Thursday, January 31, 2013

“The Other Side” Reception February 5, 2013 at Uniontown, Washington


In the fall of 2012, Washington State University introduced an innovative new school combining the Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture and Construction Management programs.
 
Artisans at the Dahmen Barn Gallery is proud to present in February "The Other Side," an eclectic exhibition featuring the creative expressions of many of the new school’s faculty members.
 
The exhibition includes watercolor, sketches, photography, bronze sculptures, fiber arts, and mixed-media paintings. 
 
The opening reception for the exhibit that runs through February 16, 2013 will be held on Sunday, February 5, from 1 to 3 pm. The artists will be present for the reception.

Participating Artists:

Kerry Brooks, Landscape Architecture, Spokane, WA, Landscape Photography

Jeff Filler, Construction Management, Moscow, ID, Editorial Photography

Talieh Ghane, Interior Design, Spokane, WA, Bronze Sculpture & Silkscreen

Linda Johnson, Interior Design, Pullman, WA, Fiber Arts

Bob Krikac, Interior Design, Colfax, WA, Architectural Travel Sketching

Taiji Miyasaka, Architecture, Pullman, WA, Photography

Kathleen Ryan, Interior Design, Pullman, WA, Photography

Carrie Vielle, Interior Design, Colfax, WA, Mixed-Media Painting

David Wang, Architecture, Spokane, WA, Oil Pastel

Artisans at the Dahmen Barn is a 501c3 non-profit creativity center located in Uniontown in the big white barn behind the famous iron wheel fence.  The facility is fully handicap accessible and has no daily admission fee.  Information:  www.artisanbarn.org or 509-229-3414.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Prepare To Apply for Ecology Youth Corp Jobs Application Now

 
The Ecology Youth Corps (EYC) is Washington State's largest youth employment program. These youth, between the ages of 14-17, provide an important service to their community while earning wages.

They gain valuable job skills, teamwork experience, and safety awareness and receive environmental education as well.

It is well to apply early in the application period that opens February 1, 2013 and ends at 5:00 PM April 1, 2013.

Applications are two-part. The online applications link will go live February 1. In the meantime, study every link at the EYC website, to be prepared to follow the detailed instructions.

Dependent upon Washington State final Legislative budget outcomes for July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014, the Department of Ecology in the Eastern Regional Office (ERO) is planning to hire crews in multiple locations for the summer of 2013.

Only applicants available to work for a FULL SESSION will be considered for employment.

Along with litter pickup activities and a strong emphasis on recycling, the EYC program in this region places an important emphasis on the environmental education of its crew members.

Participants will take part in discussions, projects and inter-crew competitions on environmental issues such as waste reduction, pollution, energy and water conservation, biodiversity, and sustainability.

Tours will be led to Spokane's Waste-to-Energy plant, as well as, fish hatcheries, recycling centers, aluminum can smelters, or other places of environmental significance. Some crews may spend time working at the recycling center or delivering an anti-litter message to the general public at fairs, parks, or rest areas.

For Children Who Write and Publish


ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING
(copyright 2012)  Mona Leeson Vanek

Electronic submission requirements differ with each e-zine, but a few general rules (and some experience) will help you master writing for them. Get e-zine guides, or query the editor of an e-zine, electronically. (*see sidebar)

If the magazine's website doesn't offer writers guidelines, find the editor's e-mail address (on the e-zine site) and send an e-mail asking for guidelines. By following them to the letter you'll learn how the editor wants your story submitted.

It often takes perseverance to locate an editor's email address, and by continuing to search you'll locate other publishing opportunities. Be sure to always check the links at the top of the home webpage first.

KidWorld is a good example. In the first column, you'll see What's New? Click 'Read the Rules'. You may find their contest is closed, but see links to e-zines that publish children's writing. For example, I found Amazing Kids.   Be sure you're on Amazing Kids magazine site, not the Main page.

