Elizabeth Park Summer Concerts Have Enchanted Audiences for Nearly 30 Years

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Pacific-Twang-Performs — Concertgoers are encouraged to bring any items they like (though alcohol is prohibited in city parks) to better enjoy the performances. Photo credit: Marla Bronstein

Summertime brings with it a magic unique to long sunny days, breezy nights, and outdoor events that evoke joy. The Elizabeth Park Summer Concert Series is a fantastic way to relish yet another beautiful Western Washington summer, brought to life by the Eldridge Society for History and Preservation and Bellingham Parks and Recreation. President of the Eldridge Society and full-time John L. Scott Realtor Peter Roberts sat down with WhatcomTalk to share the concert series’ history and invite music lovers of all ages to come and experience local and beloved artists in the Whatcom community.

“Back in the mid-’80s, the music scene in Bellingham was starting to really develop,” says Roberts. He recalls walking his dog in Elizabeth Park on a foggy, chilly summer night, when his ears were suddenly filled with “an incredibly haunting viola sound. Anna Schaad, who is a pretty well-known local famous musician, was standing in the middle of the gazebo playing her viola.”

Performers Raveis Kole serenade listeners from the beautiful Elizabeth Park gazebo at the opening concert in 2022. Photo credit: Marla Bronstein

Those ethereal notes struck inspiration in Roberts, who brought together the efforts of himself, Karen Duim — who was the owner of a neighborhood commercial kitchen — and a member of the Eldridge Society’s board of directors, John Barnes, to create concerts in Elizabeth Park on summer nights.

“Karen’s Kitchen supplied her famous homemade pasta dishes for the neighborhood,” Roberts says. “When we first started out, we might have gotten 30 or 40 locals showing up with their homemade dinner or buying a dinner from one of the vendors. It’s grown into over 500 people scattered all over the park.”

The gazebo where it all began became the center of the concert series, where all future participating musicians would set up shop and play their unique compositions.

Eldridge Society President Peter Roberts, pictured with wife Pamela, has been a central figure to the Elizabeth Park Concert Series since its inception close to 30 years ago. Photo credit: Marla Bronstein

“The gazebo was built by the Eldridge Society of History and Preservation back in 1984,” says Roberts. “Mayor Douglas dedicated it and we did it with the help of the Parks board. The roof needed repair in the late ’90s so, as president, I offered to personally take care of the roof; in return they gave me the rights to hold concerts in the park in perpetuity at no cost to the Eldridge Society.”

The concert series is an ever-growing, treasured community event in Bellingham aimed at bringing folks from all walks of life to the park to share something beautiful. “We get everybody from babies to people well into their 80s and 90s with walkers,” Roberts says. “It’s basically a slice of Bellingham life at the park. It started out as local and it kind of grew into a citywide event to something even bigger than that. To me, it’s like walking home.”

Music director of the series, Marla Bronstein, has been integral to its success for the last nine years. “Marla is very active in both the music and theater scene in Bellingham and Whatcom County, and she selects and schedules the bands,” says Roberts. “She starts picking them in February and we usually have a slate of 10 or 11 concerts by March of any given year.”

Concertgoers enjoy local vendors, dancing, and live music at this free community event in Elizabeth Park. Photo credit: Marla Bronstein

The gazebo has hosted several locally famous musicians and artists over the years, such as the Walrus, Heroes, SpaceBand, and bandZandt. “From the beginning, we’ve attempted to keep it local, if possible,” Roberts says. “Though, Marla has recruited people from as far away as Mount Vernon. We like to feature — both in our food vendors and in our music — community-minded local talent. We’ve had everything from one person with a guitar to a 20-piece ensemble play for us.”

The Eldridge Society for History and Preservation is a nonprofit Washington state corporation that usually raises funds via historical home tours. “Due to Marla’s great creativity and the generosity of our followers, we’ve been able to pay for ourselves,” says Roberts. “We do not give the bands a large stipend to play, but they do it for the exposure to the many people who come to Elizabeth Park to listen.”

The event is free, and visitors are encouraged to bring whatever items they like to comfortably experience the Thursday night concerts. “It is a public park and there isn’t any alcohol allowed in a public park, but you’re allowed to bring a picnic lunch or anything you want,” Roberts says. “I personally bring chairs and many people bring blankets. We recycle and compost as much as possible — all of our vendors bring recyclables and compostable items.”

Concertgoers are encouraged to bring any items they like (though alcohol is prohibited in city parks) to better enjoy the performances. Photo credit: Marla Bronstein

Currently, the park has two vendors during their concerts, for convenience. “We have Edaleen Dairy from Lynden for ice cream treats and have Juanita’s Mexican Kitchen with variations of Mexican fare,” says Roberts. “I’m also working on getting a hotdog vendor to come.”

The series is about community, and Bellingham continues to come together and support the longevity of events like this one. “We did a partial partnership with Whatcom Educational Credit Union,” says Roberts. “They are passionate about supporting communities and they’ve chipped in to help cover the expenses of putting on this free event.”

