A new, 1,067-square-foot hybrid surgery suite will open its doors to patients in February at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, the only one of its kind north of Everett. The hybrid OR, along with another new (non-hybrid) operating room, will expand surgery capacity from 680 patients to about 740 per month.
“The state-of-the-art hybrid operating room integrates advanced imaging technology, allowing surgeons to perform highly complex cases that would otherwise go elsewhere,” said Karla Ramusack, director of nursing for surgery administration. The access to imaging during surgery improves efficiency of surgical processes and increases surgeons’ abilities to adapt treatment, if needed, in real-time.
Offering a hybrid surgery suite helps patients stay close to home, receive care timely and allows surgeons to plan patient surgical treatments in a combined surgery instead of through multiple procedures. Initially, the hybrid OR will host vascular, cardiovascular and electrophysiology procedures, but due to the integrated imaging features, it will accommodate other specialty services like neurosurgery, orthopedics and urology. The hybrid OR uses thePhilips Azurion image-guided therapy platform. The platform includes a C-shaped flexible arm with 270-degree range of movement on eight axes to give multiple views in 2D and 3D images.
Helping patients receive a variety of procedures and care locally, along with serving a growing community, were key reasons for the expansion from eight rooms to 10—the hybrid suite and a 951 square foot general operating suite. The concept for these two new rooms began back in 2006, and with a couple of architectural revisions since 2017, the project was constructed over the last two years. The last operating rooms came online in 2003.
“This has been a huge collaboration with a multitude of departments and individuals,” said Ramusack. “Our project manager and the construction crews have been incredible to work with, ensuring every detail of the space meets our needs and optimizes the patient, provider and caregiver experiences in the rooms,” she said. Abbott Construction of Bellingham was the lead contractor.
The Bellingham Circus Guild is excited to announce the return of its annual Valentine’s Day spectacular, “My Circus Valentine.” This delightfully unconventional Valentine show will run from February 10th through February 14th at the Cirque Lab in Fairhaven.
“My Circus Valentine” has been a Valentine staple in Bellingham since its debut in 2010. This year, Bellingham Circus Guild’s journey of the heart returns with a new collection of gravity-defying circus acts. Featuring stunning local circus artists Bellingham has come to know and love and dazzling guests new to the Cirque Lab stage, this show has a reputation for plucking heartstrings and making them sing! As a thrilling outing for friends and families or a hot date with a special someone, My Circus Valentine is for everyone.
“We’re thrilled to bring this beloved show back with fresh inspiration year after year,” said Anneka Deacon, My Circus Valentine’s artistic director. “As we continue emerging from the isolation of the pandemic, we all need each other more than ever. Our common human need for love and connection is what inspires the best art, and that is what this show is all about.” Everyone present is invited to be part of the experience. “We feature high quality circus acts that communicate something genuine and relatable through their performance, and the goal is for everyone present to take that journey together; to be moved, lifted, and expanded.” It is a lofty goal, born out of well over a decade of shows that have evoked both laughter and tears. “We have all loved, and we have all experienced the loss of something or someone we loved. My Circus Valentine is a place where a whole range of feelings can be explored, in community… with beautiful, hilarious, profound, and spectacular results.”
My Circus Valentine is a carefully curated experience intended to delight all the senses. This year, My Circus Valentine will feature four 21+ shows with a pop-up bar serving beer, wine, and limited cocktails. Three all-ages shows will feature special floor-seating for the littles. All shows will feature gorgeous concessions: delectable artisan-made chocolates, love potions, and much more by Morgan Sylvanrose. New, deluxe front-row table seating will be available this year at a special price that includes a bottle of wine (at 21+ shows only) or sparkling water (all ages shows only) plus special treats. These tables will be the best seats in the house, perfect for a double-date or friends’ night out. All other seating is general admission, and guests are encouraged to arrive early for the best seats.
The show has a limited run of only 7 shows and tickets are expected to sell out quickly. For those who are not able to attend in-person, livestream tickets will be available for the Saturday 2/11 shows.
The Bellingham Circus Guild is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the art of circus in the Bellingham community. Through performances, classes, and workshops, the Guild aims to make circus accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
This Valentine’s weekend, follow your heart… to the circus!
