February 2016 Latitude 45 by Like Media

February 2016

TRAVEL AND LEISURE

A CROWN JEWEL

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SIP & STROLL IN GIG HARBOR, WA

FEATURE STORY

BROKEN

HEARTS MENDED

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CONTENTS February 2016

Latitude N O RT H W E S T L I V I N G

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Washington Sales and Marketing Director | Julie Reed 253.273.8524 | julie@livinglocal360.com

EDITORIAL

Managing Editor | Patty Hutchens patty@livinglocal360.com Editor | Jani Gonzalez jani@livinglocal360.com

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Creative Director | Whitney Lebsock Senior Designer | Jessica Herbig

SOCIAL MEDIA/EVENTS Media Manager/Events Kelly Williams kelly@livinglocal360.com

Media Intern | Maddie Russo maddie@livinglocal360.com

CONTRIBUTORS Megan Olson â&#x20AC;˘ Lynette Hoy Diane Fetzner

Latitude 45 is published and mailed to targeted neighborhoods in the Pacific Northwest. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher and no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the permission of the publisher.

Feature Story Picture Perfect

6 16 22 26 06 Travel & Leisure A Crown Jewel

16 Arts &

Entertainment

Sip and Stroll in Gig Harbor

22 Feature Story

Broken Hearts Mended

26 Local Flare

Investing in Community

CENTER FOR DENTAL ARTS

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A CROWN JEWEL Glacier National Park

TRAVEL & LEISURE

By Colin Anderson

merica is a land of contrasting features; it’s what makes it beautiful. We are bordered by the world’s greatest oceans, and within our country you find jagged peaks, rugged canyons, rolling prairies and lush green forest. Here there are rivers that meander lazily through dense swamp and others much more torrent that have cut into the earth for millennia. There are lands that stay frozen under ice and deserts so hot that very little life inhabits the vastness. As the great migration West picked up steam in the 1800s, settlers, prospectors, pioneers, homesteaders and fortune seekers stumbled upon a landscape towering in stature compared to

their upbringing along the Atlantic and across the Great Plains. Despite the rush to claim land for homes and mountains for riches, many recognized the incredible uniqueness of the West, realizing that much of this land should stay unspoiled for all to enjoy. Americans pioneered the idea of preserving land and on March 1, 1872, the Yellowstone National Park Act was signed by President Ulysses S. Grant. The act established the world’s first National Park “dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” Yellowstone paved the way for the creation of the National Parks Service and the more than 500 parks,

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Before being established in 1910 as the tenth National Park, Glacier was home to the Blackfeet, Salish and Kootenai tribes. preserves, monuments, sites, historic places, and trails it oversees today. The National Parks Service celebrates its centennial this August and has grown to more than 22,000 employees, and 221,000 passionate people volunteer at these places each year. Each site has its own story, reason and beauty but only one is given the distinguished title; “Crown Jewel of the Continent.” Glacier National Park in Montana has come to symbolize the American West; beautiful and potentially dangerous, yet full of life, contrast and solitude.

Despite the enormity of the pass, serious bikers love to conquer Goingto-the-Sun Road so keep an eye out for cyclists.

Before being established in 1910 as the tenth National Park, Glacier was home to the Blackfeet, Salish and Kootenai tribes. These tribes hunted and gathered within the park’s vast resources and followed buffalo migrations in the surrounding prairies. With the completion of the Great Northern Railway, and photos of the landscape appearing in newspapers all across the country, visitors began coming to the area in droves. Tourists saw Glacier as a homegrown version of the Swiss Alps and could travel much more quickly by rail west than by steamer east to Europe. Great alpine lodges were constructed in Bavarian style which still stand today. The Prince of Wales Hotel, built by the Great Northern Railway, sits like a castle on top of Waterton Lake and is a massive piece of history itself. Here you can enjoy stunning views, hop on a ferry to explore the Canadian side of the park, and enjoy

