Ferndale Chamber of Commerce Gets New Gator for Downtown Flowers

By

-

Ferndale Chamber of Commerce gets a new Gator — The Ferndale Chamber of Commerce's new Gator was purchased with support by Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery, BP's Cherry Point Refinery and Ferndale Grocery Outlet. Photo courtesy: Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.

You can’t miss them: From the Centennial Riverwalk to Portal Way, downtown Ferndale shines with 125 baskets of vibrant pink flowers. The vibrant blooms are beloved spring and summer staples. The Ferndale Chamber of Commerce began taking care of the flowers after the Ferndale Image Group disbanded in 2003.

Eighty-six-year-old Bob Curtis waters the flowers with the help of the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce’s trusty John Deere Gator. The Chamber oversees the hanging baskets’ maintenance and provides Curtis with equipment and materials to keep them looking fresh.

The Chamber recently retired the beloved 13-year-old Gator and purchased a new used one with help from community partners. The old Gator racked up 26,000 hours of use during its lengthy career and became well-known downtown. The new Gator promises to live up to its predecessor’s reputation.

“We know the flower baskets make our town more beautiful and vibrant, and we couldn’t get a new Gator without help from our partners that also care so much about our community,” says Ann Serwold, executive director of the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.

The acquisition of the Gator was spurred by Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery. The project also received support from Ferndale Grocery Outlet, BP’s Cherry Point Refinery and Signs By Tomorrow Bellingham, who will eventually wrap the Gator in logos. According to Serwold, the Chamber greatly appreciates contributions from members of Ferndale’s business community.

Antonio Machado, crude/LPG scheduler for Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery, says they saw a need to replace the old Gator when they recognized the essential role it plays in the Ferndale community. “It was necessary to help the Chamber of Commerce get a new working Gator,” Machado says. “Most of our families live in Ferndale – many people here are longtime Whatcom County residents. This is our community and the downtown flower baskets are a part of what makes our community great.”

In addition to assisting with the new Gator’s purchase in 2018, Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery gave Whatcom County a grant to build a Phillips 66 Soccer Park in 2016. The facility, considered one of the nicest soccer fields in Washington, features 12 full-size soccer fields. Their care for the Ferndale and Whatcom County communities is apparent.

Just like Machado, Ferndale Grocery Outlet Owner Larry Brown stresses the importance of local business bettering the community in which they do business. “I felt like we need to show the community that we care about them,” Brown says. “If our donation helps lift the spirits of Ferndale in an indirect way and we are successful doing that, then we’ve done our job as business owners in Ferndale.”

Brown says he was lucky to work for an employer who taught him that community involvement is the most important thing business owners can do. This is why he and his wife, Beth, love giving back and showing their gratitude and appreciation.

Internal Communications Advisor for BP Cherry Point Refinery Rayanne McKeon echoes Brown’s sentiment. “The BP Cherry Point refinery believes that strong partnerships like the one it has with the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce are part of doing good business,” McKeon says. “When BP learned the Chamber needed a new Gator to keep the beautiful flower baskets that hang in downtown blooming, we were happy to support this cause. Many of our employees are proud to call Ferndale home and we are proud to support this community.”

But perhaps no one is happier than Bob Curtis, the man who spends six hours every day driving the Gator to each of the 125 flower baskets. Curtis will continue his work as usual, attentively caring for each plant and providing as much water as needed – but now he’ll do it in style, in a much newer John Deere Gator.

Sponsored

Club de Lectura: Carmen Avila Cervera Hosts Reading Club for Spanish Heritage Students

By

Serena Keenan Intern from Sehome High School

-

Club de Lectura Avila and girl — During Club, Señora Avila offers assistance to groups who might need it. Photo courtesy: Serena Keenan.

Every Monday for two hours after school at Roosevelt Elementary, there is Club de Lectura (“Reading Club” in English) for Spanish heritage students. The program focuses on building skills of bi-literacy in both English and Spanish.

Many of the books in the club library were donated by organizations. Sra. Avila is hoping to expand the curriculum to bring in more academic vocabulary. A lot of their new books are for this purpose. Photo courtesy: Serena Keenan.

“Our goals are that our students get to know about their heritage culture and get to feel the value of connecting to the roots of their family,” says Carmen Avila Cervera (known as Señora Avila to her students), the club coordinator. “Another goal is for our students to become bi-literate and somehow keep developing their oral Spanish. Many of our students start losing their oral Spanish or don’t get to develop their oral Spanish because they only use it at home a little bit or only for everyday things, so we wanted them to be exposed to the language in books.”

On a typical Monday, starting at 2:30 p.m., the students split into small groups called teams. Each team has fourth and fifth grade group leaders, and each team sits together during the group lesson run by Señora Avila. Then, teams go to different tables to work on games and activities about sounds, syllables and words. Each team goes to each table once and when they finish, students from various high schools come to read with the elementary schoolers.

