This mural was completed in 1990. Photo credit: City of Bellingham.
After a long week of hard work, the weekend is finally here. Now is the time to let loose, relax, explore or whatever sounds best to you. The next two days are a blank page waiting to be filled. What will you do this weekend? Take a look at these suggestions and check out our full Events Calendar to see all the fun things happening in Whatcom County this weekend.
Take a page out of Helen and Cal Swindell’s book and take a clean up walk.
Get some exercise in the fresh air on a trail run.
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.
David Pillinger has 30+ years of experience in the media industry, but it's his experience publishing Southside Living Magazine that makes him proudest. "It’s very labor intensive and there’s a lot of work that goes into it, but I love it." Photo courtesy: Best Version Media.
Over his 30-year career David Pillinger has worked on six different continents for countless media companies, including Allsport, Getty Images, Corbis, Reuters and seven national newspapers in England and Australia. In the early days of his career he would process and edit film by hand for news photographers, but he loved photography so much that he couldn’t resist sharing it with others.
David Pillinger has 30+ years of experience in the media industry, but it’s his experience publishing Southside Living Magazine that makes him proudest. “It’s very labor intensive and there’s a lot of work that goes into it, but I love it.” Photo courtesy: Best Version Media.
“When I joined Getty Images in Australia I became a defacto salesman because I loved pictures so much. Loving the product made me good at selling it.” His love for the stories good photographs tell made him a natural at selling to publishers worldwide. That skill was put to the test one night 15 years ago while he worked for Getty in Australia.
“I got a text message from a friend at 10:30 at night saying ‘Hey if you’re awake, switch your television on.’ I saw what happened and went straight into the office,” David said, describing his disbelief as he watched the events of September 11, 2001 unfold on the other side of the globe.
“It was around midnight by the time I got there, and just saw the pictures coming in from Getty of the obviously catastrophic story. I ended up spending 36 hours in the office just calling everybody under the sun.” He called every newspaper in Australia, New Zealand, and all across Southeast Asia.
When all was said and done, he sold over $300,000 worth of photos in a day and a half. In fact, that passion for photos and the stories they tell led him to become an integral part of launching Getty’s Southeast Asia news service. But it’s the topic of his own magazine – Southside Living – that truly lit him up during our conversation.
“I’ve created this magazine out of thin air,” he said, holding up the latest issue. “I made this.”
Publishing a magazine isn’t easy, of course. David put in a lot of time and energy to gain community buy-in and support from sponsors. But the challenges he’s faced have been overshadowed by the positive feedback he’s received as the magazine’s reach has grown.
“It’s not what I imagined it would be when I first started,” he shared. “It’s a lot more intense, challenging and fun than I thought it would be. But I’ve seen this magazine grow, and the response we’ve had from the community has been absolutely fantastic. I’ve met literally thousands of people.”
Jamie Webster (publisher of Lake Views Magazine) and David Pillinger each publish their magazines with Best Version Media. “We are launching a brand new magazine somewhere in North America every 48 hours,” said David. Photo courtesy: Best Version Media.
Southside Living Magazine serves the Chuckanut Drive, Edgemoor, Fairhaven, and South Hill communities, and in its 2.5 year existence it’s grown to reach 3,000 households. The free magazine is supported entirely by sponsorships, so David has developed relationships with local businesses. David encourages local businesses and nonprofits to submit articles for publication.
“You get exposure, we get content,” he shared. He finds that this quid pro quo approach attracts writers who are invested in the community. Ad sales support the costs of publishing the magazine, and the magazine promotes organizations in the community by sharing their articles and photos. For example: Every month Southside Magazine publishes an historic photo of the neighborhood provided by the Whatcom Museum.
“There’s so much negative news out there, but our magazine is family friendly, positive, and it’s local, which makes it really refreshing,” David said. Each magazine features individuals and families from the neighborhood, and at no more than 48 pages each issue is kept short and sweet so it’s easy to get through.
Southside Living Magazine is published by David through Best Version Media, a fast-growing media company located in Wisconsin that has grown to publish 500 magazines nationwide in its decade of existence. In addition to publishing his own magazine, David serves as Division Manager for the brand.