Click the tab at the top of the page to find out about contests. At Amazing Kids Main page you can find the submission email address by scrolling to the bottom, on the left side. "Submit them to us at: submissions@amazing-kids.org." At the very bottom of the Main page, you'll also find the editor's e-mail address: Amazing Kids! Magazine inquiries – editor@amazing-kids.org.
 


Some editors will say what goes in bold, never to use italics, etc. Some want the story sent in the body of a regular e-mail, no italics or bold of any kind. Straight text all the way. Other magazines want the story sent as an RTF attachment to an e-mail.
 
Write your e-query letters and e-articles in your word processor where it's easy to edit and polish them until they're impressive. Single space your story, double space between paragraphs.
 
Remember that nothing on the web is underscored except a web link (URL). So those are the only things in your manuscript that should ever be underscored.

  • Example:  Let the editor know you envision certain words emphasized; you can use an asterick (*) before a word. The editor will decide whether to print it bold or italic. Generally, if it's a title, or something you want underlined, here's how I do it: _Kids Master E-Zine Writing Quickly_.
  • You can make sure the editor knows you're using italics by writing it like the following example: my laughline . Another way to indicate that is by using the HTML marks for Italics. Example: "I am thrilled to share with you what I know about writing for e-zines." (*see sidebar for more about html.
If you are uncertain about how the editor wants it, send an e-mail asking how to do it; editors never mind answering those kinds of questions.

When writing your e-query, don't think like a writer; think like an editor. Make your idea fully complete. As you write your e-query, have a strong visual image in mind of the article already published.
  • What is its title?
  • Does it have a blurb?
  • On the e-zine cover, will there be cover lines announcing its appearance inside?
  • Is a sidebar included at the end?
In general, readers of online e-zines tend to scan while reading so keep to your point, use short sentences, and be brief.

Follow these simple steps to get query letters and articles from the wordprocessor to the e-mail program, and not have them arrive the way you sent them,Rich T and not all scrambled.
  • Open the file. Go File\SaveAs. In the drop down box that lets you choose how to save your file, select Rich Text Format (plain text or ASCII text).
  • Next, highlight the entire file contents. Right mouse click and copy.
  • *Before closing your wordprocessor file, use SaveAs again and select your usual file style. When it says 'this file exists shall I overwrite it?' Answer Yes. Then close your word processor.
Open  a new message in your e-mail program and paste the copy from your clipboard. (Use your mouse or press ctrl+v.)

Address it to the editor who asked to see it. Before you click Send, read it through carefully. Correct anything that needs correction.

WYSIWEG! (whatyousee is whateditorgets.)
 
Have at least a good outline of your article handy. Faster than you can zip up your backpack, the editor might reply, asking for more information, or maybe even for the whole article if he\she thinks your proposed story or article is already written.
 
Editors are too busy to fiddle around with half baked cookies. All you'll get is a bad reputation by offering something you can't produce in a timely manner. If your idea is only an idea, say so in your query. Say, "I propose to write [your story idea]."

If the editor is interested he may ask you to write it, and may even give you tips on what he wants in it.

Your published story will get wide exposure. Other editors may see it and contact you to write for them, too. Sometimes your online story can still be submit elsewhere. Be aware though, publishers that buy your story generally want exclusive 'rights'. Some editors won't let you send it to anyone else for 90 days, others ask for a year.

Each e-publication differs according to their editorial policy. Writing for e-zines is fun and can be profitable, but *never, ever send off a story that you've had published to another magazine without first asking the original publisher for permission!
END

Sidebar:
  • Go to the magazine's website online and read the magazine. Read the archived (back) issues, too. Save a few into your word processor to dissect and study. Run your grammar check and word count on them. Use Find function to search out repeated words and buzz words -- those colorful ones editors love.
  • To learn more about HTML marks, buy "HTML For Dummies" at any bookstore. Be sure to get the first one, not the one that says "More HTML .... "
  • Here are interesting sites for children's writers:
  • Inkspots. You'll need to set up a free account.)
  • Cobblestones and Guidelines, and other good links. (Contact: editorialguidelines@cobblestonepub.com.)
END
 
Mona Leeson Vanek's skills in the broad field of publishing include freelance writer, profiler,news correspondent, photojournalist, writing consultant, script writer, videographer, photographer and author. A member of Internet Writing Workshop since 1996, Mona critiques a wide spectrum of non-fiction, and mentors beginning writers and colleagues. Her current work in progress is editing, revising and epublishing her out-of-print trilogy, "Behind These Mountains." In 2010, to preserve the stories of Montana's homesteader's lives, she made the three-volume series available online. 

