A whimsical piece of urban art will be getting a makeover as progress continues on Bellingham’s downtown waterfront redevelopment project. A patch of ivy vines growing on the side of the Granary Building trimmed into the shape of a heart has become a popular photo spot, but now stands in the way of improvements necessary to remodel the historic structure.
Architect John Reid of Robinson McIlwaine (RMI) Architects has been working with the owner of the building, Harcourt Developments, on the building design. “New external insulation and cement rendering must be placed on the lower two stories of the building to meet code requirements so unfortunately the ivy vines have to be removed,” said Reid. “But the evergreen heart has become an iconic art feature in downtown Bellingham and Harcourt has plans to make it a permanent part of the newly renovated Granary Building.”
After renovations are complete, a wood trellis of similar size and shape to the existing heart will be placed on the outside of the building and a new vine planted which will eventually be fashioned into a permanent evergreen heart.
“After speaking with the Port of Bellingham’s horticulturalist, we decided a flowering evergreen jasmine vine would be a better alternative to English Ivy” said Reid. “Not only can this vine be shaped to form large heart on the outside of the building, but it will have a spectacular display of intensely fragrant, cream-colored flowers in the summer.”
English Ivy has been listed on the noxious weed list in the State of Washington and the rootlets can work into wood and mortar on the side of buildings causing structural and aesthetic damage.
The Granary building is on schedule to open in 2017 with restaurant space, stores and office space.
Bellingham Public Library hosts weekly poetrynight events that have occurred for the past 15 years. Photo credit: Gary Wade.
Poetry is among the most venerated, but also underappreciated, art forms. Because of the hard work of area poets, Whatcom County has an array of opportunities to enjoy and share this art form. With award-winning locals, literary publications, clubs, open mic nights, slams and visiting poet readings, you can get your poetry fix all year long.
One can only speculate as to why so many successful poets call Bellingham home. Perhaps it’s the active community of writers that has blessed us with such an abundance of Whatcom County poetry.
A number of private poetry events are also happening within the homes of locals. Kitchen Sessions Bellingham poetry potluck is among the most well-known.
Perhaps poets choose Whatcom County because they were influenced by the esteemed professors and alumni of Western Washington University (WWU). Professor of English, Bruce Beasley has won fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Artist Trust of Washington as well as three Pushcart Prizes in poetry. Senior Instructor Christopher Patton is a three-time nominee for the Pushcart Prize.
Whatever the reason, Bellingham is home to award-winning poets like 2016 Jack Straw Fellow, Artist Trust Fellow, and 2016 nominee for the Stranger Genius Award in Literature, Robert Lashley. Although he grew up in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood, when he’s not touring the country sharing his art, he calls Whatcom County home.
This thriving community of poets works together to share and collaborate. Below are some opportunities to appreciate the art form and share your own work.
Local Publications
Bellingham Poet Dee Dee Chapman helps organize Kitchen Sessions and Write Riot Poetry Slam and edits “Dead Cat Anthology.” Photo credit: Gary Wade.
WWU’s Jeopardy Magazine, founded in 1963, has served as an annual platform for generations of artists to publish work inspired by current culture. Since 2003, the publication has accepted submission exclusively from WWU students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The magazine also hosts one or two creative writing faculty showcases and an annual release party in May.
The anthology, Noisy Water: Poetry from Whatcom County was released in late 2015. Edited by locals Luther Allen and Judy Kleinberg, the collection includes the work of more than 100 poets that live and create in the area. The pair also host the Speakeasy poetry reading series.
Dead Cat Anthology includes many genres and will be roughly fifty percent poetry when it arrives around February 2016. This work, edited by local writer and poet Dee Dee Chapman, is a collection of pieces inspired by the theme ‘dead cat.’ Many locals know Chapman for her encyclopedic knowledge of film and her many years as the former manager of local video store Film is Truth 24 Times a Second.
Clover, A Literary Rag is a biannual print publication that includes poetry, short fiction, and creative non-fiction. It began in 2010 as a result of Bellingham’s Independent Writer’s Studio. About half of the content is from Northwest writers.
