Vancouver Family Magazine November 2023

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November 2023

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o H o H : o s s l y A a Holid e v i s u l c n I & — —

— Y A —— PL

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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contents

November '23

FEATURE ARTICLES

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Radically Inclusive Play Comes to Vancouver Read about the newly redesigned Marshall and Esther Short Park playgrounds, and the movement to make playgrounds accessible for all.

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A Caregiver Christmas When her mother suffered a severe stoke, Christina Keys stepped up to help. Learn how her caregiving journey led her to create a nonprofit, and how the SW WA community is coming together to show appreciation for caregivers this holiday season.

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Sanctuary Found

Check out how one woman’s love for monkeys led her to the work of rescuing neglected and illegally traded primates at a sanctuary here in SW Washington.

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12 IN EVERY ISSUE 6

Editor’s Notes

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Couve Scoop

• Going Green in November for National Runaway Prevention Month

• Poetry Moves on C-TRAN

• Fourth Plain Community Commons Celebrates Grand Opening

• ilani Welcomes a Younger Crowd with Kids Quest and Cyber Quest 10

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Helping Hands Walk & Knock: Clark County is home to the nation’s largest all-volunteer food drive.

Learn how it all began and how you can help.

28 Calendar of Events & Activities

ON THE WEB

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

•

Holiday Events Guide

•

Surrogacy Stories: Tassia’s Journey as a Gestational Carrier

Columbia Tech Center Park

‘Tis the Season for Family, Friends and Fun CELEBRATE VANCOUVER’S WINTER TRADITIONS AT COMMUNITY EVENTS Community Tree Esther Short Park is aglow with thousands of holiday lights

Grand Menorah Each night the menorah shines more brightly in Esther Short Park

Christmas Ships Enjoy the magical sight of the Columbia Fleet Christmas Ships from viewpoints at Waterfront Park, Marine Park and along the Columbia River Renaissance Trail

Korey’s Joy Drive Donate new toys, winter coats, gloves, hats and socks to local charities

Family Valentine’s Ball Make memories and dance the night away with your birth or chosen family

cityofvancouver.us/events Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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EDITOR'S NOTES

Photo by Marie Pham Photography

Lofty Goals Inclusive play is here to stay in Vancouver. The ribbons have been cut at brand-new accessible playgrounds at three different local parks: Marshall Park, Esther Short Park and Felida Park. What does “inclusive play” mean? At the basic level, these playgrounds make play time possible for individuals who use mobility devices such as walkers or wheelchairs. On an even broader level, public spaces that are inviting to everyone inspire new connections and an elevated sense of unity. A rising tide lifts all boats, regardless of ability level. Just two weeks after Marshall Park’s new playground opened up in September, the ribbon was cut at Fourth Plain Community Commons, a different property less than two miles away from Marshall, that also aims to cultivate equity.

www.VancouverFamilyMagazine.com

Volume 22, Issue 11 Publisher

Julie Buchan Julie@vancouverfamilymagazine.com (360) 882-7762

Editor

Nikki Klock Nikki@vancouverfamilymagazine.com (360) 882-7762

Associate Editor

Sarah Mortensen Sarah@vancouverfamilymagazine.com

Graphic Designer

I-Shüan Warr Ishuan@vancouverfamilymagazine.com

Contributing Writers

These community milestones mark progress in achieving the Clark County we aspire to: one where everyone feels a sense of belonging, safety and trust. It’s an extraordinarily lofty goal, but one that feels just a bit closer now, and one which the Vancouver community has clearly proven we have the skills to continue working toward.

What’s next on the path toward full equity and inclusion? I’ll leave the policy-making to the politicians. But if we each start where are and lift where we stand, we may just stand a fighting chance.

In this issue, learn more about Vancouver’s new inclusive playgrounds and the local organization that is spearheading the movement to make playgrounds accessible for all (page 12). Plus, check out the inspiration behind an annual event that celebrates the often unseen caregivers around us (page 18) and discover how a primate sanctuary in Longview is giving injured or neglected monkeys a new lease on life (page 22).

Nikki Klock, Editor nikki@vancouverfamilymagazine.com

Sarah Mortensen, Kristen Flowers, Emily Corak

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sales@vancouverfamilymagazine.com Vancouver Family Magazine is published monthly by Vancouver Kidz Magazine, LLC Address: PO Box 820264 Vancouver, WA 98682 Tel: 360-882-7762 Copyright 2002-2023. All rights reserved.

No portion of Vancouver Family Magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

Vancouver Kidz Magazine, LLC and staff do not recommend or endorse any service, product, or content represented in this magazine or on our website.

The sole purpose of this publication is to provide information on available services and/or products. It is the consumer’s responsibility to verify the accuracy of information given. Vancouver Kidz Magazine, LLC, and/or Julie Buchan and Nikki Klock and staff do not assume and disclaim any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by error or omission in this magazine or on our website. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.

On the Cover:

The Oh siblings love spending the holidays with family and friends. They enjoy the outdoors, especially playing in the snow.

Correction: Our September issue erroneously described Vamos Vancouver as a nonprofit. The organization is not a registered nonprofit, but rather operates as a collective and resource curator. Learn more about their work at vancouverfamilymagazine.com/vamos-vancouver.

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

Photo by: Missy Bachmeier Take 5 Photography take5photography.com 360.907.1784 @Take 5 Photography @Take5Photography

We see you.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Notable News, Events & Efforts in Clark County

Going Green in November for National Runaway Prevention Month

NOVEMBER 2023

According to the National Runaway Safeline (NRS), an estimated 4.2.

million young people, ages 13-25, experience some form of homelessness each year in the United States. These youth may be couch-surfing, sleeping on the streets or staying in shelters. In recognition of November as National Runaway Prevention Month, Vancouver-based National Women’s Coalition Against Violence and Exploitation (NWCAVE) and others in Southwest Washington are “going green” this year to bring attention to this epidemic.

The effort is designed to raise awareness of the issues faced by youth who have run away and experienced homelessness while spotlighting the resources available to support youth in crisis throughout the nation.

“National campaigns like NRPM are simple ways for all of us to do our part and to have a voice for causes and issues that need attention. Wearing green or putting a green light on your porch or even sending out a social media post, are easy enough for all of us to do,” said Michelle Bart, founder and CEO of NWCAVE. National Runaway Prevention Month is spearheaded by NRS and the Family and Youth Services Bureau. Resources such as NRS’s 24-hour hotline and online crisis services, as well as counseling services, shelters, food pantries and employment training programs are essential to youth who are considering running away as well as those living on the streets.

Top: Community members including employees of Vancouver Police Department wear green in support of National Runaway Prevention Month.

Bottom: Utopia Salon & Day Spa in Hazel Dell lights up their storefront in support of NRPM. Photos courtesy NWCAVE.

