Staff, board and ambassadors at the Ferndale Spring Run Off. Photo courtesy: Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.
If building community and supporting local business were a competition, the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors would be winning. A program that is essentially designed to promote the chamber’s services and programs, this enthusiastic group has become a vital part of the city of Ferndale itself.
Alivia Jelinski (right) with her 2016 Ambassador of the year award. Photo courtesy: Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.
“Ambassadors serve the chamber but I would also consider them goodwill ambassadors for our community as a whole,” says Kelsey Rowlson, Director of Membership for the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce. “They want to make this area the best that it can be and they believe that being a part of the chamber will allow them to have an effect in making this happen.”
Recently elected Ambassadors Alivia Jelinski (Front Desk Manager at Home2 Suites by Hilton) and Alyssa Springs (owner of Flow Motion wellness sanctuary) both believe that there’s one important step in being a part of the program. And it’s pretty simple – just get involved!
“Get out there and meet people,” Springs says. “You can get involved as much or as little as you want. Of course, the more you put in the more you get back out of it.”
“What you get out of being involved in the program is 100 percent related to what you put in,” Jelinski says.
Alyssa Springs (right) with her 2015 Ambassador of the year award. Photo courtesy: Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.
And the Ambassadors certainly do put quite a lot into their time served. “I participated in almost all of the monthly or frequent programs, such as Member of the Month deliveries, Networking Lunches, Leading Ladies, Ribbon Cuttings, Power Hours and Business Unplugged, Board Meetings and New Member Orientations,” Jelinski says. “I also took part in some of the special events like the Chelsey Ebert Auction and Golf Tournament, Ferndale Street Festival, Spring Run Off, Community Christmas Tree Lighting, Haunt the Park, Pumpkin People judging and the Chamber Awards Dinner and I had a fantastic time!”
“We truly would not be able to pull off these events without their assistance,” says Rowlson.
Along with the fabulous parties and special events, there’s the aspect of encouraging new members and spreading support throughout the community, which really strikes a chord with Springs. “It’s all about hospitality and celebrating each other’s successes,” she says. “I really like that part – making people feel welcome and growing the community – that’s what I’m all about.”
Staff, board and ambassadors at the Ferndale Spring Run Off. Photo courtesy: Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.
Young entrepreneurs can take advantage of resources like the bi-monthly educational Power Hour sessions that cover timely topics all businesses can appreciate. For example, this past June CJ Seitz, Director of the Small Business Development Center, spoke about the SBDC’s many services in advising and training.
“But it’s not just all business,” says Springs. “The chamber does a lot to beautify the community and family-oriented activities. It’s kind of like creating a bridge between the community and the businesses, and vice versa. The more the businesses give back and invest in their community, the more the community will want to do business locally.”
By taking care of and supporting each other, these dynamic go-getters are able to grow individual careers while also growing the community, bringing the positivity full circle.
Supporting local producers benefits the local community in many ways. Photo courtesy: Community Food Co-op.
Since they opened their doors in 1970, Community Food Co-op has been committed to fostering cooperation, mutual respect, good food and a business based on people, not profit. Over the years their passion for offering natural, wholesome foods to our community has deepened to a desire to offer local products and support local growers and suppliers.
Community Food Co-op supports farmers in Whatcom County. Photo courtesy: Community Food Co-op.
“So many people define local in so many different ways,” shared Community Food Co-op’s Outreach Manager, Adrienne Renz. “We define local as a place a farmer could easily commute to and back from in the same day.” This area includes Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, San Juan and Island Counties.
Sustainable Connections’ Eat Local First for Business encourages businesses to source their ingredients locally, with a goal of making sure at least 10 percent of the food we eat is grown here. Nearly 12 percent of Community Food Co-op’s products are local and 13.5 percent of their products are grown or made in Washington. In fact, Community Food Co-op supports the Washington State economy by spending nearly $3,000,000 annually on products made or grown here.
In addition to offering locally and regionally grown products to their customers, Community Food Co-op is working to help develop and strengthen local farms to increase their capability to feed our community – and beyond.
Developing Local Growers
Supporting local producers benefits the local community in many ways. Photo courtesy: Community Food Co-op.
