After spending 11 years on dialysis, Garron was finally eligible to get on the list for a kidney transplant. Then he found out he would have to pay out of pocket for extensive dental care before he would be cleared for surgery.
Submitted by Unity Care NW, written by Dental Director Carrie Shane, DDS
I have had the
honor of being the Dental Director for Unity Care NW for more than 20 years.
The fact that dental health affects all health is often on my mind, and it’s
why I appreciate the whole person care model that Unity Care NW provides. Our team has helped thousands of Whatcom
County friends and neighbors access dental care, and one story that will
forever be in my heart is Garron’s
journey to a life-saving
procedure.
Carrie Shane, DDS shares how dental health was a matter of life or death for one of Unity Care NW’s patients. Photo courtesy Unity Care NW
After spending 11
years on dialysis, Garron was finally eligible to get on the list for a kidney
transplant. His excitement was dampened when he found out that to take the next
steps, he needed to be in the best health possible – which meant no dental
cavities. His Medicare plan helped cover costs of his kidney failure, but it
didn’t cover dental care. Garron had multiple cavities, but he couldn’t
afford to care for his teeth. Luckily, a friend suggested that he contact Unity
Care NW. He connected with my team and worked out a treatment plan. His
spirits were lifted when he found out that he could access our Sliding Fee
Discount Program, making his care affordable.
Now, Garron is cavity
free and has a new kidney. He shared with my team that he felt relieved and
deeply thankful for Unity Care NW’s services made possible by generous
donations.
Unity Care NW is a non-profit community health center that never refuses health care to anyone regardless of ability to pay. The Sliding Fee Discount Program at Unity Care NW, is made possible in part from local donors. To contribute to care for patients like Garron, go to https://unitycarenw.org/give.
Even during a pandemic, our team continues to make sure that Garron, and thousands of others, receive top-notch medical, dental, pharmacy, and behavioral health services. At Unity Care NW, we know that health can’t wait and everyone deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. That’s why every donation made to Unity Care NW is so vital to ensuring that the amount of money a person has does not determine how healthy they get to be.
Another year has gone by—seemingly in
a blink. It has been another year of trials and tribulations, testing our
strengths as individuals, companies, and communities. Labor and supply
shortages have been extremely challenging this year. These shortages have
tested all of us in one way or another, stretching us in a way that would have
been unimaginable in years prior. With that said, the Christmas in July and
Furnace Fund giving events at Barron Heating AC Electrical &
Plumbing—while
challenging—couldn’t have come at a better time to meet the needs of many
deserving families and individuals in our communities.
Two of the wonderful recipients of the Furnace Fund. Photo courtesy: Barron Heating
After poring over recommendations, Barron
couldn’t just pick two…so they picked THREE Christmas in July recipients to receive
gifted comfort systems this year—Kim Eagle, Don & Diana Jackson, and Stacy
& Darell Smith. And due to supply chain challenges as well as a surplus of
recommendations from July, Barron selected their 2021 Furnace Fund recipients
early—Michelle Moulds and Edna Peacher. Expediting these giving processes
ensures these families will get what they need now, in order to source and
provide heat for them this winter.
“We are grateful to receive so many
nominations from our customers about good families in our communities who are
facing difficult challenges,” said John Barron, owner of Barron Heating AC
Electrical & Plumbing. “It’s an honor to provide these five recipients with
energy efficient heating and cooling, especially while faced with continued labor
and supply shortages. We’re really committed to fulfilling our mission of
improving lives in Northwest Washington.”
• Kim Eagle of Bellingham—Kim is the perfect example of
resilience and the power to overcome. As a long-time gardener and two-time
cancer survivor, Kim was recently involved in a devastating accident. While
shoveling bark roadside at a customer’s home, a driver who had fallen asleep at
the wheel hit her from behind, pinning her to her work trailer. On top of a
broken pelvis and abdominal injuries, both of Kim’s legs had to be amputated,
leaving her with a long road of recovery. Lacking a properly working furnace
for years prior, Kim’s story was one that was impossible to look past. Barron
was honored to equip her home with a new Daikin ductless system, while her
family and friends have been remodeling the space to accommodate her
wheelchair—showing her a well-deserved outpouring of support to make her life
comfortable for the season ahead.
More deserving Furnace Fund recipients of the Furnace Fund. Photo courtesy: Barron Heating
• Don and Diana Jackson of Sedro
Woolley—The Jacksons
received many Christmas in July recommendations, each with one trait in
common—what loving and giving people they are. Don and Diana share a home with
their adult special needs son; all three on disability and having fallen on
very hard times. Don is battling progressed cancer, and with a failed furnace
and no cooling in their mobile home, the summer heat was unbearable—and soon,
so will be the cold. With very limited finances and relying on space heaters alone,
the Jacksons deservingly received the gift of a Daikin ductless system—one that
will make their home more comfortable year-round.