Open Mic Nights
Poets brave the open mic to share their work, gain feedback, friends and followers, and to feel the reaction from a live audience. For poetry fans, it’s the perfect way to discover your new favorite touring and local poet and also get a feel for the sheer variety that makes up the art form. Below is a quick list of free, all-ages events around Whatcom County.
poetrynight at Bellingham Public Library
Washington State Poet Laureate 2016-2018 Tod Marshall appeared at poetrynight in April 2016. Photo credit: Gary Wade.
Every Monday night at 8 p.m. for over 15 years, poetrynight has combined touring poets with new and established locals. Sign-up is in-person at 7:45 p.m. If it’s a full house, sets are limited to three minutes, with time reserved at the end to showcase two featured poets. The non-profit program of the Whatcom Poetry Series also provides over 100 podcasts of past events on their web site.
WWU’s Underground Coffeehouse
This campus coffee house offers poetry on the second and fourth Mondays each month. Cozy couches make for a super casual atmosphere. Sign up by 6:30 p.m. for the 5-minute performances that begin at 7 p.m.
Underground Coffeehouse
Third Floor of Viking Union Building
516 High Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-650-3263
Open Mic with Laurel Leigh
Open mic with Laurel Leigh takes place in the Readings Gallery the last day of every month at 7 p.m. Enjoy 7-minute sets of spoken word from 12 participants. Sign up at the book store’s main counter on the first floor or call for your spot.
Village Books
1200 11th St.
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-671-2626
Honey Moon Mead and Cider
Two members of The Poem Store, Natalie Fedak (L) and Erica Reed compose poetry on the spot at poetrynight. Photo credit: Gary Wade.
Owners of Honeymoon Mead and Cider, Murphy and Anna Evans, are as committed to the literary art form as they are to local music. Their support of the local poetry scene comes in the form of special events. They’ve hosted the complete reading of Beowulf and the appreciation of the sonnet, as well as parties for local literary magazines, readings, and poetry slams. Server and poet Erica Reed is deeply involved in the Whatcom County poetry community, who also spend time at the Honey Moon.
One of the longest running open mic events in town, Wednesday night’s Open Mic with Scot Casey includes both music and spoken word and draws in some the area’s best talent. Sign up for one of the 12 available slots no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Participants are selected at random and sets are up to 15 minutes long beginning at 6 p.m.
Chuckanut Sandstone Writer’s Theater Open Mic, hosted by Carla Shafer, gives local writers the opportunity to share their original poems, prose, plays and memoirs on the second Wednesday of each month. Sign up for a seven-minute slot at 6:30 p.m. to participate in the 6:50 p.m. event that goes until about 9 p.m.
Colophone Cafe
1208 11th Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-647-0092
Write Riot Poetry Slam, a weekly event hosted and coordinated by Jessica Lohafer, has been looking for a new regular home for their event. Their hope is to find a local venue and sponsor that might be the right fit—ones that can help host both touring poets and locals.
Community Odds and Ends
Bellingham Public Library hosts weekly poetrynight events that have occurred for the past 15 years. Photo credit: Gary Wade.
There are a few poetry-related events that are delightfully outside-the-box. They are also part of what makes our community great.
Since 2006, two respected judges choose 25 winning poems from those submitted by Whatcom County residents. Walk Award winning poems are displayed on a permanent poetry installation in front of Bellingham Public Library. Both Walk and Merit Award winning poems are displayed for a year inside Whatcom Transportation Authority busses.
Poets Shannon Laws and Summer Starr teamed up with a local painter to launch a successful Kickstarter campaign. An abandoned phone booth on Forest Street in front of the Community Food Coop will be transformed into a work of art. New poems will be chosen to be displayed in the booth from among those submitted each quarter.
The Poem Store is a writer-trio composed of Savanah Jordan, Natalie Fedak, and Erica Reed. These women write unique and custom poems on the spot on any subject on their vintage typewriter. They’re often found at the Bellingham Farmers Market and are hired for other local events.
Incredibly, there are even more poetry-related opportunities in Whatcom County than we could mention here. What did we miss? Please email suggestions to Submit@WhatcomTalk.com.
SpeakEasy – an ongoing poetry reading series co-produced by Luther Allen and Judy Kleinberg. Each SpeakEasy is themed and one of the unique features of these readings is that the poets’ words are projected on the wall behind them so the audience can read along. SpeakEasy is held in the Encore Room at Mount Baker Theatre and admission is free.
