YAC Little Hitters Tennis

YAC LITTLE HITTERS TENNIS | Boys and girls, ages 4 and up. Meets 9-10:30 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Four sessions: June 15-18, 22-25, July 6-9, 13-16. Introduction to tennis basics, supervised play. Cost: $25 YAC member, $35 non-member. Open registration begins June 2; limited to 12 students. Yakima Athletic Club, 2501 Racquet Lane, Yakima; yakimaathletic.com; 453-6521.

YAC Tennis Lessons

YAC TENNIS 1 | Boys and girls. Meets 10-11:30 a.m. Monday-Thursday. Four sessions: June 15-18, 22-25, July 6-9, 13-16. Designed for students with little or no tennis experience, class covers stroke, match play and etiquette. Cost: $42 YAC member, $52 non-member. Open registration begins June 2; limited to 12 students. Yakima Athletic Club, 2501 Racquet Lane, Yakima; yakimaathletic.com; 453-6521

YAC TENNIS 2 | Boys and girls. Meets 10 a.m. to noon Monday-Thursday. Four sessions: June 15-18, 22-25, July 6-9, 13-16. Designed for students with tennis experience, working toward mastery of all basic strokes. Focus on stroke production, introduction to competitive play. Cost: $50 YAC member, $60 non-member. Open registration begins June 2; limited to 12 students. Yakima Athletic Club, 2501 Racquet Lane, Yakima; yakimaathletic.com; 453-6521.

YAC Peewee Soccer

YAC PEEWEE SOCCER | Boys and girls, ages 5-6. Meets 4-5 p.m. July 13-16. Cost: $45 YAC member, $55 non-member. Open registration begins June 2; limited to 10 students. Yakima Athletic Club, 2501 Racquet Lane, Yakima; yakimaathletic.com; 453-6521.

Youth Fitness Academy

YOUTH FITNESS ACADEMY | Boys and girls, ages 12 and up. Meets 3-4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, June 16-Aug. 13. Instructed by a Certified Personal Trainer. Cost: $99 YAC members, $109 non-member. Open registration begins June 2. Two locations: Yakima Athletic Club, 2501 Racquet Lane, Yakima; or, YAC Fitness, 2500 Business Lane, Yakima. For details, call 453-6521 or visit yakimaathletic.com.

Junior Athletic Conditioning

JUNIOR ATHLETIC CONDITIONING | Boys and girls, ages 9-11. Meets 2:30-3:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Two sessions: June 16-30, July 21-Aug. 13. Focus on fitness with exercises, obstacle courses and games. Cost: $60 YAC member, $70 non-member. Open registration begins June 2. Yakima Athletic Club, 2501 Racquet Lane, Yakima; yakimaathletic.com; 453-6521.

Junior Golf Lessons

JUNIOR GOLF LESSONS | Boys and girls, ages 6-16. Yakima Parks and Recreation classes focus on proper etiquette, swings, stance and confidence. Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays; multiple times and sessions. Cost: $44 Yakima resident, $53 non-resident. Fisher Park Golf Course, 823 S. 40th Ave., Yakima; 575-6075.

CoolMoms kickoff meeting

June 2, 2009

7:00 pm

A chapter of the Seattle-based CoolMoms organization is starting up in Yakima. The group’s mission is to unite mothers to help the environment through changes in our homes and communities. A kickoff meeting will be held at 7 p.m. June 2 at North Town Coffeehouse, 128 N. First St., Yakima. Non-walking infants are welcome. For more information about the organization, visit coolmom.org. For information about the local chapter, contact Elise Cardenas at elise1976@charter.net.

CoolMoms group starting up in Yakima

NOTE: The contact info for this group has changed. The new email address is zenmom76@live.com.

A chapter of the Seattle-based CoolMoms organization is starting up in Yakima. The group’s mission is to unite mothers to help the environment through changes in our homes and communities. A kickoff meeting will be held at 7 p.m. June 2 at North Town Coffeehouse, 128 N. First St., Yakima. Non-walking infants are welcome. For more information about the organization, visit coolmom.org. For information about the local chapter, contact Elise Cardenas at zenmom76@live.com.