On November 16, 2021, the Nooksack River flooded, devastating communities across Whatcom County. Now, nearly 15 months to the day it closed, the Sumas Community Center, which includes the Sumas Public Library and Senior Center, will reopen with a 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, February 15 ribbon cutting celebration.
Following the brief ceremony, guests may tour the building and gather information from community organization displays. Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Sumas Library. At 6 p.m., author, semi-retired pastor and long-time Sumas-area resident Carl Crouse will read from his book, The Waters are Rising: Stories of Inspiration and Hope from the Sumas, Washington Flood of November 2021. The book will be available for purchase; proceeds benefit the Whatcom Long-Term Recovery Fund. The Waters are Rising is also available to borrow from the library.
“The reopening of the library and community center is welcome good news for Sumas,” says WCLS Executive Director Christine Perkins. “We know folks are eager to have this gathering place open again. It’s a sign that the community is healing and a return to some ‘normalcy.’ We have many people to thank, including our partners from the City of Sumas, the Friends of the Sumas Library, and individuals and organizations who donated to the Sumas Library Recovery Fund. I also want to acknowledge and celebrate the work of WCLS staff members who collaborated over these many months to renovate the library space and to make updates that resulted in this welcoming, resilient library building.”
Flood waters were more than 2 feet deep inside the city-owned building at 461 2nd Street. All the flooring, shelving, equipment, and drywall were removed and replaced. Library staff salvaged many of the library materials. Whatcom County Library System’s renovation costs at the Sumas Library totaled approximately $210,000, including debris removal and the purchase of new furniture, library materials and IT equipment. Insurance covered approximately $170,000 of the renovation cost. The rest of the money came from FEMA, WCLS’s capital budget and donations to the Sumas Library Recovery Fund via the Whatcom County Library Foundation. Library supporters from Whatcom County, Washington state and throughout the country donated $35,000 to the fund to help rebuild the library.
The renovation also allowed library staff to work with the City of Sumas to add a library express in the building’s foyer. Patrons will use their library cards to access the unstaffed express location when the library is closed. They can pick up library items they have reserved as well as browse a small collection of materials for checkout.
The library’s hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Events are also returning to the Sumas Library. Visit wcls.org/events to search for upcoming programs.
Library services continued in Sumas even while the building itself was closed for remodeling. WCLS’s bookmobile visited the library parking lot each Friday. Patrons were also able to reserve and pick up library materials from a lockbox. WiFi service is available from the parking lot. The bookmobile’s final regularly scheduled stop at Sumas is Friday, February 10.
Exhibiting your artwork is an amazing way to gain experience and exposure with your craft. Photo courtesy Jansen Art Center
As 2023 continues to gain
momentum, the Jansen Art Center invites Whatcom County community members to
find a way to introduce more art into their lives through 7 simple steps.
1: Take a
Class
Arts Director Lindsey
Gerhard encourages anyone with the inclination to find an art that interests
them and start by taking a class to better understand and hone their
skills. “You can see the classes
on our
website,” says Gerhard. “You can
learn everything from textiles to metalworking, and we’re bringing in things
like etching — more opportunities into our fine arts studio.”
Founder and Emeritus
Director Heidi Doornenbal welcomes budding artists who are ready to learn. “Jansen
Art Center offers opportunities in our fully equipped studios to explore
and create art in ceramics, textiles, jewelry, and music and theatre, paint and
fine arts,” she says. “We also offer
outstanding jazz, classical, blues, and international performances in our
beautiful, small venue with a concert Schimmel piano. The Jansen Art Center is
a most unique, inviting, vibrant place that hums with creativity and joy.”
Classes are available quarterly at the Jansen Art Center and range from metalworking to textiles and everything in between. Photo courtesy Jansen Art Center
2: Teach
On the other side of the
coin, experienced artists can choose to take their experience a step further and teach the medium in which
they create to others. “We teach and have classes quarterly,” Gerhard says. “I
see it as a place instructors can grow, as well as art students.”
Metalsmithing and Jewelry
Instructor Leah Meleski has found a place to share her love and passion for
metalsmithing with others. “I love guiding new jewelers to the next level and
encouraging them to grow,” she says. “I needed a community, people and artists
like me, and most importantly a place where I could teach metalsmithing and
jewelry classes. I missed teaching, sharing knowledge, and building an
appreciation for art and skill.”