Community Food Co-op is committed to being a cornerstone of the local food economy, ensuring that our community and region is capable of feeding itself. Collaborating in local food system development is one of Community Food Co-op’s six core goals in their 10-year strategic plan. To meet this goal they:
Commit energy and resources to developing a vibrant, economically viable business network that grows, processes, manufactures and distributes food in our region.
Invest capital in local and regional natural-food enterprise.
Foster the development of local, regional, fair trade, organic and cooperatively owned businesses.
The Farm Fund
The Farm Fund is a powerful way to meet the needs of beginning and small farm businesses. Photo courtesy: Community Food Co-op.
The Farm Fund, run by a Community Food Co-op staff member and a volunteer committee of member-owners connected to the farming community, is a unique and powerful way to meet the needs of beginning and small farm businesses as our community works toward developing strong, local food systems.
Farmers generally begin by bringing their goods to a farmers market or offering a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share. The next step is often approaching their local co-op as farmers look to grow and expand their reach. But moving into a wholesale market can be tricky business.
Whatcom County’s small farmers have reported two main barriers to competing in the wholesale market: Access to capital for equipment, land or infrastructure, and a need for resources to navigate the various processes and learning curves related to business growth and expansion into new markets.
Since its inception in 2000, The Farm Fund has helped small farms overcome such barriers by providing more than $245,000 to over 50 food and farming projects through grants, loans, scholarships and other emergency funds. And farmers can receive support navigating the challenges of running a business with important coaching from Sustainable Connections.
“We have a great opportunity in Whatcom County for local agriculture with our climate, so we want to make sure we maintain and sustain local growers,” shared Renz. “Beyond selling local agriculture in the stores, the Farm Fund is really how we drive supporting local agriculture in the community.”
Plus, according to Renz, the Farm Fund grants and loans can give farmers the much needed capital to test and try new things and share that knowledge with the farming community. “They’re encouraging farmers to be entrepreneurial and try new things without the high level of risk,” Renz said.
Eat Local Month
September is Eat Local Month. Photo courtesy: Sustainable Connections.
September is Eat Local Month and Community Food Co-op has partnered with Sustainable Connections on many activities connecting our community to our food.
Kick off Eat Local Month at the Farm Fund Hootenanny at Boundary Bay Brewery (1107 Railroad Avenue, Bellingham) on Sunday September 3. You can help strengthen local, sustainable agriculture and local food access at this Farm Fund fundraiser and all-around good time. The Hootenanny embodies the tradition of gathering together to celebrate a successful harvest season with live music, dance, camaraderie, local farmer awards, delicious food and a whole lot of fun!
The Hootenanny is also great place to get a schedule of all the Eat Local Month events such as Whatcom Food Fest, Whatcom Farm Tour, Market Week, Seafood Week and Restaurant Week.
Find loads of locally grown and produced products at either of the Community Food Co-op’s two grocery locations:
Community Food Co-op Downtown Store
1220 N. Forest Street
Bellingham
Community Food Co-op Cordata Store
315 Westerly Road
Bellingham
In such a picturesque place – with the mountains, the ocean, the forest, the lakes and rivers – it’s hard to not find a pretty view wherever you go. Just walking through downtown Bellingham can offer you a hidden waterfall. Or going through Ferndale can offer up unique swamp terrain. Still, there are some hikes that yield unforgettable, incomparable beauty. Here are the best hikes with a view in Whatcom County, organized from shortest to longest. Enjoy!
Marine Drive Park
This park is small and quiet, located along the railroad tracks. But it offers up a unique view of the city. You can see the islands, ocean, the arboretum and downtown, all covered in green trees. Hiking here is also fun. Walk along the beach as far as you wish making your way south toward Locust Beach or north towards Lummi Island. Enjoy the tropical foliage and sand beneath your toes.
Artist Point
Marine Drive Park’s sweeping panorama during sunset – on the left you can see Bellingham sprawling in the trees and on the right you can see the beach and islands. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.
While this viewpoint could take you over an hour to get to, it can be done while sitting in a vehicle and enjoying the passing views. Once you get to the top, you’ll be met with stunning mountain peaks, bright green meadows, blue mineral lakes and some of the best sights in the world. There are lots of short hikes in the surrounding area but even from the parking lot, you’ll be blown away. In the winter, bring along some snowshoes and turn this into an icy adventure.
