In today’s column:
- Common Ground Toledo Brings Spring To Downtown Core
- TES PTO Reading Night Returns
- Press Release: Wahkiaum Wohbot Wohundup
- Middle School Sock Drive
- Toledo Schools Results For Early State Funded Water Testing
- Today: Toledo High School Mr T Pageant
- Friday: Cowlitz Prairie Grange Music & Jam Night
- Health Corner: On ASD* - Guest Post by Ben Maestas
- Future-Tripping: Feeds, Fundraisers, Fun & More
Image & content courtesy Billie Washington, Native Soil Farm
Native Soil Farm’s Billie Washington writes: This isn’t a very clear picture but wanted to share what I’ve learned from these two geese.
This pair have been coming to the lake every spring to have their little goslings. So I watch what has been claimed as their territory and limit myself to only going to the water when they are elsewhere.
The male goose is the best protector I’ve ever seen. He lets the female feed and he is constantly on point with full attention to any sound, following her lead but never taking his attention from his task.
In today’s world not every pregnant Mother gets the luxury of having someone stand in protection of her. I’m not saying women can’t defend themselves, only that pregnancy is a vulnerable time and having someone there to help take care of the Mother is part of Nature and adds to the health of the child.
Such devotion this Papa goose has to this process is pure beauty. Maybe when we follow the cues from Nature, life will flow in beauty.
***
CGT reports: Below are photos of recent Spring 2018 work done
by CGT on the Gospodor Eagle planters and on the City Hall planters.
Native Soil Farm’s Billie Washington writes: This isn’t a very clear picture but wanted to share what I’ve learned from these two geese.
This pair have been coming to the lake every spring to have their little goslings. So I watch what has been claimed as their territory and limit myself to only going to the water when they are elsewhere.
The male goose is the best protector I’ve ever seen. He lets the female feed and he is constantly on point with full attention to any sound, following her lead but never taking his attention from his task.
In today’s world not every pregnant Mother gets the luxury of having someone stand in protection of her. I’m not saying women can’t defend themselves, only that pregnancy is a vulnerable time and having someone there to help take care of the Mother is part of Nature and adds to the health of the child.
Such devotion this Papa goose has to this process is pure beauty. Maybe when we follow the cues from Nature, life will flow in beauty.
***
CGT reports: Below are photos of recent Spring 2018 work done
by CGT on the Gospodor Eagle planters and on the City Hall planters.
Images courtesy Common Ground Toledo
Had some incredible volunteers on Monday and Tuesday, March 5th and March 6th.
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Camp Read S’More:
Had some incredible volunteers on Monday and Tuesday, March 5th and March 6th.
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Camp Read S’More:
Image courtesy TES PTO
TES PTO declares: It's that time of year again and the Toledo PTO is planning our annual Reading Night.
***
PRESS RELEASE
The Unstoppable Ms Berry announced: THS Robotics is competing against Wahkiakum HS in a new event for SWIRL: Southwest Washington Interdependent Robotics League.
On Thursday March 15th, starting at 1:00pm, Wahkiakum School District and Wahkiakum 4H will be hosting the first annual Wahkiakum Wohbot Wohundup. There will fun for all ages as robots run in a variety of events. The robots are built by students from elementary, middle and high school. There will also be some adult-built robots trying to keep up with the kids'. Come early if you want to tour the "pits" to get up close and personal with the robots and their builders. Doors open at 12:15. Awards are scheduled to be completed by 4:30pm.
There will be a robot-human play, sumo bots, line racing bots, drag racing bots, and more. There will be robot demonstrations and displays including a ferocious fenced dinosaur trying to "bite" fingers of the unwary, a commercial robot avatar like you see in the movies, and quad drones. The finale will be the brand new event called "WalkUpAndKickEm" ... wherein teams of robots attempt to score points by avoiding getting crushed long enough to cross the other's goal line. There will be turtles and hares, and pixies and behemoths, all teaming up to score points.
Toledo School District will be helping us kick off this inaugural event as the first in a series of robotic encounters being planned for next year in SWIRL, the Southwest Washington Interdependent Robotics League. Come on in and check out what students are learning in robotics.
