Fall may be my very favorite season. The weather is just perfect—not too hot, not too cold. There is a delicious fall scent in the air. The kids are back in school and sports. And the promise of the holiday season is just around the corner. Perhaps the best part of all is that we are lucky enough to live in a great place for fall fun. Take a look at all these great things to do this weekend in and around Bellingham—Oct. 13—15. And don’t forget to check 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.
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa is the perfect venue for an intimate wedding party. Photo courtesy: The Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
I love weddings. And, like most people, I have been to a lot of them, big and small. I’ve celebrated in halls and hotels, Elks Lodges and American Legions, fire stations and VFWs. I’ve danced in rustic barns and under white tents, in flower gardens and on open fields. A few years ago I even attended a surprise wedding in the privacy of a friend’s backyard.
The Chrysalis provides fabulous food, drink and ambiance. Photo courtesy: The Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
For me, a quick “I do” under a trellis followed by an outdoor barbeque is equal to a formal church service followed by a four-course sit-down meal. Each is a rite of passage. Each is a celebration of the coming together of two people and their families. Each is inevitably followed by hours of lively fun.
For all my love of weddings, however, I opted out. I eloped. And it was romantic and quiet and private. It was just the two of us on a Wednesday afternoon at the county courthouse. We walked to a nearby restaurant and ordered champagne. We ate dinner at a favorite tavern. I danced to the juke box. It was perfect for us. But as years pass, one regret is slowly forming. Six years ago I couldn’t face the planning, logistics and public vow-making. But now I realize that having our closest family and friends from near and far in the same room would have been worth the effort. Now it almost seems like a lost opportunity.
Almost. Because we do have an anniversary every year… and because I’ve also realized that a wedding, or a vow renewal, doesn’t have to be monumental undertaking with a hundred or more guests.
When you choose The Chrysalis as your wedding venue you have use of the terrace and the living room, with the area’s best ocean views. Photo courtesy: The Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
I’ve been asking around about the best place to hold a special event. My key words are: simple, intimate and elegant. The top of everyone’s list is: The Living Room and Terrace at The Chrysalis Inn & Spa in Bellingham. To better acquaint myself with their wedding accommodations, I found some couples who chose to be married at The Chrysalis.
Heidi and Samantha Thomson-Daly of Seattle were married at The Chrysalis in August of 2016. As I spoke with Heidi, she was clearly reliving that “beautiful summer Saturday,” when the couple assembled 30 guests for an outdoor ceremony on the terrace overlooking Bellingham Bay.
She described an idyllic scene of family and friends sipping “pink bubbly” and signature cocktails in what she called an “inspiring and peaceful venue” with stunning ocean views. There were passed appetizers followed by a four-course dinner, and the couple forwent the traditional wedding cake for a choice of house-made desserts from Keenan’s at the Pier. The only decoration added to the already-exquisite Living Room were handmade garlands, but Heidi stressed that the room really needed no extra embellishment. It was perfect.
For Heidi and Samantha, The Chrysalis was, indeed, perfect. But not just because of its elegant rooms, waterfront location or fabulous food, but because it has been a place for relationship milestones. Their first special getaway as a couple was a weekend stay at The Chrysalis, and they would return multiple times thereafter. It was during one of these stays that they were engaged to be married. Clearly, there would be no better place for them to exchange their wedding vows. And there wasn’t.
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa is the perfect venue for an intimate wedding party. Photo courtesy: The Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
For another perspective I spoke with Deb Pelham, a bride-to-be for the second time, who was in the midst of preparations for her upcoming Chrysalis nuptials. She and her fiancé Mitch Bubb were initially planning to be married at Boulevard Park, where they met, but unreliable weather deterred them. They quickly settled on The Chrysalis, which Deb referred to as the “obvious choice” because of its proximity to Boulevard Park and because it is, “lovely and elegant, but not pretentious at all.”
