A 12 • Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
LE ADER SPECIAL FOCUS
‘We are where we are’
Brinnon Food Bank featured in video
KATIE KOWALSKI NEWS@PTLEADER.COM
N
estled in thick evergreens woods and surrounded by rivers, Brinnon is the last place where one would think of the word “desert.” But when it comes to daily food access, Brinnon is barren. It’s a “food desert,” specifically. The term is a federal designation, and it applies to Brinnon because the small town is situated about 40 miles away from any grocery store. Within this low-income pocket of Jefferson County, where the population is just over 800 and driving 80 miles for meals is costly, the Brinnon Food Bank flourishes. Run by Eloise and Michael Langenbach and more than 30 volunteers, the food bank serves about nine families (200 people) a week. This summer, the food bank was spotlighted in a short video produced by New York organization WhyHunger in partnership with Hunger Is and with Northwest Harvest, a Washington state program that supplies food to Brinnon and other state food banks twice a month. The video demonstrates what Northwest Harvest is doing statewide to alleviate hunger in partnership with food banks like Brinnon’s.
HUNGRY KIDS “It was pretty eye-opening for them just how far away from the city of Seattle we are,” said Eloise Langenbach of what she observed when the WhyHunger crew arrived to document on a Tuesday this past June. Langenbach said someone from Northwest Harvest pitched Brinnon’s food bank as one to feature because of the community it exemplified: a community where everyone helps each other, she said. It also was chosen as a successful example of the recently implemented Northwest Harvest Kids Summer Program, which is featured in the video. “It is a great program,” Langenbach said of the summer food program that fills hungry bellies when kids are out of school. From June 1 to Sept. 1 of this year, 25 kids ranging in age from 3 to 18 benefited, Langenbach said. Students do not need to be enrolled in a school to participate, only to prove a need for food. SENIORS FREQUENT PATRONS Some of the aims of the partnership project that produced the video are to confront the
This photo, taken on a day of filming at the Brinnon Food Bank, shows Jennifer Filmer and her son, Brennan, who are food bank patrons. “She has been one of the most quiet people I’ve ever known – she has just become herself,” said food bank director Eloise Langenbach of Filmer. “This has just been remarkable to see her blossom like that.” The Brinnon Food Bank was recently featured in a WhyHunger video on its website. The video focuses on food banks that partner with Northwest Harvest, a statewide program, to alleviate hunger. Photo courtesy WhyHunger.org
For more information Watch the film: tinyurl.com/yboromsv Visit the food bank: The food bank is open every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Brinnon Community Center at 306144 U.S. Highway 101.
WAVE gets bigger
A free Thanksgiving dinner is planned for 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 23, also at the community center. All are welcome to attend and bring something to share. For reservations, call Sandy at the center at 796-4350.
root causes of hunger and also address food waste. In Brinnon, Langenbach said, it’s the cost of gas to travel and buy food coupled with lack of employment that drives people to the food bank. “[Brinnon is] not a place to look for employment, unless you cut wood or do yard maintenance or gutter cleaning,” she said. This June, Brinnon distributed 15,877 pounds of food to 731 people: 16 infants, 131 children, 217 adults and 367 seniors. Langenbach pointed out that it’s the seniors, paying their medical bills and on fixed incomes, who are the most frequent patrons. As for food waste, that isn’t a problem at the Brinnon Food Bank. When fruits and veggies start going bad, they’ll give them to a neighboring farmer for livestock. “We recycle everything,” Langenbach said. Recently, when a Food Service of America (FSA) truck tipped over while traveling over the pass and all the frozen food spilled onto the
Eloise Langenbach manages the food bank along with her husband, Michael. Photo courtesy WhyHunger.org
AS LONG AS IT TAKES Langenbach said that she, like many, loves the area of Brinnon, but mourns its lack of opportunity and wants to see a business established that would put inexperienced people to work. She’d
highway, Langenbach’s son, who works for FSA, called his parents to see if they wanted food that would otherwise be disposed of. “We loaded over 4,000 pounds of food for our food bank,” Langenbach said.
Brinnon Food Bank, along with the Port Townsend, TriArea and Quilcene food banks, benefited from the WAVE Food Drive that is organized each year by area churches. “We were really pleased this year,” said Eloise Langenbach, co-manager of the Brinnon Food Bank. The final financial total for the WAVE Food Drive is $22,748, a 60 percent increase over last year’s total of $14,182, according to WAVE coordinator Skip Cadorette and Jefferson County Food Bank Association board president Philip Flynn. The board also reported a nonperishable-food donation weight of 1,800 pounds. Last year, the total amount of nonperishable food donated weighed 1,589 pounds. Cadorette noted that Ann Bambrick and her Kala Point neighbors outdid themselves by raising a total of $12,025. “This is an excellent return on all of our efforts,” said Cadorette in an email of thanks. “Thank you to everyone for making it possible for our hungry neighbors to fill their cupboards with not only food, but dignity and neighbor-love.”
60 Years of
United Good Neighbors of Jefferson County United Good Neighbors’ 60th Anniversary Campaign continues! By giving to UGN you give to local nonprofits across Jefferson County working to meet the basic human needs of those who need it most. It’s not too late! Give today at www. weareugn.org or mail your check to our office.
also love to see a day clinic so seniors in particular didn’t have to drive to town as often. “We are where we are, and we chose to be here,” she said. “But there’s a lot of people that didn’t choose to live the life they’re leading. You just don’t know when things are going to turn your life around.” Langenbach told a story of one woman who had in the past been a volunteer of the food bank. She now has brain cancer and is undergoing her third round of chemotherapy, traveling to Seattle for treatment. “Now she’s a patron [of the food bank],” Langenbach said. “That’s what we’re there for.” The food bank is there to help in any way it can, and Langenbach is deeply appreciative of support it’s received both local and statewide. She’s also proud of her 33 volunteers, who help out weekly and drive about 4,500 miles a month to pick up food. “How long can you do this?” Langenbach, who is 73, said she sometimes asks herself. She paused, then answered: “I guess as long as it takes.”