3: Volunteer
Volunteerism is perhaps
one of the easiest ways to not only get involved but find your niche in the art
community. “A lot of people volunteer here and then get more into what they’re
helping with, whether it be events, exhibits, or classes — and they make a lot
of friendships here, as well,” Gerhard says.
Beloved volunteer Diana
Warner finds fulfillment in her position at the Jansen Art
Center. “I think it’s a wonderful opportunity,” she says. “The J is an amazing
place and to be part of it is an
amazing experience. I love being surrounded by the people who work there, the
art, and the music. The whole package is so inspiring.”
Volunteering at the Jansen Art Center is a rewarding experience that brings folks closer to the incredible art community in Whatcom County. Photo courtesy Jansen Art Center
4: Find
Inspiration Right Here in Whatcom
The key to meaningful art
is the inspiration behind a piece in any medium. Here in beautiful Whatcom
County, the opportunity for inspiration abounds.
Painting and Fine Arts
Instructor Angela Wright is an artist who finds herself happiest when
surrounded by the beauty of the natural world. “As an artist who is inspired by
nature, inspiration is always all around me especially outside and I like to
bring elements of the outdoors inside with each season,” Wright says. “I craft
with bits I find and display other nature treasures around my home. I also
paint what I see as an ode to that creature or a nature study. This makes me
feel inspired to create. Do the things that spark your creativity.”
5: Invest in
Art
The Jansen Art Center always has exhibits running and local
artists showcased around the studio. One of the best ways to keep art front and
center for those less creatively inclined is to invest in art you love. “You
can come in to just see the art,” says Gerhard. “Buy a piece of art and talk
with the artists at any time — that benefits both the artists and the center.”
Jewelry Studio Manager and
Instructor Judith Gauthier underscores the way artistry you love can bring
positivity and peace to your wellbeing and mental health. “Having art in one’s
life is so rewarding,” Gauthier says. “It brings us into the present moment —
something we all need in these busy, chaotic times.”
Angela Wright highlights
the simplicity of choosing art that means the most. “Fill your walls with art
that inspires and motivates you; whatever speaks to you,” says Wright. “Support
your favorite artists and try your hand at creating something yourself —
anything.”
The J is a cultural arts center that encourages anyone to visit and experience a full immersion into creativity. Photo courtesy Jansen Art Center
6: Exhibit
Your Art
If you have some pieces you would like to showcase and
invite your fellow community members to enjoy, the J offers many opportunities
for you to exhibit your creations. It’s a great way to gain exposure and spread
creativity.
“Quarterly, we have open
calls for our juried exhibits, so we take submissions from the public, up to
five pieces each quarter,” Gerhard says. “It’s really accessible and you don’t
have to be qualified for anything. We have work right now from a family — a
mother and the kids — and we have pieces from the whole family.”
Exhibiting your artwork is an amazing way to gain experience and exposure with your craft. Photo courtesy Jansen Art Center
7: Play Into
What You Love
The art world is vast and brimming
with possibilities. Something as simple as picking up a pencil can lead to
extraordinary things.
Angela Wright encourages
anyone willing to try a mode of art to simply begin their journey in any way
that works for them. “I like to think that there is a bit of an artist in all
of us waiting to express themselves in some way and looking for an outlet can
be very rewarding,” she says. “Actively seek out and surround yourself with art
as it is just as important as the air we breathe, and it is all around us.”
Sometimes a new task can seem overwhelming, especially one that may require skill and experience. Remember to ask questions, look for your own inspiration, and seek new, accessible outlets for your inner artist. Consider the Jansen Art Center to start your creative journey or as a conduit to further your craft and love for all things art.
With nearly 2.4 million albums sold and over 2.4 billion streams, plus a legion of passionate fans at his high-energy concerts across the globe, Chase Rice has established himself as a powerful force in Nashville and beyond. With his latest album, I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell, set for release on February 10, Rice will bring brand-new songs and his decade of chart topping hits to the 2023 Northwest Washington Fair in Lynden on Friday, August 17, at 7 p.m. as part of the Bank of the Pacific Grandstand Entertainment Series.