Deb is an easy-going bride-to-be—not at all how movies and television portray a soon-to-be-wed woman. Her choice of The Chrysalis, which she refers to as “a little oasis,” vanquishes stress. “If it’s nice, we’ll get married on the Terrace, if not, in the Living Room,” she says happily.
She and Mitch have been a couple for nearly three years and are planning a quiet, intimate wedding with only family and a few “very, very close friends.” There will be 18 guests total and Mitch’s son and daughter will take part in the ceremony. The wedding will go from afternoon to evening, with dinner and drinks, conversation and celebration. And while all of the other guests will return home, Deb and Mitch will stay all weekend, as a short honeymoon of sorts. They’ll use the spa and do plenty of walking along the waterfront, things they would normally do. But now they’ll do them as newlyweds.
These couples prove that a wedding doesn’t have to be an overblown bash to have an enormous impact. And I know from experience that elopement isn’t for everyone. But a place like The Chrysalis Inn & Spa gives you a little bit of both. You can have an extraordinary celebration in an intimate package, all tailored to you and your partner.
This house-made bone-in ham is savory and scrumptious. Photo courtesy: Old World Deli.
Old World Deli is one of the crown jewels of the Bellingham food scene. Celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, it is clear that the deli has withstood the test of time. This is especially remarkable when you consider the turnover rate most restaurants in Bellingham experience. There are several reasons Old World Deli has made a name for themselves in everybody’s favorite city of subdued excitement. Not only is the deli known for their delicious sandwiches and exquisite wines, but they serve up house-made meats perfect for any feast. From the pancetta to the pastrami, duck breast to duck confit, General Manager and Salumist Zach Holmes prepares his cured meats with care and consideration.
Old World Deli’s Zach Holmes is a meat artist. Photo courtesy: Old World Deli.
Zach has been working at Old World Deli for eight years, but didn’t venture into meat curing right away. It took some time before he was ready to try his hand at crafting the meats you find in the deli’s cold case today. Zach explains that before there was pancetta, before there was smoked ham, before there was the deli’s mouth-watering (yes, seriously) bacon, there was sausage. Smoking sausage tends to be the starting point for any budding salumist, and for Zach it was no different.
“At first, I started smoking sausage in house. After I had got that down, we started talking about how to move things forward so we could smoke and cure different kinds of meats,” Zach says.
What originally started out as smoking a few sausages for some menu specials became much more. Zach’s knowledge of aging, curing and smoking meats grew and, with it, the amount of options offered at Old World Deli. It was an added bonus that he had the support of owners Anna and Christos Adams along the way. They encouraged Zach to try different things and watched as their selection of house-made products grew.
Old World Deli’s house-made porchetta is simply mouth watering. Photo courtesy: Old World Deli.
Currently, you can find house-made meats of all varieties at the deli. Zach has stocked the deli with duck confit, fresh sausage, bacon, corned beef, roast beef, kielbasa, pates and rillettes. What started as a small project has grown into something entirely different, bigger and, well, tastier. There really is a difference in the flavor. It’s obvious from just one bite that you aren’t eating the lunch meat found on aisle three in your local supermarket.
The pancetta is vibrant and floral. The roast beef hearty with a hint of spice. The bacon is – you guessed it – mouth-watering. Meticulous preparation goes into the process of crafting each of these house-made meats. It doesn’t just happen overnight. Meat must be brined, rubbed, aged, cured and smoked depending on the different type of meat. Each of these different styles of meat has its own specific recipe.
Try a house-made kielbasa! Photo courtesy: Old World Deli.
For example, Old World’s bacon is cured for four days, then dry aged for a week and finally smoked before it goes to sale. No meat has the same process. Zach uses various methods for each respective meat.
“We do it because it tastes good,” Zach says. “It just tastes better when you make these meats yourself. It’s a process but I am more than happy to do it and our customers love it.”