The Poetry Department – a near-daily blog on poetry. The focus is generally Cascadia, but the material ranges far and wide at whim. It includes a 12-month calendar of poetry-related events.
The inauguration of the home hospice program was held in Nepal. Photo courtesy: Binaytara Foundation.
Many talented and compassionate people shake their heads when faced with suffering happening around the globe. Others take up the gauntlet and see where their passions will take them. Cancer expert and humanitarian, Dr. Binay Shah, reaches out to the world from his small Barkley Village office.
While a naysayer would call Dr. Shah’s mammoth project to bring hospice care to terminally ill patients in Nepal and soon, India, quixotic, Dr. Shah has already reached some of his goals. His words, “Countries have manmade boundaries, humanity does not,” sum up Dr. Shah’s daily philosophy.
Dr. Binay Shah fulfills a life mission from his Barkley Village office. Photo credit: Patricia Herlevi.
His mission began as a child when he felt compassion for people around him suffering from illness. “I grew up in Nepal where I saw people dying from preventable and treatable diseases all the time. Being a doctor was not really in my plan. My goal was to study biochemistry and find treatment to diseases that were incurable. I took the medical school entrance exam because of my father’s insistence.
“There were only thirty seats and about a thousand applicants. When I got selected in the entrance exam, there was pressure to go to medical school. Being a doctor helped me see the world from a very different angle. I realized there was much more that needed to be done, and I couldn’t waste another minute waiting for my career to take off.”
Dr. Shah also meets with patients in Ujjain, India. Photo courtesy: Binaytara Foundation.
Dr. Shah’s day job is as an Oncologist/Hematologist at the Peace Health United General Hospital in Sedro Woolley. Given the busy schedule of a cancer specialist in the Pacific Northwest, it’s easy to wonder where Dr. Shah finds the time to lead the Binaytara Foundation. His work through the foundation includes partnering with the government of India to create hospices, organizing on-going cancer care summits in Bellingham, and composing cancer care conferences with big-name experts from the field of cancer presenting.
While the 41-year-old medical doctor and humanitarian boasts impressive accomplishments, he also faces barriers, especially in helping underprivileged people. His can-do attitude touches the heart. “I am an optimist and I have always believed in the saying, ‘If there is a will, there is a way.’ In my experience, most barriers can be overcome if we take the time to listen and respect others’ views. Our approach to problem solving is collaboration and partnership. We have been very successful in forging collaborations that help us stay focused. Like Henry Ford said, ‘Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you keep your eyes off your goals.’”
Dr. Binay Shah sees patients in India for a variety of ailments. Photo courtesy: Binaytara Foundation.
At his foundation office in Barkley Village, Dr. Shah’s eyes lit up when he mentioned the collaboration with the Indian Government to bring a home hospice program to Madhya Pradesh, India. This project will serve 73 million people in the Indian state. The foundation has already brought hospice care to Nepal and transformed the lives of 70 patients and their families at the cost of $25 a day. And, locally, Dr. Shah and the Binaytara Foundation have set a mission to ease the suffering of local cancer patients.
“One of the programs is helping cancer patients with young children obtain childcare and help them with meals so that they don’t miss their medical appointments, and the patients’ older children don’t miss their schools to babysit their younger siblings,” Dr. Shah said. “The other program we are doing in this community is a monthly cancer patient summit that will focus on educating, empowering and advocating for cancer patients. This program is designed for the general public and will feature expert talks and panel sessions. The first summit is happening on February 26, 2017 at the Bellingham Country Club.”
Dr. Shah meets with physicians in India regarding the Home Hospice Care program for Madhya Pradesh, India. Photo courtesy: Binaytara Foundation.
It’s not surprising that Dr. Shah cites a Catholic saint who also worked tirelessly to ease suffering among underserved populations as his inspiration. “Mother Teresa’s work inspired me to help others. But my everyday inspiration comes from ordinary people who do extra-ordinary things. Each one of us is making a difference in someone else’s life. Many of us don’t even realize that. Every day I meet people from various backgrounds, some of them going through their toughest battles in life. It amazes me to see how inspiring and unique each person’s life stories are and how incredibly positive some of them are despite their hardships. These people inspire me to do more for humankind,” confided Dr. Shah.
