Toledo residents, along with representatives from county organizations such as Discover Lewis County and South Lewis County Chamber of Commerce, filled the Toledo High School’s auditorium on Tuesday, March 17, for Vision:TOLEDO’s annual Big Toledo Meeting.
The meeting serves as a yearly forum for community organization representatives to discuss current needs and project goals along with highlighting some of the accomplishments they’ve made throughout the previous year.
Elected city, school district and county commissioners were also invited to attend, although no county representatives were on hand Tuesday.
“Remember that when it’s time to vote,” Vision:TOLEDO member Mike Morgan jokingly said to attendees.
While Toledo Mayor Cherie Devore was unable to attend due to a family emergency, Toledo City Clerk-Treasurer Rachell Campbell announced the city had received grant funding to install new federal American with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks and curbs on Fifth, Augustus and Cowlitz streets, with work expected to be completed by 2027.
She added there was still a vacancy on the city’s park board. She asked interested applicants to contact Toledo Park Board Chair Elizabeth Buell for more information.
Buell announced the upcoming 11th annual Esther Borte Walk in the Park is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. on Sept. 12 at Kemp Olson Memorial Park and RV Campground. A lover of the park herself throughout her life, Borte would make quilts for fundraising efforts to improve Kemp Olson Park.
Borte died in 2016, but prior to that, had been organizing the first Walk in the Park event at Kemp Olson Park to raise money for park improvements. She attended the inaugural walk just three months prior to her death at the age of 90.
Ever since then, her friends and neighbors have continued her tradition, holding the annual Esther Borte Memorial Walk in the Park in her honor. Funds go toward maintenance and improvement at the park.
“There’s not going to be a specific end time, because this year, we are going to have vendors that are going to be working with the park, and the great-granddaughter of Esther Borte is going to be helping with the vendors to navigate and be able to raise as much money as we can,” Buell said. “Last year, we raised more than three times in funds than we have in any previous year period.”
Money raised at the Walk in the Park funds maintenance and improvements at the park. Buell added Toledo Elementary School students are currently painting special rocks that spell out Borte’s name to be placed at the park. A scavenger hunt is planned for kids at the park during the Walk in the Park.
Free face painting and rubber axe throwing games courtesy of Lewis County Axe Throwing will also be available for children while parents browse the vendors’ items.
Buell announced volunteers are needed for the Toledo Clean Up Day, scheduled for May 30. Jobs range from pulling weeds to picking up trash throughout public spaces and the parks in Toledo. Volunteers will receive a “swag bag” for their work. Both morning and afternoon volunteer blocks are available. Those interested can sign up online at https://tinyurl.com/yprpftra.
Toledo Historical Society member Joh Jones informed attendees that, despite recent rumors, the historical society was still operating.
Last year, the historical society’s collection was moved into storage at Toledo City Hall after the space they previously occupied at the Toledo Community Library was utilized to expand the library’s children’s section, as previously reported by The Chronicle.
Jones said she and other historical society members are looking for either someone to donate property or provide a new rental space for them to set up their collection of historical artifacts once again.
Toledo Community Library representative Pat Caldwell also spoke during the meeting. She stated their library is not affiliated with the Timberland Regional Library network and its hours and days of operation are not affected by the current budget issues at the regional library network, which recently announced sweeping layoffs.
Caldwell said plans are almost finalized for the library’s new children’s section, which is meant to cater to students through high school and help facilitate their studies.
Toledo Lions Club member Todd Meyers announced the club is working on planning its usual annual events — Toledo Cheese Days, the annual Jim and Penny Lancaster Kids Fishing Derby, Turkey Bingo and Independence Day fundraiser fireworks stands.
Other Toledo Lions Club events are also in the works, including the return of the Champion Spark Plug Regatta remote control boat races, scheduled for April 4 at Wallace Pond in Toledo’s South County Park.
Toledo Cheese Days is scheduled from July 9 through July 12 and includes the usual Cheese Days events, including the parade and car show. Volunteers are needed to help run the event and judge the cars. Cheese Days Car Show Committee chair Teresa Reynolds stated she is currently looking for prize donations for raffles and auctions held at the car show, and that the entry fee has been raised to $25 per vehicle this year. Reynolds added sponsorship opportunities are also available.
For more information on how to sponsor, donate a prize or volunteer for Cheese Days, email the Toledo Lions Club at secretary@toledolionsclub.org or message the club on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ToledoLionsClub.
Toledo Thursday Market organizer Carol Berch announced the market will return as it usually does and run from June until November, though this year a vendor specializing in growing giant sunflowers will be giving out sunflower seeds to children. A children’s pumpkin growing contest is in the works, too, though participants will be given a pumpkin species that does not exceed 40 pounds.
“We would dearly love to plant something with Atlantic giants, and open it up to everybody, but we have neither a freight elevator nor the kind of prize money I think that it would take,” Birch said. “Maybe somewhere down the road, I think that would be a blast, but right now we’re going to keep it to just kids.”
Toledo Neighbors board member Amber Buck explained the food bank was doing well and had recently completed construction on a new industrial kitchen and community garden, which has now produced thousands of pounds of fresh produce and fruit, which they have dispersed.
“We harvested over 4,400 pounds of food on site that we immediately donated back to the community,” Buck said.
With irrigation upgrades, this year they have the goal of growing at least 8,000 pounds of food.
She also invited locals with gardens or farms in the area with excess produce to donate. For more information on the food bank and how to access it, visit https://toledoneighbors.org/.