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Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
Wednesday, November 22, 2017 • A 13
GO O D WO R KS
Olympic Neighbors makes progress in adult family home Nonprofit aims to care for adults with developmental disabilities KIRK BOXLEITNER KBOXLEITNER@PTLEADER.COM For close to a decade, Olympic Neighbors has been working to care for adults with developmental disabilities whose families can no longer provide that care, and this year the nonprofit has taken a significant step in that process. “The state assists with their finances, but typically depends on the families of these people to care for them in their own homes,” said Al Latham, treasurer of Olympic Neighbors. “Past a certain point, though, aging parents simply aren’t able to take care of their adult children.” To that end, Olympic Neighbors’ goal has been to set up an “adult family home,” named Hamilton House, for six adults with developmental disabilities. Latham reported that the nonprofit found a suitable house a year ago, and has been leasing it “at a low rate” since then, in addition to converting its garage into two bedrooms. From there, Olympic Neighbors began the licensing process with the state Department of Social and Health Services in May. “We were told it would take three months from there, but it turned out what they meant was it would take three months before they would look at our application,” Latham said. Olympic Neighbors has already invested an estimated $30,000 in renovations to the property, since the accessibility standards for an adult family home exceed those of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Olympic Neighbors staff, volunteers and clients celebrated Halloween this year in the nonprofit’s Hamilton House adult family home. Photo courtesy of Al Latham
“We couldn’t have raised those funds without some incredible community support,” Latham said. “The Kiwanis, the Rotary, United Good Neighbors and our local churches have all pitched in.” Latham expects he’ll have to continue to call upon the community’s generosity even after the adult family home is fully underway. Even with the state providing two-thirds of its funding, he estimates Olympic Neighbors could be on the hook for as much as $70,000 in funding each year. “We won’t know the exact amount until the licensing process is complete, and the state determines how much funding DSHS
“Our goal is not just to provide a house, but a real home.” Al Latham TREASURER OLYMPIC NEIGHBORS
will provide for each resident.” The adult family home already had a “soft opening” in September, when two of its residents moved in and began paying rent. Olympic Neighbors has hired a site manager, but its full staff is set to include two full-time and at least four part-time
staff members. “And of course, we’ll have opportunities for volunteers to come in and help as well,” Latham said. “We need to provide 24/7 coverage for our residents.” Although Olympic Neighbors has conducted fundraisers at the Pourhouse and the Hilltop Tavern, those who wish to contribute still have a chance to do so this weekend, during the arts and crafts fair at the Port Townsend Community Center, Nov. 24-25. “We had someone who donated the crafts they made to us, for us to sell,” Latham said. “Our goal is not just to provide a house, but a real home.”
HOLIDAY EVENTS Here’s what’s happening for the holidays in Jefferson County. For a complete listing, see the Gift Wishes and Holiday Happenings guide published in this week’s Leader. To add to this list, which is to be published in upcoming editions of The Leader, email news@ ptleader.com.
Santa Claus is coming to Quilcene The 15th annual Gift & Craft Sale in Quilcene is set for 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 25 in the Quilcene Community Center, 294952 U.S. Highway 101.
Boy Scouts are to sell their holiday wreaths, and there is to be a variety of goodies as well as a gift raffle. Proceeds benefit the food bank, Boy Scouts and Booster Club. For more information, call Anne Ricker at 360-765-4447.
offer treats, and many shops are open until 7 p.m.
Celebrate Small Business Saturday Main Street Small Business Saturday & Merchant Holiday Open House is set for Nov. 25. Celebrate local businesses in this nationwide event. Wild Rose Chorale carols in the streets from 2 to 4 p.m., stores
Festival of Lights set to glow The Festival of Lights takes place Dec. 1-3. Hours are noon-5 p.m., Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday; and 1-5 p.m.,
Sunday at Unity Spiritual Enrichment Center, 3918 San Juan Ave. The event includes gifts, crafts, cookie bazaar, soups and beverages, silent auction, astrology readings and psychic readings.
Go gift shopping at PT holiday crafts fair The 27th annual Holiday Arts and Crafts sale is set for 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday-Saturday, Nov. 24-25 at the Port Townsend Community Center, 620 Tyler St. More than 60 local and regional artists and craftspeople offer their work on three floors of the center. The annual event is sponsored by the Port Townsend Arts Guild. A portion of all sales supports the food bank, according to a press release.
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A 14 • Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
GO O D WO R KS Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at The Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader!
This time of year can be especially difficult for people who have lost a loved one. A holiday gift to the Hospice Foundation in memory of your loved one will help provide vital hospice services to others now and in the future. Mail donations to: The Hospice Foundation for Jefferson Healthcare 2500 W. Sims Way, Ste. 300 Port Townsend, WA 98368 or give through our web-site www.hospicefoundationjhc.org
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Medicare Open Enrollment ends December 7
Get FREE, unbiased one-on-one help before it’s too late!
Our trained SHIBA (Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors) volunteers can help you review your current Medicare plans and compare your options for 2018 coverage. Attend a free walk-in clinic at one of the following locations: Tuesday, Nov. 28; 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Tuesday, Dec. 5, 12 pm - 3 pm Tri-Area Community Center Port Townsend Community Center 10 West Valley Rd., Chimacum 620 Tyler Street, Port Townsend Sponsored by your local SHIBA volunteers
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Thank You Dove House would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all of the individuals, organizations and businesses that support our services.
You are the reason we can continue to provide the resources that truly make a difference for families seeking safe, healthy and meaningful lives.
