Sculpture Northwest and City of Bellingham Introduce Downtown Sculpture Exhibition

Sculpture are on display now through April 2017. Photo courtesy: Sculpture Northwest.

Submitted by Sculpture Northwest

In celebration of International Sculpture Day on April 24, Sculpture Northwest and the City of Bellingham have collaborated on the Downtown Sculpture Exhibition. The outdoor exhibition features the sculpture of prominent Pacific Northwest sculptors: Ann Morris (Eagle Arm); Jason Reed Brown (Raven II); David Kitts (Giant Mailbox); Aaron Loveitt (Hollow); Thor Myhre (Buddha); Christopher Pauley (Two Cats on a Bicycle and Red Bird Apartment House)  Lillian Pitt (She Follows the Dreams and Dreaming About Weaving Baskets).

The sculptures were installed on April 6, 2016, and will be on display until April 2017. Scroll through the slideshow below for a sneak peek at the sculptures included in this year-long exhibition.

Governor Inslee Honors WCC Students at All-Washington Academic Team Ceremony

From left: Na Eun Kim, WCC President Kathi Hiyane-Brown and Alan Alatorre. Photo courtesy: Whatcom Community College.

Submitted by Whatcom Community College

Governor Jay Inslee honored Whatcom Community College (WCC) students Na Eun Kim of Abbotsford, British Columbia, and Alan Alatorre of Burlington at the 21st annual All-Washington Academic Team recognition ceremony March 24 at South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia. The 2016 All-Washington Academic Team consists of 66 students representing the state’s 34 community and technical colleges. Kim and Alatorre are WCC’s representatives.

The All-Washington program honors students who demonstrate a commitment to success in the classroom and service in their communities. Each team member also is a state nominee for the All-USA Community College Academic Team, which will be announced in April. Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), Washington State Association for College Trustees, the Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges, and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, along with Key Bank and WSECU, sponsor the event. Each team member is awarded a $250 scholarship, plus additional transfer scholarship opportunities. Kim received an additional $1,000 scholarship from PTK as a 2016 Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Bronze Scholar.

“Na Eun and Alan are successful student scholars and leaders at Whatcom,” says WCC President Kathi Hiyane-Brown. “We are extremely proud of them as examples of the excellent caliber of our students.”

Na Eun Kim is passionate about social justice. As the associated student vice president and chair of WCC’s social justice, equity and pluralism committee, she plans events for the campus community that discuss race, ethnicity and identities. She has served on WCC’s global citizen association, programming and diversity board, and won the 2015 Outstanding Service to Students Award. Kim plans to transfer to University of Washington, and eventually travel the world teaching English. She is one of 150 national Coca-Cola Bronze Scholar honorees from 1,900 applicants. Selection was based on scores the student earned in the All-USA Community College Academic Team competition.

Alan Alatorre transferred to Western Washington University winter 2016 to study human services. He hopes to eventually earn a master’s degree in adult education or social work. Alatorre has served as a student ambassador, president of the Latino leadership club and worked in WCC’s intercultural center. He also volunteers for Bellingham’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services. He believes kindness, active listening and connections can have a huge impact on people.

Gospel Music Hall of Famer Bill Gaither Returning to Northwest Washington Fair

Submitted by Northwest Washington Fair

The Gaither Vocal Band, featuring Gospel Music Hall of Famer Bill Gaither, is returning to the Northwest Washington Fair in Lynden for a performance August 18.

Gaither is well known to thousands through the “Gaither Gospel Hour” and “Gaither Family Music Hour,” which has been airing on multiple television networks since the mid-1990s. Gaither and his wife Gloria also are renowned as songwriters, having written more than 700 popular Gospel songs, including “He Touched Me,” “Because He Lives” and “The King is Coming.”

“The Gaither Vocal Band was a sellout when it first performed here in 2009 so we’re certain many people will be pleased they are returning,” said Jim Baron, general manager of the Northwest Washington Fair. “They’re known for their powerhouse vocals, innovative harmonies and life-altering message – a message of grace, hope and redemption.”

Gaither will be joined on stage by David Phelps, Wes Hampton, Adam Crabb and Todd Suttles.

Tickets for the Gaither Vocal Band’s grandstand show go on sale to the public at 9:00 a.m. April 20 at www.nwwafair.com. They also will be available then at the fair office, 1775 Front St., Lynden, and by phone at 877-699-FAIR. Prices are $25 apiece for reserved grandstand seats and $35 for preferred seats. Prices don’t include gate admission, which is required. For more information about the Gaither Vocal Band, visit www.Gaither.com.

 

Gaither became a household name when his self-penned “He Touched Me” catapulted him to the top of the music industry in the late 1960s, earning him a Grammy nomination in 1969. Recorded by Elvis Presley, among the legions of others, it received international recognition and was cited as having more impact on the listening public that year than any other song recorded. Bill and Gloria Gaither have collectively received eight Grammy Awards and more than two dozen Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association.

 

The Gaither Vocal Band is the second grandstand performer announced for this year’s Northwest Washington Fair, scheduled Aug. 15-20, following last month’s announcement of a Josh Turner concert Aug. 20. More grandstand entertainment will be announced in the coming weeks.

100+ Women of Whatcom — Community Giving with Small Commitment and Big Impact

Whatcom Women in Business
Photo courtesy: 100+ Women of Whatcom.

