Saturday, Nov. 11, 2000, was a day to cherish. I had the pleasure of
being involved in a community project in the city of Carnation. The project is
the “Tolt Town Commons,” a unique partnership involving participation
from businesses, citizens and city government.
On Saturday the 11th, we all came together in a volunteer effort to
construct the park. We had a total of 27 volunteers. It was amazing and
heartwarming to witness.
Everyone worked together like a well-oiled machine! We moved
dirt and gravel in wheelbarrows while Sharon Sampson and
Stephen Schneider of Landscape Design transformed, to our amazement, a
vacant lot into a beautiful city park. With their design, hard work and guidance, it
all came together — a day to remember with joy!
The following list is a small but important tribute to all of those
making it possible:
Landscape design — Stephen Schneider, Sharon Sampson.
City government volunteers — Jim Dorsey, Steve Munson,
Woody Edvalson, Bob Patterson, Bob Gilbertson, Stuart Lisk, Pat Funk
and Linda Jordan.
Citizen volunteers — Curtis Schoen, Laura Pinter, Jessica
Dorsey, Comelia Kimmel, Frank Griffin, Matthew Edvalson, Marcia Anderson,
Don Myers, Bob Workman, Elder Stevens and Elder Grover.
Business volunteers — Legend Trucking, Tom Kent; Carnation
Ace Hardware, Ron and Bob Cox; Rainbow Construction, Paul Jordan;
Progressive Insurance, Greg Vendetti; Dick Zeigler, property
owner/Zeigler Construction; Sandy’s Espresso, Sandy Hansen.
Donations — Landscape Design, park design, backhoe and two
landscape architects (Stephen and Sharon); Nelson Layman Trucking, 15 yards
of gravel and many, many beautiful plants; Blake’s Pizza, supplied six
pizzas and four orders of garlic bread; Traffic Signs Inc., signage;
Carnation Ace Hardware, backhoe, forklift, pressure-treated 2-by-4s, concrete
wheel stops, landscape fabric and stakes, Sandy’s Espresso, split-rail fencing.
Financial contributions — Greg Vendetti, Progressive Insurance;
Bill Osberg, Eastside Valley Pawnbroker; Bill Hollowell, O.W. Hollowell
and Associates; Bob Cox, Carnation Ace Hardware; Isabel Jones, Historical
Society; Yvonne Funderburg, Simply Grand; Don and Gladys Myers;
Sandy Hansen, Sandy’s Espresso; Bill and Graisiela Fratzke, Ixtapa;
Carnation Chamber of Commerce; Dick Zeigler, property owner; Linda and
Ron Groznik, Marble and Tile Craft.
Press and photos — Becky Nixon, Valley View.
Thank you to all involved. A vision became a reality that day.
Working together, we made it happen and it feels great!