Upcoming classes for parents of infants

BABY SIGN LANGUAGE | Ninety-minute workshops teach parents how to communicate with their non-talking babies. Cost: $50 per family (up to four adults), includes take-home kit. Meets 7-8:30 p.m. Two sessions: July 23, Sept. 17. Yakima Memorial’s Community Education Center, 2506 Nob Hill Blvd., Yakima; 575-8484.

CHILD AND INFANT CPR | Four-hour course teaches how to recognize and care for injuries or sudden illness, and how to provide basic care for breathing and cardiac emergencies in infants and children under age 12. Cost: $20; preregistration and payment required. Two sessions meet 8 a.m. to noon: June 20, July 18. American Red Cross, 302 S. Second St., Yakima; 457-1690.

SAFE BABY PRESENTATION | One-hour course covers basic CPR skills that could save an infant’s life. Learn steps to follow in an emergency, how to care for an infant who is choking and how to give chest compressions and rescue breaths using infant mannequins. Cost: $15; preregistration and payment required. Meets 7-8 p.m. Two sessions: June 17, July 1. American Red Cross, 302 S. Second St., Yakima; 457-1690.

DHS Girls Basketball Camp

DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL CAMP | Girls, grades 2-12. Grades 2-5 meet 8-10 a.m. Grades 6-12 meet 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The younger girls are coached by Davis players; the older campers will be coached by the Davis girls’ basketball staff. Camps are June 15-18 at Davis High School, 212 S. Sixth Ave., Yakima. Cost: $40. For more, contact Davis Girls’ Basketball Coach Quantae Anderson at 573-2500.

Pirate Day

June 27, 2009
10:00 am	to	5:00 pm

PIRATE DAY. C0st: $5. Out On A Whim, 108 S. Third Ave., Yakima; outonawhimbooks.com; 576-3635.

Father’s Day Crafts

June 19, 2009
10:00 am	to	5:00 pm

FATHER’S DAY CRAFTS. C0st: $5. Out On A Whim, 108 S. Third Ave., Yakima; outonawhimbooks.com; 576-3635.

Mad Hatter Tea Party

June 5, 2009

4:00 pm

MAD HATTER TEA PARTY. 4 p.m. All ages welcome. C0st: $5. Out On A Whim, 108 S. Third Ave., Yakima; outonawhimbooks.com; 576-3635.

Getting around Portland is half the fun

By Sara Bristol

This vacation is all about the destination — and the journey. An extremely family-friendly city, Portland has enough crowd pleasers to fill a long weekend or a week — and keep you coming back for more.

The drive from Yakima takes just over three hours. It’s an easy, beautiful trip through the Columbia River Gorge with multiple opportunities to stop and take in the scenery or enjoy a new adventure. (Detour ideas listed below.)

Getting there, it’s been said, is half the fun. With this transportation-oriented itinerary, the fun is all about the journey:

Portland’s public transit system is among the nation’s best. Of course, you’re not worried about commuting, so consider this: Kids love trains. Portland has light rail, modern streetcars and a vintage trolley — as well as an aerial tram.

Riding TriMet buses, trains and streetcars is free in the downtown area known as Fareless Square, which extends to the Rose Quarter entertainment epicenter and Lloyd Center shopping mall (with an indoor ice rink). A TriMet day pass, if you’re planning to ride into other zones, is $4.75.

But there are other perks: Ride the MAX to the Oregon Zoo and you’ll actually save $1 on admission, as well as $2 on parking. Put your savings toward a ticket on the zoo train; one route stops at the Japanese Garden, where you can take a short walk to the world-famous (and free) International Rose Test Garden. See? Everything’s coming up roses.

But why stop now? Portland offers more transportation options to explore: Hop a bus over to the hands-on Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), where you can tour the Navy’s last non-nuclear, fast-attack submarine, the USS Blueback.

In summer, Willamette Jet Boat excursions depart several times a day from the OMSI dock. Kids and grandparents alike will get a thrill from the fast-paced open boat excursions as that pass under Portland’s bridges and explore Willamette Falls.

