Mukilteo couple honored at United Way breakfast

Published 1:30 am Friday, September 9, 2016

TULALIP — Helen Kendall and William Sanford, a Mukilteo couple devoted to community service and giving, were honored Thursday with a lifetime achievement award at the United Way Spirit of Snohomish County Breakfast.

They received the Reeves/Sievers Founders’ Award, named for J.A. Reeves and Roy Sievers. In 1941, Reeves and Sievers were leaders in the formation of the Everett Community Chest, which became United Way of Snohomish County. Several other honorees were recognized during the breakfast at Tulalip Resort Casino.

The Boeing Co., which marked its first century this summer, received a special 100th Anniversary Recognition Award. Since 2000, Boeing and the Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound have donated more than $50 million to the local United Way. Sam Whiting, Boeing’s director of global corporate citizenship, accepted the award.

United Way of Snohomish County’s Reeves/Sievers Award recognizes a lifetime of community service and the spirit of philanthropy. Dennis Smith, the agency’s president and CEO, described Kendall and Sanford as “the perfect couple” to receive the award.

As major financial supporters of United Way, Kendall and Sanford are members of the local agency’s Tocqueville Society. Members contribute at least $10,000 per year to United Way of Snohomish County. Kendall and Sanford have traveled the world to attend international Tocqueville events.

Sanford is retired from the Boeing Co., where he was a senior research scientist and systems engineer for 11 years. Awarded multiple patents, he was previously on the Oklahoma State University faculty. An advocate for diversity and inclusion, as a Boeing employee he was part of a diversity council.

Kendall has been involved with Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County, YMCA of Snohomish County’s Mukilteo branch, the Children’s Village Foundation, and the Zonta Club of Everett. In 2007, as a past president of Zonta, Kendall received the club’s Founder’s Day Award.

As a volunteer, she was instrumental in creating United Way’s Women Leading the Way leadership group, and in focusing on early learning. “Our primary focus is helping children,” Sanford said in a video shown at the breakfast.

Two other awards were given Thursday:

Change Maker Award: Trade UP, a collaboration between the Snohomish County Labor Council, Workforce Snohomish and United Way, was honored with the Change Maker Award. The award recognizes a person, project or organization displaying passion, creativity and success in working to break the cycle of poverty.

More than 100 local students have participated in Trade UP, along with unions, companies and organizations. The program offers apprenticeship opportunities and hands-on experience in trades. Students who are part of Trade UP have chances to operate equipment, talk with workers, and learn about careers and wages. The award was presented to Stanwood Mayor Leonard Kelley by Grace Holland, of the International Association of Machinists &Aerospace Workers, District 751.

Roger Bouck Award for Volunteerism in Action: Lynn Nixon, honored with the Roger Bouck Award for Volunteerism in Action, has a 36-year history of involvement with United Way. She has been a United Way board member, served on the agency’s Community Matters Vision Council, and has been on the funding and strategic planning committees.

Nixon has also been involved with the Future of Flight Foundation, Cocoon House, the Hewlett-Packard National Contribution Board, Snohomish County Healthy Communities, the Snohomish County Executive Citizen’s Cabinet, and former Gov. Gary Locke’s Digital Education Task Force. She has worked as a science teacher, and for the Hewlett-Packard Co., Agilent Technologies, and the Agilent Technologies Foundation.

Maria Pena, chief diversity officer at Everett Community College, spoke at the event about United Way’s free tax preparation help. She asked guests to make donations, via text message, to support the program. During the breakfast, more than $6,000 was raised for that effort.

The event’s keynote speaker was Dena Simmons, director of implementation at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. In line with United Way’s goal of breaking the cycle of poverty, Simmons described growing up poor in a Bronx apartment. Through her mother’s sacrifices and the help of other caring adults, she went to boarding school and later to college, and became a teacher.

“I had access to quality education by leaving home. Why did I have to leave my home?” Simmons said.

Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com.