News from Naselle:

Sports calendar for the Naselle-Grays River Valley School this week: Monday-baseball and fast pitch at Lake Quinalt at 4 p.m .; Wednesday-middle school track at Raymond at 3:30 p.m. Go Comets!

On April 10, Naselle Schools will hold an art show of projects done by students. This is an all day event.

The Comet Booster Club will meet at 5:30 p.m. on the same day. These meetings are open to the public.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar to attend one of the performances of Alice in Wonderland in the Naselle Commons, on April 27 and 28 at 7 p.m. and a matinee on April 29 at 3 p.m. Sounds like a wonderful, family friendly event in support of our kids. Come and enjoy.

The Naselle Lutheran Church will hold its annual Spring Lunch and Craft sale on April 28 at 308 Knappton Road in Naselle. Spring is a great time to get out, enjoy the flowers blooming, check out the crafts and baked goods as well as enjoy lunch with family or friends. This venue is always a hit, and for a $7 donation you are getting good food, and helping out a wonderful cause.

The Columbia River Maritime Museum from Astoria has been working with the Naselle Schools by presenting a program called Museum in the Schools. Staff from the museum come to the school with age appropriate programs to give the kids a hands on experience and learn about different animals and other scientific things regarding our environment.

This month, Nate, from the Maritime Museum visited on March 23. He brought information to students in 1st through 4th grades about one of the most entertaining critters in our area, sea otters, and the students learned about this mammal and its habitat. Students in the 5th grade class learned about Cryptology. This program explored maritime codes and other types of codes of importance throughout our country’s history such as slave quilts and “wind talkers,” and also how carrier pigeons were used to transmit information during World War I and World War II.

We are so fortunate to have access to these kinds of programs that enhance the regular learning for our kids.

Naselle Students of the Month for March, displaying the character trait of optimism are Jason Harman, Craig Reitz, Jocelyn Fithen, Brayden Colombo, Dalton Ashe, Jayden Ding, Anna Kulp, Grace Heckes, Lily Harman and Kaden Cooper. Congratulations kids. Keep up the great work.

The following Naselle middle school students were selected by their teachers as students of the quarter during second quarter for academic excellence, personal achievement and/or strong character:

6th grade: Emeri Wilson, Azalie Bahrt, Samantha Wert, Angel Evans, Zach Thorsen.

7th grade: Raja Estes, Isabel Zimmerman, Cameron Burch, Kyle Strange, Andrew Todd, Ellie Chapman.

8th grade: James Heitsch, Jordyn Verhulst, Taylor Eaton, Kendra Leeland, Emily Ashe, Jake Clark, Kyryn Jacot and Emily Bjornsgard. Emily had a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the quarter. Congratulations to all of these students for working so hard.

Other news from the Westend:

During this Easter weekend you can participate in the many activities being celebrated at the Grays River United Methodist Church in Grays River. On Good Friday, there will be a service at the church beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, the church will hold an Easter prayer vigil from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Easter Sunday, the ladies of the Church will host a breakfast/brunch at 9 a.m. prior to the special Easter service at 10 a.m. Everyone is welcome.

The Johnson Park Advisory Board will hold a “Memories” tea on April 18 and would like to invite alumni (all years), employees, and anyone with a story about going to school here, to join us for tea/coffee and cookies and share some of those tales from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. There will be people there to take notes and record some of these stories. These stories will be incorporated into a celebration to take place sometime in 2013 to commemorate the 75th year anniversary of the old Rosburg School. Please join us.

If you are interested in helping take notes or just be there to listen, you are welcome. For more information, please contact Penny Gregory or Judy Durrah.

Don’t forget some of the other activities ongoing at the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park. Come check us out.

The Community Computer Center and Grays River Valley Library are open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

You can also participate in a card group on Monday at about noon (play all afternoon), aerobics on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 5:30 p.m., yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m., art group on Thursdays at 7 p.m. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) on Thursday at 2 p.m., photo group on the first Wednesday of the month at 12:30 p.m., and even a book group (TBA).

Sponsorships are available to use the facilities whenever you wish for $65 for a family (immediate family, not friends and neighbors), or $45 for a single. This will also give you access to the exercise room (with equipment and a full size pool table), and to the gymnasium for a friendly game of ball whenever you want. These sponsorships help defray the costs of maintenance and heat and utility bills as we receive no funding from Wahkiakum County for these expenses.

We also welcome donations from the general public for these ongoing bills. Our address is Johnson Park Advisory Board, PO Box 15, Rosburg.

On May 6 the Grays River Friendship Circle will hold its 10th anniversary Spring Tea and Luncheon. This is a change in date, as the tea is usually held on a Sunday later in the month. It will be held at the Rosburg Community Hall off highway 4 in Rosburg.

The theme this year is, "Even Some Cowboys Drink Tea." Homespun entertainment of music and poetry will be provided by Joel and Noreen Fitts of Grays River. Women of the Grays River United Methodist Church sponsor this event as a fund-raiser for the Friendship Circle's special projects. The suggested donation is $8 each at the door.

Doors open at noon. The luncheon will be served at 12:30 p.m. with the program to follow. The luncheon consists of tea savories, delicacies, and desserts.

This event attracts people from far and near to visit with old and new friends, enjoy an exciting program, and explore a table full of raffle prizes to be chosen later by the winners. Raffle tickets are a $1 each for the general raffle. This year there will be a separate raffle, with a different ticket price, for a silver necklace with semi-precious stones. This necklace was generously donated by Joan Chester of Cathlamet who has been an avid supporter of many organizations in our community over the past years.

Wear that outfit or hat that you seldom get to use or just be comfortable in whatever you wish. For more information, call 360-465-2740 or 360-484-7749.

There’s still time to get in shape to run in the 28th annual Great White Tail Run to be held on Saturday, May 19 on the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge in Skamokawa. Registration flyers are available in many locations throughout the county and in Naselle as well. Pre register for a better price.

Once again, this year there are special family or youth group discounts and a dog division as well as the regular divisions.

This annual event is sponsored by the Washington State University 4-H Youth Development Program and benefits our local 4-H programs and our children. For more information please call 350 465-2275 or 360 795-3278.

The Wednesday Senior Lunch Bunch that meets at Rosburg Hall will enjoy Pat Potter’s home made taco soup with all the trimmings and dessert on the 11th. On the 18th the menu will include chicken and dumplings, veggies, hot bread and dessert.

Senior lunches are also served at the same location on Tuesdays and Thursdays and are sponsored by CAP.

Happy Birthday to Sloan Stewart, Deborah Scharenberg, Gaberiel Gilbert, Brittany Liberatore, Kelsey Heriot, Dewey Adair, Lance Gray, Brenda Rose, Gwen Angstrom, Jon Pakenen, Debbie White, Debbie Smith, Tasha Stenvall, Myrtle Anderson, Norman Sotka, Russ Legler, Tony Wirkkala, Teresa Cooley, Dean Brannon, Bryan Tienhaara, Neil Wirkkala, Steve Mattson, Judy Torppa, Katie McIntee, Keith Reitz, Vicki Wirkkala, Nicole Tarabochia and Jayson Cooley. Wishing each of you a very special day.

Happy Anniversary wishes go out to Kyle and Lisa Donlon and Cody and Annie Strange.

Happy belated birthday to Rosburg resident and good friend Cheryl Dutcher. You are an asset to this community. Cheryl and her husband, Dale have also celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary. Congratulations you two, and wishing you many more.

One of our wonderful Grays River neighbors and friend, PJ Katims fell last week and broke her arm. She will be going in for surgery this week so let’s all keep her in our thoughts.