The Leader in Training Program is a great opportunity for youth volunteers, ages 13-18, to explore career options, build leadership skills and participate in service-learning activities. The program will start on July 5, 2017, and run until August 28. LIT program shifts are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There are a total of eight positions available from both the Ferndale and Bellingham Clubhouses, as well as four positions available at the Blaine Clubhouse. Costs for the program include a $30 membership fee for 2017-18 club membership and a $150 program fee, which is due 5:00 p.m. June 23. Financial assistance packets are available at the Clubhouses or at www.whatcomclubs.org.
If your child is interested in a summer of learning and fun, turn in your application today! All applications are due on Friday, May 19, 2017 for the Leader in Training program with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County.
Celebrating 70 years of non-profit service to the youth in our community, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County provides athletic and after-school programs for over 6,000 youth across the county. Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County provides a foundation for Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship and Healthy Lifestyles for youth and teens in grades 1-12.
Instructors at Bellingham Jazzercise will give students a great workout while focusing on the many other benefits of physical activity. Photo credit: Linda Atkins.
When you think of Jazzercise you probably envision women in leg warmers and leotards bouncing to the beats of 80s pop music. But while the spandex and oversized shirts of yore may be back in style, Jazzercise has changed greatly.
“That is so long gone,” said Bellingham Jazzercise instructor, Meghann Mullen. Mullen started teaching Jazzercise when she was 21 and she’s just as excited about it nine years later. Jazzercise gave her an important physical outlet but it also gave her a supportive community. “I found a place where I belonged and where I fit in,” she shared. “It built so much confidence in me.”
Meghann Mullen has been a Jazzercise instructor for almost 10 years. Her focus is on helping people feel good in their own skin. Photo credit: Linda Atkins.
While cardio dance programs like Jazzercise are known for offering great workouts, instructors like Mullen focus on the benefits that keep students healthy in other ways. “There are mental, social and emotional aspects of it that are just as important as the physical ones,” shared Mullen. “If weight loss is a goal someone has, that will come. But when you can develop a good, healthy relationship with exercise, you’ll stick with it. When you have a community of people you exercise with, you’ll stick with it. My job is to help people see exercise as something they want to do not solely because they want to lose weight. I want to help people to treat themselves with kindness, compassion and respect.”
To do this, Mullen shifts the focus away from comparing bodies to one another. Instead of indulging negative self-talk, she encourages her students to find the ways they’ve grown more confident and comfortable in their own bodies. “I want people to appreciate the body that they’re in and not want to change it,” she said. “I want them to really feel good in their own skin. Women criticize their bodies so much but when I teach, I don’t talk about my body or talk about other people’s bodies. My priority in my classes is feeling good. I’m going to make sure they get a good workout but I want them to feel emotionally well about themselves.”
Bellingham Jazzercisers are part of a supportive community who have fun together while they exercise. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.
Bellingham Jazzercise is extending their commitment to building positive body image by participating in the Jazzercise GirlForce program. This program offers free classes through the end of 2017 for anyone between the ages of 16 and 21. And just like the studio itself, the GirlForce program is open to everyone regardless of gender.
“We’ve all experienced what it’s like to live with unrealistic beauty standards,” said Mullen. “Especially when you’re a teenager or in your early 20s, your self-esteem is so tied-up in your body image and how you view your own worth. I want to help young people build their body image and their self-esteem so they know that they’re more than how they look. They can be fit and they can be strong and powerful. Being fit doesn’t mean you have to look a certain way.”
Marisol, age 17, is a student at Sehome High School who is taking advantage of the GirlForce program. “Girl Force is just a great idea because you get a whole year trial to see if it really works for you,” she said. “I like that I’ve been able to handle more cardio based activities. I also play in my high school’s orchestra and upper-body strength is a huge must.”
Marisol has been able to get a physical education waiver by participating in Jazzercise and she has found the community at the downtown studio to be supportive and welcoming. “I like how open everybody is here,” she said. “Right off the bat, everyone is really friendly and is willing to talk to you.”
Instructors at Bellingham Jazzercise will give students a great workout while focusing on the many other benefits of physical activity. Photo credit: Linda Atkins.
Jazzercise may seem a little intimidating to some but Mullen wants people to know that it’s quite the opposite. “Almost everyone who comes in tells me they’re not coordinated but that’s almost never the case,” she explained.