Submitted by 100+ Women of Whatcom

100+ Women of Whatcom welcomes women to join our Spring Gathering on April 14, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. at the YWCA Bellingham to select our next recipient organization. This women’s giving organization strives to combine charitable dollars to maximize local impact.

At the inaugural meeting in October 2015, 100+ Women of Whatcom members donated over $7000 to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DVSAS). “It was such an exciting evening for us, not just because we were selected, but because we got to be a part of this inspiring group of women, from all walks of life, who were willing to work together to make a real change for their community” said Karen Burke, Executive Director of DVSAS. “It’s commitment and passion like that that inspires our work and makes it possible for thousands of individuals and families to be helped by DVSAS.”

The membership of 100+ Women continues to grow and future donations will likely top $10,000. Members gather twice-yearly for one hour to learn about nominated Whatcom-serving nonprofit agencies. Through a member vote one nonprofit is selected to receive member’s individual checks of $100, written directly to the chosen organization.

“Simply Giving”, the tag line for 100+ Women of Whatcom, embodies the concept and goals of the group. The Board of 100+ Women of Whatcom is excited to continue to grow the membership and expand the significant impact on our local organizations.  

All residents of Whatcom County who identify as women are welcome. For more information and to sign up, visit www.100womenofwhatcom.com.

Holiday Inn & Suites — Bellingham Airport Hires Director of Hotel Operations, Director of Sales & Marketing

Submitted by Holiday Inn and Suites — Bellingham Airport

Holiday Inn and Suites — Bellingham Airport is pleased to announce two important hires:

  • Therese Lundvall, Director of Hotel Operations
  • Randi Axelsson, Director of Sales and Marketing

Ragan Humphrey is currently managing pre-opening activities for the project, and will assume the hotel’s General Manager role when the hotel opens (currently slated for mid-October, 2016).

Humphrey, with over 40 years in Food and Beverage (F&B), is currently assembling a management team and developing the food and beverage operations for the property to ensure that quality and service comes first and foremost. Humphrey’s extensive F&B background includes the development and launch of Johnny Carino’s restaurant in Burlington, as well as numerous years in operations of regional restaurants and resorts.

Lundvall is currently General Manager at the Candlewood Suites hotel in Burlington, WA; and has demonstrated all the key characteristics required in her new role. “She is an IHG award winning General Manager! She is passionate about service excellence, highly regarded with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)’s Candlewood Suites brand leadership team, and we’re very excited to see her develop another award-winning team in Bellingham”, exclaims Humphrey.

Axelsson has over 20 years of hotel sales experience, most recently at the Silver Reef Hotel Casino Spa. In her new role, Axelsson will be responsible for the sales and marketing of the hotel’s guest rooms, its ample meeting/convention space and the new Northwater Restaurant and Bar. Humphrey adds that “Randi has a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience. We’re thrilled about her passion for the community and our shared excitement about getting us off to a great start. Her focus will also be to bring new business to Bellingham by continuing to show external markets the amazing place they can visit to change their pace and relax, or be productive.”

Having worked on the concept since mid-2015, Humphrey is especially excited about the new Bellingham F&B experience. He notes that “Northwater will be a hip and comfortable-casual, full-service restaurant with locally sourced and sustainable fare on our progressive menu that highlights the best of the Pacific Northwest. Travelers and locals alike can relax and unwind in our lively bar area, or enjoy patio dining.”

Scholarship Fund Helps Low-Income Residents Learn to Sew

Ragfinery
Lee Cole and Jeni Cottrell holding a quilt made by Elsie Richards capturing stories from over 400 visitors in one summer. Photo credit: Dallas Betz.

Submitted by Ragfinery

The local nonprofit Ragfinery, Bellingham artist Jeni Cottrell, and Cottrell’s mother Lee Cole are teaming up to provide opportunities for low-income residents to learn how to sew. The Elsie Richards Scholarship Fund, named in honor of Cottrell’s grandmother and Lee’s mother, allows selected applicants to participate in Ragfinery’s “Sewing Bootcamp” workshops at no cost.

Elsie Richards, who passed away just shy of her 100th birthday, was a life-long fiber artist who ran a tailoring and alterations business in Vancouver, British Columbia.

“She was ahead of her time,” says Cottrell of her grandmother. “She learned to drive car at 14, did her own upholstery, took woodworking classes, built furniture, and traveled the world. She loved to make something out of nothing and was a huge proponent of ‘reuse.’”

Cottrell felt the scholarship would be a great way to honor her grandmother and promote sewing, and because of the combination of Ragfinery’s mission providing job training to low-income populations and their role as a community hub for textile arts, workshops, and craft materials, she thought they would be an ideal business to partner with for the scholarship.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate on this scholarship,” says Shan Sparling, manager at Ragfinery. “There’s a real potential for self-empowerment through learning how to sew, and from what I understand that’s what Elsie (Richards) really stood for.”

The scholarships will be awarded to qualified low-income trainees who are referred to Ragfinery by partner social service agencies and schools. Tax deductible donations in support of the scholarship can be made at Ragfinery.com under “Get Involved.”

Keeping in line with Ragifinery’s “reuse” theme, their 3-day Sewing Bootcamp introduces students to the sewing machine and skills around upcycling old fabric and garments into new ones.

Ragfinery accepts clothing and fabric donations which are then either repurposed into upcycled items or sold by the pound to local artisans. All sales support job training for transitional populations, which happens on-site. If you have questions about Ragfinery’s workshops or community endeavors, call 360-738-6977 or visit Ragfinery.com.

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