the British tradition of afternoon tea served daily. Built in 1913, also by Great Northern, the Glacier Park Lodge is stunningly preserved at more than 100 years old. The lobby is incredibly impressive, and many guests spend a majority of their time here reading a book or learning more about the local history. There is also a spa, pool, restaurant and two 9-hole golf courses. Even if you are staying outside the park in nearby Whitefish, Kalispell or Columbia Falls, a quick lunch or dinner break at any of the park’s accommodations shouldn’t be missed. For those definitely wanting to stay inside the park, you should plan on booking your stay at least six months in advance as rooms fill up very quickly especially weekends. Entering the park from either the east or west side, you will almost surely traverse one of the most beautiful drives in the country, the Going-to-the-Sun Road. For those who have come by plane or train, there is a free shuttle system offered by the park that makes multiple stops. These shuttles run July 1 through Labor Day, weather permitting. These are popular with hikers and campers who don’t want to leave their vehicle inside the park for days at a time. A favorite of many visitors is to take a red bus tour of the park. Experienced guides bring you all around the park in vintage 1930s buses. The buses have large windows, and weather permitting, the roofs can be peeled back giving you incredible vertical views as you pass

through the park. For those making the Going-to-the-Sun Road drive themselves, get ready for a very wild ride. The road is slow and always busy as onlookers are mesmerized by the surrounding scenery. Those that have a fear of heights should ride on the driver’s side if heading west to east as the road narrows in many places to barely the width of two car lengths with sheer cliffs just a few feet from your rear tires. Despite the enormity of the pass, serious bikers love to conquer Going-to-the-Sun Road so keep an eye out for cyclists. As you ascend, you are treated to the site of rugged peaks, beautiful forest and waterfalls, many spilling onto the roadway. You might get so lucky as to spot a mountain goat, big horn sheep, elk, moose or grizzly bear. Once you reach Logan Pass, you can stop in the visitors’ center, embark off on a number of short hiking trails and see high alpine lakes, flowers and wildlife. Crews spend all spring continually plowing mountains of

snow off the roadway in hopes of getting the pass open in June. It can snow every month of the year here, so be prepared for anything as you head up the pass. While being the most popular, there is much more to Glacier than the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The park is a backpacker’s dream with more than 700 miles of hiking trails to explore. There are 13 easy access campgrounds throughout and many more designated camping areas in the backcountry. Off the beaten path you will find an even more spectacular landscape. The backcountry is bear country so hikers need to take every precaution in storing food and should carry bear spray as well. For this reason, dogs are not allowed in the park. Those not wanting to get too deep in the wilderness can book all sorts of tours from fishing and whitewater rafting, to mountain biking and bird watching. According to the National Parks Service, there were approximately 150 glaciers in the park area in 1850. By 1968, there were around 50, and today there are only 25 designated glaciers left.

The U.S. Geological Survey studies of the park’s glaciers estimate that if global warming trends continue at the current rate, all could disappear by 2030, leaving a beautiful landscape behind but nothing left of the great glaciers that carved this area into such a special place. Seeing these glaciers up close as a young child inspired

According to the National Parks Service, there were approximately 150 glaciers in the park area in 1850. my own personal western migration and appreciation for the beautiful surroundings I have grown to call home. While Glacier Park will remain for generations, the window is closing to see something truly remarkable up close. Your trip to Glacier will leave you in awe, with a greater appreciation of the natural settings around you and a new realization of how really small we are in such a great big world.

PICTURE PERFECT FEATURE STORY

The Pacific Northwest Becoming Popular Among Filmmakers By Megan Olson

Photos courtesy Hunter Bennett and indiestills.com, featuring the movie "Last Seen in Idaho".