Roberts recounts memories from his childhood that have served as motivation for the vision of this series. “When I was a young man I lived in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, a little town halfway between New York City and the Delaware water gap,” Roberts says. “We would have lots of block parties, park events, Fourth of July parades, and fireworks at the big lake. That’s kind of what we’re trying to accomplish here. We’re trying to have a community-oriented affair that brings a whole bunch of people together for a healing, listening, all-age appropriate event.”

The Eldridge Society works to preserve human connection and history, continuing to successfully bring the Elizabeth Park Concert Series to Bellingham every summer.

Click here for a list of concert dates and performers.

Peter Roberts welcomes your real estate questions and can be contacted through his webpage or at 360.739.3660.

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Help Those in Need Through Hunger vs Hunger, a Bellingham Food Bank Fundraiser

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LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by Bellingham Food Bank, written by Ethan Hunger

15 hours of active time.

~80,000 steps taken.

145 miles traveled.

8,000 calories consumed.

…and 2 or 3 fewer toenails than I started with.

That’s my plan for July 16th, as I set out to burn as many calories in one day as I can — and I’ll have a damn good time doing it. The path to get there began in a way that I imagine resonates with a lot of people in this town: the drive to push oneself, and the desire to make a difference. Sprinkle in the knowledge of how many families in our community are in need of help and you get my fundraiser: Hunger vs Hunger, a Bellingham Food Bank fundraiser.

I used to hate running. I still do. But I used to, too. You know? I could withstand long bike rides, but running was a battle. Everyone knows the battle.

In June, 2020 I started running. It began as me wanting to see if it was as bad as I remembered. Then it was all about seeing if it gets better after X number of miles or hours. Then it was about seeing how fast I could run or how far I could run. It quickly stopped being about the running and more about giving myself something to do. Some way to cope with the ever changing world? Or the lack of structure that life has after school? Maybe both.

Ultimately, it was something I could count on and a form of accountability. I was biking a lot, as well, and as the runs got harder and farther, the bike rides started to feel like rewards. A week without running or biking felt like a week without food and water. It’s funny how the mind works. How quickly something like running could go from a dreaded activity to a weekly necessity.

I kept on running through the end of summer and start of fall. I didn’t really burn out, but I was looking for something to work toward as September rolled around. That’s when my buddy Austin challenged me to a fitness quest where you attempt to burn 10,000 calories in one day. I set my mind to it and in the second week of October I set out at 4:30 a.m. in complete darkness and rode my bike for what felt like an eternity. Those 101 miles on the bike were soon followed by a hilly half marathon. The activities started to blur together as fatigue and dehydration set in. A 1-mile swim, 6-mile hill climb, and 1-hour HIIT workout rounded out the day. I finished at around 8:30 p.m. and felt pretty stoked to be done. I remember saying, “I don’t think I’ll ever do that again” through laughter and pain. In retrospect, the hardest part was doing it alone.

*Ethan Hunger moving boxes at Bellingham Food Bank. Photo credit: Dante Check*

Fast forward to January and of course I’m itching to do it again — but with more training time and a proper schedule. I also realized that I had come up just short of doing an Ironman and knew that I’d have to go for it if I was going to do it again. For reference, an Ironman is 2.4 miles (3.8 km) swimming, 112 miles (180 km) biking, and 26.2 miles (42.2 km) running.

When I began scheming this in January 2021, I had a buddy come out to visit me for two weeks. His name is Jake. Jake is one of those guys who will say yes to just about anything, if you’re into it. So we spent those two weeks hell-bent on living life to the fullest. We went to the mountain six times and I taught him how to ski, we went mountain biking five times, which was also a first for Jake. We went surfing in ice-cold water twice. We did cold dips and hot tub journeys, beer tasting, running, rock climbing, and book reading.

Most of all, though, we talked and reflected. We woke up early and stayed up late. We dove into breakups and breakthroughs, childhoods, and career goals. You know the drill. By the end of Jake’s visit, he decided he’d join me on this Ironman quest. But the even bigger breakthrough was that our 10,000-calorie day would be a fundraiser for the Bellingham Food Bank — which would blow away our expectations.

In 2021, we raised just shy of $30,000. We burned 11,877 calories in one day. And we smiled the whole way. Nearly. There’s something about being miserable together that we found to be immensely humorous. Maybe we’re crazy, or maybe life is about coming up with insane ideas and doing them because you can’t find a good reason not to.

That’s what last year’s fundraiser was all about: pushing ourselves and helping those in need while we did it. This year, the motivation has come from a different place. Over the last few months, I have seen more and more families relying on the Bellingham Food Bank. I’m talking over 3,000 families per week. Every week, it feels like a new record is broken: most families in one day, most home deliveries, most new families in one week, etc. And it doesn’t end there. The most inflation in over 40 years, the highest gas prices ever, another wave of COVID infections…

As our town continues to struggle, something has to be done.