Toni Marie Austin Boutilier (back, right), with husband Aaron and daughters Claudia (left) and Adalynn (right). The girls are wearing pink T-shirts that announce their support for their mom, who is fighting breast cancer. Photo by Allison Arthur
On gratitude
Fighting cancer, with the help of family, friends and community
HURDLES I was scared that there was no way we could handle all of the hurdles we were going to have to jump over. I was running every scenario and outcome through my mind. I was panicking about money, Editor’s note: The Leader welcomes sto- treatment decisions, missing work, and ries from the community that offer a glimpse how to not let this battle hurt my children into life in Jefferson County. Send contribu- and husband. I was determined to never tions of no more than 600 words to Allison let cancer destroy the life I had worked so Arthur at aarthur@ptleader.com or The hard to build. But I had to accept that I Leader, 226 Adams St., Port Townsend, WA could not do it on my own. That is when my community proved 98368. that I didn’t need to ask for help. They were already there, stepping up and setTo understand the magnitude of my gratitude, first understand that for so long ting wheels in motion. They set up the GoFundMe account to I have felt invisible, when all I wanted to help cover the massive medical bills, drove do was make a difference. me to my many appointThe support and love I ments for treatment, sent have received from family, cards and gifts, posted friends and this comsupport on social media, munity during my fight filled Facebook with so against breast cancer has much pink it was all I saw my heart overflowing. for days, and setting up the Growing up in a small meal train so I had one less town makes it harder in worry after surgery. some ways, especially for The outpouring of love the little girl who doesn’t TONI MARIE AUSTIN and support from every make friends well and is BOUTILIER single person is more than I easy to tease. I was called ever expected. names, had my lunch MY STORY So here I sit, merely money stolen, even had halfway through this fight, someone throw a muffin at filled with so much gratimy head as I was walking tude and love, my heart overflows with down the road. Children are relentless tears of absolute joy and thankfulness. I when they find an easy target. The constant teasing from such a young know what it is to be truly blessed. age, being judged before they even knew COMMUNITY, FAMILY who I was, left me feeling alone. I didn’t Thank you for joining me on this have many friends growing up, and that journey, for being my support, my cheercontinued as I got older. I went through leaders and most of all, for being my my wild phase, but always felt that somefriends. I can never thank you enough for thing was missing. the support. It would take me 100 pages to list all of you by name. HELPING OTHERS But at the top of my list are my I just felt there was something else I parents, Brian and Tina Austin, and my was meant to do, and I wanted to make in-laws, Jan and Chet Boutilier. Jan took a difference. All I have ever wanted to do was help people. I wanted to be the person me to all my appointments in Seattle, and Chet took me to every single chemoI needed when I was growing up. therapy and sat with me the whole time. I was blessed with the opportunity to And my sister Liz Lawson, brother work with children at an amazing school, where I started fundraisers and did every- Michael Austin and sister-in-law Jennifer Driscoll, who created the GoFundMe page. thing I could think of to help make our Dr. David Harris let me come to him community a better place: shoe drives for with a question or concern and gave me children, hygiene packs for the homeless, dinners at the shelter, and delivering food comfort. Massage therapist Suzanne Carlson always made time to get me and blankets to the homeless. in, even at the last moment. The entire All of these things I did to make the community in which my children are grow- oncology team took such good care of me. ing up a better place; to make a difference The Port Townsend School District has supported me. in the lives of children. It brought me so And Sea Marine was caring and undermuch happiness to be able to help others standing, and gave my husband time to and give back. take care of me. My children, Claudia and Adalynn, THE TEST gave me extra hugs, kisses and love. Then, on April 7, 2017, I received My husband, Aaron, truly is my hero. I the news that I needed to be retested could have never gotten through this withafter having a breast exam. I had breast out him. I’d marry him 100 times over. cancer. I was terrified, confused and so And there are so many more people to angry, but what happened next proved thank. that everything I had done, every test of Thanksgiving is coming up, and I am my childhood, every struggle in my young thankful for so much. adult life, every person I have ever met, and every trial of patience and faith were Toni Marie Austin Boutilier works as to prepare me for this fight. a special education paraprofessional at This is where I became the most grateGrant Street Elementary School in Port ful woman in the world. This is where I Townsend. She had surgery last Friday, realized that the community I grew up in, and have chosen to raise my family within, Nov. 17. The photo above was taken the day before surgery. is the family I never knew I had.
Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
Wednesday, November 22, 2017 • A 15
G O O D WO R KS
Quilcene’s ‘cookie lady’ Former Detroit resident finds happiness in ‘Shangri-La’
The Car Wash & The Clothes Wash
are truly grateful to the many organizations which provide opportunities to support programs & events that benefit us all! Centrum, Port Townsend Film Festival, Jeffco Aquatic Coalition, Port Townsend High School Redhawk Swim Team, Port Townsend Rotary, the Port Townsend Food Bank, Kiwanis, OlyCAP and many others
Your business means we can give back & create positive change in our community! Thank YOU!
VIVIANN KUEHL CONTRIBUTOR
MASONS TO THE RESCUE “Not only did they say OK, but two Masons donated $100 of the $125 rental fee,” noted McClain. “I want to thank them publicly and personally for allowing me to use the space. The party will continue!” And this year, continue it did, with a bigger space and a broader range of guests. “I got some high school and older kids for the first time this year,” she said. Some have aged into that category. “It’s fun,” said Blake Goff, 15, who’s been attending since
Sharon McClain brought a wagon-load of her home-baked cookies to give away at the Quilcene Fair. Here, she bestows some on Quilcene Fire Rescue personnel. Photo by Viviann Kuehl
he was 10. Other kids called McClain “awesome.” And she is. “She makes it fun for the kids,” said Catrina Wetzel. “It gives them somewhere safe to be, with fun food.” McClain does all the work herself, as a matter of principle. She bakes batches of cookies, cakes, cupcakes and other treats in the week before the party, as she is able, and then freezes them for the big day. She has a collection of Halloween decorations, bought, donated and found at garage sales over the past years. At this year’s party, an array of tempting treats lined one wall of the dining area. Although the posted names, included Boo Cakes, Smashed Pumpkin Cookies, Coffin Cake, Poison Apples with Antidote #6, Toxic Punch, Rotten Cake, Red-eyed Monster Cookies and Green-eyed Monster Cookies sound horrific, the ingredients (listed under the names) are standard, and McClain confesses that she adds fresh vegetables, such as fresh and organic pumpkin, carrots and zucchini, to sneak in some health benefits. ROLE MODEL IN DETROIT McClain grew up in Detroit with three good cooks – her mother, aunt and great-aunt – who taught her how to cook and bake, and passed on those skills. Her mother was a great role model, said McClain. Her mother started as a janitor, got a degree in business and then took an apprenticeship through a program to help women gain employment. Following that, she became the first black woman to be a high-pressure boiler operator in Detroit. “I learned about everything from them,” said McClain gratefully. In high school, she took welding, woodworking, tailoring and auto mechanic classes to make up for the absence of a father to show her things she wanted to know. “I was going to be completely
“I’m happy here. I consider Quilcene to be paradise. In Detroit, I was a workaholic. Now I’m retired. I have fun.” Sharon McClain “COOKIE LADY” QUILCENE
prepared,” she recalled with a chuckle. She went on to become a truck driver, city bus driver and heavy equipment operator. Her last job was as a Detroit Refuse Collection packer operator. “It was essentially a oneman garbage truck,” she explained. On the side, she had a small business, taking orders for cookies and cakes. “I was a workaholic, and then one day, I fell into a pothole so big it had its own ZIP code,” said McClain. The jolt from the accident smacked her head against the cab roof and she sustained upper back injuries. That was in January 2000. She hit another pothole 18 months later. “This one I couldn’t see because it was all underwater from flooding,” said McClain. She was injured again. With screws and plates in her upper back, and pain, she could no longer work. That August, her mother died. A friend living in Sequim invited her out for some consoling and cajoling in September. “I’d never been out here,” she said. “I didn’t know anything, but when I got off the plane, I fell in love with the place. My friend drove me around, to mountains that I’d never seen before, and the forests. It was amazing.” After 42 years in Detroit, she was sick of city life. In June 2001, she bought
her place in Quilcene. In 2002, her Detroit house sold, and with her dog, a van and a U-Haul trailer, she drove across the country in April 2003. Her new house was delivered in December 2003. “I’m happy here. I consider Quilcene to be paradise,” said McClain. “In Detroit, I was a workaholic. Now I’m retired. I have fun. “To establish myself and to meet and greet people, I just started to bake cookies and hand them out for free. “To tell the truth, I only had work friends in Detroit. I consider myself reborn out here.” Now McClain claims tons of friends. Last year, she was sick for the Christmas tree lighting. But that sickness inspired her to change her lifestyle and her diet, with the help of some of those friends. “Now I’m natural and organic, and I dropped the weight I’d been trying to lose for a long time. I’m following the paleo diet. Paleo’s the way to go. If you can’t catch it, kill it or grow it, don’t eat it,” she said. She is learning how to fish, taking trips to Neah Bay with a fisherman friend. “I’m not a squeamish type of woman. I stick my hands into it,” she said. She is also learning to hunt, and is making very delicious venison, but that doesn’t mean the cookies will stop. “I use cookies as a bargaining chip. I give Bob Rosen cookies, then he gives me whatever I want, and then he goes on a diet,” she explained with a laugh. “I was making cookies when I got here,” said McClain. “I’m handy with a hammer, so I offered to help rebuild the Quilcene Community Center, which was a construction project at that time, and Bob Rosen said ‘No, why don’t you bake cookies?’ And that’s how I got started.” There’s no end in sight. “I will be here till the day I die,” claimed McClain. “This town is basically it for me. My Shangri-La. That’s what I call it.”