“Young people facing dangers and challenges at home, such as abuse and neglect, may consider running away; however, they often have not thought about where they will sleep, how they purchase food, what the potential risks of living on the street are, how they will attend school and much more,” said Susan Frankel, CEO of NRS. “We aim to prevent runaway incidents, or in cases where young people would be safer outside of their home, we help them develop a plan and connect them to supportive services.” To learn more visit 1800runaway.org.

ilani Welcomes a Younger Crowd

with Kids Quest and Cyber Quest F amilies who visit ilani in Ridgefield now have a fun spot for kids to play while parents are dining, gambling or shopping in other parts of the resort. Kids Quest and Cyber Quest were developed by a company that is based in Minnesota and currently partners with 17 resort or retail destinations in 9 different states, now including ilani. The spaces opened in tandem with the new hotel portion of the resort and serve kids from toddlers to teens.

Kids Quest is a childcare facility with karaoke, a gym, an in-house café, arts and crafts and

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more for kids ages 30 months through 12 years who can play for an hourly fee (currently $15/hour). Cyber Quest is a family friendly arcade offering non-violent game content and prize stations. At Cyber Quest, guests under 13 years old must be accompanied by an adult, while those over 13 can play independently. Both spaces also offer birthday party packages. Learn more about Kids Quest at ilani, including current hours of operation, at kidsquest.com/location/ilani.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

Kids Quest at ilani offers childcare for kids ages 30 months to 12 years. Photo courtesy Kids Quest.

Poet ry MOVES on C-TRAN A

rtstra, in collaboration with C-TRAN, recently announced the poetry selections for Season 13 of Poetry Moves, a public art initiative that places poetry on bus channel cards in all C-TRAN buses. Submissions were accepted from professional, non-professional and student poets between mid-July and August 15, 2023, after which ten poems were selected by juror and Washington State Poet Laureate Arianne True. True will also be the honored guest at a public celebration of Season 13 of Poetry Moves, to be held in March 2024. The initiative aims to bring literary arts to a broad cross section of the Clark County community. “Thousands of individuals, taking more than six million trips

on buses per year in Clark County have needs beyond food, shelter and physical well-being,” Artstra’s website says. “Meeting our human need for cultural enrichment and for the kind of sustenance that feeds the soul should not be reserved for a select few.” The following are the names of the poets whose poems went up on C-Tran buses last month: Laurie Cutter, Ridgefield; Em Gallup, Vancouver; Tanya Gipson, Vancouver; Bethany Kim-Yin, Vancouver; Sherri Levine, Portland; Brittany Mishra, Battle Ground; Claudia Saleeby Savage, Portland; Marcia Smith, Vancouver; Stephanie Spencer, Vancouver; Louise Wynn, Camas.

Poetry selected from local poets is featured on all C-TRAN buses, making literary arts available to all. Photos courtesy C-TRAN.

Fourth Plain Community Commons Celebrates Grand Opening An enthusiastic crowd was in

attendance at the grand opening of Fourth Plain Community Commons in September. The brand-new campus, located at the intersection of Fourth Plain Blvd. and Norris Rd. in Vancouver, includes over 100 units of affordable housing, plus an outdoor playground and indoor common spaces designed to cultivate growth and community.

The residential component of the multiuse development is managed

by Vancouver Housing Authority, while the community spaces are managed by nonprofit Fourth Plain Forward. “The intended purpose of the Community Commons is to

be a resource hub that focuses on building equity in the community,” Fourth Plain Community Commons marketing coordinator, Kiana Coburn, said. “We offer a commissary kitchen with an incubator program to grow local entrepreneurship. We also have an event space that can host a large variety of celebrations and is open for anyone in the community to book. Lastly, we have a coworking space where local nonprofits, small businesses and other organizations can operate and connect with each other. All of these spaces together work to provide the Fourth Plain community with resources right in their own neighborhoods and to facilitate the growth of BIPOC businesses/ organizations.”

The exterior of the building itself sets the stage for a vibrant, celebratory feel with a huge mural by artists Christian Téllez and Alex Chiu titled “Step Up” and featuring figures of all ages and abilities navigating colorful pathways and environments. Téllez spoke briefly at the ribbon cutting ceremony, as did Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, Fourth Plain Forward executive director Paul Burgess, Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and others who had a hand in developing the unique property that has been years in the making.

Learn more about Fourth Plain Community Commons at fpcommunitycommons.org.

Fourth Plain Community Commons features affordable housing units, a shared event space, coworking spaces and a commissary kitchen.

Photos by Nikki Klock.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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HELPING HANDS

By Sarah Mortensen

The first Saturday of December marks a special tradition in Clark

County. For the past 38 years, thousands of residents set out on a mission to collect donations for the local food bank. Canvassing every neighborhood, they go door to door picking up bags of non-perishable items people have left on their porches. Walk and Knock, as it’s come to be called, is the nation’s largest all-volunteer food drive.

Each bag on its own may contain just a few items, but when combined with the others it often adds up to over 130 tons of food—in just one day! Pulling it off takes careful coordination and large equipment.

“Organizationally, we are divided geographically into ten sectors.

Each [sector] has a donated semi-truck with driver,” explains Tom Knappenberger, president of Walk and Knock. “When all donations have been brought to the ten trucks, they are driven to the Clark County Food Bank and unloaded and weighed. That’s where we get our final numbers of how many pounds we picked up.”

Families, scouting troops, sport teams, churches and businesses come back year after year to help. It’s a big commitment, but they get an inside look at what can be accomplished when a whole community comes together. “We learned about the Walk and Knock when first moving to the area, finding the brown paper bags with instructions for donation day in our mail,” says Amber Karren, a long-time volunteer. “Years later we had Cub Scout groups we were familiar with participate, in addition to family friends we learned had volunteered for many years. In talking with these families, we learned how we could sign up to [volunteer]. That year we had the kids bring a friend or two to help out.” Karren’s kids enjoyed it so much they invited more friends the following year. “Our kids and the youth we’ve had join us have always enjoyed the opportunity . . . They love serving others and look forward to [it].”

“

During COVID, Walk and Knock switched gears to a “Drive and Drop” where people delivered their donations to a drop-off location, reducing the number of volunteers needed. Even though donations were lower than in previous years, “Last year we collected 153,743 pounds of the total 261,307 pounds of food from all 2022 food drives received by the Food Bank, meaning Walk and Knock accounted for 58.8% of all food drives in Clark County,” says Knappenberger. “Our big donation helps get them through the winter.” Now that the traditional Walk and Knock format has returned, volunteers like Karren’s family have jumped back in to help. “We usually get signed up for a route which consists of neighborhoods in our area. When we’re finished with our route or our vehicle is full, we take the food back to a drop location. Sometimes there have been more routes that needed to be finished so we’ve headed back out to keep collecting [and] some years our girls have helped sort items and bags at the food drop location.” She says a typical route can take about two to two and a half hours to complete.

As Vancouver has grown, so has Walk and Knock, yet it all started with just two men who wanted to help feed those in need. Bud Pasmore and Doug Rae were Lions Club members with a big idea, but little manpower.

In the early years, the drive lasted a few days. By the third year, with help from The Columbian newspaper who spread the word, Walk and Knock collected 42 tons of food. Knappenberger shares, “Over 38 years, we have collected 8.8 million pounds of food valued at $15.8 million providing millions of meals for the needy here in Clark County . . . Something Clark County should be very proud of.”