As much as I’m excited for another year of running, swimming, biking, and celebrating, I also feel a weight of responsibility that I hope others feel, as well. There are better times ahead, but in these times, our people need us. Please consider donating today.

Any donation up to $15,000 made through our fundraiser will be matched by The Jerry H Walton Foundation! I’d also like to thank Fairhaven Runners for their donations and generosity through this all, as well as our other sponsors: Bellwether Real Estate (my firm), Infusions Solutions, and 1-for-1 Training.

Featured photo and video by Dante Check

Peoples Bank Promotes Amanda Scoby to Chief Risk Officer

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LocalTalk Contributor

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Amanda-Scoby-Peoples-Bank — Amanda Scoby. Photo courtesy Peoples Bank

Submitted by Peoples Bank

Peoples Bank has announced the promotion of Amanda Scoby to senior vice president, chief risk officer. In this role, Amanda chairs the Bank’s operational risk committee and is responsible for overall enterprise risk management. Amanda joined Peoples Bank in 2013 and has served as the director of audit for the last eight years.

Amanda Scoby. Photo courtesy Peoples Bank

Amanda is committed to ensuring Peoples Bank has proper oversight and internal controls in place to mitigate risk and vulnerabilities that could potentially impact business performance.

“A core part of serving our community, customers, and employees includes deploying risk management measures that ensure the continued success of the Bank,” says Amanda.

Amanda is a certified public accountant and an honors graduate of Texas A&M, with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Science in Finance. She was awarded the Peoples Bank Integrity Leadership Award in 2015.

About Peoples Bank

Peoples Bank is a locally owned and operated, independent full-service community bank with $2.8 billion in assets. Headquartered in Bellingham, Washington, Peoples Bank has been serving the community for 100 years and operates 25 locations throughout Washington. Reflecting its strong financial management practices, dedicated employees, and long-standing customer relationships, Peoples Bank was awarded a superior five-star rating from BauerFinancial, a leading independent bank rating firm. Learn more about Peoples Bank at www.peoplesbank-wa.com. Member FDIC.

Empyrean Farm Grows New Life While Honoring the Zender Homestead’s Past

By

Tony Moceri

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Rainbow-over-Empyrean-Farm-Jeremy-Dehnert-work-Zender-home — Jeremy Dehnert works in the garden with their 1920 home in the background. Photo credit: Eliza Steele

As you walk around the Empyrean Farm, you can feel the connection where deep Whatcom County history meets modern farming practices. There’s a link between the old and new ways that creates a symbiotic relationship needed for progress. Located at 6338 Mount Baker Highway, this plot of land is known locally not by its numbers but by its storied past as the Zender family’s homestead.

When Eliza Steele and Jeremy Dehnert purchased the property, in 2020, they weren’t searching for anything historical; it just fit into the broader search for land where they could start a farm. The proximity to Mount Baker was a huge bonus. They were living on Vashon Island, running their home design business, Steele Design, and helping out on the farm where they lived. They initially planned to stay on Vashon, but when work moved to remote, they could expand their search. When they stepped foot on this piece of land, they knew it was the spot where they would start their farm.

“We’re really passionate about it,” says Steele. “We started growing our own food while living on a farm, and were growing more than enough for ourselves in a very small amount of space. We just kept wanting more space, so we decided to just go for this, and that’s when we started making the direction of owning our own farm and starting a business.”

Jeremy Dehnert and Eliza Steele in front of the long-standing barn previously used by the Zenders and now used for Empyrean Farm. Photo credit: Tony Moceri

With one growing season under their belt and another in full swing, Empyrean Farm now shares its food with the public and is working to expand those offerings. Their produce is available daily at their farm stand — which they share with neighboring Kulshan Roots Farm — from 10 a.m. to dusk, and at local stores and restaurants. They sell what’s in season outside and what can be grown in their greenhouse. They are expanding their produce growing area and have added some cows and sheep, which are being raised for meat.

While purchasing the property, Steel and Dehnert learned about the ties to the Zender family from its previous owner: their history as a logging family and the Deming Loggers’ baseball team. Still, not being from Whatcom County, they held no deeper connection with the family or the land’s past. That changed when the couple was approached by Jordan Zender, who was looking to rent a shop on the property. He started Zender and McNeilly Logging Corp. and needed a place to maintain his equipment. From his family’s history with the property, he knew there was a large enough building, and that it was set up for working on equipment.

The original home on the Zender family homestead. Photo provided by Denise Cox Flanagan

“It has a lot of meaning for me because I used to spend a lot of weekends as a kid going to work with my dad at those shops while Zee Brothers Logging was still operating there,” says Zender. “I always enjoyed seeing my Grandpa Red there. There were also quite a few other family members working there at the time.”

Steele and Dehnert didn’t originally plan to rent the space, but when Zender reached out, it felt meant to be. They’ve also been contacted by other Zenders who appreciate that the property being used as a farm. “People say, ‘Our great-grandma and grandpa would be so proud that you’re doing this.’ It feels really awesome that we’re doing something that’s honoring that lineage to the descendants,” Steele says.