For more details, please see website at: https://wahkiakumwohbotwounhdup.wordpress.com/
Jennifer A. Berry
Science/CTE-STEM Teacher
SkillsUSA Advisor
Toledo High School
jberry@toledoschools.us
360-864-2391
***
Sock Drive:
TES PTO declares: It's that time of year again and the Toledo PTO is planning our annual Reading Night.
***
PRESS RELEASE
The Unstoppable Ms Berry announced: THS Robotics is competing against Wahkiakum HS in a new event for SWIRL: Southwest Washington Interdependent Robotics League.
On Thursday March 15th, starting at 1:00pm, Wahkiakum School District and Wahkiakum 4H will be hosting the first annual Wahkiakum Wohbot Wohundup. There will fun for all ages as robots run in a variety of events. The robots are built by students from elementary, middle and high school. There will also be some adult-built robots trying to keep up with the kids'. Come early if you want to tour the "pits" to get up close and personal with the robots and their builders. Doors open at 12:15. Awards are scheduled to be completed by 4:30pm.
There will be a robot-human play, sumo bots, line racing bots, drag racing bots, and more. There will be robot demonstrations and displays including a ferocious fenced dinosaur trying to "bite" fingers of the unwary, a commercial robot avatar like you see in the movies, and quad drones. The finale will be the brand new event called "WalkUpAndKickEm" ... wherein teams of robots attempt to score points by avoiding getting crushed long enough to cross the other's goal line. There will be turtles and hares, and pixies and behemoths, all teaming up to score points.
Toledo School District will be helping us kick off this inaugural event as the first in a series of robotic encounters being planned for next year in SWIRL, the Southwest Washington Interdependent Robotics League. Come on in and check out what students are learning in robotics.
For more details, please see website at: https://wahkiakumwohbotwounhdup.wordpress.com/
Jennifer A. Berry
Science/CTE-STEM Teacher
SkillsUSA Advisor
Toledo High School
jberry@toledoschools.us
360-864-2391
***
Sock Drive:
Image courtesy Toledo Middle School
Our Toledo Pride class is sponsoring a sock drive! All socks will be donated to Lewis County United Way.
***
Toledo School District reports:
The Legislature funded water testing for 500 schools in the state. TSD requested to be among the first to be tested. Our schools were selected and were tested on Feb 14. 84 fixtures were sampled from TES, TMS and THS. Of the fixtures tested, 8 exceeded the Dept of Health /EPA recommended lead levels of 20 ppm. These fixtures have been disabled and will be replaced with lead-free fixtures. Other fixtures will be cleaned, replaced and/or regularly flushed in accordance with DOH recommendations. When replace and repair is complete, DOH will retest. Lead is everywhere and is impossible to eliminate. TSD wants to reduce everyone’s exposure consistent with DOH and EPA guidelines. A letter was sent home with students today with additional information. If you have questions, please contact the district office.
***
Today: Toledo Market Fresh 2-Day Truckload Meat Sale
Our Toledo Pride class is sponsoring a sock drive! All socks will be donated to Lewis County United Way.
***
Toledo School District reports:
The Legislature funded water testing for 500 schools in the state. TSD requested to be among the first to be tested. Our schools were selected and were tested on Feb 14. 84 fixtures were sampled from TES, TMS and THS. Of the fixtures tested, 8 exceeded the Dept of Health /EPA recommended lead levels of 20 ppm. These fixtures have been disabled and will be replaced with lead-free fixtures. Other fixtures will be cleaned, replaced and/or regularly flushed in accordance with DOH recommendations. When replace and repair is complete, DOH will retest. Lead is everywhere and is impossible to eliminate. TSD wants to reduce everyone’s exposure consistent with DOH and EPA guidelines. A letter was sent home with students today with additional information. If you have questions, please contact the district office.