The inauguration of the home hospice program was held in Nepal. Photo courtesy: Binaytara Foundation.
No doubt Dr. Shah’s compassion inspires people who encounter him. He reminds us, “Knowing that life is transient, I feel the urgency to do something now and not wait another minute. I feel very privileged and I think if privileged people like me don’t help the less privileged then who else will?”
“There is a communication happening on the booth currently through graffiti and stickers, so we want to be aware of that,” shared Summer Starr. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.
In 2015 local artist & activist Christen Mattix planned a performance at a downtown phone booth. She set a date, took photos, sent invitations, and waited for the day to come. But in the final weeks leading up to the project she discovered that the booth had been torn out. “I grieved it,” she explained. “I had invested so much energy into that little piece of space, and then it was gone.”
Across our country phone booths are being abandoned. Most people now carry phones in their pockets, so the once necessary lines of communication that dotted urban and rural landscapes have begun to disappear. Phone companies pluck the booths and leave the remaining structure for the local residents to deal with. They are often discarded.
“What do we do with public structures once the function for which they were built no longer exists?” said Mattix. “I’m really interested in reclaiming those spaces and making them into something else.”
The group wants to transform the booth into a beacon of brightness and positivity. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.
During her project research Mattix had seen many different examples from around the country of booths that had been reimagined, but it was the idea of a poem booth that stuck with her. When she found another downtown booth just outside of the Community Food Co-op she knew she had to jump at the chance to change the space. That’s when she reached out for help.
“Christen emailed about this project last August and it was an immediate yes from me,” shared local writer & radio producer, Shannon Laws. She and artist & nonprofiteer Summer Starr joined forces with Mattix, each bringing their unique skills to the table.
“What draws us together is both the ability to touch community, as well as each having our own abilities to make things happen,” Starr said. “We’re makers in different spaces.”
“We energize each other,” added Mattix. “I think it’s only right that a community-based art project starts with a community. The project is absolutely enriched and taken to a whole new level because I’m with these amazing women.”
Christen Mattix, Shannon Laws, and Summer Starr collaborated on a Kickstarter project to bring the Poem Booth to life. Photo courtesy: Poem Booth.
Together they developed a Kickstarter project that aimed to turn the empty, graffitied booth into a place to display local poems. Their goal was simple: To create something that enhances and promotes community. The project launched and funded within a week. It had raised $360 by the time it ran its course.
“The Kickstarter project was about getting as many people involved and plugged in to the project as possible,” Mattix said. “Instead of just having it be an inside conversation, we’re expanding the conversation to everyone who wants to be a part of it. That means investment from the community from the get-go.”
The group wanted to be sure that the adoption of the phone booth was as respectful as possible to the community, knowing that it could be seen as a coopting of space. “There is a communication happening on the booth currently through graffiti and stickers, so we want to be aware of that,” shared Starr. “There is a sense that we’re colonizing it and taking it over. We’re going into this with awareness that we want to respect that it is a place for public discourse right now and we’re going to be modifying that discourse.”
“We want to make the conversation more intentional, more focused and more powerful,” added Mattix. “Honestly most people don’t even see it. It’s basically camouflaging into the bulletin board right now. We want to give it more presence and allow it to really occupy space again.”
Most people overlook the phone booth, but that will soon change. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.
But they also want to encourage new and emerging writers, especially those not often represented in the local arts scene, to submit their work to the contest. They’re doing this by keeping a very low participation barrier. The only thing poets have to do to submit their work is to email it to the organizers during their open call for submissions.
“Hopefully it’s a really low-risk way for emerging poets to participate in a dialogue,” shared Christen. “They don’t have to pay a submission fee, they don’t have to pay for stamps, and it’s local. Hopefully that is less intimidating.”
The group will display a new poem every three months starting in March. Poems will be chosen by the organizers via a poetry contest for writers living in Whatcom County. They all agreed that it’s going to be very difficult to pick a winner, so they will be publishing runners-up on the website to help give them exposure. “There’s just so much great talent here in town,” shared Laws.