Eliza Steele and Jeremy Dehnert in front of their farm stand which they share with Kulshan Roots Farm. Opened daily from 10 a.m. to dusk. Photo credit: Tony Moceri

While the Empyrean Farm continues to take shape, Steele and Dehnert are moving forward with the previous and future generations in mind by being intentional with their farming practices. The couple is constantly learning and implementing both old and new techniques that will result in healthy land that can produce a supply of locally grown food. Steele is currently in a permaculture certification course. Once the water piece is figured out, they want to set up the property as a food forest where the plants work together naturally as they would in a forest.

In the short term, Steele and Dehnert are focused on getting more crops in the ground and harvesting this season. Finding distribution channels has been a challenge, so they’re exploring more avenues for getting their food on people’s plates. In the future, they’re considering starting a CSA.

Steve the cow emerges from the barn. Photo credit: Tony Moceri

As the farm becomes more established, the couple would also like to share the knowledge they’re learning and bring in experts to host workshops on everything from farming techniques to regenerative building practices. They see the property as a playground where people can gather for events and markets.

“We think it would be really fun to get more community to the farm by starting to host events that bring people to share the space,” says Steele.

Jeremy Dehnert works in the garden with their 1920 home in the background. Photo credit: Eliza Steele

They have plans to continue to build on the property while keeping the old buildings in place to honor the past. Their home, built in in 1920, was the second house on the property, and they’re still making use of the old barn. While most of their time is spread between farming and designing, the couple still finds time to update their happenings — and any future events — on Instagram.

Bellingham Bells Win West Coast League North Division’s First Half Championship

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LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by the Bellingham Bells

The Bellingham Bells are excited to announce the team has clinched the West Coast League North Division’s first half championship, securing a spot in the WCL post-season.

The Bells are off to a hot start to the 2022 season, with a current record of 17-6 with three games remaining in the first half of the season.

The West Coast League’s 2022 playoff format awards post-season bids to a first half and second half winner in each division, as well as two regular season wild cards (best overall second record of non-qualified teams) from each division. The Bells are the North Division’s first half winner. The South Division has yet to crown a first half winner for the 2022 season.

The Bells will assume the WCL North’s #1 playoff seed and face the North’s #4 seed (second wild card) in a best-of-three series beginning on Tuesday, August 9^th. The Bells will take to the road for game one of the series (opponent & location TBD) and then host a playoff game at Joe Martin Field on Wednesday, August 10^th at 6:35 p.m. Game three (if needed) will be held at Joe Martin Field on Thursday, August 11^th at 6:35 p.m.

The series winner will face the winner of the North’s #2 vs. #3 seed in a one-game playoff (team with best overall season winning percentage hosts). The North champion will then face the South champion in a winner takes all championship game (team with best overall season winning percentage hosts).

Tickets for the August 10^th playoff game will be available for sale on Friday, July 8^th. Tickets will be available at the Bells team store (3111 Newmarket St # 105), the Joe Martin Field ticket office on game days or www.bellstickets.com.

Early 20th Century Bellingham Celebrated the Fourth of July With Gusto

By

Jennifer Crooks

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Fourth-of-July-girl-with-flags feature — A little girl beams from this 1910 Fourth of July postcard.

Each year in the early 20th century, Bellingham crowned a Goddess of Liberty for their annual Fourth of July celebration, picking one woman over age 16 to symbolize the spirit of the holiday. People cast ballots for their favorite candidate at participating local stores. In June 1917, the winner was May Abbott. She was crowned July 3 and a dance followed the ceremony. As winner, May also received a special gift: a five-passenger car.

Bellingham went all-out for Independence Day in that era. The town was decorated with bunting, flags, and electric lights for a three-day festival that attracted people from all around Whatcom County. Much of the celebration centered on a parade and carnival.

Bellingham’s main events were sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce. For months before the holiday, the group collected donations from merchants to pay expenses, including fireworks for a public show. In 1905 they spent $1,500 on fireworks to “turn night into day and shed a blaze of glory over everything,” as the Bellingham Herald described the preparations on June 10.

The centerpiece of the celebrations was a community parade through the main streets of town. The parade could be quite large, even extending as long as a mile and a half in 1909. Veterans, business, civic, patriotic, and fraternal groups marched in the parade and sponsored patriotic floats. There was a friendly float competition, too, with cash prizes for categories such as the best business float, best decorated fire apparatus, and best costumed fraternal organization’s float. Patriotic speeches were sometimes held on the steps of the public library.

Children celebrate Independence Day in this circa-1910 postcard.

But many people’s favorite part of the celebration was most likely the carnival. For the days around the holiday, Commercial Street between Holly and Magnolia became “Fun Street.”

So many people came from out of town to visit the carnival that in 1910 the Equal Suffrage Association sponsored a “rest room” for out-of-town women and children to use, providing free childcare and lunch. The year before, the City Mission sponsored one in the Daylight Building.

