Applause

More than 247 Lynnwood Police DARE students and their parents helped clean up Lynndale Park in support of Earth Day.

Armed with rubber gloves and plastic bags, the students cleared out beer cans, liquor bottles, cigarette butts and car parts in the park.

Lynnwood Police DARE officer Al Correa and the students collaborated with Starbucks and its Make a Mark program on this event.

Mill Creek Senior Center gathers a crowd

The Mill Creek Senior Center recently held its Social Resource Fair, attracting more than 70 seniors who were introduced to the activities and programs offered by the Mill Creek Senior Center.

Those attending the event also received an update on the status of the plans of the potential new senior center.

For more information about the Mill Creek Senior Center, call 425-357-6002 or e-mail millcreek@seniorservices.org.

Club celebrates 50th anniversary

The Happy Hoppers Square dance club recently celebrated its 50th anniversary by hosting a special square dancing event.

More than 120 people from 15 different dancing clubs participated the event.

The nonprofit club was formed in 1957 with only 20 members. Fifty years later, the members have grown to 102.

The club meets at 7:30 p.m. every first and third Saturday of each month at the Stillaguamish Senior Center, 18303 Smoky Point Blvd., Arlington. For more information, call 360-568-1176.

Kamiak student works in state Senate

Juleigh Duke recently served as a legislative page in Olympia under the sponsorship of Sen. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds.

Juleigh Duke, 15, daughter of Linda Forst-Duke, is a freshman at Kamiak High School. She enjoys skiing, swimming, cheerleading and playing the French horn.

“Seeing the interconnectedness between society and government,” Juleigh said was the most important aspect of the page program.

Volunteers pull up lots of weeds in Snohomish park

The Snohomish Adopt-a-Park program’s first “Dandelion Pull” attracted 26 volunteers who braved the rain at Claytown Park in Snohomish on April 14 to remove dandelions from the park’s flower beds and lawn.

Volunteers filled about 10 large bags with the weeds.

Those helping included Jin Kim and his church group, Ashleen Williams, Mikayla Daggett, Alexander Brown, Nicholas Storms, Rene and Christina Deierling, Tom Hamilton, Steve Ooton and Jeanne Leader.

Lynnwood student honored for choices

Lynnwood Police Officer Alan Correa recently honored Meadowdale Elementary fifth-grader Makaela Quisenberry, who has been chosen as the Lynnwood Police Department’s DARE Decision-maker of the Month.

Quisenberry was selected from over 300 DARE students in Lynnwood schools to be honored for her good choices.

“The most important thing to me is to teach these kids to respect themselves and others,” Correa said. “So we spend a lot of time talking about treating others the way you want to be treated.”

Everett Elks Lodge installs new officers

Everett Elks Lodge 479 recently installed new officers for the 2007-08 year.

Leading the Elks will be exalted ruler Linda Averill. Other officers include Myrtle Davis, loyal knight; Gorm Lauritzen, lecturing knight; Ann Hall, secretary; William Kummerle, treasurer; Fred Hipskind, tiler, David Burgen, chaplain; Gary Wing, inner guard and Dennis Anderson, five-year trustee.

Victim advocate earned national volunteer award

A victim advocate with an Everett-based agency, Families and Friends of Violent Crime Victims, has been given a national volunteer award for his work with victims.

Jim Huffman, who works out of East Wenatchee, was presented the award by the U.S. Department of Justice. Huffman, whose wife and daughter were murdered, has worked tirelessly to improve services for crime victims, said Jenny Wieland, executive director of the nonprofit group.

He started support groups for victims and their families and created a comprehensive guide to help victims write statements used when perpetrators are sentenced in court.

Huffman was given the award in Washington, D.C. at a ceremony to recognize National Crime Victims’ Right Week.

Families and Friends of Violent Crime Victims is the lead agency for Snohomish and Island Counties Crime Victim Assistance Center and provides various services to those affected by violence, including a 24-hour crisis line.

Dairy Ambassadors to represent the county

Three students have been chosen as this year’s Snohomish County Dairy Ambassador. They will represent the county’s dairy industry next year.

Adrienne Schoenbachler, junior at Seton Home Study School, was crowned at the 52nd annual coronation banquet. She is the daughter of Tami and Fred Schoenbachler of Stanwood.

Hannah Donaldson and Liz Soler were chosen as alternate ambassadors. Donaldson, a junior at Sultan High School, is the daughter of Charles and Betty Donaldson of Sultan. Soler, a junior at Arlington High School, is the daughter of Bev and Fred Soler of Arlington.

Providence recognizes top volunteers

Providence Everett Medical Center has awarded 38 volunteers with the President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national honor offered in recognition of volunteer service.

Providence Everett Medical Center has more than 600 volunteers who perform community service each year on behalf of the organization, said Susie Pool Moses, manager of volunteer services and community support for Providence Everett Medical Center.

The following volunteers contributed more than 4,000 hours of service to Providence Everett Medical Center.

Honored volunteers were Fran Anderson, Jo Barmeier, Margaret Blacker, Emile Bolduc, Betty Broberg, Eileen Dehnhoff, Daryl Erickson, Debbie Finch, Cindy Handy, June Hansen, Elsie Hanson, Jean Hardy, Joseph Johnson, Diane Kieland, Shirley Leavitt, Jackie Lee, Linda Legg, Loris Ludington, Sandie McGee, Traude McMullen, Ernestine Mitchell, Laura Mower, Katherine Muller, Robert Neumann, Marriam Oliver, Linda Padgett, Mary Pinette, Kathie Pratt, Ruth Smiley, Rosemary Smith, Beverly Smith, Barbara Stave, Platt Tredwell, Stephanie Veenstra, Mary Westley, Earl Whitt, Kathy Wilson and Jo Anna Wolfe.

The award was established in 2003 and is issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, a group created by President Bush to recognize the valuable contributions of volunteers.

For more information about volunteering for Providence Everett Medical Center, contact Volunteer Services at 425-261-4580 or 425-258-7301 or go to www.providence.org/everett .

Food drive benefits 17,500 households

The recent Snohomish County food drive, led by the County Executive Aaron Reardon and county employees, collected about $26,000 and nearly 2,900 pounds of food in an annual effort to fight hunger.

The program, “March Against Hunger,” raised enough food and money that will provide emergency meals to more than 17,500 households. The donations will go to the Volunteers of America and will be distributed to food banks and feeding programs throughout the county.

Student’s senior project benefits Red Cross

Michael Wittenbrink, 17, a student at Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood, wanted his required senior project to be a challenge and something that would help others.

His challenge was to get his mother, Laurie Miller, to agree to let him make an appearance during one of her musical gigs with her band, “Laurie Miller and Kilo.”

Having family in the south during Hurricane Katrina, Michael was aware of the work of the American Red Cross did in helping victims of that devastating storm. He decided his senior project would include a financial gift to the Red Cross.

On March 18, Michael, who plays violin, was granted his wish when he accompanied his mother in entertaining an audience. Following the performance, Michael made his pitch for donations to the Red Cross.

Michael recently presented a donation of $177 to Chuck Morrison, executive director of the Snohomish County Chapter of the American Red Cross. The money will be used to assist disaster victims in Snohomish County.