During Club, Señora Avila offers assistance to groups who might need it. Photo courtesy: Serena Keenan.

In each reading group, there are two high school tutors and usually three to five elementary schoolers. They read one book together as a group, with the tutors helping identify the pronunciation and meaning of the words. Once the book is finished, the elementary schoolers make a circle chart with either their favorite words from the book or new words they learned, and then they get to choose a new book to read. The reading groups usually last for about 40 minutes, until 4:30 p.m. when the students leave.

Señora Avila has been running the program for about five years, but the program has been going on for about 12 years total. “I’ve been working at Roosevelt since 2012 and that first year I was involved in Club de Lectura somehow, supporting, observing, learning about it, but I wasn’t in charge of it; I was just trying to somehow support it,” she says.

After reading, the students work individually on their circle map, choosing three to five words to include. Then, they write an original sentence that uses one of the words they chose. Photo courtesy: Serena Keenan.

Before she came to Roosevelt, Señora Avila was working on bilingual education in other ways. As a child, she grew up in Mexico City and went to a bilingual K-12 school, where she fell in love with the English language. “I always loved English,” she says. “For some reason, the sound of it and the grammar of it just was fun for me. I wanted to become an English teacher, so I became an English teacher and I taught adults for many years at a university, at a language center and then when I started studying my major, I became a bilingual kindergarten teacher and that’s what I did for three years.”

She got a bachelor’s degree in education, with a major in special education of literacy and math. “I tried some different things before deciding I wanted to be a teacher,” she says, “but then I landed in Morelia [a city in Mexico], in Instituto Michoacano de Ciencias de la Educación – that’s the Michoacán Institute of Education Sciences – and I loved it. [It] specializes in education, so everything you study there is related to education: educational psychology, special education or just regular general classroom teaching.”

The books students read depend both on their grade level and their reading level. The elementary schoolers are placed in a group with students at a similar age and level. Photo courtesy: Serena Keenan.

Señora Avila always thought she would stay in Mexico to teach. “I never knew or imagined I would end up teaching here,” she says. “I came here to Bellingham with a scholarship from Western Washington University to study my master’s. At that point, I was always planning on going back to Mexico to keep teaching, keep working. I was the coordinator for international programs at a language school, so I said, ‘When I come back, I’ll just keep doing that.’ But then when I came here I just got very interested in bilingual education and I got invited to work in different projects and ended up teaching at Western full-time for five years and then eventually got the ELL Specialist position here for Bellingham Public Schools. I love teaching here and helping students develop English and their home language. I’m very happy.”

Before reading individual books, the tutor reads the group book out loud. Photo courtesy: Serena Keenan.

Though Señora Avila is in charge of the program, there are many other people who make it possible. “We’ve had donations from different institutions to really build up our library before we got the donation from the Bellingham Public Schools Foundation,” she says. “We had a nice donation from Western Washington University of books, a collection of books and also our PTA has bought books for us. Our building has contributed with that and the ELL (English-language learner) program too, so over time we’ve built up a nice library where students can really enjoy all sorts of fiction and nonfiction books, read aloud books and recordings of traditional songs, so that’s been great.”

On top of this, there are many individuals that pitch in. “Our principal really supports the club, and also our ELL director really supports the club, so thanks to that I have the time to do club,” she explains. “We also have a lot of people that collaborate with the club: volunteers, teachers from other schools who come over and help, parents, teachers from our building who also stay and collaborate. We couldn’t do it without them, because it’s a big program. And, of course, our high school teachers, who help to recruit our tutors and bring them here. It’s a community effort.”

Building on Birchwood International Market Momentum

By

LocalTalk Contributor

-

Submitted by: Sustainable Connections

Sustainable Connections is calling the first-ever Birchwood International Market, held on June 29, a great success and is now in the process of planning the next market that will take place on Friday, July 27 from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

The Birchwood International Market is fun for the whole family. Photo courtesy: Sustainable Connections.

The June market brought together nearly 1,000 local residents to celebrate the rich cultural diversity of Birchwood, Bellingham and the Pacific Northwest. The Latino Summit Dancers kicked off the evening with several performances of varying styles of dance. Attendees enjoyed mango lassi, empañadas and ice cream. Other entertainment included Batucada drummers and the LuChrist African fashion show. Families danced, children played and attendees perused booths with clothing designed by kids, handwoven baskets, local art, fresh produce and more. The crowd was full of excitement, pride and love for the Birchwood Neighborhood and all that its community has to offer.

July vendors and entertainment will include LuChrist African Clothing and Accessories, Miksi Goods, local artists, Que Rico, Simmering Tava and Salish Son. Each market will be different, with new vendors and entertainment added throughout the summer. Attendees can also take part in the Birchwood scavenger hunt for fun surprises and giveaways!

“The first market was a beautiful celebration of the Birchwood neighborhood,” said Rose Lathrop, Sustainable Connections’ Program Director. “We can’t wait to see what the rest of the markets bring and hope that they help spark a vibrant cultural retail district for the neighborhood, increase food security and strengthen Birchwood’s sense of place.”