Of course, Portland is a pedestrian and bike-friendly city, too. It would be a shame to visit Bridgetown without taking a walk through Tom McCall Waterfront Park. On a warm day, tots love to romp in the Salmon Street Springs fountain. Toward the park’s north end, bicyclists and pedestrians can cross the lower deck of the Steel Bridge to the Eastbank Esplanade, a 1.5-mile urban greenway that leads back to OMSI.

DESTINATION DETAILS
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), open daily; 1945 SE Water Ave.; omsi.edu; 503-797-6674. Admission: $11 adults, $9 ages 3-13; $2 parking. Separate fees for OMNIMAX theater, planetarium, laser light shows, submarine tours and motion simulator. Transit: TriMet bus.

Oregon Zoo, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Labor Day; Washington Park, 4001 SW Canyon Road; oregonzoo.org; 503-226-1561. Admission: $9.75 adult, $6.75 ages 3-11; $2 parking. Train rides: $3.50/$5. Chimpanzee Challenge Maze: $2. Summer Concert Series requires special tickets. Transit: MAX & TriMet bus.

View of Portland from the Aerial Tram.

Portland Aerial Tram, 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays; runs from the South Waterfront up to Oregon Health & Science University; portlandtram.org. Fare: $4 round trip, ages 6 and under free. Strollers permitted. Transit: Streetcar.

TriMet, the Portland metro-area’s public transit system operates MAX Light Rail, Portland Streetcar and bus service. Schedules, fares and route information: trimet.org.

Vintage Trolley, runs every 30 minutes 12-6:30 p.m. Sundays between Lloyd Center and SW 11th Avenue in downtown Portland; trimet.org/streetcar. Free; donations accepted.

Willamette Jet Boat, multiple departures daily through Sept. 28; departs from OMSI; willamettejet.com; 888/538-2628. Fare for two-hour scenic excursion: $33 adult, $21 children 4-11; one-hour bridge tour slightly less. Transit: TriMet bus.

ROAD TRIP DETOURS
Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler, Cascade Locks, Ore.; portlandspirit.com; 800-224-3901. Fare for two-hour excursion cruise: $28 adult, $18 child; brunch, lunch and dinner cruises available.

Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls, second-highest waterfall in the U.S.; visitor center open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; Interstate 84 Exit 31 (left lane); multnomahfallslodge.com; 503-695-2372. Free parking and viewing. Gift shop, restaurant and ice cream cart at the day lodge. To see the falls from the top, a 1.2-mile trail climbs approximately 600 feet; not suitable for strollers.

Mount Hood Railroad, Hood River, Ore.; mthoodrr.com; 800-872-4661. Fare for two-hour excursion: $25 adult, $15 children 2-12; four-hour excursions, special trains and dinner trains also available. Day Out With Thomas: Trains depart on the hour, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 19-22 and 26-28.

Vista House, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; vistahouse.com; 503-695-2230. Free admission; visitor center and gift shop. Take I-84 to exit 22 and follow the signs four miles to Vista House and Crown Point State Park.

The First Tee of Yakima

THE FIRST TEE OF YAKIMA | Boys and girls, ages 5-17. Non-profit organization teaches life skills, including manners and responsibility, through the game of golf. Meets at several area parks and golf courses. Cost: $50; full-fee scholarships available to all who ask. The First Tee of Yakima, thefirstteeyakima.org; 949-6349.

Yakima Youth Track

July 13, 2009

6:00 pm

YAKIMA YOUTH TRACK | 6:30 p.m. Yakima Youth Track is a three-week track and field program for athletes who are preschool-age through adult. Practices are held Monday and Tuesday evenings, July 13-28, at Kumler Field on S. Cornell Avenue, between Tieton Drive and Nob Hill Boulevard, in Yakima. The cost is $40 per participant with a $120 maximum per family.

Preschoolers through fifth graders meet from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Participants in sixth grade through adult meet from 7:30-8:45 p.m.

All-comers meets begin at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, July 15-29. Participation in the meet is $5 for athletes who are not registered as YYT participants. All competitors receive a ribbon.