There are a number of moves to learn but nobody catches on right away. That’s yet another beautiful aspect of Jazzercise – It doesn’t matter! You can have fun and get a good workout whether you’re moving in the right direction or not. And once you’ve done it a few times, it starts to become second nature.
“You’re learning a new language with your body,” said Mullen. “You just have to let yourself be comfortable with not being good at something right away.” Giving yourself grace and patience is a practice in self-love and the other students in class will be supportive and helpful while you learn the ropes.
Curious to try? Mullen recommends coming to Bellingham Jazzercise (1326 Commercial Street in downtown Bellingham) about 10 minutes before the start of any class. GirlForce participants under the age of 18 will need to be accompanied by a guardian to sign a waiver with them. There’s no special equipment required. Normal workout clothes, cross-trainer shoes and a willingness to try something new are all you’ll need to get down on the dancefloor.
The mission of Unity Care NW is to serve anyone and everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay. Photo courtesy: Unity Care NW.
Unity Care NW is on a mission. That mission is to serve anyone and everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay. For the last thirty years they have been striving to help our community bring health care to those who often have barriers to care, including transportation, language and homelessness. If you need care, they will help. Unity Care NW is a non-profit community health care center run by a patient-filled board of directors. No one is ever turned away because they cannot pay.
For the last thirty years Unity Care NW has been striving to bring health care to those who often have barriers to care. Photo courtesy: Unity Care NW.
“We believe in the benefits of prevention, early detection and treatment, health education and the value of helping our patients make informed health care decisions,” states the Unity Care NW website.
Unity Care NW not only strives to make care affordable, they also work holistically on your health care. They serve your dental needs, pharmaceutical needs, medical needs and mental or behavioral health needs. There are professionals on site who are nutritionists, communicable disease experts and mental health counselors. The multidisciplinary team works hard to provide the best care for all of your health care needs. For example, if you are depressed and diabetic, your doctor, psychologist and pharmacist will work together to ensure your physical and mental health are both being treated well with the medicine you are given. This also ensures that medicines won’t react poorly with each other. The integrated health care model ensures that everyone is fully taken care of.
Unity Care NW works holistically on your health care. Photo courtesy: Unity Care NW.
Unity Care NW has been in Whatcom County for three decades but they recently underwent a big name change, from Interfaith Community Health Center, and rebranding effort.
“Not many people knew about community health,” said Jennifer Moon, Unity Care NW Marketing and Public Relations. “We were originally founded by the Interfaith Coalition, the Opportunity Council and a group of community volunteers and medical providers. The goal was to provide access to health care during a recession. We’ve been separate organizations for many years though. We acknowledge and appreciate the grass roots organization that gave us our start but saw the need to bring clarity to our distinct organizations.”
Signs Plus assisted Unity Care NW in their rebranding efforts by creating beautiful and professional signage. Photo courtesy: Unity Care NW.
So in October of 2015, they changed their name from Interfaith Community Health Center to Unity Care NW, using the opportunity to reintroduce themselves to the community. They developed a new logo and corporate style with Big Fresh and worked with Signs Plus to create new signs.
“We are so happy with our signs,” Moon explained. “They look amazing and they did a really professional job. It’s helped us a lot to have these clear, big signs with our fresh name and logo, especially when we go into the community to educate on who we are and what we do.”
Unity Care NW has four sites, two in Bellingham, one in Ferndale and one in Point Roberts. The organization serves almost 1 out of 10 Whatcom County residents. That’s around 20,000 people.
Unity Care NW strives to make care affordable. Photo courtesy: Unity Care NW.
“The ACA [Affordable Care Act] has been hugely important to our work,” Moon said. “A little less than 20 percent of our patients were uninsured before and now it is about eight percent. We would cover the cost of their care but this expansion of insurance has meant that we save money and have been able to redirect the funds to expanding our services and really grow behavioral health, hiring mental health counselors and three psychiatric health professionals. We’re moving toward substance use counseling.”