Sustainable Connections thanks the Whatcom Community Foundation, whose generous donation helped launch this placemaking effort in 2017 and has made the market possible. The Birchwood Neighborhood Association, Bellingham School District, City of Bellingham, local area businesses, and the Whatcom County Association of Realtors, among others, have been instrumental in the market’s success.

What: Birchwood International Market
When: The last Friday of the month of July – September. Next market: July 27, 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Where: Old Albertsons parking lot, corner of Northwest and Maplewood
Cost: FREE
More Info: sustainableconnections.org

Unmasking the Invisible with a Bona Fide Private Eye

By

Jessica Hamilton

-

Molly Monahan unlocks the mystery. Photo credit: Jessica Hamilton.

Hidden in a secret location in South Bellingham lives a woman with an unconventional job. She looks unassuming, which is helpful with her clandestine profession.

Molly Monahan is a Private Investigator. As owner of Sirius Investigations, she is tight lipped about her cases and won’t disclose many details of her sleuthing practices. “I just don’t do anything illegal,” she says.

One of her favorite cases involved a woman who was duped by a man she met online. The woman had sent him a large sum of money, with nothing to show for it. The man was from Whatcom County and when the woman found that the local police wouldn’t help, she called Monahan.

Sirius in the shadows. Photo credit: Jessica Hamilton.

Monahan says the odds of success are very low in a situation like this but she did some digging and found that her client wasn’t the only victim. Monahan dug deeper and located the man in person. When she threatened to get the FBI involved, he suddenly found a way to give the money back.

Monahan is especially proud of this story. “I did the impossible,” she says, “and got the money back for my client.” Not only that, but she connected the victims who all became friends despite living far away from each other.

Now that online communication and internet dating is the norm, people often fail to realize that online connections can be dangerous. Monahan is shocked at how easily people put themselves in harm’s way when it comes to online dating. She says, “[Social media] is a gold mine for sociopaths.”

She urges people to be incredibly cautious and investigate their dates before meeting. “Ask for his date of birth, full name and address,” she says.

People can go to the Washington State watch program and pay $12 for a state-wide criminal history background check. She can run background checks from other states. Researching sex offenders is easy and free. Monahan advises people to look for inconsistencies in their date’s stories and always be aware of possible lies. If your potential date doesn’t want to provide their information, it’s a red flag.

Sirius Investigations investigates many different types of issues. Photo courtesy:
Molly Monahan

Protecting yourself is the most important thing.

Monahan hasn’t always been a private investigator. She once owned an art gallery in New Jersey, among many other careers and business endeavors. She has always been an entrepreneur, working in biotech and even in used theater seating restoration, amongst others.

Monahan credits her experience with an improv group for her success as an investigator. She often has to think on her feet and put stories and experiences together on the fly. She believes her improv background was pivotal, in this regard. The rest of her success she credits to intuition.

After a divorce in New Jersey, Monahan packed up and bought an RV. She took her son on an epic road trip all over North America from Canada to Mexico and 20,000 miles in between. This was during an important time in her son’s life between middle and high school. She used this opportunity as a teaching and bonding experience, while having an adventure they’ll both remember for a lifetime. After fourteen months on the road, she decided Whatcom County was the only place she wanted to put down roots and raise her son.

Here, she met a person who convinced her to go into the investigations business together. Monahan found that she was a natural at it and never looked back.

Sirius Investigations can help bring matters to light. Photo credit: Jessica Hamilton.

Since then, Monahan has run a successful business in a very difficult field. She’s had her hand in a Netflix drama called Evil Genius and has been hired by CNN for work used by Anderson Cooper.

Monahan prefers the creative side of investigations as opposed to surveillance but does enjoy finding people committing labor and industry fraud. People who claim to be unable to do certain things in order to make money off workman’s compensation hurt everyone, she says. They bring up premiums and drive up costs. Another of her favorite types of investigation is finding trademark infringement. She poses as a buyer of illegal products and catches people selling knock-off wares in the act.

Monahan prides herself on taking every phone call and genuinely trying to help people in need, even if it’s a case she can’t or feels she shouldn’t take. She usually turns down marital investigations because, in a no-fault state, there generally isn’t a legal need for private investigation footage. And she doesn’t want to take money she feels should go to the children involved. She believes those involved would be better served by hiring a lawyer, getting counseling or both.

Monahan once found someone who had been missing for 25 years. She says it’s difficult to find people who don’t want to be found, but it helps to have special access to investigator-only databases. She describes it as following “tiny threads” no matter how small, calling neighbors and seeking out any lost connection that might lead her to the right person.

Molly Monahan unlocks the mystery. Photo credit: Jessica Hamilton.

Her job will never be boring, with a never-ending list of possible investigations including serving subpoenas, finding witnesses, criminal background checks, fraud, depositions for trials, criminal defense work and contractual default.

