Volunteers sought for Brewster Chamber salmon derby

Brewster Chamber of Commerce officials are looking for volunteers to help weigh fish, sell raffle tickets and do whatever chores that come up during the third annual salmon derby scheduled for the first weekend of August.

Contestants will be fishing from Friday morning, August 1 through Sunday afternoon, August 3. J.D. Smith, who's the organizer, said he's already getting entries; there's a maximum of 250 entries. Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for young people 14 years of age and under, and are available locally at Bob's Triangle Shell. Smith is the city's public works director, and he said the Columbia Cove RV Park (which is owned by the city) is already full for that weekend. Dry camping sites will be available for camper overflow.

Awards will be given out on Sunday afternoon; Smith said he's looking to borrow a few open-sided popup tents during the awards ceremony to provide some shade for spectators. People who want to volunteer or who can loan needed equipment can contact Smith in Brewster.

In other business at the general meeting of the Brewster Chamber of Commerce Tuesday, July 1, Jerry Tretwold announced that Chamber members are still raising money to help pay for two new "Welcome to Brewster" signs, and still need about $2,000.

The new signs will be installed in place of the two existing wood signs on metal poles at each end of town. The design is still being finalized, Tretwold said, with installation scheduled for this fall if possible and next spring if not. (The installation timeline will depend in part on raising the remaining money, Smith said.) Tretwold said he has commitments for about $4,000, some coming from promotion funds from the city, and is soliciting the remaining money from private donors.

Ron Oules of the Brewster Police Department was part of a law enforcement-emergency services trifecta of guest speakers.

Oules said overall crime trends are down, and that he wants to start additional crime prevention education to help keep them down. The police officers can't be everywhere all the time, he said, so there are steps that residents and business owners can take to protect their property. The officers will come to homes or businesses to talk to people about precautions they can take, he said, although so far nobody in town has been taken the police department up on the offer.

Criminals are not ignoring Brewster, of course; there are a couple of unsolved burglaries pending. Burglars look for opportunity and a well-lighted building isn't a very opportune target; proper lighting indoors and out is "huge," Oules said. Business owners should keep windows clear of posters and other visual obstructions; it's easier to rob a building when nobody can see in the windows.

Metal-from brass sprinkler heads to steel wire-is fetching high prices as recycled material right now, so metal theft (scrap metal and otherwise) is a growing criminal activity. It helps a lot if people report a suspected theft-Oules said a relative of his noticed that the scrap pile around his business had been tampered with. It turned out it had been burgled and the relative didn't report it right away, he said. Lots of times the police hear about a problem second- or third-hand, Oules said, which is too late to do anything about it.

Michele Humborg from the Douglas Okanogan Fire District No. 15 ambulance talked about boat safety.

Michele handed out a checklist that boat owners should consult before they leave the dock, to ensure they've done all the safety checks and have the proper equipment. Once the boat is in operation it's important for anybody in the water to stay away from the back of the boat, Humborg said; a moving propeller can cause some horrific injuries. Boat operators should avoid backing up when there are skiers or swimmers in the water.

Passengers sitting in the cabin can be at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning, Humborg said. Unfortunately the symptoms are similar to seasickness (or over consumption of alcohol), so boat owners should take precautions before they leave the dock.

Brewster Fire Chief Mike Webster issued an appeal for donations for the annual July 4 fireworks show; donations can still be made at Sterling Savings Bank or to Jim McChristian at Pro Hardware in Brewster.