Tickets for the grandstand show go on sale to the public at 9 a.m. on February 10. Grandstand
reserved seats, preferred seats, and preferred chairs are available. Tickets do not include gate
admission, which is required. The show is presented by Manna Insurance Group.
For access to the online pre-sale starting February 8th, people can subscribe to the ‘Friends of the Fair’ email here: www.nwwafair.com/email.aspx.
Tickets can be purchased at www.nwwafair.com, the Fair Office, 1775 Front St. Lynden, and by phone at (360) 354 – 4111. VIP Experiences and group ticketing are also available. The 2023 Northwest Washington Fair will be presented August 10-19.
For more information on all things Chase Rice, visit ChaseRice.com and follow him on
Facebook, Twitter and TikTok @ChaseRiceMusic and on Instagram @ChaseRice.
Success means different things to different people, but most can agree that providing a safe and happy home for yourself, your family, and your community are at the top of the list. For Whatcom County residents Kulia and Virginia González, their paths started in two very different places, and have traveled through unusual spaces, but ultimately led them to a happy — and undoubtedly successful — life together.
Virginia spent her childhood in Everson and Sumas and graduated from Nooksack Valley High School. Kulia is originally from Hawai’i, but now calls Whatcom County home — and not just because she happens to live here. “I actually love it here way more than Hawai’i,” she says. “People don’t get that, but I love the seasons, I like the smaller town aspect. And we’ve built a lot of great relationships here.”
Before the two women had met, Virginia and her three sons left the mainland and moved to Hawai’i in 2010, where she took a job at a small local bank. What she didn’t know at the time was that she was stepping into much more than an entry-level professional position. “Shortly after a promotion to a different branch, Kulia was also promoted. Everyone knew her except me, and the manager held a meeting so she could introduce herself to us and we could do the same,” Virginia recalls. “When I introduced myself, Kulia made this face that stuck out to me, and was intriguing. We became best friends before I realized I loved her.”
Completing degrees has allowed both women to climb further up the corporate ladder, and bring their unique experiences along with them. Photo courtesy Virginia and Kulia González
In 2012, Virginia moved herself and her sons back to Whatcom County, and Kulia joined them two months later. They named their new, temporary home the Ten Step Duplex. “It was this little two-bedroom with one bathroom. Wherever you were in there, you could get anywhere else within 10 steps. The five of us lived there for three years, saving to buy our first house. Five occupants, one toilet,” she says with a smile. “One.”
As different as their childhoods were, they also shared some similarities. One of those parallels later turned into a roadblock, but both were determined to transform it into a big step up. “We both went to college right after high school, and we both dropped out for different reasons,” says Kulia. Living in such a tiny space fueled their motivation to provide more for the boys. “In 2014 I joined the commercial team at Peoples Bank and my manager there saw something in me. He asked if I ever thought about finishing my degree, since [not having one] was going to hold me back. I talked to a former manager, and she told me about WGU. I was pretty scared to start again, but also didn’t want to fail again.”
A desire to provide a safe and nurturing home for their boys inspired “Vee” and “Ku” to finally complete their college degrees. Photo courtesy Virginia and Kulia González
Western Governors University was created in 1997 by a group
of governors from across the western half of the United States. It blends the
flexibility of online learning with a “competency-based” learning style, which
focuses far more on creating new abilities than it does on attendance and
homework.
Because they could work through at their own pace, the opportunity was too good to pass up. “It takes away the driving, the parking, that whole thing is eliminated,” says Kulia. “I was working from eight to five Monday through Friday, so I loved doing all my studying on the weekend. I would do eight hours Saturday and Sunday, and just bang it out. That’s what worked for me.”
Virginia’s tack was different. “That didn’t work for me,” she says. “I would do an hour each night, and then do tests on weekends. That was much more reasonable for me, because I couldn’t give it eight hours mentally.” By working on her bachelor’s degree at her own pace, Virginia found she was confident enough to continue on to a master’s degree in Education, while Kulia earned a Master of Business Administration.
With degrees in hand, the plan was to move up the professional ladder in Hawai’i, and eventually retire there. And they thought maybe they could hide out from the global pandemic that was just starting to take shape. “We had done everything that we had set as goals, so we packed up and moved in July of 2020 thinking COVID would be done soon,” Virginia says. “Moving to Hawai’i — which was locked up way tighter than the rest of the U.S. — was rough. We both found amazing jobs right away, but socially it was tough.”