Maybe you’ve seen her around town or even spoken with her in passing, but you’ll never know. Possibly you felt a tingling from unknown eyes, or maybe it was nothing ….

Monahan’s contact info can be found here.

Trey Reckling and the Academy of Cannabis Science

By

Kenneth Clarkson

-

CMU Satori Blazin Trails Danielle Rosellison — The Cannabis industry is growing in Whatcom County, along with knowledge about this versitile plant. Photo courtesy: Trail Blazin' Productions.

Her name was Sweet Georgia Brown. When Trey Reckling’s trusty companion and dog of 14 years had a stroke, he didn’t know how much longer she would live. He took her to a veterinarian who happened to know that Reckling was involved in the cannabis industry. The veterinarian offered Reckling conventional medicine but hinted that what he already had at home might be better.

Trey Reckling and the Academy of Cannabis Science has partnered with accredited colleges and universities. Photo courtesy: Trey Reckling.

After figuring out the appropriate dose of cannabis, Sweet Georgia Brown was on her feet in 24 hours. With continued cannabis treatment, she lived another peaceful year and a half.

“Sometimes it’s still hard for me to believe all this is happening,” Reckling says. “I’m from [Savannah] Georgia and saw firsthand how the healing power of cannabis was ignored. It’s great to witness how it directly helps with medical issues, problems and disorders.”

Reckling, founder of the Academy of Cannabis Science, battled stigma surrounding cannabis until he moved in Seattle in 2014. Savannah is an open-container city, meaning alcohol can be consumed in public. But those caught smoking even a small amount of marijuana can be fired from their job or arrested.

Reckling worked for 17 years in higher education, many of which at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Specializing in areas of conflict resolution and student development, he enjoys facilitating development and growth for those with a desire to learn. “If I had stayed in Georgia, my job would have been endangered if I tried to do anything regarding cannabis in the public eye,” Reckling says. “Going to Seattle allowed me to become part of an industry I cared deeply about and always wanted to be a part of.”

After founding the academy, Reckling approached Seattle Central College and explained his plan – to educate individuals on the legitimate cannabis industry. Seattle Central took up the program when they had no obligation to do so. According to Reckling, he and his faculty were very grateful.

After many weeks of hard work, the medical marijuana consultation program was accredited by the university and approved by the Washington State Department of Health. All of the Academy of Cannabis Science’s educational partners are accredited state colleges/universities, which makes their courses particularly unique.

“We are only possible because people all over the state of Washington are willing to help us,” Reckling says. “Our courses have become hugely popular. Students from all over the state, country and even Canada are signing up to take them.”

Satori Bellingham Owner Quinn Sharpe has sent a few of his consultants through Reckling’s Medical Marijuana Consultant program. They have nothing but positive praise as a result.

Jason Jacques, paraphernalia purchaser for Satori Bellingham says there were so many benefits from participation, it’s hard explain them all. As a medical patient himself, the program taught him the intricacies of navigating between patients and customers. This was just one aspect of a wealth of information.

“Never have I seen so much legitimately sourced cannabis knowledge in one place made available to those that seek it,” Jacques says. “I walked away from this course more knowledgeable, confident and ready to help patients.”

“The course was broad in its coverage of cannabis science and state regulations for employees who want to be available to educate customers about mindful use of cannabis,” says Satori consultant Nancy Southern. “The program was well organized and well documented with additional links to articles, audio and video educational information in addition to the content of the written course materials. As a senior citizen, it was also manageable from a technological perspective and I was able to track my way through the modules and the quizzes with relative ease. During the program, receiving feedback and answers to questions I posed in the chat area and the live teleconference definitely rounded out the experience. I enjoyed being able to share ideas and insights with fellow class members during the program.”

Satori Bellingham Owner Quinn Sharpe has sent consultants through Reckling’s Medical Marijuana Consultant program. Photo courtesy: Satori Cannabis Boutique.

With the help of the Academy of Cannabis Science, Seattle Central College founded the Cannabis Institute, where Reckling’s faculty offer a variety of courses in the medical marijuana consultant program.

“A lot of people think to work in this industry you can only be a grower or budtender,” Reckling says. “But there are tons of jobs within the industry we need to fill; we need lawyers, accountants, veterinarians – you name it. It’s our job to further cannabis education for all types of industry positions.”

Academy of Cannabis Science classes are all online, and are designed to be both fun and engaging. According to Reckling, there are other cannabis education courses, but none exactly like theirs. Support from accredited partners sets them apart from the rest.

Looking forward, Reckling and his team want to place their cannabis education programs into more schools. The University of Nevada Las Vegas will become the second college to offer the accredited program. According to the Nevada Department of Taxation, Nevada has made over $30 million in tax revenue from marijuana sales in their first months of legalization. The Silver State will have its first accredited budtender course in fall 2018.

Outside of Nevada, Reckling is looking to bring the program to schools in California and the East Coast.