Alabama Hill
One of the teaser views of the San Juan Islands you can find while hiking up Burnout. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.
Right in Bellingham, you can have a gorgeous view overlooking the ocean, islands and the rest of the city. Follow Railroad trail, accessed from either Bloedel Donovan or Memorial Parks. Then walk the 3.2 miles between the two. Before and after the Alabama Hill Overpass, you can enjoy marsh birds and other wildlife.
Galbraith Mountain
There are two great views you can get from this mountain. The first is a short hidden walk from Birch Street. The second is a longer hike up to tower trail. Both hikes offer up great views of Bellingham and the surrounding areas.
Raptor Ridge
From Burnout both the San Juan Islands and Mount Baker are visible. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.
This overlook has a fun hike up to the top, with the steep part right at the end. Once at the top, you break on to a rock face, looking out at the thousands of trees below you. You feel as though you are in the middle of a serene, isolated wilderness (even though you’re only a mile or two from your car). It is immensely satisfying to bring a book or some snacks and sit up there in the middle of all this nature. The height of the overlook allows you to see the valley below and further rising hills, making it a rare find as you can’t really see signs of civilization. This is one of the lesser-traveled hikes too, really emphasizing the nature around you.
Burnout
Probably one of the least-known of all these viewpoints, Burnout is a one and a half mile trek through a canopy of rainforest-like trees, with spots exposing the panoramic views of the San Juan Islands. When you reach the top, you’ll find a 360-degree field of vision, with Mount Baker and the surrounding peaks to one side, sweeping forests around that and the San Juan Islands on the other side. Taking photos here will never reveal just how spectacular the views are, and will frustrate you as you try to get both Mount Baker and the Ocean in one shot. This is one that you do not want to miss.
Stewart Mountain
Mount Baker can be seen from the High Divide Trail. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.
For sweeping views of Lake Whatcom, the ocean and the islands, this is one of the best viewpoints. You gain about 3,369 feet during this hike and continuously get breathtaking views of the lake – all teasing the unbeatable views from the top.
Oyster Dome
Oyster Dome is one of the most popular hikes for a reason. It has a scenic overlook of the ocean and islands on one side and a glimpse at the massive forests on the other. You can sit on the rock at the top and soak in sun rays, relaxing after the five-mile hike up, watching ships sailing between the islands or the bald eagles soaring above.
Excelsior Peak and the High Divide
A gorgeous setting for a hike, Excelsior Pass is a spectacular choice for anyone wanting an adventure. Try to spot my small tent in this photo with massive hills, mountains and trees. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.
Up on the Mount Baker Highway, before you reach Artist Point, you’ll find a small parking area and trailhead for Excelsior Pass. Though the hike can be a bit challenging, I was able to do it with a heavy backpack on my back (and I’m not the best hiker). When you break out of the shaded part of the hike, through the trees and into the world of sunshine, you’ll greet views that you’d expect from the French Alps – meadows, flowers, distant snow-capped peaks. Keep following the trail and you will keep being blown away. The colors at this high altitude seem to be brighter, and the air seems fresher; it’s surreal that we live a simple drive away from such beauty. Go in summer for the greenery and flowers or in fall for the orange and red of falling leaves. Either way, you’ll be so excited that you went.
So head outside and experience these amazing viewpoints for yourself. While you’re at it, take some time to go exploring. Just be sure to stop and enjoy the view.
Bellingham Film, an organization dedicated to strengthening the local filmmaking community, has launched a new half-year educational mentoring program, Script to Screen, as of August 1, 2017.
Participants will be mentored throughout the process. Photo courtesy: Bellingham Film.
Members of the Whatcom and Skagit filmmaking communities interested in learning more about filmmaking can apply to participate in the Script to Screen program. Projects created within the Script to Screen community will be considered for development, with one pitch being selected for production, fully-funded and shot on professional equipment.