Although they kept different schedules and interacted with instructors and mentors in different ways, both women were able to successfully dedicate themselves to higher education. Photo courtesy Virginia and Kulia González
Then, while weathering the storm that affected us all, Kulia was wooed back to Whatcom County by a job offer from SaviBank. “We were in Hawai’i, committed to rebuilding our life, when a life-changing opportunity was presented to our family we could not say no to,” says Virginia. “We said yes and moved back.”
Kulia stepped into a commercial loan officer/vice president role for SaviBank’s Bellingham team. “That alone is a great opportunity but there was more to it that swayed me over,” Kulia says, but they wanted me to be a part of implementing process improvements, as well. They made me feel I had a voice, could create positive change, and would be a valued asset to the SaviBank team.”
Kulia credits her new opportunities to her master’s degree, and how it changed the attitudes of the people around her. “I had always been able to do that work, but I wasn’t given the opportunity until I had my degree,” she says. “My opinion is valued a bit more, and it’s opened a lot of other doors from higher ups wanting to know what I think.”
The changes they have seen at work have had a positive
impact on the relationships they maintain in their personal lives, as well. As
the director of human resources for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Whatcom County,
Virginia has had time to evaluate her position and her focus as a Mexican woman
in a professional role.
“Growing up, I didn’t know what HR was, and even now I
hardly see any HR that looks like me,” she says. “So how do they advocate for
someone if they’ve never experienced what some of your front like workers have
experienced? I think that part of my drive to get my degrees was that I want to
build a table that we can invite others to come to, and I don’t think that I
could have done that as an HR coordinator or a generalist.”
Kulia shares her drive to make her world friendlier to people like her. “Statistically speaking, our cultures don’t have a lot of people included in senior leadership,” she says. “One of the main reasons I wanted to get to that level was to have the ability to open doors and career paths to people who might not have known they were available to them. I’m proud of us, that we did what we did.”
And Virginia agrees. “It sounds cliche to say that if we can do this, anyone can do this. But I firmly believe that.”
Other amenities at the spa are incredibly popular and already a favorite for couples. Photo courtesy The Chrysalis Inn & Spa
In keeping up with ever-evolving trends within spa services, the Chrysalis Inn & Spa is opening a plush, brand new couple’s massage room. Spa Director Sandy Sallee sat down with WhatcomTalk to detail the new service arriving at the Chrysalis in March.
“We did discontinue our nail services and that freed up
that space to create the lovely couple’s space,” says Sallee. “The space is
being completely repurposed, so it’s more of an adaptation than a renovation.
If you’ve ever been in our nail room, it has big picture windows overlooking
the pond and waterfalls, so we’ll create a privacy barrier while still allowing
that view to be enjoyed.”
The Chrysalis is focusing on creating as much privacy as
possible in the space, including soundproofing. “A lot of what we’re doing is
in the interest of privacy,” Sallee says. “It’s going to be beautiful.”
Amenities for Couples
After researching trends in the spa industry, the Chrysalis
team decided a new couple’s massage room was the best choice to meet current
demand. “Part of it was about how some of the trends in the nail industry have
just given us a chance to pause and reflect and reconsider whether we want to
continue doing that,” says Sallee. “Nail technicians are extremely difficult to
hire, and the trend is that the technicians themselves want to do acrylic nails
and not pedicures. The demand here in our spa was more about the pedicures, so
it wasn’t matching up with what the technicians were passionate about.”
The new couple’s massage space will be entirely private for ultimate relaxation with your partner or friend. Photo courtesy The Chrysalis Inn & Spa
The Chrysalis Inn is a favorite for romantic getaways,
honeymoons, date nights and more; it just made sense to include more amenities
for couple’s. “The whole couples experience has been in extremely high demand,”
Sallee says. “People were expressing an interest in having a private space
where we could do multiple services, so they could relax in a foot bath and
have a glass of champagne and just be the two of them.”
Building the Space
Despite some minor snags, the room is well on its way to
the private oasis for romance and relaxation it was intended to be. “As is the
case, generally, with construction, there were some unforeseen setbacks,” says
Sallee. “Part of the project is the restaurant outgrowing their space, so we
gave them a portion of the spa space for a new walk-in refrigerator and that’s
all being set up in conjunction with the renovation of the spa space. Things
are going great.”
