Inspired by a Boston-based project, local photographer Lara Blair has decided to bring #TheFrontStepsProject to Camas.

“It is killing me to not be able to capture families during this historical time,” said Blair, who has a studio in downtown Camas. “The difficulties, goodness of humanity … all of it. I saw a really cool article about an East Coast photographer capturing people on their porches at a six-foot distance, and she’s encouraging photographers across the country to do the same. It’s called #TheFrontStepsProject.”

Blair said she needs to do this because she “misses taking pictures and misses seeing people’s faces.” She sees this as a chance to give back, and have this documented as part of our history.

“I live in the sticks and we are completely isolated, and I’ve been following all the distancing rules.”

Her plan is this:

  • Get in her car and drive to a neighborhood to a few houses in the same vicinity – stand more than six feet away from the families (hello zoom lens!) and capture them for a few minutes, wave goodbye 😊 and get in her car to go home.
  • Post and send a picture for them to see.
  • Have the family make a small (or big!) donation to a charity (we are currently talking to a local charity who benefits kids). Details will come soon.

“I would like to come to one neighborhood at a time and capture a few families all at once. DM me on Facebook (@Lara Blair Photography) or email me so I could set up a schedule— It would be great to have a point person for each and each ‘hood. [email protected]

Blair can also be reached via Instagram at @Braveandtruegirl

Lacamas Magazine will document the sessions on video, and will feature the completed #TheFrontPorchProject on the Lacamas Magazine YouTube Channel in the coming weeks.

First Friday – March 6th, 2020, come to Downtown Camas and celebrate Go Green. Pick up a special passport and activity list at the Journey Community Church at 304 NE 4th Avenue.

Lucky leprechauns, a “Green Zone” featuring local schools, businesses and non-profits that care for the environment, and the wearing of green will all be a part of this fun event. The event runs from 5-8 pm.

Here’s what’s going on downtown for First Friday:

  • “Find the Lucky Leprechaun”: Each participating merchant will have a “lucky leprechaun” in their business, and for every leprechaun you find, you receive a prize ticket to be entered to win green prizes and more from the merchants. Lucky leprechaun “passports” can be found in participating stores and at the DCA table in Journey.
  • Wander through the “Green Zone” at Journey church and learn how easy it is to make this world a greener place with fun educational kid-friendly activities and giveaways provided by local nonprofits. This year we will have: World Vision, Master Gardners, Eartha the Clown, Ivy League, Waste Connections, CHS Green Team, IQ Credit Union, and Camp Windy Hill.
Green
www.VixonCabinets.com

Art Shows and Receptions

  • Ribbon cutting at 5 pm for the “Camas Love” mural on 5th Ave.
  • Enjoy fun recycled crafts with the Camas High School “Green Team”
  • Eartha the Clown will be there doing face-painting and Earth education
  • Connecting Camas Clothes drive (senior project)
  • Merchants will have lists in their windows showing all the ways our downtown businesses care for the environment.
  • Kids’ crafts at the DCA tables!
  • Customers wearing green get an extra prize ticket!
  • For every $10 spent in downtown you get a ticket to enter to win.

So many fun activities!

To learn more, visit http://www.downtowncamas.com

To help Camas High School students pay the cost of an upcoming Courts for Kids service trip to Los Pilares, Panama, Natalia’s Cafe, located in historic downtown Camas, is hosting a special dinner this Saturday, February 29 from 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm.

It’s a special 1950s themed dinner featuring Erica Slothower and Wendy Delbosque in their “Two Broke Girls” attire. The restaurant is also selling T-shirts to help the cause. One hundred percent of proceeds will benefit the program, which focuses on building special sports courts in communities that need them.

“We love to support worthy causes like Courts for Kids,” said Slothower, owner of Natalia’s Cafe. “We will have fun dressing up as “Two Broke Girls,” which we haven’t done since the Small Business Revolution campaign last year. It’ll be a lot of fun and we hope to fill the cafe Saturday night for this special event. Courts for Kids is a great program that helps kids in developing nations, plus it’s great to see our local students serve others. We are happy to help.”

Each year, several Camas High School students participate in the Courts for Kids program.

“We also hope you buy our T-shirts,” said Luke Orlando, a Camas student participating in the program. “They have a great design and were produced by Papermaker Pride. Hope to see you there!”

Natalia’s will be serving the following menu:

  • Mac & Cheese
  • Chicken Pot Pie
  • Natalia’s Meatloaf
  • Hamburgers + Fries

Hope to see you this Saturday!

To learn more, visit www.courtsforkids.org

Many of you love the game CLUE and now is your chance to play the First Friday version! Join in the “Case of the Missing Snickerdoodles”, Friday, January 3rd from 5-8 pm. Dress in CLUE inspired game suspects attire and get extra tickets to win!

