Piano keys available at very good prices
Lou Marzeles
Editor
If there were such a thing as an assisted living facility for pianos, the one over at Golden View Terrace (GVT) would probably be in it. The piano is old and rickety, and despite that, it gets a lot of use.
“Someone is there at least two days a week,” says Dr. James Ogden, who should know, since he’s one of the frequent users of the piano there. “We had a lot of people in there recently for a birthday party.”
But the piano does not wear well—or sound very good. As a music teacher in the area succinctly put it, “I wouldn’t give a dime for that piano.”
So someone is doing something about it. A campaign is on to raise funds to buy GVT a new piano. Specifically, they’re looking for a good Yamaha upright; Yamahas are piano workhorses known for durability, mobility, and quality. And you can buy a key on that new piano. Or two or 12, or whatever number you wish, up to the full 88 keys of a full-size piano. They’re only $60 a key.
The campaign is sponsored by People Helping People (PHP), a project of the Goldendale Seventh-day Adventist Church. Delmarie Null, PHP’s project manager, says several churches do programs at GVT, and no one is a fan of the decrepit piano there.
“I go there to play sometimes,” says Carol Foss, director of The Bells of Goldendale. “The piano is missing some ivories and has several issues with the pedals. It’s definitely seen better days.”
Ogden itemizes three good reasons why GVT needs a new piano. “First, the residents really enjoy music, and having a new piano will improve the quality of performances on their behalf,” he says. “And a new piano is less expensive to keep in good condition. Second, as a pianist who plays at Golden View on a fairly regular basis, I enjoy performing on a quality instrument and can put on a much better program. And third, some of Goldendale’s private piano teachers take their students to Golden View to get some public performance experience. Young people who are just learning and who are willing to come out and entertain for the enjoyment of the residents deserve to have a top-notch piano to use.”
Donations toward the new GVT piano can be made at Ogden’s office at 103 W. Main Street, or mailed to: Piano Campaign, P.O. Box 241, Goldendale WA 98620. Checks should be made payable to KVH Memorial Foundation and are tax deductible.
Bluegrass Festival adds extra day to schedule
Music fans from across the region are expected at the Fourth Annual Fiddlin’ Under the Stars, Goldendale Bluegrass, Wine and Art Festival on Friday through Sunday, May 21-23.
New this year is Singer and Songwriter Sunday, featuring originals – original compositions and original artists – noon to 5 p.m., Sunday, May 23.
The festival began small as a home-grown affair, but now it has become a favorite stage for the best bluegrass groups in the Pacific Northwest.
Part of the allure of the festival is its small town setting: A city park, lush grass, shade trees, a stream meandering past, a gazebo.
The festival’s vineyard partners have grown. This year, 10 respected labels from the Mid-Columbia will be pouring.
Looking for art or history? Visit the Golden Art Gallery or Presby Mansion Museum, both located within easy walking distance of the festival.
Organizers also will have artists at the festival, creating art in a public space. Fifteen artists will participate, with five at a time doing public demonstrations.
Stars: As always, there will be the stars. Less than two miles from the festival stage, the Goldendale Observatory will offer close-up glimpses of the stars and planets. The observatory is a Washington state park, and interpretive rangers will be on hand to point the instrument and explain the heavenly phenomena.
There will be live music at the observatory beginning at 8:30 p.m. Friday and beginning at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
In the past, some bluegrass festival fans have brought their own telescopes for heavenly viewing from observatory hill or from the festival grounds.
Festival visitors often bring lawn chairs or spread blankets at Goldendale’s E’kone Park, nestled next to the Little Klickitat River, to sample wine and listen to bluegrass performed from an old-fashioned gazebo.
There will be food vendors on the festival grounds.
Band Scramble: Returning this year is the Goldendale Band Scramble, which is open to anyone who plays an instrument. Here’s how it works:
On Friday evening, there will be containers available at the festival, each marked with a specific instrument—the fiddle, for example.
If you want to participate in the scramble, place your name in the container of the instrument you play.
The containers will be available until about 9:30 a.m. Saturday, when organizers will collect all the names and hastily create bands by arbitrarily assigning four or five musicians to each.
The new bands will have about 20 minutes to rehearse two songs. At 10:30 a.m., the scramble concert will begin.