The newest addition in the meat department at Old World Deli is their smoked ham. It has been used in a few of their different menu items, such as the Grilled Panini #1. In this sandwich, Old World Deli’s house-made smoked ham is paired with a cherry sauce and mashed potatoes on sourdough. It tastes a whole lot like Thanksgiving, which as far as I’m concerned means there is a whole lot to be happy about. The smoked ham is delicious but is only available as Zach makes it – so get it when you can.
What’s better than bacon? Old World Deli’s house-made bacon! Photo courtesy: Old World Deli.
The idea for this meat actually came from one of Zach’s customers. They had been buying meat from Old World Deli for a while and suggested that Zach try making a smoked ham. Zach was interested in the endeavor and decided to tackle it. The result was a smoked ham packed with flavor that is the perfect sandwich stuffer.
“We’re always trying new things,” Zach says. “We like to experiment with different ideas in the kitchen and see how our customers like them. We want people to be aware that we make a lot of our meats in house.”
In addition to buying house-made meats from the cold case, you can find some of their meats exclusively in their various menu items and specials such as their Cuban-braised pork, smoked chicken thighs in grapefruit juice and chilis, porchetta and house-smoked barbeque brisket.
Old World Deli is located at 1228 N. State Street in Bellingham. The deli is open Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Instead of a costly trip to the ER, visit the PeaceHealth Same Day Care Clinic. Photo courtesy: PeaceHealth.
I have a lot of trouble with at-home medical triage. I mean, I know when to call 911, but there are all those illnesses that cause super-high fevers and wheezing coughs in my little girls. Then there are the accidents that result in a deep, blood-gushing cut on my husband’s hand or a clean, inch-long gash on my toddler’s forehead. My medical knowledge is nil and I often find myself oscillating between, “It’s nothing,” and, “It’s catastrophic internal bleeding.”
The PeaceHealth Same Day Care Clinic is there to help when you’re in need. Photo courtesy: PeaceHealth.
But what am I supposed to do when so many of these illnesses and accidents seem to happen either on weekends or after business hours when the doctors’ offices are closed? And, really, when your finger has been mangled by an immersion blender in the middle of making dinner are you going to calmly call your doctor’s office to see if they have an opening, like, NOW? No. You are not. You are going to dash out your door and quickly find someone to sew it up.
Luckily, that someone will be ready for you at the PeaceHealth Same Day Care Clinic, a walk-in clinic that focuses on same-day needs such as general illnesses and minor injuries. Rather than an hours-long wait at a hectic ER after your husband has power-drilled through his thumb, or a few-days wait for an opening at your primary care doctor for your unmitigated ear pain and sinus pressure, you can simply walk in and be seen by an experienced medical team of doctors and nurses. And if your situation requires further treatment, the Same Day Care Clinic, as part of PeaceHealth, is in the unique position to get you headed to where you need to go more quickly. If you need to see a specialist, they can make that call.
From my point of view, the most compelling reason to use the Same Day Care Clinic is to avoid an ER at all costs. An ER visit is expensive and time-consuming. And if it’s not an emergency, why go there? For the most part, people seek out the emergency room because they do not realize there are other options for immediate care. Dr. Susan Kranzpiller, one of the care providers at the Same Day Care Clinic, jokingly considers the clinic one of the best-kept secrets of Whatcom County—and she would like that to change. She highlights that the clinic is open to the public, not just PeaceHealth patients, and treats everybody from newborns to the elderly without an appointment.
Instead of a costly trip to the ER, visit the PeaceHealth Same Day Care Clinic. Photo courtesy: PeaceHealth.
Sara Wells, a family nurse practitioner at the clinic, stresses the convenience of same-day services. “People work,” she says forthrightly, pointing out that not everyone can take off a day – or in some cases even a few hours – from work to visit their primary care provider during normal business hours. The Same Day Care Clinic fits better into working people’s schedules. Starting in early October, the clinic will be open Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. With these expanded hours, the clinic provides easy access to care for people who do not feel their best.
But what, exactly, is the line between a visit to the emergency room and a visit to the Same Day Care Clinic? PeaceHealth has created a very useful document for this exact quandary. To help with your at-home triaging, please see their Scope of Services.
