency improvements at Washougal schools, the district has saved approximately $78,000 in energy costs from July to December. After the cost of the improvements, the district has trimmed $48,000 from its bills. And that's one budget reduction that makes administrators very happy. "Do you want the good news or the good news?" Doug Bright, director of human resources, maintenance and operations, said before giving a presentation about the savings to the School Board last week. Since the School District hired Geert Aerts as its part-time resource conservation manager, the number of complaints about the temperature at Washougal High School have decreased significantly.

February 17, 2011

Colton Lasater will play the role of Dylan Martin in the film, "Blake's Country," set to be filmed in Bend, Ore., this summer.

A home grown star

Colton Lasater and Ron Morris have quite the Camas connection. Lasater, 18, an actor, and Morris, a retired airline pilot turned film director, lived in the same neighborhood for several years. Lasater is good friends with Morris's children. And they are both passionate about film. Now, they'll take that passion and meld it together for "Blake's Country," Morris's first feature-length film.

February 16, 2011

New members appointed to school board

There are two new faces on the Washougal School Board. Jim Gadberry and Terrie Hutchins have replaced Orlan Gessford and Tom Huffman, who retired at the end of January. Both seats are up for re-election in November 2011. Gessford served on the board since 1984, and Huffman was elected in 1985.

February 8, 2011

Far right, Veta Louise Simmons (Robyn Pfeifer) implores her brother, Elwood P. Dowd (Austin Lindsey), to please take medication so that he will quit seeing Harvey, a large imaginary rabbit, everywhere he goes.

Celebrating ‘nice’

An affable man and his imaginary friend will grace the stage at Washougal High School during the production of "Harvey" this weekend. The Pulitzer prize winning play, written by Mary Chase, premiered on Broadway in 1944 and ran until 1949. It was also made into a movie, starring Jimmy Stewart. It is about Elwood P. Dowd, a likable man who claims to have a pooka, in the form of a large rabbit, as his constant companion. Since no one but Ellwood can see the 6 foot, 3 inch bunny, it is assumed to be his imaginary friend. He introduces Harvey to everyone he meets, much to the embarrassment of his social-climbing sister, Veta Louise Simmons.

February 8, 2011

Above is an engagement photo, taken in December 1944. Warren and Celia Lougheed eloped to Idaho soon after they posed for the portrait. Below, this photo of Douglas and Barbara Espinosa was taken shortly after their wedding day on Jan. 12, 1951. They have lived in the Camas area for most of their married life.

A love that endures

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." This verse from 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 is often heard quoted during wedding ceremonies. But with so many marriages ending in divorce, sometimes people question how seriously the words are taken. But then there are the couples for whom love has endured throughout the decades: Through wars, child rearing, recessions, illnesses and all the other inevitable twists and turns that life can take. This Valentine's Day, the Post-Record is featuring two longtime married couples who share some of the secrets to their success.