This unique program allows aspiring filmmakers to collaborate with experienced mentors from origination to completion, learning a multitude of professional filmmaking skills. Bellingham Film’s carefully selected mentors will teach participants all aspects of filmmaking in a hands-on production environment. Experienced filmmakers who will act as mentors include Avielle Heath, Joshua Krenz, Caleb Young and Michael Petryni. Additional mentors will be added in later phases.
Script to Screen will occur in four overlapping phases from August 1, 2017 through the local film screening at Pickford Film Center in late spring 2018.
Phase One:Development – Where an Idea Becomes a Screenplay
Open Submission for pitch packages runs August 1 to September 10. Please visit our website (www.bellinghamfilm.com) for more information on submitting a project. Five submissions will be considered for outline development. On October 15, three outlines will be selected for Phase Two.
Phase Two: Pre-Production – Where Screenplays Become a Lot of Paperwork
Writers workshop and complete their scripts. Three producers are hired to begin early analysis of projects. One script will be selected for production on November 19. Producers select crew, a director is chosen, actors are cast. Rehearsals begin in January. The nuts and bolts of pre-production are completed.
Phase Three: Production—Where Paperwork Starts to Look Like a Movie
The film will be shot in Bellingham on four consecutive days in February 2018.
Editing, sound, music and other elements of post-production incorporating mentor feedback will be completed in time for a public screening in late spring 2018 at Pickford Film Center, followed by Q & A with participating filmmakers.
All skill levels and interests are welcome and encouraged to apply. Participants must have a willingness to collaborate, an open mind to learn, a commitment to participate until the end and make a small $10 donation to help fund the program. This project is sponsored in part by C. Young Creative. To become a sponsor or for more information, see www.thebfo.com/script-to-screen.html and join the Facebook group Bellingham Film’s Script to Screen. Questions may be directed to Joshua Krenz at joshua.krenz@gmail.com.
Every batch of Sirena gelato is made the old-fashioned way, hand scooped and hand decorated, one pan at a time. Photo credit: Campfire Photography.
After our dark, damp winters, Whatcom County residents flock outdoors once the sunbreaks turn to partly cloudy days – no matter how cold it is outside. But in a climate unaccustomed to air conditioning in every house, folks start to search for ways to cool back down as the weather starts to heat up. What better way to beat those hot and humid days than a delicious frozen treat?
Bubblegum and vanilla remain the two top favorites out of Edaleen’s 26 flavors of ice cream. Photo courtesy: Edaleen Dairy.
Check out the links to each spot below to find ice cream, frozen yogurt, popsicles, ice cream sandwiches and a whole host of other delicious ways to cool off just about anywhere in Whatcom County.
Mallard Ice Cream (Downtown Bellingham)
Mallard Ice Cream has been serving up unique and delicious ice cream in Downtown Bellingham since 1998. Their ice cream is made by hand in salt and ice churns five gallons at a time, tasting and adjusting at every step to get the best end product. Their wide variety of unique permanent and rotating flavors of ice cream and non-dairy sorbet will delight anyone’s palate.
Take your pick of over 20 flavors of ice cream at Edaleen Dairy. Photo courtesy: Edaleen Dairy.
Acme Ice Cream is made with lots of cream and has no added air. The resulting treat has a unique, thick and taffy-like texture. Plus they use only fresh, hormone-free, local milk from right here in Whatcom County. They make more than a dozen flavors including classic offerings such as Vanilla Bean or Butter Pecan, available all the time, and festive seasonal flavors like Blueberries ‘n Cream or Eggnog depending on the time of year.
You can find Acme Ice Cream at countless locations all across Whatcom County, but their flagship stores are the Acme Diner and Rocket Donuts & Acme Ice Cream in Fairhaven and Downtown Bellingham. Who says you don’t need ice cream with your donuts?
Edaleen Dairy (Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, Sumas)
Gelato ice cream sandwiches are an excellent hand-held treat just about any time of year. Pictured here: Pan dolce gelato sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies (they’re easier to eat once they’ve melted just a little). Photo credit: Campfire Photography.
If you’re anything like me, the telltale jingle of an ice cream truck is enough to make you drop everything you’re doing and run outside. Sugar Shack Ice Cream Truck has been bringing summertime joy to kids of all ages in Whatcom County since 2005. Classic offerings like ice cream sandwiches, popsicles and cones are the perfect cool treats for a hot day.