The biggest change they’ve seen is how many people with chronic illnesses and long-time injuries have finally come in to receive care. “Now they can care for chronic healthcare needs they’ve been ignoring for years,” Moon explained. “Dental is big. We take Medicaid so uninsured or Medicaid patients can get the care they need. Still, the demand for dental services far exceeds our capacity, so we prioritize prevention and focus on families and children. For dental, it takes an average of six restorative visits to get a patient to the maintenance or hygiene level. That shows how much they’ve needed to come in.”
Unity Care NW is working to limit pain-killers and opioids, and offers alternatives like acupuncture or tai chi to its patients. They are also working with the Whatcom County Health Department on an educational campaign to prevent opioid abuse.
The mission of Unity Care NW is to serve anyone and everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay. Photo courtesy: Unity Care NW.
Unity Care NW is a nonprofit that relies on the support of the community, either through spreading the word or donations. “Our biggest financial need is in behavioral health and capital support for expansion,” Moon revealed.
The rebranding by Signs Plus has helped enormously with their name recognition and has helped engage more patients in for affordable, integrated health care. They look forward to constructing a new health center serving north Whatcom County. Located in Ferndale, the new center will provide care to 9,500 north Whatcom County patients. They’ll need help to bring forth their great plans to continue to serve current patients and expand to better serve our community.
If you want to help, go to unitycarenw.org to make a donation. The site also includes a list of services and information on discounts, fees and insurance rates. For questions call 360-676-6177.
Kara Marklin drinks her daily green vegetables. Photo credit: @Zoeellaa (Instagram).
Imagine indulging in gluten-free chocolate pancakes for breakfast. These pancakes are topped with coconut-cashew cream, raw honey and cinnamon. And here’s the clincher—indulging in raw and vegan juices, smoothies and entrees at the Electric Beet Juice Company contributes to a healthy lifestyle.
Remember the days when fast food meant greasy hamburgers and fries dripping with sugary ketchup? These days we have choices with more cafes and restaurants including fast, local, fresh and organic foods on their menus. And in the progressive city of Bellingham, raw and vegan foods are no longer well-kept secrets by people living on the fringes. The city also boasts its share of alternative healers, foodies and brave folks taking their health back one fresh meal at a time.
A health care professional, Kara Marklin touts the healthy lifestyle of juicing. Photo credit: Patricia Herlevi.
Health and Wellness Professional Kara Marklin launched the Electric Beet Juice Company in December of 2014. It recently moved from the now-closed Public Market to its current space at 1313 North State Street in Bellingham.
Kara Marklin touts Taco Party as her favorite entree at Electric Beet Juice Company. Photo credit: @Zoeellaa (Instagram).
When I met with Marklin, she touted Shambala Farm and Bakery, which is operated by another local female entrepreneur named Nancy Chase. Marklin turns to Chase for the gluten-free bread that appears on the Electric Beet menu. And speaking of gluten-free, Marklin mentioned that she uses separate cutting boards and toasters to prevent gluten from cross-contaminating with non-gluten food.
Prior to opening the juice bar, Marklin experimented with raw and vegan foods. She also carefully researched every ingredient that appears on her menu. Her entrée, Taco Party (mixed greens, walnut taco meat, fresh tomatoes, red onion, sprouts, carrots and cilantro), has us waxing nostalgic for taco salad.
Or try the Walnut Kale Caesar Salad topped with vegan Caesar salad dressing. And for anyone who wonders about the inclusion of beets, they appear in the Walnut Kale Caesar Salad, as well as in the juices, Electric Beet and Purple Rain (don’t let the cabbage and beets deter you).
Over the Moon contains anti-inflammatory herbs, fruits and vegetables. Photo credit: Patricia Herlevi.
I sampled a juice entitled, Over the Moon (orange, fresh turmeric, cilantro, pear and coconut water), which tastes oddly like a piña colada. The surge of energy I experienced gave me a much-needed boost at the end of a long day.
The origins of the juice bar began in 2014. “I did six months of research into all types of juice bars and decided on a 100 percent organic model that utilizes local food as much as possible,” says Marklin.
She also sources most of her produce locally. Only two fruits hail from the tropics, including coconut and bananas which Marklin sources from Hawaii. Marklin mentioned an annual favorite, a virgin cocktail which she says is a cross between gazpacho and a bloody Mary. Since she relies on local tomatoes for this sought-after drink, customers begin asking for it as early as June. (Local tomatoes don’t ripen until late July or August).
