honors

Red Cross Chapter named among top performers in U.S.

The Snohomish County Chapter of the American Red Cross has been ranked one of the best performing chapters in the country by the organization’s national headquarters, said Chuck Morrison, chapter executive director.

The recognition of Highly Performing Chapter was given to 39 of 720 Red Cross chapters nationwide this year.

Selection was based on disaster-response capability; management within budget; volunteer, employee and board capacity; building community partnerships; and community awareness of chapter services. Other criteria included challenges the chapter faced and its strategies for meeting them.

The Snohomish County chapter has been designated in the top echelon nationally for chapter performance in two of the last three years, spokesman Kris Krischano said.

Services provided by the chapter in 2008 included response to 92 house fires, 10,324 people trained in Red Cross health and safety courses, 581 military families assisted with 1,798 services, and 1,015 Snohomish County residents helped with payment of utility bills through Project Pride.

Mar Tobiason, board chairman, and Morrison also were recognized for their leadership roles during the evaluation period.

The chapter has 10 employees and more than 250 trained volunteers, and has a $1.4 million operating budget. It was chartered in Snohomish County in 1916.

Mill Creek notes top gardens in city

Each year members of Mill Creek’s Arts and Beautification Board tour the city and take note of the residents who have put in exceptional time and effort to beautify their properties.

The Great Garden Award program gives awards across the city to deserving gardeners.

Winners receive a keepsake and a yard sign placed in their yards for the month of August. The winners also will be recognized at the Sept. 8 Mill Creek City Council meeting.

The recent winners are Michael Bjorn, Howard and Vicki Wellman, Steven and Deborah Brandt, Terry Woods, Patrick Mulhall, Robert Vanleuven, Robert and Kathleen Williams, Timothy and Tracee Shelton, Aaron and Heather Jacobo, James and Wendy Hardt, David Chaddock and Sun Cha Pak and Gregory and Jill Thomas.

Community work

Lake Stevens groups to celebrate Tales and Trails Saturday

Volunteers with the United Way of Snohomish County, Academic Beginnings for Children, Lake Stevens Education Foundation, Friends of Lake Stevens Library, Rotary Club of Lake Stevens and Granite Falls, Lakes Stevens Lions Club, Lakes Stevens Kiwanis Club, the city of Lake Stevens and Sno-Isle Libraries have established a Born Learning Trail in Lundeen Park.

Learning happens everywhere a child goes, but parents may not always know how to support that learning, United Way spokeswoman Deborah Squires said.

Now, when parents take a young child to Lundeen Park, they’ll be able to play fun games together that also provide strong early learning experiences for school readiness.

The trail is designed to help parents, grandparents and caregivers turn excursions to the park into fun learning moments for children up to age 5.

The new Born Learning Trail opens with a Tales and Trails party at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the park, 10020 Lundeen Parkway.

Food, music, puppetry and juggling are planned. Family entertainer Linda Severt performs at 10:45 a.m., followed by guided tours of the trail, prize drawings and free books for children to take home.

It’s good fun and good learning, say the community sponsors behind Imagination Library and the new Born Learning Trail.

“In Washington state, 56 percent of children enter kindergarten not ready to learn, according to teachers,” Katrina Ondracek, director of public policy and community initiatives for United Way of Snohomish County, said recently. “For low-income families, that jumps to 75 percent. Research tells us that what happens in a child’s early years is critically important for success in life and school.”

More than 750 children ages birth to 5 in the Lake Stevens area are also receiving a free book once a month, mailed directly to their home, as part of the Imagination Library program to promote literacy and family interaction. The Tales and Trails celebration marks the first anniversary of the program in Lake Stevens. New families will also be able to sign up for the free book program at the celebration.

For more information, call 360-568-8947, send an e-mail to Katrina.ondracek @uwsc.org or go to www.uwsc.org and click on “Born Learning Trail.”

Company gives to Sultan Food Bank

The Sultan Food Bank recently received a donation of $500 from Puget Sound Energy.

Donations such as this allow the food bank to meet the increasing monthly needs of the communities it serves in the Skykomish Valley from Sultan to Skykomish, food bank volunteer Kelly Clifton said.

Arlington Kids’ Kloset asks for school supplies

Arlington Kids’ Kloset has donation sites set up for its back-to-school drive at three locations in Smokey Point and downtown Arlington.

The nonprofit agency needs backpacks and supplies for children who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in the Arlington, Lakewood and Darrington school districts.

New backpacks and school supplies, or money to purchase these items, can be donated at Dr. Keith Leonard’s office, 17432 Smokey Point Blvd.; Julie’s Barber and Styling, 413 N. Olympic Ave.; and Frontier Bank, 525 N. Olympic Ave.

For more information or to volunteer, call 360-435-4875.

4-H Club prepares state fair entries

The Esprit de Corps 4-H Club is a strong supporter of local community service projects, club volunteer Hailey Fagerness said.

Projects completed this year have benefited the Canine Connections Program at Echo Glen, the Northwest Train and Model Railroad Show, the Everett Animal Shelter large-dog adoption event, collections for NOAH animal shelter, Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets, a Christmas adopt-a-family, Regency Care Center visits with pets and Operation PB&J for the Everett Men’s Shelter.

The club includes about 65 members who range in age from 6 to 18.

Meetings are held monthly at the Garden City Grange in Snohomish under the direction of 26-year volunteer leader Sharon Olsen.

The club initially began with six dog projects. Now it also include members with photography, calfs, poultry, horses, sewing, rocketry and leadership projects. All plan to show their work at the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe.

For more information about specific 4-H projects available in Snohomish County, go to www. snohomish.wsu.edu/4-H.