Sirena Gelato makes delicious, melt-in-your mouth gelato in the heart of downtown Bellingham. Sirena makes non-dairy, fresh fruit sorbets and dairy-based gelatos with exotic ingredients such as organic Turkish hazelnuts, premium black cocoa and Thai coconut milk. They also create affogatos (espresso poured over gelato – yum), gelato cookie sandwiches with festive rainbow sprinkles, milkshakes, custom cakes and gourmet made-from-scratch popsicles.
Lafeen’s Family Pride Donuts and Ice Cream
Every batch of Sirena gelato is made the old-fashioned way, hand scooped and hand decorated, one pan at a time. Photo credit: Campfire Photography.
This old school shop in Bellingham’s Silver Beach neighborhood is a donut go-to for many, but you can also find a rotating selection of tasty ice cream. Need a scoop of nostalgia? There’s a very good chance you’ll find bubblegum ice cream tucked in the freezer at Lafeen’s.
Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt
If you’re in the mood for a truly customizable cup or cone, stop by one of two Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt locations in Bellingham at Bakerview Road and Lakeway Center. Their wide selection of rotating frozen yogurts and dozens of topping options ranging from the fruity to the chocolatey means everyone can make a mix that will leave them smiling.
West Coast Pops (Mobile)
West Coast Pops offers gourmet, all natural popsicles handmade with fresh ingredients in Bellingham. With more than a dozen flavors ranging from classics like Orange cream to unique Watermelon Mint or Banana Pudding, you’re sure to find something to suit your taste buds.
There are so many options! I guess you’ll have to get started on taste testing … For science, of course.
Acclaimed chef Jenn Louis visits Village Books in Fairhaven Wednesday, Aug. 23 for two events in support of her new cookbook, The Book of Greens.
Jenn Louis will be sharing her new book, The Book of Greens. Photo courtesy: Village Books.
Louis will demonstrate recipes from the book at 4:00 p.m. at the Bellingham Farmers Wednesday Market on the Village Green directly behind Village Books. Then, at 7:00 p.m., the Portland-based chef will discuss her book at Village Books’ Readings Gallery. Both events are free and open to the public.
Louis’ encyclopedic reference to the world of greens has more than 175 creative recipes for every meal of the day. For any home cook who is stuck in a “three-green rut”—who wants to cook healthy, delicious, vegetable-focused meals, but is tired of predictable salads with kale, lettuce, cabbage, and the other usual suspects—The Book of Greens has the solution. Chef Louis has compiled more than 175 recipes for simple, show-stopping fare, from snacks to soups to mains (and even breakfast and dessert) that will inspire you to reach for new greens at the farmers’ market, or use your old standbys in totally fresh ways. Organized alphabetically by green, each entry features information on seasonality, nutrition, and prep and storage tips, along with recipes like Grilled Cabbage with Miso and Lime, Radish Greens and Mango Smoothie, and Pasta Dough with Tomato Leaves.
Jenn Louis is executive chef and owner of the celebrated Portland restaurant Lincoln. In 2012, her soulful, seasonally focused cooking earned her recognition as a Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine. She is a two-time semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northwest and she competed on season five of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters.
About the book: Can’t make it to the event? No problem! You can pre-pay and receive a signed, personalized copy of The Book of Greens. We ship!
About Village Books & Paper Dreams: Founded in 1980 by Chuck and Dee Robinson and as of 2017 under new ownership and stewardship of Paul Hanson, Kelly Evert and Sarah Hutton, Village Books and Paper Dreams is a community-based, independent bookstore and gift shop with two locations: the flagship store in the historic Fairhaven district of Bellingham, WA, and its second location in the historic Waples Mercantile Building in Lynden, WA. Village Books has received many awards, including multiple Mayor’s Arts Awards, the Tourism Business of the Year by the members of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and was recently named one of five finalists for the Publishers Weekly Bookstore of the Year. The store was also honored as the 2008 Outstanding Philanthropic Small Business in Washington state. Village Books’ mission is “building community, one book at a time,” which its dedicated staff does daily through a dedicated staff, by collaborating with numerous community organizations and through its Literature Live author event series, through which it hosts over 350 authors each year.
