Parents Place Updates

06/19/2026

We are beyond excited to announce our special guest for next Tuesday’s live stream podcast: Kristal!
Kristal is the Community Health & Developmental Support Specialist and Bilingual Program Coordinator for the Lewis County Autism Coalition. She is also a parent and fierce advocate for neurodivergent children and their families. She will be sharing with us her experiences supporting families through the IEP process, her insights, and how to stay confident in your advocacy as a parent. We love Kristal and know you will, too!
Join us LIVE on YouTube Jessica Whitehead and Sarah Gerber-Kai on Tuesday June 23rd at 5pm PST, or subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

06/19/2026

Kalama Public Library will be closed on Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth.
As a place dedicated to lifelong learning, we recognize Juneteenth as an opportunity to reflect on an important chapter in American history and the ongoing pursuit of freedom and equality.

06/18/2026

Tomorrow is our first Community Day of the Summer, at Northlake! Come by Friday, 9:00-12:00 to explore, help with garden projects, say hello to the bunnies and see what we're tasting for the day. The farm stand will have free produce and plants at 10:00 so don't forget your reusable bag, and we're able to take cash donations at this location if you feel so inclined.

2210 Olympia Way

06/18/2026

💚 Children, families, and professionals today are facing high levels of stress, uncertainty, and change. That's why the Brazelton Touchpoints Center offers a range of workshops and trainings focused on mental health and well-being—providing practical, relationship-based strategies to promote resilience, healing, and connection.

Join us if you're looking to:
✨ Support children's social-emotional development
✨ Build resilience and prevent burnout
✨ Strengthen relationships with children and families
✨ Deepen your understanding of trauma, healing, and mental health

Our learning opportunities are designed to help you make a meaningful impact in your work and community. We offer evidence-based learning grounded in the Touchpoints Approach. 🌱

Explore our upcoming Mental Health & Well-being trainings and workshops, and invest in your own growth while supporting the well-being of others. Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/BTC-MH-Learning

06/18/2026

Planning to attend the Ridgefield 4th of July Celebration?

Skip the traffic and park at Costco. Thanks to C-TRAN, free shuttle service will be available between Ridgefield Costco and downtown.

FREE C-TRAN Shuttle
• Arrival service: 8 AM to 10:10 AM
• No shuttle service during the parade
• Return service: Approximately 12:30 PM to 5 PM

Park at Ridgefield Costco (519 N 56th Place) to hop on the shuttle to downtown. Additional free parking is available at the Ridgefield Waterfront with shuttle service to downtown.

ADA parking is available at the Ridgefield Administrative and Civic Center (510 Pioneer Street) and Union Ridge Elementary (330 N 5th Ave). Please note that parking the night before is not allowed and there will be no parking permitted on the Pioneer Street rail overpass.

For maps, road closures, parking locations, and shuttle details, visit RidgefieldWa.us/4July.

06/18/2026

06/18/2026

As you plan your summer activities, remember your library card gives you access to passes to the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria AND the Discovery Pass to state parks. Stop in and check them out!

06/18/2026

Everyone's welcome to join us for pulled pork or pulled Chicken sandwiches and kids 10 and under eat free!

06/18/2026

Social Skills and Healthy Friendships
Monday, June 22, 2026
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Virtual presentation by Stefanie LeJeunesse, Washington Vocational Services
*Conversational skills: it’s not as easy as “just introduce yourself”!
*Online safety, etiquette, and connection.
*The loneliness epidemic, how it affects our students, and what to do about it.
*Taking power away from bullying.
Register for Zoom link: https://www.arcsno.org/civicrm/event/register/?reset=1&id=647

06/18/2026

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5–14, after motor vehicle crashes. Water safety matters for everyone—drowning can happen at any age.

Safety starts with preparedness:

• Make sure everyone has basic swimming and water safety skills
• Use U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jackets as directed
• Designate a responsible adult to closely and constantly supervise swimmers
• Know how to recognize and respond to a swimmer in distress and how to perform CPR

Need a life jacket? Find a Life Jacket Loaner Station near you:

https://parks.wa.gov/about/rules-and-safety/boater-education-safety/life-jacket-loaner-program