OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Olympic National Park and the North Olympic Library System are teaming up to help local families explore the national park.
Beginning Friday, Explore Olympic! packs will be available for check-out at any branch of the library system that oversees all public libraries in Clallam County.
Daypacks are filled with discovery tools for exploring the park, including trail and field guides, binoculars and reading materials for kids.
Families who check out a pack will receive a seven-day entrance to the park through a donation from Washington’s National Park Fund.
For information on this and other library services for families, phone the Port Angeles Library at 360-417-8500, the Sequim Library at 360-683-1161, the Forks Library at 360-374-6402, the Clallam Bay Library at 360-963-2414, visit the NOLS website at www.nols.org or email director@nols.org.
Flight operations
WHIDBEY ISLAND — The Navy will conduct field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island at the outlying field in Coupeville from Tuesday through Friday.
On Tuesday, practice training is scheduled at the field in the afternoon and early evening.
Training at the field is scheduled the nights of Wednesday and Thursday.
On Friday, practices are scheduled from early afternoon to early evening.
Comments, including noise complaints, can be directed to NAS Whidbey Island’s comment line at 360-257-6665 or via email at comments.NASWI@navy.mil.
All other questions can be directed to NAS Whidbey Island Public Affairs Office at 360-257-2286.
Groundbreaking set
SEQUIM — Groundbreaking for Sequim’s new civic center is set for 9 a.m. Thursday.
To attend the ceremonies at the site, 152 W. Cedar St., participants must wear boots, long pants, a safety vest and a hard hat, city officials said.
Lydig Construction of Seattle is constructing the $11 million complex that will house City Hall, the city police station and a community plaza.
Construction crews are expected to begin to build the forms for the foundation soon after the groundbreaking.
Work on the building site began in April with the demolition of the old City Hall and three other buildings, utility work and site grading.
Construction is expected to be completed by the middle of 2015.
For more information about the groundbreaking, contact City Clerk Karen Kuznek-Reese at 360-681-3428 or kkuznek@sequimwa.gov.
Parkinson’s group
PORT ANGELES — A support and information meeting for people with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers, family and friends is set for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
The 90-minute meeting will be in the craft room upstairs at the Port Angeles Senior Center, 328 E. Seventh St.
For more details, phone 360-457-5352 or email djones@olypen.com.
Free training on recognizing marijuana use
PORT TOWNSEND — The Chimacum Prevention Coalition will sponsor a free training on “Recognizing Marijuana Use” and “Local Strategies to Support a Healthy Community” in the Chimacum High School Library, 91 West Valley Road.
The session is from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
“Recognizing Marijuana Use” training will be presented by Sgt. Mike Graddon of Drug Education Services in Buckley.
With today’s marijuana stronger than the pot of the 1960s and ’70s, “understanding the law, the cannabis culture and recognizing the observable effects of its use has never been more important,” according to a news release.
“This course gives participants the tools to interact with youths in light of the new marijuana law.”
Chimacum Prevention Coalition members will do an overview of their strategic plan for 2014-15.
The plan provides local strategies for community members to get involved in creating a healthy community for kids and families.
Light refreshments will be served.
To register or for more information, contact Kelly Matlock, Jefferson County Public Health prevention coordinator, at 360-379-4476 or kmatlock@co.jefferson.wa.us.
Boat safety class
SEQUIM — The Cost Guard Auxiliary will have a boating safety class in Rainbow’s End RV Park’s recreation room, 261831 U.S. Highway 101.
The program will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
Attending both sessions is required for this seven-hour class.
To sign up or for more information, phone Sylvia Oster at 360-223-8762 or email uscgamail@yahoo.com before Thursday.
‘Donate a stud’
PORT ANGELES — Angeles Millwork & Lumber Co. and Hartnagel Building Supply is winding up their second annual “Donate a Stud” fundraiser.
This year, all donations will benefit the Captain Joseph House Foundation in Port Angeles.
Betsy Reed Schultz is converting her 1910 Tudor Inn bed-and-breakfast into a respite home for families of fallen soldiers, named to honor her son, Capt. Joseph Schultz, a Green Beret who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2011.
Angeles Millwork and Hartnagel are selling 2-inch-by-6-inch studs, which will be used to renovate the home to accommodate up to three families per week throughout the year.
The goal is 2,000 studs by May 31.
Cost is $5 for one stud; 6 studs, $30; 12 studs, $60; 20 studs, $100.
To buy a stud, visit or mail a check to Angeles Millwork & Lumber Co., 1601 S. C St. Port Angeles, WA 98363 (or phone 360-457-8581); or Hartnagel Building Supply, 3111 E. U.S. Highway 101, Port Angeles, WA 98362 (or phone 360-452-8933).
For more information about Captain Joseph House, visit www.captainjosephhousefoundation.org.
Free drum circle
PORT ANGELES — A free community drum circle will be held in the Peninsula College Longhouse, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
The event is open to all ages. Experienced or beginning drummers are welcome.
Bring a drum, rattles or other percussion.
For more information, phone Penny Burdick at 360-461-4538, email peninsuladrumming@gmail.com or visit http://tinyurl.com/pdn-drumcircle.
Read to a therapy dog
FORKS — Children can practice their reading skills with a trained therapy dog at the Forks Library, 171 S. Forks Ave., between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and June 17.
Tally the service dog and her trainer, Sherry Schaff, will be on hand for children who want to read to Tally.
Tally and her trainer are members of the Olympic Gentle PAWS therapy dog group.
This free program, suitable for children ages 6 and older, requires no advance registration.
For more information, phone 360-374-6402, email forks@nols.org or visit www.nols.org.