Another feature of many celebrations was canoe races by the Lummi and other Indigenous groups. Canoe races were a big deal, too. In 1907, a group of Lummi dancers — led by noted Lummi leader Frank Hillaire — performed during the festival on Fun Street.

Frank Hillarie and his Indigenous dance group circa the1930s. In 1907, he led a group of Lummi performers on Bellingham’s Fun Street. Photo from the Library of Congress

Additional traditions were the athletic contests and baseball games held at the county fairgrounds. These included horse, bicycle, and foot races (including potato, shoe, and boot races). In later years, car and motorcycle races also took place. Contests were not restricted to land, and in 1914 a boat race took place on Whatcom Creek sponsored by the Booster Club and men in swimsuits competed in a “battle royale” free-for-all wrestling match on a scow.

It seemed like every year the city tried to outdo itself with spectacles. While the city had the usual airplane flights, hot air balloon ascents, and parachute jumps, it also held more unusual events. This included acrobat Lionel Legare ascending his “Mammoth Spiral Tower” on a rubber ball in 1910 and “Daredevil” Dinvalo’s “Slide for Life” from City Hall tower to Champion Street in 1917.

If people sought a quieter Fourth, they could always celebrate on their own. On June 17, 1914, the Herald reprinted party ideas from Woman’s Home Companion magazine. Among their suggestions: a “ship of state” centerpiece “floated” on a mirror, place cards decorated like Liberty Bells or Declaration of Independence scrolls, and small drums as excellent party favors.” For a festive but easy dessert: “Tiny American flags stuck upright in individual forts of vanilla or chocolate ice cream add a patriotic touch.”

Another popular choice was a visit to White City amusement park at Silver Beach. People could picnic, listen to music, and watch fireworks over Lake Whatcom. Others packed a picnic and headed to parks or the countryside for family fun, or went for longer camping trips at nearby areas like Mount Baker.

However they celebrated, firework safety was a constant concern. In 1910, the city passed ordinance No. 1365, which authorized the city fire chief to seize any dangerous fireworks or explosives. This included Roman candles, Catherine wheels, bombs, rockets, and cannon crackers. Despite the law, firecrackers remained such a problem that three years later the Bellingham Herald had to remind readers on May 11, 1913, that “just the little 5-cent packages of red-wrapped crackers which do no worse damage than ruining the nerves temporarily” were allowed.

World War I brought even greater enthusiasm to local Independence Day celebrations. In 1918, a carnival was held in Cornwall Park to benefit the Red Cross. People were invited to bring a picnic. Members of the Girls Honor Guard served hot lunches, candy, and ice cream in a Japanese tea garden and Hawaiian “bower.” They also sold balloons and squawkers.

In all the ways Bellingham residents chose to celebrate the Fourth of July in the early 20th century, there was always one common thread: people from very different walks of life came together to celebrate the birth of their country and the bonds that knit their community together.

Protecting the Future With Fluoride

By

Kelley White

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Oral health is an incredibly important facet of a child’s well-being and development. The state of their mouth can have an effect on every aspect of their lives, from the foods they consume to their mental state. Dr. Sawyer with Bellingham Pediatric Dentistry sat down with WhatcomTalk to discuss how fluoride works and its impact in pediatric oral health.

“Fluoride is essentially a mineral, and it comes in an almost salt-like form that is typically added to toothpastes, mouthwashes, and community water sources in order to help reduce the risk of cavities,” says Dr. Sawyer. “At a molecular level, the fluoride ion actually replaces a hydroxyl group in the enamel, which is the hard outer layer of our teeth, and it makes that enamel more resistant to acid breakdown.” Protecting little ones’ teeth is an essential mechanism of the fluoridating process.

Bellingham Pediatric Dentistry offers three different yummy flavors of fluoride varnish to their patients: fresh melon, vanilla cupcake, and spearmint surprise. Photo courtesy Bellingham Pediatric Dentistry

Like it or hate it, sugar and other simple carbohydrates are found in an overwhelming number of everyday food items. “Typical enamel starts to breakdown at a pH of 5.5 and when it’s fluoridated, that enamel can withstand acid down to 4.5 — it’s a logarithmic scale, so 1 pH difference is a massive margin,” Dr. Sawyer says. “Anytime we eat simple carbohydrates, the bacteria in our mouth can digest them and one of the byproducts of the bacteria is acid. That acid is what slowly dissolves the tooth and turns it into a cavity.” Thus, having protection against acid breakdown is an absolute necessity.

Aside from protection, fluoride can help treat already existing oral conditions. “Tooth sensitivity is another ailment having more fluoride can help decrease,” says Dr. Sawyer. “Making sure people with tooth sensitivity have optimal fluoride in their oral healthcare regimen can help decrease the sensitivity.”

Pediatric dental care is unequivocally important for the future of a child’s mental and physical health. Photo courtesy Bellingham Pediatric Dentistry

Fluoride is also widely used as a strong preventative toward dental caries, the number one chronic childhood disease. “Caries is the disease of cavities and almost 50% of kids aged six to 19 have had a cavity already,” Dr. Sawyer says. “When kids have cavities, they cause pain, infection, and other major disruptions in their life, such as missing school and eating issues. Fluoride has a larger ripple effect from something that just strengthens the tooth to something that can prevent many other downfalls down the road for the young child.”

