The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Each summer, the Community Foundation celebrates a year of service to the Lower Columbia area with a summer Garden Party at the Julia Butler Hansen Heritage Center in Cathlamet. Bob Crissman from Gallery of Diamonds in Longview has donated a diamond pendant for a drawing during the event. Food is provided and music by Greg Parke as well. Updates on Foundation projects are given and information on the invested funds at Anderson & Anderson is also reported. Featured speaker this year is Marc Alexander from SEI Investment Co. Another featured guest is Jerry Handfield, Archivist for the State of Washington. He will be on hand to answer questions on archiving and historic preservation of important documents and photographs.

This year, the new Garden Shed will be dedicated. Funded with a grant from the Kinsman Foundation in Oregon, the new shed is a close replica to the original shed with better circulation and storage for gardening tools and supplies. The Garden is open during daylight hours every day. The Center is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by special appointment. Weddings in the house and garden can also be arranged, as well as meetings in the Center's various rooms. Owned and operated by the Community Foundation, the Heritage Center is a community gathering place on Main Street. In the Hansen family since 1885, it is the family home of former Congresswoman, Julia Butler Hansen.

The Foundation has 24 community and donor advised funds that support over 50 projects in the Lower Columbia region. Through grants and gifts, donors who sponsor advised funds are able to direct their gifts to the projects they support. Some funds are set up as endowments to provide ongoing support for community nonprofits also.

Each glass of champagne or sparkling cider at $25 will act as a ticket for a drawing to win a diamond pendant. All are invited to come help celebrate another year of service to the area and enjoy Julia's English Garden. A silent auction will also be held at the event. RSVP by Tuesday, August 4, to (360) 849-4421 or (360) 465-2414. For more information, contact Kayrene Gilbertsen at the Heritage Center at (360) 795-8805.