“We are launching a brand new magazine somewhere in North America every 48 hours,” he shared. “I’m now the Division Manager for five states, so I also recruit people to start their own magazines.” While the advent of technology might leave some questioning if print has a place in our lives anymore, Best Version Media has focused on the more traditional magazine format on purpose.
He was born in London, but David has deep roots in the Pacific Northwest (shown here with his brand emblazoned on his car in Seahawks colors). “I love it here,” he said. Photo courtesy: Best Version Media.
“We are print-only by design,” David said. “We’re growing so quickly and doing so well we don’t want to mess that up by adding an online presence.” That’s right: Southside Living Magazine doesn’t even have a website. But thousands of households receiving the magazine each month, David doesn’t feel any pressure to change that. “What we’re doing is working.”
And while David’s career has taken him all around the world, Bellingham is the place he and his son, Sidney, call home. His work publishing a magazine has only solidified his commitment to the community.
“I’ve had readers tell me that Southside Living is a great service to the community,” he said. “I have deep roots in Bellingham, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love it here.”
If you have a story idea or would like to know more about receiving Southside Living Magazine, contact David Pillinger at 360-306-7092 or dpillinger@bestversionmedia.com.
Karl Prisk (left), Zack Tyler, and Tarquin, Zack’s trusty Australian Shepherd, take a break from tending their free-range turkey flock at Brittle Barn Farms in Ferndale. The farm prides itself in buying local and used a Farm Fund loan to purchase organic, Non-GMO Project Verified feed from Bellingham’s Scratch & Peck Feeds for their poultry flock. Photo courtesy: Community Food Co-op.
Since being founded in 2000, the Community Food Co-op has dedicated a portion of its annual donation budget to the Farm Fund, a dedicated effort to support and strengthen the local farming community.
The 2016 Farmer Award winners were recognized by Community Food Co-op. Pictured (from left): Innovator Farm: Susan and Harley Soltes, Bow Hill Blueberries, Mentor Farmer: Mike and Kimberly Finger, Cedarville Farm, and New Farmer: Anna and Jared Danilson, Slanted Sun Farm. Photo courtesy: Community Food Co-op.
Working to provide continued access to fresh produce for our community residents as well as giving local farms the opportunity to grow and have a sustainable business, the Farm Fund is supported entirely by donations from the Community Food Co-op and the local community with support from the Whatcom Community Foundation.
The Farm Fund focuses on increasing the supply of local sustainable and organic food by supporting and establishing projects related to local food and farming.
In fact, a couple of the many successes of the Farm Fund include founding the Food to Bank On program, which provides training, markets, and mentorship to new farmers who are paid to deliver fresh food to food banks. The Farm Fund also sponsored Whatcom County’s first organic seed-saving workshops in collaboration with the Organic Seed Alliance and funded a seed growing workshop.
These are just a few of the many opportunities, through grants and loans, that the Farm Fund has provided to local growers and farmers in a continued effort to increase accessibility to locally grown food.
Karl Prisk (left), Zack Tyler, and Tarquin, Zack’s trusty Australian Shepherd, take a break from tending their free-range turkey flock at Brittle Barn Farms in Ferndale. The farm prides itself in buying local and used a Farm Fund loan to purchase organic, Non-GMO Project Verified feed from Bellingham’s Scratch & Peck Feeds for their poultry flock. Photo courtesy: Community Food Co-op.
Guided by a volunteer advisory committee composed of local farmers, food and farming advocacy groups, and Co-op member-owners, the original goal of supporting local sustainable agriculture continues with the Farm Fund Committee directly funding approved projects through grants and loans.
Through Farm Fund grants and loans, local farmers have implemented creative new solutions and tried new ways of growing and farming that support local organizations such as the Bellingham Food Bank.
Co-op member-owners have supported the Farm Fund on a steadily increasing basis by donating at any register in the stores.
As a community member, everyone can contribute to growing our local agriculture by buying locally grown products and donating to the Farm Fund.
Barb and Gary Lupo prepare for their last sale. Photo courtesy: Garys’ Men’s & Women’s Wear
Garys’ Men’s & Women’s Wear, a fixture in downtown Bellingham since 1978, will be closing at the end of a liquidation sale that begins Tuesday, Nov. 1.