Front and center in the Public Market, this juice bar fuels active Bellinghamsters. Photo credit: Patricia Herlevi.
Other items on the upcoming summer menu include watermelon juice and hibiscus tea. The menus are seasonal and medicinal too. The juice bar offers an alternative cold and flu shot that includes ginger, lemon, raw honey and cayenne. Customers can load up on probiotics with the Olykraut Brine Shot and for those who choose to alkalize their body, a shot of wheatgrass does the trick.
A vegan winter broth with chickpea miso, ginger and a blend of 26 herbs offers a warm boost to get someone through a cold spell. And during the spring months, the juice bar offers juice fast packages.
Besides offering the healthiest cuisine in Bellingham, Marklin does not adhere to any single dietary preference. “Sometimes I am vegan and sometimes I’m not. My days of adopting strict diets are over. My only rule is to eat and drink lots of greens things every day,” says Marklin.
Kara Marklin drinks her daily green vegetables. Photo credit: @Zoeellaa (Instagram).
When asked about her food philosophy, she responds, “In a word – balance. Electric Beet aims to give you options that can help you achieve balance rather than proposing an ultra strict diet philosophy. If Chardonnay and truffle fries were part of my weekend I know on Monday morning I will be back in the juice bar to balance it all out.”
These large silos can hold a full truckload of any of the major ingredients. Photo courtesy: Scratch and Peck Feeds.
Located just down the road in Burlington, Scratch and Peck Feeds has found a new home to fit their growing business. This comes after a three-year search for the perfect facility that would meet the needs of the employees and their customers.
CHS Northwest carries Scratch and Peck Feeds products because of their loyal following and great product support. Photo credit: Jennifer Dodge.
“This is perfect for us,” says Bryon Meade, Scratch and Peck Feeds Owner and COO. “It has everything we need from a conference room and lunch room to clean spaces, high ceilings and loading docks … It’s a great environment for employees. The extra breathing room is good for space and added safety.” The expansion also brings them even closer to some of their farm suppliers.
With about 15,000 square feet in their previous Bellingham facility, Scratch and Peck Feeds has now more than doubled their size with the new facility’s 41,000 square feet. They have so much room, they are currently leasing out 10,000 square feet.
With an avid and loyal following of customers looking for high-quality feed, Scratch and Peck Feeds needed to grow and create new efficiencies in order to meet growing demands locally as well as online. “We have a really loyal following,” says Diane Kimker, Department Lead for the Whatcom Farmers Co-op (CHS Northwest) of Scratch and Peck Feeds’ products. “We can hardly keep the Cluckin’ Good Grubs in stock.”
Kimker goes on to explain an incredible benefit of the Scratch and Peck Feeds brand. Each year their staff comes in to share their wealth of knowledge at CHS Northwest’s Chick Days, educating customers on chickens and the products.
The wide open space allows room for driving the forklifts safely through the warehouse. Photo credit: Jennifer Dodge.
With the new amenities in the new facility, Scratch and Peck Feeds is looking forward to further serving the needs of Whatcom County. “We love Bellingham and Whatcom County,” says Meade. “Our family all lives here.”
Kelcie Faver, with Hohl Feed and Seed in downtown Bellingham, knows the value of high-quality feed for their customers. “What they are doing is amazing,” says Faver of Scratch and Peck Feeds’ products. “I love how much they have grown and are still the same small local company treating us like we’re all really special.”
Faver explains that they participated in the “Organic from Day One” promotion created by Scratch and Peck Feeds. The chicks in their store were fed Naturally Free Organic Starter feed from their first day, provided by Scratch and Peck Feeds. “They are doing really well,” says Faver. “It’s important for our customers to know where the food comes from and Scratch and Peck Feeds provides that.”
It is with that mindset that great effort was put into the development and choice for their new location. “We have to be flexible, modular and ready for change,” says Meade. “Formulas change, as so much can change in the business. We know we have to be ready for that.”
These large silos can hold a full truckload of any of the major ingredients. Photo credit: Jennifer Dodge.
Scratch and Peck Feeds’ new location touts several exterior silos that house the major ingredients for each of their feeds. Several smaller silos are located inside the facility for the more minor ingredients. Using American-made equipment, the new facility houses an elaborate, automated system that now provides efficiency, safety and metrics. “I feel like we’ve taken our business to the next level,” says Meade.