• Stacy and Darell Smith of Bellingham—The Smiths are a notable and
incredibly giving couple in our community. Stacy is the director at the Firs
After School Program and Forest School, and her and her husband Darell have
been very influential in the lives of numerous children over the years—many in
the foster care system. Darell suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, a disease close
to the hearts of the Barron family, which has left him wheelchair-bound for
many years. The heat has a drastic effect on Darell—something as simple as a
hot shower can leave him unable to lift himself back into his chair—proving
what a godsend a ductless system would be to cool their home. Relying on his
disability and Stacy’s single income, a new system was out of reach on their
own. Barron provided the couple with a two-head Daikin ductless system—a gift
that is truly deserved.
• Michelle Moulds of Bellingham—Michelle is a true example of
selflessness and care for others. An occupational therapist working at the
hospital, she looks after her 95-year-old father and opened her home to foster
a little boy. Just as the pandemic was unfolding, the fostering arrangement was
turning into an adoption, creating a permanent home for her now son. Michelle
began reducing her hours at work to accommodate the transition from foster
family to a permanent family, as well as to attend multiple therapy
appointments for her son. And with childcare costs increasing, their failing
furnace was pushed to the bottom of their list of needs. The Barron team
installed an efficient Lennox furnace, providing them with the gift of comfort
and warmth they can come home to.
• Edna Peacher of Burlington—Edna is a loving mother,
grandmother, and great grandmother that has fallen on hard times. She has
battled breast cancer since 2017, working hard throughout her treatments to try
and make ends meet. A true fighter, she is now a cancer survivor. But recently
left by her husband, she is now facing an even larger financial burden on her
own. Without adequate heat, Edna has been known to use space heaters in her
home to try and make do. But this season is looking a little brighter for Edna,
as Barron installed a new single-head Daikin ductless system, giving her a
boost she deserves for this new chapter in a warm and comfortable home.
From nominations to facilitating, to installations
and more, Barron would like to thank all who have been involved in this year’s
Christmas in July and Furnace Fund giving events. Committed to “Improving Lives,”
the team is honored to be able to help such deserving people in our communities.
Emmy Volkar sees great value in addressing the tough subjects in order to make the best of our lives. Pho-to credit: Steven Arbuckle
A lifetime of old memories, and busy days spent making new ones, can sometimes add up to a feeling that life is a little less than ideal. Addressing those issues can do an awful lot of good, and depth hypnosis practitioner Emmy Volkar has just developed a new business to take on that challenge.
Volkar
was born in Pennsylvania, where she also earned a degree in English. “At the
time, I knew I like to read and write, and think about how people feel and live
their lives, and to think about that in different ways,” she says. That led to
15 years spent in the world of non-profit adult and child behavioral health and
community programs. Later, she took advantage of a network called World Wide
Opportunities On Organic Farms, which allows laborers to travel to farms in
different locations to gain experience.
“My
favorite farm was in Concrete. I kept in touch with those people, and at some point,
they had a little cabin for rent,” says Volkar. “Then I
moved to Guemes Island for a bit and moved to Bellingham in 2017. I guess I
needed a bigger town to find more community, new friends, and the chance to
play music.”
Plant-based medicines can be used to calm the mind, a potent ally in stressful times. Photo courtesy Emmy Volkar
Volkar’s childhood experience
held some inspiration for her future. “In middle school, friends would tell me
what they were upset about, issues with their families and things, and I
noticed I felt really comfortable with that,” she says. Since then, she’s also
found another personal touchstone. “There might have been times I didn’t
believe in a god presence, or a universal connective tissue, but I’ve always
believed in energy, and it’s always been incredibly evident to me.”
She soon found a way to
combine her beliefs with the desire to be her own boss. “About four years ago,
I started going to the Foundation of the Sacred Stream in Berkeley, California,”
says Volkar. “It was founded by Isa Gucciardi, a PhD who developed a modality
of hypnotherapy in the mid 1990s called Depth Hypnosis.”
Despite the ideas that hypnosis might bring to mind, her practice has little to do with entering a sleep-like state. “It’s a model that combines hypnotherapy, Buddhist psychology, energy medicine, shamanic work, and transpersonal psychology—a way of understanding the self by connecting to a deity, a higher power, or an inner sense of wisdom,” Volkar says.
“It was certainly the trees that drew me here,” Volkar says of her decision to live in Whatcom County. Photo courtesy Emmy Volkar
Her method doesn’t involve
swinging a pocket watch in front of someone’s eyes, but does start off in a
familiar way.