To make free online writing resources available, she also published her 10th edition of Access The World and Write Your Way To $$$. . Mona, a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, lives with her husband, Art, and their cat, Mimi. She publishes, The North Palouse Washington e-Newscast, to promote the rural Washington region where they've made their home since leaving Montana, in2005.

Monday, January 21, 2013

2013 "Hiring Our Heroes" Fairs, Plus Pretzel Turtles

Lots of "Hiring Our Heroes" Fairs are coming up. A list for 2013 is here: http://www.uschamber.com/hiringourheroes/events

As of September 2012, Veterans and military spouses through this Chamber of Commerce Foundation Program, have filled over 14,000 jobs! They take place ALL over the country - check it out!

Marine Moms-Bethesda January notes
Please join Marine Moms-Bethesda in supporting our combat wounded, injured and ill Warriors by sending a note of support and encouragement for us to give them while we are there. Emailed notes can be sent to Notes4Bethesda@MarineMoms-Bethesda.org
 
This is an ongoing project and notes are welcome anytime. Deadlines are provided only for the cutoff date for an upcoming luncheon, arranged monthly. More information about our Notes4Bethesda campaign is here. 
 
*HELP!* I would like to put together a team of 3 or 4 wounded Warriors, and wounded warrior parents and spouses to help us when we have questions for:
 
  • Planning our events at Walter Reed on the 4th floor combat wing, Mercy Hall, and Richmond VAMC. 
  • Information to include in our newsletters.
  • To help with making our website more "wounded Warrior and their families Friendly."
YOU have "walked the walk" on this journey and we would love to have your ideas and input helping us to make our luncheons, newsletter, and website focus more directly on your needs, both while on the hospital ward, at Mercy Hall or at Richmond, or after you have moved on after being medically discharged.

What kind of information would you like to see? What has worked for you that we can share with others? How can we help?

This is still in the thought stage. If you have a little time and would be willing to share ideas, thoughts, suggestions with us, or can spare a little time to answer our random questions, we would love to hear from you! Most of our communication would be through email, therefore geography is not a concern. You can contact Jane by emailing, Jane@MarineMoms-Bethesda.org.  Thanks!
 
Did you know we are on Facebook?
http://www.facebook.com/MarineMomsBethesda. I know some of you have "liked" the page. Hoping more of you will if you're a Facebook kind of person.

Surfing tidbits
Need to talk? Veterans Crisis Line, 1-800-273-8255. Press 1 OR Text to 838255. OR they have an online chat available, http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ForVeterans.aspx

That’s all for now… see… told you short and sweet! OH! I forgot the SWEET!!! Okay - Tried and True by Katie at one of our Mercy Hall luncheons last year, and by Suzan at a Holiday Cheer luncheon a few years back: MARINE TESTED! NO leftovers and the Marines at Mercy Hall are NOT much on sweets!
 

Pretzel Turtles
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees
  • 20 small mini pretzels
  • 20 chocolate caramel candies (can be regular ones)
  • 20 pecan halves
  • Arrange pretzels in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
  • Place one caramel on each pretzel.
  • Bake for 4 minutes. While the candy is warm, press a pecan half onto each candy covered pretzel.
  • Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Now how easy is that? Betcha can’t eat just one!
 
Continued prayers for our military and their families.
 
Jane,

To subscribe or to unsubscribe visit,

 
Forward a Message to Someone:
 
 

Marine Moms-Bethesda Prepares First 2013 Luncheon For Wounded Wariors


Marine Moms-Bethesda is gearing up for our first luncheon of 2013!
 