“We are super proud of the brave institutions that choose to work with us,” Reckling says. “It takes a lot to do this. We all want to work together to normalize cannabis use and establish an expertise within the cannabis industry.”

The City of Subdued Excitement Comes Alive With Color

By

LocalTalk Contributor

-

Jonathan-OBrien-1 — Jonathan O'Brien evokes positive feelings with his use of color and space. Photo courtesy: Jonathan O'Brien.

Summers in Whatcom County are so full of warmth and vibrancy, it’s enough to make us forget all the time we spent in winter’s doldrums. With our gardens flourishing and the sun drawing us outdoors, it’s the perfect time to capture some of that energy for our homes.

City of Subdued Excitement — Lovely shades of lavender bring life to this space. Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

For local Interior Designer, Jonathan O’Brien, a shift from common neutrals into something a bit more colorful is in order. “There’s more to life than fifty shades of gray and five shades of latte,” he laments. “These are the most common color schemes I see when I do a consultation. This is your home; there’s room to be more playful and personal.”

Jonathan sees the importance of color theory in his designs and how those visual impacts have real effects on our emotions. “Color speaks to a mood,” he says. “If you want to come home and have a space to relax, we can enhance that with color.”

The kitchen and common area are usually the most favored spaces. They’re the perfect spaces to use warm, mood-elevating colors like yellows and tangerines. “I love using yellows in a kitchen,” Jonathan says. “Often, it’s the first room you head to in the mornings. If you want to feel more bliss in your day, yellow really raises the vibration in a space.”

In many modern home designs, the kitchen opens up into a common area fairly seamlessly. When working with conjoined spaces, Jonathan recommends using analogous colors. While they don’t necessarily need to be the same shade, carrying over the tones from one space to the next creates a more cohesive visual impact. Save a bold pop of color for a room behind a door. Then, when you open the space, it’s a surprising and evocative contrast.

Bedrooms are the perfect place to play with such a bold color. For those up to it, Jonathan suggests purples. It’s an understated color but a perfect blend of the energy that red elicits, tempered by the stabilizing effects of blue. Purple is often associated with royalty and is also tied to magic and mystery. A cool lavender can bring a touch of softness to your room, whereas a deep eggplant would set off the extravagance of the color.

Reminiscent of nature, greens tend to have a more calming effect on the mind. Jonathan recommends bringing greens into the space you use for reflection, especially if your home has a study. If your place of introspection happens to be a chair in a corner, green can be incorporated in other ways. Houseplants add just the right touch of green to feel calmed and grounded, while helping improve your indoor air quality.

Soft yellow walls and drapery add coziness to a traditional elegant style in this Seattle living room. Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

Shades of blue evoke the soothing elements of water and help stabilize emotions. Jonathan suggests their use in the bathroom, especially when paired with clean white linens. Whites in a bathroom evoke cleanliness, while brightening these often small quarters – especially if you don’t have a window.

Color doesn’t have to come from a can of paint, either. Today, with the immense variety of designs online, wallpaper can bring an added layer of texture and interest to your color scheme. “Wallpapers are making a comeback,” says Jonathan. “They’re no longer simply florals and pastels. You can find bold geometrics or eclectic prints, and stripes are especially contemporary.”

If bringing intentional color into your home seems a bit daunting, there’s a neutral that Jonathan is fond of. “There are so many shades of white and they can do different things for a space,” he says. “You can go for warmth with a creamy white or make your space more crisp and airy with one with blue tones. How you choose to bring white into a space can achieve a similar brightening effect to color.”

Wallpapers, such as this exotic bamboo print, can warm up a small space with added texture and dimension. Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

For those of us who rent or aren’t able to make drastic changes to wall color, make a statement with art and accessories. Large artwork will make an impact on a neutral wall in a color pallet that speaks to you, and will always liven the mood. Even inexpensive throw pillows can add a hefty dose of seasonal color.

If choosing from the myriad of swatches available seems like something you’d rather leave to a professional, Jonathan offers color consultations as part of his services. With his expertise, you can enliven your home with a fresh bouquet of color!

Contact Jonathan at 360-778-2755 or 206-450-0459. Email him at jonathanizstyle@gmail.com to schedule a complimentary consultation today!

Oftentimes, white is a color that can bring a sense of cleanliness, peace and space, as it does for this transitional kitchen. Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

“This deep, rich kitchen uses organic elements so popular here in the Pacific Northwest, like the stacked natural stone used to face the island,” Jonathan says. “This contrasts beautifully with the slick, black countertop. Overall the kitchen is striking, especially at night.” Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

“Pine floors and a butcher block island kept costs down but deliver a charming, homey style that the clients are delighted with,” Jonathan says. “The white farmhouse sink is clean and classic. You do not need an huge budget to have a kitchen alive with style.” Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

“A Pacific Northwest feeling was created by using a rich, deep grey stain on the cabinets, contrasted by gorgeous hickory floors, and all stainless steel appliances,” Jonathan says. “The decorative square of horizontal glass tiles over the stove really pulls the color scheme together.” Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

A living space should represent the people who call it home. Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

Jonathan O’Brien evokes positive feelings with his use of color and space. Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

This space was designed to be both beautiful and inviting. Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

Jonathan O’Brien uses items that are important to his clients to create a space they will love. Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

Through understanding lifestyles, Jonathan O’Brien is able to create a space that reflects the personality of his clients. Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

Jonathan O’Brien has been all over the world, experiencing new ideas and buying items for homes. Photo courtesy: Jonathan O’Brien.