Owners Gary and Barb Lupo opened their men’s clothing store on Oct. 4, 1978 in the Parkade building at 128 W. Holly St. Garys’ became the eighth independent men’s clothing store to operate then in downtown Bellingham, joining the ranks of The Toggery, Golden Rule, House of Provias and others.
“We wanted to serve customers who were looking for modern clothing, paid attention to fashion, cared about customer service and appreciated quality and value,” Barb Lupo said.
While the opening of Bellis Fair mall in 1988 was devastating to many downtown businesses, the Lupos stayed relevant by adding women’s clothing in 1989. “The mall didn’t significantly affect us,” Gary Lupo said. “Our customer base wasn’t mall shoppers. If we provided the right environment, we could be a good alternative.”
While Garys’ adapted to technology changes over the years by adding a website and blog and being active on social media, a constant theme was providing customers a new, fresh inventory and not carrying too much of any single item. “For a small store like this, we spend a tremendous amount of time in the marketplace, traveling to shows from New York to Los Angeles to find clothes that our customers would like,” Barb Lupo said.
While the store has been doing well, after nearly 40 years in business the couple wants to spend more time with family members – particularly grandchildren.
“It’s been fun – we’re done!” said a laughing Barb Lupo.
Garys’ won’t be bringing in additional vendors for the liquidation sale, so it will truly last as long as there is inventory. The store is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, call the store at 360-733-2180 or visit www.garysbellingham.com.
Ciderfest admission includes tickets for tastes from a variety of regional cider makers. Photo courtesy: BelleWood Acres.
For locals in-the-know, harvest time usually means a visit to BelleWood Acres. From apple-picking to pumpkin smashing, it’s the perfect place to celebrate the best of the season. In addition to the bountiful orchards and corn mazes, BelleWood’s Country Café and Farm Market features light breakfast, lunch and dinner menus to eat in their dining room, plus locally made gifts for just about any occasion.
Ciderfest admission includes tickets for tastes from a variety of regional cider makers. Photo courtesy: BelleWood Acres.
BelleWood also boasts that they were Washington’s first true “Farm to Glass” distillery, producing spirits on-site from their own orchard and neighboring berry farms. Try their Northwest style gin or their delectable Eau de Vie apple brandy.
You can purchase CiderHead at BelleWood and other area stores and bars, or you can sample it and many other regionally produced ciders at Ciderfest at BelleWood Acres, Saturday, November 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. With all the fun activities for families and adults, it’s sure to be a fun, delicious afternoon.
Hard Cider Tasting & Brat Bar, 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Craft cider has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years, but it’s popularity in America spans decades.
You’ll need to wash something down with all that cider you’ll be tasting during Ciderfest, which is why you’ll love visiting the Brat Bar! Photo courtesy: BelleWood Acres.
“Up until Prohibition, an apple grown in America was far less likely to be eaten than to wind up in a barrel of cider,” writes Michael Pollan in The Botany of Desire. “In rural areas cider took the place of not only wine and beer but of coffee and tea, juice, and even water.”
Johnny Appleseed’s famous orchards dotting the American frontier weren’t meant to provide fruit for eating but for cider making. The apples he planted had very high sugar content – perfect for fermenting into cider, which, as it happens, was safer to drink than water. But when Prohibition’s stringent laws restricted the production of hard and non-alcoholic cider, many orchards stopped growing apples altogether.
Luckily for us ciders are making a comeback, and Ciderfest’s Hard Cider Tasting is the perfect opportunity to sample the wide variety of ciders produced in the region.
“The cider world is so diverse,” shared BelleWood Acres’ Event Specialist, Pam Felke. “If you’re not familiar with the range – from hopped to elderberry to basil – that diversity can be surprising.”
Cider Tasting attendees will get tasting tickets with admission, good for tastes of ciders from many local producers including Honey Moon’s CiderHead made with BelleWood apples, Finn River,Schilling, Tieton Cider Works, and Neigel Vintners Cider.
“It’s a nice end cap to fall, entering into winter,” shared Felke. “We always do a Brat Bar, so there’s a wide selection of brats to go with your tasty cider. It usually gets pretty busy, so it’s a good day to be out here. Even if it’s just mucky outside, it’s still fun in here.”