I have consulted it several times. I think maybe I’ll just tape a copy to my fridge.
A stop at Rutledge Corn Maze can include a visit to their pumpkin patch to pick your perfect jack-o-lantern.
Fall is certainly here. And, if you aren’t clutching a pumpkin spice latte, chances are you’re scrolling on your phone, looking for the perfect fall outing. While there are many local options throughout gorgeous Whatcom County, this might be the year to look a little farther afield. If you are seeking a fall road trip or are simply hitting the road for a soccer tournament, consider heading south to explore the beauty at the other end of the Puget Sound – Thurston County. While you are there, experience a favorite local fall tradition at Rutledge Corn Maze in Tumwater.
The Rutledge Corn Maze welcomes visitors with challenging routes that include checkpoints along the way with facts about Thurston County.
The Rutledge family has owned and farmed their land in Thurston County for generations. And, while it has gone through many different iterations of farming, the family holds true to their roots, still growing corn. Only now, this corn provides entertainment for all ages throughout the fall season.
“Our family migrated here across the Oregon Trail in the 1800s and we’ve been farming in the area ever since. That’s the short version,” Robby Rutledge says laughing. His grandfather was a cattleman and an employee at the Olympia Brewery. However, raising corn was much easier than raising cows, he quickly realized. For thirty years, you could find Grandpa Rutledge selling the family’s fresh corn at The Olympia Farmer’s Market throughout the season.
ThurstonTalk’s Jessica Hoppe got a birds eye view of the maze from a helicopter with Robby Rutledge.
In 2000, the Rutledge family decided to convert their enterprise to a corn maze. At the time, corn mazes were nearly unheard of and the Rutledges were at the forefront of the growing trend. Initially, designs were cut into the fields after the corn had matured. This was labor and resource intensive.
“We were the first corn maze in the world to be planted in the maze pattern (instead of cutting the pattern after the stalks matured),” says Robby. Maze Play, a company who specializes in GPS, computer-aided planting, takes the Rutledge design and loads it into their software. The tractor can plant the five acre parcel in roughly eight hours. “It’s really down to a science. Sometimes I don’t have the design down fully, maybe I only have a few pictures but the result is always better than I thought it would be,” says Robby.
Themes over the years have included the Washington State Capitol Building, the Statue of Liberty, an image of Marshawn Lynch, a design based on Twilight – Breaking Dawn and a design in partnership with O’Bee Credit Union. This year, the design highlights a Thurston County treasure.
The maze is planted using GPS guided tractors, ensuring an accurate design each year.
Partnering with Experience Olympia & Beyond – the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater Visitor and Convention Bureau – this year’s maze features the Thurston Bountiful Byway logo. “We’re trying to bring more attention to this wonderful sixty-mile stretch of farmer’s markets, wineries, farms and other great local attractions,” says Robby.
The Byway is a “must-see” if you are visiting Thurston County. While you don’t need to do the entire loop, checking out a section or a variety of stops along the route will give you the flavor and feel of the region. The Rutledge Corn Maze is one stop on this scenic loop that includes wineries, pumpkin patches, shops, restaurants, parks, distilleries, farms and more.
Moira Davin, director of marketing and communications for Experience Olympia & Beyond, headed up the collaboration and sees the maze as the perfect way to share they Byway. “Featuring the Byway in the corn maze is a great way to spread the word about all the great fall events along the Bountiful Byway,” says Davin. “Families can share memorable moments while they pick a pumpkin, take a hay ride, sip award-winning apple cider or find their way through a corn maze.”
During the summer months, the Rutledge family carefully tends to the growing stalks, ensuring a successful design come fall.
The maze includes checkpoints highlighting different attractions along the Byway. As a visitor, you’ll learn some of the lesser known facts about the state capitol region through a series of stops. You might find one that sparks your interest, and a visit, after you are done.
