North Bend named Encompass Community Partner of the Year; TCC receives Corporate Partner of Year award

December 12, 2016 10:39 am
North Bend representatives accepted the Community Partner of the Year award from Encompass at the organization’s board meeting Dec. 5. Pictured from left are North Bend Councilman, and chairperson of the Transportation and Public Works Committe, Ross Loudenback, Encompass Executive Director Nela Cumming, North Bend City Administrator Londi Lindell, and North Bend Public Works Director Mark Rigos. Courtesy Photo
North Bend representatives accepted the Community Partner of the Year award from Encompass at the organization’s board meeting Dec. 5. Pictured from left are North Bend Councilman, and chairperson of the Transportation and Public Works Committe, Ross Loudenback, Encompass Executive Director Nela Cumming, North Bend City Administrator Londi Lindell, and North Bend Public Works Director Mark Rigos. Courtesy Photo

The city of North Bend was presented with Encompass’ 2016 Community Partner of the Year Award during the Encompass Board of Directors meeting Dec. 5. Mayor Pro Tem Ross Loudenback, as chairperson of the Transportation and Public Works Committee, City Administrator Londi Lindell and Public Works Director Mark Rigos were on hand to accept the award presented by Executive Director NelaCumming.

The following day, Cumming addressed the North Bend City Council at its regular meeting about the award.

“At Encompass, we are very grateful for the partnership we’ve enjoyed with the city of North Bend,” she told the group.

The city’s support of the organization and its programming has always been strong, Cumming said, but she wanted to give particular thanks for the repairs last fall of Northwest 14th Street, near the Encompass main campus on Boalch Avenue. Thanks to the ingenuity of city staff members, she said, the paving project was reprioritized, and now “that road is fantastic, the nicest road in North Bend, if you ask me.”

Loudenback in turn thanked Cumming for the organization’s work with early childhood development.

“Encompass does so much for us, not just for the kids, but for all of us,” added North Bend Mayor Ken Hearing.

Verizon retailer TCC also received the Corporate Partner of the Year Award at the Dec. 5 meeting, for providing 120 hours of service and 100 high-quality backpacks to Encompass.

Other award winners were Brad Hutt for Board Member of the Year, Ronda Bergman for Event Volunteer of the Year, Amy Brink for Program Volunteer of the Year, and Brian and Kristina Schwartz for Inspirational Givers of the Year.

Also part of the Dec. 5 Encompass board meeting, board president Larry Brown, and Cumming, reflected on the organization’s highlights of the past year. Encompass reported serving 1,217 families and 1,659 children in its 2015-2016 fiscal year. Over 270 volunteers contributed a total of 3,057 hours, donating an equivalent of $72,023 of their time to helping Encompass carry out its mission in the community, according to Independent Sector’s estimated value of volunteer time.

Encompass is a nonprofit that partners with families to build healthy foundations for children, providing early education and pediatric therapy for children of all abilities in the Snoqualmie, Issaquah, and Eastside communities. With two locations in North Bend and one in Carnation, Encompass offers programs for children ages 0-8 to help foster a community where all children thrive. For more information, visit www.encompassnw.org.

Tara DesJardin and Darrell Niemiec of TCC accept the Encompass Corporate Partner of the Year Award from Erin Davies and Nela Cumming of Encompass. Courtesy Photo

Tara DesJardin and Darrell Niemiec of TCC accept the Encompass Corporate Partner of the Year Award from Erin Davies and Nela Cumming of Encompass. Courtesy Photo