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Life

November 19, 2013
Allen and Cassie Gabriel founded the Pink Lemonade Project in 2010. The Camas doctors saw there was a lack of information and emotional support for women impacted by breast cancer, and sought to address that need.

Education, empowerment, support

"When life throws you lemons, make lemonade."Almost everyone has heard this popular quote at one time or another in life. In 2010, two Camas doctors took it to heart and created the Pink Lemonade Project, which provides "critical support" to women impacted by breast cancer. Dr. Allen Gabriel, a plastic surgeon with PeaceHealth Medical Group, and his wife, Cassie, with Columbia Anesthesia Group, saw there was a noticeable lack of information regarding breast cancer and women's rights. In addition, Allen Gabriel noticed that many of his patients struggled with the emotional and psychological aspects of diagnosis and recovery. "I have always had an interest in working with breast cancer patients and helping them," he said. "During my residency, training and fellowship I noticed there was a real lack of emotional support. They needed help, but that which had nothing to do with family or a doctor."

November 12, 2013
Horace Vandergelder (Jacob Lively) refuses to give his niece Ermengarde (Tabitha Hearn) permission to marry the man of her dreams.

An old fashioned farce

Students in Kelly Gregersen's dramatic literature class have been begging him to select Thornton Wilder's "The Matchmaker" as an upcoming play.After a year spent rallying fellow classmates, the student-led production will open this weekend. "A lot of the senior drama students asked for the show," Gregersen said. "When the kids keep requesting something, it really brings a nice energy to the piece." The musical is set in 1880s New York City and Yonkers, where grouchy store owner Horace Vandergelder refuses to let his niece marry the poor artist she loves. Meanwhile, he himself is tired of being lonely and plans to re-marry, using the talents of local matchmaker Dolly Levi, who is scheming to wed Vandergelder at the same time she pretends to find him a suitable bride. The story is the basis for the musical, "Hello, Dolly!" which ran for years on Broadway and is still one of its longest-ever running shows. "It's a really cute story," said Gregersen. "If people like, 'Hello, Dolly!' they will know the characters, and the story will be very familiar."

November 5, 2013
The Washougal Marketplace Bazaar is a popular event for local vendors and shoppers every year, and includes a treasure trove of handmade items.

The spirit of the season

Just when you thought fall would stretch on endlessly, November hits.This month typically kicks off a flurry of holiday bazaars for those looking for one-of-a-kind gifts. During the next month, several bazaars are coming to churches, schools and civic centers. Local shoppers will have the chance to help local non-profit groups, support the local economy, buy handcrafted items and have fun. For the environmentally conscious, there is a bazaar featuring recycled and reusable items.

October 30, 2013
"Zombie bride and groom," Linda and Mike Harnish enjoy the festivities during a performance at Camas Meadows.

A Thrilling Performance

It's close to midnight Something evil's lurkin' in the dark Under the moonlight You see a sight that almost stops your heart You try to scream But terror takes the sound before you make it You start to freeze As horror looks you right between the eyes You're paralyzed 'Cause this is thriller Thriller night These lyrics to Michael Jackson's 1982 mega-hit "Thriller," are some of the best known on the planet. And every year, performers from around the globe, including a group from Camas, participate in "Thrill the World," an international dance event and world record breaking attempt, in which participants simultaneously emulate the zombie dance seen in the music video. Sarah and Steve Bang began what has now become an annual tradition in the Lacamas Shores neighborhood, by participating in "Thrill the World." Not wanting to limit their dancing to just one performance, the group also puts on a show for neighborhood trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. "We practice and practice and practice, and just don't want to stop doing it," Sarah said. "We also started doing it on Halloween night because if we didn't, the festivities would go until midnight here. It's a very popular place to trick-or-treat. This makes it fun for the kids and no one feels bad about turning their lights out at 8:30 p.m."

October 15, 2013
Attendees at Spooky Harvest enjoy homemade apple cider, one of several complimentary treats at the Camas Camp-n-Ranch event.

