July Cheers & Jeers

In this Camas Days-heavy issue, it’s pretty easy to find a few dozen things to celebrate during the month of July. But our first Cheers goes out to the the folks who help kick off the annual Camas Days celebration with the coronation of the Camas Days Queen (and sometimes King). The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Camas-Washougal hosts a lovely coronation event each year and celebrates the best of the Camas-Washougal community by highlighting people like this year’s queen, Maxine Ambrose, who may not always get the glory despite their often lifelong commitment to the community. Ambrose, for instance, has been giving back to her community for 50 years, volunteering at the Inter-Faith Treasure House, Soroptimist International of Camas-Washougal, the Camas-Washougal Historical Society, the Two Rivers Heritage Museum, the Lost and Found Cafe, Friends of the Cemetery, Boy Scouts and her children’s’ school PTAs. This type of “behind the scenes” work is the glue that keeps a communities like Camas and Washougal running, but often goes unnoticed by those who reap its benefits. So cheers to the GFWC, to Ambrose and to the Columbia Ridge Senior Living center, which hosts the annual queen’s coronation event.

Our second July Cheers goes out to the Friends of the Columbia Gorge group for their constant and tireless advocacy for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. As the only nonprofit with a sole mission of ensuring the gorge remains, as their website states, “a place apart, an unspoiled treasure for generations to come,” the Friends group is the best resource around for finding gorge hikes, joining an environmental campaign to help protect the gorge’s wild and wondrous natural areas, discovering new gorge-related volunteer opportunities and getting news about everything from wildflower hikes to wildfires in the gorge.