First Friday Activities:

  • Find fun clues in participating merchants to solve the “Case of the Missing Snickerdoodles” and earn tickets to win prizes!
  • Get a FREE snickerdoodle from Cake Happy when you solve the mystery!
  • Art Receptions & Shows
  • Fun Kid’s winter crafts and Lego table
  • Get 5 free tickets to win if you dress like one of the characters in the Parker Brothers “CLUE” game!
  • Take a selfie with CLUE characters throughout town and enter to win for each that you find
  • “CLUE” will be showing at the Liberty Theatre at 8 pm
  • Earn extra tickets to win with every $10 spent in downtown!

Start your night at the DCA tables at Journey at 4th and Birch.

**Are you ready to create? We will have the last Little Art Camas 2020 panel pick up at Journey Church that night from 5-8pm.  It will be so much fun and a great way to show your creativity!

Come put your sleuth hat on and see if you can figure it out! Start your night at the DCA tables at Journey at 4th and Birch.

A look at a Camas First Friday from 2018: https://lacamasmagazine.com/2018/11/events-camas-first-friday-features-gratitude-for-delicious-pie.html

Clue

Lily Atelier, located in Historic Downtown Camas, is having a daylong Holiday Open House this Thursday, December 12, ending with a special Jewelry Trunk Sale with Caryn Michelle.

The Holiday Open House begins at 10 am, when the store opens, and continues all day, while Michelle’s Trunk Show runs from 4-8 pm inside the iconic women’s boutique.

“We will have treats and special pricing,” says Marilyn Reed, owner of Lily Atelier. “We think you’ll really like Caryn Michelle’s Trunk Sale. There will be 10 percent off all of her jewelry on Thursday night.”

The Holiday Open House also offers the following:

  • Three $100 gift certificates raffled off during the day. Customers simply put names in the bucket.
  • Buy any item and get the second like item at 40 percent off.
  • 50 percent off candles with every purchase of $100 or more.

Lily Atelier continues to receive new products on a regular basis. Be sure to visit their Facebook and Instagram sites to learn more.

About Caryn

Los Angeles-based Caryn Karotkin is a multifaceted artist, whose career in beauty and fashion spans more than 25 years. As a wife, mother, designer, entrepreneur, and athlete, she is equal parts feminine and fierce. Inspired by nature and the beauty of her surroundings, Caryn’s style embodies an effortless California chic, which translates brilliantly into her highly sought after jewelry.

Working with diamonds, semi-precious stones, and metals, Caryn puts a vintage spin on modern themes, resulting in an aesthetic that is delicate yet daring. Her statement pieces lend themselves toward collecting, as bracelets, rings, and necklaces, stack, layer and mix together beautifully.

Open House
Caryn Michelle Jewelry.

Camas High School is inviting the public to participate in a public send-off Saturday at 9:30 am as the Papermaker Football team leaves town to head to Saturday’s State Championship game at Mt. Tahoma High School.

The team will travel via two chartered buses and will be escorted by first responder vehicles as it departs the high school at 9:30 am and travels through Downtown Camas on 4th Avenue.

CHS Athletic Director, Rory Oster, confirmed the plans, and encourages as many local residents and fans to line 4th Avenue. The hope is to have people lining the streets at Lutz Hardware and fill both sides of the street down past Natalia’s Cafe, Arktana, Nico Bella Salon, Papermaker Pride, Camas Gallery, Caffe Piccolo, Lizzabeth A, Camas Hotel, Liberty Theatre, Lily Atelier, and as far down the street as possible towards the mill.

Cheer Squad Coach, Brandy Reed encourages fans to bring posters, banners, etc. to show their support.

The Camas Football team (13-0) faces Bothell at 4 pm Saturday for the State Championship. Camas previously won the State title in 2016, which was also an undefeated season.

The team’s self-proclaimed #RevengeTour comes to an end. Here’s a recent article on the team: https://lacamasmagazine.com/2019/12/theres-one-more-check-on-the-camas-football-revenge-tour-bothell.html

Camas Football
www.MyHeavensBest.com

Camas, WA — Hosted and organized by City of Camas Parks & Recreation, Hometown Holidays includes the downtown tree lighting, photos with Santa, crafts, hay rides, Camas Schools entertainment, free hot cocoa sponsored by Journey Church, holiday shopping, art shows, and so much more! Tree lighting is at 6:30 and yes, there will be snow and fireworks again.

The fun begins at 5 pm.

There is so much to do and see, so the City of Camas has provided a schedule of events. Click here to learn more:

Schedule of Events

And…great news!  There will again be a free shuttle service sponsored by Camas School District to the Tree Lighting event as well as a the pedestrian corridor to maintain a thoroughfare for ease of movement.

Five parking lots within one mile of Downtown Camas will be incorporated into three separate shuttle routes. The routes are color-coded and all will drop off riders on the street between Camas City Hall and Camas Library. The shuttle is free, and details are in this link:

Parking and Shuttle Information

Local restaurants will be providing special menu items for the Hometown Holidays event. and a Getta Gyro will be serving tasty food, as well. Natalia’s Cafe baked hundreds of cookies for decorating.