“I’ll get an emotional
biography of the person’s life, going through their memories and foundational
relationships,” Volkar explains. “In the next session, I help them connect to a
compassionate internal voice. Some people are in a tremendous state of power
loss, and their inner narrative is negative.”
The point is to use that
hidden, positive inner voice to engage with the louder, negative one head-on.
“We talk about the issues that
are arising in their lives and get to an emotionally charged state,” says
Volkar. “From there I help them into a meditative state, where their mind is
quieted so they can actually find the source of the feeling that’s coming up. Whatever
the issue is, we bring in that compassionate voice to help with integration.”
Volkar helps clients realize their potentials, working on the smallest of details and the over-arching themes. Photo courtesy Emmy Volkar
Volkar sees this as an
effective tool for a wide range of people. “If you’ve put a lot of effort and
energy into changing something and it still isn’t changing, that’s a good time
to work with Depth Hypnosis. For a lot of people, I see improvement in just
three or four sessions,” she says. “It isn’t like talk therapy, which can help
people organize their thoughts—this is for people who are ready to change
things in their lives that are causing suffering. It has been proven to help
with PTSD, anxiety and depression.”
Volkar also offers three other
areas of assistance, starting with her training in the Coming To Peace process,
a conflict resolution model in which clients connect to inner wisdom to guide
them through mediation and conflict resolution. “I believe that conflict is a
teacher,” says Volkar. “It’s there so that we can learn more about ourselves
and deepen our capacity for being in harmony with the world. I believe it can
be a really valuable thing to engage with.”
Emmy Volkar sees great value in addressing the tough subjects in order to make the best of our lives. Photo credit: Steven Arbuckle
Another specialty focuses on
physical health. “My understanding of human nature is that if we don’t deal
with something on a spiritual level, it moves to an emotional level. If we
don’t deal with it at that level, it moves to a mental level. If we don’t deal
with it there, it can show up physically,” Volkar says. “If your nerves are
fried, you can’t receive input in a normal, relaxed way. There are so many
gentle and effective herbs that can help to repair your nervous system, and
once you have a foundation, you can dig into physical issues, then open up on
the emotional, mental and spiritual levels.”
Finally, Volkar guides people
in developing ceremonies for weddings, births, funerals, and other personal
milestones. “Our culture moves through everything so quickly that we often
don’t give things the space and time needed to really hold them as sacred,” she
says. “I’m interested in bringing that back to people because there’s wisdom in
it.”
While much of Volkar’s work
involves dealing with negative circumstances, she sees real results in taking
them on and working past them. “I believe there’s a need to dig into the hard
stuff, and I think we’ve forgotten how to do that. I’m also interested in
helping people develop practices that let them feel comfortable and safe in
their bodies.”
The Squalicum Storm traveled south to Tumwater in a 2A State semifinal WIAA football battle Saturday, November 27, 2021. In a defensive battle, the first ranked T-Birds (10-2) prevailed 14-3 at rain drenched Tumwater District Stadium ending the fourth ranked Storm’s (8-3) quest for a birth at the Gridiron Classic championship game next week at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup.
Storm seniors Leyton Smithson and Djouvensky Schlenbaker shared the majority of offensive production for Squalicum, with Smithson rushing for 147 yards and Schlenbaker for 74 yards on the evening.
Defense was the theme as both teams went scoreless during the first quarter and second half. Bryson Lamb led the Storm and Tumwater saw consistent leadership from Caleb Sadlemyer, Ryan Otton, and Austin Terry.
Tumwater junior quarterback Alex Overbay went 8 for 13 for 79 yards including a 19-yard second quarter play action pass to University of Washington signee Ryan Otton that put Tumwater ahead 7-0. The T-Bird wing-T rushing attack saw consistent rushing from junior Carlos Matheney (20 carries for 95 yards) and senior Peyton Hoyt (15 carries for 44 yards, 1TD).
Squalicum had small bursts throughout the game but could not connect their bigger plays with points. Training 0-7 Smithson dazzled a 58-yard run deep into the red zone. Tumwater’s defense always seemed to respond stopping the Storm who were forced to connect for a Sebastian Smith 25-yard field goal.
Tumwater extended its lead to 14-3 after driving the entire field after the Squalicum field goal. Peyton Hoyt looked to pass as time expired but rushed for a one yard touchdown to close the half.
The T-Birds will prepare to meet second ranked Lynden at the Gridiorn Classic. Coach Bill Beattie praised his team’s defensive play. “Defensive was just lights out,” Beattie said. “That was a great football team over there and our kids just played fantastic. We are excited to be heading back to the state championship and it should be a blast.”
