NEWS BRIEFS: Get creative juices flowing with Sequim writing session Monday . . . and other items

SEQUIM — Writer Ruth Marcus hosts free, spontaneous writing sessions every third Monday of the month — including this coming Monday — at the Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave.

Writers are asked to arrive five minutes early for the session, which runs from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Writing prompts are provided first; then participants write for 10 minutes. They have the option of reading their work aloud to the group, but this isn’t a critique session, Marcus noted.

“It’s intended to jump-start your creative juices,” she said, adding that writers should bring paper and pens but no electronic devices.

After this Monday, the next session will be held Feb. 15, on the Presidents Day holiday.

For information, email rmarcus@olypen.com.

Annual meeting

PORT ANGELES — The board of Serenity House of Clallam County will elect officers, hear the 2015 annual report and present awards to volunteers during its annual meeting Tuesday.

The meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. in the Tempest Building, 535 E. First St.

New officers will be elected at a brief business meeting, followed by a reception with hors d’oeuvres, presentation of the 2015 annual report, introduction of new board members and presentation of awards to volunteers.

The public is welcome.

Serenity House is a private, nonprofit agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in Clallam County.

For more information, contact Executive Director Kim Leach at serenity@olypen.com or 360-452-7224, or visit www.serenityhouseclallam.org.

Farm intern project plans info session

CHIMACUM — Washington State University Jefferson County Extension will host a free informational session and Q&A discussion with the state Department of Labor & Industries and the Farm Intern Pilot Project at the Chimacum Grange, 9572 Rhody Drive, from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday.

Program managers Kelly Kane and Tisa Soeteber will give a brief presentation on how the program works and how to take advantage of it.

Washington farms in Chelan, Grant, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lincoln, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom and Yakima counties with annual sales of less than $250,000 are eligible to apply.

This program, directed by Labor & Industries, allows up to three interns (paid, stipend or unpaid) to work on a farm to learn about farming practices.

Participating farms are exempt from wage requirements under the Minimum Wage Act, and interns are not required to receive pay or any other type of compensation.

Farms must show educational activities and curriculum to enroll.

WSU Extension employment and programs are available to all without discrimination.

RSVP to Kellie Henwood by email at kellie.henwood@wsu.edu or phone at 360-379-5610, ext. 201.

Books, libations

SEQUIM — Books & Libations, a free 21-and-older event co-hosted by the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) and Wind Rose Cellars, will be offered next week.

The program for adults will be at Wind Rose Cellars’ Tasting Room and Wine Bar, 143 W. Washington St., at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Participants will learn about new books and local wines.

At each tasting station, participants sample one book and one of Wind Rose’s artisanal Northwest wines.

Each book has been paired with each of the wines, with titles ranging from sci-fi to experimental fiction, matched in tone and intensity to red, white and rosé wines.

Altogether, participants will learn about six books from library volunteers and sample six wines throughout the evening.

Registration is required. Visit www.nols.org and select “Events” and “Sequim.”

All adults are welcome. Some registration space has been reserved especially for Sequim-area residents (phone the Sequim Library at 360-683-1161 to register).

A valid photo ID must be presented upon entry.

For driving directions and more information about the winery, visit www.windrosecellars.com.

Caregivers class

SEQUIM— “Powerful Tools for Caregivers,” a class that helps those who care for a loved one also take care of themselves, will start Tuesday at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave.

The class will meet from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on six Tuesdays, ending Feb. 23.

The only cost is $30 for the textbook.

Topics include how the caregiver can reduce personal stress, deal with emotions, solve problems, communicate effectively with other family members, make difficult decisions and use community services.

The class does not focus on hands-on care for the care receiver.

Preregistration is required by contacting class leaders Barbara Parse at 360-683-2113 or Judy Croonquist at 360-582-1370.

Film discussion

PORT HADLOCK — A free film discussion with professor Mike VanQuickenborne will take place at the Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Ave., at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

VanQuickenborne will present the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau program, titled “Seriously Funny: Humor, Film and Philosophy.”

In his presentation, he will share brief clips from the films “Being John Malkovich,” “I Heart Huckabees,” “Intolerable Cruelty” and “Adaptation” to start a conversation about philosophy and explore the issues raised by each of these films.