Hear Newberry Award winner and New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander read from his new Young Adult (YA) novel Solo at a 7:00 p.m., Monday, Aug. 21 Literature Live event at Village Books in Fairhaven. Adding to the fun, audience members will help Alexander celebrate his birthday, which is the same day.
Kwame Alexander will read from his new YA novel, Solo. Photo credit: Portia Wiggins Portraiture.
Solo, a YA novel written with Mary Rand Hess in poetic verse, tells the story of 17-year-old Blade Morrison, whose life is bombarded with scathing tabloids and a father struggling with just about every addiction under the sun – including a desperate desire to make a comeback. Haunted by memories of his mother and his family’s ruin, Blade’s only hope is in the forbidden love of his girlfriend. But when he discovers a deeply protected family secret, Blade sets out on a journey across the globe that will change everything he thought to be true. With his signature intricacy, intimacy and poetic style, Alexander explores what it means to finally come home.
About Village Books & Paper Dreams: Founded in 1980 by Chuck and Dee Robinson and as of 2017 under new ownership and stewardship of Paul Hanson, Kelly Evert and Sarah Hutton, Village Books and Paper Dreams is a community-based, independent bookstore and gift shop with two locations: the flagship store in the historic Fairhaven district of Bellingham and its second location in the historic Waples Mercantile Building in Lynden. Village Books has received many awards, including multiple Mayor’s Arts Awards, the Tourism Business of the Year by the members of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and was recently named one of five finalists for the Publishers Weekly Bookstore of the Year. The store was also honored as the 2008 Outstanding Philanthropic Small Business in Washington State. Village Books’ mission is, “building community, one book at a time,” which its dedicated staff does daily through a dedicated staff, by collaborating with numerous community organizations and through its Literature Live author event series, through which it hosts over 350 authors each year.
Museum Curator and Co-Founder Jonathan Winter does daily educational demonstrations, this one in the Static Electricity Lab. Photo courtesy: Spark Museum of Electrical Invention.
Since I was a small child, I’ve been fascinated by how—and why—our world works the way it does. That’s why my family and I love The Spark Museum of Electrical Invention, covering the dawn of the electrical age as early as the 1600s, through the Golden Age of radio in the 1920s, and up through the evolution of today’s modern technology. Their otherworldly MegaZapper Electrical shows each weekend are a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
But just as fascinating as their 39 separate exhibits is the story conveyed to me by founders Jonathon Winter and John Jenkins of how the museum came to be. Their story spans five decades and follows these two accidental heroes on a meandering journey. With help from a team of local businesses, friends and volunteers, these gentlemen made Spark their living legacy—preserving history and educating generations to come.
From Collections to a Museum
Spark Museum of Electrical Invention was founded by CEO John Jenkins (L) and Curator Jonathon Winter (R). Photo courtesy: Spark Museum of Electrical Invention.
Winter, now Spark’s Curator, first began collecting radios at a young age. By the time he and his wife moved to Bellingham from California almost 40 years ago, he had an extensive collection of radios made and used from about 1915 to 1926. The collection was too large for his home so Winter found the Marketplace Building in Fairhaven—now Sycamore Square. Instead of hiding his collection away, Winter opened the Bellingham Antique Radio Museum on his own dime. “I had a true desire to share this collection. It was really just a glorified storage unit,” recalls Winter.
After a year Winter had to move his collection. “I was lucky enough to know a guy, Bob Hall, who owns property in town. He had a very small, narrow spot on Railroad Avenue and I took it,” remembers Winter. “The internet was new then but people interested in antiques and radio found us and came from around the world to see the collection. It was floor to ceiling then. That’s when I met John Jenkins.”
Jenkins, now CEO of Spark, grew up on Lake Samish and later moved to the Seattle area to work for electronics giant Hewlett Packard (HP). He’d also been collecting antique radios since he was 13. “I stopped in to the museum way back in the 1970s,” recalls Jenkins. “Jonathon and I were both collectors so we hit it off and stayed in touch over the years. In 1986, I left HP for Microsoft.”