Proper use of fluoride as a preventative measure will not only save kids’ teeth, but their parents’ wallets in the long run. “Looking at it from a financial standpoint, the cost of water fluoridation or fluoridated toothpaste versus how much money it saves from all those cascading things down the road is incredible,” says Dr. Sawyer. “The return on investment, so to speak, is very high and very easy.”

Staff at Bellingham Pediatric Dentistry strive to maintain the oral health of their pediatric patients through methodical and informed dental care. Photo courtesy Bellingham Pediatric Dentistry

Fluoride is highly accessible, but Dr. Sawyer stresses that every patient is different and therefore the correct amount of this useful mineral should be prescribed on a case-by-case basis.

“It is really noteworthy that we essentially have to prescribe how much fluoride a person needs because not every person is the same,” Dr. Sawyer says. “Bellingham does not have fluoride in the water, which means most kids in my community require fluoride supplements. You don’t want to start those too early or too late.” Typically, Dr. Sawyer plans for starting at about the age of six months and older, and then increases dosage in small amounts as they age.

Factors dentists consider include a child’s diet, how they brush their teeth, the quality of their brushing habits, and their parental history. “There’s something called vertical transmission of caries,” says Dr. Sawyer. “If the parents have active cavities in their mouth, there’s a potential chance to inoculate their children with a bad bacteria that causes cavities.”

Factors for prescribing fluoride include how a child brushes their teeth and the quality of their oral hygienic methods. Photo courtesy Bellingham Pediatric Dentistry

Fluoride is administered to patients via two main methods. “Systemic fluoride is in the water or the supplements we give, and this method is especially effective between the ages of six months to about 14 years on permanent teeth that are still forming in the jaws of the child,” Dr. Sawyer says. “That fluoride is being ingested, picked up in the bloodstream, and deposited in teeth buds. Mouth rinses, toothpastes, and fluoride varnish are topical and help the teeth that have already erupted from the gums. Over time it’s good to re-fluoridate those teeth with multiple applications so they stay fluoridated with a higher resistance to cavities.”

How can parents start protecting their children’s teeth on a day-to-day basis? Dr. Sawyer recommends using fluoridated toothpaste at all ages, starting when the patient gets their first baby teeth.

Oral health is an essential part of a child’s overall wellbeing and is vital to maintain. Photo courtesy Bellingham Pediatric Dentistry

“When they’re between six months and three years old, I want them to use the volume of a grain of rice,” he says. “Anyone older than three needs a pea-sized amount. A dollop of toothpaste is called a nurdle. You need to use the appropriately sized nurdle for your age.”

Every child’s plan of care is as unique as their wildly different lifestyles and personalities. At Bellingham Pediatric Dentistry, families learn the best way to protect and nurture each child’s teeth to ensure strong dental health for years to come. Parents are encouraged to visit a pediatric dentist by their child’s first tooth or first birthday, whichever comes first.

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Downtown Sounds Unveils Lineup for 18th Annual Summer Concert Series

By

Steven Arbuckle

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Crowds pour into the street to hear a variety of bands play lively music at the beginning of the summer season. Photo courtesy Downtown Bellingham Partnership

From its beginnings in the alley next to the Wild Buffalo to its current location in the middle of Holly, Bay and Prospect Streets, Downtown Sounds has grown into a major event that heralds the beginning of summer. Families and music lovers have helped make the series one of the most recognizable programs of the Downtown Bellingham Partnership.

The annual event is managed by Lindsey Payne-Johnstone, who has been involved for the last 14 years and seen incredible growth. In 2020, for example, the live event had to be canceled, but Payne-Johnstone and her team were able to successfully move it online. “We did three events and raised money for venues and were able to support musicians who couldn’t play gigs,” she says. “Then last year we were able to put on Downtown Sounds in person, so we expedited 10 months of planning in about six weeks.”

Kids of all ages will find something to capture their attention during Downtown Sounds. Photo courtesy Downtown Bellingham Partnership

Those changes continue with this year’s event kicking off a week earlier than usual. “For several years it’s been that second Wednesday in July, but we’re more concerned about smoke in August than a little light rain in July,” says Payne-Johnstone. “I think our community will brave some raindrops, as we’ve seen before, but if it’s smoky, it affects people’s health.”

Another change will affect the crowds that like to gather in the beer garden. “The bottleneck has been growing between the Bayou patio and the stage, so this is the year to shift the layout a little bit,” Payne-Johnstone says. “We’re going to guide people to the Champion Street end of Bay Street to get their 21+ wristbands at the main entrance.”