Katie has taken the lead this month and has a great menu planned with the help of the January Crew! They’ll be on the 4th floor this coming Sunday, January 27th with a menu fit for a RAVEN’S WIN! Or will it be a 49er’s win??? We’ll have to wait a little longer to find out...
 
Please join us in supporting our combat wounded, injured and ill Warriors by sending a note of support and encouragement for us to give them while we are there. Emailed notes can be sent to Notes4Bethesda@MarineMoms-Bethesda.org.
 
Terri will format all of the notes we receive into a word document and we’ll print them out to distribute on your behalf. Deadline for January’s notes is Wednesday evening, January 24th. Thanks so much for letting them know they are not forgotten!
 
More information about our Notes4Bethesda campaign is here:

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

You Can Improve Your Writing Skills Free at IWW


Whether you need to improve your communicating skills, or are a professional with years of experience, improving your writing skills enhances your chances of success.

Additionally, whether you're a beginning writer, or are thinking about becoming a writer, in today's publishing world you need all the help you can get to be successful.

One of the best online writers organizations is free ~~ Internet Writing Workshop .

Greg Gunther, one of the current Administrators (Admin) of the lists, said, "We have a History page on our website that says how we go back to 1986, and have run continuously since then. All the more amazing, since it has always been free and run by unpaid volunteers."

How good is it? Members include every level of writer, from the new and aspiring to publishing professionals like Gary Presley, who also serves as an Admin. This unique mix benefits members who contribute thoughtful article critiques and participate in enlightening discussions about writing issues. All things considered, regular participation can help writers acquire skills they would learn in college writing courses.

IWW writers, now and in the past, claim membership and regular participation gives writers more skills than a college writing course, in part because of tips and information members share about publication and marketing.

Hosted by the computer department at Penn State University, the IWW group provides this free service to writers from all over the world. Check out IWW Showcase of Successes .

Writers routinely give each other valuable feedback about their writing, and confront the pros and cons of every conceivable writing technique. Writing Discussions (DICS) include topics like self-publishing, writing software, grammar, ebooks, etc.

When I determined to improve my writing, I looked around for places to get feedback, and came across that fascinating online community. I had authored three books, and you'd expect that between me and the editor my publisher assigned, the books would be error-free by the time they were published (1982 and 1991), but that's far from true.

The day in 1996 I joined Internet Writing Workshop ,Nonfiction, Writing, was the day I began learning not only how to write. Perhaps more important, as a member of MarketChat, I learned how to market my writing. Access The World and Write Your Way To $$$ resulted and became the ultimate online resource for writers.

IWW requirements are minimal, a combination of four submissions (SUB) and critiques (CRIT) a month. Ie: writers offer helpful suggestions (critiques) to improve another writer's work in exchange for receiving helpful suggestions to improve their own writing.

Of course this takes some getting used to, and that's actually one of its benefits.
·       By offering critiques to other writers, you gain practice as an editor.
·       Reading a wide variety of writing and seeing what other writers suggest broadens your thinking.
·       The experience changes writing from an isolated activity to a shared one.

In today's rapidly fluctuating publishing world, up-to-the minute information is vital to a writer's success. During its 18-year existence, Internet Writing Workshop evolved from a handful of writers besotted with the web potential to interact with writers worldwide to offering specialty lists to everyone who chooses to join. They include:


Discussion Lists: Writing; Creative Nonfiction; MarketChat; and SFChat.

For example, Creative Nonfiction Discussion list (CNF-D) is a list you should join if you like analyzing the personal essay genre.

IWW has the distinction of being one of the first writing workshops on the Internet and ranks among the top free workshops for writers, and it ranks among the top free writer's lists.

Learn more about, and/or join, here: Internet Writing Workshop. To become a new member, send a message to writing-workshop-request@lists.psu.edu with a copy to pvgreg@cox.net, or gepresley@gmail.com, following directions on the website.

