Following long battle with cancer,
Kyle Corwin died this morning

Kyle Corwin, president of Corwin Beverage Co., southern Washington’s largest bottler and distributor of Pepsi-Cola products as well as many other soft drinks, died this morning at the age of 59.

Mr. Corwin, who seldom ever turned down a favor asked of him, had put up a long valiant battle against cancer.

Memorial services are being handled by Evergreen Memorial Gardens Cemetery and Funeral Chapel.

Elson Strahan earns Rotary’s
Vocational Service Award

Elson Strahan, president and chief executive officer of the Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust, today was presented the Vancouver Rotary’s Vocational Service Award.

Strahan, who says he loves the work he does, was presented the award by Rotarian Dean Sutherland and Columbia River Economic Development director and CEO Bart Phillips.

The Vancouver Rotary Club’s annual “Service Above Self Award,” made in partnership with the CREDC, recognizes a person in the community who has exemplified outstanding commitment to his profession, and has left a lasting positive influence on his vocational area and the community in general.

The Historic Reserve Trust that Strahan manages is developing Officers Row, the West Barracks properties and Pearson Air Museum and is responsible for the fundraising, advocacy, program administration, governmental  and public relations efforts, staff and volunteers of the 366-acre Historic Reserve.

Prior to the Historic Reserve Trust, Strahan served as president of the Clark College Foundation, a position he held from 1984. to 2003.

Under Strahan’s direction, the foundation’s asset base grew from under $1 million to a benchmark of over $63 million, of which nearly 80 per cent was held in endowment. The foundation is nationally ranked as the nation’s leading community college foundation.

Prior to his work with Clark College, Strahan was associated with United Way in Portland. He has also coordinated fund development for a variety of other nonprofit organizations and political campaigns.

Strahan has been a member of a special national task force for the U.S. Department of Education’s Title III Endowment Program. He is a member of the following: Specialized Housing Board, Southwest Washington Convention and Visitors Bureau, School of Piano Technology for the Blind, Vancouver Rotary, Vancouver School District Management Task Force and the Vancouver Fire Department Citizen Advisory Board.

Previously, Strahan was named the Resource Development Professional of the Year by the Northwest Region of the National Council for Resource Development. He also received the Crystal Award for Best Capital Campaign from Willamette Valley Development Officers Association (Oregon and Southwest Washington).

Strahan, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, earned a masters degree from Washington State University.

Tour is free, lunch is $4

The Clark County Skills Center, 12200 NE 28th Street, is offering a free VIP tour of classrooms and facilities at 11 a.m. Friday, November 3. The lunch, prepared by the award-winning Skills Center Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts Program, follows the one-hour tour. The cost is $4.

The Skills Center provides technical and professional training programs that prepare high school and college students for the workforce for southwest Washington school districts

News brief

Orchards Family Medicine, 4400 NE 109th Court, has been awarded one of 40 state health technology project awards from the Washington Health Care Authority, Gov. Chris Cregoire announced today. The awards were made to several hospitals and medical facilities across the state. They provide for updating technology to improve the quality of patient care and reduce the cost of care.

Calendar

The Telecommunications Commission meets in regular session at 7 p.m. this evening in City Hall.

Wednesday headlines

Vancouver to expand Wi-Fi in time for holidays--Oregonian, Allan Brettman

Winter program to help the homeless taking shape in Vancouver--Columbian, Kelly Adams

Regional Library District pledges $750,000 from reserves to help Battle Ground Library project--Columbian, Howard Buck

Company will pay for repairing defective O rings in local fire sprinkler systems--Columbian, John Branton

St. Johns business park needs zoning change--Columbian, Cami Joner

Washougal ready to break ground on new downtown--Oregonian, Bill Stewart

State's glaciers shrinking--Seattle Times, Warren Cornwall

Oregon law portends land-use destiny in Washington in property rights initiative wins--Seattle P-I, Gregory Roberts

Red wine compound promises longevity, study finds--Washington Post, Rob Stein

Poll shows Iraq War is voters' main concern--New York Times, Adam Nagourney and Megan Thee