This year, the goal is set high which means more volunteers are needed.

“I would love to see us get back over 200,000 pounds,” says Justin Wood, immediate past president of Walk and Knock. Rising food and housing costs means more families are struggling, so keep an eye out for the bag in the mail and sign up to help if you can at walkandknock. continued on next page

Hunger is very real in Clark County.

According to the Food Bank, one in four people here are [food] insecure.

Volunteers help collect food during Walk and Knock.

Photo courtesy Walk and Knock.

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”

–Tom Knappenberger, President of Walk and Knock

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

Photo by RDNE Stock Project at pexels.com

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continued from previous page org. Or, if your family is in need of help, know that Clark County Food Bank is stocked and happy to help because Clark County residents care about their neighbors. “Hunger is very real in Clark County. According to the Food Bank, one in four people here are [food] insecure,” shares Knappenberger. “To be a part of [Walk and Knock] requires just a couple hours on a Saturday morning, makes you feel good for the holidays and helps your neighbors who might be experiencing an invisible but dire need.” Karren agrees saying, “This is a great event to participate in. It’s

a time for people from the community to work together for a common good. We love this event and will continue to support it.”

Sarah Mortensen holds a degree in marriage and family studies and works for Vancouver Public Schools as a paraeducator in addition to her role as associate editor of Vancouver Family Magazine. When Sarah is not reading to her kids or students, she is probably in her backyard taking care of her garden. She also enjoys hiking, hot chocolate and dressing up for Halloween. She lives in Vancouver with her husband, son and daughter.

Left and right: Volunteers help collect food during Walk and Knock. Photo courtesy Walk and Knock.

Middle: Tacy K., Marissa K. and Kendall P. help sort food at Walk and Knock in December 2018. Photo courtesy Amber Karren.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Feature: Radically Inclusive Play Comes to Vancouver

Marshall Park & Esther Short Park:

Radically Inclusive Play Comes t o

Va nc ouver

By Sarah Mortensen

O

ne spring day nearly five years ago, I visited Arbor Lodge Park in Portland to write a story about a new playground. It was the first time I had heard the term “radically inclusive” when referring to a park, and I was curious about what that would look like. I learned about G Cody QJ Goldberg and his mission to create spaces for his daughter, Harper, who used a walker and wanted to play at city parks like other children.

He and his family created the nonprofit Harper’s Playground, completing their first inclusive playground in 2012. My kids were in the first and second grade at the time we visited, and it was a significantly different park than any we had visited before. I remember how relaxing that day was for me and how fun it was for them; there were plenty of things to climb, places to explore, benches to rest on and, most importantly, new friends to meet.

Marshall Park’s CHAMPS Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

together. Both Mayor Anne McEnery-Ogle and Tanna Engdahl, tribal elder of the Cowlitz Tribe pointed to them and the pure joy they brought to the event with Engdahl saying, “We see a place where children of all abilities can find laughter, friendship and the freedom to play in a place beyond the barriers of their bodies.” Many educators attended the event as well. Jaynee Haygood, former paraeducator with Vancouver School District and current chair of the Vancouver Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission shared a story of taking one of her former students who used a wheelchair to a city park. The child’s only option was to sit and watch as the other kids got to play. “To see this child who loved to laugh and interact with others now be limited and restrained was heartbreaking,” she recalled. “Play is such a critical component in positive child development from social-emotional learning, brain development, problem solving, communication skills and creativity.”

In September, I had the honor of meeting the actual Harper Goldberg as she cut a ribbon at the new Chelsea Anderson Memorial Play Station (CHAMPS) at Marshall Park in Vancouver. I was honestly a little star struck, realizing how many playgrounds are now accessible to disabled children across the United States, thanks to Harper and her family.

Though the official ceremony began at 10 am, the party had apparently started four hours earlier at 6 am, when skateboarders came early to enjoy the new ramps.

Kids playing on Harper’s Hill (a new play feature) throughout the speakers’ remarks enhanced their core message: Play brings a city

Families and community members visit the grand opening of Marshall Park’s CHAMPS playground in September.

Photos courtesy Harper's Playground.

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Feature: Radically Inclusive Play (cont'd) continued from page 12 When the City of Vancouver partnered with Harper’s Playground, Goldberg helped them to understand that a playground is not only for children—ideally a playground should be accessible for everyone. The planning team quickly got on board, excited to implement his vision of a socially, emotionally and physically inviting space. “[Cody and his team’s] ingenuity, insight and passion for inclusive parks helped to highlight the powerful way that inclusive play spaces can positively transform communities,” shared Haygood. “And now this park will allow disabled parents, grandparents, friends, relatives and caregivers to be able to play together, no longer limited by constraints.” Mayor McernyOgle pointed out that while “We may not all use a playground in the same way . . . we can still play together without the barriers that keep us apart.

The paved pathways make is easy to get around on foot or on wheels, the separation of different play areas invites everyone to explore and to find a way to play in their own way and the natural setting and engaging art pieces spark the creativity and appreciation for our environment.”

Preserving the Past Those familiar with Marshall’s old playground will be happy to hear the fire truck theme was preserved. Vancouver firefighters built the original structure in 1999 to honor Fire Services Captain Kurt Anderson’s daughter, Chelsea Anderson, who had tragically drowned. “When that former playground equipment needed to be replaced due to age, maintaining this site’s heritage was a priority for all of us,” shared the Mayor. “The playground you see today pays tribute to our community history and that includes the interactive art pieces . . . made from a real fire truck. And then you see the water pump . . . and the upcycled fire hydrants that hold plaques with descriptions of the play areas and is written in both English and in Braille. The original Chelsea Anderson brick memorial has been preserved in place in this very special tribute area facing the playground. It’s been updated to recognize the generations of donors who have invested in this amazing playground for over two decades.” Goldberg was excited to tell the crowd that, “The rings that you can climb on in the log play area are the rings that were salvaged from the original playground . . . There’s a net climber . . . that is made from decommissioned fire hose.”

In addition to traditional slides, monkey rings and climbing features, CHAMPS features a community spinner which makes it easier for kids of various abilities to join in on a carousel experience. There are also a sensory garden, a water wheel and whimsical sculptures of animals who look like they’re part of the play. A variety of swing types, including a disco swing that fits more than one person, makes swinging accessible

for all. Goldberg was especially proud to mention that Caleb’s Friendship Swing, one of the first wheelchair swings in the state of Washington, was named for a special classmate of Harper’s who passed away. If you get a chance to see that swing in use as I did, you’ll understand why I have a hard time putting into words the joy I felt for all the children there that day.

Building Spaces of Belonging Attendants of the Marshall Park playground ribbon cutting event learned that it took six years to complete the entire project, from planning, designing and fundraising all the way through to completion.

In conjunction with CHAMPS, Harper’s Playground and the City of Vancouver also worked to redesign Esther Short Park’s playground, which was completed earlier in the spring. Though much smaller than Marshall Park, my kids and their friends were very happy we stopped there one afternoon to have a picnic. The teeter totter was their favorite equipment, while again, mine were the benches perfectly positioned under shady trees where my friend and I got a chance to catch up. I agree with Goldberg that what makes both new playgrounds special is, “How they both fit perfectly into the parks they are in and the location of both in terms of how they are connected to other great amenities.” For example, those visiting Vancouver Farmer’s Market will surely enjoy the continued on next page

Top: Kids play on an accessible teeter totter at the newly redesigned Esther Short Park playground’s grand opening in April. Photo courtesy Harper’s Playground.

