Memorial Day!

A time to reflect and offer silence in respect.
For those who have fought and bled their life.
Protecting our freedom, protecting our country.
From those who would steal and rather see us die.
In honor of those who joined our military.
To stand and fight, protect and serve.
A time to reflect and offer silence in respect.

Bicycle Commuting: • to work • to school • to play 5/14 – 5/18

It’s time to get your bikes dusted off, tuned up and ready to go for the third annual Bike to Work Week in May, complete with great prizes and some giveaways.
Cowlitz County’s 3rd Annual Bike to Work Week, which will be held on May 14-18, 2012, aims to motivate non-bike riders and those already cycling to get involved. With bike riding’s many advantages like healthier living, reducing one’s footprint, and an affordable transportation alternative, Bike to Work Week is headed for a significant increase in participation in 2012.
Cowlitz Bikes’ goal is to raise awareness of cycling within our community, and to promote a healthy, fun and inexpensive mode of transportation.  We urge local employers to encourage bike riding as more physically active employees are more alert, healthy and more productive. Biking to work is a great way to fulfill the requirement of 30+ minutes of physical activity per day needed to stay healthy.
This year’s message is to find your inner motivation and reason to ride a bike and to go for it. It could be anything from reducing stress, losing weight, helping diminish global warming, or having bragging rights at the water cooler on the most distance traveled on a bike. If you’re already a seasoned bike commuter then help us spread the word and encourage colleagues to try a bike ride as part of their workday.
To join the fun and be eligible for prizes, riders should fill out the registration form at www.cowlitzonthemove.org. Stay up to date with the complete events schedule by visiting the Facebook page, under Cowlitz County Bike to Work Week.
Find your motivation and jump on!
Commuting Dates: May 14-18
(Don’t live in Cowlitz County? Share this info with your own county and see if they have something for you to participate in as well!)
Registration and more information www.cowlitzonthemove.org
Fill out the form at the web site to be eligible for prizes! Event T-shirts may be purchased at Bob’s Bike Shop or Highlander Cycling Imports.
For more information, contact Gayle at 360-501-1237
NOTE: While cycling, always wear an ANSI/CPCS approved helmet. It could save your life.

Ready to kick some Ash? ASH KICKER 5K

MT. ST. HELENS has blown off steam and kicked up ash – NOW IT’S OUR TURN. ASH KICKER is a challenging, demanding 5k adventure run with extreme obstacles through rugged, ash laden terrain. Push yourself to your physical and mental limits.
Company Overview
Ash Kicker is a Charity 5k Adventure Run. All proceeds will be donated to The United Way of Cowlitz County. Williams NW is graciously going to match up to $100,000 of proceeds made!! Sponsorships up to $5000 per organization and/or individual are eligible for William’s matching funds
Ash Kicker 2011 challenged almost 600 runners & with the help of our generous sponsors, volunteers, and participants raised an amazing $190,643.12.
Now its time to start training for Ash Kicker 2012 to be held May 19, 2012 at the Toutle River RV Park located off I-5 at exit 52. This will be a true test of your strength & will power.
Description
Get your team & your costume ready!! Prizes will be awarded for best team & individual costumes, best male time, best female time, best female time & most Realistic Sasquatch!
Team discounts available for teams of 4 to 10 individuals. Register at www.ashkicker.org by clicking on ‘Register’ link. Register early to get the wave you want & save money.
Be ready to camp & hang out. Music, beer, & food will be available!
Helping the Community isn’t your only reward!  Throughout the day enjoy food and beer (21 & older w/ID), while taking in great Bands! So go ahead, bring your friends who are too sissy to run; there will be plenty to do and much to take in.
You won’t want to miss the winners of the Costume Contest! ASH KICKER offers great prizes in many categories, but the most coveted is the COSTUME Prize!  Dig out your most outrageous gear to compete in this one! Also don’t forget about the “Best Natural Sasquatch Impersonation” you should stop shaving now, to win this title!
INFO & REGISTRATION:
(360) 261-2127 or (360) 607-2723
www.ashkicker.org

Castle Rock Spring Fling Sale

Spring Fling Sale
Castle Rock Woman’s Club
206 W. Cowlitz Street
Saturday, May 19th, 9 – 3
Good and gently used items
Glassware, Jewelry, One of a kind items, Clothing, Shoes, Hand bags, Linens and much more!
DON’T MISS IT!
Call Mary @ 274-7882 for details

These Girls are On the Run

he Cowlitz County Girls on the Run are having their 3rd Annual GOTR 5K Fun-Run/Walk on Saturday, May 12th at 9am.
The fun-run/walk is held at Longview Memorial Stadium in Longview, WA. Come join in on this free, fun event! Run is limited to 300 participants and registration begins at 7:30am or pre-registration can be done by picking up a form from the YMCA.
GOTR Mission
To educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.
About GOTR
Girls on the Run is a life-changing, experimental learning program for girls age eight to thirteen years old. The programs combine training for a 3.1 mile running event with self-esteem enhancing, uplifting workouts. The goals of the programs are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development.
Objectives of GOTR
The Girls on the Run objective is to reduce the potential display of at-risk activities among its participants. The goal is fewer adolescent pregnancies and eating disorders, less depression and suicide attempts, as well as fewer substance/alcohol abuse problems and confrontations with the juvenile justice system.
Complete information about this fun program is online @
www.gotrswwashington.org
Run for your life Or at least walk
OK, not everyone can run. But most people can walk pretty fast or do other weight-bearing exercise to strengthen bones, tendons and muscles. Those who do it will probably have a longer, more enjoyable life.
A remarkable new study by Stanford University followed middle-aged males beginning in the 1980s. One group of men in the study were runners and the others were not.
Over time, there were just half as many deaths from all causes among the runners’ group versus the non-runners. Even more significant, disabilities in the runners occurred 12 to 16 years later than in the non-runners.
Doctors at Stanford were surprised by the longevity effect and especially surprised by the quality of life the runners experienced.
As the old saying goes, you have to walk before you can run….