Lindsey Payne-Johnstone, right, has worked on Downtown Sounds for 14 of its 18 years. Photo courtesy Downtown Bellingham Partnership

At the main entrance, attendees can also look for the Downtown Bellingham Partnership’s INSIDERS table. Special perks including a dedicated, shorter entry line and VIP lounge within the beer garden for Downtown Bellingham INSIDERS. The loyalty program also offers members discounts at over 20 downtown retailers and restaurants all year long in addition to exclusive perks at Downtown Sounds and DBP’s other signature events. Locals and visitors alike are encouraged to become new INSIDERS, starting at a donation level of $10 per month to skip the line and receive a complimentary drink, and $25+ monthly donors are also welcomed to the VIP lounge. Program information and registration can be found here.

The beer garden will once again be sponsored by Boundary Bay Brewing, as it has been since the very beginning. It will also feature offerings from Aslan, Wander, Kulshan, Menace, and Stemma this year. “Bellingham Cider Company is helping us out a ton this year,” says Payne-Johnstone. “We’re going to have their cider on tap, and their hard seltzer, which is new.”

More than a corporate sponsor, WECU also provides games and goodies that keep families entertained. Photo courtesy Downtown Bellingham Partnership

Plenty of other attractions ensure that Downtown Sounds is attractive to the whole family. “This is WECU’s fourth year as our premier sponsor, and they’ll be on site with their Game Zone, which is always super popular,” Payne-Johnstone says. “They have cornhole and giant Jenga, and pass out free offerings like popsicles or sunglasses.” Street chalk — always a big hit with the kiddos — will also return.

And, of course, there’s the music.

Every week, opening bands play from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and headliners play from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. It all kicks off on July 6th with Nightwave, a new-wave ’80s band that played last year and promises to turn the street into one big dance party. Long-time attendees will recognize Sam Lax performing with the opener, multi-instrumentalist Brian Hamilton’s project, döp.

A lineup that leans heavily on funky and soulful music keeps concertgoers moving. Photo courtesy Downtown Bellingham Partnership

On July 13th, The Cumbieros will bring their cumbia fusion, South American Ska, and rock, complete with horn section. Locals the Bilongo Quintet will open for them. July 20th brings Outer Orbit, a funk and soul collective from Portland, who will also bring some special guests. A smaller, five-piece version of the local Yogoman Burning Band is up first.

July 27th will deliver the LowDown Brass Band, and dance-able representation of Chicago’s music culture that blends conscious hip hop, jazz, reggae, and soul. The Mostafa Live Band, who played the virtual Downtown Sounds in 2020, will warm up the crowd.

“Then we end on August 3rd with Miles Harris and the Deep cuts,” says Payne-Johnstone. “Miles and his band play a range of styles of music, including covers, originals, funk, R&B, and improvisation. The Diego Rivera Band is opening for them, and they’re a younger funk band that’s super high energy and really fun to watch.”

Crowds pour into the street to hear a variety of bands play lively music at the beginning of the summer season. Photo courtesy Downtown Bellingham Partnership

The success of Downtown Sounds relies on a network of community support and Payne-Johnstone is quick to point out the help they receive from Bayou on Bay. “They feed our headlining bands every year and bands who travel to Bellingham always compliment the restaurant, the staff, and the food,” she says. “Our traveling artists stay at Hotel Leo, and it’s really great to be offer that hospitality and encourage them to experience downtown.”

The Spark Museum has been a partner since the event’s fifth year. “They support us in so many ways, from being our green room to providing power,” says Payne-Johnstone. “Eddie Hernandez and his crew at Groove Merchant Northwest are the production team. Eddie’s been with us since year one, and he’s been a key partner in growing the event.”

Support also comes in the form of individuals who want to join in and become an even bigger part of the party. “Last year, the amount of people who answered our call for volunteers was so amazing. They were so ready to get out and be a part of something,” says Payne-Johnstone. “We do need a few more volunteers [this year], and if folks want to get involved, they can email us or go on our website. People love showing up to this event and helping out — it’s pretty cool.”

Sponsored

Mamma Mia, Live Onstage!

By

LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by Squalicum Musical Theatre Institute

Squalicum Musical Theatre Institute proudly presents Mamma Mia, live onstage! Mamma Mia is a jukebox musical using the music of the 70s band ABBA to tell the hilarious story of a young woman’s search for her birth father. This sunny and funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. This enchanting tale of love, laughter, and friendship, together with non-stop laughs and energetic dance numbers, make Mamma Mia a ton of fun! A mother. A daughter. Three possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget!

Donna and the Dynamos sing ABBA’s ‘Super Trouper’ during a recent rehearsal. Photo credit: Ella Brannan

Only one weekend of performances! Friday-Sunday, July 15-17. More info at https://www.squalicummusicaltheatre.org/

Location: The Forum at Squalicum High School, 3773 E McLeod Rd in Bellingham

Date/Times: Friday, 7/15 at 7:30pm; Saturday, 7/16 2:00pm and 7:30pm; Sunday, 7/17 at 2:00pm

Tickets: Tickets (general admission) are $15 available online at https://www.squalicummusicaltheatre.org/ or at the door (cash or card) day of show.