No cider tasting would be complete without an opportunity to smash pumpkins! Enjoy music and release pent-up energy during the Ciderfest pumpkin smash. Photo courtesy: BelleWood Acres.
The Hard Cider Tasting is happening from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., with Disco DJ Pumpkin Smash from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Admission is $24, and online registration is recommended.
Home Cider Brewing Competition, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
If you’re a home cider brewing aficionado, you might want to enter the 3rd Annual Home Cider Brewing Competition, with judging starting at 1:00 p.m. during Ciderfest. Competition entry costs $10, and your homecrafted elixir will be assessed by a panel of cider professionals. Plus the winner takes the pot of money! Don’t forget to register to enter.
Not ready to enter a contest but love to brew cider at home? You can still take advantage of the Community Carboy Fill from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Bring your own carboy to Ciderfest, have it filled with non-alcoholic cider made from BelleWood’s own apples, and then take it home to work your own homebrew magic.
Cider Brewing Basics Workshop with Richard Arzoo, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Have you always wanted to brew cider at home, but just weren’t quite sure where to start? Sign-up for the the Cider Brewing Basics Workshop with Richard Arzoo of North Corner Brewing Supply, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. during Ciderfest. Learn the basics and gain confidence to try your hand at homebrewing cider at home. The workshop fee is $15, and you can secure your spot with easy online registration.
Ciderfest at BelleWood Acres Saturday, November 5 from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
6140 Guide Meridian in Lynden
360-318-7720
Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham serves delicious food all year round at their restaurant. Make a reservation today for Thanksgiving dinner.
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It’s the official start to my holiday season, and it always has the best (and most) food. Family can make the holidays complicated for some, but I’m lucky to have a close knit group of friends and family that I look forward to celebrating with each year. I can’t think of anything better than getting to spend time with loved ones while enjoying food, cocktails, and laughter.
And oh, the food. Of course there’s turkey, but my favorite dishes are always the sides. I can’t be the only one who strives to assemble the perfect bite of stuffing, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole, right?
Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham serves delicious food all year round at their restaurant. Make a reservation today for Thanksgiving dinner.
But here’s the thing: I can’t remember a Thanksgiving when my family didn’t cook a huge meal. I always have a great time celebrating with family and friends, but I’m sure I end up spending almost half the day running back and forth to the kitchen, elbowing my mother as we try to strategize which dish goes in the oven and how soon to carve the turkey.
As a family, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to deliver a delicious meal with the perfect balance of classics and a little something new thrown in each year. The exhaustion finally hits as the dishes pile up in the kitchen, and I begin to wonder if we’ll ever have a clean pan again. For a holiday, Thanksgiving never feels like much of a day off.
My family has decided to try something we’ve never done before– we’re going to go out to eat for Thanksgiving. Plenty of people do this every year, but somehow it never occurred to me that we could let someone else cook for a change. This year we’ll be trying the long-standing Thanksgiving Buffet at Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham.
“The buffet has been happening for many years, but this is my third year doing it,” shared Director of Food and Beverage, Doug Metzger. “It’s such a fun day that the same servers come back year after year to take part. From Blaine to Burlington, families travel to the hotel for their Thanksgiving dinner.”
In addition to Thanksgiving, Four Points by Sheraton offers grand buffets for Christmas, Easter, and Mother’s Day. Photo courtesy: Four Points by Sheraton.
“We do have some hotel guests join us,” shared Director of Sales and Marketing, Kanami Fujita. “But it’s mostly locals who attend. Many come back every year, and we’ll be hosting it in the ballroom this time to make room for even more guests.”
“There aren’t many lavish spreads these days, but ours is a true grand buffet,” shared Metzger, and after reviewing the 2016 menu it’s easy to see why the Thanksgiving buffet at Four Points by Sheraton has such a committed following. In fact, I’m already planning my visit.
I might choose to start (or punctuate) my meal with a few of their many accompaniments, including assorted savory salads, peel and eat shrimp, imported and domestic cheese display, fresh sliced baguettes and gourmet crackers, a selection of fresh fruit, and vegetable crudité with dipping sauce. I’m a sucker for a good cheese board, so I have a feeling I’ll need to pace myself here.
Are you getting hungry yet? I know I am.
