Last week we ran a story about a Mount Si High School sophomore, Cory Smith, who assisted a 9-year-old boy after he had fallen from a bridge while swimming. The article hit home a key point about Snoqualmie Valley – one that should go out as a thanks to all of you who supported the creation of the Si View Metropolitan Parks District.

Smith gained both his swimming and first aid skills at the Si View pool. In this case the accident may not have been life threatening, but that doesn’t diminish the actions he took to help a friend.

Would he have acted the same if it were not for the skills learned at Si View? Luckily, nobody will ever know but one thing is for sure: The skills he learned are valuable to all our residents.

Si View long has been the place we learn to swim, take first aid classes, or maybe make fools of ourselves dribbling a basketball. But it’s the safety component that gives us the most back from our investment in the park.

With three forks of the Snoqualmie River, the Tolt and the Raging rivers weaving through our Valley and numerous lakes surrounding our community, water skills are extremely important in preventing loss of life. Si View has been the source of those skills for many generations in the past, and thanks to you, as voters, many generations to come.

Great job Cory!