Chamber ribbon cutting set at new ballot box

Citizens for Sequim Schools will be hosting a ribbon cutting provided by the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce at noon Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the new Sequim ballot box in the JCPenney’s parking lot at 609 W. Washington St.

With a maximum capacity of 3,500 ballots, the new ballot box is nearly three times bigger than the previous one. Citizens for Sequim Schools chose this date to commemorate the ballot box because it also is the date the ballots will be dropped in the mail to Clallam County residents for the Special Election due Feb. 14.

Family reading night set

All Sequim School District students and their families are invited to join the district’s teacher-librarians at Sequim Middle School, 301 W. Hendrickson Road, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, for literacy-focused fun and games.

Sessions will be offered for every age, from pre-K children through teens. Reading activities include Reader’s Theater, Rap Book Battles, Book Giveaways, Mythology Bingo, Cupcake Book Walk and more. Attending students will receive a free book at the end of the evening. A grand prize drawing will be held for gift cards. There is no admission for the event.

Pruning class offered

New Dungeness Nursery will host a pruning class at its property at 4911 Sequim-Dungeness way from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28. The class will have fruit and flowering tree pruning in the morning and roses after 1 p.m.

As with last year, participants will travel the nursery’s neighborhood pruning more mature plants and trees. Dress warm and wear walking shoes. The class will be taught by Doug Cockburn, certified horticultural professional CHP and president of Landscapes by Cockburn, Inc. The do’s and don’ts of pruning, dormant spray and why pruning will be discussed. Refreshments will be offered.

Call 681-0132 to register.

Pre-diabetes presentation planned at OMC

Olympic Medical Center is hosting a free community presentation on recognizing the signs of pre-diabetes at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25. It is open to the public and will be at Olympic Memorial Hospital, Lower Level, 939 Caroline St. in Port Angeles. Vicki Everrett, a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes educator, will explain the risk factors for pre-diabetes and the importance of lifestyle changes to improve health and reduce the chances of developing the disease. Call 417-7125 for more information.

Free ‘ground school’ set in Sequim

Dr. Scott Brooksby hosts a free, private pilot ground school in Sequim. Classes meet from 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 680 W. Washington St., Ste. 102. Join at any time. Brooksby is a a certified flight instructor. He teaches attendees what they need to know to to pass the FAA written exam for a private pilot license. Call 702-274-6700 for more information.

Human trafficking seminar at PC

The five Soroptimist clubs on the Olympic Peninsula, in coordination with Peninsula College’s Studium Generale, present a seminar on human trafficking at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, at the Peninsula College Little Theater.

Human trafficking is the use of force, fraud or coercion to compel a person into any form of work or services against his/her will.

For more information, call Danetta Rutten, president of the Jet Set Soroptimists, at 452-9900.

Grief support series starts

Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County is offering a five-week grief support group series from Feb. 6-March 6. The group meets from 1-3 p.m. each Monday at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave., in Sequim. The grief support groups provide an atmosphere of safety and acceptance, where members may share their feelings and experiences with others, gain a clearer understanding of the grieving process and acquire coping strategies and skills for the emotional pain of loss. The program is free and open to the public. Registration is required — for more information or to register, call 452-1511.

Medicare questions answered

SHIBA/SHIP volunteers will be at the Shipley Center, 921 E. Hammond St., Sequim, from 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays to answer your individual Medicare questions. Volunteers also will be at the Port Angeles Senior Center, 328 E. Seventh St., from 10 a.m.-noon Fridays.

Queen of Angels sets open house for Sunday

Queen of Angels School will celebrate National Catholic Schools Week with an open house from 9:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29.

Prospective families and the community are invited to come and visit the school and learn about all the educational programs that are offered. Staff, parents and students will be on hand to conduct tours and answer questions.

The school is at 1007 S. Oak St. in Port Angeles. During the week, nearly 6,500 Catholic schools across the country will celebrate.

For more information, call 457-6903 or visit www.qofaschool.org.

SHS grads-to-be parents seek help with party

Parents of local graduating high school seniors (Class of 2017) are looking for helpers for the graduation night party in June.

The party, which takes place following the Sequim High School graduation ceremony on June 9, is open to any graduating high school seniors in the Sequim area. It includes music, contests, food, raffles, give-aways, games and more. The party was designed to keep graduating seniors safe and alcohol- and substance-free on their graduation day.

For more information, email chair Jamie D’Amico at jamie@ssnwhq.com or co-chair Danielle Patterson at danielle@allplaysystems.com.

Alternative school options presented

Olympic Nature Experience will have an information session from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Dungeness River Audubon Center, 2151 W. Hendrickson Road, Sequim.

Learn about the different nature school, home school and alternative school options in town.

This is an opportunity to ask questions, talk to other parents with more experience and learn more about what is available in the area.

SEF offers scholarships

Sequim Education Foundation will offer 2017 graduating seniors a number of scholarship opportunities. Each scholarship is listed on WashBoard.org with a complete description of eligibility and application requirements. The application deadline for all scholarships is March 10. Notifications will be made no later than May 25.

Scholarships are the James J. Halloran Memorial Scholarship Fund, two $2,000 scholarships available; the Jane Q. Miller and Gertrude Greenside Scholarship, two $2,000 scholarships; June Robinson Scholarship in Journalism or History, one $2,500 scholarship; Ray and June Robinson STEM Scholarship, one $2,500 scholarship; and Woodward P. Ward Fund, two $2,000 scholarships. For more information, contact Candyce Jack at 461-2762 or sequimeducationfoundation@gmail.com.

Learn how to research family history

Come and learn the basics of genealogical research at the Clallam County Genealogical Research Center, 402 E. Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles, from noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in its “I Know Nothing About Genealogy” class. For more information, see www.clallamcogs.org or 417-5000.

Senior menu set

Sequim Senior Nutrition Site menus are served at 4:30 p.m. at the Shipley Center, 921 E. Hammond St., on Tuesdays-Fridays. Suggested donation is $5 (60 and over), $8 guest and a 24-hour advance reservation is needed. RSVP to 683-8491. Menus are subject to change.

Thursday, Jan. 26: Carrot salad, beef Stroganoff, egg noodles, green beans, oatmeal cookie, apricots

Friday, Jan. 27: Green salad, hot turkey sandwich, potatoes w/gravy, cut corn, fruit cup

Tuesday, Jan. 31: Bed of greens, potato salad, cheeseburger w/fixings, sliced oranges, dessert

Wednesday, Feb. 1: Spring greens, pasta salad, baked tomato, grilled chicken, red grapes, oatmeal cookie.