Developmental playgroup to meet

Clallam County Parent to Parent and Clallam Mosaic will be hosting a monthly developmental playgroup, Play with a Purpose, from 9:30-11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Sequim YMCA, 610 N. Fifth Ave.

Attendees do not need to be YMCA members for this playgroup designed for children ages 0-5.

Developmental playgroups are designed to help parents and their children who are demonstrating developmental delays or disabilities to work together to meet the child’s cognitive, social and developmental goals. Families are invited to drop in, play and grow together.

The playgroup sessions will address: gross and fine motor development; expressive and receptive language communication; social and emotional skills; adaptive and self-care skills, and feeding issues.

This parent participation group will be facilitated by Clallam Co. Parent to Parent (P2P) coordinator Catherine McKinney, and will be led by family support Laura Hogan-Reyes. Siblings are welcome to attend. COVID protocols will be observed. While masks are optional, mask wearing is advised, and masks will be available. Hand washing, social distancing and sanitizing will be practiced.

Upcoming Play with a Purpose sessions are scheduled for Sept. 17, Oct. 15, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17.

Clallam County Parent to Parent offers support and advocacy to families caring for individuals with special needs, developing opportunities for families to come together to learn, teach each other, grow and form community.

For more information about Clallam Mosaic, visit ClallamMosaic.org.

ONP, ONF set campfire restrictions

On Aug. 10, Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest implemented a campfire restriction that only allow campfires in metal rings at designated site, campgrounds or picnic areas. This includes the coastal areas of Olympic National Park.

Gas or propane camp stoves may still be used in the wilderness backcountry and campgrounds, but should be operated well away from flammable vegetation and forest litter, park officials said. Extreme caution is urged with any open flame.

This move to Phase 1 fire restrictions, they said, was triggered by: extremely dry conditions that are forecasted to continue; a need to align with state and county campfire restrictions; commitment of firefighting resources battling numerous wildfires around the nation, and the strain any new uncontrolled fires would place on these resources.

Prior to the region’s recent heatwave, precipitation levels were already below average this year elevating wildfire risk across the western side of Washington state, park officials sad. The record-breaking temperatures felt across the Pacific Northwest have resulted in more rapid drying, quickly elevating the fire danger across the state to a level not typically seen at this time of year.

Gardiner Cemetery meeting moved

The Gardiner Community Cemetery Meeting scheduled for Aug. 11 was rescheduled to 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, downstairs at the Gardiner Community Center, 980 Old Gardiner, Road.

The remainder of the year’s meetings will be at 4 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month. The public is invited to attend.

Guild’s thrift shop sets sale

The Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Thrift Shop at 204 W. Bell Street will be open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 18-20. The sale will feature framed artwork (50 percent off tag price) and all pants are buy one, get one free (equal or lesser value).

Donations are welcome from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. each Monday and Tuesday, and when the store is open.

All proceeds are donated to local medical needs, including the Sequim Free Clinic, Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, EMT needs with Clallam County Fire District 3, and scholarships for nursing students at Peninsula College.

Guild members encourage joining the guild and the all-volunteer store; applications are available at the shop.

Caregivers meeting set for Aug. 23

“Powerful Tools for Caregivers,” a class that helps those who care for a loved one also take care of themselves, will start Tuesday, Aug. 23, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave.

The class meets from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on six Tuesdays, ending Sept. 27. The only cost is $30 for the textbook.

Topics include how the caregiver can reduce personal stress, deal with emotions, solve problems, communicate effectively with other family members, make difficult decisions and use community services. The class does not focus on hands-on care for the care receiver.

Pre-registration is required and may be done by contacting class leaders Judy Croonquist at 360-582-1370, or Barbara Parse at 360-683-2113. Masks are optional.

Back to School Fair set for Aug. 27

Students and parents can get help preparing for the 2022-2023 school year at the annual Back to School Fair, set for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 on the field at the Sequim High School athletic stadium on West Fir Street.

The event includes free school supplies, clothes, food and other resources. Supplies with also be provided via a drive-through starting at the stadium parking lot at 10 a.m.

See facebook.com/events/447794430522176.

Anglers to host biologist

The Puget Sound Anglers-North Olympic Peninsula Chapter host an open to the public general meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 17, at the Sequim Elks Lodge, 143 Port Williams Road.

Members and visitors start gathering at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7 p.m.

This month’s speaker is Dr. Kirsten Simonsen, Puget Sound Recreational Fisheries Biologist for the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. She will speak about the Marine Area 6 Chinook management plan and how state officials run catch estimates.

The anglers group will also have a short business meeting, fishing reports and raffle drawings following his talk. Raffles are for members only. Newcomers can join that night to participate; annual membership is $25 and includes The Reel News monthly publication.

Air Affaire opens registration

The Olympic Peninsula Air Affaire and Sequim Valley Fly-In returns to the Sequim Valley Airport, 468 Dorothy Hunt Lane, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. Admission is $10 per carload.

It features a show and shine for airplanes and automobiles along with R/C airplanes, plane rides, hot air balloon rides, helicopter rides, live music, food, and more. Fees apply to rides.

Car show entries are $5 per vehicle. Find registration for the show and shine, and more information at olympicpeninsulaairaffaire.com.

Walkling grants available

The Ben and Myrtle Walkling Memorial Trust is accepting applications for grants to be awarded in 2023.

The trust awards grants to encourage new civic and charitable projects to benefit citizens of Port Angeles and Clallam County.

For applications, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Ben and Myrtle Walkling Memorial Trust, PO Box 1588, Port Angeles, WA 98362.

Submit completed applications by Sept. 30.

Local office open to help disabled veterans

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) office in the Worksource building, 810 W. Brackett Road, is open 10 a.m.-3 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. Masks are required upon entrance.

For more information, call 360-775-6482.