Cheers: To quick thinking. A Samaritan on a WaveRunner came to the rescue of a man in the Cowlitz River this week. Emergency personnel received a call about a drowning man about 3 miles north of Kelso; just as they arrived, so did Eric O’Neill on a personal watercraft. O’Neill grabbed hold of the man and kept him from slipping down. “The victim who was literally going under the surface of the water was rescued just in time,” read a press release from the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.
The close call is a reminder of the need for safety precautions when on or near water, especially during these hot days of summer. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 43 percent of drownings occur in natural bodies of water. Swimmers should never take to the water alone and should use flotation devices. Don’t allow the fun of summer to turn into tragedy.
Jeers: To thieves. Healing Winds, a therapeutic horse-riding center in the Brush Prairie area, was hit recently by thieves who stole tools. At last report, the damage was still being assessed, but the owners say it will be difficult for the business to run without the tools.
Any theft is disappointing, but the robbers who struck Healing Winds are particularly deserving of jeers. The program caters to people with disabilities or emotional trauma, providing therapy through contact with horses. As Healing Winds’ website states in a quote from Winston Churchill, “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”
Cheers: To firefighters. Photos of a recent blaze at the Port of Camas-Washougal provide a reminder of the bravery demonstrated by firefighters on a daily basis. When stacks of large drainage pipes were set ablaze by arcing power lines, sending flames some 60 feet into the air, members of the Camas-Washougal Fire Department responded quickly and brought the fire under control within about an hour.
Fire departments, of course, do more than put out fires. They provide fire-prevention education and perform inspections and undertake rescue operations. But battling fires is the most visible of their duties. Cheers are warranted for all first responders who help keep Clark County safe for residents.
Sad: Over the death of Mason Nolan. The longtime community leader has died at the age of 95, leaving behind of legacy of good works that long have benefitted the region. As an article in The Columbian said, “Described by a friend as a lifelong learner, Mason Nolan helped hundreds of young people achieve their own educational goals.”
Nolan, who worked for The Columbian from 1965 to 2004, donated time and money to a local “I Have a Dream” program, which helps children from low-income areas work toward college degrees or career training. He also was involved in numerous other altruistic endeavors that for years have strengthened our community, ranging from education programs to Meals on Wheels. Nolan’s impact on Vancouver will be felt for generations to come.
Cheers: To bikes on the move. From the Corvallis Gazette-Times comes a most Oregon-like story. A couple moved from a rental home to a new residence by enlisting an armada of cyclists and loading their possessions onto a series of trailers and carriers.
The caravan of two dozen bicycles made the 1-mile journey in about 15 minutes, even transporting mattresses and a frame for a queen-size bed. “I’m very familiar with loading up a U-Haul and moving, and it’s a drag,” one of the new homeowners said. “If you had a choice between having a parade followed by a party or loading up a truck by yourself, which would you choose?” The best part about this novel approach to moving: At least they don’t own a piano.
