Snoqualmie Valley Community Network presented its annual Rise and Shine Awards in June, recognizing outstanding volunteers whose actions help support and encourage youth to lead safe, healthy, and successful lives.
Executive Director Laura Smith reviewed the network’s accomplishments of teh past year before the awards were presented.
The Kristy Trione Community Partnership Award went to the King County Library System, which Smith said “has been an essential partner for Snoqualmie Valley Community Network over the last several years. Regional staff have been actively involved in looking at challenges in the Snoqualmie Valley and how our residents might be better served through partnerships and creative solutions. Staff at the local libraries have been important in helping Valley residents connect to key services.
Makenzie Davis received the Youth Legacy Award, from school counselor Phoebe Terhaar, who commended her for channeling her feelings of frustration and sadness at losing someone to suicide, into “creating something more. More hope for her friends and her school community. Something that until now, has never been done.
Also receiving awards were:
Sarah Marsh was honored for her work with the Mount Si High School PTSA to start a Student Welfare Committee for homeless teens in the Snoqualmie Valley School District. Working with staff and administration, she started a student pantry, a closet filled with food, clothing, and personal hygiene products for the youth who need them.
Sue Heyting, board member and founding member of the Snoqualmie Valley Dollars for Scholars, was honored for 27 years of dedication to the organization, which has helped to raise more than $500,000 in scholarships for local youth.
Val Orton volunteered to help start the Carepoint Free Medical Clinic at Snoqualmie Valley Alliance in the summer of 2015. Since that day, she has committed her skills, background and extra moments to making the clinic a reality.
Valley 103.1 Radio is a valley station that serves Carnation, Duvall and Redmond Ridge. The station, which includes the talents of Stuart Lisk, Ian King, Morgan Henley, Kevin Crutchfield, Scott Salvatori, Heather Stark, Terry Spring, and Meredith Mitchell, will help to promote a healthy and safe community.
Overlake School Service Learners are a group of students at the school who do service learning projects together as a team twice a year. They have interviewed senior citizens about their lives, done yardwork and cleaning for the senior center and helped set up for the center’s annual plant sale.
Pascal Nagata is a student representative to the Riverview School District board of directors. He has been a key contributor during student-school board roundtables on equity and access, school start times, and general student feedback sessions. He is also involved in ASB and other leadership efforts at Cedarcrest High School, helping youth lead safe, healthy, and successful lives through modeling and inclusive practices.
Kelly Hall has been dedicated to helping the youth in the valley in the areas of education, mental health and teen suicide awareness, and physical health. She is a member of the Cedarcrest High School National Honors Society, Riverview Youth Council, and Colton’s Army Jr. Guild. Recently, she coordinated and directed a 5K fundraiser to raise funds through Colton’s Army Jr. Guild that will benefit the Seattle Children’s Hospital Uncompensated Care fund as well as cancer research at Strong Against Cancer.
Angela Craig conceptualized and coordinated the Give Good Awards from 2011 to 2016, believing in the power of the human potential. In addition to the awards, Craig inspires people through her social media presence, which she uses to seek out and promotes people and events that have a positive impact.
Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson has been actively involved in decreasing the stigma that surrounds youth and families who are struggling with mental health or addiction. He is actively involved on a local task force that is working to better understand the relationship between trauma and mental health and addiction problems.
Michelle Chaffin has been an active member of the Riverview PTSA for her children’s elementary, middle and high school years. She coordinates any and all forms of staff appreciation at the buildings her children attend.
Nancy Myhre is the manager of the Fall City Community Food Pantry. In that position, she is responsible for coordinating food drives, scheduling volunteers and running every aspect of food distribution. She also works with other nonprofits, such as the Lions Club, to provide bicycles and Christmas gifts to the children and youth served by the pantry, in addition to the food distributed. Myhre coordinates with Eastside Baby Corner to supply necessary food andbaby supplies to infants and toddlers whose parents are clients of the food pantry, too.
Nicole Rohwer is an active volunteer throughout Riverview School District. She is the 2016-17 Treasurer of Riverview PTSA Council and she volunteers with all the schools her sons have attended. Currently, she is the chair for the REF Run and serves on other PTAs and sports booster boards.
Jason Cole is a parent volunteer at Timber Ridge Elementary School.He is the lead for the school’s WatchDOGS (Dads of Great Students) program, helping to connect dads into the culture of the school. The purpose of WatchDOGS is to support education and safety at school through helping in classrooms, monitoring the building, working with students, and helping with arrival and dismissal.
Jodi Fletcher has been on the Riverview School Board for five years and gives generously of her time and energy to be an effective board member and help guide the direction of the district. She is an advocate for all students, and she focuses on equity and access for students who need more support.
Kristen Zuray is actively involved in efforts that connect with and improve the lives of homeless youth and those affected by addiction. This past school year, she has targeted her efforts at serving and advocating for low-income and homeless youth in the Valey. She meets with the youth out on the trail, delivering cups of hot coffee and snacks, providing warm coats, hats and gloves, and connecting them with local resources. The Trail Youth’s vision is to bridge youth to resources as they build relationships with them.
Lindsey and Mitch Tolson dedicate their time and energy to supporting students at Stillwater Elementary and Cedarcrest High School. Lindsey is the PTSA president at Stillwater Elementary School, coordinating fundraising and school improvement projects along with enrichment activities. They developed a robotics program for Stillwater and volunteered as instructors and Mitch does the same at Cedarcrest. Both have organized work parties to construct play areas for students at Stillwater elementary.
Betsy MacWhinney has spent many years working with youth groups through her church and conservation efforts in the valley. She fosters open communication and mutual respect as she models how to live in the world and be a better human. When she first began formulating her ideas for the March of the Vegetables, it was important to her that it included as many all age and family oriented projects as possible.
Boyd Benson goes well beyond his job responsibilities as Duvall Public Works Director/City Engineer. He volunteers time giving presentations on city water, sewer, and other systems in elementary classrooms. Boyd is a true servant leader.
Gus Apostle has taken a prime position as an advocate to “refresh” current practices of the Mount Si Wildcat Boosters. He has taken a genuine interest in the care, commitment and time to better the booster organization as a leader.His intent is to develop “Best Practices” and systems that can be successfully followed by future programs.
Heather Hamerly has taken the lead to review, refine and redevelop the entire Wildcat Booster Club Organization. She has done so with great enthusiasm with a solution-oriented mind set. Her work has dramatically improved the professional standards and systemized processes, developed by new laws which have increased efficiency for the entire Mount Wildcat Booster program.
The Snoqualmie Valley Community Network 2017-18 Board of Directors includes Nick Almquist, Nela Cumming, Ken Heikkila, Molly Jensen, Becca Kedenburg, Kim Lisk, Nancy Meeks, Alicia Messa, Warren Moon, Dariel Norris, Alan Painter, Emily Ridout, Michael Tenney, Sophie Theriault, Reagan Thompson, Jason Walker, Larry White, Irene Wickstrom, and Monty Wright.
For more information, visit http://snoqualmievalleycommunitynetwork.org.