The group wants the booth to be a space for brightness and positivity. The idea that someone running errands downtown might find a glimmer of hope there excites them. They understand that artists have an important role in an ever-changing world to help us tend to our culture.
The group wants to be sensitive to the communication already happening on the phone booth through graffiti and stickers. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.
“We’re actually tending to our community through this project,” shared Summer. “This is creating some safe space to express who we are.”
“Somebody could just walk by one day and have the words touch them,” added Laws. “Maybe not the whole poem, maybe just a line. If that happens one time it’s worth it.” When asked what fellow artists can do to help tend to culture, Laws had a simple answer, “Whatever your art is, you need to turn up the volume.”
If you’re interested in submitting poetry, or just want to keep up with the project, the group strongly encourages you to sign-up for the Poem Booth Newsletter on their website so you don’t miss a thing. If you missed the Kickstarter but want to support their ongoing efforts, you can donate to the Poem Booth project anytime.
Leadership Bellingham educates and informs community leaders. Photo courtesy: Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Submitted by: Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry
The Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry announced that it is accepting applications for the Leadership Whatcom class of 2017. Leadership Whatcom is a community leadership training program that brings emerging and established leaders together to develop leadership skills, while gaining unique insights into the multifaceted issues facing our county.
Leadership Whatcom class of 2016 explored the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center—Opportunity Council in Maple Falls. Photo courtesy: Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
The class of 20-25 business professionals from various industries, nonprofits and municipalities participate in the 11-month program that includes interactive workshops hosted throughout the county to introduce Leadership participants to area industries and government leaders. Classes meet one day each month for nine months with no classes in July and August for summer vacation.
The program is highly experiential and focuses on a nonpartisan approach to leadership development. In each session, participants will learn the principles of ethical leadership, situational leadership, situational leadership that generates research and shared knowledge necessary for innovation to take place, servant leadership, transformational leadership and visionary leadership.
The Leadership Whatcom class of 2016 traveled to Arroyo Park to learn about salmon spawning. Photo courtesy: Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Those leadership skills will help the participants build bridges across generations and work productively with differing perspectives and sectors of the community. In addition, participants will collaborate with Leadership Whatcom alumni in order to build a program that utilizes the strengths of its graduates to mentor its students.
Heather Flaherty of Raptor Group said, “As a recent alumni of Leadership Whatcom, I can tell you that no matter how long you’ve been a resident in Whatcom County, going through the program will give you a deeper understanding of how our community works together and the breadth and depth of resources, businesses, non-profits, and leadership we are so fortunate to have. In addition to learning more about our community and how to affect change within it, I am walking away with relationships that I wouldn’t otherwise have, having gotten to know an incredible group of colleagues from across industries. Those two things combined with the personal leadership development tools provided by the program made it an incredibly valuable experience.”
Leadership Whatcom class of 2016 learned about public transportation from Whatcom Transit Authority. Photo courtesy: Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Enrollment for the program is $1,200 for Chamber members and $1,500 for non-members and requires an 11-month commitment. Applications for the 2017 Leadership Whatcom class are available at bellingham.com. The application deadline is Monday, February 13, 2017.
For more information on Leadership Whatcom, including information on sponsorship opportunities and how to apply, please contact the Chamber offices at 734-1330. You can also go online to the front door of the community, bellingham.com, where you will find general information on individual class sessions as well as an electronic copy of the application. Deadline to apply is February 13, 2017.
You're one of the family at Mount Baker Theatre. Photo credit: Damian Vines Photography.
Submitted by: Madyson Ellars, MBT Staff Writer
Growing up in the somewhat-small city of Bellingham, I always had an incredibly wild imagination that would take me far outside of Whatcom County. Between the covers of a book, I could escape to fantasy worlds and distant countries, full of unusual words and languages. I could get lost in music, listening to melodies reminiscent of people and cultures foreign to me. The set of a movie or stage of a play became a landscape for me to traverse. Now, I relish the ability to embrace these flights of fancy with several exciting events at the Mount Baker Theatre, bound to take anyone’s imagination exploring!