• The Oscars are Hollywood’s glitziest and most exclusive star-studded event, but the very first ceremony in 1929 was a private affair held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel - and a ticket was only $5. • Chris Rock will host the 88th Academy Awards on Sunday, February 28, 2016 from Dolby Theatre. • Not everyone can be awarded an Oscar or they would cease to mean anything. • “I don’t think I ever expected anything like an Oscar ever, to tell you the truth. That is not my motivation when I do these roles. I really am motivated by being able to work with great people and create a body of work that I can look back and be proud of.” –Leonardo DiCaprio

here is no better time for televised entertainment than February. Old Man Winter’s grasp leaves many of us feeling restless after months of being trapped indoors. With Super Bowl 50, NCAA basketball, sweeps week, and the Academy Awards in queue, no other month offers more televised entertainment. ABC boasts an Oscars’ night viewership in 225 countries making it one of the most widely viewed telecasts after the Super Bowl and other NFL-related broadcasts. Whether you are watching for the Red Carpet hoopla, the controversial dress, or to determine if it is finally Leo’s year, the 88th Oscars are sure to deliver. Although quality cinematography seems exclusive to Hollywood, filmmakers are drawn to the Pacific Northwest for its feasible production costs and serene backdrops. It is anticipated that nearly 40 million Americans will tune in again this year as Chris Rock hosts this annual event to honor supreme cinematic achievement. Hollywood and its fans from around the world will be waiting in eager anticipation as each presenter utters the words “and the Oscar goes to…” Will the force be with Leo

this year for his work in “The Revenant”? Will someone please give that man an Oscar! Critics will be watching for the Red Carpet showcase of dresses as actresses make their way down a runway that can make or break their career. Nothing sets social media more ablaze than a dress. The world is preoccupied with the insatiable need for entertainment and certainly can obsess over stardom. I didn’t think I fit this mold until I encountered 2008 Oscar nominee, Viggo Mortensen. What does one say to an Oscar nominee? You introduce yourself and say something where your only option is to retreat to your vehicle with a desire to punch thy own-self in the face. I had a second opportunity to meet him and he remembered my name. I like to make an impact wherever I go. I don’t know that Viggo gets enough credit for what he endures. Of all of Mr. Mortensen’s films, I deem Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic drama, “The Road,” partially filmed in Oregon to be one of the most thoughtprovoking films from 2009. My cinematic critical approach is not very complex; I gauge the quality of a movie by my ability to avert the prospect of nodding off. This twohour drama is so profound and emotionally

provoking that I not only remained alert through its entirety but for the next six years in its aftermath. To cultivate the intensity of the film, the producers utilized the serene backdrop of Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon. No place on Earth gives such chilling plausibility to a disturbing plot than the misty Oregon Coast. Of all of the movies filmed in the Pacific Northwest, the 1985 cult classic “The Goonies” has as many as 1,000 visitors a day flocking to Astoria, Oregon. The premise of the movie entails a group of pre-teens that set out in search of a hidden pirate’s treasure to save their home from foreclosure. Sadly for “Goonies” everywhere, Mikey’s house was closed to visitors by the owner in June 2015. Maybe it was that 1,000 people approached their personal residence each day. Where other than sleepy, yet mysterious Astoria, Oregon could Steven Spielberg conjure the quaintness of the small town of Goondocks? “The Goonies” isn’t the only flick to cast teen characters in a film created in the Pacific Northwest that would captivate a colossal audience. Much of the “Twilight” saga was filmed in Oregon (despite author Stephanie Meyer’s setting of Forks,

Washington). The mystical feel of Cannon Beach, Oregon is difficult to rival when fostering a supernatural plot. The only thing colder than a misty Oregon beach is quite possibly Edward’s handshake. Nevertheless, nearly 4 million people watched “Twilight” on its opening night and Fandango reports that five tickets were sold each second. It was third for presold ticket sales, only behind “Star Wars Episode III” and “The Dark Night.” Fans of Sean Penn’s adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s nonfiction book, “Into the Wild,” might be interested to know that it was filmed in parts of Oregon, Washington and Alaska. The premise of the story is based upon the travels and untimely death of Emory University graduate, Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch). The film includes a robust soundtrack from Seattle’s rock legend Eddie Vedder. Instead of embracing an illustrious and prolific career, McCandless leaves all of his finances, possessions and family behind. He reinvents himself as Alexander Supertramp and sets out on a cross country adventure. Eventually, he makes his way through the Pacific Northwest and into the Alaskan wilderness. The Pacific Northwest’s repertoire of films is not complete without “Sleepless in Seattle.” The romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks has forever linked the minds of movie buffs