For more information, call Jennifer Wells at 678-5680.

Yakima Youth Track All-comers Meet

July 15, 2009

6:30 pm

July 22, 2009

6:30 pm

July 29, 2009

6:30 pm

YAKIMA YOUTH TRACK | 6:30 p.m. Yakima Youth Track is a three-week track and field program for athletes who are preschool-age through adult. All-comers meets begin at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, July 15-29. Participation in the meet is $5 for athletes who are not registered as YYT participants. All competitors receive a ribbon.

The program meets Monday through Wednesday evenings, July 13-29, at Kumler Field on S. Cornell Avenue, between Tieton Drive and Nob Hill Boulevard, in Yakima. The cost is $40 per participant with a $120 maximum per family.

Practices will be Monday and Tuesday evenings. Preschoolers through fifth graders meet from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Participants in sixth grade through adult meet from 7:30-8:45 p.m.

For more information, call Jennifer Wells at 678-5680.

NW railroads host Thomas rides

If you know a little Thomas fan, here’s some really “useful” info: Kids can meet Sir Topham Hatt and take a ride with Thomas the Tank Engine during upcoming “Day Out With Thomas” events at Snoqualmie’s Northwest Railway Museum and the Mount Hood Railroad in Hood River, Ore.

Both railroads make regular excursion runs throughout the year, but during these special events, they’ll offer additional entertainment and activities aimed at young Thomas fans:

• Mount Hood Railroad | June 19-22 and 26-28 in Hood River, Ore., 42 miles west of Biggs Junction on Interstate 84. Drive time from Yakima is two hours. Trains depart on the hour, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are $14-$16; advance purchase is strongly recommended. For more information, call the railroad at 800-872-4661, or visit mthoodrr.com.

• Northwest Railway Museum | July 10-12 and 17-19 in Snoqualmie, three miles off I-90 at North Bend. Drive time from Yakima is just shy of two hours. Trains depart every 45 minutes, 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Tickets are $18; advance purchase is strongly recommended. For more information, call the museum at 425-888-3030, or visit trainmuseum.org.

Vacation Bible School

Crikey! Looks like friendly crocodiles are the backdrop for teaching kids about Christ at several of this summer’s local Bible camps. Other programs will visit the Old West, dig into Rome’s underground church and explore outer space. Sounds like a blast!

Whichever adventure you choose, there’s sure to be lots of songs, skits, prayer and praise at each of the following programs. Preregistration is always appreciated.

JUNE 14-18
WILEY HEIGHTS COVENANT CHURCH | 12504 Gilbert Road, Yakima. Sherrin Melcher: 966-2383. “The Old West”: Mosey through the imaginary town of Trinity. Meets 6:30-8 p.m. Ages 4 years-entering fifth grade. No charge. wileyheightscovenant.org

JUNE 22-26
BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH | 20 Tibbling Road, Selah; 697-8895. “Down By The Sea.” Meets 7-8:15 p.m. Ages 5-12 years. No charge; penny drive. Popcorn, sno-cones daily; 100-foot ice cream sundae Friday. Prizes for bringing visitors. selahbaptist.org

CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH | 1604 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima. Nathan Gerhart: 575-6490. Kelli Olsen: 877-7643. “Camp Lutherhaven: Restore!” Meets 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Ages 4 years-entering sixth grade. Cost: $10 donation. Lunch and snack provided. Thursday evening program and ice cream social. Water play Friday. centrallutheranyakima.org

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | 9 S. Eighth Ave., Yakima. Kathy Eaton: 248-7940, ext. 114. “Crocodile Dock: Where Fearless Kids Shine God’s Light.” Meets 9 a.m. to noon. Ages 4 years-entering fifth grade. Cost: $20. fpcyakima.com

HIGHLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH | VBS location is Tieton Square, Tieton. Nikki Keller: 673-2585. “Quest Camp: Son Rock.” Meets 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Ages 3 1/2 years (born 2005)-entering seventh grade. No charge. hcc-cowiche.org

HOLY FAMILY PARISH | 5315 Tieton Drive, Yakima; 966-0788. “A Blast from the Past: Jesus as a Young Child.” Meets 9-11:30 a.m. Cost: $10 parishioners, $20 non-parishioners. Preregistration required.

