OMC to host forum for community
Olympic Medical Center will host a community forum from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, in the second floor conference room of the Medical Services Building, 840. N. Fifth Ave.
The forum will be hosted by CEO Darryl Wolfe and give a general OMC update.
For more information, visit olympicmedical.org/calendar.
Parade applications available now
Applications for the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s 129th Grand Parade applications are available now at irrigationfestival.com/site/event/129th-sequim-irrigation-festival-grand-parade.
Apply online or downloadable application available as well. The deadline to apply is April 15.
The Sequim Irrigation Festival, started in 1896, is the longest continuous running festival in WA state and is a 501(c)4 nonprofit, all-volunteer organization. The Grand Parade is on Saturday, May 11, through downtown Sequim.
For more information, go to irrigationfestival.com or email to info@irrigationfestival.com.
Guild’s BUNCO fundraiser on tap
The Sequim Guild of Seattle Children’s hospital is sponsoring a Spring BUNCO Party, set for guild members, and bid on 16 unique choices at our silent auction, including some “one of a kind” items. The fun happens on Friday, April 19, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 525 N. Fifth Ave.
Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and the event is noon-3 p.m. Win prizes playing Bunco, enjoy a lunch made by guild members, and bid on 16 unique choices at a silent auction, including some “one-of-a-kind” items.
Cost is $15 at the door. All proceeds go to Seattle Children’s Hospital for uncompensated care and research.
For more information, contact Raini Cacy 360-461-1818 or sequimguild@gmail.com.
Online safety topic at community meeting
Learn more about dozens of topics about online lives, how to stay safe and how digital accounts (AKA digital assets) can be handled upon one’s deaths at a Sequim Bay Yacht Club community talk set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, at John Wayne Marina, 2577 W. Sequim Bay Road.
Jim Hough’s presentation, is open to the public at no charge and follow the club’s 6 p.m. business meeting.
Hough, with more than 20 years experience in information technology (IT), has since 2015 been the IT director for 7 Cedars Hotel and Casino, responsible for all its digital assets. His presentation on digital security and healthy internet practices will include: the increasingly complicated issues of phishing and how to avoid it; ransomware and misdirected links; handling password overflow; mobile security, and how to avoid getting hacked in public places.
He’ll also talk about what he calls, “purging or archiving your internet self after death.”
For more information about Sequim Bay Yacht Club, its spring Learn to Row classes, its Opening Day events on May 5, and the year-long fundraiser for Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, see sequimbayyacht.club.
Volunteers sought for Dream Playground rebuild
The Dream Playground needs volunteers for evening shifts during the week of the community build, May 15-19.
Evening shifts are from 5-8:30 p.m. Those interested are invited to be at the playground at 4:30 p.m. for dinner prior to their shift.
Photo by Keith Thorpe/Olympic Peninsula News Group / Kelly Couthlin of Port Angeles-based RJ Services Inc. uses an excavator to remove damaged surface padding tiles at the Dream Playground at Erickson Playfield in Port Angeles on April 4. Surface removal paves the way for rebuilding the playground, currently scheduled as a volunteer community effort on May 15-19. A large portion of the playground was destroyed in an arson fire on Dec. 20.
The Generation II Dream Playground at Erickson Playfield, at 302 S. Race St. in Port Angeles, is a well-used and much-loved playground funded by the community and built with thousands of hours of volunteer labor and thousands of dollars of donated materials. It was reduced to charred remains after an early morning fire in December 2023.
Sign up at tinyurl.com/dreamplayground.
Park permits available April 15
Starting at 7 a.m. on Monday, April 15, Olympic National Park wilderness adventurers will be able to reserve permits for overnight trips for the summer season — May 15-Oct. 15.
Permits can be reserved online at recreation.gov or by calling the Wilderness Information Center at 360-565-3100. Day hikers do not need wilderness permits.
Master Gardener workshop at Fifth Avenue
An upcoming Master Gardener workshop, set for 1-3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, at The Fifth Avenue (500 W. Hendrickson Road) looks to offer insights into raised bed gardening.
Garden enthusiasts, both beginners and seasoned growers, are encouraged to attend. Hosted by WSU Clallam County Master Gardener Sara Farinelli, this event promises to equip attendees with the knowledge and skills needed to cultivate thriving gardens in any space, organizers note.
During the workshop, participants will delve into various topics including the advantages of raised beds and container gardening, selecting suitable cool and warm weather crops, mastering succession planting, and understanding the optimal timing for outdoor and indoor plant starts. Handouts and online resources will be provided, ensuring attendees have access to valuable information long after the event concludes.
Space is limited for this event, so RSVP is needed to attend. People can call 360-683-3345 for reservations and for more information about the raised bed gardening event or The Fifth Avenue.
Local office open to help disabled veterans
The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) office in the Worksource building, 810 W. Brackett Road, is open 9 a.m.-2 p.m. every Wednesday to serve veterans who are needing help with claims or other information.
Services are free and veterans do not have to be members of DAV to receive assistance. The office is by walk-in; no appointment is necessary.
For more information, call 360-775-6482.
Get gardening tips on Saturday
Home gardeners can get timely advice about vegetable and berry gardening from 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 13, during a tour of the Fifth Street Community Garden, 328 E. Fifth St., Port Angeles. The event is part of the Second Saturday Garden Walks, an educational series sponsored by WSU Extension Clallam County Master Gardeners that starts in April and runs through September. The April 13 walk is the first walk of the 2024 season.
Learn what needs to be done in vegetable gardens at this time of year (and how to do it). Discuss problems that are likely to appear and better yet, how to avoid them. Learn what integrated pest management control measures exist for common pests and diseases. Bring questions and get helpful science-based advice.
Second Saturday Garden Walks are free and open to the public and occur rain or shine. The walks are ideal for people starting a vegetable garden for the first time and gardeners who are new to the Pacific Northwest. They are also beneficial to the more experienced gardener.
For more information about Second Saturday Garden Walks, call 360-565-2679 or go to extension.wsu.edu/clallam/events.
PC to host event in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Peninsula College and Healthy Families of Clallam County (HFCC) invite the community to an event marking Sexual Assault Awareness Month, starting at 12:35 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, at Peninsula College’s Little Theater, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles. The event will feature a panel discussion and the exclusive screening of the award-winning documentary, “This is Where I Learned Not to Sleep.”
Attendees can join in person at The Little Theater for both opportunities. The film is only available in person. Attendees can join the panel discussion via Zoom at pencol.edu/events.
HFCC, based in eastern and central Clallam County, provides an array of services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and crime, including crisis intervention, legal advocacy, and support groups. In the last year alone, HFCC served 438 domestic violence, 225 sexual assault, and 220 general crime victims, event organizers noted.
The day’s discussions will begin with a panel featuring experts from HFCC, local law enforcement, and mental health care professionals, focusing on the impact of sexual assault and the resources available to support survivors and families, followed by the documentary screening from 1:30-2:15 p.m.
For more information, contact Kate Reavey at kreavey@pencol.edu or 360-417-6268.
Nonprofit seeking host families for exchange students
ASSE International Student Exchange Programs (ASSE) is looking for local families to host high school exchange students aged 15-18 from countries such as Australia, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Japan and others.
ASSE students are selected based on academic achievements and personalities. Host families can choose a student from diverse backgrounds, countries and interests. Students arrive with spending money and insurance coverage.
To become an ASSE Host Family, call the ASSE Western Regional Office at 800-733-2773 or visit host.asse.com.