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When Sharon McClain first visited Washington, her mother had just died, she was suffering from a work-related injury to her upper back, and things were not looking good. Still, she fell in love with the state. That transformative experience carried her into a new life, and an identity as Quilcene’s “cookie lady.” McClain has made it her mission to spread joy through cookies. At the Quilcene Fair, she distributed 1,100 morsels of joy. She is regularly seen at community events giving out her home-baked cookies. And she has developed her own signature event, a Halloween party, with cookies and more, all for the taking. “I enjoy getting into it,” said McClain. When she first moved to Quilcene, she noticed that there were no Halloween parties for young people. “I asked [Quilcene Community Center director] Bob Rosen a few years later if I could have a party, and he said, ‘Why not?’” McClain recalled. “That’s how it got started.” Last year, when she hosted her 10th Halloween event with more than 100 attendees, 80 at a time, in the community center, she realized she’d outgrown the space. “I needed a new location because it outgrew the Community Center. There are only so many people allowed in the center at one time because of fire safety rules,” she explained. She asked for space at the school, but an insurance requirement and conflicting schedules put that option out of reach. “My mom always said, ‘Never let one monkey stop your show.’ It’s good advice,” said McClain. So, she asked the Masons about their space, and they agreed.
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Helping Our Communities Heal
Are you one of the 21% of Jefferson County residents with a disability? This is the website to help you find
- Accessible entertainment and restaurants - Map of accessible streets in Port Townsend - Services, support groups, ADA info & more New! DASH Accessible Port Townsend Trails Guide, an ongoing project
Does your business or organization serve Jefferson County? Go to the DASH website to find services to increase your accessibility DASH can help you - get in touch
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Support Support your your community community Buy a Rotary Buy a Rotary Wreath Wreath Available at
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QuimperMercantile: Mercantile: Friday. Nov. 24-Sunday Nov. 26 Quimper Fri Nov 24th – Sun Nov 26th or call 360-301-0501 or 360-301-0501 or www.PortTownsendRotary.org or www.PortTownsendRotary.org
Rotary Supports: Dove House, The Boiler Room, Jumping Mouse, the ROTARY SUPPORTS: Dove House, Food Bank, Key City Public Theatre, ECCHO, KPTZ, COAST, PT Marine The Science Boiler Room, Jumping Mouse, Center, Community Boat Project and many more.
the Food Bank, Key City Public Theater, ECCHO, KPTZ, COAST, Marine Science Ctr, Community Boat Project ...and many more
A 16 • Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
GO O D W ORKS
Habitat For Humanity thanks our Local Construction Partners All Weather Roofing Alpha Builder Bruner Drywall Carl’s Building Supply, Inc. City of Port Townsend Edensaw Woods, Ltd. Good Man Sanitation Groves & Co. GTS Interior Supply Hadlock Building Supply Henery Do it Best Hardware Henery’s Hener Garden Center Kimball Woodworks Olympic Boat Transfer Reed Residential Electrical LLC Secret Gardens Shold Excavating Short’s Family Farm Swift Plumbing and Heating Inc. Terrapin Architecture PC Thacker & Son Construction Tracy’s Insulation
Turkey day
Shirley Moss with the Port Townsend Food Bank holds up one of 350 turkeys donated by Arrow Lumber on Monday, Nov. 20. “Without these, we’d be scrambling and spending a fortune to get turkeys to pass out,” Moss said of the donated turkeys. “Last year, we did over 400 families,” Moss said, adding that every year they have been serving more and more families. Volunteers with Grey Wolf Ranch helped move the turkeys. Moss said it was the 10th year that Arrow Lumber has donated the turkeys. The turkeys are to be handed out on Wednesday, Nov. 23, along with other holiday food, such as rolls, squash, cranberries, green beans, carrots and canned pumpkin for making pies. She said 90 food bank volunteers regularly work a total of about 1,600 hours every month to run the food bank. Photo by Chris Tucker
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Volunteers, donations, and students are welcome! Make a contribution online at www.sunfieldfarm.org (360) 385-3658 · info@sunfieldfarm.org P.O. Box 85 · Port Hadlock, WA 98339 Sunfield is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit
Hands Down. The Leader in Local Marketing. . 360.385.2900 ,
Free Thanksgiving dinner offered Nov. 22 A free Thanksgiving dinner is planned for Wednesday, Nov. 22, the day before Thanksgiving, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, which regularly hosts Just Soup on Wednesdays. This is the eighth year of “Just Soup – Thanksgiving,” which is open to anyone who wants or needs a place to enjoy a homestyle turkey meal with all the trimmings. The event is open to the community from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Meat eaters, as well as vegans and vegetarians, will find a hearty, warm meal and great conversation at this communitywide event, according to a press release. Volunteers from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church begin preparations days in advance, so everything is ready to serve Wednesday at noon. Parishioners and community members donate food, cash and time to make this annual event possible. The event usually attracts 135-150 people each year,
Food Bank Farm & Gardens FBFG
PO Box 1432 Port Townsend, WA 98368
Over the past six years, Food Bank Gardens and their devoted volunteers have delivered over 20 TOns of freshly-picked organic produce to our local Food Banks and other places that feed those in need. You can help us continue this expanding production by volunteering your time and/or your dollars for organic fertilizer, tools, seeds, compost, etc.
Mail your donation to our P.O. Box. You can sign up to help at ptfoodbankgarden.com or call 360-531-4955.
ECHHO is About Compassion! Ecumenical Christian Helping Hands Organization
A United Good Neighbors Supported Agency providing free transporta�on, chores, social support, minor household repairs and medical equipment.