***
Today: Toledo Market Fresh 2-Day Truckload Meat Sale
Image courtesy Toledo Market Fresh
***
Tonight: Toledo High School’s Annual Mr T Pageant returns to The Commons showcasing hugely creative and highly questionable performing arts by a cast of young men directed by young women. Judging is, well, you have to see this event for yourself.
7 PM at Toledo High School Commons.
***
Friday: Toledo Food Bank open 10 AM - 1 PM second and fourth Fridays monthly behind City Hall. Visit www.toledowa.us/ for more information.
***
Also Friday:
***
Tonight: Toledo High School’s Annual Mr T Pageant returns to The Commons showcasing hugely creative and highly questionable performing arts by a cast of young men directed by young women. Judging is, well, you have to see this event for yourself.
7 PM at Toledo High School Commons.
***
Friday: Toledo Food Bank open 10 AM - 1 PM second and fourth Fridays monthly behind City Hall. Visit www.toledowa.us/ for more information.
***
Also Friday:
- Bonanza BBQ & Catering open noon - 7 PM
- Path of Hope Al-Anon AFG 7 PM at Presbyterian Church
- Cowlitz Prairie Grange:
Image courtesy Cowlitz Prairie Grange
***
Health Corner: On ASD* - Guest Post by Ben Maestas
April 2, 2018 is World Autism Awareness Day; April is Autism Awareness month. Local activist & permaculture educator Ben Maestas lend insight into this misunderstood condition in his post below:
Michael Mcreary is a comedian on the Autism spectrum and does a good job of explaining ASD interaction. (Link below)
My daughter just shared this with me, and I about cried... a few times. Sometimes it just feels good to hear others say what you also feel, even if it is not "exactly" how you feel. People who cannot communicate well often are judged as having nothing to say. As a child the Hyperlexia portion of my Autism had me devouring libraries of books. As a young teen I would hunt out college books on my favorite subjects but when I tried to speak to others, several obstacles prevented me "communicating" my thoughts - “you’re only a kid what do you know? Why are you staring at the floor and not looking at me while you talk? You’re not smart, you’re just weird.” Not knowing how to start the subject in a way that evolves to my point. And the worst was half-sentences of left-over thoughts. I would literally start talking half-way through a thought as if I had been speaking throughout the thought and never when we had been talking on said subject. It took me awhile to process and take on social conversation, so another common habit was to say 'what?' whenever anyone spoke to me. They could have just been saying hi, and I did hear them but I needed time to process. This annoyed a lot of people.
I learned tricks of survival along the road, I took writing to heart, joined theater every chance i could, studied endless eastern and western psychological and philosophical outlooks, learned to make eye contact long enough to punctuate a thought and not look "as" awkward and also how to move my eyes around the room while interacting to seem less like I am in a trance and more interested in my surroundings (although I am more aware of my surroundings in what looks like that trance state), developed the art of listening (luckily, my family is patient with my "what" way of listening) and how to let go of an obsessive need for routine (now replaced with a two hour morning routine - and this in no way implies loss of routine) and many other things to help me along, like technology and social networks (yes, you help me!).
Most importantly I learned how to quit judging myself as a broken person but began focusing on my potential. It may take me a decade to work on one small issue but I know my potential with every hurdle I overcome, and this gives me strength to be patient. It also helps to hear others share their successes; it reminds us we are not alone and that others are sharing their potentials as well!!
McCreary’s link: Does This Make My Asperger’s Look Big?
*ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorder
***
Future-Tripping: Feeds, Fundraisers, Fun & More
Flapjacks: Toledo Senior Center Second Saturday Pancake Breakfast March 10 featuring full fare breakfast including AYCE hot cakes (or biscuits n’ gravy for early risers) and bottomless coffee.