The Irish Rovers and We Banjo 3 are sure to delight. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
For lovers of martial arts films or anyone looking for a taste of the exotic, travel to China with the help of the Shaolin Warriors. In this fully choreographed theatrical production, kung fu masters bring remarkable skill, stunning movement, and death-defying martial arts prowess to the stage. These warriors have trained from a very young age in mental and physical disciplines to perfect the art of hand-to-hand and weapons combat, which allows them to perform feats once thought only possible in the movies. Check out these incredible performers at the Mount Baker Theatre on February 3rd.
Zip to Zimbabwe with another MBT act in February—the thrilling story of Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters! This performance, especially geared towards children from kindergarten to 5th grade, explores the cultural norms that stretch across humanity, ultimately telling us stories about ourselves. Combining authentic African drumming, powerful choreography and thrilling original music, the splendor of Zimbabwe and the African continent comes to life on stage! Mufaro’s two daughters of different dispositions take a journey that tests their courage, kindness, and strength of spirit. This special event will take place February 17th.
Gary Mullen has spent 13 years channeling the power and energy of icon Freddie Mercury into each performance. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
Next, take a hop “over the pond” to England with One Night of Queen, performed by Gary Mullen and the Works. This spectacular live concert event recreates the look, sound, pomp, and showmanship of arguably the greatest rock band of all time, playing such venues as London’s Wembly Stadium. Hailed as the world’s premier Queen tribute, Gary Mullen’s pitch-perfect imitation of icon Freddie Mercury has won rave reviews throughout 13 years of touring the globe. But forget the passports and maps—you don’t have to travel any farther than the Mount Baker Theatre to experience this thrilling performance, February 18th.
And speaking of the United Kingdom, experience the dazzling Emerald Isle with the Irish Rovers and We Banjo 3! Fueled by passion, talent, history, and song, the musical legacy of the Irish Rovers continues to lead the way for many of today’s folk and Celtic musicians. After nearly 50 years of charming and entertaining audiences around the world with their exciting stage shows and traditional approach to Irish music, the Rovers’ Long Goodbye Tour sees them singing a proper farewell to all those they have entertained through the decades. Joining this veteran troupe are some of the most celebrated young musicians in Ireland today. We Banjo 3 delivers a groundbreaking mixture of Irish music and old-time American and bluegrass influences to create one of the best live acts to come out of Ireland in recent years. This exhilarating blend of old and new Irish classics will hit the stage here in Bellingham on February 26th.
The International Guitar Night will take you around the world and back. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
And finally, travel the entire globe in a single night with four stellar strummers! At International Guitar Night, audiences can experience North America’s premier touring guitar festival, featuring a special evening of solos, duets, and quartets. Tour founder Brian Gore invites a cast of luminaries to highlight the virtuosity and diversity within the world of acoustic guitar. MBT welcomes the following young guitar masters to our stage: Italy’s innovative contemporary guitarist Luca Stricagnoli; brilliant young Brazilian composer/performer Chrystian Dozza, India’s ground-breaking slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya, and the word-famous Lulo Reinhart! Don’t miss out—book your globe-trotting trip at the Mount Baker Theatre for February 24th.
Can’t wait to tour the globe but want a taste of exploration? The Mount Baker Theatre offers tours! Travel through time and discover the story of one of Bellingham’s not-so-hidden gems by contacting the theatre at 360-733-5793.
The Ferndale Chamber of Commerce calls the Pioneer Pavilion Community Center home. Photo courtesy: Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.
Many Whatcom County residents say that it is a privilege to work, live, and play in this far northwest corner of Washington State. Whatcom County has struck a balance between large corporate chains and locally-owned businesses. This is reflected in each community and its chamber of commerce members. Each year regional chamber of commerce members vote for peers who contributed to business communities and the communities at-large.
Dianne Blakseley of Kelly’s O’Deli won the 2016 Member of the Year. She is pictured here with Adrian Hilde, Chamber President. Photo courtesy: Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.
As another year ends and a new one begins, the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce hosts its Annual Awards Dinner. The anticipated event takes place at the Silver Reef Event Center on January 19, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Still in the early stages of preparation, Ferndale Chamber Executive Director, Ann Serwold, reflects on successes for the Chamber members and the strength of Ferndale’s business community. “We believe that giving recognition to local businesses that are out doing, giving, sponsoring and volunteering in our community makes them feel good about their hard work,” Serwold says. “It goes a long way toward them continuing those efforts and it is something that businesses strive for, which in turn makes our community better.”
