Mike Avent was born in Aberdeen, Washington, September 11, 1954. His father worked in construction so he spent most of his young life moving with the work availability. Mike completed his last two years of high school at Rainier. He then attended college at Lower Columbia College in Longview. He worked in construction himself until buying his own rental properties in the Columbia County area starting about 1977. In 1993 he started his first company with a partner and purchased more commercial and residential buildings in Rainier, Clatskanie, Astoria and St. Helens. Then in the mid-1990's Mike was elected to the Rainier City Council serving 16 years. During that time, he volunteered on the REDCO Board, Chamber of Commerce, H.O.P.E and Children and Family Services. He served on COLPAC and was elected to the Port of Columbia County serving 16 years there also. Mike and his partner (Steve Oliva) helped to facilitate the Senior Housing and Senior Center by developing the old Crown Zellebach Mill property where Teevin Bros, Condos, Senior Housing and Senior Center now sits and soon to be Rainier Museum. Mike is still involved in a number of organizations while overseeing his businesses. Mike’s interests are collecting antiques and collectibles, metal detecting and ghost towning. He is kept busy these days with eight grandchildren, who adore Poppa Mike, while also working on his new home and property that he just purchased outside of Rainier. Mike said, "I find it rewarding to work for the Community that has given me many friendships and opportunities."
Makayla Ellsworth is 22, has been a resident of Rainier since birth and has been winning since she was 2 years old. She has also been a winning competitive dancer almost as long as she has been in pageants and has participated in All Star competitive cheerleading nationwide and later as a coach of several championship cheerleading teams of her own. Makayla enjoys camping, hiking, and spending time with her family and absolutely Loves baseball and is a Los Angeles Dodger Fan! Please ask to look at her fingernails as she has her Nails degree in Nail Tech. Makayla is interested in Japanese culture and is a huge Anime fan. During the time of Covid, she was practicing on the Portland Trailblazer stunt team. If you hurry, you can see Makayla in her big screen acting debut in the movie, Harmony Falls, currently showing at the Columbia Theater. Makayla has always been an avid slime creator. Unfortunately, in her youth, Mikayla picked up a jelly fish thinking it was a slime creation and was stung repeatedly.
Claire Marie Hansen just turned 15, is a sophomore in High School and has been a resident of Rainier for the past 11 years. She is currently nationally ranked 11th as a competitive mounted archer. Claire locally is a riding instructor for all levels and is an avid horse and wild mustang trainer. She enjoys trick and acrobat horse riding and riding her bicycle downhill. Our teen Rainier has been reading since she was 3 and is working on her first draft of a dystopian novel. As an artist, she prefers pencil sketching and often can be found with a pencil and pad in her hands. Claire enjoys singing songs of all types and Zach Bryan is one of her current favorite artists. Google her to see one of her earliest television appearances as an America's funniest video t-shirt winner (her pony dumped her into a water trough!) Claire is equally happy in the dirt on her ranch or at the jewelry counter, Claire is your 2022 Teen Miss Rainier.
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