***
Feed:
***
Health Corner: On ASD* - Guest Post by Ben Maestas
April 2, 2018 is World Autism Awareness Day; April is Autism Awareness month. Local activist & permaculture educator Ben Maestas lend insight into this misunderstood condition in his post below:
Michael Mcreary is a comedian on the Autism spectrum and does a good job of explaining ASD interaction. (Link below)
My daughter just shared this with me, and I about cried... a few times. Sometimes it just feels good to hear others say what you also feel, even if it is not "exactly" how you feel. People who cannot communicate well often are judged as having nothing to say. As a child the Hyperlexia portion of my Autism had me devouring libraries of books. As a young teen I would hunt out college books on my favorite subjects but when I tried to speak to others, several obstacles prevented me "communicating" my thoughts - “you’re only a kid what do you know? Why are you staring at the floor and not looking at me while you talk? You’re not smart, you’re just weird.” Not knowing how to start the subject in a way that evolves to my point. And the worst was half-sentences of left-over thoughts. I would literally start talking half-way through a thought as if I had been speaking throughout the thought and never when we had been talking on said subject. It took me awhile to process and take on social conversation, so another common habit was to say 'what?' whenever anyone spoke to me. They could have just been saying hi, and I did hear them but I needed time to process. This annoyed a lot of people.
I learned tricks of survival along the road, I took writing to heart, joined theater every chance i could, studied endless eastern and western psychological and philosophical outlooks, learned to make eye contact long enough to punctuate a thought and not look "as" awkward and also how to move my eyes around the room while interacting to seem less like I am in a trance and more interested in my surroundings (although I am more aware of my surroundings in what looks like that trance state), developed the art of listening (luckily, my family is patient with my "what" way of listening) and how to let go of an obsessive need for routine (now replaced with a two hour morning routine - and this in no way implies loss of routine) and many other things to help me along, like technology and social networks (yes, you help me!).
Most importantly I learned how to quit judging myself as a broken person but began focusing on my potential. It may take me a decade to work on one small issue but I know my potential with every hurdle I overcome, and this gives me strength to be patient. It also helps to hear others share their successes; it reminds us we are not alone and that others are sharing their potentials as well!!
McCreary’s link: Does This Make My Asperger’s Look Big?
*ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorder
***
Future-Tripping: Feeds, Fundraisers, Fun & More
Flapjacks: Toledo Senior Center Second Saturday Pancake Breakfast March 10 featuring full fare breakfast including AYCE hot cakes (or biscuits n’ gravy for early risers) and bottomless coffee.
***
Feed:
Image courtesy Toledo Community Library
Fundraiser:
Fundraiser:
Image courtesy Toledo Youth Softball
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Fabulous:
***
Fabulous:
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For The Arts: VEAF - Vernal Equinox Artist's Fair at Morgan Arts Centre March 24th & 25th. Open 10 AM - 5 PM each day.
***
Phor Phlebotomy: Toledo Presbyterian Church will host the next Red Cross Blood Drive 12:30 - 5:30 PM March 30, and every 2 months following as long as enough donors get on board. Did you know you can book in advance? Contact Kathy Hill, 360-219-7756 for more info.
***
For Pickers:
For The Arts: VEAF - Vernal Equinox Artist's Fair at Morgan Arts Centre March 24th & 25th. Open 10 AM - 5 PM each day.
***
Phor Phlebotomy: Toledo Presbyterian Church will host the next Red Cross Blood Drive 12:30 - 5:30 PM March 30, and every 2 months following as long as enough donors get on board. Did you know you can book in advance? Contact Kathy Hill, 360-219-7756 for more info.
***
For Pickers:
Image courtesy Toledo Community Library
LIBRARY HOURS: Wednesdays 10-7, Thursdays & Saturdays 10-5
360-864-4247
***
For Teens: Applications are now being accepted for summer Ecology Youth Corps work, and must be received by April 6. Earn $11.50/hour for a 4-week session during either early or late summer session. Details and application online at www.ecology.wa.gov/eyc. Deadline April 6.
***
Foraging: Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife affirmed: Razor clam digging outlook for SW Washington in March & April 2018. Updated February 27, 2018.
Tentative razor clam digs in March and April:
***
Fun: Toledo Senior Center hosts their Fifth Annual Ladies Tea April 8. Tix now on sale $20. Hurry, these sell out fast!
Your continued support is critical as Lewis County Seniors move into their first year as a self-supporting non-profit entity. Toledo Senior Center aims to keep the lights on with monthly breakfasts, community meals, classes and special events.