Journey to the Cross’ April 6th – 8th • Free admission

Come experience again (or for the first time) the story of Jesus’ life, ministry, death and resurrection. Hear the words, be moved by the music and gripped by the visual experience of the story.
If you visited the “Journey” at the 7th Day Adventist church this past December for the “Journey to Bethlehem”, then it’s time to visit again for the “Journey to the Cross”, and finish the story in its completion.
This annual Easter event brings it all to life… and it’s all free.
It’s our gift to our community (and you).
Kelso-Longview Community Seventh-day Adventist Church
1185 West Side Highway
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
April 6th, 7th and 8th
@ 7:00pm each evening
Doors open @ 6:30pm
(people line up much earlier)
(360)423-7344

‘The Funny Bunny Hunt’ in Downtown Longview • 4/7/12

Saturday, April 7,th from 11 AM to 3 PM in Downtown Longview!
Downtown Live! presents a new downtown event! The Funny Bunny Hunt will celebrate Spring with plenty of color and fun. This inaugural event for spring 2012 is scheduled in anticipation of a full schedule of Downtown Live! events for this year. To carry on the tradition started last year (Squirrel Trek and St. Nick’s Hunt), a passport event will give downtown customers a chance to hunt through downtown for fun and prizes.
Merchants in 1200/1300/1400 blocks of Commerce, plus businesses on Broadway, Hudson and 14th streets, will showcase the Bunny Hunt in a way that fits with their business – window displays, egg hunts, passport sticker distribution, and coupon or merchandising offers. Passports will be available for the Bunny Hunt in all participating locations.
Purchases are not necessary to enter the hunt. Entrants will be encouraged to turn in completed passports for a drawing at 3 PM for the main raffle prize: a Gift Basket of items from Downtown businesses.
Additional free events include face painting and photos (available weather permitting); a children’s sidewalk parade @ 3 PM; a Fathers House Movie (Harvey/Easter Parade); DOT from RelyLocal; and other costumed characters on the street.
The Longview Downtown Partnership, formerly the Downtowners’ Association, is sponsoring this opening event of the 2012 downtown shopping season. Streets will NOT be closed for this event and parking is plentiful downtown. Join us!

Easter Celebration & Egg Hunt at Three Rivers Mall in Kelso

Three Rivers Mall celebrates Easter and the arrival of Spring with a mall-wide Easter Celebration on Saturday, April 7, from 11am to 1pm.
The event is sponsored by New Life Fellowship and features Easter egg hunts, games, crafts, face painting and more. Plus, there will be a special appearance by the Easter Bunny and a surprise character appearance. Parents don’t forget your cameras!
Free Easter egg hunts begin at 11am at the Food Court and near Sears Court.
The entire celebration is free, and all are welcome and invited to attend.

Recycling event benefits CAP • 4/21

Help support C.A.P. and get rid of your old TVs and computers at the same time!  EcoTech Recycling, C.A.P. and Three Rivers Mall are sponsoring a recycling event on Saturday, April 21st, from 10am to 4pm in the parking lot nearest Izzy’s Pizza.  The general public is welcome to bring their old computers, laptops, CPU towers, cell phones, monitors, old TVs (any size) and drop them off at the EcoTech collection station.  Donations are being accepted for C.A.P.
What:  Recycle event – Drop of computers, Laptops, CPU Towers, Monitors, TVs
Sat, April 21st • 10am to 4pm
Where: Three Rivers Mall parking Lot near Izzy’s Pizza – follow the signs
Why:    Save yourself a fee at the dump and help donate to C.A.P.’s good causes.
Who:    The event to benefit C.A.P.  Donations accepted at drop off site.

Follow the signs to the parking lot nearest Izzy’s to drop off your old electronics.  For more details call 360.577.5218 or visit
www.threeriversmall.com

Woodland Tulips beckon us all April 14-15th & 21-22nd

It’s that time of year again, raincoats and galoshes come out and tulips rise up to shine their glory at the Woodland Tulip Festival in Woodland, WA.
If you have never been, or even if you went last year, this is a free event, on the weekends of April 14th and 15th and April 21st and 22nd, that allows you to experience the multitude of beautiful tulips and many different varieties at the farm.
Follow the signs from exit 21 on I-5, to 1066 South Pekin Road, Woodland WA.
(Parking is usually $3/car on weekends).
This year there is the addition of the 5K Tulip Trot, on the 14th, meet at 9am at the Holland America Farm parking lot next to the tulip fields.
Cost for Trot is $25 including a t-shirt, $15 without.
The weekends also offers children’s activities like face painting, petting zoo, classes, as well as some fun contests like Cutest Baby, Top Dog in Tulips and more. Combine that with the always available gift shop, where you can purchase souvenirs, bulbs, spring flower pots and fresh cut flowers, you are in for a treat.
Also this year is an Outdoor Artisan and Farmers Market, featuring local vendors with goods ranging from produce to jewelry and local crafts.

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