For 18 years, the Snoqualmie Valley Community Network has been giving an annual high five to the folks who really make the Valley work: The volunteers, teachers, coaches, go-getting students and parents who form the fabric of community.

Back in June, SVCN named the annual award winners. These folks deserve recognition for what they do, so below, let’s belatedly give it. Real community doesn’t just happen by accident or through minimal effort via the latest smart device. It goes person to person, in public, at school, at the senior center, on the street or park or trail. Rise and Shine awardees, thank you!

Youth legacy

Jeremy Frechette is a busy teen, part of the Riverview Youth Council, a project lead for Haunted Hollows, and for preparing and serving meals at Tent City, and a Zombie Laser Tag player.

Cindie Stevens, president of the Mount Si Softball Booster Club, brought financial health to the organization, allowing the club to meet the needs of all the players.

Larry White has been coaching the Mount Si fastpitch team for 13 years. Most players would say that Larry made them feel like he believes in them and sees the potential in each and every one of them.

Mickie Ludeman-Butkovich is a substitute teacher in the Snoqualmie Valley School District who volunteers time after school to tutor kids who are at risk of failure. She works more volunteer hours than paid hours, often coming in to help on days she is not scheduled to sub, traveling from her home in Covington.

Pam Cantilini has been Mount Si High School’s Associated Student Body (ASB) Auction mentor for the past eight years. Pam motivates, manages, and inspires students through the process of executing a large community event.

Loren Eubank and Andreas Hofmann joined together to form and operate a club for high school youth interested in data communications and cyber security. It’s now in its second year of encouraging learning and healthy peer relationships at Mount Si High.

Lorna and Steve Bussing’s Red Pepper Pizzeria epitomizes what it means to be a community restaurant. They employ many local teens, teaching them about small business. Overwhelmingly generous in support of local non-profits, Lorna says yes to dozens and dozens of requests throughout the year, including donating pizza for Riverview’s Staff Appreciation Week, Acres of Diamonds, and many other causes.

Professional Legacy

Chief Glenn Merryman, besides being the chief of police in Duvall for 29 years, has made it his business to build bridges with the young people of Duvall and Carnation. He founded the Citizens on Patrol (COPS) program, aided in drug prevention programs at schools, and spent several years walking Duvall and Carnation every Friday night with other adults to make sure the teens in our area knew there was someone to turn to for help.

Steve Bates has been on the SVCN board for years. He’s helped shepherd the Drug-Free Community grant, development of two youth councils, expansion of parent education presentations, and establishment of a regional board of directors. At Opstad Elementary, his students see him as not only a school counselor, but also a helper, an encourager, an equipper, and a believer in all children’s potential.

Barb Powrie has volunteered for nine years for the Riverview Education Foundation 10K run and at the Irwin Half-marathon, leading course marshaling efforts to keep runners safe.

Kirk Werner has volunteered his graphic design skills to increase funding for health and wellness in Riverview schools.

Touching Lives

Dwight Hutchinson has taught computer classes at the Fall City, North Bend, and Snoqualmie libraries for 10 years. He has touched many lives through his efforts, enabling his students to use the Internet, e-mail and other programs.

Heidi Dukich was the director at the Mount Si Food Bank for several years. She spearheaded a grassroots effort to start the new Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank, in North Bend.

Lyndsay Watson is a volunteer staff person at Cascade Covenant Church, working a 40-hour week as she oversees local outreach ministry, global missions, and serves as a middle school youth group leader.

Kelly Spratt volunteers in the main office at Mount Si High School several days a week, helping with a variety of tasks. Her support keeps the school humming.

Dentist Caron Nelson Glickman has volunteered for years in Cedarcrest High School’s health classes, teaching lessons on dental health. In addition, each fall, she fits varsity football players with mouth guards, and has set up a scholarship.

Jake Knoth worked with several others to start a FIRST Robotics team at Cedarcrest High School. As a senior this past year, he served as the team’s CEO, learning what it’s like to run a business, engineer complex machinery, and coordinate fundraising.

Dannelle Carlson co-chaired the Riverview Education Foundation (REF) auction and volunteers at the elementary and middle schools, Northwest Art Center, Duvall Performing Arts, and for local sports teams.

Jackie Boak goes above and beyond as Cedarcrest High School cheer coach by serving as a mentor and advisor, encouraging high-school-aged girls and boys to be healthy, active, safe, and self-respecting.

Lloyd McCracken serves on the Stillwater Elementary School site team as parent representative, curates for the school library, and serves as a PTSA committee member. He volunteers at the school almost daily in some capacity.

School leaders

Kim Totten serves at Cascade View Elementary as a member of the building leadership team and president of the PTSA. She is an enthusiastic leader, efficient organizer and effective communicator.

Lori Hollasch and Cathy Renner serve as co-presidents of the PTSA at Mount Si High School. They organize, strategize, and listen to the needs of students and teachers.

For years, Liz Anderson has volunteered her time, passion, and knowledge as the “salmon in the schools” liaison between King County Fish and Wildlife and the elementary school students in the Riverview School District.

Monte Lindsay volunteered countless unpaid hours to support youth connections with the forest environment at Camp River Ranch in Carnation. He worked with high school students to provide service learning on the trail and in the woods.

Claire Foster has served on the board of SnoValley Tilth for more than 10 years. She brings creative ideas to the table, guiding Tilth and developing new partners and projects that benefit the Valley as a whole.

Moms of SnoValley founders Kerry Beymer Susan Husa, Janelle Coughran, Colleen Burin, and Laura Rosner are a group with a deep interest in creating space for mothers to network, feel a connection to their communities and learn, while celebrating being mothers.

Patti Inge helps with Encompass, the Special Olympics and Fall City Reading Buddies. She also serves lunch each week at the SnoValley Senior Center and helps with memory building activities with the Adult Day Health program. ADH was facing cuts until Patti put in incredible energy and organization to raise funds for it.

Elmer Sams has served on the board of directors of the Mount Si Senior Center for four years, and is currently the president. In addition to his board work, he spends hours working and fixing things at the center.

Kevin Nolet volunteers about 500 hours per year with Station 87 in North Bend responding to alarms, training, and coordinating volunteer activities.

Sgt. Bob Reife has been a volunteer reserve officer in the Duvall Police Department for eight years. He assists with patrol and appears at community events, always willing to help whenever he’s needed.