Check out their 2018 Calendar of Community Events.
***
For The Kids: Brooke Sellards Acosta asks “Does your business or family want to support Toledo Youth Baseball? There are a couple ways to show your pride. I have attached forms to become a signboard and/or team sponsor. Family signboards are $200 the first year and $100 each year after that to renew. Message me if you are interested.”
Signboard Form 2018.pdf
***
For The Future: TES PTO Kids Garden is looking for garden sponsors, which ensures the continuation and improvement of this awesome program. If your family or business is interested, the form is below.
* Garden Sponsor Form 2017-18.docx
***
For The Future: Toledo Middle School PTO's posted: If you would like to help support our efforts to bring more laptops to Toledo Middle School please read this and spread the word. You can donate here. Thank you for your support of our kids.
https://www.gofundme.com/toledo-middle-school-laptops
Full details posted in 02.23.2018 Friday Column.
***
Finally: Vision:TOLEDO announces Sign up forms for (2018) Cheese Days Parade and vendor booths. Full information about the parade can be found here:
* http://www.toledolionsclub.org/assets/2018-parade-form.pdf
***
Photos from TOT archives unless otherwise noted.
Email your news, reviews and events to: toledo.columnist@gmail.com Photos .jpeg or .png format please.
The Other Toledo is on Facebook.
LIBRARY HOURS: Wednesdays 10-7, Thursdays & Saturdays 10-5
360-864-4247
***
For Teens: Applications are now being accepted for summer Ecology Youth Corps work, and must be received by April 6. Earn $11.50/hour for a 4-week session during either early or late summer session. Details and application online at www.ecology.wa.gov/eyc. Deadline April 6.
***
Foraging: Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife affirmed: Razor clam digging outlook for SW Washington in March & April 2018. Updated February 27, 2018.
Tentative razor clam digs in March and April:
- March 16, Friday, 7:03 p.m.; +0.2 feet; Copalis, Mocrocks
- March 17, Saturday, 7:36 p.m.; +0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
- April 19, Thursday, 9:46 a.m.; -0.9 feet; Mocrocks
- April 20, Friday, 10:37 a.m.; -0.7 feet; Mocrocks
- April 21, Saturday, 11:34 a.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks (digging hours will be extended to 1 p.m.)
- April 22, Sunday, 12:38 p.m.; -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks (digging hours will be extended to 2 p.m.)
***
Fun: Toledo Senior Center hosts their Fifth Annual Ladies Tea April 8. Tix now on sale $20. Hurry, these sell out fast!
Your continued support is critical as Lewis County Seniors move into their first year as a self-supporting non-profit entity. Toledo Senior Center aims to keep the lights on with monthly breakfasts, community meals, classes and special events.
Check out their 2018 Calendar of Community Events.
***
For The Kids: Brooke Sellards Acosta asks “Does your business or family want to support Toledo Youth Baseball? There are a couple ways to show your pride. I have attached forms to become a signboard and/or team sponsor. Family signboards are $200 the first year and $100 each year after that to renew. Message me if you are interested.”
Signboard Form 2018.pdf
***
For The Future: TES PTO Kids Garden is looking for garden sponsors, which ensures the continuation and improvement of this awesome program. If your family or business is interested, the form is below.
* Garden Sponsor Form 2017-18.docx
***
For The Future: Toledo Middle School PTO's posted: If you would like to help support our efforts to bring more laptops to Toledo Middle School please read this and spread the word. You can donate here. Thank you for your support of our kids.
https://www.gofundme.com/toledo-middle-school-laptops
Full details posted in 02.23.2018 Friday Column.
***
Finally: Vision:TOLEDO announces Sign up forms for (2018) Cheese Days Parade and vendor booths. Full information about the parade can be found here:
* http://www.toledolionsclub.org/assets/2018-parade-form.pdf
***
Photos from TOT archives unless otherwise noted.
Email your news, reviews and events to: toledo.columnist@gmail.com Photos .jpeg or .png format please.
The Other Toledo is on Facebook.
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