Middle: Kids play at Marshall Park’s new inclusive play space in September.

Photo by the author.

Bottom: Kids play on Marshall Park’s newly designed CHAMPS playground, which preserved the old firefighter theme. Photo courtesy Harper’s Playground.

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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360-314-2761 continued from previous page Esther Short playground, whether they bring kids along with them or not, as anyone who wanders over to smell the rose garden will also pass the play equipment and, as Haygood stated, “[Be] reminded of the joy I found while playing with my own children at the parks.”

But beyond equipment designed for all kinds of kids, it’s the details that encourage them to play in an inclusive way. Both at Esther Short and CHAMPS, climbing ropes are right next to the adaptive swings and the carousel is near the wide slide so kids can make connections with anyone who comes along. Even the artwork invites park-goers to reach out to others. Goldberg later told me that, “At Marshall Park, my favorite elements are the bronze art pieces by Pete Helzer, especially the turtle using a walker and the turtle using a wheelchair.”

With these two projects under his belt, Goldberg has not slowed down.

The requests for his design expertise continue to come in locally and abroad. He shared with me that, “We are working on two playgrounds for the city of Bothell, Washington currently, and we are about to begin design work for a special playground project in Selma, Alabama. We have a growing backlog of people who have requested our support, so we are continuing to build tools that make it easier for people to copy our model.”

Harper’s Playground ignited a movement when Goldberg spoke at TEDx Portland in April 2014. Since that time, more cities and counties are catching on to the value of inclusive playgrounds. Though not developed

by Harper’s Playground, Felida Park recently added a new play area with sensory features and accessible equipment. My kids have had soccer practice at this very busy park for years, but it wasn’t until the new area was built that I noticed children with different abilities coming out to enjoy it too.

My anecdote is just one piece of evidence that as we invest in radically inclusive playgrounds, “Vancouver residents will see themselves and one another as valued members of our community,” as Haygood hoped they would. During his speech, Goldberg also shared his dream of people feeling a desire to take care of each other while at the park. He stated, “This is now your park . . . These special features are nothing without the most important ingredient . . . The people. You all are the most important feature of this park.”

Sarah Mortensen holds a degree in marriage and family studies and works for Vancouver Public Schools as a paraeducator in addition to her role as associate editor of Vancouver Family Magazine. When Sarah is not reading to her kids or students, she is probably in her backyard taking care of her garden. She also enjoys hiking, hot chocolate and dressing up for Halloween. She lives in Vancouver with her husband, son, and daughter.

Learn more about Harper’s Playground at VancouverFamilyMagazine.com/ Harpers-Playground

Families enjoy the new, inclusive Esther Short Park playground. Photo courtesy City of Vancouver, Washington.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Feature: A Caregiver Christmas: A Community Comes Together to Shower Caregivers with Gifts and Appreciation

A

Caregiver Christmas A Community Comes Together to Shower Caregivers with Gifts and Appreciation

By Emily Corak

In 2013, Christina Keys’s life drastically

changed. Her mother, Patricia, suffered from a near fatal stroke, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down and unable to speak.

With doctors giving Patricia only a 1% chance of survival, Keys moved into the hospital alongside her mother for four months, leaving only once a week to go home and change out her suitcase. In the hospital, Keys created 300 flashcards using pictures of her mother’s life while helping her relearn how to talk. When she wheeled her mother out of the hospital, the paralysis was down to only one side. “I knew that love was the most important thing she needed to motivate her,” says Keys.

Top: Christina Keys (left) cared for her mother, Patricia (right) for years before founding Loving Them Forward.

Bottom: Patricia Keys suffered a severe stroke in 2013, requiring her daughter, Christina, to care for her full time.

After her mother was released from the hospital, Keys had an even bigger challenge ahead of her. A successful career woman in tech who says she knew how to take care of cats but not people, Keys left the hospital with only a short list of in-home care agencies and senior living placements. She had to make the abrupt transition from a daughter to a nurse, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, a speech therapist and a doctor. “I had to figure out things like how to put together a hospital bed, figure out how and where to source medical equipment,” she says, adding, “I didn’t even know how to go about finding a caregiver for adults.” Hoping she could turn to doctors and hospitals for advice, she left with very little information. Without training and with only limited resources, Keys set about researching and carving a path to care for her mother with all the love and dignity she deserved.

Keys remarks that this time was immensely challenging and often very lonely. “I felt bankrupt emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally and financially,” she says.

The financial costs of caregiving were immense, and Keys had to leave her job because she had used up all her sick days taking her mother to medical appointments and hospital stays. At this time, doctors informed Christina that her own body was shutting down because of all the stress, and that she herself would not have much longer to live if she kept going at that rate.

Photos courtesy Christina Keys.

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

Keys was not alone—numerous studies cite risks of caregivers passing away before their charges do because their own needs often go neglected.

When the time comes that an aging family member needs help, the adjustments required are like ripples that spread and change the face of everything around. My own mother relocated to her hometown in California to move in with her parents near the end of their lives. She describes it as both an honor and an emotionally depleting time. Vancouver resident and preschool teacher, Denise Rhodes, speaks to her experience caregiving for both her mother and in-laws. “My mother had bladder cancer, and we moved her in with us for the last four months of her life.” With young children in the home, seeing her mother to the end was important to Rhodes, but adds that her next experience was immensely more challenging. “We had to move my father-inlaw to Vancouver from Colorado because of his dementia,” she says. Although they had no room in their own home and had to admit him into a care facility, he required multiple visits a day and the mental and emotional toll was great.

While each caregiving experience is unique, Keys knew things needed to change when she looked at the raw numbers. For example, as of 2019 in Clark County, 49,500 people identified as caregivers and the national number leaps to over 53 million. continued on next page

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continued from previous page It was the amount of time and energy it took to scavenge for caregiving resources and information during her personal journey that propelled Keys to make this information more readily available to others. She began compiling resources and putting together classes featuring experts on everything from downsizing to what to do before, during and after the funeral. She eventually began offering an annual senior and family caregiver resource fair because she realized most people are paying attention to the seniors, and neglecting to notice the person behind the wheelchair who is responsible for making everything happen.

Through meeting others who had been caregivers and were facing similar challenges, Keys founded the nonprofit Loving Them Forward alongside Debbie Russell and Ruth Cunningham. “It’s easy to feel like you’re failing because the person you’re taking care of isn’t getting better,” says Keys. The name Loving Them Forward signifies the process of seeing a loved one through the end of life and onto the next stage with dignity and care.

Loving Them Forward helps direct people to medical supply closets, support groups, real estate agents who specialize in downsizing and disability accessibility, and any other possible resources needed in a caregiving experience. They also prioritize resources for caregivers to take care of themselves. The group continued on page 20

Laura Gazarian (left), Christina Keys (middle) and Debbie Russell (right) founded Loving Them Forward in 2019 to support caregivers in Clark County.