Now, let's talk about a few basics. "Here's how it works," Greg said. "You will select the lists (groups) you want. After sending in your application, you will soon begin receiving emails. You may see so many emails that they seem like a blizzard. New members may experience annoying parts of the IWW that need getting used. We have several solutions. The first is to understand what the emails are about, and to delete the ones you don't want."

List Admins welcome questions, help smooth new member's experience, and direct them to detailed instructions, a needed. New members find it easier if they join one list and get used to interacting before joining more lists.

Jerry Waxler, non-fiction list member, says, "I actually look forward to scanning the submissions and critiques, which I keep in a special folder away from the normal flood of email I get from everywhere else. Many people adapt to these emails and actually look forward to them. As a long time member, when I go to look at my IWW inbox, I feel like I'm relaxing with my writing friends."

Rather than receiving numerous individual 'Writing' emails every day, I elected to receive 'Writing' in digest form, which lets me quickly scroll through a single daily email.

Greg said, "My job in the workshop is primarily to add new members. Gary does that as well, from time to time. If I were unable to serve, he would take over. Our jobs are basically to keep the machinery running smoothly.

"We can always use new members. We encourage our members to promote IWW in any way they can, and truly appreciate their help."

This week's Yahoo list of members' successes is now up on the IWW Blog. (Scroll down.)

Pam, a nonfiction member in Hawaii says, "The huge benefit of having your work critiqued, and of learning how to write better by critiquing the work of others is the greatest. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a group of critiquers to raise a writer to a higher skill level. And it takes a group of critiquees to raise the bar on their own work. Each critiquer offers different insights on ways to improve a writer's work."

The Yahoos members share often include thank yous to their genre group, such as, "I wouldn't have had my article accepted by the magazine without this group's editing help," and "IWW has done it again, gotten me an acceptance instead of a rejection."

Writing skills are highly prized in today's jobs market. Join Internet Writing Workshop today to begin polishing yours.

 

Friday, January 11, 2013

Controversy Between Rockford Town Council and Spokane County Sheriff's Department Results in Ballot Issue


Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich met with Rockford Town Council at multiple meetings in November and December, due to overdue bills.

November 7, 2012, Rockford Clerk, Darlene LaShaw, explained the CJ (Criminal Justice) fund pays for $5,000.00 of the contract; the remaining is paid out of the CE (Current Expense) fund.

November 20th, Knezovich informed the Council that the Sheriff’s Department will only come to Rockford for 911 calls until the 2012 contract was signed.
Council minutes state, "The Sheriff’s Department/County is not accepting the amount that the Town informed them it could pay."

Councilman,Thomas Smith, made a motion to pay for 2012 expenses for the contract along with sending a letter to the County informing them the Town will not be signing the contract for 2013.

On Monday, December 3rd, Representative Joe Schmick talked to Sheriff Knezovich, and Senator Mark Schoesler talked to Todd Mielke regarding the issues with the Sheriff contract. Schoesler and Schmick had met with a few townspeople, also.

Rockford experiences heavy traffic from Washington Hwy. 27 through the center of town en route to and from the Couer d'Alene Casino in Idaho.

The Council determined that a Resolution to place a Law Enforcement Services levy on February’s ballot would be on the agenda at their next meeting.

On December 19, 2012, the Council voted to approve Resolution 12-10R – Rockford’s resolution for law enforcement levy to be placed on the February 12, 2013 ballot. Council also approved Resolution 12-11R – Rockford’s fee and fines resolution.

Rockford settled their overdue 2012 bill, handing Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich a warrant for $14,000.

Subsequently, the Town Council placed a Law Enforcement levy on the February ballot concerning funding the Spokane Sheriff's Law Enforcement in 2014.

The costs of court and attorney fees that the town is billed for criminal offenses are not included in this amount.

The levied funds would provide payment for the majority of the cost of the Sheriff Department's services contract. Washington's sales taxes also provide funding for the Sheriff's Department.

This proposition would authorize the Town to levy in 2013 an excess property tax levy on land owners within the Town.

