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Life

December 17, 2013
Hannah Gutkind has been dancing since the age of three. "I love the way I can express myself through it and tell a story through my movement," the 15-year-old Washougal resident said.

For the love of dance

Hannah Gutkind loves ballet.Since she was 2, the Washougal resident has fostered a passion for dance. As the years have gone by, this has meant giving up soccer and other sports, missing out on youth group and a lot of the high school experience. But she wouldn't have it any other way. "It's hard to put into words how much I love dance," Gutkind said. "I love how I can express myself through it and tell a story through my movement. I never liked talking in front of people, so this is a way I can express myself without words."

December 10, 2013
Canyon Creek Middle School ASB representatives (clockwise, from left) Natalie Garner, Bridgette McCarthy, Danielle Smyth and Jeannine Jones decorate a tree in school colors of silver and red. It is the third year Canyon Creek ASB has participated.

Merry bright

Several local residents spent Thursday decorating Christmas trees, which this time of year is nothing unusual.However, their adorned evergreens were for the fourth annual Festival of Trees in Washougal. The event, held Friday and Saturday at Hathaway Elementary School and organized by the Washougal Lions Club, featured 19 decorated trees. These were auctioned off to raise money for local schools.

December 4, 2013
Edie Hagstrom, social worker at Helen Baller Elementary School, prepares bags of food for the school's weekend backpack program, which provides easy to prepare meals and snacks for children in need.

Bridging the gap

What do you do when you're hungry? For most of us, it's a simple matter of deciding what to make or buy.But imagine how it would feel to have your stomach growling, not enough to satisfy it and being unsure of when or what you would have for your next meal. Then, consider how it would feel to be expected to sit still and focus all day when you hadn't had a full meal for more than 48 hours? This "food insecurity" is a reality for many children in single-parent families, of the working poor or unemployed. However, there are programs in place at several local schools in Camas and Washougal, to help bridge the gap between Friday afternoon and Monday morning.

November 26, 2013
A church in the Palouse area of Eastern Washington sits among the endless wheat fields on a summer day.

‘Within a day’s drive’

What is there to see in the Northwest? Plenty, according to Washougal photographer Mark Forbes. His upcoming exhibit, "Within a Day's Drive," showcases the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest in a series of pictures. The show will begin Friday, Dec. 6, at the Second Story Gallery at the Camas Library. Forbes, who is also a travel enthusiast, considers a day's drive to be 12 hours or less, and includes places ranging from the Columbia River Gorge to northern California. "This exhibit focuses on what we often ignore, our own back yard," he said. "The variety of geology and scenery within that day's drive radius is stunning."

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."