Next, I’ll likely move on to the chef’s carving station, which will feature local, organic roasted turkey with brown butter and sherry-herb gravy, and garlic-crusted prime rib with au jus and creamed horseradish. I’ll have my work cut out for me at the buffet where the hot sides will include buttermilk whipped yukon gold potatoes, salted caramel glazed sweet potatoes with pecan-granola topping, traditional bread stuffing with herbs, smoky paprika green bean casserole with goat cheese and crispy onion straws, exotic mushroom and wild rice risotto with sun-dried tomatoes and basil, and herb-encrusted Atlantic salmon. That perfect stuffing-mashed potato-green bean casserole bite is sure to be a particularly delicious one this year.
Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham’s Thanksgiving Buffet will be held upstairs in their ballroom to accommodate regulars and newcomers alike. Photo courtesy: Four Points by Sheraton.
And as if I won’t already need to be rolled out of the hotel ballroom at this point, I’ll still have to contend with the massive dessert buffet, towering with cookies, macaroons, brownies, mini cheesecakes, tartlets, rice pudding, yogurt parfaits, The Desmond Hotel’s famous bread pudding with vanilla sauce, caramel Granny Smith apple pie, southern pecan pie, and – of course – traditional pumpkin pie.
If all of that has you ready to solidify your holiday plans, the 2016 Thanksgiving Buffet at Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham will be held upstairs in their ballroom on Thursday, November 24, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Drop-ins are welcome, but table reservations are recommended for groups.
Already committed for Thanksgiving? Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham also serves similarly lavish buffets for Christmas, Easter, and Mother’s Day. Follow Four Points by Sheraton on Facebook to make sure you know the details of those feasts as they’re announced.
Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham
714 Lakeway Drive
Bellingham, WA 98229
360-671-1011
Revision Division utilizes salvaged materials to create locally made, sustainably built furniture and home goods for customers nationwide. This beautiful piece of maple has found new life as a burl edge table. Photo courtesy: The RE Store.
The RE Store, which sells reclaimed building materials and vintage décor and provides building salvage services, has launched an online Etsy store. This shop features locally made, sustainably built, handmade furnishings crafted by The RE Store’s Revision Division. The new Etsy shop will act as an extension of The RE Store’s in-store showroom at 2309 Meridian Street and will feature free local pick up for area residents.
This beautiful shadowbox shelf was made from materials that otherwise might have ended up in a landfill. Photo courtesy: The RE Store.
Revision Division was born from the desire to give a second life to the many used materials available within The RE Store’s salvaged and vintage building materials warehouse.
“The materials that we see come into The RE Store — old growth wood, vintage hardware, rare tropical woods — you can’t buy these things new anymore,” says Kurt Gisclair, Director of The RE Store. “I had this idea. If we could use these materials to build functional furnishings, people would see and understand the value in salvaging raw materials.”
Matt Vaughn poses with a handmade copper chair. Photo courtesy: The RE Store.
Since the birth of Revision Division in 2011, designer/builder team Matt Vaughn and David Spangler have conceptualized and built hundreds of individually designed pieces of functional furnishings out of re-purposed materials.
“Revision Division is a physical manifestation of our best intentions,” says Vaughn. “We are helping to create a world in which people place value in sustainably-built goods. This is our way of helping to reduce the need for raw material extraction.”
Exchanging raw materials for reused materials, that would otherwise overflow in our landfills, is not only helping to maintain the availability of our natural resources, it’s also introducing a sustainable, cutting edge idea to the furniture building industry.
David Spangler poses with a handcrafted bookcase. Photo courtesy: The RE Store.
Valuing the uniqueness and utility of scrap is a win for consumers because they get to buy one-of-a-kind pieces with depth of character that is hard to find these days. It’s a win for builders because they get to explore the endless creativity and thrift of reused materials. And in a world where construction and demolition waste makes up 25-45 percent of landfill waste, using salvaged materials is a win for the planet because rock, minerals and wood aren’t being harvested only to later be discarded.
“The materials we used weren’t harvested yesterday,” says Spangler. “At some point, someone used this wood for something. Then, someone else salvaged it and brought it to us.” This story of materials that are harvested, used, salvaged and sometimes used again is what Vaughn and Spangler enjoy highlighting.