Sophie and her friends sing ABBA’s ‘Honey Honey’ during a recent rehearsal. *Photo credit: Ella Brannan*

About SMTI

Squalicum Musical Theatre Institute (“SMTI”) is a three-week summer musical theatre intensive run by educators with expertise in the performing arts. SMTI’s performance program serves high school students across Bellingham School District, fostering interscholastic collaboration. The technical, stage, and artistic production crews comprise a mix of students, arts educators, and community members sharing their expertise and building partnerships across the greater Bellingham performing arts community. By bringing full-length musicals to community audiences, the Institute develops multidisciplinary story-telling skills to illuminate our common humanity. We are a brand new 501(c)(3) nonprofit and are actively fundraising for material expenses and student scholarships. See our GoFundMe campaign at https://gofund.me/b0ce4d0a

Local Beekeeper Dan Dahlberg Uses Recycled Timbers For Bee Habitats

By

Tony Moceri

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Dan-Dahlberg-In-Bee-suit — Dan Dahlberg suited up next to his honeybee apiary. Photo courtesy Dan Dahlberg

As spring brings warmer weather, plants awaken from their winter slumber, open their petals and reveal the season’s flowers. A buzz in the air accompanies this feat as bees make their way flower to flower, collecting pollen to replenish the colony’s stores of honey. For the average person, we see bees as a look but don’t touch scenario. We understand they help our plants grow and make delicious honey but also that they are armed and not afraid to use their weapon. Respecting their defenses, we passively sit by while they pollinate our gardens and make their sweet product, which we add to our meals.

Then there are the Dan Dahlbergs of the world.

Dahlberg does not sit passively by while bees do all the work. Spring brings the opportunity to collect swarms, giving them a home in one of his hives in exchange for a bit of their honey. On a recent spring evening Dahlberg — with the help of his collection machine, a vacuum going into a bucket — collected four swarms. Geared up in his bee suit, with an epi-pen in his pocket, Dahlberg puts the massive swarm into a controlled environment where he can help ensure the colony’s success.

“My first year, I trapped probably 10 different swarms,” he says. “When you catch a swarm of bees, you have to have a hospital yard; you don’t want to mix them into your main apiary you’ve got all cleaned up and in good shape because you don’t know what you’re catching. You might have infested bees, they might have European foulbrood, or they might have a super high might load — they might have all kinds of problems.”

Dan Dahlberg next to newly constructed hives and a soon-to-be-reused beam. Photo courtesy Dan Dahlberg

What began as an interesting hobby has evolved into a side hustle called A Bee Connection, on the verge of becoming a full-blown business. Dahlberg now offers swarm removal services, and this fall will have honey for sale. Now with approximately 30 hives in three different locations, Dahlberg has begun to see himself as a beekeeper rather than a hobbyist. That transition happened naturally, with swarms finding him as much as he is finding them. Dahlberg feels a connection with the bees, which makes the work of caring for them enjoyable.

As Dahlberg’s collection of hives has grown, so has the infrastructure of his apiaries. Needing to elevate the hives, Dahlberg was on the hunt for building material when he noticed a scrap wood bin from his office at the neighboring construction company, Foundation Restoration. The scraps are beams from old houses that no longer serve their structural need but haven’t reached the end of their useful life.

A honeybee swarm, before being collected. Photo courtesy Dan Dahlberg

“They’ve got this scrap wood sitting out there, and here’s these beautiful six by six old Doug fir beams eight to ten feet long, and I’m like, man, what are you guys doing with these fellas?” Dan says. They told him it was free. “I’m like, you’re kidding me! So, I started yarding that stuff home.”

Matt Shaver, owner of Foundation Restoration was happy to find a new home for his company’s scraps.

“We’ve looked for an outlet for all of this really usable lumber that’s in good shape, but it’s not suited for structural use. It’s a really cool use of this 100-plus-year-old fir,” he says. “I’m always looking for ways to minimize our impact, and this [is] a really cool way to do it. I love bees, and we need more of them — so, how sweet.”

A honeybee gathers pollen. Photo courtesy Dan Dahlberg

As the number of Dahlberg’s hives grows, so does his learning. In a relatively short time beekeeping, he’s been fortunate to have local resources like Mt. Baker Beekeepers Association. He’s also combed through books and the internet to harvest thousands of years’ worth of beekeeping knowledge. If someone is interested in beekeeping, he recommends getting a local mentor, as bees are very localized; most will stay within two miles of their hive’s location.

In addition to the bees’ essential role in pollination and their delicious and useful creations, Dahlberg thinks we can all learn by simply observing a colony of bees. “You sit there, and you watch a colony of bees do what they do: you have the queen bee, the drone, the worker bee, the scout bee, the nurse bee, the winter bee,” he says. “And they’re doing this amazing work to cooperate, and you get this sweet outcome, like, literally.”

If you notice a swarm that needs moving or would like to try Dahlberg’s honey, the best way to reach him is through his website at www.abeeconnection.com.

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