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<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge) Sterling Sankey (click to enlarge) Jim Strickland (click to enlarge) Mary Duryee (click to enlarge) Chelsea Boren (click to enlarge) Richard Panick (click to enlarge) Bob Neumann   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 United Way to honor people who put others first By Sharon Salyer, Herald Writer Want to learn a little about the spirit of people who live in Snohomish County? Each year, United Way recognizes people who have given back to their communities through their volunteer work or philanthropy. The annual Spirit Awards will be presented today by United Way of Snohomish County during a breakfast meeting at the Lynnwood Convention Center. This year's winners are involved in wide-ranging community service activities. They are: Chelsea Boren, a Lake Stevens High School junior who volunteers for Cocoon House, an organization that helps homeless teens. Jim Strickland, a Marysville teacher who believes that students should learn about their community by being involved in it. Bob Neumann, who spent the last decade of his life as a volunteer helping patients at a rehabilitation clinic at Providence Everett Medical Center. Eight groups that came together so low-income families could get free help preparing their taxes, led by the efforts of Sterling Sankey, market president, Northwest Washington, for Bank of America, and Richard Panick, who works in the Seattle regional office of the Internal Revenue Service as a senior tax specialist. Mary Duryee of Everett, who is being honored for her lifelong dedication to area nonprofits. Here's more information about each award winner: Spirit Award — Youth Sixteen-year-old Chelsea Boren first became interested in Cocoon House as a freshman, while working on a community service project. "I started doing volunteer projects and it turned into a huge thing," she said. "I feel like I'm fortunate," Boren said. "I have a good life and family. A lot of teens don't." Her work began with a fundraiser, food drives and helping collect toiletries for the homeless teens assisted by the organization. She recently was selected to serve on the Cocoon House board as its youth representative. "I hope I can bring something new and different to the board and give a teenager's perspective," she said. Boren said she has talked to fellow students about the importance of volunteering. "I just think it's important to help the community," she said. "To me, it's not work; it's a lot of fun." Spirit Award — Individual Jim Strickland, a teacher at Marysville's Totem Middle School, said the motto he hopes to instill in his special education students is: Find something worth doing and do it. "We've done quite a few things you'd consider volunteer work," he said. These include assisting the Starlight Children's Foundation, which provides education and family activities for seriously ill children, and helping to launch the Marysville Youth Action Network. The goal of the youth project is to connect people of all ages both to listen to teens and to work with them on community projects. "What we're trying to do … is connect people of similar passions in the community," Strickland said. This year, one of his students had a dream of creating a Cinco de Mayo celebration, an annual event to bring Latino and Hispanic families together and to allow other community members to learn more about their culture. "We had free music and a kids' Mariachi band, something that would be a catalyst to just acknowledge the reality of the growing Hispanic community," Strickland said. Strickland, 45, said he often tells his students that every worthwhile thing that's ever been done in the world started with somebody with a vision or passion. "That's the message I try to give, that one person can make a big difference if they have a passion and are willing to follow it through and not take 'no' for an answer." Spirit of Labor Award Bob Neumann left his job as a structural mechanic for the Boeing Co. in 1995 after being diagnosed with severe emphysema. At the time, he was told he had six months to live. Neumann turned his life to helping patients in the pulmonary rehabilitation department of Providence Everett Medical Center, volunteering an average of four days a week. "People did not realize how sick Bob was," said Pat Ainsley, a nurse in the rehabilitation clinic. "He just didn't show it. He buckled up and kept on going no matter what." Ainsley said he never hesitated to share his story with patients, telling them he had been a lifelong smoker and then quitting on the day he was diagnosed with emphysema. Neumann was an example to patients, not only by his volunteer work but also by how conscientious he was with taking his medication and keeping up his exercise routines, she said. "He didn't make excuses, despite what he suffered from," Ainsley said. Over the years, he helps "hundreds if not literally thousands" of patients, she said. He died on Feb. 25, at age 60, shortly after celebrating his 34th wedding anniversary, Ainsley said. His wife, Judy Neumann, will accept the award on his behalf. Community Partner Award The goal was to provide low-income families in Snohomish County with free tax help. Eight organizations came together this year to make it happen: Bank of America, the Internal Revenue Service, EverTrust Foundation, Moss Adams, the Boys & Girls Club of Snohomish County, United Way of King County and the state's Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. Sterling Sankey, who works out of the Lynnwood branch of Bank of America, and Richard Panick partnered to lead the effort. Bob LaBouy, a retired IRS employee, drove from Redmond to Everett four days a week to help manage the project. The result was completed tax returns for 500 families with $770,000 in income-tax refunds. Reeves/Sievers Award Mary Duryee, 89, a lifelong Everett resident, has supported a number of area nonprofit organizations, including local Camp Fire groups, Providence General Children's Association, the American Red Cross, YMCA of Snohomish County, the Little Red Schoolhouse and the Everett Symphony. She and her husband, Dan Duryee, were involved both as board members and in fundraising campaigns for these and other organizations. After her husband's death in 1990, she established a charitable trust in his name. And the local United Way chapter's highest circle of donors was named in his honor. The Reeves/Sievers Award is given to an individual who has made a lifetime commitment to community service and philanthropy. "I do think we're living in a wonderful community," Mary Duryee said. "We've had a community where so many people are willing to help out. I don't think you find that in every community." Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.

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