Rutledge Corn Maze is also full of family fun with the Farmer Joe Mystery Game for the youngsters, pumpkins, treats, a Haunted Maze at night for the brave souls in your group and Zombie Paintball for the adventurous. Both the Rutledge Corn Maze and the Bountiful Byway seek to create positive activities families can enjoy together, making their partnership this year a no-brainer.
A stop at Rutledge Corn Maze can include a visit to their pumpkin patch to pick your perfect jack-o-lantern.
“We hope that the Byway corn maze will inspire visitors to explore the other fall festivals along the tour, most not far from Rutledge, and experience all the Byway has to offer all year round,” adds Davin.
To learn about all the fun, fall events along the Bountiful Byway in addition to the Corn Maze, visit the Byway’s events page and wind your way through our beautiful backyard.
The Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center (WDRC) invites the community to join in honoring eight individuals and organizations who have helped build peace in Whatcom County at the 15th Annual Peace Builders Awards, presented by Peoples Bank. Awards will be presented at the gala on November 17 at 5:30 p.m., in Bellingham Technical College’s Settlemyer Hall.
The recipients of the 2017 Peace Builder Awards are:
Downtown Bellingham Partnership, Collaboration: For their commitment to foster relationships and nurture unity among businesses and the community at large.
Portage Bay Partnership, Creative Conflict Resolution: For creative conflict resolution efforts between the Lummi Nation and Whatcom County Dairy Farmers, resulting in a cooperative approach to improve water quality.
Bridge Builders, Cultural Connections: For their efforts to foster understanding and spaces of communion and connection between all faiths in Whatcom County.
Lindsey Karas, Sterling Meadows Apartments, Empowerment: For her steadfast commitment to the wellbeing of youth in the Sterling Meadows community.
Karen Aislinn, Healthcare: For building peace through exceptional emotional and social support for her patients and their families.
Whatcom Community Foundation, Organization: For its Project Neighborly initiative, bringing the community together to promote connection, neighborliness and understanding.
Opportunity Council’s Homeless Outreach Team, Program: For building peace by creating connections and meeting basic needs of some of our community’s most vulnerable.
Stephanie Lewis, Whatcom County Community Links, Public Servant: For helping youth and families reduce conflict, connect, collaborate and link with community resources.
In addition to the awards ceremony, event guests will enjoy hors d’ouevres, a chef-inspired dinner, silent auction, dessert dash, live music and youth poetry from our Peaceful Poetry Youth Contest. Tickets start at $50 and may be purchased online at whatcomdrc.org or by calling 360-676-0122.
The team at VibrantUSA are dedicated to their clients and to their community. Photo courtesy: VibrantUSA.
It’s that time of year again! The fall season is upon us, the holidays are just around the corner and it’s annual enrollment time for Medicare beneficiaries. VibrantUSA is ready for that annual enrollment period with information, answers and guidance for their clients.
The team is dedicated to finding the best options for their clients. Photo courtesy: VibrantUSA.
VibrantUSA does things just a little differently for their clients. With a focus on the senior population, they concentrate on Medicare year-round. They are very well suited to answer all of the questions about changes and coverage each year brings.
“Everything we do at VibrantUSA is about serving our clients,” says Marsha Neal, VibrantUSA Vice President. “We will always be the advocate for the person sitting in front of us.”
The annual enrollment period is the window of time each year that beneficiaries are allowed to evaluate and make changes to their Medicare insurance plans. During this annual election period, which runs October 15 to December 7, it is very important for those on Medicare to review their current plans to ensure that the plan continues to meet their needs.
“Our core base is Medicare,” says Kailie Roosma, Operations Manager at VibrantUSA. “We know what the components are and what our clients are asking for when it comes to health care needs.”
Neal goes on to explain that the focus of VibrantUSA is strictly Medicare and individual healthcare. They are dedicated to finding the right options to match the needs of each of their clients.
VibrantUSA conducts seminars on Medicare and other options. Photo courtesy: VibrantUSA.