Photo by Ruth Cunningham.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Feature: A Caregiver Christmas (cont'd) continued from page 19 works to stay hyper-local to give people in Clark County the most specific and relevant resources available. Keys and her coworkers are committed to getting to know the people who come to them, and the first question they always ask is: “Tell me about your care journey.”

It was during the holiday season of 2020 that Keys and her co-founders thought about what they could do to make the season a little easier on caregivers. “This is often a really challenging time for caregivers,” says Keys.

“There’s usually little to no leftover funds for decorations or gifts or time to spend with family.” She recalls that while her mother was in an end-of-life coma, her only Christmas wish was finding a friend who could help her change her mother’s diaper so she could give her mother a little bit of dignity. She knew she wasn’t alone.

Wanting to spread some joy and acknowledge the immense workload of caregivers, Keys and partners decided to host a drive-through event. Through collaboration with community partners and local businesses who donated, the group created 300 gift bags, each containing $75 worth of goodies. “We didn’t realize how successful it would be,” she says, noting that the drive-through event caused a two-hour back up on the freeway. The next year they moved the event to the Clark County Fairgrounds and gifted 1,500 gift bags to caregivers.

As caregivers arrive to pick up their gift bags, they are welcomed with decorated booths, signs, messages and volunteers delivering joy, support and appreciation. These messages are often things that caregivers don’t always hear, so during the third year of the event, they added a TLC booth. “Usually at least half of the people who drive through the line are crying by the time they get to the end because they haven’t experienced that kind of joy in a while,” says Keys. If people going through the

20

line are struggling or feeling emotional, the TLC booth is filled with volunteers who are there to provide hugs, tissues, prayers or a listening ear.

This year, the fourth annual Caregiver Christmas is being co-produced by Loving Them Forward and PNW Aging Specialty Services and will offer 750 gift bags valued at $100 each. Keys speaks candidly about how this would be impossible without community support, and the gift bags are truly lovely tokens of appreciation.

“We do give away resources, but the gift bags are full of nice gifts, not free corporate giveaways,” she says. Contributions from all over the community include gifts, but also donations of food and drink for the numerous volunteers it takes to pull off such an event.

Regular contributors include Hope Dementia Support Group, Mortgage Express, Dutch Bros, Jimmy Johns, Pizza Hut, Krispy Kreme and Starbucks among many others. All sorts of agencies come together to decorate and represent numerous holidays and keep the line festive, and most importantly appreciative.

“This is our chance to bring some joy to people whose jobs are often invisible,” says Keys.

To be a recipient of this year’s gift bag, you must be a family or professional caregiver in Clark County, and pre-register for a free ticket to the event. The drive-through event will be held from 12-5 pm on December 6, 2023 at the Clark County Fairgrounds, and caregivers must be present to receive the gift.

If you are not a caregiver, but want to be a part of spreading joy, there are numerous ways to get involved. Donations, gift cards or items purchased through the organization’s Amazon Wishlist are all welcomed ways to support this event. “You never know what a gift card might do for someone. It’s possible this is the

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

only Christmas gift they will get this year,” says Keys. There are also opportunities to volunteer at the event to be a part of spreading joy for others.

Keys lost her mother, Patricia, in December of 2022, but says the nonprofit continues to do the work in her honor as well as all the other loved ones the group has cared for. “She was our legacy founder,” says Keys. “She was always so supportive and very proud of the fact that we were using our care journey to turn a test into a testimony to help other families.”

This holiday season let’s remember to look around and uplift those around us doing the invisible and sometimes thankless labor of caring for others. We never know who may need it the most.

Emily Corak has lived in the Pacific Northwest for the past three decades. A former educator with Vancouver School District, Emily is now a freelance writer, photographer, and mom to two young kids with big personalities.

continued on next page

continued from previous page

To register f or A Caregiver Christmas, receive resources, volunteer, donate or locate the Amazon Wishlist, go to lovingthem f orward.org, email lovingthem f orward@gmail.org or call 360-524-4344.

Christina Keys poses at A Caregiver Christmas event at Clark County Fairgrounds in December 2022. Photo courtesy Loving Them Forward.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Feature: Sanctuary Found: Monkeys Find New Life at OPR Coastal Primate Sanctuary

Sanctuary Found: Monkeys Find New Life at OPR Coastal Primate Sanctuary

By Kristen Flowers

“Adorable baby monkey for sale.”

The ad in the paper captured Polly Schultz’s attention.

For her entire adult life, Schultz had worked with animals in various roles, including as a veterinarian technician and animal control officer. She had even founded an indigenous wildlife sanctuary. When Schultz read the ad, she was working under a veterinarian specializing in exotic animals, including monkeys.

“Of all people, I should probably go get that baby monkey,” she said to herself.

Owning a monkey as a pet in Washington is illegal, but it doesn’t stop people from buying and bringing them into their homes.

State and city officials only learn about these transactions if they are alerted to them, but the trouble with owning a monkey doesn’t come from government pushback or permit offices.

The problems occur because the average human has no idea how to care for a monkey.

Highly Intelligent Chaos When a wild animal is let loose in a private home, that home could contain young children and/or small pets. Even for someone like Schultz, who has loved monkeys since she was a child and had the resources to care for one, it was incredibly difficult. One of the reasons monkeys do not make good pets is that they are highly intelligent. According to a study published in Nature Neuroscience, monkeys are capable of very detailed decision making. They can think deeply about problems, consider multiple outcomes, and even weigh

22

consequences. Monkeys also have precision grip, allowing them to grip items using their thumb and fingers, making it easier to unbolt, untwist and generally take apart anything they want. While these facts make the monkey’s world fascinating, one can see how this could turn a house into pure chaos.

Like others who had brought monkeys into their homes, Schultz initially believed that if she got an infant monkey, raised it right, gave it kindness and treated it like a human child, it would be well-behaved enough to sit and eat breakfast at the family table in the morning.

Unfortunately, this was not the case. “That monkey has the same innate behaviors as the ones in the wild, and they get to an age where they start to mature, and they start to have behaviors that humans can’t handle,” explained Schultz.

She said that as monkeys get older, they try to find their place in the social structure of the family unit, no matter if it’s in the wild or a suburban home.

They will challenge the smallest and weakest member of the group and work their way up, dominating all who get in their way until they find where they belong in the hierarchy. In the monkey world, challenging another member for dominance comes in the form of aggression and biting.

This violence will emerge as they challenge another monkey, a human child or a family dog. “Things that work with a dog aren’t going to work with a monkey,” explained Schultz. “You can’t verbally scold them and say ‘no.’ And as soon as they figure out that you’re not going to bite them or cause a serious wound, they win.”

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

Left: Severus, a male rhesus macaque who is retired from research, now lives at OPR Coastal Primate Sanctuary in Longview. Photo courtesy OPR.

Founding a Refuge When others heard that Schultz had taken in a baby monkey and was attempting to raise it, calls from other people looking to unload their pet monkey came in. These individuals and families had lost control of the house and could no longer care for the animals.