Squalicum coach Nick Lucey was proud of the way his team competed. “Our defensive was lights out and offensively we were close but just fell short,” he said. “We have a great senior class who loved to play and came to work every day. It is really sad to see them move on but it was a great group of kids that have passed on a spirit that will stay with our program.”
Squalicum senior quarterback Leyton Smithson will move on to play for Washington State where he will be joined by Schlenbaker as both seniors have signed with the Cougs. Smithson ended his year with 1,236 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the year.
People were encouraged to grow their own food during World War I. Photo from the Library of Congress
The United States participated in World War I from April
1917 to November 1918. During this time people, rallied to save food for the
war effort. One Bellingham woman, Mrs. G. A. Bumstead, was inspired to turn her
thoughts into music. The lyrics, to the tune “Marching Through Georgia,” were
published by the Bellingham Herald on October 30, 1917:
“We women of America will prove that/we are true./While standing by our colors, the Red,/the White, the Blue./We’ll show our boys in France that we/can fight the battle, too!/While we are standing by Hoover.//Chorus: Hurrah! Hurrah! We’ll help the thing/along./Hurrah! Hurrah! We’ll do it with a song./We’ll bake the bread we ought to bake,/corn bread and muffins, too./While we are standing by Hoover//Corn meal in mush we’ll boil and fry/and spread molasses on./We’ll eat it with good conscience for/’twill help the boys along./Eat it as we used to eat it in the days/now gone./For we are standing by Hoover//Chorus//One day we’ll cook no meat./One day we’ll cook no wheat./We’ll cook the things we ought to cook,/corn cakes and hominy, too./For we are standing by Hoover.”
As Mrs. Bumstead wrote, saving
food was a central part of the American homefront during World War I. The need
for food was dire for America’s soldiers and allies. The conflict had
devastated agriculture in Europe as men marched off to war and fields
disappeared under shelling. Submarine warfare disrupted international trade.
To meet the emergency,
President Woodrow Wilson formed the United States Food Administration, headed
by former mining engineer (and future president) Herbert Hoover. Hoover had
impressed many with his capable handling of relief for civilians in
German-occupied Belgium. He was the logical choice for the post and, as seen in
Bumstead’s song, was the public face of the organization.
The Food Administration
labelled their food-saving measures “food conservation.” Few laws were passed
regulating consumption and businesses practices, making it a largely voluntary
rationing program.
This Rogers Baking Powder advertisement from the June 7, 1918 issue of the Bellingham Herald used rye flour and rice flour instead of wheat. Photo from the Washington State Library
People were encouraged to save
limited commodities, especially wheat, meat, sugar, and fats. Through promotion
of “wheatless,” “meatless,” and “porkless” days and meals, people were
encouraged to use substitutes such as corn and other grains to reduce
consumption of limited commodities. They were also encouraged to plant “war
gardens” as a way to increase food supplies and reduce strains on food
transportation.
Pledge card campaigns promoted food conservation. In July
1917, the National League for Women’s Service led these efforts, making cards
available at their headquarters and local businesses. Another drive was held in
late October 1917. Students brought home pledge cards (Bellingham’s Washington
School collected 400 alone). Other groups, such as churches and fraternal organizations,
distributed cards to their members. Volunteers canvassed houses with help from
experienced door-to-door agents from Metropolitan Life. Near the end of the
campaign, organizers estimated that about 75% of Bellingham families had signed
the pledges.
The Puget Sound Traction, Light and Power Company’s advertisement from the May 10, 1918, Bellingham Herald, shown here, promoted gas and electric stoves as an aid to food conservation. Photo from the Washington State Library
People could find information about how to save food
everywhere. The Bellingham
Public Library had a collection of official United States Food
Administration bulletins and publications, full of recipes and food-saving tips.
The local Chamber of Commerce distributed
their own pamphlets. Puget Sound Traction, Light and Power Company provided
recipes and distributed posters, while at the same time they promoted their gas
and electric ranges as saving coal needed for the war effort. The National
League for Women’s Service even had a canning booth at the Bellingham Public
Market where the public could watch demonstrations—but they had to bring their
own food and cans.
The Bellingham Normal School (now Western Washington
University) trained people to be
teachers. During the war, the school played an important part in the food
conservation effort. They invited a number of speakers to their assemblies from
across the region and country. These speakers included Sarah Louise Arnold, a
noted suffragist and dean of Boston’s Simmons University on a national tour for the U.S. Food Adminstration.
In January 1918, in response to a call by the
Food Adminstration, the Normal School opened a twice-weekly emergency course in
food conservation. All students (including men) were required to attend 18
demonstrations over the seemster. Some school assembles had to be cancelled to
make room for the new class. The public was also invited to attend for free.