People enrolled in a Medicare Advantage or Part D prescription drug plan should have already received a notice from their carrier describing any changes to their plan benefits, premiums or service areas. All of these changes should be reviewed very carefully to ensure they are understood and that the plan is still the best option for each individual.
“We do a lot of hand holding during this process,” says Neal. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, but we’ve got this. We will always be able to help you understand what’s going on with your plan.”
Change is always in the air when it comes to healthcare as both Neal and Roosma explain. This year is no exception with a new Medicare Advantage plan available. But, not all providers will be contracting with all of the available plans, so it is important for seniors to know all of the options available to them when it comes to health care.
Imbedded in Whatcom County, VibrantUSA is a strong part of the community it serves with many of the agents and staff living here, shopping here and raising families here. The agents that represent the company are dedicated to educating clients and finding the right solution to match their healthcare needs. And, because of this community connection and service-oriented approach, these salaried agents are completely unbiased when it comes to choosing the most appropriate plan for their clients.
“Our agents truly enjoy helping people. They put their clients first,” says Neal. “They work from an educational standpoint with clients to ensure they are empowered with information to make the best choice possible for their needs.”
The team at VibrantUSA are dedicated to their clients and to their community. Photo courtesy: VibrantUSA.
Agents participate in a three to six-month training process, which Neal oversees, when they first join VibrantUSA. With this emphasis on education, these agents have the information on health care options to ensure they are doing the right thing for their clients.
The outreach doesn’t stop there. Working with medical clinics, VibrantUSA offers Medicare 101 seminars to educate physicians and potential clients on how to navigate and understand Medicare options and processes.
“We do a lot of outreach,” says Roosma who also is a board member for Elder Service Providers. “We put a lot of time into our community through involvement with organizations such as the Chambers of Commerce and their events, and sponsoring Meals on Wheels.”
Building great relationships and credibility with local clinics and physicians has positioned VibrantUSA for growth based on the need for complete and accurate information about Medicare in these times of ever-changing health care plans and options.
“This is our community,” says Roosma. “We create relationships with our clients and help them make the best choices when it comes to their health care options.”
It is important for Medicare beneficiaries to remember that all enrollment must be completed by December 7, 2017. For the information you need to make the best decision for your health care, give VibrantUSA a call.
Washington residents have a chance to practice their earthquake readiness on Oct. 19 during the Great Washington ShakeOut – a time when communities, families, businesses and schools practice their drop, cover and hold on skills and do on more thing, such as adding to their emergency supplies.
The Washington Military Department is educating people on how to be prepared. Photo courtesy: Washington Military Department.
The Washington Emergency Management Division is no longer recommending residents be three days prepared but, instead, be two weeks ready – in case of a big earthquake. Some communities may need even more emergency supplies.
Chris Reykdal, the state superintendent of public instruction, will join students in the White River School District in Buckley for their drill and will talk emergency preparedness with school leaders. More than 600,000 students, teachers and school staff have signed up for the annual ShakeOut event.
“We live in one of the most beautiful states in the country,” Reykdal said. “But living here has seismic risks. It’s crucial for students to know how to respond if there is an earthquake. I’m excited to be at White River and see how students practice their drop, cover and hold skills.”
ShakeOut Washington will teach people how to handle a massive earthquake. Photo courtesy: Washington Military Department.
Last year, more than 1.1 million residents signed up for the state’s largest earthquake drill. Registration at shakeout.org/washington isn’t required, but helps us tally up how many are participating. In addition, tsunami alert sirens will be tested on Oct. 19 at 10:19 a.m. using the real sound of the siren, not the Westminster Chimes that typically happen during the monthly tests. NOAA weather radios set to receive the required monthly test will also activate during this test. The tests will happen across every coastal community in the state, except for Sandy Point in Whatcom County, which has opted out of the test. The state works with local jurisdictions to install the All Hazard Alert Broadcast sirens on the coast. Five new sirens are being installed this month in Seabrook, Ocean Shores, Bellingham, Port of Chinook and Raymond bringing the total number of coastal sirens to 69.
