Community Extra: Applause

Therapy dog at Westminster show

Bill, a Leonberger dog owned by the Taft family of the Arlington area, is competing Tuesday in the Westminster Dog Show in New York City.

Bill, a champion in his breed, also works as a certified therapy dog in the county.

His owner, Lori Taft, volunteers sonursing home patients and others can share a little love with her dog.

Leonbergers are better known in Europe, where the breed is revered as a working class water rescue and service dog much like Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands and Great Pyrenees.

Youth vies for volunteer award

Antonio Pruitt is set to compete against other Boys & Girls Club members for the Washington State Youth of the Year title and a $1,000 college scholarship.

Antonio, 17, is the new Youth of the Year for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County.

Antonio's mother died when he was six years old and his dad left shortly thereafter. He moved to Washington when he was seven, living with various relatives until settling with his cousin in Everett. In each community he found the Boys & Girls Club to be a constant in his life, he said.

Antonio is a role model for both staff and other youth at the Everett Boys & Girls Club, where he volunteers, club officials said. He also volunteers with the Salvation Army and the YMCA.

A senior involved in the Academy of Construction Engineering at Marysville Getchell High School, Antonio also works with a leadership group that runs activities for the school. Antonio is to be the first member of his family to graduate from high school, after which he plans to attend Texas A&M University to major in business.

For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County, go to www.bgcsc.org.

Arlington boy donates winnings

Christian Waldall, 12, of Arlington, was the winner of the half-court shot contest at the Feb. 2 Arlington High School basketball game.

He won $100 and decided to give his winnings to a friend going on a missions trip.

Arlington Physical Therapy, which sponsored the contest, contacted Christian to offer him his winning check.

"I prayed about what I wanted to do with my money," said Christian in a statement from Arlington Physical Therapy. "God told me I should give it to people who will use it for the greater good."

Christian presented his check to Gabe Green, a football teammate and friend who is headed with his family on a short-term mission trip at the end of February.

Girl scout event benefits food bank

Junior Girl Scout Troop 42168 of Arlington hosted a hoedown hootenanny in November as a part of a fundraising effort for the Arlington Food Bank.

Troop members Hallie Simbeck, Savanna Turner, Mariana Pimentel and Aspen Warner put on the event, which was open to all Girl Scouts in the Marysville service unit and their fathers, brothers, uncles or grandfathers.

The event collected more than 80 items of food for the food bank and earned the girls their Junior Bronze award, the highest service award for a junior age girl scouts.

More information about Girl Scouts is at www.gsww.com.

Camp Fire clubs make valentines

The Immaculate Conception-Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Camp Fire USA clubs recently held a drive to make valentines for hospitalized veterans.

As part of the national project, the school's clubs, comprised of students in kindergarten through the fifth grade, gathered to make valentines and listen to a presentation given by retired Navy Lt. Theresa Schaudie. She spoke about the history of the USS Abraham Lincoln and stayed after her presentation to help make the cards.

Rotarians collect for food bank

Snohomish Rotarians on Feb. 4 held a food drive at the Safeway Store on 134th Place SE in Everett.

They were able to deliver 1,026 pounds of food and $200 dollars to the Snohomish Food Bank.

CHS parents group in Safeway's club

Bruin Community Parents received a $1,000 bonus in addition to the $4,000 raised through the eScrip program.

Safeway's contribution to the parent group at Cascade High School helps to support academic scholarships, athletic programs, and school events.

Cascade High School students recently presented the Safeway store at 19th Avenue SE in Everett with a certificate of appreciation for their support to the organizaion throught the eScrip Program.

Trees planted to honor Toni Wiegand

Volunteers on Jan. 28 helped plant 30 ash trees in front of 30 homes in Housing Hope's Copper Station housing development in Stanwood to honor the life of former Housing Hope employee Toni Wiegand.

Wiegand died July 28 from cancer. Wiegand's son spoke, thanking the volunteers for their support and for planting the trees in his mother's memory.

Housing Hope's Team Home Building program helped expand the population of Stanwood by 35 families in three years.

The new, single-family homes were completed by five building groups over a three-year period.

More information about Housing Hope is at www.housinghope.org.

Club members made more than 50 cards that will be sent to recovering veterans.

Camp Fire USA kids from Snohomish County made close to 900 valentines this year for veterans.