Everett, Wash. Published: Thursday, February 28, 2008
Applause
Tulalip students serve as House pages
Bradley J. Althoff, an eighth-grader at Totem Middle School, and Tessa Parker, a ninth-grader at Marysville-Pilchuck High School, recently served as pages in the state House of Representatives.
Bradley, son of Cara D. Althoff of Tulalip, and Tessa, daughter of Barbara Parker and Terry Parker Jr. of Tulalip, were sponsored by state Rep. John McCoy, D-Tulalip.
Grocery customers donate to schools
Haggen Food & Pharmacy customers raised $9,363 for Snohomish County schools during the second half of 2007. The money was generated through Haggen's School Bucks program.
Customers at Haggen stores in Arlington, Lake Stevens, Marysville and Stanwood designate a Snohomish County public or private school to receive funds raised from their purchase of specific products.
For more information about participating in the program, go to www.haggen.com and click on "School Bucks."
Store and customers help food banks
For the ninth consecutive year, Brown & Cole store customers and employees in Washington participated in the national holiday food bank drive, Food For All. This year, more than $14,000 was raised among the company's 20 supermarkets.
In Snohomish County, organizations receiving donations of about $1,100 included the Arlington Food Bank and Salt of the Earth Food Bank in Lake Stevens.
Currently in Snohomish County, customers are invited to make a donation to the Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Task Force when they receive a nickel rebate for using their own grocery bags.
Bank employees help fund groups
The employees at Coastal Community Bank, through the Employee Giving Fund at the Greater Everett Community Foundation, recently made grants to nonprofit organizations including EquiFriends, Housing Hope, Northwest Burn Foundation, Open Door Theater, Readiness to Learn, Sharing Wheels Community Bike Shop, St. Vincent de Paul of Snohomish County and Sunshine Physically Challenged.
Since its inception, the fund has granted more than $110,000 to organizations in Snohomish and Island counties. The Greater Everett Community Foundation is a philanthropic pool. For information, go to www.greatereverettcf.org.
Red Cross volunteers take assignment
Bill Westlake of Mountlake Terrace and Steven Place of Everett, American Red Cross volunteers from the Snohomish County Chapter, are serving in disaster relief assignments since an earthquake that hit Wells, Nev. Red Cross disaster relief assignments usually last three weeks.
School retirees help county teachers
The Sno-Isle School Retirees Association recently announced winners of the association's 21 $100 minigrants. Teachers will use the money to enhance their work in their classrooms.
Winners were selected by lottery from 45 applications. They represent eight school districts.
Marysville School District: Cheryl Bertagni and Heidi Rieh, Liberty Elementary School; Angie Brickey, Theresa Lee and Brenda Ehrhardt, Sunnyside Elementary School; and Terry Snodgrass, Marysville Middle School.
Everett Public Schools: Kelly Swan, Lowell Elementary School; Denise Trautmann, Jefferson Elementary School; Joan Klorer, Penny Creek Elementary School; Deborah Halliday, Hawthorne Elementary School; and Pam Tucker, Madison Elementary School.
Arlington School District: Sandra Imboden, Laureen Breon and Eileen Smoke, Kent Prairie Elementary School; Suzie Chandler, Pioneer Elementary School.
Snohomish School District: David Richardson, Seattle Hill Elementary School.
Stanwood-Camano School District: Marcie Harris, Utsalady Elementary School.
Lake Stevens School District: Patrick Walker, Highland Elementary School.
Granite Falls School District: Judy Roche, Granite Falls Elementary School.
Monroe School District: Marie Relph, Maltby Elementary School.
Application requests included reading books and juggling materials. A dinner is set for May 5 to honor the winners and give them an opportunity to show Sno-Isle members how the minigrants benefited the students in their classrooms.
Sno-Isle School Retirees Association has 780 members.
Poster, essay contest winners are named
Winners of the Everett Elks Lodge 479 Drug Awareness poster contest are Ben Comerford, a sixth-grade student at Post Middle School in Arlington; Tia Hall, a fifth-grade student at Emerson Elementary School in Everett; and Destiny Richardson, a third-grade student at Highland Christian School in Arlington.
Winners of the lodge-sponsored essay contest are Katie Falkner, an eighth-grade student at Evergreen Middle School in Everett; and Nicole Wiebe and Jeremy Green, sixth-grade students at Haller Middle School in Arlington.
Each will receive a $50 savings bond and their entries will advance to the state Elks contest.