Be sure to arrive early to allow for shuttle and parking time.

Hometown Holidays
www.McKeanSmithLaw.com — Family Law, Business Law, Employment Law, Probate & Estate Law, and more.

Holiday Circle: Reflect & ReInvent is coming to Camas on Monday December 16 from 6-8 pm at Salud Wine Bar, and is an invitation for women to reinvent themselves, says event organizer, Christie Ribary, who founded 100 Women Who Care Clark County. 

“Don’t let another year ago by without being the woman you want to be, feeling empowered to actually become her, and having the plan to reinvent your life to achieve it,” says Ribary.

The Holiday Circle costs $60 and includes a glass of wine, 40-page full journal workbook, two-hour live event guided by Ribary, a one-hour live video conference on Dec 30th at 6 pm PST, and six email journal prompts from Christie focused on the themes of mindfulness, alignment and reinvention.

“If you are ending this year frustrated because you lost sight of your dreams in the ‘busyness’ of life, or your self care was non-existent, if the demands of family or friends came entirely before yours, or if overall things are ‘good’ but you want incredible in 2020, or if you feel plain stuck then you need to join us,” says Ribary. “If you daily reality aka your ‘status quo’ doesn’t align for you anymore than we want you to join our circle of disrupters — women who are intentionally planning to make big and little changes in their lives for 2020 so that they can live bigger, better, and more joyfully.”

You can register through December 13 at www.reflectandreinvent.com

“In our time together you review your life in 2019 and start planning, dreaming, and scheming for 2020,” she says. “You will be taking your life out of autopilot and REDESIGNING it exactly like you dream for it to be next year.”

Ribary insists the evening will have no judgment, and will simply be a room of supportive, caring and like-minded women who want to make positive changes in their lives. 

Holiday Circle
Christie Ribary

Elida’s Annual Sample Sale Silent Auction is happening now on Facebook.

Starts Friday, Nov. 29th @ 9:00am
Ends Sunday, Dec. 1st @ 9:00pm
Starting bids as low as $35.

This is a great opportunity to own original artwork at a discounted price!
Bids starting as low as $35! Buy local, buy original!

Here’s how bidding works:

To bid on a painting during this Silent Auction, write your bid in the comment section for the piece you want (CLICK ON THE PAINTING YOU WANT AND COMMENT THERE). Watch your painting over the weekend and re-bid. If you are outbid (bidding is increments of $10). Bidding ends at 9 pm Pacific Time on Sunday. We will contact the winner through Facebook Messenger. For questions, email Stephanie at [email protected].

Link to Elida’s facebook page where you can access the sale on Friday:
https://www.facebook.com/elida.field

Silent Auction

VANCOUVER, WA — The Clark College Concert Band under the direction of Dr. Doug Harris presents its Fall Concert “Fanfare and Dances” on Friday, December 6, 2019, 7:30 pm at the VSAA Durst Theatre. The first half of the concert will be comprised of chamber ensembles from within the band. Performing groups will be the Brass Choir, Woodwind Choir and Percussion Ensemble.

The second half will predominately feature by American composers. The opening work isFanfare for Band and Antiphonal Brass, by Fisher Tull, to be followed by Percy Grainger’sMock Morris, Sheltering Sky, by John Mackie and a relatively new work by composer Michael Gandolfi, Vientos Y Tangos (Winds and Tangos). This work explores the extremely evocative Argentine tango, with a 21st-century twist. The concert will conclude with standard of the wind band repertoire, John Zdechlik’s Chorale and Shaker Dance.

For complete information about all the Clark College Music Department concerts including the orchestra, concert band, jazz ensemble, and choirs, please seehttp://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/music/music-concerts.

About Doug Harris

Dr. Doug Harris is in his second year as Director of Bands at Clark College after serving as Assistant Director of Bands at Western Kentucky University, and Director of Bands at both Santa Clara University and Southern Utah University. He also enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a high school band director in Florida. 

Dr. Harris received his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Florida, his Master of Arts and Doctor of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado.  His conducting teachers include Richard W. Bowles, Dr. Raymond Chobaz, Dr. German Gutierez, Dr. Richard Mayne and Dr. Kenneth Singleton, and has studied with Douglas Akey, Stanley Derusha, John Paynter and Frank Batiste.  At his most recent high school, Palm Bay High School in Melbourne, FL., his concert and jazz bands were recognized as being among the elite in the state, regularly receiving highest marks at district and state festivals.  The Wind Ensemble was invited to perform at the University of Florida Invitational Concert Band Festival as well as the prestigious Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis.  The top jazz band performed at, and won, jazz festivals in Florida, Georgia and Virginia, and has earned praise while performing with jazz notables such as Ira Sullivan, Bill Prince, Marc Dickman, Christian Tamburr, Maynard Ferguson, David Steinmeyer, Bobby Shew and Portland’s own Charlie Porter.

Clark College
www.VixonCabinets.com