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa is a haven for romantic getaways, honeymoons or even date nights with a host of amenities and opportunities to indulge. Photo courtesy The Chrysalis Inn & Spa
Sallee praises the Chrysalis maintenance team as they have
kept construction and renovations at a comfortable noise level and never
compromise the peaceful atmosphere. “You would hardly know there’s any chaos
going on,” Sallee says. “We’re going to have to do it in stages since we are fully
operational, with the exception of Mondays. We were hoping to open for
Valentine’s Day but it’s probably going to be closer to the end of February and
we haven’t promised the space till March. We have some appointments scheduled
for that time.”
Chrysalis Means Quality
“We pride ourselves on being very fine-tuned in what we do,
and very consistent,” says Sallee. “We don’t adopt anything that could be a
passing trend or gimmick. If we consider a new aspect of our services, we’ve
given it a lot of serious thought and consulted other experts in the industry.”
The Chrysalis is well known for its impeccable standards and the new couple’s
massage room is no exception.
The couple’s massage space is a reinvention of the nail room overlooking a pond and waterfall. Photo courtesy The Chrysalis Inn & Spa
Professional skincare is yet another service the Chrysalis continues
to research and develop for the spa. “We’re going to keep going in that
direction,” Sallee says. “We’re finally fully staffed in aesthetics and massage
departments, and facials have started to become a lot more popular. People are
becoming more comfortable coming in and removing their masks to have the
service.”
The Chrysalis always offers a variety of specials and
monthly features — please check their website for
up-to-date booking and service information.
Port Ludlow Resort offers year-round beauty and activity to create the perfect romantic getaway for two. Photo credit: Jess Calwell
For couples who want to spend a whimsical weekend together, The Resort at Port Ludlow offers a charming stay that will check all the boxes for a perfect romantic getaway. Located on the shores of the Salish Sea, this boutique inn at Ludlow Bay provides beauty and relaxation, fine dining and plenty of activities that will inspire connection with the one you love. Located just 25 minutes south of Port Townsend, close to the Hood Canal Bridge, experience the many offerings of the Olympic Peninsula from one central location. Discover the possibilities and create lasting memories with a unique local vacation designed for you and your sweetheart.
Book a
Resort Package at The Resort at Port Ludlow
Whether
your romantic getaway is highlighted by award-winning cuisine and luxurious
down-time or fun-filled activities like golfing, hiking, kayaking or e-biking,
Port Ludlow offers resort packages with enticing opportunities to
book your ideal stay.
Each guest room features an oversized jacuzzi bath complete with locally made bath salts for a relaxing night in. Photo credit: Jess Calwell
Each
guest room offers a fireplace and oversized jetted bathtubs. Amenities like
local handmade bath salts and a bottle of wine from the
award-winning cellar will
add a special quality to your stay.
Wake
up to the calm waters of the Puget Sound and feast on organic buckwheat pancakes
milled from the local Chimacum Valley
Grainery for
breakfast.
Sit in front of the gas fireplace located in your guest room while sipping a Washington wine. Photo credit: Jess Calwell
Dining
at Port Ludlow Resort: The Fireside Restaurant
The
Fireside Restaurant with their farm-to-table menu and impressive
offerings of Washington wines and ciders offers seasonal northwest cuisine in a
warm and intimate setting. Ingredients are sourced locally and the menu changes
regularly for an inspired culinary experience. Enjoy brunch on the weekends and
along with daily breakfast, guests are welcome to dine-in with lunch, mid-week
happy hour specials and dinner hours offered throughout the year.
The Fireside Restaurant at Port Ludlow Resort offers seasonal and locally sourced cuisine with romantic ambiance. Photo credit: Jess Calwell
Visit Port
Ludlow: Romantic Activities
Fall
in love with the seasonal activities available to guests throughout the year. Burner Point located just outside the Fireside Restaurant features a
40-foot totem pole that tells the story of Port Ludlow.
Walk barefoot in the sand and take in the
views of a colorful sunset on the bay. With an 18-hole Championship golf course and e-bike,
kayak and stand-up paddle board rentals, couples can enjoy their vacation in one convenient location.