Lunch and fashion
SEQUIM — The Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild will host its annual luncheon/fashion show and silent auction in Club Seven lounge at 7 Cedar Casino, 270756 U.S. Highway 101, at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Tickets are $18 and are on sale at the guild’s thrift shop, 204 W. Bell St.
Fashions from the thrift shop will be modeled during this year’s event.
A silent auction will feature items for the home and wearing apparel.
For more information, phone 360-683-7044.
Gonzaga graduates
SPOKANE — The following Gonzaga University students from the North Olympic Peninsula participated in recent commencement ceremonies at Spokane’s Veterans’ Memorial Arena:
■ Caitlin Pallai of Sequim graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in INST-international relations.
■ Elise Reid of Port Angeles graduated with a Bachelor of Science, with honors in biology.
■ Gregory Robinson of Sequim graduated with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering.
■ Walker Wilson of Port Townsend graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in political science.
Port Angeles schools laud teachers this month
PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles School District Board of Directors proclaimed May 5-11 as Teacher Appreciation Week.
“Teachers deserve recognition and thanks for the outstanding work they do for this community and for the children enrolled in the Port Angeles School District,” the board noted in a resolution.
“Teachers fill many roles: as listeners, explorers, role models, motivators and mentors . . . These dedicated individuals continue to influence us long after our school days are only memories.”
Student recognized
SEQUIM — Josiah Carter was named Sequim Sunrise Rotary’s April Middle School Student of the Month.
He is the son of Ron and Lori Carter.
His favorite subject is robotics. He enjoys playing football and has a 4.0 grade-point average.
Josiah plans to attend college upon graduation.
Volunteer of Year
PORT ANGELES — Karsten Turrey has been named the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary’s Volunteer of the Year.
A member of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, Turrey enrolled as a student of the Natural Resources Program at North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center.
He joined Olympic Coast Discovery Center’s, or OCDC’s, docent training class and earned the Top New OCDC Volunteer award for 2013.
“Karsten is humble, respectful and a dedicated steward of the environment,” said Karlyn Langjahr, OCDC manager.
“It’s rare to find a young person so grounded and connected to the natural world.”
Turrey’s overall 2013 contributions totaled 128 hours of volunteer service.
He will be honored in June at the Ocean Awards Gala during Capitol Hill Ocean Week in Washington, D.C.
For more information about the Olympic Coast Discovery Center, contact Langjahr at 360-457-6622, ext. 31, or karlyn.langjahr@noaa.gov; or visit www.olympiccoast.noaa.gov.
Community dinner
SEQUIM — A free community dinner will be served at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave., at 6 p.m. Thursday.
The meal includes oven-barbecued chicken, baked beans, vegetables, fruit salad, desserts and beverages.
Reservations, which are requested to ensure that enough food is prepared, may be made by phoning the church at 360-683-5367 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. the Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday before the dinner or by email to dinners@sequimtumc.org.
The church presents the dinners the last Thursday of each month.
Free plant clinics
PORT TOWNSEND — Gardeners can visit a Master Gardener Plant Clinic for answers to gardening questions and diagnosis of plant problems any Monday through September (except holidays) from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the WSU Extension office in Point Hudson, 380 Jefferson St.
Bring in bagged samples of plant parts (healthy and damaged sections), including stem, leaves, flowers, etc. Pest samples also will help in the diagnosis.
Plant clinics are free and open to the public.
For more information, email Jefferson County WSU Master Gardeners at mastergardenerjefferson@gmail.com.
Shelter Providers
PORT ANGELES — Clallam County Drug Court Coordinator Stormy Howell will be the featured speaker at a meeting of the Shelter Providers Network of Clallam County in Holy Trinity Lutheran Church’s downstairs fellowship hall, 301 Lopez Ave.
The meeting convenes at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The meeting was moved one week later in the month than usual to occur after this week’s statewide homelessness conference in Yakima.
Shelter Providers meetings are open to everyone who is interested in ending homelessness.
For more information, phone Martha Ireland at 360-452-4737 or email shelterprovidersnetwork@gmail.com.
Lunch for veterans
FORKS — The Forks Old-Fashioned Fourth of July committee will sponsor the “Buy a Veteran a Lunch” program on July 4.
Each $13 donation buys one lunch for a veteran from any food vendor in Tillicum Park that day.
Participants can make a donation or buy a ticket for a veteran.
To make a donation or for more information, phone 360-374-3311.
Student graduates
OMAHA, Neb. — Aishia Dueno of Port Angeles was recently awarded a Bachelor of Science from Creighton University’s College of Arts and Sciences during a commencement ceremony at the CenturyLink Center Omaha.
Ballet demo
PORT ANGELES — Aspire Academy of Expressive Arts Artistic Director Brandyn Boyd recently presented her students in their first ballet demonstration at the Masonic Hall in Port Angeles.
Each of Boyd’s classes, primary through level 3, readied an entire class of exercises to demonstrate the technique they have learned this year.
“The dancers learned so much this year preparing for the demonstration,” Boyd said.
“It was a very valuable process to go through for each of my classes. They performed with such pride. Parents were thrilled to see the full body of work that their children had accomplished.
“The demonstration presented a much more intimate setting than our big spring recital. I’m confident that we are ready to participate in the [American Ballet Theatre] affiliate examinations next year.”
Aspire Academy includes the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum, a nine-level program that combines high-quality artistic training with the basics of dancer health and child development, according to a news release.
“I have personally been thrilled with the results of this curriculum for my dancers,” Boyd said.
“And the demonstration gave the parents a powerful way to appreciate our progress.”
Aspire Academy is located at 160 Harrison Road, Suite 1, Sequim.
For more information, phone 360-681-3979 or visit www.aspireacademy.us.
