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Food for Fines Kicks Off Next Week

Food for Fines Kicks Off Next Week

It happens to all of us. That one library book gets stuck on the bottom shelf of your night stand or buried under a stack of magazines and ultimately forgotten. Before you know it the fines are piling up and you can't check out a new book. Well folks, you're in luck! Next week the Spokane County Library District is celebrating National Library Week with Food for Fines. For each donation of a non-perishable food item, you can reduce your library fines by $1.00.

All 10 Spokane County Libraries are participating in Food for Fines and the donations benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank. Each month, Second Harvest needs 60,000 pounds of food to fill its network of food pantries. Food for Fines will also benefit Second Harvest networks in Cheney, Deer Park, Fairfield and Medical Lake.

Parking Lot Opens New Horizon At Rocks Of Sharon

Parking Lot Opens New Horizon At Rocks Of Sharon

When it comes to rock climbing in the Spokane area, Minnehaha Park gets all the attention. But a new trailhead completed later last summer by Spokane County Conservation District and the Dishman Hills Conservancy has opened one of the best kept secrets.

Big Rock - Rocks of Sharon is an area loaded with massive granite walls and plenty of places to climb.

Javier Sparks is an avid climber and works at Mountain Goat Outfitters. He says climbers and hikers use to have to walk a fine line with neighbors who live in the area.  “Before you couldn't park and all and people would hassle you about it,” said Sparks.

It’s located on the south side of Krell Mountain, often referred to as Tower Mountain on the southeastern edge of Spokane. For those who aren't into rock climbing, the area provides great hiking trails and spectacular views of the Palouse.

Wanted: Hoopfest Volunteers

Wanted: Hoopfest Volunteers

On Hoopfest weekend thousands will be in Downtown Spokane to be a part of the largest 3 on 3 basketball tournament in the world. It takes a lot of planning and organization to run an event sporting over 7,000 teams, 250,000 players and 456 courts and have it go smoothly. But mostly it takes an army of volunteers and Hoopfest is already recruiting.

 

Last year over 2,500 volunteers helped make the event happen and this year organizers are half way to filling the volunteer ranks. Anyone can be involved, whether you have basketball experience or not. From court monitors to merchandise sales to general clean up there is a job for everyone.

 

Can You Spare a Square?

Can You Spare a Square?

Can you spare a square? Northwest Harvest is holding their fourth annual toilet paper drive this week in partnership with Alberstons, Project Beauty Share and KXLY. Last year's drive brought in more than 18,000 rolls and this year they hope to double that number.

 

Northwest Harvest is the only non-profit food distributor that operates state wide and the donations made in the toilet paper driver will be distributed to 19 of their locations. Toilet paper, along with many other hygiene products, cannot be purchased with food stamps. The rolls donated last year only lasted a couple of months.

 

Northwest Harvest hopes to gather 40,000 rolls this week. Drop off boxes are ready for TP at all Spokane and Liberty Lake Albertsons stores. You can also make a financial donation online or via text. Last year Northwest Harvest was able to purchase an additional 4,000 rolls with the financial contributions that were made.

 

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Washington First Robotics Competition

Washington First Robotics Competition

Eastern Washington University's Reese Court looked like it was ready for a rock concert Friday morning. The Stage was set at center court, the lights were low and the crowd was about to burst.

Welcome to the Washington First Robotics competition, where high school teams from across the northwest and even a team from Mexico City compete for robotic supremacy.

The program was set up to celebrate bright, young minds and encourage them to pursue careers in math and science.

"Kids think they're coming to build a robot but they are really building themselves. Its all about their self confidence, their own ability to work with other kids to have a deadline to have a project to work on, try and figure out how to do a budget."  Said Michael Campbell, executive Director of  Washington First Robotics.

It's definitely an exciting way for students to become involved and receive hands-on, real life experience.

Send a Friend a Goat

Send a Friend a Goat

Send a Friend a Goat week is more than just a fun practical joke for the office, it is one of the Wishing Star Foundation's largest fundraisers. Lat year they were able to grant four wishes from this fundraiser alone.

 

Why goats? It all started when a friend told Director Paula Nordgaarden about someone he knew who was sending goats out as a fundraiser. Nordgaarden thought it was a joke and when she brought the idea to her fund raising coordinator the wheels started turning. They decided to host the event in April as part of National Child Abuse Awareness Month and Spokane Produce quickly jumped on board as sponsor.

 

“At first it was an honor to receive a goat,” said Nordgaarden. Wishing Star would select people that had been involved with children and their organization. But now it's become a fun break in the office for goat recipients, Nordgaaden says, “We just create so many smiles, giggles and laughs.”

 

Lost Camera Captures Goodness

Lost Camera Captures Goodness

Normally cameras are used to capture an image with either film or digital sensor.

But one point-and-shoot recently caught a portrait of society without ever being turned on.

The Spokane area was blessed with beautiful blue skies and warm temperatures on Easter Sunday.

It was the perfect day for a hike.

My family and I headed to the Big Rock - Rocks of Sharon on the back side of the south hill just off the Palouse Highway.

Spokane County opened a trailhead parking area on Stevens Creek Road last summer. The area is a favorite for rock climbers and hikers alike, offering massive rock faces to scale and spectacular views of the Palouse. On a clear day, Steptoe Butte can be seen rising in the south.

Our hike started off with the typical happy sounds of kids running and jumping through the forest and mom yelling for them to stay out of the mud. The glorious start was nearly derailed when one walking-stick-hunting-brother got whacked in the eye with an errant branch.