The exterior silos and loading docks provide an incredible time-saving component when it comes to receiving shipments of ingredients. “What used to take an hour to unload, now takes around 20 minutes,” explains Meade.
And, soon, they will add an automated bagging line that will replace one of the most back-breaking jobs in the warehouse, reducing injury and allowing for the employees to focus on other parts of the process as well as the growth of the business.
Hohl Feed and Seed made a commitment this year to start their chicks from the beginning on Non-GMO Certified and organic feed using Naturally Free Organic Starter feed from Scratch and Peck Feeds. Photo courtesy: Hohl Feed and Seed.
Beyond the added efficiencies of clean space and automation are the additional benefits felt and seen by the employees of Scratch and Peck Feeds. Meade describes with excitement that his vintage piano has found a home in the lunch room that has also become a home for a few guitars. With musicians on staff, the space has become a great place to catch a quick break, eat lunch and have fun with coworkers. And, being next to one of the county’s coffee roasters, Fidalgo Coffee Roasters, means fresh coffee all day long for the employees.
Of their new conference room, Meade says, “You never know what you missed until you have it.” The conference room has become a meaningful space to have meetings and connect with the different departments of the company. “We used to all try to cram into one person’s office,” he describes.
With camaraderie, teamwork and commitment, the knowledgeable staff at Scratch and Peck Feeds have embraced the new facility and strengthened their resolve to ensure the quality of their products. “It all just came together thanks to the team,” says Meade.
RE Sources for Sustainable Communities, Washington State Department of Ecology, and Port of Bellingham are hosting a free public tour of the Blaine Marina cleanup site from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24 that will highlight the ongoing cleanup actions and give the public a chance to ask questions about the site. Participants should meet at the Blaine Marine Park Playground, 298 Marine Drive, Blaine.
This is an aerial shot of Blaine Marina. Photo courtesy: Department of Ecology.
During the tour, Ecology staff will explain the current phase of the cleanup process at the site and Port of Bellingham staff will highlight the successful eelgrass restoration project that happened in conjunction with a past expansion at Blaine Harbor. For many projects, on-site mitigation helps achieve maximum ecological benefits for the site.
“The Port’s 14.2 acre eelgrass restoration project at the southern end of Drayton Harbor is a terrific success story,” said Port of Bellingham Environmental Director Brian Gouran. “Eelgrass provides valuable habitat for a wide variety marine species and is critical to the long-term success of ongoing endangered salmon recovery efforts.”
From 1955 to 2015, Blaine Marina provided fuel storage and sales for commercial fishing and recreation industries. Although fuel operations closed in 2015, infrastructure including tanks and piping remains. Environmental investigations from 1990-2007 documented diesel and oil releases exceeding standards of the Model Toxics Control Act, posing a threat to human health and environment. In 2012, Ecology required the Port to repair a failing section of bulkhead, conduct an environmental investigation, and prepare a draft cleanup plan for the site. For more information on the cleanup process, visit https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/gsp/Sitepage.aspx?csid=63.
Cris Matthews, Ecology’s site manager, will be at the tour to answer questions about the cleanup process. To study the extent of the contamination, soil and groundwater samples were recently collected near the fuel storage tanks. The preferred cleanup plan would excavate 3,000 cubic yards of contaminated material for treatment and disposal.
“This cleanup is exciting and somewhat unusual,” said Lee First, North Sound Baykeeper at RE Sources for Sustainable Communities. “For most sites around Bellingham Bay, cleanup has mostly entailed removing only the most contaminated material then capping the site. At Blaine Marina, the Port hopes to remove at least 70 percent of the contaminated material and treat the rest.”
Bobbi Gainer is the manager of the UPS Store at Sehome Village in Bellingham,. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
What do you do if you have a large, handmade, delicate heirloom that you need to get from Whatcom County to somewhere 3,000 miles and several mountain ranges across the US?
Bobbi Gainer is a friendly face at The UPS Store at Sehome Village. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
I’ll tell you what you do NOT need to do:
You do not need to make a dozen calls.
You do not need to scour the Internet.
You do not need worry…
Because you have Bobbi Gainer nearby. And Bobbi takes her job very seriously.