Spook-tacular Halloween fun

The sounds of delighted children intermixed with the aroma of Dutch oven crisp and the smell of fresh air at Camas Camp-n-Ranch Saturday. For the fifth year in a row, the ranch offered hayrides, horse rides, pumpkin bowling, crafts, a forest walk, homemade apple cider, dutch oven apple crisp and other events to celebrate the Halloween season. "I love looking over the crowd and seeing happy faces," said owner Tina Goodnight. "It is a place for families, and kids of all ages."

October 8, 2013
Raina Kennedy has always loved Halloween. The Camas mom of three is helping others have that enjoyment, free of charge, with a lending room of costumes for Halloween and other occasions in her home. "It is so much fun to dress up and create," she said.

Camas woman offers costumes free-of-charge to kids and adults

Raina Kennedy has always loved Halloween.Since she was a little girl, growing up in Staten Island, New Jersey, with eight brothers and sisters, she has eagerly anticipated this time of the year. Her favorite costume was a mermaid that she made at the age of 11. "I remember most the fun we had getting ready to go out: Finding the costume and pulling it together with my brothers and sisters," Kennedy said. "The late nights of trick-or-treating with a pillow case cover was another highlight." Now, she helps other families find just the right costume for their child. "It is so much fun to dress up and create," said the 37-year-old Camas mom of three. "My kids and I love playing with costumes."

October 1, 2013
Danielle Frost/Post-Record Heidi O'Connor, executive director of The Kids Cooking Corner, instructs her students on how to safely peel an apple. The group made pie, festive salad, and a cheesy butternut squash casserole.

The ‘joy and art’ of cooking

You could say that cooking is a career for Heidi O'Connor, but that might be selling it short.O'Connor, of Vancouver, lives and breathes the culinary arts at The Kids Cooking Corner, a school that teaches children, "the art and joy of cooking." The 45-year-old mother of three opened the school three years ago, when she realized her son didn't know how to make a box meal because he didn't understand how to measure ingredients. "The schools don't have the budgets for home ec anymore, and with parents having full-time careers, it is challenging to find time to teach kids in the kitchen," she said. O'Connor speaks from personal experience. She balanced a full-time career in the restaurant industry and then in sales while raising her family. She was searching for a new business to start when the idea for a cooking school came about. "A light bulb went on," she said. "Why not teach other people's children how to cook? You get to a point in life where you start wondering, 'What am I really here for?' This was the answer."

September 24, 2013
The international delegation got to experience one of the many things that makes life in the Pacific Northwest so great--the myriad of outdoor activities that are readily available. Here, the group kayaks the Columbia River. Other activities included a trip to Mount St. Helens and a picnic at Beacon Rock park.

Increasing international understanding

When asked what he enjoyed most about Camas, Michael Wagener, mayor of Wissen, Germany, said "the people.""It's the contact with the people that is most rewarding," he said. "When you come to another country, you can learn a lot of things by listening. We can learn how a city gets a vision, and comes up with ways to make it happen." Wagener needed no translator to communicate his statement. He speaks fluent English. He was part of a Partner Cities delegation visiting Camas. The group arrived on Sept. 13, and included professionals from the cities of Krapkowice, Morawica and Zabierzow in Poland; Lipova Lazne in the Czech Republic and Wissen, Germany. The official partnership between Poland and Camas has been in existence since May 2004, when then-Mayor Paul Dennis signed a declaration of cooperation with the intent to: "Seek to establish and develop effective cooperation between the towns' communities, institutions and trade. We are aware that this cooperation is a major factor in popularizing and promoting our town and that it opens up new perspectives for European and transatlantic integration."

September 17, 2013
Contributed photo Camas High School student Rachel Fadlovich (far right) tests a water sample at the Port of Camas-Washougal during her internship with the Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction.

Students explore future careers in CHS internship program

While some teens were spending their summer kicking back with friends, others were working up to 40 hours per week in professional internships. These students, from the CHS Math, Science and Technology Magnet program, worked at internships ranging from designing a program at Underwriters Laboratories to spending time in the operating room of a plastic surgeon's office, to measuring the health of local waterways. The internship program was spearheaded by CHS Magnet teacher Ron Wright and community volunteer/business organization developer Chad Stewart four years ago, as a way for students to gain real-world experience in potential future careers before going to college. Students are paired with businesses or experts in various fields and also had mentors.