Sponsored

Living the Dream: Seniors behind the Wheel

By

Kenneth Clarkson

-

Living the Dream-GoKartConnieGroup — A group picture before the race begins! Photo credit: Connie Streubel.

You don’t see senior citizens racing go-karts every day. But today isn’t just any day. Pedal to the medal, Agnes Remson and Margaret Santi zoom around the track. They’re clearly enjoying every minute of being back behind the wheel at Birch Bay’s Miniature World Family Fun Center.

The two racers arrived with a group of 10 excited seniors from Solstice Senior Living in Bellingham. Some are instantly ready for the challenge, while others decide it best to watch their friends live out their NASCAR aspirations. Whether driving or watching, one thing is for certain – everyone is having a blast.

“Living the Dream” is a nationwide program that Solstice offers in all 300 of its communities. This is an opportunity for residents and their families to present a dream or life experience which they have lived already and want to do again, or have desired to do and never had the chance. Solstice Senior Living then does everything they can, working with the family, to make this happen. Connie Streubel, vibrant life coordinator at Solstice Senior Living, organized the go-kart racing event as part of their Living the Dream program.

When Living the Dream was presented to the residents, many wanted to drive again – something several could no longer do. This was an opportunity for them to get behind the wheel once again and drive. Both Agnes and Margaret were ready to burn rubber.

Connie Streubel, vibrant life coordinator at Solstice Senior Living, organized the event as part of their “Living the Dream” program. This innovative program offers residents the opportunity to participate in a variety of new and engaging activities throughout the year. When Connie suggested the idea of go-kart driving, both Agnes and Margaret were ready to burn rubber.

Agnes Remson makes a sharp turn around the track. Photo credit: Connie Streubel.

Agnes is fiery and confident. “I’ve been driving for 65 years and never gotten a single ticket, so why would I mess up driving a go-kart now?” she says.

She’s the new kid on the block, having only moved to Bellingham a year and a half ago. Originally from upstate New York, Agnes moved here to be closer to her son and his family. He attended Western Washington University and decided to stay in Whatcom County. This part of the country tends to do that to people.

“I’ve been looking forward to this day all year,” Agnes says as she grips the steering wheel of her orange go-kart, preparing to take off.

Some participants want to feel the thrill without getting behind the wheel. Connie’s go-kart, for example, is co-piloted by a resident. She makes sure to take a group selfie as the drivers rev up their engines.

The young man working the go-kart track announces the safety rules, “Alright you all, no bumping, swerving or cutting in front of each other.”

The horde of drivers in front of him chuckle. None of these folks want to get a reckless driving ticket, especially Agnes – she has a perfect record, remember?

As the start signal sounds over the intercom, eager go-karters file out of the pit one by one. Some are more eager than others. Agnes and Margaret are taking the course faster than some of their friends.

The racers cross the finish line at Miniature World Family Fun Center in Blaine. Photo credit: Kenneth Clarkson.

One of the spectating residents can’t stop laughing; each time her friends complete a loop around the track she lets out a hearty guffaw. “I can’t believe they’re actually doing it,” she says with a smile.” I haven’t driven in so long, I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

If the drivers are rusty, it’s hard to tell. They’re zipping around the track in a manner reminiscent of Jeff Gordon’s early days.

Then, just like that, it’s over. Even though the activity lasted only 10 minutes, the participants’ radiant smiles are immense. Everyone is glad they came. That’s what Solstice Senior Living’s Living the Dream program is all about: creating those smile-worthy moments.

Margaret exits the track and says what everyone’s thinking, “Here are we are – all in one piece! How about that?”

The experience is one of joy, friendship and adventure. The seniors head back to their bus, with new memories to cherish. When asked if she’s surprised there weren’t any fender-benders, Agnes says, “Of course not; I haven’t gotten a ticket in 65 years of driving, remember?”

Sponsored

First Federal’s Joel Smith Loves to Travel

By

Matt Benoit

-

Joel Smith 4 — Smith, seen here in Rome, loves the culinary aspect of traveling. When at home, he and his wife love sampling new area restaurants and breweries. Photo courtesy: Joel Smith.

Joel Smith has been everywhere from New Zealand’s Cook Islands to Dublin, Ireland. The 32-year-old, who joined the First Federal team as its new Director of Mortgage Lending just over a month ago, loves to explore.

Smith and his wife, Jessica, have traveled to many European cities, including London. They still have many more places on their travel list. Photo courtesy: Joel Smith.

“I like being out of my element a little bit,” he says. “As much as I love routine, it’s really fun being somewhere where you really don’t know [what’s going to happen].”

Four years ago, Smith and his wife took a 22-day trek through Europe. They visited Paris, London, Oslo, Rome, Munich, Barcelona and Belfast, among other classic European cities.

But it was in Rome that they encountered some of that aforementioned uncertainty.

The couple relied heavily on Airbnbs throughout the trip. In Rome, they took a bus from the airport to the neighborhood where their room was located. When they arrived, graffiti and closed window shutters greeted them.

“Where did we pick to stay?” they asked themselves.

After conceding it was simply a place to rest their heads, the couple headed into the center of Rome to spend the day. When they returned that evening, the previously sketchy look of the neighborhood had transformed into a vibrantly lit nightspot of open-shuttered restaurants, all bustling with dinner-goers.

“I don’t think we would have ever gone to that part of Rome if we had booked a [more structured] trip,” Smith says.

An Accidental Find

“I like being out of my element a little bit,” says Smith of traveling. Here, he poses along the coast of Ireland, north of Galway. Photo courtesy: Joel Smith.

Smith was born and raised in Colville, a rural town of approximately 4,500 people in Northeastern Washington, some 70 miles north of Spokane.

His mother worked as a registered nurse, while his father ran a local Internet service provider long before companies like Comcast became more prominent. The youngest of four children, Smith debated where to attend college. He had high school friends who’d settled on Western Washington University in Bellingham, but in the end, he chose a place where he knew no one: Tacoma’s Pacific Lutheran University.

Smith wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life, but he knew what classes he liked. He graduated with a double-major in economics and history in 2008. The summer after graduation, while living in Tacoma and working in Issaquah, he met his future wife, Jessica, who was attending WWU. After a year of long drives, he moved to Bellingham in September 2009.

Although he’d visited the area many times to see friends, Smith saw himself in a bigger city like Seattle. In time, he realized he was wrong.

“Whatcom County’s awesome,” he says. “I don’t want to leave.”

Joel Smith, First Federal’s new Director of Mortgage Lending, loves to travel. Here, he poses with his wife at Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher. Photo courtesy: Joel Smith.

The foray into his current career is something Smith calls “an accidental find.”

After moving to Bellingham, he began working at Peoples Bank, first as a teller, and then in accounting. He re-enrolled in college, taking more than half a dozen accounting classes from WWU, and thought about getting his CPA.

But when Peoples Bank’s CFO told him they needed someone with finance knowledge to learn about mortgage lending, Smith changed course. He has been focused on mortgages for the past five years. When a former co-worker told Smith First Federal was seeking someone to oversee their mortgage lending department, he inquired and eventually took the job.

“It sounded like a really fun, exciting opportunity,” he says. “I just like being challenged and it was the next challenge that came my way.”

Even without meeting the families he helps, Smith realizes the importance of what he’s doing, especially since he and his wife have a mortgage of their own.

“You realize how big of an investment and how big of a step that is for people,” he says. “So, I think anything you can do in that process to make it better, make it more understandable, make it easier – I feel like it’s a really worthwhile cause.”

Gaining Perspective

Smith, seen here in Rome, loves the culinary aspect of traveling. When at home, he and his wife love sampling new area restaurants and breweries. Photo courtesy: Joel Smith.

Although Smith is now in charge of driving the vision and direction of First Federal’s mortgage department, his biggest challenge may be just around the corner: fatherhood.

His wife, Jessica, is pregnant with the couples’ first children: twins, due in a couple months. The birth will give Smith’s parents their ninth and tenth grandchildren. Although raising twins will likely impact how often the couple travel, Smith says they plan to travel with their children anyway, despite any challenges.

“We have way too many places we want to go,” he says.

Those places include New Zealand, Costa Rica, Scotland and many others. As their children get older, Smith says they want to travel with a purpose, exposing their kids to cultures not quite as financially well-off as their own.

In the meantime, Smith will focus on making First Federal’s mortgage department the best it can be. This is one of a growing number of community-based financial institutions that Smith finds a perfect fit for Whatcom County: small enough to be flexible, yet big enough to get things done.

“First Federal can be seen as a bank in Whatcom County that can help you with your mortgage need, no matter what it is,” he says, “not just helping their customers, but being able to work with realtors and everyone in the community to help people get houses.”

Founded in Port Angeles in 1923, First Federal currently has 12 branches in four Washington counties, including two branches in Bellingham. For more information, visit their website.

Sponsored

Movement Graffiti: Living in the Dance

By

Lauren Brigolin

-

Choreographers are students, professors, and guests. Photo courtesy: WWU Theatre Arts Department.

Movement Art can be a story without words. It can also be completely abstract in nature and is simply an exploration of the human body as an instrument of design. It can trigger profound emotions with the simple point of a finger or a great grand vertical lift requiring a number of bodies to hurl themselves through space. Graffiti: Movement Theater is a contemporary theater dance company in residence at Western Washington University and part of Western Summer Theatre.

This family-oriented program is characterized by expressive movement ranging from the rhapsodic to the comedic. These gifted dancers bring their talents to a whole new level of performance execution. “My mission in creating Graffiti was to provide a more professional performance experience for the dancers,” says Nolan Dennett, Artistic Director and renowned choreographer. “With Graffiti, I’m able to bring works into the repertoire that already exist and can therefore can be revisited, which gives the performers a chance to live in the works longer.” Graffiti performers are the cream of the crop of dancer students working their way through the curriculum at Western, toward careers in the dance arts. Performers are selected through a rigorous audition process.

Some of the dances have been edited and revised for other performances throughout the year. Photo credit: Rachel Bayne.

“I can flesh out the central elements of a good dance in about 40 hours,” says Dennett. “But I can’t really find the nuance and subtle dynamics of what all great works need until I’ve lived with it for at least a year. The central idea, the structural blueprint, the supporting elements may all come together rather quickly but the fermentation and in-depth investigation that’s required to perform a work well or finishing the choreography takes more time.”

Dennett’s thoughtful process enhances the experience for everyone.

“It takes time for a young dancer to transform from a toothpick with legs into someone who is a masterful performer,” Dennett says. “It’s the most profound experience a dancer can have or director can witness. This sometimes happens from the experience of revisiting old roles that takes place in learning and performing the repertory of Graffiti: Movement Theater.”

Movement Graffiti is made up of current dance majors or graduates from the outlying community. Photo credit: Rachel Bayne.

When a piece has been articulated through the body for several months – or even years – it becomes more perfectly realized. Such explorations can be as subtle as asking a dancer to breathe at a certain moment and see how that affects the work and the performances.

Music selection is of utmost importance for Movement Graffiti. According to Dennett, there’s a loss of music in the contemporary dance scene that compromises a lot of good work. He mentions Aaron Copland’s four elements of music: rhythm, melody, tone and harmony. A good choreographer is also a good musician.

Dennett requires Graffiti dancers to look deeper in the world that can be created with movement. It’s more than just a happy dance to a happy song. Mental states can be explored through the connection of movement and sound – or silence and stillness, for that matter.

Some pieces have been revised, revisited, and changed over the course of a few years.
Photo courtesy: WWU Theatre Arts Department.

“We make a point of creating works that are transformative,” Dennett says. “By that, I mean the performers transform in the creative act, the characters they create transform within the work itself and hopefully the audience is transformed by what they see.”

This transformation comes through time and commitment. This season, Dennett will reconstruct a dance he created in 1981 for the National Ballet of Peru to the beautiful music of Maurice Ravel, which will give his students the experience of taking on a work created for a professional ballet company.

“I find movement art to be profoundly affecting when I see it,” he says. “It only exists for a brief moment in time, then it’s gone. To come to that moment in time, we expend a great deal of emotional and physical energy on bringing the work to life.”

Choreographers are students, professors, and guests. Photo courtesy: WWU Theatre Arts Department.

Graffiti Dance Theater will perform at the Orcas Center in early July and at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center at the end of July. Guest choreographers Brandin Steffensen and Leslie Kraus have been commissioned to create a new work for the company.

“Movement Art is a once in a moment experience,” Dennett says. “That’s what makes it so poignant. It is not unlike a delicate orchid that in a single brief moment comes to life and then it is gone forever. It doesn’t lessen the beauty; it makes it more poignant.

What To Do In and Around Bellingham July 6—8

By

Events Editor

-

Oh me or my—I love July! The sun is shining, the birds are singing and fun things are happening everywhere. So get out there and enjoy this weekend to the fullest. Here are a few ideas of what to do in and around Bellingham July 6—8. And don’t forget to check out our full events calendar for all the fun happenings in Whatcom County.

Indulge at Food Truck Friday.
Check out the WeSNiP ReSale.
Do some yoga.
Experience the Downtown Art Walk.
Get a raffle ticket to win your own tiny home.
Check out the Downtown Sin and Gin Walking Tour.
Enjoy dinner during Over Easy Cafe’s new night hours.
Do some shopping at the Children’s House International Multi Consultant Pop-Up Event.
Play with your family the old-fashioned way.
Explore your local Farmers Market.
Take a spa day.
Learn something new at the Small Looms Clinic for Weavers.
Enjoy a healthy, satisfying meal and some good tunes at Lovitt.
See In The Whale at The Shakedown.
Check out Big Love Juice’s new location.
Start composting and recycling your food waste.
Go on a Pacific Northwest Micro Adventure.
Experience The Breaks Hosted by Mostafa.
Check out Bellinghistory.
Celebrate as Skookum Kids turns three!

Up Next 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.

An Accidental Find

Gaining Perspective

Up Next Weekend

STAY CONNECTED

Business

Trending Now

Editor Picks