Taking the time to recognize local business owners at the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner helps ensure that their good work will continue. Photo courtesy: Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.
The Ferndale Chamber presents several awards to member businesses each year. These awards represent values held by Whatcom County residents such as an Environmental Star Award. Some business owners also volunteer in their community or include community support in their business structure as is the case with previous Member of the Year Winner Carol Bersch.
“The awards are self-explanatory,” Serwold says. “The Ambassador of the Year and Board Member of the Year are both only selected by their respective peers. The winner is the person who contributed the most to their position. The Volunteer of the Year is someone who is always there helping when asked, not just for the Chamber but for other community organizations as well. Up and Coming is a new member (within two years) who has really stepped up and been active in supporting the Chamber by donating and volunteering.” The coveted Member of the Year award is selected by the past 12 Members of the Month awardees. Other awards include the Presidential Recognition Award and the Executive Recognition Award.
The annual Awards Dinner gives business owners a chance to let loose, have fun and honor those whose hard work is benefiting our community. Photo courtesy: Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.
Carol Bersch of Carol’s Cake Design won the Member of the Year Award in 2012 and then again in 2014. “The Ferndale Community made it easy for me to be the best salesman for my business,” Bersch says. “I offered a great product with specialized skills at an affordable price. The community became my cheerleaders and fans by promoting me to succeed.” Carol’s original business plan included baking cakes, teaching women who suffered from domestic violence cake decorating skills and opening an incubator kitchen. This is an industry term for a licensed, safe, and clean kitchen.
“This event reflects a great year of growth,” concludes Serwold. “With over 75 new members (a record) and 280 members total (another record), it’s been a great year to be a part of the organization. It will be fun to celebrate that in January.”
Outfielder Shane Hanon from Gig Harbor and infielder Dean Lawson of Fort Collins, Colorado will return for a second season at Joe Martin Field with the Bellingham Bells in 2017. Hanon, who led the West Coast League in batting average in 2016, will be a sophomore at Marshall University in West Virginia, while Lawson will enter his junior campaign at Northern Colorado in 2017.
Outfielder Shane Hanon from Gig Harbor will return for a second season with the Bellingham Bells in 2017. Photo courtesy: Bellingham Bells.
Both Hanon and Lawson were important contributors to the 2016 Bells, who captured the WCL Northern Division second half championship with an overall record of 32-22 and advanced to the WCL Championship Series.
“We are pleased to announce the return of both Shane Hanon and Dean Lawson for 2017,” pitching coach and recruiting coordinator Jim Clem said. “Both Shane and Dean are great guys to have in a clubhouse!”
Hanon came to the Bells in 2016 on a 10-day contract from Edmonds Community College. By the time the summer had drawn to a close, Hanon had stamped his mark on the Bells’ season with a league leading .331 batting average, a WCL All-Star team selection, a spot on the all-WCL first team and a scholarship to Division I Marshall University.
“Shane was definitely a catalyst for our team last summer,” Clem said. “He got off to a hot start and was able to sustain a high level of play all summer long. Besides being a gifted offensive player, he is also exceptional in the outfield.”
In 46 games, Hanon, a 2014 graduate of Peninsula High School, had 56 hits with 11 doubles, 2 home runs, 16 runs batted in and 31 runs scored, helping lead Bellingham to WCL Championship series appearance.
Infielder Dean Lawson of Fort Collins, Colorado will return for a second season with the Bellingham Bells in 2017. Photo courtesy: Bellingham Bells.
Lawson was another important contributor to the Bells’ deep playoff run. Joining the club July 31st, Lawson appeared in 11 regular season games and four of five playoff games. In 15 total games for the Bells, Lawson hit .313 with five runs driven in, five stolen bases, seven runs scored and 15 walks. Lawson’s effort in a 3-2 playoff victory over Victoria was a showcase of his impact on the club, as he reached base all four times he came to the plate, going 1-1 with an RBI double, 3 walks and a stolen base.