Seating is limited.

For more information, visit www.jclibrary.info or contact Brwyn Griffin at 360-385-6544, ext. 106, or bgriffin@jclibrary.info.

Unity speaker on ‘What God Doesn’t Do’

PORT ANGELES — The speaker at Unity in the Olympics’ 10:30 a.m. worship service this Sunday will be Kim Perkins, whose lesson will be “What God Doesn’t Do.”

Perkins is an author and national speaker who recently sold her award-winning book and gift store in Florida and relocated to the Pacific Northwest.

She has had careers in retail, telecommunications and nursing, and she is the daughter of two Unity ministers.

A time for silent meditation will be held from 10 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. for those who wish to participate

Child care is available.

Fellowship time will follow the worship service.

Everyone is welcome to attend all church activities.

For those involved in the TAFY dinner Saturday, food donations will need to be at Unity by 3:40 p.m. that day.

Sharings with Sikh

PORT ANGELES — Olympic Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 73 Howe Road, will host a Northern Indian Sikh teacher, Bhai Arjun Singh, with a presentation at 3 p.m. Sunday.

The presentation will be followed by a vegetarian potluck at 5 p.m.

Singh will talk about consciousness, meditation and chanting.

This event is open to all ages.

For more information about Singh, visit www.basanticaravan.com.

For reservations and potluck details, phone Rose Marschall at 360-808-2662.

Mini-grants for schools

The Clallam County School Retirees Association is offering a mini-grant for Clallam County teachers to fund additional supplies needed for the classroom.

The one-page form, available at each school district, must be submitted by Wednesday.

Applications also are available online at the http://tinyurl.com/jarwb5t.

Last year, the association provided over $1,200 in mini-grants.

For more information, phone Lora Brabant at 360-670-5183 or email at serving4ever@gmail.com.

Blood drive

SEQUIM ­— The Knights of Columbus will sponsor a blood drive for the Puget Sound Blood Center in the parish hall of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 121 E. Maple St., from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday. There will be a break from 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Donors must be 18 older and in good health.

For more information, phone Bill Butcher at 360-461-7113 or 360-681-867.

PA Monday Musicale set

PORT ANGELES — Monday Musical will meet in the Queen of Angels fellowship hall, 209 W. 11th St., this Monday.

The noon meeting will be followed by 1 p.m. entertainment, which is open to the public. The cost for lunch is $12. Reservations are required. The all-classical program features Gary McRoberts playing Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert and others. For reservations and more information, phone Ruth Welch at 360-457-5223.

Free lunch

SEQUIM — Members of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 525 N. Fifth Ave., will prepare a free homemade lunch from noon to 1 p.m. every Wednesday starting Jan. 27.

The public is invited for a hot bowl of soup and a green salad. Parking is available at the front and rear of the church. For more information, phone Mary Jo Camagna at 360-683-5767.

Port Angeles woman attends laser info seminar

PORT ANGELES — Bunny Cornwall of Olympic Day Spa recently attended a comprehensive laser seminar in Seattle.

The seminar, conducted by Cynosure/Palomar Laser Institute, covered the latest advances in aesthetic laser treatments, from hair removal and laser skin renewal to breakthroughs in fractional technology.

Subjects covered were wrinkle reduction, skin renewal, hair removal, sun damage, facial and spider vein treatments.

These new techniques are designed to optimize patient outcomes utilizing a variety of platforms, with little to no downtime, according to a news release.

Olympic Day Spa is located at 332 E. Eighth St.

For more information, phone 360-565-8000 or visit www.olympicdayspa.us.

Salon staff hired

PORT ANGELES — Ciara Owen and Erin Roberts have recently joined the staff at Electric Beach Salon, 117 N. Oak St., a full-service salon owned and managed by Jean Laidig and Sarah Bonny.

Owen is a former employee of Envy.

She has been a licensed cosmetologist for three years with specialties that include balayage, dimensional color, foiling and textured cuts.

Owen is available for appointments Wednesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Roberts is a licensed nail technician who specializes in shellac, manicures, pedicures, hand and foot massages, and nail art.

She is available for appointments Wednesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, phone the salon at 360-457-9102 or visit www.electricbeachpa.com.

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