ECHHO just celebrated our 20th anniversary! During this �me, we provided assistance to over 6,000 of East Jefferson County’s elderly, disabled and those with limited financial means. Serving an average of 177 people monthly, we provide help with errands, chores, minor household repairs, loans of medical equipment and rides to medical appointments. ECHHO is a secular organiza�on helping our clients live healthy, independent lives with dignity. The need for our service is constantly growing, yet we con�nue to provide outstanding care, thanks to our volunteers and the financial support we receive from those who see the importance of our vital services. 82% of our funding comes from the generous people of our community! ECHHO always needs more volunteers, and there are many diverse tasks with which you can help. To find out about volunteering or to donate, please call us, at 360.379.3246, or visit us at www.echhojc.org. THANK YOU for keeping ECHHO growing and helping!
including people in need, community residents and even visitors to our local area. St. Paul’s Church is at the corner of Jefferson and Tyler streets in uptown Port Townsend. Call 360385-0770 for information.
Tri-Area Community Center serves dinners Thanksgiving dinner organizer Rita Hubbard wants the community to know that she doesn’t need any more volunteers for the Tri-Area Community Center’s free dinner from noon to 3 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 23. “We already have 100 folks, and we hope to use them all,” said Hubbard, who also thanked 35-year chef Tim Wetherill for stepping in to cook this year’s meals. In previous years, Hubbard and her volunteers have served Thanksgiving dinners to as many as 300 people, including takeout orders. She estimated that this year’s takeout orders already number 70, and welcomes anyone in need of a takeout order to call 360-390-4014, ext. 4. “As for our sit-in diners, no reservations are needed,” Hubbard said. “It’s first come, first served. You might have to wait for a table, but not that long.” Meals are free, although donations are accepted. “You can donate anything from a quarter to $100,” Hubbard said. “Jefferson Healthcare donated $1,000, and the Rotary and various banks also made donations. Plus, the Tri-Area Community Center donated the space.”
Feast for free at The Boiler Room The Boiler Room is hosting a free Thanksgiving feast at 3
p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 23. The meal includes turkey, ham and side dishes. Are all welcome to attend. Potluck-style additions are welcome, too. The Boiler Room is located at 711 Water St. in downtown Port Townsend. The Boiler Room also hosts a benefit from 1 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25, featuring live music by Caveman Cyborg, Ralph Baker Blues and Frogs.
Dine in Brinnon A free Thanksgiving dinner is set for 3 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 23 at the Brinnon Community Center. All are welcome to attend and bring something to share. For reservations, call Sandy at the center at 360-796-4350. The community center is located at 306144 U.S. Highway 101.
Strick a pose for the food bank The Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Social Justice Council sponsors its annual Thanksgiving Day Yoga Benefit for the Port Townsend Food Bank at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 23 in the QUUF sanctuary at 2333 San Juan Ave. The 90-minute class is to be taught by Terry Wagner. Shirley Moss, manager of the PT Food Bank, reports that November is the busiest month, with the Wednesday before Thanksgiving being the busiest day of the year for them. A $1 donation buys 25 pounds of food from Food Life Line, a clearinghouse that provides surplus food to qualified charitable organizations. In addition to monetary donations, the food bank needs feminine hygiene products, according to a press release. Those attending need to bring a yoga mat and any other props they require. Contact Wagner at telwag@me.com.
Major Donors United Good Neighbors First Federal Community Foundation Olympic Area Agency on Aging Washington Department of Transportation Puyallup Tribe of Indians Jefferson Healthcare NW Community Transportation Association St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish Wells Fargo Whitney Foundation Peninsula Cancer Center Brinnon Community Church Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Community United Methodist Church First Baptist Church First Presbyterian Church Lutheran Church of the Redeemer New Life Church Port Townsend Friends Meeting Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish Trinity United Methodist Church Unity Church of Port Townsend and Hundreds of Generous Individuals
12-4pm Marrowstone Vineyards 423 Meade Rd, Nordland
Silent Auction • Raffles • Local Artists & Artisans Music with the Alternators • Support a good cause!
Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
Wednesday, November 22, 2017 • A 17
GO O D WO R KS
PT writer in ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’
Sailor, U.N. volunteer recalls Bosnian elections work
“I was torn by conflicting thoughts. Bosnia may be dangerous; do I really want to put myself in that kind of situation?”
BY CHRIS TUCKER CTUCKER@PTLEADER.COM A Port Townsend freelance writer has learned to say “yes” to risk and adventure. John Dwyer worked as a United Nations volunteer as an election supervisor for the first postwar elections in Bosnia. He wrote a bit about his experiences in a chapter of “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Step Outside Your Comfort Zones – 101 Stories about Trying New Things, Overcoming Fears and Broadening Your World.” The chapter is titled JOHN DWYER “Electing Risk” and begins on page 248. “I do some writing, freelance writing, and I do a lot of international work,” Dwyer said. “They were looking for people to talk about how they took risks in life and how it worked out,” he said of the book. So he wrote about his life and work as a U.N. volunteer. He does not know the book’s author, Amy Newmark. “I don’t know anyone at Chicken Soup for the Soul, frankly. I just submitted my article, and they accepted it,” Dwyer said. He is to be paid for the work, and he feels good about his entry. AFTER 50 When Dwyer was “past 50” in the early 1990s, he and his friend Ellen served in the Peace Corps in Guatemala. In 1996, she called him on the phone. “Would you like to go to Bosnia?” she asked.
John Dwyer FREELANCE WRITER
“Bosnia? Are you crazy?” He wrote about his concerns in the book. “I was torn by conflicting thoughts. Bosnia may be dangerous; do I really want to put myself in that kind of situation?” he wrote.
But more positive kinds of thoughts “began tiptoeing into my mind … I do like challenges … in the end, the positive thoughts won,” he wrote. Dwyer called her to accept the invitation. His work in the Bosnian elections
kicked off another 20 years’ worth of elections work across the world. “Lots of them,” he said. “It got me started on a whole new path just by taking that risk,” Dwyer said. “[He’s volunteered in] Most of the Balkan countries: Romania and Macedonia and Serbia, Kosovo. I can’t think of all them,” Dwyer said, before immediately listing a few more: Russia, Ukraine, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt. Dwyer also writes for his website, Over 50 and Overseas (over50andoverseas.com). “That’s kind of my base,” he said. He said it’s a common misconception that because one is older, that person cannot do “this or that.” He said he just got back from working three months for FEMA, helping deal with the damage from Hurricane Harvey. Dwyer said he’s lived in Port Townsend for about 12 years. His son, Devin Dwyer, first came to the Wooden Boat Festival in the 1970s. Now the family owns a home here. “Sailing is what brought us up here.… I’ve done yacht deliveries myself.” “I just keep moving, you know.”