The language on the ballot will read:


"The Rockford Town council enacted Resolution 12-R concerning a proposition to finance the 2014 Law Enforcement Protection Services. This proposition would authorize the Town to levy in 2013 an excess property tax levy on all taxable property within the Town of Rockford in an approximate rate of $1.33 per $1,000 of assessed value, and raise $33,000 to be collected in 2014 and used to provide adequate law enforcement service in 2014. Should this proposition be approved?"

Rockford Washington Residents Face Increased Taxation Without Voting On It


Rockford Town Council will hold a Public Hearing Wednesday, January 16, 2013, at 7:00 p.m.,at Town Hall, 20 Emma Street. The purpose of the hearing will be to take public comment on the Town Council's increasing its revenues by consideration of imposing a utility tax to help pay for costs for improvements on the Town's infrastructure.
 
In October, 2012, Paul Kimmell of Avista told the Council that through a utility tax on the electricity bill through Avista the Town can implement utility taxes up to 6% without vote of the citizens.
 
Avista Utilities would collect the monies and then send it back to Rockford. He said town’s usually need to be clear about the purpose for the tax, list the projects.
 
On December 19, 2013, , the Town Council adopted Ordinance 12-10 – amending the Town’s rules/regulations on the water system, giving the Town Council authority to increase water rates up to 3% per calendar year.
 
During 2012, the Town faced cost increases for health insurance premiums, improvements on the sewage lagoon system, and for the Missile Base Road upkeep.
 

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Readers World-Wide Read About The North Palouse


Why do people read The North Palouse Washington e-Newscast? Todate, over 27,000 page views from people world-wide have clicked on this paper!

The 900+ stories published todate have included:
  • 200+ Front Page (7,000+ page views)
  • 160+ Government (3,000+ page views)
  • 450+ Local Voices (7,700+ page views)
  • 110+ Ads & Specials (1,400 page views)
  • 15 Church News (300 page views)
  • 13 Letters To-The-Editor (550+ page views)
  • 13 Fun On The Palouse (270+ page views)
  • Towns (284 views)
  • Churches (187 views)
  • Organizations (105 views)
  • Businesses (79 views)
  • Schools (77 views)
  • Contacts & Submissions (93 views)
  • Terms of Use (204 views)
Interesting events attract most readers, and a significant number of people follow government news, such as town and city council agenda's and minutes. Whitman County and Spokane County Library activities also have numerous followers.

Area residents, churches, schools, and organizations send news and announcements. Leslee Miller, manager, Artisans at the Dahmen Barn in Uniontown, Wash., accounts for 80-90% of advertisements of fun and educational events, which includes the cultural organization's superb website.

Librarians, Sheri Miller, Holly Myer, Laura Jones, Bev Bergstrom, Rose Anderson, Christine Bowman, Kelsey Gallegos, Shannon Roe, Michele Wright, Bev Pierce, and Diana Harp provide timely news from the branch libraries in their communities.

Ann Thompson, Palouse City Clerk, Cheryl Loeffler, Fairfield Town Clerk, and Darlene LaShaw, Rockford Town Clerk provide government news, and Vivian Plank, Manager, Banner Bank, Rockford, compiles a monthly calendar of events to share with readers.

Where are the people who read the North Palouse Washington e-Newscast?

The majority of people interested in what's happening in the Palouse region of Washington do not live here. Recent statistics show 95% are scattered across America; in Ashburn, Virginia, Montgomery, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia, Jaspar, Tennessee, and in Lenexa, Kansas, Casa Grande, Arizona, and Holstein, Iowa.

In fact, the daily news joins readers from all across the nation, in places such as Halethorpe, Maryland, Orland, Florida, New Gransfeld, and Euless, Texas, Tualatin, and Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, Sunnyvale, Irvine, Mountain View, and Palo Alto, California, Layton, Utah, Stockton, Missouri, and Bozeman, Montana.