By the late 1990s, a group of Winter’s friends encouraged him to transition his museum to non-profit status. Many of those friends became the museum’s first Board of Directors. Although he’d previously been on the board of the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Jenkins declined at the time to join the board because he was traveling the world on behalf of Microsoft.
A New Home and Two New Names
Co-founder Jonathon Winter demonstrates and repairs pieces in the museum’s collection, including items that were once part of his personal collection. Photo courtesy: Spark Museum of Electrical Invention.
Around 2000 and 2001, the new board decided that the museum really needed more space to be effective. Jenkins retired from Microsoft, moved to Bellingham and joined the board but that was just the beginning. “I was pretty dismayed at the economic decline of Bellingham’s downtown. Like many towns of the time, the invention of the mall really had an impact,” remembers Jenkins. “It was really hard on me because as a kid, downtown was where we went to get back-to-school clothes and Christmas shopping. Going to town was a special thing. It made me sad to see what it had become. So I wanted to do something direct that would help.” Jenkins started attending the Downtown Bellingham Partnership meetings. There Jenkins met Alice Clark of the Pickford Theatre, then located only in the Limelight on Cornwall Avenue.
“I wanted to do something direct to help the downtown so I started looking for a building to buy. I’d rent half to the museum for some ridiculously low rent and rent the other half to the Pickford,” recalls Jenkins. He found his buildings on Bay Street. “I knew that the downtown would make a comeback as a cultural and residential center and I figured a quirky, cool museum might help that. But I didn’t know how to run a museum. I was just going along with the board and what the museum needed.”
Museum Curator and Co-Founder Jonathan Winter does daily educational demonstrations, this one in the Static Electricity Lab. Photo courtesy: Spark Museum of Electrical Invention.
At the time of the move, the museum wanted a broader impact, so they changed their name to the American Museum of Radio. By that time, Jenkins’ own private collection had grown to become one of the largest of 19th century electromagnetic apparatus in the world. His items primarily pre-dated radio, those connected to key milestones in the early discovery and investigation of electricity. “John and I became very good friends and we both believed that the best use of our collections were as educational tools,” remembers Winter. So Jenkins moved his collection into the new space and the museum became The American Museum of Radio and Electricity.
Jenkins’ collection includes one of the first 26 of Thomas Edison’s first successful electric lamps made in 1879 and a first edition book from 1560, one containing the earliest mentions of electricity and magnetism.
The museum chugged along for several years with help from a bequest from the estate of former board member Robert “Bob” Foote. Although it was still drawing visitors from out of town, it was losing money. The board knew it would need to make changes and develop a new fundraising plan that would keep the museum safe for future generations.
A Spark of Inspiration
Over 4000 children participate in Spark’s hands-on educational programs each year, learning science without even realizing it. Photo courtesy: Spark Museum of Electrical Invention.
Jenkins stepped in. “I started looking at the museum from a visitor’s eyes instead of a collector’s eyes and realized we needed to appeal to everyone, not just people who love antiques,” explains Jenkins. “We restored the building to its 1911 splendor and changed the name one more time to Spark Museum of Electrical Invention and got a new logo.” Jenkins also found a Tesla coil, in fact the largest west of Chicago, now part of Spark’s MegaZapper weekend shows. “I knew the Tesla coil would be the thing to draw people in and back again. How can you argue with 14-foot lightning bolts?”
According to Jenkins, the show is otherworldly. “It is sort of Franklin meets Frankenstein – science reality meets science fiction fun.” The centerpiece is the fantastic “Faraday Cage of Doom” designed and built by world-renowned sculptor Ric Allen. “It’s a huge draw. We went from 4,000 visitors in 2008 to 16,000 in 2009,” adds Jenkins.
A Lasting Legacy
A Van de Graaff Generator makes static electricity fun for everyone. Photo courtesy: Spark Museum of Electrical Invention.
Although the museum is run by a small staff, both Winter and Jenkins are still a regular presence. Winter comes by and volunteers at the museum almost daily, demonstrating and repairing the devices and contraptions, some of which were once part of his personal collection. Jenkins also brings in guest speakers including the infamous author and technology historian George Dyson. “I never planned to spend my retirement running a museum but here I am,” notes Jenkins. “I’s rewarding to see the thousands of kids that come out so pumped about what they’ve seen. It keeps me going.”