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at The Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader!
A 18 • Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
go o d wo r ks
Students can apply for maritime scholarship Leader Staff news@ptleader.com The Port Townsend Yacht Club 2018 Maritime Scholarship application form is now available for those interested in maritime-related education. This includes but is not limited to marine biology, fisheries, boatbuilding and repair, dive training, ship operations and deckhand training. “The Port Townsend Yacht Club is proud to be able to raise funds for such a worthy cause,” Commodore Duane Madinger said. “Last year, we were able to give scholarship awards to six deserving individuals, with an average award of $1,250 each.” The yacht club has been raising money for its annual Maritime Scholarship fund for the past 25 years. Its applicants range across a broad spectrum of maritime areas. Among last year’s applicants, two were enrolling in the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, one was continuing seamanship education, another was enrolling in the Seafarers International Union apprentice program, and one was returning to Western Washington University to study ecology and salmon restoration. Applications can be accessed electronically from the Port Townsend Yacht Club website at ptyc.net, or the Washboard scholarship match website at washboard.org. Applicants must either reside in Jefferson County or attend a qualified program within the county. Applications must be postmarked or emailed no later than Jan. 22, 2018. Applicants are slated to be notified by Feb. 15, 2018. For more information, contact Elizabeth Eisenhardt of the Port Townsend Yacht Club Scholarship Committee. Her email is echaney@ marketcatalystgroup. com. Her cell phone is 415-359-5091.
Interact in action
ABOVE: Chimacum High School Interact Club celebrated World Interact Week by helping residents at San Juan Villa Memory Care Center paint pumpkins for Halloween. The club also presented Carl Main, one of the residents, with a package of selfcare products they had collected. Pictured are (from left) Lacey Robbins, Willow Mercer, Mariann Eastwood, Polly Nole, Carl Main, Alicia Jones, Marley Music, Emma Craighead and Janae Murray. Interact, sponsored by the East Jefferson Rotary, has five or more projects a year. Members of the club also learned that their seventh ShelterBox, an emergency shelter, has recently been deployed to Syria. Photo courtesy Diane Johnson LEFT: Quilcene High School students Rebecca Carstensen and Ethan Davis harvest kale from the school’s garden. The kale was planted by garden coordinator Erin Yeakel. The school garden also contributes vegetables to the school’s lunch program. Photo courtesy Veda Wilson
Blue Heron students named to honor roll Blue Heron Middle School has released the list of students on the first-term honor roll. Eighth-grade students who achieved a 4.0 GPA are Max A. Allworth-Miles, Gage W. Barry, Tusker J. Behrenfeld, Maya I. Dow, Hailey W. Gallagher, Lochlan S. Krupa, Oscar A. Levine, Nika J. McClellan, Alexander V. Sneddon, Grace Wentzel. Seventh-grade students who earned a 4.0 GPA are Magdaline A. Ferland, Adeline J. Gellert DePalma, Simon Henery, Chloe R.
Lampert, Leona Lee, Sebastian E. Manza, Ashton L. Meyer-Bibbins, Matia Simmons-Reimnitz. Sixth -grade students who achieved a 4.0 GPA are Dare E. Bailey, Ava L. Butterfield, Sylvia G. Butterfield, Aidan S. Dow, Margaret C. Emery, Madelynn D. Geelan, Indigo Gould, Iris K. Mattern, Vittoria S. Sonandre, Hugh T. Wentzel. Eighth-grade students who earned a 3.33-3.99 GPA are Rachel L. Allan, Mark R. Anderson, Aurin Asbell, Peyton R. Clanton, Maya R. Feldman,
Talk about a
Win Win Win Refer a friend and split $100 between you, them, and youth financial education. Jermaine Kearse Pro Football Player
Refer a friend to Kitsap Credit Union and when they open a savings and Gold Checking account, not only will we give you and your friend each $33, we’ll also donate $34 to help fund financial education for kids. Which, by the way, is something that both we and professional football player Jermaine Kearse feel is hugely important.
(800) 422-5852
kitsapcu.org
An eligible referral requires a current member and a new member. New members must be 18 years of age and meet Credit Union membership eligibility and account opening requirements. Minimum to open a Gold Checking account is $25.00. Minimum to open a Savings account is $5.00. No minimum balance required. $33 bonus deposited at account opening. $34 donations will accrue and help fund financial education, such as EverFi and It’s A Money Thing, for kids in our communities. Limited to 5 referral incentives per member. Offer good through December 31, 2017. Kitsap Credit Union may be required to report the incentive as taxable income. Federally Insured by NCUA
Abigail E. Haas, Sidda L. Hayes, Savanna S. Hoffmann, Isaac T. Johnson, Emma G. Kane, Emma McAdam, Julia C. Neville, Jeannette B. Patric, Antonio W. Powers, Jerome C. Reaux, Jazmyn O. Taylor, Morgan J. Trail, Taj J. Watson, Madison L. Witheridge. Seventh-grade students who achieved a 3.33-3.99 GPA are Madelyne R. Baker, Kaylee J. Barlow, Annabel R. BenBarak, Eva K. Brady, Finnegan J. Brooks, Adelle G. Carr, Zoe K. Cook, Rosemary S. Crecca, Joseph D’Andrea, Aidan S. Duffy, Elliott D. Erickson, Sophia E. Frank, Briar D. Greene, Riley M. Gregg, Maggie M. Haggar, Leah K. Harrison, William Hiegel, Ace A. Johnson, Halie A. Jones, Madeline Kilgore, Zoe T.
Kjeldgaard, Eunice D. Lee, Zoe R. Lennox, Conner H. Lusk, Lorenzo R. McCleese, Gillian McCracken, Jackson R. Miller, Luna R. Moloitis, Lillian M. Morrison, Opal S. Mugrage, Michael D. Petta, Emerson A. Pirwitz, Kaylen G. Pray, Kerith J. Pray, Chatham A. Rankin, Victoria M. Rincon, Stephanie E. Sanchez, Lillian G. Seton, Samuel L. Sierociuk, Samantha G. Stromberg, Brandon Ward, Mika Waterson, EmmanualWel F. White-Rodriquez, Ashlyn J. Winsheimer,, Roean F. Wright. Sixth-grade students who earned a 3.33-3.99 GPA are Sophie J. Anderson, Addison G. Asbell, Aaron R. Baker-Tisdale JR, Roscoe H. Barry, Britany Bivian Santos, Salvera R. Deane, Tadelech P. Dollarhide, Dakoda W. Drewry, Biaani A. Egeler,
Ellise J. Gardner, Yulidiana Gomez, Sean N. Hammett, Dylan S. Hettle, Elijah F. Hill, Cash P. Holmes, Henri M. Huber, Benjamin D. Lance, Madalyn F. Luzadder, Josephine N. Mack, Isabella M. Mason, Logan C. Mason, Ian E. Matchett, Grady Z. McCary, Ruby S. Mesas, Michael J. Meyering, Javier E. Mora, Savannah O. Nelson, Aidan E. Nichols, Sunny Rae H. Pahrmann, Ava R. Palmer, Grace E. Poole, Jack Quinn, Zachary D. Richards, Stephen Rymer, Aayana L. Salmon, Jade S. Senter, Fiona S. Skidmore, Otto O. Smith, Austin Steele, Izzabella M. Stevenson, Virginia Y. Su, Jaxson C. Sudlow, Rhapsody L. Thetford, Henry S. Trail, Nathan J. Wald, William F. Walden, Sarah D. Ward, Damon M. White-Rodriguez.