“I think about every single piece of wood, metal or glass that comes through the shop and how each has a story that is so different than the next,” says Spangler. “Maybe, on its own, that piece is ugly. But if you rethink it, that piece can be part of something larger, something beautiful.”
This shelf was crafted from old-growth Fir. Photo courtesy: The RE Store.
Vaughn uses the following metaphor to describe his work: Just like a chef relies on the farmer to grow delicious food, so does Revision Division rely on community members to keep reusable materials out of the landfill.
“I hope the community knows that Revision Division is our way of saying thank you to every donor, past, present or future,” says Spangler.
For sale: Revision Division handmade furnishings range from $25 rustic mirrors to $2,000 slab furniture, depending on size and materials.
The RE Store is a program of RE Sources for Sustainable Communities, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the health of northwest Washington’s people and ecosystems through the application of science, education, advocacy, and action. re-sources.org.
Industrial Credit Union’s Feed the Need efforts set a new record this year, collecting over $215,000 for Whatcom County food banks.
Last year Feed the Need brought in $113,000 plus 75,000 pounds of food. For 2016, with hunger at an all-time high, Industrial Credit Union decided to set the goal higher than any previous year. The Credit Union also wanted to put an emphasis on monetary donations because the food banks’ buying power far exceeds what can be purchased individually. “For every $10 donated, the Food Bank can purchase approximately $80 worth of food,” said Mike Cohen, Executive Director for the Bellingham Food Bank. Organizers at Industrial Credit Union set a goal of $150,000, thinking it was ambitious but that it would be possible if everyone pitched in.
Statistics like these remove stereotypes and depict realities of the individuals who benefit from Feed the Need. Photo courtesy: Industrial Credit Union.
“Feed the Need” was off to a great start after the kick-off event (the 4th Annual Food Truck Round Up) raised nearly $28,000 in September. Ben Kinney Teams also stepped up and collected over $27,000. Ben Kinney and Keller Williams Realty also matched funds totaling over $62,000. Industrial Credit Union collected another $35,000 from Whatcom County businesses and $63,000 from individual donors during the Feed the Need Community Food Drive bringing the total to $215,000 plus 10,000 pounds of food. These funds will equate to over $1.7 million of buying power for Whatcom County food banks.
“We are very proud of what our community is capable of when we all come together for a great cause,” said Kim Sutton, Executive Vice President for Industrial Credit Union and organizer of Feed the Need. “We always hope that our efforts inspire others to give. Achieving results like this is the ultimate reward.”
Feed the Need is the largest food drive in Whatcom County. Photo courtesy: Industrial Credit Union.
Feed the Need is the largest food drive in Whatcom County. Its success would not have been possible without the dedicated teams at Industrial Credit Union, Haggen Food & Pharmacy, Community Food Co-op and the Cascade Radio Group. Industrial Credit Union would like to give special thanks to Ben Kinney and Keller Williams Realty, whose incredible contribution made a substantial impact on the outcome of this effort.
Since 1941, Industrial Credit Union has been dedicated to serving the financial needs of its member-owners. For information about how Industrial Credit Union can be “In Your Corner,” please call 360-734-2043 or visit IndustrialCU.org. Industrial Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA.
Ever wanted to make a holiday wreath or a ceramic platter for a celebratory dinner? Turn to Whatcom Community College’s Community & Continuing Education for diverse classes this autumn. Imagine impressing friends with handmade crafts – and it only takes a few hours and the expertise of artisan instructors.
Whatcom Community College (WCC) delves into the holiday spirit by offering classes for adults and children. According to Courtney Kendall, WCC Program Specialist, “We’ve always offered some holiday classes, though we have added several new classes this year.”
Amanda Howe shows off her beautiful holiday wreath. Learn how to make one at the Beautiful Holiday Swags and Wreaths class on December 3. Photo courtesy: Amanda Howe.
Kendall keeps the busy holiday season in mind when scheduling the classes, giving students a jumpstart to the season.
“Rarely will we offer anything past the first weekend in December and that is usually just the Beautiful Holiday Swags & Wreaths class. Everything else is typically offered in November, particularly since many of our classes are aimed at DIY or gift-giving ideas,” says Kendall.
