Irrigation Festival’s 2020 grand, honorary pioneers picked

The Sequim Pioneer Association has selected Walter Grant and Charlotte Fitzgerald as Grand Pioneers for the 2020 Sequim Irrigation Festival. Honorary Pioneers are Steve Vause and Elaine Grinnell. They will be honored at the annual Pioneer Dinner and the Grand Parade in May.

Genealogy, grub at PA meeting

The Genealogical Society of Clallam County invites residents to join the group for its Wednesday Webinar with Pizza. The next meeting, set to start at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at the Genealogical Research Center, 402 Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles, includes a genealogy webinar, with discussion to follow.

Cost is a suggested $5 donation for the food.

For more information, call the center at 360-417-5000 or visit www.clallamcogs.org.

Free parent IEP seminar set for Jan. 15

Parent to Parent of Clallam County, hosted by Clallam Mosaic, is offering an Individual Education Plan (IEP) Seminar from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 E Lopez Ave., Port Angeles.

Tom Steinbeck, retired Director of Special Services for Bethel Public Schools, will present the seminar. As a parent of a child with special needs, Steinbeck has also navigated the special education system from the vantage of a parent advocate. He will be discussing: the purpose of an IEP meeting; how to prepare for the meeting; obstacles at meetings; what to do after the IEP meeting, and more. There will be an opportunity to ask questions.

In the coming months, Parent to Parent coordinator, Carah Pless, will be scheduling one-on-one consultations with Steinbeck for parents who need help with their child’s IEP.

Parent to Parent is a national organization working to reduce isolation and empower parents and caregivers of children with special needs. The local chapter is the best source of information and emotional support for parents, siblings and caregivers in Clallam County.

Clallam Mosaic is a local nonprofit working to empower individual with special needs.

For more information, visit www.clallammosaic.org, or call Clallam Mosaic at 360-681-8946.

Blood drive set

The Knights of Columbus group is sponsoring a blood drive in conjunction with Bloodworks Northwest from noon-6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at St. Joseph Catholic Church’s Parish hall, 101 E Maple St. Participants must be in good health and 18 years old or older.

For more information, call Bill Butcher on 360-461-7113.

‘Smart Drivers’ course slated for Jan. 16-17

An AARP “Smart Driver” course will be offered from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Jan. 16 and Jan. 17 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 Blake St. Taking this course, event organizers say, could help reduce overall car maintenance and insurance costs.

Participants will refresh their driving skills and learn the new rules of the road and learn research-based driving strategies to help them stay safe behind the wheel.

Cost is $15 for AARP members, $20 for non-members, payable by cash or check at the class. To register, call the Shipley Center at 360-683-6806.

Elwha Dam project topic of next Studium presentation

Mike McHenry, fisheries habitat biologist/manager in the Natural Resources Department for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, will talk about the historic Elwha Dam removal project at the next Studium Generale lecture, set for 12:35 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, in the Little Theater at Peninsula College, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd, Port Angeles.

In 1992, Congress passed the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act, authorizing dam removal to restore the altered ecosystem and the native anadromous fisheries of the Elwha River. After two decades of planning, the largest dam removal in U.S. history began on Sept. 17, 2011.

McHenry has restored 42 miles of stream in seven watersheds across the Olympic Peninsula over the past 12 years. He has received more than $4 million in funding from 12 different local, state, federal and private organizations to conduct this work, and has authored or co-authored several articles related to the project.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Kate Reavey at kreavey@pencol.edu.

Focus On Series considers area alcids

In the third in the 2019-2020 Focus On Series, learn about diving seabirds known as alcids from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Dungeness River Audubon Center, 2151 W. Hendrickson Road.

Cost is $5 for members, $10 for non-members.

This series dives deep in the lives of different animals and plants.

For more information, call 360-681-4076 or email to rceducation@olympus.net.

Guild thrift shop sets Saturday opening

The Sequim Dungeness Hospital Guild’s Thrift Shop at 204 W. Bell St. is open from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18. Featured will be newly-arrived, high-end women’s fashions in larger sizes, kitchen appliances and two sets dishes, along with warm coats and jackets and more. All white tag items are half-price. Visit the thrift shop’s Facebook page for photos of items. Volunteers and consignors are always needed. Call 360-683-7044 for more information.

Learn all about PC’s medical assistant program

Learn more about Peninsula College’s Medical Assisting Program and how to become a certified medical assistant at a special event from 5-6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27, at in the “K” Building at Peninsula College, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd.

Tour the program’s new facilities and enjoy light refreshments.

Guests are invited to show up at any time during the event; no RSVP required.

For more information, contact Rachel Pairsh at rpairsh@pencol.edu or 360-417-6414.

Senior menu set

Sequim Senior Nutrition Site menus are served at noon at Dungeness Schoolhouse, 2741 Towne Road, on Tuesdays and Fridays. Suggested donation is $5 (60 and over), $8 guest and a 24-hour advance reservation is needed. RSVP (at least 24 hours in advance) to 360-565-5038. Menus are subject to change. Whole wheat bread and milk or milk alternative are offered daily.

Tuesday, Jan. 21: Salad bar and fruit, chicken a la king on a biscuit, dessert

Friday, Jan. 24: Salad bar and fruit, hamburger stew, roll and butter, dessert.

PSA grower training

The Washington State University Clallam County Extension will sponsor a Produce Safety Alliance grower training class from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20.

The class will be conducted at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Center, 1033 Old Blyn Highway.

The training will focus on the produce safety, the Food Safety Modernization Act’s produce safety rule and good agricultural practices.

The program meets the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement for food safety training.

Registration for the class can be made online at www.brownpapertickets.com.

For more information, call Cathy Blood at 509-335-2845, email blood@wsu.edu or visit foodsafety.wsu.edu.