You’re invited!
COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEETING
with your JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS and ELECTED OFFICIALS All Meetings Begin at 6:00 p.m. November 27 @ Brinnon Community Center November 30 @ Quilcene Community Center December 4 @ Port Ludlow Beach Club December 14 @ Port Townsend Community Center
Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
Wednesday, November 22, 2017 • A 19
G O O D WO R KS
Quilcene resident Kit Kittredge has been to Gaza six times. She is currently leading an effort to purchase and send solar-powered lanterns to Gaza. Courtesy photo
Illuminating Gaza
Solar-powered lanterns sent to war-torn communities KATIE KOWALSKI NEWS@PTLEADER.COM A group of local people is working to send light outside the county and the country – to Gaza. Quilcene resident Kit Kittredge, known for her peace and human rights work in the cause of Palestine, is leading an effort to purchase and send solar-powered lanterns to Gaza, where the power plant has been bombed by Israel and electricity is available between two and four hours a day, Kittredge said. Lanterns are sent through the program Rebuilding Alliance. “It’s an organization that I’ve donated to in the past,” said Kittredge, who hopes to shine a light on the situation in Gaza while also sending physical light to its citizens through the blockade. “I think many people locally are very aware of the situation in Gaza,” she said. “They would like to [help], but they aren’t sure how. This is a very simple, direct way to show how much we care,” she said. Kittredge has been to Gaza six times. She said that, even after thousands had been bombed and killed with U.S. support and complacency, the people she met “looked me in they eye and said, ‘We know it’s not the people of the U.S. – it’s the government.’” But, Kittredge said, we as citizens of this country are part of the problem, and we can help – with our
voting, activism and support. “It’s about empowering us to effect change for a more peaceful, just society,” Kittredge said. Kittredge is active in her efforts to advise against the Israel Anti-Boycott Act proposed by Congress that local representatives and members of Congress have previously cosponsored. The bill fights a U.N. resolution that urges countries to pressure companies to break contracts with Israel. Boycotting, Kittredge said, is “a very peaceful, effective way of making change.” She noted that she’s already had discussions with a local representative who expressed an interest in changing his mind on the bill. “We need to act,” Kittredge said. We need to make sure the Palestinians know they are not forgotten, she said. Sending light to and illuminating Gaza, she said, is one way to help and be a responsible citizen of the world. Donations can be made online at rebuilding alliance.org. Kittredge said seven local people have been helping to contribute to the effort and encourages others to do so. Those who donate funds also receive a lantern themselves as a reminder. The community is welcome to visit the website, or contact Kittredge directly at marnykit@gmail. com.
We thank all our many dedicated volunteers, who enable us to do what we do Kids & youth programs Book Lovers’ Cafe Community Read Summer Read Book club kits Author talks Book sales
AT A GLANCE 1st Security Bank holds holiday food drive 1st Security Bank is accepting donations at all of its area locations and home lending offices for its annual food drive this holiday season. Donations made at the Hadlock branch through Dec. 31 would support the Tri-Area Food Bank, while donations made at the Port Townsend bank branch support the Port Townsend Food Bank. The Hadlock bank is located at 10 Oak Bay Road; the PT bank is downtown at 734 Water St. Nonperishable food items and cash are welcome. The public is invited to drop off donations during business hours. The bank is matching up to $500 in donations at each location. For more information, including a list of partnering food banks and suggested food items, visit fsbwa.com/schedule/ events-calendar.
HELP US SPREAD JOY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON On behalf of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, the Port Townsend Kiwanis Club and Jefferson Transit will be collecting new, unwrapped toys Saturday, December 2nd ● 9am - 3pm Donations can be dropped off at the Jefferson Transit bus parked on Sims Way at 2409 Jefferson St, Port Townsend in front of the Chamber of Commerce office.
What can we print for you?
Dove House Advocacy Services seeking sponsors to assist families Dove House Advocacy Services is inviting businesses, individuals, clubs and neighbors to encourage families to hope and dream again as they work to rebuild healthier lives this holiday season. Many sponsorship opportunities are available, and there are a variety of ways to participate in helping Dove House continue its mission to provide confidential intervention and advocacy to victims of domestic and sexual violence, and to work for the elimination of violence through education and social change. For more information, call Dove House at 360-385-5292.
We have donated over a Quarter of a Million Dollars to local Jefferson County charities, non-profits, schools, service clubs, etc. It’s not a lot really, but over the course of 20 years it has kind of mounted up. When you buy a print job from SOS you are helping to support your community in more ways than one.
s r a e Y
Compiled Leader staff writer Katie Kowalski.
385-4194 2319 Washington Street sos@olympus.net sosprinting.biz
Jefferson Land Trust is grateful for the generosity of our
Save The Land
27th AnnuAl
Arts & Crafts Fair
business partners!
Nov. 24 & 25 • 10-5
Thank you to... Finnriver Farm & Cidery
PT Community Center
at Lawrence & Tyler • Now 3 floors!
Resort at Port Ludlow
Gold & Silver Jewelry Set With Semi-Precious Gems • Leatherwork Stoneware & Porcelain Pottery • Enameled Jewelry • Woodwork • Fleece & Knitted Clothing • Lampworked Beads • Nuno Felting • Marla’s Candles Vintage Style Aprons • Painted Floorcloths • Carved Wood • Harp CDs • Bags Pine Needle Baskets • Woven Rugs • Scarves • Alpaca Hats Leather Journals • Damascus Steel Knives • Paintings • Felted Slippers Icon Art • Gatheringplace • Carved Salmon and Whale Wall Sculpture
Chimacum Corner Farmstand Port Townsend Food Co-op
LEADER READERS make up more than 60 percent of Jefferson County.
