Becky Doll joined the SpringHill Suites by Marriott team to be Food & Beverage Manager, but realized that she wanted to push herself further. Now she’s the hotel’s Operations Manager. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.
February saw the addition of many new and interesting local reads 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 published in February:
Promoting From Within at SpringHill Suites by Marriott
At SpringHill Suites by Marriott, team members are considered family. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.
Home is important to the folks who work at SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Bellingham. They take pride in offering comfort and hospitality to their guests, but team members also consider each other to be part of a family. It just so happens that this family is full of managers who are committed to seeing potential in their employees and helping them focus and direct their energy into professional growth and progress. This article tells the story of three employees who are experiencing this growth at SpringHill Suites.
Guy Occhiogrosso – A True Leader
Guy Occhiogrosso serves as the President of the Chamber of Commerce. Photo credit: Radley Muller Photography.
The passion that the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Guy Occhiogrosso, has for his community and local business is evident simply in the way he approaches every conversation. This article details the many ways he has advocated for business and community.
See Bellingham at Work through Patrick Beggan’s Lens
Landscape photography allowed Patrick Beggan to combine his love of the outdoors with his art. Photo credit: Patrick Beggan.
This article about Patrick Beggan’s work, and specifically his Bellingham at Work project, shows how Beggan is using his camera to help people connect. From coffee roasters to auto mechanics, the series highlights local individuals at work. Beggan uses his keen eye to tell a story about each person through a photograph. The images he creates as a result are breathtaking.
Editor’s Pick – Tracy Strissel: A Piece of the Farm
Tracy and her daughters Ava and Rose care for their small flock of Katahdin sheep on their hobby farm in Ferndale. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.
This story depicts how Tracy Strissel creates her hand sculpted chickens for coop ornaments, photo holders, earrings and wine glass charms to be sold through her Etsy business, A Piece of the Farm. This artistic work takes place on her idyllic home surrounded by foraging Galloway cows, pregnant Katahdin sheep and a flock of egg-laying hens.
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.
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa provides a transforming experience right here in Bellingham. Photo credit: Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
Mike Keenan, owner of the Chrysalis Inn & Spa, is committed to creating community involvement. “Instead of all talk and no action, I decided to do something,” he says of his latest announcement to connect with local charitable organizations through a new monthly contribution program.
Mike Keenan, owner of the Chrysalis Inn & Spa believes in giving back to his community and is doing just that with his new initiative. Photo credit: Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa, one of only three waterfront hotels in Bellingham, recently announced that they have begun contributing one percent of the sales from the Spa to a local charitable organization. The first recipient of this contribution is Skookum Kids located in Fairhaven which cares for foster kids in Whatcom County.
Keenan says he came up with the idea when it became apparent that he, along with other large businesses, could benefit from any incoming tax breaks that might potentially result in a savings. He wanted to do something with the savings that might be coming back their way.
“That is one percent of spa revenue, not net income,” Keenan says of the contribution.
Keenan, who sold a business in Nebraska in 1998, came to Bellingham where he thought he would retire. It wasn’t too long afterward that he found the piece of property where the Chrysalis now resides. He knew it was the perfect place for a waterfront boutique hotel and soon found himself back in business. “I still come into work every day and work at the front desk,” says Keenan. “I’m a very hands-on owner.”
The spa, almost an afterthought at the time, saw double the estimated revenue after the first year it was open. “It was because of the local community,” says Keenan. “Eighty-five percent of our spa business comes directly from our local community.”
“We work to offer something for everyone,” says Chris Simpson, Director of Sales and Marketing. “We want to offer a unique experience.”
Keenan’s Restaurant, a part of the Chrysalis Inn & Spa, provides a relaxing setting with great food. Photo credit: Phil Rose.
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa has continued to grow steadily throughout the years. As a local employer of 130 plus people, the resort and spa is committed to supporting the local economy through using as many local vendors and suppliers as possible. In addition, the Chrysalis Inn & Spa sponsors two scholarships at Western Washington University as well as supports several internships in partnership with Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College. The hotel and spa has also instituted sustainability initiatives such as composting at the restaurant and recycling in each of the guest rooms.
As a well-rounded boutique hotel with three parts consisting of the hotel, spa and restaurant, the Chrysalis has successfully served the community for the past 16 years and brought revenue from out of town. It is their community focus that is, in part, the reason that Keenan began the initiative of giving one percent of the monthly sales from the spa to a local charitable organization.
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa already donates to local organizations in the form of auction items and prizes reaching a value of $25,000 to $30,000 each year but Keenan wanted to do something that could provide more of a direct impact, especially in light of the pending corporate tax cuts that are coming down the road.
The Spa, at the Chrysalis Inn & Spa, see 85% of its business from our local community. Photo credit: Diane Padys.
“I’m a local owner wanting to give back to his own community on a regular basis,” says Keenan. He also describes his desire to encourage and challenge other local business owners to get involved and step up to contribute to the local community in a bigger way. “We’ll all get a break so we should do something with that break that is worthwhile,” says Keenan.
Keenan explains that there are some criteria they follow in choosing which organization will benefit from the contribution each month. The charitable organization must be Whatcom County based and service the Whatcom County community. Keenan is also looking for organizations in which most of the fundraising goes directly to recipients. “I want that contribution to get to the person who really needs it,” says Keenan.
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa is looking to support organizations that provide direct assistance to people in our community. As the Chrysalis currently already donates to many animal organizations, this newest initiative is intended to directly benefit the people of the county. The Chrysalis wants the community’s help in identifying qualifying organizations.