At the concierge desk, pick up a hard copy of
the Port Ludlow Trail Map for a detailed list of
over 30 miles of hiking trails. A local favorite is the Ludlow Falls Interpretive Trail. Szue and
Frank Juhasz from Bainbridge Island walk hand-in-hand along the half-mile loop
to the falls. “It’s a great short trail and it gives you a special feeling, a
wonderful connection to nature”, expressed Frank.
Szue and Frank Juhasz from Bainbridge Island enjoy a winter stroll together along the Ludlow Falls Interpretive Trail. Photo credit: Jess Calwell
Puget Sound Energy’s “Powerful Partnerships” program is starting its 7th year committed to working with organizations that are taking steps to address their own sustainability goals while doing amazing work in their communities. This year PSE will distribute $125,000 across 10 nonprofit organizations within its 6,000 square mile service area.
Since the inception of the “Powerful Partnerships” program in 2016, PSE has partnered with 80 organizations across the 10 counties it serves, donating a total of $830,000 to date.
PSE will partner with these organizations to educate their clients, employees and donors on ways to save energy and money on their bills, decrease their carbon emissions as well as safety and emergency preparedness. In particular, PSE aims to work with organizations serving our vulnerable populations and highly impacted communities to ensure they have awareness of and access to our programs that can help them improve their lives.
“Puget Sound Energy cares about the environment and the communities we serve. Teaming up with organizations that share the same values makes a lot of sense,” said PSE Vice President of External Affairs, Ken Johnson. “Our commitment to bettering the environment is stronger than ever, and these partnerships are one way we can contribute to improving the environment and partnering with our communities by creating a better energy future for all.”
One of PSE’s partners this year, Vamos Outdoors Project, is committed to building community through connection to the land and access to the outdoors.
“PSE’s support for Vamos Outdoors Project through the Powerful Partner program is an investment in community,” said Andy Basabe, a member of Vamos Outdoors Project’s Leadership staff. “PSE’s funding will allow Vamos to continue to provide necessary and valued programs to Latine families in Whatcom and Skagit counties. Vamos is looking forward to building community connections supporting PSE’s sustainability initiatives.”
The Bainbridge Island Senior/ Community Center is another Powerful Partner this year, and its mission is to energize, enrich and empower seniors by providing opportunities to keep them healthy in body, mind and spirit and to assist them in living as productively and independently as possible.
“The Bainbridge Island Senior/Community Center is excited to partner with Puget Sound Energy,” said Fundraising and Marketing Manager, Mimi Hicklin. “We look forward to working together to build a stronger, more sustainable community by providing our members with the resources to inform and empower their decision making as they age”
PSE is committed to working together to create a clean energy future for all while setting an aspirational goal to be a Beyond Net Zero Carbon company by 2045. PSE will target reducing its own carbon emissions to net zero and go beyond by helping other sectors to enable carbon reduction across the state of Washington. Partnering with community organizations like these helps PSE engage more people in that mission.
In addition to gathering the collection and restoring the building with the Whatcom County Historical Society, Brad Parberry manages Northwest Recycling and Parberry Iron and Metal directly adjacent to the museum. Photo credit: Megan Peterson
In the heart of Old Town, Bellingham’s oldest brick building
stands out against the industrial waterfront. The T.G. Richards Building has
found new life as the Helen Loggie Museum
of Art.
Helen Loggie (1895-1976) was a New Whatcom and Orcas Island
artist of international acclaim. She created pencil drawings, oil paintings,
and — most famously — etchings of Pacific Northwest landscapes. Trees were her
favorite subject, as visitors to the museum’s restored hall will discover.
The T.G. Richards and Company Store originated in 1858,
where it sheltered and supplied prospectors during the Fraser Gold Rush. It
became the Washington Territorial Courthouse in 1863, seeing various uses in
private hands before its National Register of Historic Places listing in 2003.
“The Helen Loggie collection has a tie to this building in
that her father was one of the primary owners of the Whatcom Creek lumber mill
just a few blocks away,” says collection archivist and docent Heidi Wassan. “The
owner of the collection also has a tie because his family has been active
businesspeople of this area in Bellingham for a long time.”