Photo by Al McCleese
Subscribe to print and online. One price. 360.385.2900 or ptleader.com
A portion of each sale benefits the Jefferson County Food Bank. The Port Townsend Arts Guild uses monies raised by booth fees for college scholarships in the arts. ApplicAtions & info: porttownsendArtsguild.org • ptArtsguild@yAhoo.com
A 20 • Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
GOOD W ORKS
A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP
The average U.S. hotel room occupancy rate was about 66% in 2016. Every night, 1.7 million hotel rooms in the U.S. go unused.
There are hundreds of homeless or insecurelyhoused people in Jefferson County. Using the untapped capacity of empty hotel rooms, we can increase the safety and health of our homeless neighbors, and still have room for travelers.
A SOCIAL VENTURE Bayside Housing & Services works with the Old Alcohol Plant to provide safe, temporary supportive housing and services so people in need can secure permanent housing.
When you stay or enjoy a meal at the Old Alcohol Plant Hotel & Restaurant, you are supporting our mission as we assist the local community with the housing crisis in Jefferson County. 310 Hadlock Bay Road, Port Hadlock, WA 98339 • (360) 390-4017
www.baysidehousing.org • www.oldalcoholplant.com
It’s time to sign up for health care insurance in Washington through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. Because of questions this year about the future of the Affordable Care Act, local health care advocates have planned a meeting to educate people about the act and rally volunteers. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28 in Jefferson Healthcare Hospital. Screen shot of Washington Health Benefit Exchange
Got health insurance? Community group aims to answer questions, get coverage for people
Good Cause. Cause Good. Invested in Port Townsend Over the past five years, Kitsap Bank has invested over $2 million and countless volunteer hours into the communities we serve. Share with us how you’re causing good for a good cause in our community at #causegood.
Port Townsend 2365 East Sims Way Port Townsend, WA 98368 360-385-0123
www.kitsapbank.com • 800-283-5537
Save the Date! Saturday, December 2 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
ALL DAY!
The Cannery, 111 Quincy
On the Waterfront behind Northwind Arts Center, Port Townsend
Port Townsend
Wearable Art Show
Pop-Up Boutique and the
Jefferson Healthcare Foundation
Festival of Wreaths Wreaths: for your home or office Artwear: Scarves, hats, jackets, jewelry + Fundraisers for the Fund for Women & Girls and the Jefferson Healthcare Foundation
Gift Ideas Bring your whimsical, green, practical, romantic, fabulous and bargain gift ideas to The Leader’s always popular “Gift Ideas” pages. Published over 3 weeks in early Decembeer. Seen 48,000 times – 16,100 readers per week – AND – on the web in The Leader’s e-edition.
There’s still time to spread
Holiday cheer!!
Gift ideas #1 Ad deadline: Thurs., Nov. 30, 5:00 - Published: Dec. 6 Gift ideas #2 Ad deadline: Thurs., Dec. 7, 5:00 - Published: Dec. 13 New Years #3 Ad deadline: Thurs., Dec. 14, 5:00 - Published: Dec. 20
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Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) coverage in 2014, the share of our neighbors who lack health insurance has dropped from more than 12 percent to about 6 percent in Jefferson County. But that means we still have more than 1,700 people without insurance among us. A group from Citizens for Healthcare Access, part of Local 20/20’s Health and Wellness Action Group, is launching a communitywide campaign to raise awareness about the availability of insurance, what the facts are and what the cost will be. It’s more important than ever this year, given the confusion resulting from the raging political debate in Washington, D.C. You can help. We are eager to mobilize organizations and citizens to help spread the word. Most of us know someone who is uninsured—a son or daughter, friend or maybe a store clerk whom we interact with. If someone isn’t insured through their employer or through a program like Medicare or Medicaid (Apple Health), Washington state’s Health Benefit Exchange is where individuals and families need to turn for health coverage. Open enrollment began Nov. 1 and extends in our state to Jan. 15. (You must enroll by Dec. 15 to have coverage effective Jan. 1.) Due to the elimination of federal cost-sharing reductions and uncertainty in the market generated by this year’s political turmoil, as well as rising medical and pharmaceutical cost
Mark Secord
RESILIENCE REVIEW trends, the average cost of a policy has risen 36 percent in Washington state. That’s particularly bad news for people paying full premium in the individual market. But for lower-income folks, the good news is that tax credit subsidies have risen along with the premiums. Take, for example, a single woman who lives in Port Townsend, is 62 and
Workshop set to help people obtain coverage A workshop for people who want to understand more about health insurance available for individuals and families in 2018 as well as those who want to help in a community-wide effort to get people enrolled is set for 6 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 28 in the Victor J. Dirksen Conference Room of Jefferson Healthcare, 834 Sheridan St. Presenters from Sea Mar Community Health Centers, the lead navigator organization for Jefferson County, answer questions. Information to be covered includes family income levels and what qualifies as income, costs of coverage and the basics on how to navigate Washington Health Planner Finder (wahealthplanfinder. org) as well as how to help people get enrolled.
living on $19,500 per year. With few health issues, she is uninsured and holding out for the day she is covered by Medicare. She assumes the cost of coverage is out of sight, and she wonders, “Isn’t Obamacare collapsing anyway?” With a check on the exchange website, wahealth planfinder.org, she finds a range of plan choices. One of the health plans has a $750 deductible and has a premium of $749 per month, which is beyond her means. But because of her relatively low income, she would receive a $660 tax credit offset, so her net cost is $89 per month. It’s still a lot of money in her budget, but she’s considering it. Plan coverage details and tax credit subsidies vary by age, sex and income. If you or someone you know needs help, visit one of the Sea Mar navigators who are available at the state Department of Social and Health Services office at 915 Sheridan St. on Mondays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Call Sandra Padilla at 253280-9880 or email her at SandraPadilla@seamarchc. org for an appointment. For those 1,700 of our neighbors who are uninsured, our campaign message is simple: You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to check out your options and see if you can afford the cost of health insurance. Mark Secord is current chair of Jefferson County Citizens for Healthcare Access, an arm of the Health and Wellness Action Group of Local 20/20. A resident of Marrowstone Island, he is a retired health administrator, having served as executive director of Neighborcare Health, a community health center in Seattle.
Thank you to all our donors and volunteers that make it possible for Working Image to serve women in need of a new wardrobe. Current needs: Jewelry New and unused cosmetics Boots Handbags
WORKING IMAGE Mt. View Commons, 1925 Blaine Street Working Image is registered with Amazon Smile 360.385.0300 info@workingimage.org
Working Image is a 501(c)3 providing clothing for women in need.
50% off!
360.385.2900
cbrewer@ptleader.com jclark@ptleader.com kyelaca@ptleader.com
We can help grow your business; call The Leader in Local Marketing! . 360.385.2900 ,