to the Queen City. We could venture to suggest that “Fifty Shades of Grey” is the contemporary and darker twin that “binds” our minds to a Seattle cinematic love story. Either way, both films pack a powerhouse punch when it comes to movie-making. Hollywood production companies aren’t the only contributors to the big screen. Tacoma’s Fireshoe Productions was founded in 2007 as a feature film and full-service media production company. Owners Eric Colley and Hallie Shepherd are both native to Western Washington. Colley states, “We shot our first film in the Tacoma area and have been here ever since. It’s a great area that feels like a small town but still has the city feel to it as well.”

Next in line for Fireshoe is the suspense thriller, “Last Seen in Idaho.” The movie was recently filmed in Gig Harbor. The nailbiting plot is of a young woman who flees the scene after witnessing a brutal murder. She wrecks her car after fleeing the scene

“The Goonies” isn’t the only flick to cast teen characters in a film created in the Pacific Northwest that would captivate a colossal audience. Much of the “Twilight” saga was filmed in Oregon (despite author Stephanie Meyer’s setting of Forks, Washington).

Fireshoe recently released a World War II action/drama titled “The Last Rescue” that stars Cody Kasch (“Desperate Housewives”) as Private Lewis. “The Last Rescue” is currently available on Redbox and is coming soon to video on demand and other outlets in the United States. It premiered in many countries throughout the world in 2015. You can visit their website and view the trailer at: www.thelastrescue.com.

and awakens from a coma days later with amnesia. Despite losing her memory, she begins to have visions of her future kidnapping and murder. “Last Seen in Idaho” is in its post-production stage and is set for release in the next few months. Several Gig Harbor residents, including the owner of the home, Marlyn Jensen, were used as extras in the film. Colley affirms the importance for a film to

have interesting locations. “There is such a variety of places to choose from in Pierce County and the willingness of the property owners and their desire to be involved in a film is also very helpful. We’re always looking for great locations to shoot our next film, and sometimes we even write

scenes tailored to a specific place that we have access to.” Photos, video clips, and the latest up-to-date information can be accessed at www.fireshoe.com, or you can follow them at www.facebook.com/ fireshoe. When Fireshoe Productions isn’t working on a feature film, their company also does commercial video projects for every size of business.

“Last Seen in Idaho” is in its postproduction stage and is set for release in the next few months. Several Gig Harbor residents, including the owner of the home, Marlyn Jensen, were used as extras in the film.

So, why filmmaking in the Pacific Northwest? More and more states are offering filmmaking tax breaks and incentives. It has progressively become more economically feasible to film outside of

Hollywood. Movie makers are catching on that we in the Pacific Northwest are more than just Starbucks, flannel and a Space Needle. As one anonymous blogger so humorously states, “This part of the Hollywood Atlas is home to magnificent forest scenery, Vancouver, mountain lions, a couple other lions, Bigfoot, log cabins, lumberjacks. Oh, and crazy people that live in shacks, write manifestos, and send letter bombs. Also expect to see hippies. Alternatively, we may get a beautifully forested small town, usually for the local kid heroes, who may be subjected to a horrible camping trip.” Having said all of that; when it comes to quality filmmaking, the Pacific Northwest has it all.

When it comes to quality filmmaking, the Pacific Northwest has it all.