Preparedness will be key in surviving the next big earthquake to hit the Pacific Northwest. That means being prepared for what you need and where you live – with up to two weeks’ worth of supplies and an emergency “go” kit. For those living on the coast, know your evacuation routes and the warning signs for tsunamis – including how NOAA Weather Radios work and the coastal sirens.
Education and preparedness are key in handling natural disasters. Photo courtesy: Washington Military Department.
This is Washington State’s sixth year of participation in the Great ShakeOut initiative.
New this year, middle school and high school students are creating videos to show the best ways to drop, cover and hold on. Prizes are being awarded by our partners at the Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup. The deadline to submit is Oct. 13. More information found here.
Question and answer sessions with earthquake experts will be done using Facebook Live and Washington Emergency Management’s Nextdoor account in the days before ShakeOut. On Oct. 19, from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., earthquake preparedness experts from the Washington Emergency Management Division will join scientists with the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network to gather online for a Reddit Ask Me Anything – an online Q&A. The public is invited to ask questions at https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/.
We also encourage participants to take photos of themselves participating in the drill and post those photos to social media using the hashtag #ShakeOut or tag our Twitter account at @waShakeOut.
PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center is now recognized as a Blue Distinction Center of Excellence for maternity care by the Blue Cross, Blue Shield Association. This distinction was earned through demonstrating quality care, treatment expertise and better overall patient results.
Blue Distinction Centers of Excellence for Maternity Care demonstrate expertise and a commitment to quality care for vaginal and cesarean section deliveries. A Blue Distinction Center demonstrates better overall patient satisfaction and a lower percentage of early elective deliveries.
The PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Birth Center Manager, Gallit Eni, RN, said, “This recognition as Blue Distinction Center of Excellence reflects the hard work and dedication of our caregivers. It’s exciting news for the new moms who receive maternity care from us.”
Do you have little ones in your family who are finicky eaters? Do mealtimes often turn into battles that begin with kiddos taking negotiated bites, and end with parents holding up a white flag and surrendering in complete exhaustion?
If this scenario sounds all-too familiar, help is on the way.
PeaceHealth Registered Dietitian Tok-Hui Yeap is ready to help you resolve picky eating habits in your kids. Photo courtesy: PeaceHealth.
Two of PeaceHealth’s experienced nutrition experts hope to take some of the stress and frustration out of planning meals and packing lunches and snacks by empowering adults with tips and strategies that can be used to persuade youngsters — from toddlers to teens — to eat healthier.
PeaceHealth Registered Dietitians Jendy Newman and Tok-Hui Yeap will lead a free, one-hour webinar — open to all in the community — Wednesday, Oct. 18, from noon to 1:00 p.m.
During the event, “Picky Eaters: Six Strategies for Helping Kids Eat Healthy,” Newman and Yeap will cover a variety of topics including how adults can model good nutrition and put helpful mealtime routines in place. In addition, they’ll offer tips for success and details about how and when to access additional help and resources. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions.
PeaceHealth’s experts agree that establishing healthy eating habits in children early on can have long-term benefits.
PeaceHealth Registered Dietitian Jendy Newman has the tools to stop picky eating in its tracks. Photo courtesy: PeaceHealth.
“It is a great opportunity to promote a positive parent–child feeding relationship that will benefit not only improved nutrition for years to come, but also improved parent-child trust and problem-solving skills that can improve family life overall,” said Newman.
“It’s important to teach young kids healthy eating because it provides them a strong foundation for a healthy body and mind that lasts a lifetime,” added Yeap.
To register for the live webinar or to receive a recording of the event to watch later, visit PeaceHealth’s Healthy You website.
About PeaceHealth:
PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Washington, is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a group practice with more than 900 providers and 10 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.
Kevin Wiebe is a Ferndale native. Although he graduated from Ferndale High School, he admits he wasn't a model student. His teachers and administrators...