Since 2005, Spark has also operated KMRE 102.3 FM, a non-commercial, community-based low power radio station. Thanks to support from tireless volunteers, KMRE presents over 50 locally-produced radio programs ranging from gothic radio drama to live civics education to psychedelic music revival.
With the help of some dedicated staff, the Board of Directors and a host of volunteers, the museum is also making a regular economic and educational impact.
The museum now offers fantastic rare artifacts, hands-on exhibits and exciting demonstrations to more than 20,000 visitors each year including school groups and local lovers like me. More than 60 percent of visitors are tourists from around the world. “In 2016 visitors who came from more than 50 miles away primarily to see us, spent over $1.6 million in the local economy here,” notes Jenkins.
Whether you’re a collector of antiquities, a history buff, a fan of explosions and action, or a kid of any age, you’ll find something at Spark to engage your curiosity. But Spark is still working hard to ensure their future. They still need a greater percentage of their costs covered by grants and donations. Those donations will support the fascinating hands-on exhibits, rare historic pieces, dazzling shows and community radio. Winter and Jenkins’ living legacy is a true gem in the downtown Bellingham and Whatcom County community.
Spark is located at 1312 Bay Street and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the MegaZapper shows occurring at 2:30 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.
Dale Serbousek has found fun and adventure at the Chuckanut Sports Car Club. Photo courtesy: Dale Serbousek.
Dale Serbousek, local real estate broker with RE/MAX Whatcom County, Inc., describes a conversation he had a few months ago in which he discovered the local Chuckanut Sports Car Club. “I heard about it just having a conversation in town with someone new,” he says. “I always learn new things when I meet new people and I like cars so this opportunity seemed great for me.”
The Chuckanut Sports Car Club sponsors autocross, rally racing events and social drives throughout Western Washington. Photo courtesy: Dale Serbousek.
The Chuckanut Sports Car Club meets monthly throughout the year; while also sponsoring autocross, rally racing events and social drives throughout Western Washington. Serbousek explains with enthusiasm that autocross involves individual cars being timed as they drive through a temporary course of orange cones. The ever-changing course is set up in large parking lots and is usually less than a minute long. Winners are decided by a unique “handicap” timing system which is why all levels of driver experience and cars attend. Rally racing typically takes place on public streets and involves time, speed and distance variables to determine the winners. All speed limits are observed, and it’s not who finishes the course the fastest, it’s who arrives at various checkpoints on time, neither early nor late.
The Chuckanut Sports Car Club meets monthly throughout the year. Photo courtesy: Dale Serbousek.
Serbousek also attends various professional racetracks for “Track Days” where participants can race at high speeds, testing their cars’ limits. “It’s a great time to take my BMW M4 out and not get a ticket for going fast,” Serbousek says. “The idea is to get around and see other tracks in other communities and meet other people.”
Serbousek describes his involvement with the Chuckanut Sports Car Club as a really great opportunity to get to know other car enthusiasts in a social atmosphere. Being involved in various ways in the community has allowed him to get to know a larger number of people with different interests. “It has enriched my life,” he says. “I get to visit new places, meet other car enthusiasts and drive cars fast.”
To Serbousek, networking goes beyond the business meetings. It’s about getting to know new people, asking for help and learning new passions through the incredible diversity of interests within our community.
When engaging in outdoor recreation, participants should take care to respect Whatcom wildlife. Photo credit: Justin Pedigo | FC Photography.
August has arrived! This is, by far, my most favorite summer month. The sun is firmly in the sky, the days feel long and luxurious, and there are so many fun things to do! Check out these fun Whatcom County weekend events for Aug. 4-6, including our great local farmers’ markets. All of our great local produce is ripe and ready to enjoy! Don’t forget to check our full events calendar for all the great local happenings this weekend.
WhatcomTalk aims to be your source for positive information and events happening in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and throughout Whatcom County. If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@whatcomtalk.com. For more events and to learn what’s happening in Bellingham and the surrounding area, visit our events calendar. To submit an event of your own, visit our events calendar and click on the green “Post Your Event” button.