“Dean Lawson joined our team late last season and really gave us a spark down the stretch,” Clem said. “He was pivotal to our late season success, especially through the playoff run. Besides having some clutch hits for us, Dean finds ways to get on base, and once he gets there, he finds ways to score.”
Lawson, a 2014 graduate of Rocky Mountain High School, comes off a fantastic 2016 campaign at Division I Northern Colorado where he led the Bears with a .357 batting average. Lawson appeared in 43 games for UNC, tallied 46 hits, scored 26 runs, drove in 16 men and stole 10 bases.
Lawson, Hanon and the Bells kick off the 2017 campaign at home with a three game series against the Gresham GreyWolves starting on June 2 at Joe Martin Field in Bellingham.
Following a model being used around the country, ACME Farms + Kitchen has organized The “Bellingham Cookie Grab” – a bake sale to raise money for the Mount Baker Planned Parenthood Clinic in Bellingham.
This weekend supporters can purchase a cookie box filled with over 1 dozen delicious baked goods donated by local chefs and bakers operating throughout Bellingham and Whatcom County. 100% of the money collected will be donated to the clinic.
“This bake sale model is a way for us to engage with our fellow food businesses in and around Bellingham in our shared stand with Planned Parenthood”. States Cara Piscitello, co-founder.
Cookie boxes can be purchased on ACME Farms + Kitchen website through 10:00 a.m. on Monday, January 16 for a cost of $40. Regular AF+K customers can add the box to their regular weekly order or boxes can be picked up at Ideal in Downtown Bellingham at 1227 Cornwall Avenue on Friday, January 20 between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
About ACME Farms + Kitchen
ACME Farms + Kitchen, headquartered out of Bellingham, WA, delivers weekly meal kits comprised of locally sourced ingredients, a weekly meal plan and recipes to homes in the Whatcom County, Seattle, and Portland, OR regions. ACME Farms + Kitchen currently sources from over 75 local food producers throughout the greater Pacific Northwest. More details at www.acmefarmsandkitchen.com.
Take time for the scenic drive. There are incredible views to be discovered off the beaten path. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.
There is nothing better than a long weekend. You are sure to find plenty of fun Bellingham weekend events to fill your three days of freedom, but what better way to spend that time than by honoring Martin Luther King Jr? You could pitch in at a service project, learn something new, improve yourself or help uplift a neighbor. Here are a couple thoughts from the man himself to get you motivated.
“Somewhere we must come to see that human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of dedicated individuals.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Oberlin College Commencement.
“Without hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the primitive forces of social stagnation. So we must help time and realize that the time is always ripe to do right.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. in a letter from Birmingham City Jail.
“Sooner or later, all the peoples of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace, and thereby transform this pending cosmic elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. in his Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech.
In that spirit, here are a few ideas of what you can do to follow in MLK’s impressive footsteps this weekend:
Attend the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Conference at Whatcom Community College. The theme will be “Working Passionately and Unrelentingly for Justice.” You’ll get to take part in workshops facilitated by community educators and activists and leave inspired to take up the mantel of leadership and activism in your own life.
Experience the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration at City Hall. You’ll get to enjoy musical entertainment by Kulshan Chorus and hear from local author and civil rights activist Clyde Ford, Lummi Nation Member Darrell Hillaire, Mayor Kelli Linville, Nina Damina Khaira Ahmed and Victoria Matey.
Flex your brain muscles, build strategy and improve reasoning with a few rounds of chess at the Bellingham Chess & Coffee Meetup. All ages and skill levels are welcome to come play the world’s most strategic game.
Expand your mind and your verbal skills at Socrates Cafe. Participants will gather at Village Books to address questions utilizing the Socratic Dialogue. Simply put, this is a search for truth by questioning, probing, defining terms and clarifying meanings of important, complex questions.
Change starts with you and one of the most important changes you can make is to improve your health. To that end, stop by the Health Fair at Whole Foods Market. Here you will have the opportunity to meet and chat with a wide array of health businesses and organizations who can educate and set you up for success.
Don’t forget to check out our full calendar for all the happenings in Whatcom County 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.
Kevin Wiebe is a Ferndale native. Although he graduated from Ferndale High School, he admits he wasn't a model student. His teachers and administrators...
