Applause
Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, April 3, 2007
The nonprofit Arts Council of Snohomish County has completed its 10th year serving as the regional affiliate representing the middle school and high school students in Snohomish County in the national Scholastic Art Awards juried competition.
Supported by their visual arts teachers, students created and submitted their best works in 19 art categories. The entries were evaluated locally and gold recipient artwork was looked at nationally by panels of jurors including artists, educators and arts professionals.
The 2007 Scholastic Art Awards national recipients from Snohomish County include Silver Award winner Jeffrey Anzures, 17, Cascade High School, Everett; Gold Award winner Erika Blankenship, 15, Marysville-Pilchuck High School; Gold Award winner Missy Brinks, 17, Stanwood High School; Silver Award winner April Cornelson, 13, Voyager Middle School, Everett; Silver Award winner Amanda Ong, 13, Harbour Pointe Middle School, Mukilteo.
On March 27, students and teachers at Twin City Elementary School in Stanwood spent the afternoon raising awareness about diabetes and gathering funds to fight the disease.
The students’ participation in the American Diabetes Association “Sound the Alert” walk is an annual event at the school. Snohomish County Sheriff Rick Bart, who has diabetes, was on hand for this year’s walk.
Last year, Twin City students collected $3,000 for diabetes research. Their goal this year is to raise $5,000.
Twin City Elementary School’s Walk for Diabetes was started by Steve and Marilyn Youngren the year after their youngest son, Cade, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
This year’s event, with the theme “I Will Walk a Mile for You,” was spearheaded by PTA President Sheri Sandquist. Local firefighters sounded sirens at the start of the walk, during which students carried signs with messages about diabetes prevention and fitness.
Everett Elks Lodge 479 has announced local winners of the Elks essay contest, “Why I’m Proud to Be an American.”
Many of the Snohomish County students who participated in the contest also competed on the state level, and one winner now moves to the national level.
Kendyll Holguin’s essay took a first place at the state level and now advances to national competition. Kendyll earned a $500 savings bond for her win at state.
Tyler Hagglund and Aseel Alsamarrie placed third at state, and both earned $200 savings bonds.
Sarah Rood placed first at the lodge level, Hannah Baird placed second at the lodge and Riker Hale was took a third place at the lodge. The Elks lodge gave its local winners dictionaries, mall gift certificates, calendars and flags for their classrooms.
Seven stories of compassion and service will be highlighted at the Snohomish County Chapter of the American Red Cross’ inaugural Humanitarian Awards Breakfast on May 8 at the Lynnwood Convention Center.
The humanitarian honorees were selected from nominations submitted by individuals and organizations throughout the county.
“We want to recognize people and organizations in our community who exemplify a spirit of caring and compassion for others in the tradition of the Red Cross’ humanitarian service,” said Chuck Morrison, the chapter’s executive director.
Award recipients will be:
Humanitarian of the Year: Mary Miller of Families and Friends of Violent Crime Victims, Everett. Miller has spent 35 years supporting and advocating for victims of violent crime and their loved ones as a homicide support group facilitator, victim advocate and activist.
Service to Snohomish County: Peggy Kennedy, Edmonds, helped start the Edmonds Food Bank more than 30 years ago. She has directed the food bank’s operation for the past 20 years. The Edmonds Food Bank serves about 300 families weekly.
Family of Humanitarians: Robert, Kathleen and Grace Lefcourt of Everett have statewide and national leadership roles with March of Dimes. They work to improve connections with and involvement of families that have been affected by premature birth experiences.
Student Humanitarian: Ian Houts, Everett, an Archbishop Murphy High School senior, has done community service as a Boy Scout, summer volunteer at Camp Prov for children with special health issues and coordinated a children’s Christmas gift program at Naval Station Everett.
Workplace Service Humanitarian: The Herald of Everett, matching gifts for employee donations, extensive in-kind donations of advertising space to nonprofit organizations and volunteer services of employees.