The Helen Loggie Museum of Art is hosted inside the T.G. Richards Building, which Brad Parberry and the Whatcom County Historical Society restored to its original interior. The current basement was once the ground floor, and the current ground floor the second story, before the area’s tide flats were filled in. Photo credit: Megan Peterson
Northwest Recycling president Brad Parberry restored the
building in 2019. A union of architectural and art history, the museum creates
new memories of Pacific Northwest cultural heritage.
Etchings Into Art History
Helen Loggie studied art at Massachusetts’ Smith College in
1914, then at the Art Students League of New York from 1916 to 1924.
“She had some really excellent teachers, and she developed
her skill in drawing and also met John Taylor Arms, who was a well-known etcher
at the time,” Wassan says. “She spent some time traveling Europe, drawing…she
loved to draw. When she returned to Bellingham, she realized that the trees,
the nature, life in this part of the world, was really what she wanted to focus
on.”
Photo credit: Megan Peterson
Unimpressed with modern avant-garde, Loggie studied
Renaissance art in Italy and France. Her etching process uses copper plates to
print duplicates of the original drawing.
“Helen Loggie produced around 100 different etching plates,”
Wassan says. “And from a number of those, she could make 20 or so different
copies of the same subject matter.”
As Wassan describes it, Loggie “wanted to make her prints
available to people to buy at a reasonable price. She felt that even students should
be able to decorate their walls with her artwork.” Loggie distributed prints
internationally while drawing and etching locally.
“At a young age, Helen took art classes from Elizabeth Colborne,
who’s also a well-known Bellingham-based artist of the time, a little earlier
than her,” says Wassan. “So, I think her art really reflects her northwest
heritage.”
The Loggie Legacy
Indeed, Helen Loggie’s art represented Pacific Northwestern
identity to wide-ranging audiences.
“When she returned to Bellingham, it became clear to her
that she really wanted to capture nature,” Wassan says. “And when you look at her
art, the lines, the technique, is so fine and precise…and unlike a lot of
people who used pencil as a medium, she doesn’t use shading. She just uses
different pressure, different lead size, to just precisely draw. Some of her
drawings would take months to complete.”
In addition to etchings, Helen Loggie also depicted natural landscapes in oil paintings and pastels. Photo credit: Anna Diehl
Loggie displayed her art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Library of Congress.
“She had a sister whom she was very close to, and who really
wanted to promote and preserve her work,” Wassan says. “I think there are
probably more preserved examples of her art than some other artists.”
Loggie’s Orcas Island and Bellingham homes still stand, and
Western Washington University and Whatcom Museum exhibit her art. The new
museum originated with art that Brad Parberry collected over 50 years, even
acquiring the collection of Orcas Island’s Lambiel Museum.
The Helen Loggie Museum has a centerpiece of tools used the etching process, which Loggie used to create her most famous prints by copying original drawings on copper plates. Photo credit: Megan Peterson
“When I see people walk through the door — it’s quiet, there’s no music, there’s no background sound, maybe a little bit of rain — and [they] spend hours absorbing details, feeling the emotion that she instilled
into the drawings. How can you replace that?” Wassan asks. “How can you compare
that to anything? It’s an emotional experience to look at art, and we need more
of that.”
New Museum in Old Town
“The Loggie” opened quietly in 2020. The basement was
renovated after a flood, and currently houses a collection of historic
newspapers and ephemera such as the Loggie family stove.
In addition to gathering the collection and restoring the building with the Whatcom County Historical Society, Brad Parberry manages Northwest Recycling and Parberry Iron and Metal directly adjacent to the museum. Photo credit: Megan Peterson
“Brad Parberry has sought out and acquired previously
archived issues of the Bellingham Herald and other local newspapers from
libraries, from museums, from private collections,” says Wassan. “They are
ranging in dates from about 1890 to 1990. And they’re historical artifacts for
sure — to be able to look back and see what was happening in Bellingham, day to
day 100 years ago, is pretty interesting.”
The basement is undergoing reorganization, while upstairs
exhibits will remain fixed — save for possible new additions.
“So far, the visitors that have contacted us have had a
particular interest or connection to Helen Loggie or her art,” Wassan says.
The Helen Loggie Museum is currently open by appointment but may eventually include select hours every month. Visitors can view the website for more information.
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...