Schultz attempted to re-home multiple needy monkeys with loving families, but the outcome was always the same: The monkeys didn’t need human homes. They needed sanctuary.

That’s when Schultz created Oregon Primate Rescue, now called OPR Coastal Primate Sanctuary, located in Longview, where she serves as founder and sanctuary director. It also inspired her to author the book “Monkeys Don’t Wear Diapers” (Animal Welfare Institute, 2015) which discusses the illegal trade of monkeys and the misinformation people can get when considering taking in a monkey as a pet.

The mission of OPR is to provide humane care for orphaned, abandoned and unwanted continued on page 24

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Feature: Sanctuary Found (cont'd) continued from page 22 monkeys. The monkeys who come to them can live the rest of their lives in an enriching environment surrounded by others like them.

When OPR opened 26 years ago, they received so many calls from people asking them to take their monkeys that they had to be selective about which ones to take. Schultz and her team decided to prioritize the sick and those coming from the direst situations.

Oftentimes, the monkeys coming to OPR are the ones who have severe mental issues from abusive homes and who would not be able to survive if released back into the wild. “We take the ones that a lot of the other sanctuaries wouldn’t be able to deal with,” explained Schultz.

Nursing Primates Back to Health Ninety percent of the monkeys from private homes that come to the sanctuary suffer from self-injurious behavior (SIB). One of those monkeys is Jack, a male Java macaque.

When Jack first came to the shelter, he would bite himself until he drew blood or bang his head against the wall. “It’s painful to watch,” Schultz said. But because of the humane and careful treatment by Schultz’s staff, Jack’s behavior has significantly improved. He now only pretends to bite himself and it’s been a decade since he actually caused harm. Now, Jack spends his time cuddling with his favorite stuffed animal and enjoys swimming and diving into OPR’s macaque pool and finding hidden treasures in his habitat.

Grandpa, a male capuchin, came to OPR from a private home when he was 28 years old. He suffered from untreated periodontal disease, fractured teeth, malnutrition and chronic infections. One infection was so developed that a hole had formed between the roof of Grandpa’s mouth and his sinus cavity. The outlook was grim, but OPR arranged the life-saving surgery he needed. Now, he is recovered and thriving.

Another monkey, Jala, a female Java macaque, arrived suffering from pica, a disorder in which individuals regularly ingest non-food items. Since she was an infant, her owners had kept her in a parrot cage in the basement, fed her once a week and never cleaned her cage. When she was given to OPR, she was not expected to survive the next 24 hours. “She wasn’t able to stand up or walk for three months. She was so emaciated.

The vet thought he would have to amputate

24

her tail because it was covered in huge sores,” recalled Schultz.

It’s been 12 years since the day OPR took her in, and Jala is flourishing.

“Look at how many more years we’ve given her!” Schultz told me excitedly.

The High Cost of Creating a Haven While the years added to these abused monkeys’ lives are priceless to Schultz, their treatment and food are not. OPR is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, funded entirely by donations and the personal money Schultz puts into it.

Luckily, the 30 acres of land the sanctuary sits on was provided by generous donors, Don and Arlene Jester.

Because of them, the monkeys are surrounded by beautiful evergreens, the sounds of birds and trickling water, and they can watch deer from the safety of their enclosure.

While the monkeys are unable to roam totally free, Schultz and her team have created a secluded haven for the animals.

Despite donations, the costs remain high for the sanctuary, with food being one of the most significant expenses. Schultz doesn’t give the monkeys anything she wouldn’t personally eat. You can find her at WinCo looking for crisp Pink Lady apples, pomegranates and kiwis, all of which the monkeys love.

“We can’t give them the wild, so we try to give them the best in captivity . . . They get about seven different fruits every morning, and we alternate and rotate them so they don’t get bored. They like variety in their diet just like we do.” In addition to the fruit, they also get two vegetables every morning, along with grain and protein like hard-boiled eggs.

Entertainment and Engagement Not only do the monkeys get a wellrounded diet, they also get Hollywoodlevel entertainment.

Several big-screen televisions sit inside the enclosure. Schultz warns, continued on next page

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

Above: Monkeys at OPR are well cared for, with a variety of safe and engaging play spaces, including a pool (bottom photo is underwater play with a GoPro).

Photos courtesy OPR.

Page 26: A primate at OPR bobs for apples in the monkeys’ pool. Photo courtesy OPR.

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8513 NE Hazel Dell Ave. #101 Vancouver, WA 98665 continued from previous page though, that the programming they watch matters. It’s more complicated than putting on National Geographic or Animal Planet because the monkeys could see something that upsets them. For example, if they watch monkeys on the television fight or become aggressive, they will get upset and emulate those behaviors in the sanctuary.

Thankfully, there are two movies that all the monkeys love and have been deemed suitable for them. “Not one monkey leaves the barn when either one of these movies is playing, and they interact with it because they think it’s real.”

One of those movies is “Uncle Buck,” starring the late John Candy. Schultz has a theory on why the monkeys like it so much. “It’s because they are really drawn to dominant people,” she shared. “They see [John Candy] as dominant and follow him because they think he is strong. They want to be his ally.”

The other movie is “Elf” with Will Farrell.

When I asked Shultz if they liked this movie for the same reason—that they see Farrell as a dominant figure they

want to emulate—she laughed. “I have no idea why they like the movie! But they all get really engaged with it.” With any good movie comes a delicious movie snack. The monkeys enjoy the sound of popcorn and often enjoy eating some while the film runs.

These films were originally shown as part of a research project by the interns who work at the sanctuary. OPR partners with Oregon State University, Central Washington University, Ohio Wesleyan University and Oxford University, whose students come to perform non-invasive, observational research on the monkeys in order to understand them and find more ways to make their lives comfortable.

Any parent knows that television and snacks are not enough for a child, and the same is true for the monkeys. Without the opportunity to play and explore, the monkeys can become depressed, neurotic and even dangerous.

Schultz and her husband make toys, puzzles and activities for the monkeys from everyday household items like empty coffee creamer containers, ensuring that every handmade toy given to the monkeys is safe and durable.

They regularly introduce toys, take others out

and rotate them between different groups of monkeys to keep them all entertained and happy. “Every day they need novel enrichment, something to do, something to keep them stimulated.”

The monkeys also spend their time chasing and popping bubbles, looking through magazines continued on page 26

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Feature: Sanctuary Found (cont'd) continued from page 25 with colored photos and then ripping them up, looking for sunken objects in the sanctuary’s pool, snuggling with warm, fuzzy blankets, and even grooming teddy bears.

Educating the Public Caring for the monkeys is the top priority for the staff and interns at the sanctuary.

However, reaching and educating the public is just as crucial because, despite little news coverage, Shultz said, “We are still getting calls from people in Longview that have monkeys as pets.”

As OPR works to educate the public on the dangers of keeping primates as pets, they hope to reduce the number of discarded monkeys that will eventually need to come to their facility. Shultz said, “When we first got

into this, I didn’t know there was a need for it.

I had no idea that there were monkeys in the United States that needed sanctuary.”

