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Speed Camp takes away the aches of training Page 9
Your locally owned newspaper, serving North Bend and Snoqualmie, Washington August 7, 2015
Railroad Days mixes the best of old and new in Snoqualmie By Dylan Chaffin dchaffin@snovalleystar.com
By Sam Kenyon
Mark Howe, the founder of Upcyclepost.com, holds up a sign made from old license plates while standing next to a lamp upcycled from an old traffic light.
One man’s trash, is an upcycler’s reclaimed treasure Sam Kenyon skenyon@snovalleystar.com What if Etsy met Pinterest and decided to merge into one online community dedicated to only upcycled goods and materials? That’s exactly what Mark Howe has done with his peerto-peer online marketplace: www.upcyclepost.com. “We’re trying to create a community,” Howe said. “I came to realize early on that upcycling, repurposing, reclaiming is no longer a fad or a trend. It’s a lifestyle.” Upcycling officially became a word in 2012, but it has been in use for more than a decade. It’s the process of taking discarded materials and using them to create something new and useful. Whether it’s an old license plate turned into a bracelet, or cardboard boxes turned into furniture, upcycling takes recycling to a more creative place. “I’ve always been sustainably minded,” Howe said. He said he would get irked
The 77th annual Railroad Days in Snoqualmie is mixing old traditions with new ones this year to showcase the uniqueness of the city. “We’ve been really trying to increase the focus on local artists and musicians to show why we’re special,” Peggy Barchi, the Northwest Railway Museum marketing and events manager said. “We don’t want the festival to look like every other smalltown festival,” she said of the changes. Events are Aug. 14-16. Railroad days began in 1938, Barchi said, as a way to celebrate Snoqualmie’s rich history as a railroad and logging town. It was organized by volunteer members of the Snoqualmie Fire Department, which still carries on the tasty tradition of the pancake breakfast — a fundraiser for the department. The breakfast is from 7-11 a.m. Aug. 15. The hearty breakfast features pancakes and ham, alongside Krispy Kreme doughnuts, orange
juice and Starbucks coffee. Breakfast is $5 for adults, $3 for kids and free for children under the age of 5. Events kick off with steam train rides that are featured from 11:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. every day of the festival. But this year, there’s a special anniversary to be celebrated, Barchi said. This year, the Snoqualmie Depot celebrates 125 years of service at 10:45 a.m. Aug. 16 — it’s one of the longest currently operating depots in the state. There will be a short ceremony, with speeches from Northwest Railway Museum President Dennis Snook, followed by some words from the city via Snoqualmie City Councilman Bob Jeans. The event will also feature a look at steam and diesel engine locomotives. Following the speeches, Mike Seal, of Sigillo Cellars, will present the commemorative wine “CAB 125” officially. Afterward, guests are invited to enjoy cake and lemonade at the depot. See RAILROAD, Page 10
Festival at Mount Si returns Aug. 7-9 By alinescardboard.com
Aline Bloch uses her preferred construction material, cardboard, to make something new. by all the wasted materials he saw on job sites while working as a general contractor. He often tried to find some use for what was being thrown away. “I realized I had been an upcycler for many years but didn’t really know it,” he said. Upcyclepost.com has been around for five years but only
recently opened it’s online marketplace. Howe lives in Issaquah but the headquarters for Upcyclepost are located in downtown Snoqualmie. The online users can buy materials, sell upcycled products and share ideas and inspiration See UPCYCLE, Page 2
The Festival at Mount Si is coming back to North Bend this weekend, August 7-9. This year, there are several new events that should bring even more fun, including a wife-carrying race and a volleyball tournament that teams can sign up for the day of the tournament. On Friday, the festival hosts the Big Bend Bash — a free, all-ages concert with youth bands from Snoqualmie, Kent, Kenmore and Mercer Island from 6-9 p.m. at the Si View Community Center. After the concert, anyone is welcome to participate in the
Glow Light Walk, a walking torch light parade at Si View Park using glow stick costumes. As is tradition, there will also be a play area for kids, food booths, arts and crafts, and a beer garden. Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER