Did you know that Mount Baker Theatre is celebrating its 90th birthday this year? And perhaps one of the most memorable fixtures in the entire historic building is the original chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the Main Stage auditorium. Of all the many questions asked about the theater’s amazing Moorish-Spanish décor, perhaps the most have been about this fantastic fixture. So in honor of MBT’s nine decades as a downtown landmark, here are the answers to the most frequently asked queries about its legendary chandelier!
How old is it? The Chandelier was created and installed for Mount Baker Theatre’s official opening on April 29, 1927.
Who designed it? R.C. Reamer, consulting architect of Metropolitan Building Company.
How much does it weigh? 600 pounds!
What is it made of? Stained glass, hand-blown glass, brass, tin and ceramic.
How big is it? Housed in an 80-foot concrete dome, its width across the eight-sided enclosure is 6½ feet and the dimensions of eight stained-glass panels are 28 inches (top), 11 inches (height), and 25 inches (bottom).
How tall is it? The height of entire chandelier from golden globe to crimson teardrop is 10 feet.
How many lamps are on it? Sixty-four, on four circuits.
What kind of bulbs does it use? Edison ceramic sockets mounted on a 24-inch-diameter cylinder.
How much power does it put out? Its total wattage is 4,288.
And perhaps our number one question asked about the Chandelier (drum roll, please!) . . .
How do we clean it?! Once a year, the Chandelier is painstakingly lowered down via a winch system to just a few feet above the floor. MBT members and supporters are invited in to “dust” the Chandelier at a special reception—but this is mostly just for fun! The real cleaning is done by MBT’s professional house staff, who remove all 64 light bulbs and carefully clean every crevice.
And a little bonus question for you: what is it cleaned with? Believe it or not, there’s no special formula—just a little soap and water is used on a damp rag to dust this vintage masterpiece.
For those who have never had the chance to come see MBT and its awe-inspiring décor in person, come in for a visit. As a nonprofit organization, the theater offers free tours to individuals and small groups on a regular basis—just call 360-733-5793 to schedule one.
There's nothing like enjoying the great outdoors as a couple. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.
There are so many fun things to do in this area and winter brings a new round of great options. While there is plenty of room for family fun, why not take an adult break and get a babysitter? You’ll find lots of great ways to take advantage of the season and enjoy it to the fullest. Here are some ideas to get you started!
A coffee date is a fun way to connect and Camber Coffee is delicious. Photo credit: David Yake.
Get some time together to just talk
There are a plethora of coffee shops in Whatcom County, most of them warm, cozy and unique. Sip on some hot chocolate, coffee or tea in a plush leather chair and talk to each other (without interruption!).
If you just want coffee, try one of the newer shops like Primer, Dori’s or Camber. If you want some tea, check out SAKU tea. If those beverages aren’t your top picks, try out the Rustic Coffee & Wine Bar for some evening wines or get a special drink at the Temple Bar. Just make sure that wherever you pick is a relaxing, calm environment, perfect for making conversation or simply enjoying each other’s presence.
Get that holiday shopping done early
You can buy for your kids; your nieces and nephews; your parents and siblings all without having to worry about what your children are up to or being rushed. Joke with eachother over cheesy items, figure out what would be perfect for everyone on your list and feel productive before the holiday hustle and bustle that starts in mid-December. If you opt to shop around Fairhaven or Bellingham, this date will probably feel even more festive and fun. Stop and get hot beverages together halfway through your shopping and enjoy the art, architecture and people-watching that accompany being in town. Plus, you’ll be supporting local businesses!
There’s nothing like enjoying the great outdoors as a couple. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.
Go on a hike
Yes, you can do this with children (and it probably is good to do it with them sometimes), but when you can just go on a nice walk together without having to carry another human, hear any complaining or pack extra snacks, it is worth it to hire the sitter. Not to mention the fact that you can go at your own pace when it is just the two of you! Winter is a great time to go on a hike, as the trees block out the rain from above and the forest smells wonderful. Plus it feels good to get outside in a season with a lot of indoor activities. Whether your hike is simply walking around Whatcom Falls Park or climbing all the way up to that glorious view at Burnout, you’ll enjoy the closeness to nature and to one another.
Exercise together
With the rain, short days and cold weather, winter quickly becomes the time to stay inside with hot drinks, sweets and movies. While that is fun sometimes, it is probably good to get your body moving too. Try bouldering at Vital Climbing Gym, take a yoga class together, challenge eachother on some spin bikes or go on a run. You’ll feel better, more energized and excited to go on more dates!
Vital Climbing Gym, full of new and veteran climbers enjoying the evening. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.
See a show
Comedy, drama, dance or music – take your pick. Go together or on a double date to something that you would’ve seen when you were dating. Laugh with abandon at the Upfront; dance together at a local show at the Green Frog, Wild Buffalo, the Shakedown or another venue; be blown away by winter-themed ballets, orchestras or plays at the Mount Baker Theater; or watch stunning movies at the Pickford Film Center. If none of those sound feasible or fun, watch a football game and support your team with a beer in hand at one of the local breweries!
Try something new together
There are a variety of classes offered all around this county, from ceramics to dance to cooking. Pick something that neither of you have tried before and enjoy your time. Autumn and winter themed classes abound at the Co-op, make Christmas stockings or ornaments together at Ragfinery, or search for something you two already want to learn!
Try playing a board game together while inside this winter! Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.
Reverse the date and have your sitter take your kids out
With them busy getting dinner and seeing a movie, you and your partner can relax at your home. Cook some hearty meals together like a warm squash soup. Relax together in front of a fire (if you can) perhaps with some dessert and get in some much-needed alone time together.
Explore the cities
We live near two major cities – Vancouver and Seattle, as well as around many quaint small towns and cool mid-sized towns. In this time of year, people are saving up vacation time to spend with family over the holidays and most people aren’t going on day trips like they do over the summer months. Enjoy the lessened traffic, get a feel for the city the way a local would and enjoy the change of scenery. Call in a sitter for the day and then take off together. Traveling together is rewarding, fun and can be surprisingly cheap – especially if you pack some sandwiches and walk or bus around the city rather than drive or taxi.
Homemade pizzas are great for an at home date. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.
Get lunch out together
If your kids are in school, then this one might not even require a babysitter! Get lunch at one of the great local restaurants, share delicious food and catch up with eachother before finishing your days.
Get some time for yourselves, individually
Maybe you have really wanted to catch up with friends or finish up an old project. The beauty of having time to yourselves is that when you and your partner reconnect, there is more to talk about than kids or work. Just getting time to sit and read a good book can be a blessing in this busy season. Hire the sitter and then each of you get a chance to unwind, think, be challenged and grow.
I love November and in Whatcom County, this month brings lots to enjoy. Not only are there a plethora of fun events, but wonderful people with which to enjoy them. This may be one of our most impressive natural resources here—good people who make a wonderful place even better. So as you go through your weekend, enjoy the company and comeraderie of your friends and neighbors, and if you get the chance, try to be the rainbow in someone’s cloud. Check out this list of fun things to do around Bellingham—Nov. 10—12. And be sure to check out our full events calendar for all the great local happenings.
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.
Greg and Jeannett have set a tone of teamwork, compassion and support at Capstone Physical Therapy. Photo courtesy: Capstone Physical Therapy.
Whether it is the warm colors and fireplace at one location or the large commercial surroundings of the 7,000 square foot specialty clinic which offers physical therapy, occupational therapy, ATC, Return to Work and hand therapy, you immediately know your physical therapy treatment with Capstone Physical Therapy is going to be something special. “Our model at Capstone Physical Therapy is just a little bit different,” says CEO Greg Penner as he describes how he and his wife, Jeannett, have taken a passion for patients and literally created a movement of care that has grown to five locations in Whatcom County.
With state-of-the-art equipment and unique programs, Capstone Physical Therapy does things just a little bit differently. Photo courtesy: Capstone Physical Therapy.
Leveraging Greg’s entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen with Jeannett’s expertise in physical therapy across a number of settings, they have built what has become Whatcom County’s largest private physical therapy practice.
“Capstone has allowed us to direct our skills, passion and purpose towards a common goal,” says Greg. “Many people spend more time at work than at home. Being able to work together has allowed us to be more interested and engaged in each other’s work days.”
Greg goes on to say that working as a husband and wife team has been one of the most rewarding experiences in their careers. However, balancing raising a family and growing a therapy practice is a challenge.
“Our goal in building Capstone was to deliver the best patient care experience and outcomes possible,” Greg says. We built a team of expert therapists that are committed to providing the best patient care and delivering a five-star customer service experience.”
Capstone began with one location and has grown to five locations with two satellite locations. In recognition of that success, Capstone Physical Therapy was awarded the Start Up Business of the Year by the Whatcom Business Alliance in 2015. “We have built a great team,” Greg says.
Capstone’s passion for care resulted in the creation of Kornerstone Kids, a non-profit dedicated to providing therapy to kids with special physical needs. Photo courtesy: Capstone Physical Therapy.
Greg describes their four value areas of focus as the four C’s: Care, Customer, Culture and Community. These areas define their model, their team and their interaction with their patients and the community. “All of our patients are treated with value and care regardless of their background or circumstances,” describes Greg.
“Capstone tracks patient outcomes and patient satisfaction and compares them against national standards,” Greg says. “In our most recent survey we received a 95 percent patient satisfaction score across five categories. A 95 is a very high rating in the medical field but we see it as a challenge for improvement.”
With several unique programs, Capstone Physical Therapy offers patients incredible opportunities for true care and rehabilitation. The diversity of care is what also makes Capstone special. From specialized hand therapy to focused women’s care, the team meets the individualized needs of each patient they see.
With the only anti-gravity treadmills north of Seattle, Capstone Physical Therapy is able to offer advanced rehabilitation and training options that are often limited to professional and university sports teams. In fact, the majority of NFL, NBA and MLB teams are AlterG owners. The AlterG is not just for professional athletes, it can benefit anyone recovering from surgery, inflicted with Parkinson’s disease, strokes or other neurological disorders as well. The special treadmill uses NASA’s innovative differential air-pressure technology to unweight athletes with precision. Users can achieve up to 80 percent reduction of full body weight impact, adjustable in as little as 1 percent increments, providing a truly customized and dialed-in work out or rehab experience.
“We want our patients to succeed and get back to enjoying the things they love,” says Jeannett. She goes on to explain that their therapists are committed to a process of continued improvement that includes diligently participating in continuing education. This creates a culture of teamwork with a focus on the delivery of excellent care.
Community involvement and support is at the core of Capstone’s values. Photo courtesy: Capstone Physical Therapy.
The team of physical therapists at Capstone Physical Therapy all have doctorate degrees in their field of study. Most hold additional certifications such as Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. They have a large team that allows them to focus on a variety of specialty areas including prevention, post surgical rehabilitation, women’s health and sports rehabilitation and conditioning.
Education is a large part of the approach at Capstone Physical Therapy, not only through continuing education for the therapists, but also for patients. As a patient, you truly understand how your body functions and how it may respond to different types of therapy.
And when it comes to connecting and getting involved in the community, Greg and Jeannett have set a tone of teamwork, compassion and support. Each clinic gets involved with their local community throughout the year. On a broader scale, Capstone Physical Therapy supports local high school and youth sports programs, Relay for life and various community projects. “As a local business it is important to us that we invest back in the community that we care about,” Greg says. “We want to support our local kids and recreation. Supporting and being a part of the local community is important.”
In 2015 Capstone Physical Therapy opened a new location in Barkley Village for adult outpatient therapy services and designated a single room for pediatric therapy. In a very short time, three rooms were being used to provide pediatric physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy and the waitlist for children grew to over 100. As the wait list continued to grow, the team realized that offering pediatric services in a clinic designed to serve adults was limiting the care for the kids. It was clear that the children needed a specialized clinic just for them.
Greg and Jeannett have set a tone of teamwork, compassion and support at Capstone Physical Therapy. Photo courtesy: Capstone Physical Therapy.
In May of 2016, Greg and Jeannett Penner started Kornerstone Kids, a non-profit therapy center designed to meet the needs of children with special health care needs. The initial team consisted of five board members, one Physical Therapist, one Occupational Therapist and one Speech Therapist. In less than one year the team more than doubled in size. There are currently two Physical Therapists, two Occupational Therapists, two Speech Therapists and one Physical Therapy Assistant. In the first three quarters of 2017 the Kornerstone therapy team provided 6,939 appointments for children with special health care needs. The current waitlist has over 200 children waiting for services and it continues to grow.
Greg explains that the need for pediatric therapy was far beyond what they ever imagined. They are currently in the process of building even more space for the now separate non-profit entity.
With their innovative ideas, the Penners have found growth professionally and personally. Through their commitment to doing the right thing, they have found success in business and personally rewarding work.
Capstone Physical Therapy and Kornerstone Kids represent a team commitment to treat everyone with the best quality of care and compassion in even the most challenging of circumstances. As a result, Capstone is now one of the most well-known names in the county for physical therapy and community connection.
“We ended up landing exactly where we’re supposed to be, doing what we’re supposed to be doing,” says Greg.
In a time when more purchases than ever are being made online, Sustainable Connections wants to help make shopping local fun, easy and the first thing you think about this holiday season.
This year, the local nonprofit that runs Whatcom County’s Think and Eat Local First Campaigns, announces a brand new, community-wide holiday competition, the Cheermeister Challenge. Participants simply have to check off one of five tasks to be entered to win local prize packages that will be drawn each Friday in December. The more tasks you complete, the more chances you have at winning!
One can share their random act of holiday kindness, describe a local gift they are going to give, download a local coupon app or vote for their favorite window in the downtown and Fairhaven Window Decorating Contest! More than thirty stores are participating in the window decorating challenge and could win one (or more) of three categories: Mayor’s Choice, People’s Choice and the Local Business Panel’s Choice.
The Crafty Family Prize Pack will be the first prize drawn on December 8, and includes a $50 Boundary Bay gift card, a $10 Village Books gift card, handmade fudge from Paper Dreams, $25 to Twin Sisters Creamery, a $25 gift card for the Co-op, two free tickets to the Pickford plus a custom pint glass and one free popcorn, gift cards to Ragfinery, the ReStore and more!
To make shopping local easy, Sustainable Connections has also published the Holiday Shopping Guide, featuring local gift items and ideas for every budget. It also has a local businesses directory organized by types of gifts. Our local businesses have unique and special offerings for all!
“Independent businesses are the heart of our downtown; be it Lynden, Ferndale or Bellingham. They also invest up to three times more back into our local economy than large chains,” says Becca Weathers, Think Local First Program Coordinator. More than just a fun way to celebrate the season, the Cheermeister Challenge and Holiday Shopping Guide hope to remind us that communities that shop local stay vibrant.
For all the details, please visit sustainableconnections.org or pick up a hard copy of the Holiday Gift Guide at Village Books, the Community Food Co-op, or many of the business participating the in Window Decorating Contest.
A-1 Builders knows how to keep a house in good repair. Photo courtesy: A-1 Builders.
Local company A-1 Builders is teaming up with other like-minded Bellingham businesses to increase community awareness and offer education about their progressive business models – and they’ll raise money for the Bellingham Food Bank while they do it.
Food For Thought
Aslan Brewing Company CEO and owner Jack Lamb looks forward to sharing the story of how and why his business became a B-Corporation. Photo courtesy: Aslan Brewing Company.
Bellingham Bay Builders and A-1 Builders are worker cooperatives, Community Food Co-op is a consumer cooperative and Aslan Brewing is a B-Corporation, meaning it is certified as meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.
At the root of each approach is an opportunity to create a business that’s greater than any one individual – a durable, sustainable business that helps distribute the wealth of the company among all of its contributors.
Folks from these groups will mingle with interested entrepreneurs and discuss how their models benefit our local economy.
“The purpose is to bring some focus to alternative business models in this community, with companies that consider more than just their profit,” says Patrick Martin, general manager of A-1 Builders and Adaptations Design Studio, which recently restructured as a worker cooperative.
Martin had heard Aslan CEO and owner Jack Lamb speak at a Sustainable Connections event, and the two got to chatting afterward.
A-1 Builders recently restructured as a worker-owned cooperative. Photo courtesy: A-1 Builders.
“When I found out A-1 Builders was becoming a worker-owned co-op, I was elated,” says Lamb. “Here was another local business making big moves in our community. Aslan Brewing Company operates with a lot of the same values as a co-op, so I was excited to collaborate.”
The two began brainstorming about Aslan making a beer for A-1 Builders to serve at a party announcing their new model. “And that morphed into us wanting to do a fundraiser for a local group doing good work,” says Martin, “as a way to demonstrate our intention and commitment to be involved in the community to a greater degree.”
Lamb offered to host an event at Aslan, which will raise money for the Bellingham Food Bank and also bring together like-minded business owners to share their stories and answer questions about alternative business models. As Martin and Lamb fleshed out their ideas for Food For Thought, they pulled in others to join them, including Bellingham Bay Builders and the Community Food Co-op.
Ross Grier is one of four owners at worker cooperative Bellingham Bay Builders, whose team will also be at the Aslan fundraiser.
“We’re celebrating A-1 becoming a worker cooperative,” says Grier, when asked why they got involved. “We love and support that. We also want to share facts about worker cooperatives and pique the interest of people, so they might consider restructuring their businesses.”
Grier also has big plans for his team to show up in memorable headgear.
“The hats are going to be funny,” he says, drily. “They’ll be exceptional. If nothing else, just come to see the hats.”
Ten percent of Aslan’s drink sales during the event, plus monetary and food donations accepted at the door, will benefit the Bellingham Food Bank.
Food For Thought is open to the public. Organizers encourage entrepreneurs and current business owners to come by and learn more about starting up or restructuring with an alternative business model.
Triple Bottom Line Seminar
The owners and key players at BBB attending The Thousand Thanks Sustainable Connections event. From back to front, left to right: Ross Grier, Dave Ghan, Jeff Mack, Justin Lonegan, Daniel Whitsell (front row) Dave Brogan and Leah Barta. Photo courtesy: Bellingham Bay Builders.
“The Triple Bottom Line practice – people, planet, profit – is more than just a progressive business structure,” explains Aslan’s Lamb. “It’s a lifestyle.”
Grier originally broached the idea of a panel.
“Ross has put a lot of effort into community education and wanted to create an opportunity for people to come together and ask questions, learn basics from those of us in different stages of this process and find some support for doing the same,” says A-1 Builders’ Martin.
“We’re working within the North American capitalist economy,” Grier says, “and trying to introduce some unconventional business models.”
Both of these upcoming events will highlight the similarities and differences between various sustainable business concepts that exist in our very own community. “We want to educate entrepreneurs and community members alike on what it takes to build a business like ours, how we can all contribute as a community and have fun while we do it,” says Lamb. “I look forward to sharing our story.”
Partnering on this event was an easy decision for Community Food Co-op, who initially was happy to simply join with the others to raise funds for the food bank.
“Now we also get to shine a spotlight on businesses operating with co-operative and B-Corp business structures that are innovating how businesses commit to the health of their communities,” says Adrienne Renz, Community Food Co-op outreach manager. “It is not a talking point, but a business structure for the benefit of the community.”
Martin closes our talk by musing on how he and Lamb’s early conversation organically developed into a plan for these two community events.
“As you collaborate with others, your ideas grow in different ways – and I’m happy for that,” Martin says, “because there’s a movement in this community, and certainly nationally, for structure and support and legislation for there to be alternative models for the modern corporation.”
He sees an opportunity for these ideas to bear fruit in this community.
“I like that idea. An opportunity to think about it, look at it and meet real people that are doing good things and trying hard. It’s inspiring and it’s nice to be involved in having that happen in the future.”
Attendance at the Triple Bottom Line seminar is also free. Food and beer will be provided by the Community Food Co-op and Aslan Brewing.
Food For Thought: Business Meet & Greet
November 14 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Aslan Brewing Company
1330 North Forest Street in Bellingham
Triple Bottom Line Seminar
November 30 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Healthy Connections Building
405 East Holly Street in Bellingham
Kyler, Clover, Anna, Geoff and Oliver Martin walk in their field of dreams. Photo credit: Ben Hagood.
Mike Rowe, star of the television show Dirty Jobs noted, “If you’re a farmer, you’re facing challenges unlike what most business owners would ever remotely contemplate. Real estate challenges. EPA challenges. Energy challenges.” “Every single thing that is in the headlines affects farming, but farming … is never in the headlines.”
What could possibly possess a young couple to become first-generation farmers?
Geoff and Anna Martin met at Seattle Pacific University in the mid-1990s when he was anticipating a career in medicine and she was drawn to the study of nutrition. Organic standards were being debated and Anna’s chemistry professor postulated that organic foods were no different biochemically, while her nutrition class dug deeper. “We studied the secondary and tertiary effects of eating chemically laden food,” she explained. “We looked at who is the heart and lungs behind this industry and who is it effecting – that’s what hooked me into farming.”
Oliver, Kyler, Clover, Anna, and Geoff work and grow together on the family farm. Photo credit: Ben Hagood.
After graduation, Geoff worked at a university high-throughput sequencing technology lab and was disillusioned at the trajectory of that field. Seattle became the perfect storm for social unrest and erupted into the 1999 WTO Protests. When Anna finished her degree, they decided that a road trip might provide perspective and it led to a Primitive Skills Gathering in Oregon. They remained there for a year learning about farming and many other facets of building a life of self-sustenance.
Sustainability, Community Supported Agriculture and the social farm-to-table movement were just picking up steam two decades ago and Geoff, Anna and now their three children had acquired the tools to build Osprey Hill Farm.
They had passion, knowledge and a guiding philosophy that borrows a bit from the Hippocratic Oath: First, do no harm. In this case, it’s all about the soil. Naturally derived soil nutrition – from organic nutrients to farm by-products – is key to growing healthy plants without the need for synthetic nutrients or pesticides.
Never question “What came first? The chicken or the egg?” They’re both important at Osprey Hill Farm. Photo credit: Kyler Martin.
They define their farm as “A small, organically grown family farm that is taking big steps toward sustainability. We enjoy the challenge and lifestyle that goes hand-in-hand with growing really great food.”
Since they raise everything from seed to egg and also process their animals for meat, they seek balance in every phase of the circle of life. They take the principles of organic farming to heart and Anna shared that their best business practice typically comes from buying local.
Organic certification is an arduous process and Geoff and Anna have found that the best way to guarantee sustainable practices is to meet their producers and actually see and touch what they’re buying. Their animal feed, for example, is now sourced on the east side of the mountains where everything is local except for the kelp.
“It’s beautiful, super high quality and certified GMO-free,” Anna explained. “We have the freedom to make these choices because we’re not locked into certified organic purchases and we’ve discovered higher quality and higher integrity starting ingredients than if we were strictly going by organic standards. I encourage everyone to buy local and meet their producers. It’s more important than a label.”
“The business of farming is as unpredictable as the weather,” states their blog. “Each season has its own set of variables and new challenges.” According to Anna, their biggest lesson learned is that the world of food is as trendy as fashion or music.
Kyler, Clover, Anna, Geoff and Oliver Martin walk in their field of dreams. Photo credit: Ben Hagood.
“Kale is yesterday’s news,” she laughed. “We’re constantly trying to keep up with current likes and dislikes as it ultimately dictates what we’ll grow next year.”
They follow trends by interacting with innovative chefs and seed catalogs. A local seed company familiar with Washington’s climate lets them trial certain food items. Instagram is a great way to see what chefs are experimenting with that may indicate the next big food trend. “Now that we’ve been in the food scene for two decades – just like fashion – we’re coming back to older trends like heirloom vegetables.”
Geoff and Anna are mentors in Sustainable Connection’s Food to Bank On (FTBO) program that provides classroom sessions for beginning farmers who learn from those modeling a vibrant local economy built on sustainable practices. They make sure that participants understand that in the present time they’re actually preparing and planning for next season.
Spring is a season of rebirth and laughing kids. Photo courtesy: Osprey Hill Farm.
The Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC) had a Skagit county pilot project with a wholesale Farmer’s Market just for chefs and realized that chefs had just as much of a problem getting out of the restaurant as farmers had leaving their farms. It was a great concept and hit a niche but needed a different approach. Farmer’s Markets were a hit, but what about restaurants, schools, hospitals or jails?
For the past seven years, Osprey Hill Farm has been involved with Puget Sound Food Hub, a grassroots effort concerned with how to exponentially reach a larger audience with local food. From that seed grew an online farmer’s cooperative platform of 50 farms with hundreds of buyers from King, Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties who harvest and deliver to a central facility.
Venture out into Whatcom County and meet your local farmer. See how your garden grows.
October saw the addition of many new and interesting stories to the pages of WhatcomTalk. Each month we like to take a look back at what most resonated with our community. Here are some of WhatcomTalk’s most read stories in October:
BP recently opened its gates to give community members a look inside this fascinating operation. Photo courtesy: BP.
It’s amazing how little we consider the transportation fuels that we use every day. Yes, we fuel our cars at the pump and are grateful for the flights that take us in and out of Bellingham. But how much do we really know about transportation fuels? Well the BP Cherry Point Refinery recently opened their gates to answer that question and educate the community about how our fuel is made.
Instead of a costly trip to the ER, visit the PeaceHealth Same Day Care Clinic. Photo courtesy: PeaceHealth.
We’ve all had the experience—a late night or weekend illness that leaves you wondering if you need to get your loved one or yourself some help. But where do you go when the doctor’s office is closed? A trip to the ER can leave you with a heavy bill, so many people choose to tough it out until Monday. Well, you don’t need to suffer through the weekend any longer. Now we have the PeaceHealth Same Day Care Clinic.
Sara Holodnick uses her talents to make Whatcom County a better place. Photo credit: Campfire Photography.
You have felt Sara Holodnick’s creative spirit at work in Bellingham and beyond. This former AmeriCorps volunteer is the co-founder of local historical touring company, The Good Time Girls. She is also a talented freelance writer and, as of late, engaged in a new entrepreneurial effort. Her Sweet Nothing project is a soulful offering of poetry, reflective oracle cards and down to earth altars.
The Whatcom Community College men’s soccer team is composed of talented individuals from a variety of backgrounds. Photo courtesy: Whatcom Community College.
The WCC Men’s Soccer players come from a variety of backgrounds. Several have experienced violence and disasters. They have lost family members and friends, struggled without food and water. Alain Murhula and Songa Katanga are both from war-torn Congo. Fahat Yogol is from Kenya, a country with a long-running history of political turmoil resulting in violence. Jerry Mervielle is from Haiti, a nation still trying to recover from its 2010 earthquake and last year’s Hurricane Matthew. Kandjoura Tandia is from Mali, which has experienced several military coups with the most recent occurring just five years ago. And Elijah Moon is from Ghana, where most villages lack quality drinking water, hospitals and even basic sanitation. Every one of them, each with their own extraordinary tale, has endured and now uses their skills to benefit the WCC Men’s Soccer Program and Whatcom County as a whole.
WhatcomTalk is a digital media company sharing positive stories about people, places and businesses in Whatcom County. WhatcomTalk offers content marketing and online options to advertise across our community social network in Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale and beyond. Advertise with WhatcomTalk to reach your target market, grow your brand, and measure results.
Valerie Brannen (blood technician), Mat Ralston (supervisor) and Diana Jordan (blood technician) posing for a moment during a typical day. Photo credit: Serena Keenan.
Every day in the United States, 36,000 units (about one pint per unit) of blood are used for various health purposes. This astounding amount leaves blood banks with the huge job of providing and storing the blood that is used in hospitals locally. However, many times this is not even half of what blood banks do. In the case of our local blood bank, Bloodworks Northwest (previously known as the Puget Sound Blood Center), the job includes groundbreaking blood-based research as well.
The Bellingham Bloodworks facility is open for donors Tuesday through Saturday by appointment. Photo credit: Serena Keenan.
“We have 11 centers from Bellingham down to Vancouver and each one has a mobile unit,” says Mat Ralston, supervisor of the Bellingham Blood Center. “We have blood drives every single day. They collect anywhere from 20 units of blood to much larger numbers.” In this case, one unit of blood typically equals a pint. This measurement is based on how much blood is drawn from one person at one time.
Once these units of blood are drawn at various blood drives, they make the journey to the labs. “From [the Bellingham Bloodworks Center], the blood will go to Renton,” he explains. “There they will process the blood and separate it into platelets, plasma and red blood cells. Then they test it and if it comes out fine, they’ll send it to the local hospitals.” There are over 90 hospitals in our area that Bloodworks supplies blood to.
On top of usual blood supplying, Bloodworks partakes in extensive research. This research takes place at their various labs located near Seattle, such as their Donor Testing-Quality Control Lab, their Genomics Testing Lab and their Immunogenetics/HLA Lab. The Donor Testing-Quality Control Lab, located in Renton, is the main lab according to Ralston.
The collected blood is briefly held at the blood center before it’s shipped down to Renton to be processed. Photo credit: Serena Keenan.
Their research includes delving into blood disorders such a hemophilia, which is the inability of blood to form clots. Their Hemostasis Reference Lab specializes in this and is open for patients with similar disorders. They also offer various scientific and support programs for these patients, such as personalized physical therapy programs, treatment for bleeding and “specialized coagulation studies.”
One of their main goals at the moment is to crack the code of platelets. “[The scientists] are also constantly trying to lengthen the shelf life of platelets,” Ralston says. “The shelf life is about five days.”
Platelets are the blood cells that are responsible for clotting in order to stop bleeding, so they are fundamental to healing. Lengthening their storage time could ensure that in the case of a catastrophe, there would always be available platelets for transfusion.
At their Genomics Testing Lab, the Bloodworks scientists also have done research into blood cell genotyping to find genetic variations (such as mutations) in red blood cells. They are working on applying these findings to hemostasis, neutrophils and blood disorders including hemophilia and thrombosis (which happens when a blood clot forms inside of a vein deep in the body). This lab also offers DNA testing that can diagnose these disorders and more.
After their donation, donors sit in “the Canteen” to enjoy a small snack and a juice. Photo credit: Serena Keenan.
However, all of the services that they provide, from the blood supply to the research, are dependent on the outside community. Without donations of various kinds, none of this would be possible. “The most important thing to me is having a community come together. We’ll have blood drives for a specific family if someone is diagnosed with leukemia or something,” Ralston says. “There was a little girl once who was born with a heart defect. By the time she was six months old she ended up using 75 units of blood and they had a blood drive for her. Just to see the amount of people who showed up was crazy. It was a really emotional day.”
Ralston has personal experience with the importance of blood drives. A few years ago, his brother was in need of a blood transfusion that he most likely would have died without. But, because of the efforts of blood banks like Bloodworks, he survived. “It hits closer to home for me,” Ralston admits.
Valerie Brannen (blood technician), Mat Ralston (supervisor) and Diana Jordan (blood technician) posing for a moment during a typical day. Photo credit: Serena Keenan.
In a perfect world, they would have a constant influx of donors to maintain the ideal level of blood at any given time. “If we could get people to come in at regular intervals, we wouldn’t have a blood shortage,” says Ralston. “It’s not just accidents that require blood products. People need heart transplants or even just something simple like a hip replacement. Blood is used on a daily basis.”
Because of this, they’re constantly looking for donors. “One donation can equal three lives, so we always encourage it,” Ralston says. However, he stresses that even if you can’t donate blood, anything helps. They are always looking for community members to do volunteer work during blood drives.
Bloodworks, with all its blood collection and research, is an excellent example of how science and community can come together and save lives.
Since 2005, Moonwater has served as the Executive Director for Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center. She is committed to strengthening community through peaceful conflict resolution. An experienced mediator, facilitator and trainer, Moonwater has a BA in Psychology from Whitman College and an MPA from Seattle University, where she specialized in nonprofit management. Moonwater’s leadership skills are tremendous. She is the lead instructor for the WDRC’s Professional Mediation Training and provides customized conflict management training to numerous nonprofit organizations, tribal departments, local government, businesses and associations.
Moonwater has served as the Executive Director for Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center since 2005. Photo credit: Katheryn Moran Photography.
Whatcom Women in Business is comprised of business owners and managers developing and maintaining proactive role models within the organization and the community at large. Through teaching, learning, leadership and peer support, we strive to exemplify and promote the four areas we honor—leadership, professionalism, mentoring and community.
For more information about Professional Woman of the Year and membership in Whatcom Women in Business, see www.wwib.org.
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