People were encouraged to grow their own food during World War I. Photo from the Library of Congress
The importance of food conservation led to
some paranoia. In September 1917, a local woman found bits of tin in new rubber
bands she was using to seal her fruit jar; the flaw was blamed for several
other women’s freshly canned food spoiling. Instead of assuming it was
accidental, the paper accused “alien enemies” of trying to sabotage food
conservation efforts.
Overall, food was a cornerstone of the war
effort and promoted as something everyone could—and should—do to contribute to winning
the war. In an official declaration in support of war gardens, published in the
February 6, 1918, issue of the Bellingham Herald, city mayor John A. Sells wrote:
“[While] you may not be able to buy liberty bonds or [make] donuts [for] the
Red Cross; you may not be able to contribute to the various funds and philantropies
now loudly calling; but every able-bodied man and woman in Bellingham can dig.
And the diggers in America are going to win this war.”
The City of Bellingham has accepted the donation of a portion of the pier at Little Squalicum Park from Lehigh Northwest Cement Company. Long sought after for public access, this incredible asset will provide our community a spectacular waterfront experience on the north end of Bellingham Bay.
The City of Bellingham has successfully negotiated a no-cost transfer of the majority of the former industrial pier located at Little Squalicum Park in north Bellingham Bay. The Bellingham City Council approved the transfer at its November 22, 2021, regular meeting. The City is contracting to design and construct structural and environmental improvements to the pier to make it accessible to the public.
Looking toward Little Squalicum Park from the Lehigh Pier.
“This incredible asset will provide our community with an unprecedented waterfront experience from the north end of Bellingham Bay, including spectacular views of the bay, the City and Mount Baker,” said Mayor Seth Fleetwood. “Many of us have championed and supported this acquisition for a long time. I am thrilled we will be able to preserve and improve this iconic structure and I look forward to the day it opens to the public.”
Fleetwood said City Parks and Legal staff worked together to negotiate the transfer and ensure the City’s future risk of ownership is minimized.
The inner section of the pier transferred to the City is 1,200 linear feet long and 14 feet wide. Rehabilitation will create an overwater walkway anticipated to be similar to Taylor Dock.
The City recently contracted with Moffat & Nichol to complete design and permit applications that will be required to rehabilitate the City’s portion of the pier, including removing existing treated decking and installing new pedestrian handrails, low-level solar lighting and accessible walking surface. This design work will ensure safe public access and support the completion of environmental and permitting applications to submit to the regulatory agencies.
Lehigh Northwest Cement Company is retaining and responsible for demolishing 600 feet of the outer section of pier and associated pipe supply line, which is within the Department of Natural Resources tidelands.
Depending on the success of and timeline for permitting, construction is anticipated in 2023 or 2024. Improvements are estimated to cost $4.5 million, expected to be funded by Greenways, park impact fees and grant funds.
The holiday season is fast approaching and, after nearly two full years away from the stage, beloved British comedy duo James and Jamesy are back with O Christmas Tea. Whether it’s with friends, family, loved ones, or on your own, an evening spent in the theatre with James and Jamesy is sure to be an evening you will never forget.
The show will be held December 1st at 7.30 p.m. at the Mount Baker Theatre.
O Christmas Tea is a rollicking holiday spectacular that’s ideal for fans of Monty Python, Mr. Bean, and Dr. Seuss. James and Jamesy have delighted audiences for decades with their unique take on traditional British comedy and they’re excited to make their eagerly awaited return to the stages.
“After 20 months away from the stage, we are beside ourselves — both literally and metaphorically — to be reunited with our audiences, many of whom have become like extended family over the festive season, and to again feel the buzz that only the magic of live theatre can bring,” explained Aaron Malkin (James), the taller, less-hirsute half of the award-winning duo.
The time away, due to pandemic restrictions on live entertainment, has reinforced not only the passion the duo has for its shows, but also the importance that humour plays in our lives.
“We are so excited to once again be able to bring friends and family together, especially now – more than ever – we are reminded to dream big, embrace imagination, and celebrate a childlike excitement for merriment,” added Alastair Knowles (Jamesy), the eccentric half of the award-winning duo. “There are definitely going to be some surprises for our regular audiences, with whom we’re thrilled to reconnect this season.”
O Christmas Tea is rich with wordplay, comic physicality, and cleverly crafted interactive elements reminiscent of classic British pantomimes. However, it is James & Jamesy’s boundless imagination and endearing chemistry that creates the extraordinary magic of this unique festive experience.
During the action-packed production, a Christmas wish for tea is surprisingly fulfilled in titanic proportions. As the world floods with tea, our duo must find innovative and hilarious solutions to keep them afloat as they try to make their way back home.