More than half of states in the U.S. allow monkeys to be pets. People who take them in can be loving and kind and genuinely want to help an infant monkey in need, or they could view exotic animals as status symbols and nothing more. Regardless of their reason, they are allowed to open their homes to these wild animals with no prior training, with most thinking it will be the same as having a cat or a dog. Within a few years, they realize that they need help, and thankfully, Schultz and the rest of the team at OPR are there to help educate and, in some cases, take the monkey in so it can live out the rest of its life in peace at the sanctuary.

The monkeys who come to OPR receive a new life away from danger, abuse and neglect.

Those who were destitute flourish under the sanctuary’s care. Schultz hopes there won’t be a need for her sanctuary in the future, but until that day comes, she will be ready and willing to help a primate in need.

Kristen Flowers lives in Vancouver with her husband and daughter, Lilly. You can hear the whole family on 99.5 The Wolf during the Nick and Kristen Morning Show. When she is not working and writing, Kristen loves crafting, watching documentaries and going to escape rooms.

To learn more About OPR Coastal Primate Sanctuary, including how to donate or support the sanctuary, go to

Oregon Primate Rescue.com.

Note: The sanctuary is not open to the public in order to protect the primates.

Two monkeys at OPR in Longview play on a climbing wall.

Photo courtesy OPR.

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Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Give Thanks

CALENDAR OF EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Calendar

of events

November '23

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

activities

Have a community event that you want to share?

Go to www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com and click on “Calendar” to submit your event. Deadline for print calendar submissions is the 1st of the month prior to the issue.

Events are subject to change. Please contact organization directly to confirm.

1 WEDNESDAY

Sip & Shop at Ashwood Taps and Trucks, 1535 E St., Washougal. Shop local vendors and enjoy food and drink on site. 5-8 pm

3 FRIDAY

Vancouver’s Downtown Association First Friday Art Walk. Enjoy art, music and more all over Downtown. Go to vdausa.org/firstfriday for a list of events and offerings.

Battle Ground Parks & Rec Holiday Bazaar at Battle Ground Community Center, 912 E Main St. Shop local vendors with unique and gift-worthy handcrafted items available for purchase, plus refreshments from Battle Ground Rotary. 2-7 pm “Thankful for Pie” in Downtown Camas.

Pie tastings, pie raffles and pie walk dance party, plus enjoy kids’ crafts and games, art shows, live music and more. 5-8 pm

POWWOW: A Celebration of Indigenous Cultures at Clark College, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver. Native arts and crafts, music, dance, food, honoring of veterans and more. Free and open to the community. 5-10 pm

selfishness, and addiction before finding his way back to goodness and emerging with the manuscript for “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Tickets $25 at lovestreetplayhouse.com.

7:30 pm

The Ne Plus Ultra Jass Orchestra at Providence Academy Ballroom, 400 E Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver. Live music and dancing to the tunes of the roaring 20s and Depression-era 30s. Tickets $16 at the door or online at historicmusic.org/upcomingevents. 7-9 pm

Oregon Children’s Theatre presents “Spider” at Curious Comedy Theater Annex, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland. Written by an alumni of OCT’s YP Company, this powerful new play about iPad kids, collective trauma and what we trust AI to do will stick with you long after the final bows. Content Warning: this play has mature themes, content and language.

Age recommendation: 14+. Tickets $15-$20 at octc.org/spider. 7:30 pm

Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland. It’s 1885, and author Robert Louis Stevenson’s health is failing and his finances are in near-disaster. Desperate, he writes about a criminal who led a double life, but Stevenson becomes obsessed by the notion of evil that can live under a veneer of respectability. He gives himself over to his shadow self, spiraling downward into greed,

M OVE B

4 SATURDAY

NW’s Largest Garage Sale & Vintage Sale at Clark County Event Center, 17402 NE Delfel Rd., Ridgefield. Thousands of deals and continued on next page

3

Photo by Bobby Pallotta

Photo by Jenny Shadley , Clark College

3-19

Y

FRIDA

ER

N

Check out our website for even mo re local events .

Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” starring John San Nicolas (center), Henry Lorch and Julisa Wright.

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Celebrate Native American Heritage Month at Clark College’s POWWOW: A Celebration of Indigenous Cultures. Information tables and vendors selling Native arts and crafts will be set up throughout the event.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

continued from previous page

Columbia Play Project presents Bricktastic at Fourth Plain Community Commons, 2200 Norris Rd., Vancouver. Enter your original bricks creation into this free showcase and competition. Vote for your favorites and win prizes. 10 am-12 pm Vancouver Mall Library 40th Anniversary Celebration at 8700 NE Vancouver Mall Dr. Grab your scrunchies and shoulder pads, your polka dots and parachute pants, and celebrate 40 years of Vancouver Mall Library with an ‘80s themed party! Crafts, nostalgia and totally tubular vibes provided. 3-4 pm

continued on page 30

TURD

4

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents “Pines of Rome” at Skyview Concert Hall, 1300 NW 139th St., Vancouver. Enjoy Respighi’s immortal tone poem, conducted by special guest Maestra Sarah Ioannides. And featuring violin virtuoso Philippe Quint, the haunting theme from The Red Violin. Tickets $30 at vancouversymphony.org. 7 pm

Photo by Liza Summer@pexels.com

Battle Ground Parks & Rec Holiday Bazaar at Battle Ground Community Center. See Nov 3 for details. 9 am-4 pm

Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland.

See Nov 3 for details. 2 pm

AY

IDEAfest at Groove Nationa, 3000 Columbia House Blvd. Ste 107, Vancouver. Vancouver’s first annual one-day gathering of innovators, thinkers, creatives and makers, all celebrating creativity and exploration. Come together to connect, inspire and shape the future of our community. Theme: Change . . . It’s Up to US! Tickets $18 (includes lunch) at vantalks.org/ ideafest. 9 am-4:30 pm

Come Serve With Me: A Community Service Organization Open House at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints West Stake Center, 9728 NE 50th Ave., Vancouver. Want to help your community?

Unsure where to start? Come and meet a variety of local nonprofits to find meaningful volunteer opportunities that are just right for you. Free, family-friendly event with raffle prizes, face painting, snacks and more.

6-8 pm

SA

collectibles for sale. Tickets: Adults $7, kids under 12 free, early birds (7 am) $20.

8 am-5 pm

Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland.

See Nov 3 for details. 7:30 pm Oregon Children’s Theatre presents “Spider” at Curious Comedy Theater Annex, Portland. See Nov 3 for details. 7:30 pm

5 SUNDAY

Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking

Find opportunities to volunteer in our region at Come Serve with Me: A Community Service Organization Open House.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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Calendar of Events & Activities (cont'd) continued from page 29 Oregon Children’s Theatre presents “Spider” at Curious Comedy Theater Annex, Portland. See Nov 3 for details. 2 pm

Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland.

See Nov 3 for details. 7:30 pm

Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland.