SELAH COVENANT CHURCH | 560 McGonagle Road, Selah; 697-6116. “Rome: Paul and the Underground Church.” Meets 10 a.m. to noon. Ages 4-11 years. No charge. selahcov.com

JULY 6-10
MOUNTAINVIEW CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP | 7105 Alpine Way, Yakima; 966-5422. “Crocodile Dock: Where Fearless Kids Shine God’s Light.” Meets 6-8 p.m. Pre-K through fifth grade. No charge.

MT. OLIVE LUTHERAN CHURCH | 7809 Tieton Drive, Yakima; 966-2190. “Camp Lutherhaven.” Meets 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entering kindergarten-seventh grade; kinders leave at noon. No charge.

TRINITY FAMILY FELLOWSHIP | 603 S. 13th Ave., Yakima; 248-9405. “Boomerang Express.” Meets from 6-8:30 p.m. Ages 4 years-entering fifth grade. No charge. trinityyakima.com

JULY 13-16
SUN VALLEY CHURCH | 103 S. Third St., suite 200, Yakima. Bryan Pichura: 965-6800. “Hidden Treasure.” Meets 9 a.m. to noon. Ages 4 years-entering sixth grade. No charge. sunvalleychurch.net

JULY 13-17
CALVARY CHAPEL YAKIMA VALLEY | 1021 S. 40th Ave., Suite No. 7, Yakima. Tom Morris: 249-1464. “Operation Space: A Close Encounter with God’s Word.” Meets 9:30 a.m. to noon. Ages 4-12 years. No charge. ccyakimavalley.com

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | 6015 Summitview Ave., Yakima; 966-1900. “Crocodile Dock: Where Fearless Kids Shine God’s Light.” Meets 9 a.m. to noon. Ages 4 years-entering fifth grade. Cost: $15 for one child, $25 family. westpress.org

YAKIMA FOURSQUARE CHURCH | 700 N. 40th Ave., Yakima. Susan: 575-1490. “Crocodile Dock: Where Fearless Kids Shine God’s Light.” Meets 9 a.m. to noon. Entering K-third grade. Cost: $10; preregistration required. yakimafoursquare.org

JULY 19-23
WESLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | 14 N. 48th Ave., Yakima; 966-2370. “Rome: Paul and the Underground Church.” Meets 6-8:30 p.m., includes dinner. Families are encouraged to attend together. Ages 4 years-entering sixth grade. No charge.

AUG. 2-6

SUMMITVIEW CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH | 6711 Summitview Ave., Yakima; 966-1630. “Creation Celebration.” Meets 6-8 p.m. Free, all-ages family event with a lite supper served from 6-6:30 p.m.

AUG. 3-7
PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH | 91 Wernex Loop, Selah. Lisa Ulstad: 453-8450. “Camp Lutherhaven.” Meets 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch and snack provided. Kindergarten-sixth grade. No charge. peacelutheranselah.org

WESTPARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | 3902 Summitview Ave., Yakima. Michele Piguet: 966-1632. “Crocodile Dock: Where Fearless Kids Shine God’s Light.” Meets 9-11:30 a.m. Ages 4-11 years. Cost: $10 donation per child.

AUG. 17-20
NACHES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | 210 E. Second St., P.O. Box 246, Naches; 653-2527. “Crocodile Rock: A Journey through the Holy Land.” Meets 6:15-8:30 p.m. No charge.

West Side Soccer Camp

WEST SIDE SOCCER CAMP | Boys and girls, grades 1-5. Meets 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. June 22-26 at West Side Baptist Church, 6901 Summitview Ave., Yakima. Soccer skills, Christian coaches, Bible messages, camp T-shirt. Cost: $65 until June 7; $75 beginning June 8. Sponsored by West Side Baptist Church, in conjunction with Uncharted Waters Sports Camps of Colorado Springs, Colo. Contact Suzanne Dieker, Children’s Ministry Director, 965-2800. Download registration at westsidechurch.info.

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