Already a festive tradition for thousands of theatre-goers, this year the O Christmas Tea tour is brighter than ever, with dates across the Pacific Northwest including four dates across Washington State – Olympia, Edmonds, Seattle, and Bellingham – offering both long-time fans and those new to the James and Jamesy experience a chance to enjoy the festive production.
Grab your teacups!
Redefining immersive theatre, these masters of physical comedy—with over 20 comedy awards to their name—bring their audience on a jolly escapade with surprising depth in this joyous celebration of friendship at Christmas.
Event Listing Details:O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy Showtime: December 1st at 7.30pm Venue: Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N Commercial Street in Bellingham
About James & Jamesy (jamesandjamesy.com/@jamesandjamesy) David MacMurray Smith, Aaron Malkin (James), and Alastair Knowles (Jamesy) are creators, performers, and educators of physical comedy and physical theatre. Since 2012, James & Jamesy productions have been performed over 750 times across the UK, USA, and Canada, earning lifetime fans and rave reviews. In 2017, they sold out performances at the Edinburgh Fringe and in 2018 performed a 5-week run Off Broadway at New York’s SoHo Playhouse. Among other accolades, the physical comedians are winners of the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Live Ensemble and are 22-time “Best of Fest” winners on the International Comedy circuit. James & Jamesy continue to defy expectations with their innovative creations that delight and excite audiences of all ages. Their unique humour appeals to those of all ages and fosters an inclusive atmosphere, encouraging of audience involvement.
Just a few of the 15 salmon that now swim along the side of North Forest Street. Photo credit: Steven Arbuckle
As you drive north on Boulevard from Fairhaven to
Bellingham, the road passes a roundabout and leads up a gentle hill. Here, it
becomes North Forest Street and curves along the base of a retaining wall—for
years a featureless grey surface, like so many other pieces of urban
infrastructure. But this summer, people passing the wall suddenly found
themselves alongside a stream of blues, bright salmon swimming along with them.
The mural is the work of artist Jason LaClair and represents the beginning of
the newest chapter in his life, and of public art in Whatcom County.
LaClair was surrounded by talented artists early in life,
and knew he was interested in walking a similar path.
“My mom is from Nooksack and my dad is from Lummi,” says LaClair, who spent the first half of his life on the Nooksack reservation in Everson, and the second half on the Lummi reservation. “My dad was an artist, my uncle on my mom’s side is a master carver, and I grew up watching him create things, and my next-door neighbor was also a master carver from Nooksack. I remember being six years old and walking up to George as he was carving this massive pole, and telling him, ‘Hey, I want to learn that.’”
Surrounded by examples of working artists, LaClair had no
trouble finding his own way to express himself. He began to study other people’s
art when he was nine years old, and then started to practice shapes on his own.
“I got a little bit of guidance on the way, but for the most part I just had to
wing it,” he says. “I used to kind of tinker around from the ages of 9 to 13,
and it wasn’t until I was 14 [that] I started really putting designs together.”
LaClair is excited to see what the future holds for him—and to help other artists connect to the wider world. Photo credit: Steven Arbuckle
LaClair soon found he was able to translate his private
passion into a means of supporting himself. “I won a logo contest for the Lummi
Nation when I was 15 years old,” he says. “My main focus was doing digital
prints and making originals with pencils and even Sharpie pens. I would create
an original, clean it up on Photoshop, make inkjet prints, and walk door to
door selling them. I never liked bumming money off of people, so if I needed
something, I’d create a piece of art. I look at my originals from back then and
it kind of makes me cringe. I’ve even offered to buy them back, or trade them
for something nicer, but people say, ‘No, that’s your story.’”
More recently, one of LaClair’s design projects helped
him find a whole new audience for his art. “I created a lot of business logos
for companies in Whatcom County, Lummi ,and Nooksack, for vocational rehab-type
places, or different entities of the tribes,” he says. “Then one of my tribal
leaders, who’s connected to the Ferndale Arts Commission, helped get me a mural
there [last] July.”
This mural at Ferndale’s Pavillion was the first piece of public art created by LaClair. Photo credit: Steven Arbuckle
During this new stage of his career, LaClair had a
conversation that reminded him that he’s right where he’s supposed to be.
“An old friend of mine from school said, ‘It’s crazy—you’re
doing everything you said you wanted to when we were kids.’ He said that when
we were in third grade our teacher asked as what we wanted to be,” LaClair
recounts “Some people said firefighter [or] cop. I said I want to be a Coast
Salish artist.”
As it turns out, his friend’s older brother owns a store
in Deming, where LaClair has art on the wall. That piece caught the eye of
another local artist, who also heard the story about LaClair’s third grade
announcement. That’s how LaClair came to meet prolific local muralist Gretchen Leggitt, who became
his partner for the mural on the North Forest Street retaining wall.