See Nov 3 for details. 7:30 pm

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents “Pines of Rome” at Skyview Concert Hall, Vancouver. See Nov 4 for details. 7 pm

11 SATURDAY

16 THURSDAY

9 THURSDAY

Clark County Prayer Breakfast at Hilton Vancouver, 301 W 6th St., Vancouver. Join community leaders in uniting, honoring, thanking and praying for community leaders and those who service and protect our country. Keynote speaker: Jacob McGreevey, Honored Citizen: Dawn Rowe. Tickets $40 at clarkcountyprayerbreakfast.com. 7-9 am Disney on Ice “Frozen” & “Encanto” at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 300 N Ramsay Way, Portland. “Encanto”: Celebrate the love of family, sing and dance with Mirabel and her sisters, Isabela and Luisa and more.

“Frozen”: Join the race to find Elsa and stop the eternal winter, dream about summer with Olaf, and sing along with Kristoff and Sven.

Tickets $25 at disneyonice.com. 7 pm Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland.

See Nov 3 for details. 7:30 pm

10 FRIDAY

Disney on Ice “Frozen” & “Encanto” at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland. See Nov 9 for details. 7 pm Journey Theater presents “Willy Wonka” at Fort Vancouver High School, 5700 E 18th St., Vancouver. The delicious adventures experienced by Charlie Bucket on his visit to Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory light up the stage in this captivating adaptation of Roald Dahl’s fantastical tale. Tickets $15$20 at journeytheater.org. 7 pm

11 Photo by Robert Holcomb

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Veterans Day Parade at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, 1501 E Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver. Now in its 35th year, the Lough Legacy Veterans Parade celebrates the service and sacrifice area veterans have made for our freedom. 11 am Disney on Ice “Frozen” & “Encanto” at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland. See Nov 9 for details. 11:30 am & 3:30 pm & 7 pm Journey Theater presents “Willy Wonka” at Fort Vancouver High School. See Nov 10 for details. 2 pm & 7 pm

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents Back to the Movies: “Nosferatu” at Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main St., Vancouver. Watch the horror classic on the big screen with live musical accompaniment. Tickets $25 ($20 for students) at vancouversymphony.org. 7 pm

Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland.

See Nov 3 for details. 7:30 pm

Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland.

See Nov 3 for details. 7:30 pm

12 SUNDAY

17 FRIDAY

Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland.

See Nov 3 for details. 2 pm

Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland.

See Nov 3 for details. 7:30 pm

15 WEDNESDAY

18 SATURDAY

Disney on Ice “Frozen” & “Encanto” at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland. See Nov 9 for details. 11 am & 3 pm & 6:30 pm

“Walking with Our Ancestors: Bridging Generations in Chinook Culture” Speaker Series at Camas Public Library, 625 NE 4th Ave., Camas. Speaker Sam Robinson will share stories of growing up listening to his Chinook Elders, and how Chinook people are revising their culture through canoe life ceremonies and how it is important to them that they make their ancestors proud. Sam has served on the Chinook Indian Nation Tribal Council continuously for over 22 years and served as vice chairman for the past 11 years.

Admission free. 6 pm Science on Tap: “Archaeology in Oregon: Methods, Misconceptions, and People of the Past” at Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main St., Vancouver. At this Science on Tap, Dr. Katelyn McDonough tells us about what her team’s work in central Oregon has revealed about people’s lives over the last 13,000 years.

She’ll cover some misconceptions about archaeology, innovative methods and how information from the past informs conservation and social issues of the present. Tickets $15$45 at kigginstheatre.com. 7 pm

The annual Lough Legacy Veterans Parade honors the military service of men and women from our community.

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Holiday Sip & Shop in Downtown Camas.

Shopping specials, festive cocktail and holiday drink tastings, live music, treats, photo booth, raffle prizes and other fun holiday activities!

Plus, “elves” throughout town will be handing out goodies and gift cards! Tickets $25.

4-9 pm

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

Journey Theater presents “Willy Wonka” at Fort Vancouver High School. See Nov 10 for details. 7 pm

Metropolitan Performing Arts presents “All Shook Up” at 6403 E Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver. Inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley. It’s 1955, and into a square little town rides a guitar-playing young man who changes everything and everyone he meets. Tickets $1-$3 at metropolitanperformingarts.org. 11 am Journey Theater presents “Willy Wonka” at Fort Vancouver High School. See Nov 10 for details. 2 pm & 7 pm Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland.

See Nov 3 for details. 2 pm

19 SUNDAY

Metropolitan Performing Arts presents “All Shook Up.” See Nov 18 for details.

11 am & 2 pm Love Street Playhouse presents “Seeking Mister Hyde” at 126 Loves Ave., Woodland.

See Nov 3 for details. 2 pm continued on next page

December 16, 2023 • 5K • Run in Historic Downtown Camas • Santa Suit Swag!

Benefiting XChange Recovery

COOL SWAG FOR ALL REGISTERED: COSTUME, MEDAL AND ATHLETE GIFT!

SAVE 10% USING PROMO CODE WHYVANCOUVERFAMILY KIDS 12 AND UNDER RACE FOR FREE AGES 13-17 RACE FOR 50% OFF REGISTER & DETAILS AT WHYRACINGEVENTS.COM continued from previous page

21 TUESDAY

24 FRIDAY

Jurassic Quest at Clark County Event Center, 17402 NE Delfel Rd., Ridgefield. North America’s largest and most realistic dinosaur event. Guests walk through the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic Periods and experience for themselves what it was like to be among dinosaurs of all kinds. Jurassic Quest is the

25 SATURDAY

Jurassic Quest at Clark County Event Center.

See Nov 24 for details. 9 am-8 pm NW Children’s Theater presents “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” at The Judy, 1000 SW Broadway, T-100, Portland. The holiday classic soars off the screen in this musical adaptation of the beloved television special. Tickets $25-$35 at nwcts.org/shows/Rudolph.

11 am & 2:30 pm

26 SUNDAY

Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland at ilani, 1 Cowlitz Way, Ridgefield. Featuring the talented cast of Cirque Musica, spectators will be dazzled by the acrobats, aerialists, hilarious hijinks and holiday cheer. The show blends the spellbinding grace and daredevil athleticism of today’s greatest circus performers with a musical mix of timeless seasonal favorites. Tickets $25-$45 at ilaniresort.com. 8 pm

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Metropolitan Performing Arts presents Selections from “Anastasia” at 6403 E Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver. See Nov 20 for details.

6 pm

30 THURSDAY

Jurassic Quest at Clark County Event Center. See Nov 24 for details.

9 am-7 pm

Photo credit: Jurassic Quest

Metropolitan Performing Arts presents Selections from “Anastasia” at 6403 E Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver. Based on the 1997 animated film of the same name, the musical adapts the legend of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, who could have escaped the execution of her family. A brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Admission is free, but space is limited. Register at metropolitanperformingarts.org/anastasia.

7:30 pm

only interactive dinosaur event that has over 100 true to life-size animatronic dinosaurs in each of its indoor touring shows from the very small to the gigantic. Tickets $19-36 at jurassicquest.com. 9 am-8 pm

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20 MONDAY

NW Children’s Theater presents “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” at The Judy. See Nov 25 for details. 11 am & 2:30 pm

More than 100 life-size animatronic dinosaurs seem to come alive at Jurassic Quest.

Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • November 2023

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