Boise, Post Falls, and Hayden, Idaho, as well as far-flung Washington residents,  in Gig Harbor, Bellevue, Bremerton, Everett, Vancouver, Rosalia, Renton, Colburn, Kirkland, Clarkston, Walla Walla, Tekoa, Fairfield, Rockford, Valleyford, Tacoma, and many readers in Spokane.

A half dozen or less followers of Palouse regional events live in Stoney Creek, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and London, United Kingdom.

Readers who are the farthest away include people in Moscow City, Russian Federation; Chandigarth, Gurgaon, and Panipat, Haryana, India; Rivne, Rivnens'ka Oblast' Ukraine; Islamabad, Pakistan; Cebu City, Angeles, Philippines; Warsaw, Mazowiecke, Poland; and Israel.

Are these readers interested enough to return again and again? Only about 18% return consistently. 7% read longer than an hour; 16% move on after five minutes; 4% read from five t 20 minutes.

Interesting events attract readers, and feature stories bring them back for more.

Anouncements and reports of events in your area of the Palouse are what people world-wide want to know ~~ keep sending your stories to me at newstnpw@air-pipe.com.

Mona Leeson Vanek, Editor
 

Monday, January 7, 2013

Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, January 1-March 1, 2013

Are you looking for scholarships for your college-bound student? The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation offers needs-based scholarships to children of Marines and Corpsmen.

Marine Scholarship Foundation.   Applications are being accepted January 1 -- March 1, 2013.

Applicants must be the son or daughter of one of the following:
  • Active duty or reserve U.S. Marine;
  • Veteran U.S. Marine who has received an honorable discharge, medical discharge, was wounded, or was killed while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps;
  • Active duty or reserve U.S. Navy Corpsman who is serving or has served with a U.S. Marine unit;
  • Veteran U.S. Navy Corpsman who has served with a U.S. Marine unit and has received an honorable discharge, medical discharge, was wounded, or was killed in the U.S. Navy.
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation also administers the scholarship programs of several Marine Corps associations that offer scholarships to the grandchildren of their members.
  • 4th Marine Division Association of WWII
  • 5th Marine Division Association of WWII
  • 6th Marine Division Association of WWII
  • 531 Gray Ghost Squadron Association
  • 3rd Battalion/26th Marines Association
  • Basic Class 3-56 Graduate
  • Marines' Memorial Association
  • USMC Combat Helicopter Association
Eligibility requirements are here, 

Heroes Tribute Scholarship Program for Children of the Wounded

Good luck to you and your Senior as you navigate the college process!
 

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Farmhouse Pizza Opened in Rockford, Washington

Farmhouse Pizza opened on New Years Eve, on the corner of Ella and Main Street, in Rockford, WAshington.

The new business is a welcome addition to the small rural town.

Vivan Plank, Manager, Banner Bank, said,
"We need new businesses in our area and this is a great addition. Their pizza is GREAT!"


Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Marine Moms-Bethesda Say Thanks!



For readers who are unfamiliar with Marine Moms-Bethesda, these volunteers do great work! They do monthly luncheons and support the families who are there with their military member. Where Bethesda is, there is no restaurant for about 2 miles so it's hard for them to get food. It is now called Walter Reed.


Marine Moms-Bethesday send Greetings and Happy New Year.
Where has the year gone?

Marine Moms-Bethesda would like to take this day, the first day of the New Year, to Thank You for your interest and your support over the past years in our mission of bringing “touches of home” to wounded, injured, and ill Warriors and their families at Walter Reed NMMC/Bethesda and Richmond VAMC.

With your support, in 2012 we hosted 25 luncheons, serving more than 1,700 patients, family members and staff at Walter Reed NMMC and McGuire/Richmond VAMC, combiend, for under $11,000, not including out-of-pocket food expenses volunteers didn't turn in, and in-kind donations.
The luncheons, pantry bags, comfort items and notes of encouragement are very much appreciated by the families and Warriors. How often we’ve wished you, our supporters, could see and hear their “thank you’s” with your own eyes and ears!

All service branches – Marines, Navy, Army, Air Force, National Guard and Reserves, are served at our luncheons. We don’t recall serving Coast Guard patients, but we know they are stationed in war zones.