Kendall keeps emotions in mind too. WCC is offering Clearing Emotional Clutter from the Holidays ($29), by Journal Therapist Carolyn Koehnline offered on November 17, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. “In the upcoming workshop, journal processes will help reveal what holiday traditions and expectations may be in the way of experiences that would be more restorative and meaningful,” describes Koehnline regarding students’ experiences.
Make a platter for your holiday table or as a gift for a loved one at a class at Whatcom Community College. Photo credit: Deb McCunn.
For those folks who doubt they have a creative bone in their body, McCunn offers encouragement. “The last session a teenage girl was attending with her dad. It was clear the dad had signed up at the insistence of his daughter and he was a little skeptical. But once he got his hands in clay, he was just as enthusiastic as his daughter. They made two very different but equally beautiful platters.”
Other adult classes include, Beautiful Holiday Swags and Wreaths ($45), taught by Cheryl Jackson on Saturday, December 3, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. As well as, Essential Oils for the Holidays taught by Andrea Jacques on November 30, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The class fee is $39 and supplies are an additional $25.
Fashion designer and seamstress Renee Sherrer teaches two sewing classes. Sew a Holiday Stocking on November 3 and 10, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. ($59, which includes two sessions) will prep you for December festivities. Decorative Pennant Garlands for Any Occasion is offered on November 17, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. ($35).
Jennie Goforth teaches holiday classes for children at Whatcom Community College. Photo credit: Jennie Goforth.
WCC’s community education also offers childrens classes for the holidays. Children can learn several crafts during Make and Take Your Own Gifts, taught by instructor Jennie Goforth on Saturday, November 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ($39 plus a $45 supply fee paid directly to the instructor). This course is taught to students, ages 8- to 17-years-old.
“When we planned the course in May, the instructor had not made a firm decision on which crafts would be taught. The class may include lip balm, melt and pour soap, herbal tea, winter luminaries, bath salts, and more. Goforth has taught this class at other locations and said that students will learn the process for many crafts and take home instructions on them, while also getting time to focus on making five completed crafts by course end,” says Kendall.
And why not gift your children with a venture into Harry Potter territory? Goforth will also teach at Hogwarts Satellite School (ages 8 – 14) on December 28, 29 and 30, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The class fee is $115 with an additional $50 fee paid to the instructor. What child wouldn’t want to learn about herbs and practice magic during their holiday break? It’s a great gift idea during winter break.
Carolyn Koehnline helps students unclutter their emotions so they can enjoy the holidays. Photo courtesy: Carolyn Koehnline.
According to Kendall, “We’ve been offering Hogwarts Satellite School since summer of 2007. Typically we just offer it in the summer, but this year we decided to offer it during winter break due to its immense popularity, the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie, and the thought that this would be a great Christmas gift for a Harry Potter fan.”
Goforth originally came up with the concept for a home schooling program. Children are in expert hands. “This is my 15th year teaching Hogwarts, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with well over 2000 students,” she says.
Cal and Helen post on a walking bridge at Cordata Park. The two collect garbage each outing in an effort to keep their neighborhood looking nice. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.
With autumn in full swing, our readers enjoyed looking at the interesting stories of people who choose to call Whatcom County home. These were our readers’ favorite stories published in October.
1. Helen and Cal Swindell – Keeping the Neighborhood Clean, One Walk at a Time
Cal and Helen post on a walking bridge at Cordata Park. The two collect garbage each outing in an effort to keep their neighborhood looking nice. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.
2. Krissy Moehl—An Ultra Runner’s View of Trail Running in Bellingham
Krissy Moehl (left) poses with members of Revolution Running at the finish of the Chuckanut 50k in March 2016. Training for the Chuckanut 50k 2017 begins December 1. Photo courtesy: Revolution Running.
3. Paws for a Beer: Fairhaven’s First Off-Leash Dog Bar
Owners Amy and Rylan Schoen saw a need for a dog-friendly bar in Bellingham. The couple created Paws for a Beer that is now open. Photo courtesy: Rylan Schoen.
4. Editor’s Pick: Rod Hanson – 22 Years, Millions of Pieces of Mail Delivered in Bellingham
Rod Hanson reminisces about his career as a Bellingham mail carrier. Photo credit: Darrell Hill.
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...