SIP AND STROLL By Maddie Russo

“I

t’s a great time to love the wine you’re with,” says the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance. After a huge success of the summer Sip & Stroll as apart of the Gig Harbor Wine & Food Festival, the Alliance is holding its first annual Winter Sip & Stroll on Saturday, February 13 from 1 to 5pm. This winter event will take participants on a stroll through participating local businesses where there will be moments of mingling, nibbling and sipping. Participants will receive a carrying bag, tasting glass, 15 taste tickets for a variety of adult beverages and a map to stroll through the downtown waterfront. The Alliance will provide complimentary shuttle transportation aboard Pierce Transit’s Gig Harbor Trolley throughout the downtown waterfront.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Each stroll shop will offer their own selections of wine, craft beer, spritzers and ciders. Many shops will offer small bites and some will even offer sweet “Valentines” to participate in the upcoming holiday. There will be eight participating wineries – Hoodsport Winery, Kitzke Cellars, Bunnell Family Cellar, Mosquito Fleet Winery, Ginkgo Forest Winery, Carl's Pond Winery, Paul Rin Winery and Lupine Vineyards. There will also be two breweries on hand – 7 Seas and Gig Harbor Brewing. Heritage Distillery will also be there, and there will be cider available from Finholm’s Market. The event will also provide participants with an opportunity to sample some of the wonderful food from area businesses including The Harbor General Store, Morso, For the Love of Spice, Gig Harbor Candy Company and Moonstruck Chocolates with Heritage Distilling Company's infused truffles. There will also be food available from our Waterfront Farmer's Market, pie tastes from Strays American Pies, Purdy Organics and more.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS FEB

Go Red Fundraiser Cascade Eye and Skin Centers is hosting a mysterious evening full of surprises at their annual Go Red Fundraiser benefiting the American Heart Association. Enjoy both a live and silent auction as well as generous discounts on all the products and services you love! Doors open at 6pm. Register today! www.cascadeeyeskin.com.

Hearts and Wine

FEB

Come and experience an elegant evening full of wine, jazz and food. The Rotary First Harvest is hosting this lovely event at The Foundry from 6 to 9pm. Bring your love, friends or family and spend this great evening together! Tickets include 15 wine tasting tokens, entrance to the exclusive mini-auction, and more. Buy tickets at heartswine2016.brownpapertickets.com.

Relax and Renew Meditation - 13 & 27

FEB

Family Basketball Show 12-15 The Harlem Globetrotters will demonstrate ball handling wizardry, rim-rattling dunks, trick shots and comedy. Check out harlemglobetrotters.com for dates and times. They will be in Kent, Seattle and Everett.

FEB

Commune with nature. Join us for an hour of guided meditation and gentle movement by Meagan Zaback from 9am to 10 am at the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory. No experience necessary, accessible to all. $10 suggested donation at the door. Call to reserve a spot 253.591.5330.

Run or Wine Ancestry Cellars in Woodinville is hosting its Run or Wine event. Starting at 2:30pm join in the 4k run/walk and afterwards enjoy wine tasting from 3-5pm. Each participant gets three wine tasting tickets included in the registration fee. Sign up today at www.ontherunevents.com.

Upcoming Events - March 04 18

ARCTIC SCIENCE DAYS

SEATTLE BIKE SHOW

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FEB

Lunch Cruise - 6-29 Spend a lovely afternoon on Lake Washington and Lake Union aboard one of Waterways yachts. You’ll get your own private table with access to their buffet and full-service bar. Relax and enjoy the spectacular views as your Captain points out local landmarks and interesting sights. Book now! waterwayscruises.com/lunchcruise

FEB

Sip and Stroll

Chinese New Year

Kids ‘n’ Critters - 13-15

The Gig Harbor Waterfront Alliance is debuting the first Sip and Stroll. Enjoy mingling, nibbling and sipping from 1-5pm inside a number of great local businesses along the downtown waterfront. Participants will receive a carrying bag, tasting glass, 15 taste tickets and a map!

Join the Lunar New Year celebration in the Seattle Chinatown-International District for a cultural experience! This day is full of festivities from 11am-4pm including traditional dragon and lion dances, Japanese Taiko Drumming, martial arts, crafts and a variety of family friendly activities. Free for the family!