In addition to making a difference in the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan combat Veterans, you have also, through your support, brought cheer and smiles to World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, Bosnia, and Gulf War I Veterans and their families over the years at Walter Reed and McGuire/Richmond.

Retired Admirals to 18 and 19 year olds just beginning their military career cut short by an IED, a suicide bomber, a training injury or a motorcycle accident, a sniper, a fire fight, or a "green on blue incident" have read your encouragement notes – I’ve seen tears as someone read them, and I’ve heard one young Marine at Mercy Hall who had been there for a long time tell another Marine recently arrived there, "They really are heart-warming."
 
I will never forget a retired Admiral's wife who took a pantry bag that had the notes inside of it – she returned the pantry bag saying she didn’t know it was for the wounded warriors, but said "he wanted to keep the notes."

Many we have served have received a quilt, a hand-knitted hat or pair of slippers, a CD, DVD, t-shirt, afghan, a seated massage, have been given a bag filled with snacks – as one Mom on her way back to her son's room with a plate of food said, "Oh! It isn’t a 'one finger' bag!" No, the bags are stuffed full and they're heavy!

Doctors, Nurses, Corpsmen, Medics, therapists, and staff have also enjoyed our meals. It is difficult estimating how many we will be serving. If it is a beautiful spring day, family members and patients who are able may be out touring D.C. for the day, leaving the hospital ward almost empty. If the situation in Afghanistan is calm(er), the ward may not be as full as is it was the month before.
 
The number of patients on the wards can change overnight from few to many, or from many to few. So after we know the patients and families have been served, the luncheon is opened to staff. We don't bring food home with us unless it is non-perishable, unopened, and can be used at future luncheon. Leftovers are left at the hospitals.

These are our Nation's Sons and Daughters we are serving thanks to your support. Whether they made the decision to serve their country "for the benefits" or because they "wanted to make a difference in the world" (and "making a difference" is what I have been told by those I have asked!) the bottom line is – when they signed on the dotted line, they turned their lives over to Uncle Sam.

Thank you for caring and supporting these men and women who have sacrificed, at great personal price, their lives and their futures in the name of Freedom.

Thank You also for caring about their families – their spouses, their moms, dads, children – did you know some of the children of the wounded Warriors are born there at Walter Reed? Some are siblings in high school visiting, and there children all ages in between. There are also grandparents there giving the parent or wife a break.
 
Family members, far from home giving up their jobs sometimes, leaving younger children behind under the care of another family member, staying by their Warrior's side as caregivers during this life-changing "new normal" time of their lives. The whole family is affected when their spouse, son, or daughter is injured in war.

Tremendous Thanks to our Volunteers who, with support from across the country, make the luncheons happen. Their dedication and commitment to our Warriors and their families is outstanding. They’re a pretty quiet bunch, not in it for the accolades, most working fulltime jobs either in the workplace or at home (or both), some going to school fulltime while working a part-time job, some retired and busier than ever, and yet they set aside time in their busy schedules to help with the luncheons as they are able.

And not only do our Volunteers "walk the walk" with their time, they donated out of pocket toward the luncheons - close to $1,000.00 from what I have seen from receipts turned in was donated by volunteers in 2012. There was probably at least that much more from receipts not turned in.

Why? The Warriors we served could have been our son or daughter, husband or wife, our friend, our neighbor, our "Brother" or "Sister".

Thanks also to those who allow us to continue our mission at the hospitals – the VA staff at Richmond, the Marine Wounded Warrior Regiment Staff at Richmond and Walter Reed, the staff at Mercy Hall, and the staff on the TBI Ward.

We feel it is an honor and a privilege to serve the Warriors and their families at the hospitals, and we don’t take this trust placed in us lightly. Thank you for joining us in our mission.

Wishing each one of you the Best 2013 has to offer and many Blessings in the coming year.

Until next time, continued prayers for our military and their families.

With Gratitude and Thanks, Love and Hugs, Jane