A blend of self-taught technique and traditional styles come together in LaClair’s work. Photo credit: Steven Arbuckle
“I was really blown away by how much of a master Gretchen
is. She took my art and superimposed it onto a picture of the wall so the Arts
Commission here in Bellingham could see what it was going to look like,” says
LaClair. “We didn’t use any overhead projectors or anything like that, we just
used a grid and did it freehand with spray paint cans.”
It has been a long journey from fine-tipped Sharpies to
covering entire walls, but LaClair is clear that he’s not finished.
“It’s just starting—that’s my attitude,” he says. “This
is the first of many,”
The North Forest Street mural stands over seven feet at its highest point, and is hundreds of feet long. Photo credit: Steven Arbuckle
He also wants to bring other artists with him, working as
a middleman that introduces artists to the waiting world.
“When I was walking my art door to door, it was
intimidating going to these neighborhoods where people think I’m there to
steal. But then they’d find out what I was doing, and word spread, and the next
thing you know I’m selling art to the whole neighborhood,” he says. “My hope
for sharing art is to inspire the next generation to keep it going, make
positive connections, and keep those relationships going.”
A proud, lifelong Whatcom County resident, LaClair says
his goal in life is to not just share his own work, but to get all the artists
of area tribal communities to step forward and start sharing their work with
the world. “Each day I just make sure I’m making a step in the right direction,”
he says, “paving the way for artists of the future to be able to openly share
what they love to do.”
A new AARP Fraud Watch Network report is alerting consumers of scams they could encounter over the holidays. Of those surveyed, 75-percent reported they have been targeted or experienced at least one form of fraud that can be tied to the holidays.
“The holiday season is a time for togetherness, celebration, and giving,” said AARP Washington State Director Doug Shadel. “Unfortunately, the gift-giving process, from purchasing the perfect gift to making sure it gets to the recipient, also brings a plethora of opportunities for scammers to enrich themselves.”
Scammers deploy a number of tactics to steal during the holidays, ranging from online shopping scams, to scams involving the draining of gift cards, to package and shipping scams. The AARP study found that many consumers may be opening themselves up to risk as they shop this holiday season.
Credit Vs. Debit: According to AARP’s survey, nearly 70% of U.S adults will use their debit cards this holiday season, but debit cards do not offer the same protections as a credit card. The report recommends using a credit card for online purchases for better protections in the event of a fraud.
Skip the Rack: Two-thirds of U.S. adults (66%) plan to purchase gift cards as a holiday gift. Purchasing off the rack at grocery stores and pharmacies is most common (60%), but gift cards on store racks are also a known target for scammers. TIP: Visit the retailer’s website directly and purchase the card online. And if you do buy from a store, inspect cards carefully for tampering, and keep all activation and purchase receipts.
Watch the Apps: Nearly half of U.S. adults (45%) intend to use peer-to-peer (P2P) apps like Venmo, Zelle or Cash App to send money, and 69% of P2P users have sent money to someone they didn’t know well (not recommended).
Package Delivery Scams: Over half of U.S. adults (53%) said they are planning to ship gifts to friends or family over the holidays. Packages on front porches are a common target for thieves, with one in four adults (25%) reporting they lost a package in this way. Additionally, scammers send fake shipping notifications about an issue to get consumers to disclose payment or sensitive personal information. More than a third of adults (34%) reported receiving fake carrier notifications. TIP:Ask shippers if packages can be held at their location for pickup or have them delivered in a discrete place out of easy view. If you haven’t placed an order, or a shipping notification requests urgent demands for payment or personal info, ignore it.
Be careful online: Three quarters of adults surveyed (75%) said they plan on shopping online for the holidays, but consumers need to know the red flags before logging in. Over a third of U.S. adults (35%) reported they experienced fraud when buying a product through an online advertisement. Some online advertisements can download malicious software onto devices or lead the shopper to a cloned site of a legitimate store.
Give, But Give Wisely
The year-end is also when many charities raise a significant portion of their funds, so of course scammers want in on the action. Americans contributed more than $471 billion to charity last year. That generosity supports many amazing organizations that put those billions to work for worthy causes.
“But when scammers are in the mix, our support for these worthy causes ends up lining the pockets of criminals,” said Shadel. AARP’s survey shows that 38% of adults reported receiving a request for a monetary donation to a charity that felt fake or fraudulent.
A good way to avoid giving to a sham charity – or to avoid giving through a fundraiser that keeps much of what they raise – is to research the charity before giving. You can do this online in several ways, such as give.org, charitywatch.org or charitynavigator.org. An even better way is to make your charitable giving decisions at the end of this year on what you’d like to support in 2022. Write it down and stick to it. It also makes it easier to decline donating by saying you’ve already made your giving decisions.