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa provides a transforming experience right here in Bellingham. Photo credit: Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
In fact, Keenan is hoping to get feedback and suggestions directly from the community. As this will be a monthly initiative, the Chrysalis Inn & Spa is looking to get the community involved in helping with the selection process. There are many local and little-known organizations that provide a tremendous benefit to the people of the county.
“The name Chrysalis represents the butterfly and its transformation from the cocoon to the beautiful butterfly,” says Simpson. “We want this contribution to cascade down to the people who really need it and to transform their lives.”
Be sure to follow the Chrysalis Inn & Spa on Facebook where you can comment and suggest considerations for this new community initiative.
Jacquie Bresadola who appeared in her element treated each student with respect. Photo credit: Patricia Herlevi.
The fortunate among us recall a teacher from our grade school days who validated our artistic abilities. For some people, it was a creative writing teacher. For others, it was the art teacher. And for still others, it was a music teacher. Beyond our fond memories, research has proven that teaching fine and performing arts in the schools builds confidence in children, as well as leads to healthy brain development.
While many public schools have cut art programs, Whatcom County has the Allied Arts Education Project. According to Katy Tolles, Artist Services Coordinator with Allied Arts, the program began in 2002. Allied Arts currently has 16 artists-teachers on its roster which includes local painters, writers, musicians, sculptors, puppet masters and actors. In 2015-16, the program served 28 schools throughout Whatcom County. The program serves 8,000 local students per year.
Fifth graders at Carl Cozier Elementary build community through a mural project. Photo credit: Patricia Herlevi.
I chose one artist, Jacquie Bresadola (sculptor) and shadowed her for four hours at Carl Cozier Elementary School. Bresadola teaches through the Allied Arts’ program and at Pace Atelier Art Studio (3815 Bakerview Spur Road, Bldg. #2). At the time of my visit, Bresadola with the help of parent volunteers and teachers assisted fourth and fifth graders with the intricacies of glazing ceramic tiles.
Surrounded by bottles of glazes resembling a rainbow, children swarmed around Bresadola as she created palettes for individuals and groups. Bresadola, who appeared in her element, treated each student with respect.
“Care of the Community of Each Other, the Earth with All Her Creatures, Great and Small Begins with Us.” Photo credit: Patricia Herlevi.
“I enjoy providing the openness for the kids to own their unique self-expression and to guide them to further their abilities individually. Of course, this is more applicable to the kids I see weekly at my studio then the kids I meet for a two to four hour art time at the different schools,” says Bresadola.
The mural project began with a design team of fourth and fifth graders. Then, Bresadola and the creators of the project (First Grade Teacher, Kelly Glynn, and Monica Savory, International Baccalaureate Coordinator) orchestrated the creation of 300 plus tiles for the ceramic mural. They encouraged all the teachers, staff, parents and children at Carl Cozier Elementary to contribute a completed tile.
“I’ve had many kids over the decades that I’ve taught art to go on to study middle and high school art,” Bresdola said. Photo credit: Patricia Herlevi.
The final stage of creation will occur at Bresadola’s studio. With the help of adult volunteers, Bresadola and her team will construct the mural by fitting together hundreds of tiles on a wooden framework. The mural’s destination is a main hallway at the elementary school where passersby will read the inscription, “Care of the Community of Each Other, the Earth with All Her Creatures, Great and Small Begins with Us.”
On the day I witnessed the creation of the mural, Bresadola had taken on another role, that of a child wrangler, especially with the fifth-grade boys. Bresadola exuded passion for teaching art by encouraging each student to explore their muse, however he or she arrived. Bresadola showed me the relief of a wolf created by a team of fifth-grade girls.
A fourth grader exudes pride for his participation with the community mural. Photo credit: Patricia Herlevi.
“I’m especially inspired to work with kids in the public schools because I can reach all kids no matter their economic situation and I delight in bringing art to kids,” says Bresadola.
Since she began teaching through the Allied Arts Education Project in 2008, she has inspired children throughout the community. “I have taught at most of the Bellingham schools including the following elementary schools; Roosevelt, Lowell, Parkview, Silver Beach, Northern Heights, Alderwood, Birchwood, Carl Cozier, Cordata, Geneva and Sunnyland,” says Bresadola.
Similar to other artists, Bresadola recalls teachers who encouraged her artistic exploration. “I had a wonderful art teacher during my fourth and sixth-grade years who was an amazing teacher and supportive person for my artist self. I also had a fabulous high school art teacher, Mr. Anderson, who was aware of how to nurture the artist in me,” recalls Bresadola.
Jacquie Bresadola who appeared in her element treated each student with respect. Photo credit: Patricia Herlevi.
Bresadola has found that her teaching talents have had far-reaching results. “I’ve had many kids over the decades that I’ve taught art to go on to study middle and high school art. And several have gone on to college and careers in art. These are kids that were involved with me at my art studio over several months or years,” says Bresadola.
She mentioned that the Education Project exposes diverse children to art, however, children wishing to polish their artistic talents benefit from private classes. The Allied Arts program fills a void but only gives children limited hours of art instruction.
By the end of my time with the fourth and fifth-graders, I admired Bresadola for her high energy level and enthusiasm. Rest assured that the children in Whatcom County benefit from hardworking artists who serve the schools in their communities. As a result, the children contribute beauty to our world.
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