BRIEFS

LION'S CLUB DINNER AND DANCING

PRESCOTT -- Tickets for an evening of dinner and dancing at the Prescott Lion's Club Oct. 8 are $25 per person, or $40 for a couple. That ticket gets you a pulled pork or barbecue chicken dinner. Drinks will be available as well. Dinner is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and the band Frog Hollow will play after. Money raised will go to repair the Lion's Club building and to its charities. Tickets are limited and will be sold beforehand. Contact a Prescott Lion's Club member or by calling 509-849-2295.

STARBUCK POST OFFICE MEETING

STARBUCK - The United States Postal Service will host a meeting from 5 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 13 to consider the closure of the Starbuck Post Office. The meeting will be held at the Starbuck Community Church at 110 Main St. The public is invited to hear a presentation and ask questions.

GET A FLU SHOT

DAYTON - The Columbia County Health System is holding flu clinics on Oct. 11, 15 and 22. Clinics will take place at the Columbia Family Clinic and Waitsburg Clinic on Oct. 11 from 5 to 7 p.m., and Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Also, flu shots will be administered at the Columbia Family Clinic Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The shots are $20 and cash, check and Medicare is accepted.

PHINNEY IS NEW PORT EMPLOYEE

DAYTON - The Port of Columbia has recently hired Amber Phinney as its new port auditor and administrative assistant. Phinney replaces Tim Dyke, who left the position to continue his education. Phinney was previously employed by the Dayton Chamber of Commerce.

LION'S CLUB BUYS EQUIPMENT

DAYTON - The Dayton Lion's Club is providing automated external defibrillators to use in emergency situations. Defibrillators will be placed at the Liberty Theater, Dayton Senior Center and Dayton Elementary School. The defibrillators were funded by donations from the Lions Club and a grant from the Blue Mountain Community Foundation.

FRENCHTOWN CULTURAL GATHERING

FRENCHTOWN -- At Frenchtown Hall in Lowden at 4 p.m. on Oct. 8, a celebration will be held to raise funds to preserve and enhance the Frenchtown Historic Site, important community asset, and to honor those who lived and fought there. The celebration will include a Salmon Feast talks by members of the Frenchtown Historical Foundation and local tribes, entertainment including tribal drummers and dancers, a French-Canadian fiddle band and dancing. The requested donation for tickets is $25 per person. They are available at Destination Walla Walla, located at 26 East Main St. in Walla Walla, or from members of the Frenchtown Historical Foundation.

HOSPICE OFFERS GRIEF SUPPORT

WALLA WALLA -- A one day grief support activity sponsored by Walla Walla Community Hospice will be held Saturday, Nov. 5. The group will meet from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the YMCA. The program is appropriate for children age 6 to 12 who are grieving the death of a loved one. The session will allow a safe and playful time for sharing, talking, games, artwork, dance/movement and other activities. Activities and discussion will be led by the Hospice bereavement team. There is no charge, but parents are asked to register by calling the Hospice office at 525-5561 or by email to info@wwhospice.org before Nov.1.

TOURISM NUMBERS UP

WALLA WALLA -- The one measure for tourism success is an increase in occupancy rate. Certainly, 2011 has brought a significant upturn in room nights sold in the Walla Walla Valley, but the recently released August lodging numbers, tell a much greater story about the region's phenomenal growth in tourism over the last six years. This past August, 19,457 room nights were sold in the Walla Walla Valley. That total nearly equals the amount of rooms available just six years ago in 2005. At that time, the room supply for the month was 19,499. To give some perspective, if the supply had remained the same, the occupancy rate for August 2011 would have been nearly 100 percent.

MEN'S RETREAT

CAMP TOUCHET -- The first Touchet Valley Men's Retreat, sponsored by the Touchet Valley pastors, will be held Saturday, Oct. 15 at Camp Touchet. The retreat will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at 2:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be served, and there will be transportation available from Redeemer Lutheran Church, 601 S. 3rd Street, Dayton, departing at 8 a.m. and returning immediately following the retreat. All men are invited to attend. If you wish to take advantage of the transportation please call Pastor Greg Bye at 382-4662. Pastor Duane Sabin of Restoration Ministries Worldwide based in Kingston, will serve as the retreat leader. Pastor Sabin began ministry at Kingston Christian Church in August of 1969. His minister father often helped the Kingston church through the years as Duane attended there as a boy, never dreaming he would be the pastor there one day.

CHARITIES BENEFIT

WALLA WALLA -- On Oct. 6, AnnRene Joseph, soprano, will sing a variety of classical, popular, gospel, folk, patriotic and contemporary Christian selections at a charities benefit from First Thursday concerts at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 323 Catherine Street. The program begins at 12:15 p.m. Ann Rene, a former resident of Walla Walla, recently retired from her position as Program Supervisor for the Arts at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in Olympia. Donations are given directly to the charity of the performer's choice. AnnRene has asked that the money be