The audience will vote for each band by placing money in a container assigned to it. At the end of the concert, the band with the most money wins the scramble—and gets to keep all of the “betting” money.
Dr. Jim Ogden is running the scramble this year, but was a participant two years ago. His band was assigned two just-beginning musicians, but won the event. Members of his band voted to split the entire prize – about $50 – between the two youngsters.
Directions: Goldendale is 13 miles north of the Columbia River on Highway 97. There will be signs directing visitors to the festival in E’kone Park.
Admission is $5 per person. Camping at the festival also is available. Prices are $10 per night for RVs and $5 for tents, on a first-come, first-served basis. Overflow will be placed at the nearby Cottonwood RV Park.
Groups performing:
• Small Towne from Astoria (http://www.myspace. com/smalltownebluegrassband)
• Coyote Ridge Bluegrass Wranglers from Yakima
(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Coyote-Ridge-Bluegrass-Wranglers/138878455213)
• Bluestone County from Aurora, Ore.
(http://bluestonecounty.com/)
• Fiddlegrass from Hood River
(http://www.fiddlegrass.net/)
• Puddletown Ramblers from Portland
(http://www.puddletownramblers.com/)
Wineries pouring:
• McCormick Family Vineyards
• Domaine Pouillon
• Cor Cellars
• Illusion
• Williams Winery
• Marshal’s Winery
• Maryhill Winery
• Waving Tree Winery
• Canyon’s Edge Winery
• McKinley Springs Winery
High Prairie holds annual Firehouse Sale
The High Prairie community is once again in the thick of preparations for its annual Firehouse Sale. This popular event began 11 years ago as a simple rummage sale and over the years has grown into a multifaceted affair that draws people from around the area.
Among the additions to the rummage sale itself are a plant sale, food booth, silent auction, quilt raffle, live music, and special activities for kids, including the fire truck and game that was so popular last year.
This year's Firehouse Sale is coming right up, on the weekend of May 15 and 16. The official start is 9 a.m. on both days; closing is at 5 p.m. on Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
The Food Booth opens an hour early, at 8 a.m., so eager shoppers can enjoy homemade goodies and hot beverages while waiting for the sale to start.
Last year the Firehouse Sale moved to a new location at 783 Centerville Highway, about a mile east of its old home at the firehouse. Signs from both ends of Centerville Highway will direct visitors to the site, about seven miles northeast of Lyle. With a covered hay barn and plenty of parking, the new setting is especially suited for the event and helps give it a “country fair” atmosphere.
The Firehouse Sale is the community’s one big fundraiser each year. All the proceeds go directly to the High Prairie Community Council and Volunteer Fire District 14 to support community programs and buy firefighting equipment.
The heart of the event is the huge rummage sale, or as one resident terms it, “our 130-Family Garage Sale.” Everything from nuts and bolts to pianos and trailers has found its way into the sale at one time or another.
The Food Booth is another popular draw. Myrin Bentz's bratwurst will get top billing as usual, but this year a new vegetarian dish will share the spotlight. There will be plenty of homemade pies, cinnamon rolls and other baked goods, soft drinks, coffee, and – new this year – ice cream.
The Silent Auction Gallery is returning after a successful debut last year. Sale-goers can bid on valuable goods and services for bargain prices. Local firms and individuals have donated a wide range of items, including a DR pull-behind power road grader, a weekend vacation on Birch Bay, guided fishing trips, meals at local restaurants, things for yard or garden, artwork and all kinds of services. The bidding happens on Saturday, starting at 9 a.m. and closing at 3 p.m. This year bidders will be able to call in bid increases until the auction closes.
Another annual tradition is the Quilt Raffle, a chance to win a beautiful classic quilt crafted by the High Prairie Needlers. This year the Needlers used a traditional Double Irish Chain pattern to piece the quilt top, leaving lots of room for elaborate custom quilting by High Prairie's own Linda Daughetee. Inspired by its rich shades of green and cream, the Needlers named their creation “High Prairie Spring.” Raffle tickets will be sold at the sale for $2 or 3 tickets for $5. The drawing is set for 2 p.m. on Sunday (no need to be present).
With all this and more, there's something for everyone at High Prairie's Firehouse Sale.
For more information, call (509) 365-4429 or (509) 365-2700.
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