She has managed your local UPS Store at Sehome Village for nine years and has packed and shipped countless valuables thousands of miles in her tenure. She has shipped a grandfather clock; a century-old Singer treadle sewing machine; an intricate, three-story, Victorian-style dollhouse; and even a plasma extractor. All Bobbi needs is an address and she’ll “crate and freight” pretty much anything you’ve got.
I stopped by the bustling Sehome UPS Store one recent afternoon while running errands. There were several customers currently being helped as I walked through the door, yet I was immediately greeted by the friendly staff comprised of Pam, Maddie and Peggy.
The UPS Store at Sehome Village offers freight shipping, among many other services. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
These women lend the store a comfortable efficiency. I tell this to Bobbi once we are talking in her back-room shipping domain surrounded by boxes and bubble wrap. She explains that while the store falls under the corporate umbrella, this is a family-owned business. People drive clear across town to mail packages, make copies and use the printing and notary services. It’s plain to see that this store is run by people who love people and Bobbi confirms this. They are on a first-name basis with their regular customers and she says that she and her staff, “treat everything as if it was our own,” when packaging and shipping items.
“We do so many services here that people don’t realize we do freight,” Bobbi says. If something cannot fit through a normal, one-man door and/or weighs over 100 pounds it is considered freight and ships as such. There are many freight boxes waiting in the truck bay. Bobbi tells me one holds a living room chair. And there is a toddler bed propped against a wall. I think of all the things I’d like my mom to ship me from my childhood home in New York … my old cedar chest … this authentic German cuckoo clock … a hand-crafted pie safe …
Bobbi Gainer has the experience and the expertise to ship your package right. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
What if someone cannot get their item to the store? “We’ll pick it up!” Bobbi affirms. What about crates? “My husband builds custom crates for any item that requires it,” she adds.
And not only can she ship single items across the nation, she can ship an entire estate to several locations—and she has. “I just need to know who’s getting what and where it’s going,” she says confidently. As we talk, Bobbi swipes through photos on her phone, showing me numerous items she has shipped. She picks up a few printed photos that satisfied customers have sent her with thank-you notes. There is one of two raven-haired girls playing with that stunning Victorian dollhouse and one of a Tiffany-style lamp glowing on a side table.
Bobbi gets feedback because she cares, and her customers know this. She is not just shipping “stuff” for customers. In many cases, she is sending a person’s prized possessions for someone else to cherish. She wants to know that they arrive in pristine condition.
Mike Keenan, owner of the Chrysalis Inn & Spa believes in giving back to his community and is doing just that with his new initiative. Photo credit: Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa was proud to present their monthly spa donation in the amount of $2,000 to the Whatcom County Food Banks. The eleven food banks—Bellingham, Blaine, Nooksack, Foothills, Lummi Tribe, Salvation Army, Ferndale, Project Hope in Lynden, Point Roberts, Nooksack Tribe and Southside—will share the donation proportionately.
Bellingham Food Bank, a non-government organization, has served our community’s hungry families since 1972. They also support the other Whatcom County food banks with administrative assistance, purchasing and food storage. Over 165,000 clients received nutritious food in 2016, including 1.5 million pounds rescued from the landfill from our Grocery Rescue program. BFB not only benefits clients but the greater food and farming economy via purchase agreements with local growers and the Small Potatoes Gleaning Project that rescues even more farm fresh food from being plowed under. To learn more about the various programs of the food bank and how to get involved, visit bellinghamfoodbank.org.
The Chrysalis, a locally owned hotel, spa & restaurant on Fairhaven’s waterfront, recently announced that they will contribute one percent of revenue from the Spa to a Whatcom County non-profit each month. So far, Skookum Kids, Compass Health and the Food Banks have been the recipients of this giving program aimed at “trickling down” any corporate tax breaks to those in our community who need it most.
The Whatcom Women in Business are looking for nominations for the 2017 Professional Women of the Year award. We are looking for nominees that are accomplished, mentor others and donate their time and resources to the community. Nomination forms are online at the Whatcom Women in Business website. Nominations are due by July 14, 2017.
Whatcom Women in Business will announce the Professional Woman of the Year at our 35th annual banquet and scholarship fundraiser auction on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at the Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham. Tickets to the banquets will be available August 1, 2017 online.