“Ultimately, the point here isn’t to take the joy out of this time of year or take the fun out of gift-giving, but to help consumers be aware so they can protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Shadel. “This holiday season, serve your holiday cheer with a side of skepticism to help stay safe from increasingly sophisticated scammers.”
More information on these and other holiday scams is included on AARP’s website at www.aarp.org/holidayscams.
Donna Korthuis (center) and Fiona Houweling organize donated goods prepared in the sanctuary Sumas Advent Christian Church, which received the Whatcom Community Foundation’s first grant Wednesday, November 17. Photo credit: Brandon Sawaya
The Whatcom Community Foundation has granted more than $280,000 through its Resilience Fund—which has grown by $560,000 since Monday, November 15—to organizations in communities hardest hit by the November 15 flood disaster in Whatcom County. More is on the way as leaders work to assess needs.
Background
Early on Monday November 15, local donors created a $100,000 matching pool to support flood
relief efforts for Whatcom County neighbors. Hours later Puget Sound Energy added $15,000 to the
match pool which kicked off the fundraising effort. By Wednesday, generous community members,
local businesses and organizations had met the match with gifts ranging from $10 to $10,000.
Sumas Advent Christian Church Pastor Chad Hammond, ready to canvas the neighborhood, collecting damage estimation to report to FEMA. Photo credit: Brandon Sawaya
Match pool continues to grow
The match pool continues to grow with generous commitments from several corporate donors,
including the largest single gift so far, $100,000, from Superfeet. (See below for growing list of
match pool donors.)
A week after launching the Resilience Fund matching pool, it now totals more than
$330,000, with $230,000 donated toward that match. That means $560,000 has been raised so far,
thanks to the gifts of more than 1,300 individuals, who join 35 corporate and other foundation
donors, some of whom have offered their own matching programs.
“I’m just awed by the generosity,” said Mauri Ingram, Whatcom Community Foundation President and CEO. “What the people of Whatcom County do best is show up and step up—with money, food, services, equipment and open hearts. What we do best is mobilize resources and make connections.”
Whatcom Community Foundation works with local leaders and trusted partners to do three things:
listen to community voices to identify needs, determine the groups on the ground best suited to
meet them, and then get funding to those organizations as quickly as possible. The goal is to meet
people’s needs in the hardest hit areas through the organizations who know them the best.
Donna Korthuis (center) and Fiona Houweling organize donated goods prepared in the sanctuary Sumas Advent Christian Church, which received the Whatcom Community Foundation’s first grant Wednesday, November 17. Photo credit: Brandon Sawaya
Local money is the first money
Local dollars are the fastest, most flexible funding available for disaster response. Every dollar raised
here stays here. The Foundation made Whatcom County’s first Resilience Fund grant within two
days of the flood, giving $50,000 to a local church providing direct resources to people in Sumas.
By Friday November 19, four days after the flood, grants totaled $285,000 to eight
organizations in Ferndale, Sumas, Everson and Nooksack and elsewhere in Whatcom County,
including the Ferndale Community Service Cooperative, Catholic Community Services and the
Miracle Food Network, were being put to work helping people purchase essential needs, salvage
their belongings and begin the heartbreaking process of cleanup and damage assessement.
“The Resilience Fund grant from Whatcom Community Foundation is helping us put money in the
hands of the people in our community that need help so desperately, said Chad Hammond, Senior
Pastor at Sumas Advent Christian Church. “Just knowing that folks care enough to donate to the
fund is overwhelming and we are so grateful.”
Resilience Fund matching pool donors also include:
Bellingham Industry Association of Whatcom County
Comcast
Cornwall Church
Peoples Bank
Petrogas, an affiliate of AltaGas
Phillips66
Walton Foundation
WECU
About the Resilience Fund
Whether for flooding, Covid-19 or other community emergencies, the Resilience Fund puts dollars
to work through front line organizations for disaster preparedness, response and long-term recovery.
During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the Whatcom Community Foundation made Resilience
Fund grants to 60 local nonprofits totaling more than $2.6 million.
About the Whatcom Community Foundation
One of more than 1000 community foundations nationwide, the Whatcom Community Foundation
connects people, ideas and resources so that everyone in Whatcom County can thrive. We have
invested nearly $52 million from Acme to Van Zandt, Bellingham to Blaine toward community
health, happiness and prosperity since 1996. Anyone can contribute any amount of money to a
community foundation, which builds assets to meet local needs and opportunities. Visit
www.whatcomcf.org to make a gift to the Resilience Fund.
