This year’s Winthrop Vintage Wheels Show will be a virtual affair.
Vintage Wheels back on the street
The Winthrop Vintage Wheels car show, which also includes trucks, motorcycles, tractors and travel trailers on display in and around downtown, is back this year after a virtual hiatus in 2020.
The show is scheduled for Sept. 11. The main event begins at 11 a.m. with a parade down Riverside Avenue, starting from the staging area at the Winthrop Inn. Following the parade, the cars will be parked along the north end of Riverside Avenue until around 3:30 p.m., after the awards presentation.
As in the past, vintage trailers will be on display at Pine Near RV Park on Castle Avenue. Antique tractors can be seen at the Shafer Historical Museum, also on Castle Avenue.
All Vintage Wheels included in the show will be eligible for awards including Best in Show, People’s Choice Award and awards from the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce and local merchants. Entrants can register online at https://winthropwashington.com/events/wheels-show; at Mack Lloyd Park from 5 – 7 p.m. on Sept. 10; or in the staging area at the Winthrop Inn from 9 – 10:30 a.m. on the day of the event.
Visit https://winthropwashington.com/events/wheels-show for information, or email info@WinthropWashington.com.
The show was conducted online last year.
MV Interpretive Center open
The Methow Valley Interpretive Center in Twisp will be open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon – 4 p.m. through October. Admission is free; donations are appreciated. Visitors are asked to wear a mask even if vaccinated.
The center offers information about natural history, geology and native culture in the Methow Valley and beyond. For information or to volunteer, email mvinterpretivecenter@gmail.com.
Duck Race returns
The Winthrop Kiwanis Duck Race returns on Labor Day (Sept. 6), with an opportunity to win cash if your designated duck bobs its way to the front of the pack.
The race, an annual fundraiser for the service organization, begins at noon when a couple of thousand plastic ducks are dumped from the Chewuch River bridge in Winthrop for a journey through the confluence before reaching the finish line at the Methow River Bridge. At the finish, a crew of duck wranglers wade into the Methow River to capture the racers before they can head for Twisp, Pateros or parts beyond.
Each duck is painted with a number associated with an entry ticket. If your duck wins, your ticket pays off with a $500 prize. The second-place duck earns $300, the third-place duck is worth $100, and fourth and fifth places are good for $50 each.
Tickets are $5 per duck and can be purchase at the Tenderfoot in Winthrop, or at the NAPA auto parts store and Windermere Real Estate Methow Valley in Twisp, and are also available from Kiwanis members. Or, call (509) 699‑3797for more information.
Home sharing presentation
Methow At Home offers a free online presentation about Silvernest, a home sharing concept that could help alleviate the valley’s housing shortage, on Sept. 1 at 10 a.m. The Silvernest approach increases housing options for people “while improving health by fighting social isolation and building genuine connection and community … Whether you have a room to share, or looking for a room to rent, this is a discussion worth taking part in,” according to information provided by Methow At Home. Find more information at www.silvernest.com.
Other free online Methow At Home events:
• “Caring to Know,” with Joshua Porter and students in the Western Washington University Sustainability Pathways program, on Monday (Aug. 23) from 4 – 5:30 p.m., described as a “social learning conversation … designed to make space to hear each other and build understanding.”
• Learn about low back pain relief with Jason Rumohr on Tuesday (Aug. 24) from 4 – 5 p.m.
Register for all events at methowathome.org.
Autumn in the Methow
The North Cascades Institute and Methow Valley-based naturalist David Lukas present a day of outdoor exploration, “Autumn Adaptations in the Methow Valley,” on Sept. 11.
Lukas will talk about the ways that birds, fish, insects, mammals and plants prepare for their significant journey from the glorious days of autumn into the depths of winter.
Lukas is a professional naturalist and author. He has led thousands of nature walks, classes and talks, and written extensively about the natural world. To learn more, visit www.lukasguides.com.
The event will be from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., in Mazama. Cost is $110; scholarships and discounts are available. Sign up at https://ncascades.org/signup/programs/autumn-adaptations-in-the-methow-valley. For information, email info@ncascades.org or call: (360) 854‑2599.
Small Business Emergency Grants
TwispWorks, in partnership with the Methow Valley chambers of commerce, has initiated a new round of funding for Methow Valley businesses impacted by wildfires.
Small Business Emergency Grants will be considered and distributed the first week of September. Applications are due by Aug. 31.
Eligibility requirements are:
• Your business has lost revenue due to this year’s fire season.
• You and/or your employees have been adversely impacted by this year’s fire season (for example, personal property loss or damage).
• You’ve been in business at least one calendar year.
Apply for the grants at www.surveymonkey.com/r/3NHBX89.
A GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $10,000 to support the grants program has been started at www.gofundme.com/f/methow-valley.
The TwispWorks Small Business Emergency Grant Fund was originally created to help businesses in Methow Valley which were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 60 local businesses received grants totaling nearly $115,000. The funds were largely provided by donations to the grant program.
WVC requires vaccines for employees
Wenatchee Valley College will require vaccinations for employees, the college announced last week. Employees must be fully vaccinated before the first day of class, Sept. 27. Waivers are available for medical, religious or philosophical reasons.
The decision was made in light of the governor’s most recent higher education proclamation, state and federal decisions to require vaccinations, and in response to new information surrounding the COVID-19 Delta variant, the college said in a press release.
“We feel that this requirement, in addition to the student vaccination requirement, is the best option for us to preserve the health and safety of our campus community,” WVC President Jim Richardson wrote in a message to employees.
WVC earlier announced that it will require COVID vaccinations for students enrolled in in-person classes. Students are required to be fully vaccinated prior to the first day of class.