Whatcom Women in Business is comprised of business owners and managers developing and maintaining proactive role models within the organization and the community at large. Through teaching, learning, leadership and peer support, we strive to exemplify and promote the four areas we honor – leadership, professionalism, mentoring and community.
For more information about Professional Woman of the Year and membership in Whatcom Women in Business, see www.wwib.org.
Lynda posed with Martin Luther King Junior’s daughter, Dr. Bernice King. Photo courtesy: Lynda Cheldelin Fell.
Submitted by: Lynda Cheldelin Fell
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a brain surgeon. But life has a way of throwing us curve balls that force us down a different path. Sometimes those paths are most welcome, like mothering four wonderful children. My least favorite path? Losing a child. That path is a long and torturous one.
Lynda Cheldelin Fell posing with her husband Jamie Fell. Photo courtesy: Lynda Cheldelin Fell.
My story began one night in 2007 when I had a vivid dream. My daughter Aly and I were passengers in a car that missed a curve in the road and sailed into a lake. The driver and I escaped the sinking car, but Aly did not. My beloved daughter was gone. The only evidence left behind was a book floating in the water where she disappeared.
Two years later, on August 5, 2009, that horrible nightmare became reality when Aly died in a car accident. Returning home from a swim meet, the car carrying Aly was T-boned by a father coming home from work. My beautiful fifteen-year-old daughter took the brunt of the impact and died instantly. She was the only fatality.
Life couldn’t get any worse, right? Wrong. My dear sweet hubby buried his grief in the sand. His blood pressure shot up, his cholesterol went off the chart and the perfect storm arrived on June 4, 2012. My husband suddenly began drooling and couldn’t speak. At age 46, my soulmate was having a major stroke.
My dear hubby lived but couldn’t speak, read or write, and his right side was paralyzed. He needed assistance just to sit up in bed. He needed full-time care. Still reeling from the loss of our daughter, I found myself again thrust into a fog of grief so thick, I couldn’t see through the storm. Adrenaline and autopilot resumed their familiar place at the helm.
Lynda is finding the sun by helping others. Photo courtesy: Lynda Cheldelin Fell.
But I needed reassurance that the sun was on the other side. As I fought my way through the storm, I discovered that helping others was a powerful way to heal my own heart. I began reaching out to individuals who were adrift and in need of a life raft. And a warm hug.
In 2013, I formed AlyBlue Media to house my mission. Comforting people who spoke my language and listening to their stories, my mission took on a life of its own and came in many forms: a radio show, film, webinars and writing. I also hosted a national convention to bring the brokenhearted together. I had many wonderful speakers but the one who excited me most was a woman who had faced seven losses in a few short years: Martin Luther King’s youngest daughter. I didn’t bring Dr. Bernice King to the convention to tell us about her famous father—we already knew that story. I wanted to know how she survived.
Over the course of that weekend, I was deeply moved by complete strangers swapping stories about hardship. Touched to the core, I set out to capture them into a book series aptly named Grief Diaries. Over a hundred people in six countries shared stories in the first eight titles published in December 2015. Now home to more than 600 writers spanning the globe, Grief Diaries has 23 titles in print. Another 10 titles are on their way and I’ve just launched our second series called Real Life Diaries.
Lynda posed with Martin Luther King Junior’s daughter, Dr. Bernice King. Photo courtesy: Lynda Cheldelin Fell.
Where am I today? Once a bereaved mother, always a bereaved mother. My heart is a bit like a broken teacup that has been glued back together. All the pieces are there, but they might not fit as seamlessly as they once did. Some days the glue is strong and unyielding. Other days that glue is wet, and threatens to spring a leak. Nonetheless, that teacup still holds water. Well, mostly coffee. Strong coffee.
Life can sometimes throw a really mean curveball that blindsides even the strongest. It’s important to hold out hope that the sun can be found at the end of the path. But until you find it, it’s comforting to know you aren’t alone. And that is what my mission all about.
For the record, I have found the sun. Some days I marvel at its beauty. Other days it hides behind clouds. But I now know those days don’t last forever. And my umbrella is much stronger than it used to be.
Helen Keller once said, “Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.” If you too are looking for the sun, visit our village for a hug and stay for the friendship. That’s why we’re here—to offer you a seat in our life raft until the storm passes and the sun begins to shine once again.