Bruce Crawford named Elk of the Year
Everett Elks Lodge 479 recently named member Bruce Crawford as its Elk of the Year.
Crawford, the lodge's new building co-chairman, is the organization's audit chairman, a volunteer with the Christmas food basket program and a generous donor to Elks charities.
Trustee Susan Heath was named officer of the year for her dedication to the Elks Hoop Shoot and other Elks programs, as well as her service as chairman of the lodge's annual picnic.
Herald columnist Kristi O'Harran was honored as citizen of the year "because of her dedication to telling the stories of people in the community with warmth and humor, as well as her willingness to publicize local events and charitable activities," member Ann Hall said.
Teddy bears donated to foster children
The Everett Family Christian Bookstore recently made a donation of teddy bears to Compass Health's foster-care program. Employees of the bookstore donated 280 teddy bears.
The toys were distributed to children who receive full-time or weekend foster care through Compass Health, Amara Parenting and other area foster care agencies.
To learn more about Compass Health's therapeutic foster-care program, call 425-349-8480.
Event adds $14,000 to girl's medical fund
Dancing for Samantha, a dance-and-raffle fundraiser to benefit the Samantha Herman Medical Fund at Bank of America, brought in more than $14,000 on Feb. 16 in Monroe. Samantha is a Monroe High School student who has liver cancer.
The fundraising event, organized by the Third Thursday social group of Snohomish and Monroe, was attended by about 250 people, and many more contributed to the effort, a spokeswoman for the group said. The group's original fundraising goal was $7,000.
"We are truly overwhelmed and awed by the generosity of our community," Third Thursday member Kathy Pugh said.
A member of the Third Thursday club, Kristine Herman let her friends in the group know in September that her 15-year-old daughter had a tumor on her liver and that medical insurance wasn't going to cover all the costs of treatment, organ transplant and recovery.
Everett student attends conference
Joshua Ogden, a freshman at Everett High School, recently attended the National Young Leaders State Conference sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council.
The son of Ruth and Brian Ogden, Joshua was nominated to attend the conference by his teachers at Evergreen Middle School. At the conference, participants looked at ways in which they can serve in their communities.
The Congressional Youth Leadership Council is a nonpartisan educational organization that works to inspire young people to achieve their leadership potential.
At school, Joshua takes Advanced Placement classes, is on the honor roll and the varsity wrestling team, and is involved with DECA and the association of marketing students. He is a member of the Everett Mayor's Youth Council and is working to complete requirements to earn the Eagle rank in Boy Scouts.
Chin earns Eagle Scout in two years
Alexander Chin, son of Thomas and Mabel Chin of Mill Creek, is a new Eagle Scout. An awards ceremony and court of honor Feb. 9 was attended by his friends, family and the leadership of the Mount Baker Council of Boy Scouts of America.
A member of Boy Scout Troop 18, chartered by St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Everett, Alexander achieved scouting's top honor in less than two years.
Recruited by his younger brother Andrew, Alexander completed his Eagle Scout community service project and the other requirements for Eagle ranking before his 18th birthday. Alexander had the help of 22 volunteers when he installed four steel benches at St. Mary Magdalen School.
Alexander is a senior at O'Dea High School in Seattle. He is a member of the honor society and the chess and the track teams. He also earned a varsity letter as a member of the 2007 Metro League championship O'Dea football team. Alexander plans to participate in a mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico, in March to help build a home for a family there. To support his effort and the Experanza Mission Trip, checks can be sent to O'Dea High School, 802 Terry Ave., Seattle, WA 98104.
Girl Scouts attend regional meeting
Girl Scout delegates from South Everett Service Unit 222 and Snohomish Service Unit 223 attended a special meeting of Girl Scouts of Western Washington on Feb. 23 at Emerald Downs.
Girl Scouts of Western Washington is the name of the group formed by the recent merger of Totem Council and Pacific Peaks Council. Girl Scouts of Western Washington provides 27,000 girls with programs and activities promoting leadership and skills through badge work, camping opportunities, community service and teamwork.
Delegates were elected to attend the meeting and represent their area service units. Representing Service Unit 222 were Nancy McGrath of Troop 2029 and Shannon Wiese and Marya Oestreich of Troop 50616. Delegates from Service Unit 223 were Julie Matheny of Troop 437, Shannon McKenzie of Troop 995 and Carol Robinson of Troop 392.