Service to World Community: Donald Anderson, Marysville, for his transport of medical personnel into remote areas of Mexico and Africa to assist people otherwise unable to receive medical treatment, as well as his ongoing efforts to secure funding for equipment, materials and training for the drilling of potable water wells in Third World countries.
American Red Cross Humanitarian: Awarded posthumously to Beatrice “Bea” Mansker for more than 24 years of volunteer work as a Red Cross instructor, HIV-AIDS program development, Armed Forces Emergency Services caseworker and caseworker and chairwoman of volunteers for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.
For more information about this event, call Kay Ashenfelter at 425-740-2324.
Tami Wagoner of Everett, state president of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary and a member of the Walter Deebach Auxiliary 1040, was honored recently at the organization’s national conference. She is one of 46 state presidents to reach membership goals.
For more information about the VFW Auxiliaries community service activities, scholarships and membership, go to www.ladiesauxvfw.org.
Snohomish County Fire District 1 Battalion Chief Bud NcCorchuk, who began his firefighting career as a volunteer, was honored recently for his 30 years of service. He retired in January.
In their commendation of NcCorchuk, the district’s board members cited his “dedication to professionalism that allowed him to serve as a role model and mentor to many young firefighters during his career.”
The board also recognized his compassionate commitment off-duty as a volunteer for Support 7, an agency that provides on-scene assistance and support for fire victims as well as firefighters.
NcCorchuk started his career at Fire District 1 as a volunteer in 1974, and was hired full-time in 1976. Three years later, he was promoted to captain. NcCorchuk also served as coordinator of the district’s technical rescue team. He worked primarily at the Lake Serene and Hilltop fire stations until he was promoted to battalion chief in 1998.
NcCorchuk was honored for outstanding performance throughout his career. He was named career firefighter of the year for 1980-81 and employee of the year for 1987. He received the Commissioners’ Award in 1993 and the Steven J. Mace Award for career achievement in 2002.
The Bandidos motorcycle club recently participated in the first of what is hoped to be an annual Sock and Underwear Run.
Motorcycle riders gathered in Everett in early March to make the run. Taverns and stores throughout Snohomish County participated in the event, and the motorcycle riders filled 10 large bags with garments for men, women and children who are under the care of the Everett Gospel Mission.
Other clubs participating in the charity event included the King’s Riders chapter of the Christian Motorcylists Association, the Amigos, Destralos, Gurreros and the Band of Brothers.
Tucker Cholvin, Brandon Lorenz, Danee Moesch, Dawn McKenrick and Paige McKenrick, students in the Northshore and Edmonds school districts, recently spent the day in Olympia testifying before members of the state Senate Education Committee.
The students met earlier in the day with Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, who is their sponsor on the 1st Legislative District’s Youth Advisory Council.
The students spoke in support of the establishment of youth advisory councils in each of the state’s nine educational service districts.
Rain stayed away long enough on March 24 to allow 37 volunteers to plant 200 native plants, trees and shrubs along the Riverfront Trail and at Cady Park in Snohomish. The volunteers are part of the Snohomish Adopt-A-Park program.
The volunteers included Snohomish Cub Scout Pack 75 and Girl Scout Troop 2596, whose members also spent the day pulling weeds.
The next Adopt-A-Park work party is set for 10 a.m. to noon April 14 at Claytown Park, 1329 Ave. I, Snohomish. The emphasis will be dandelion removal. Those who plan to participate are asked to bring tools and gloves.
Scott Leger recently was named the grand prize winner of the 2006 International Songwriting Competition.
Leger, a 1982 graduate of Marysville-Pilchuck High School and the son of Ken and Judy Leger of Stanwood, is a singer and songwriter now living in Austin, Texas.
His award-winning song, “Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow,” was written following a friend’s cancer diagnosis.
Leger is lead singer of Wideawake, a band that has shared the stage with the likes of Sheryl Crow, Third Eye Blind, Tears for Fears and Switchfoot.
The contest judges included Tom Waits, Brian Wilson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Amy Ray, Robert Smith, Macy Gray, Darryl McDaniels, Mark Chesnutt and Roseanne Cash.
