Athena Community Website


Anyone who wishes to contribute a news item or announcement of event, please contact Athena Website News. We'll do our best to get the item on the site in a timely manner, but there are no guarantees.


Monthly MEETINGS

Livestock Commission - first Tuesdays, 5:30 pm, City Hall

Library Advisory Board - first Thursdays, 5 pm, Library

Planning Commission - second Wednesdays, 7 pm, City Hall

City Council - second Thursdays, 7 pm, City Hall

Cemetery Board - third Tuesdays, 5:30 pm, City Hall

Chamber of Commerce - third Thursdays, 11:30 am, Doubletree Cafe; contact Gene Wright or Joe Schenck 566-0209 for details.

Other GROUPS and MEETINGS

Athena Library Friends Association Board - quarterly board meetings -- usually third Thursdays (October, January, April, July) at the library at 6:30 pm; contact Janet Mandaville at 566-3090 or ask at library for more information; annual meeting USUALLY in February on third Thursday, at library, 7 pm.

GEM Theater board - contact Joe Schenck or Rob McIntyre 566-0117 for information

Ambulance Board - contact Kevin Scheibner for information

School Board - second Mondays, rotates among schools, call 566-2551 to confirm place and time.

Old Quilt Batts - contact Doreen Munck or Lela Morton 566-9442 or Charlene Webb 566-2032 for information; usual work sessions held at Sacred Heart church hall on first Thursdays and third Saturdays starting about 8:30 a.m.

Helping Hands - contact Judy Weidert for information

Good Samaritan Ministries - contact Deborah Johns for information

Athena Civic Memorial Association - contact Karen Montee 566-3418 for information

Athena-Weston Lions Club - first Thursday meeting at 7 pm at Weston's Long Branch; and third Tuesdays, at 1 pm at Athena's Doubletree Cafe.contact David Lynde 566-3887 or Dean Parker for information and to confirm meeting times and places

American Legion Post - contact Eric Pickard 566-2480 or Irene Boatright for information

Sunset Housing Board - contact Nancy Parker or Karen Montee for more information

Blue Mountain Mediation, a non profit organization that provides free community services for neighbor to neighbor disputes. We have volunteer mediators that can help resolve conflicts before going to court. For more information call Joe Schenck 541-310-7116 or email at bmm@bluemountainmediation.org.

ANNOUNCEMENTS and EVENTS (revised July 23, 2010)

Council member responsibilities are as follows:

A drive-up book drop is on the alley now behind library; thanks to George Vorhauer, Dave Zimmerman, and the public works staff for getting this done.

Tracy at the Athena Grocery is organizing a trial run for a local farmers market. Initially she plans three sesssions on Saturdays, 8 - noon, on July 24th, August 21st, and September 25th. Contact her at 541-566-2396 for more info or if you wish to have a vendor booth; Tracy is not charging any fee or percentage to have a booth. If the experiment goes well, this could mean a regular full-fledged farmers' market for Athena in future!

July 26 - 29 at WMHS football field, 10 am - noon -- a Youth Cheer Camp for all ages ... Please arrive by 9:30 am to sign in. Cost is $30. More info at 509-540-1324.

Do check out photos of 2010 Hodaka Days and links to archives of other years and information.

SLOW DOWN! Lots of kids are walking to and from the city park and the pool; others are on bikes and scooters and roller blades. Older residents sometimes take a bit longer to cross streets. Please observe the speed limit through town.

Many Athena yards are looking quite lovely. Please remember that a drip or soaker system conserves water. And do try to rid your yard and parking strips of the prickly, creepy-crawly weeds!! Thanks to all the businesses along Main Street that nurture tubs of flowers to make the town more attractive.

Athena Library book club meets monthly at the library on third Mondays at 6:30 pm. At the next meeting on August 16th the book is THE HELP; copies are at the library. Discussion leader will be Nancy Wright. EVERYONE is invited to participate.

Larry Nye is exploring resources to have an Athena booth at the Umatilla County Fair ... contact him if your organization could contribute brochures, photos, bulletin board displays, or memorabilia that could make such a booth a real promotional tool for our town!

Phase 2 of City Hall remodel is underway; contractor is Sid Johnson company from Baker City.

On August 5, 12, 19, and 26th Elyshia Reunison will offer a FREE tap dancing class for kids; the classes will be at the Baptist Church. Please phone 541-278-9201 for more information. Kids will need tap shoes; phone in for ideas on how to get these.

Barking dogs disturb neighbors' enjoyment of summer evenings and sometimes cause distress in waking people up ... please be aware that sound really travels and pay attention to your canine friends to keep them quiet.

Thanks to Tim Albert and the Sunset Housing board for purchase and installation of small shed at the project; Tim put in lots of sweat equity on this one!

ALFA is gearing up to produce the 2011 heritage calendar and pre-order forms are already at the library. If you have a WEDDING PHOTO of yourself, your parents, your grandparents, or someone else with Athena connection, ALFA would like to use it for another photo contest similar to the very fun baby photo contest that ran on the cover of last year's calendar. Contact Janet Mandaville or Sally Geissel to submit photos, or leave them with Carrie at the library. Please place in an envelope with a note of IDs ... so as to preserve "secrecy" of the contest!!

Pre-order sign up sheet for copies of 2011 calendar is at the library; to keep bookkeeping smooth, please PRE-PAY for your order by check!!

Aug. 7th, Saturday, 10-noon, at the library, ages 8 and up are welcome to a FREE session on how to make small gift boxes out of old greeting cards.

The paperback service and FREE book box at the library are great places to pick up something to read on a trip that does not need to be returned. Also, do drop by the library to see what's being concocted by summer reading program participants -- boats and pirates and whales!! Thanks to Kristen Hansell for all her work with summer reading program's "MAKE A SPLASH" theme this year. And thanks to Kristen Williams for coordinating the preschool story time.

Two new gift shops in town, and a tanning salon as well! Check out the shop in storefront of ambulance building and the shop down at the former Humbert's building.

Athena business owners are invited to submit business cards for inclusion in the monthly city newsletter; just drop off with Linda or Dyann at City Hall.

The American Legion is offering $400 for valid information about the vandalism to American flags last month. Leave information with Eric Pickard, Tim Kennedy, or at City Hall.

Proceeds of the Hodakda Days' raffle bike this year benefit the GEM Theater restoration project.

If you know out-of-town folks coming to town who want a place to put their RV, do contact Everett Pixler at 541-566-9246 for reservations ... rates start at $20/night with reductions for longer stays.

Cale King, a state-certifed paramedic has assumed administrator position with the East Umatilla County Health District's ambulance service here in Athena. Cale and his family have relocated from Roseburg, Oregon. The community will miss Ross Snodgrass, who has served with such devotion as ambulance paramedic, driver, and supervisor for so many years; he's always done a wonderful job and deserves our appreciation.

Register at www.nixle.com for the Athena Police Department's online notification system. The system allows quick, mass notifications in case of emergencies or other cautionary notices for widespread situations.

If you are interested in helping to develop a mentoring group focused on area youth, call Joe Schenk at 541-310-7116.

Please contact Rob McIntyre if you are able to contribute time, energies, or money to the GEM Theater restoration project.

Thanks to the volunteers who place the American flags along our streets for holidays like 4th of July, Flag Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Presidents Day, etc. It looks great and is much appreciated. There is now a $400 reward if you can supply definitive information about the vandals who wrecked several flags over Memorial Day.

The American Legion needs donations of wheelchairs, crutches, and walkers in good condition. Contact Tim Kennedy at 566-1919 if you can help out.