It’s kids’ weekend at Northwest Trek! Up to four kids ages 0 to 12 are free with each paying adult during Kids ‘n’ Critters at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. See animals up-close and talk to an animal keeper about how that species lives in the wild, what it eats, how it fits in the ecosystem, and more.

FEB

Seattle Bike Swap

Empty Bowls

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The Seattle Bike Swap is a bike bargain hunter’s paradise. This huge bike garage sale will have great deals on new and used bikes from road to mountain. Bring your bike to the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall from 9am to 2pm for a chance to sell, exchange, or find a new ride.

An international project to fight hunger presented by Altrusa International. From 11am-3pm stop by the Boys and Girls Club in Gig Harbor to contribute soup and bread, create pottery soup bowls or simply donate $30, which provides a week of lunches for a child. This local event helps many children in our area.

Kick off the cycling season with a scenic 33-mile route around Bainbridge Island. It's guaranteed to be hilly, probably chilly and always a heck of a lot of fun. So dust off your bikes, hop on the ferry, and enjoy a great day of biking! www.cascade.org

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

BACON, EGGS AND KEGS

TACOMA ST. PADDY’S DAY RUN

ANIME FESTIVAL

“The primary purpose is to bring people to Gig Harbor's downtown waterfront and expose them to some of the great businesses we have here. Proceeds from ticket sales go to cover the costs of the event and also support the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance and the Rotary Club of Gig Harbor,” said Josh Sherwin, the Special Projects Coordinator of the Alliance. This is a very casual event and since it’s Valentine’s weekend it’s a great way to “love the wine you’re with!” Winter Sip & Stroll tickets can be purchased

The primary purpose is to bring people to Gig Harbor's downtown waterfront and expose them to some of the great businesses we have here.

by visiting www.bit.ly/sipandstroll. If purchased beforehand, tickets are $30 and $35 if purchased on the day of the event. So grab a friend or your special Valentine and make it an afternoon of fun and shopping while supporting our downtown businesses. For more information, contact the Alliance office at 253.514.0071 or visit Gig Harbor Wine & Food Festival on Facebook.

EMPTY BOWLS Feeding the children of our community By Maddie Russo As parents, it is important to teach our children the gift of giving. What better way to do that than by bringing them to the Boys and Girls Club of Gig Harbor for Empty Bowls on Saturday, February 20. From 11am to 3pm, you will have the opportunity to purchase an artisan-created bowl by a local potter ($10 up) and enjoy a simple meal of soup and bread. Then take your bowl home to remind you that your dollars will go to help combat child hunger in our community. During the summer, the one of every four local children who receive free and reduced price lunches throughout the school year are at risk to go hungry. Empty Bowls is a fundraiser to provide food scholarships through the Altrusa of Gig Harbor Foundation for those children. A $30 scholarship will provide one child with lunches and snacks at the Boys & Girls Club for one week. Forty-eight percent of the children who attended last summer were qualified for a food scholarship. Empty Bowls is presented by Altrusa International of Gig Harbor and the Altrusa Gig Harbor Foundation. Altrusa is a service organization dedicated to building a stronger community and has been working for the community since 1981. Over the past 10 years they have raised $100,000 to equip the commercial-level kitchen for use by the Boys & Girls Club and the community. Now they are partnering with the club to use that kitchen to help feed hungry kids. For more information, to discuss a donation or volunteer to help, call Jan Hohman at 253.514.8908 or email janhohman@me.com. Check for updates on Facebook at Altrusa Gig Harbor or on their website: www.altrusagigharbor.org.

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BROKEN HEARTS MENDED The road to healing between a mother and son By Patty Hutchens

T FEATURE STORY

hey say there is no greater bond than that between a mother and child. But as a new mother, I began to question that statement. Shortly after my first child was born, I felt as though my world was falling apart, and I wondered how I would navigate that journey of parenting. It was frightening and exciting at the same time. But, you see, my journey did not start out as that of a typical parent. It was 22 years ago that I lay in the hospital wondering if the child growing inside of me would survive. If he did, would he be normal? Had he suffered brain damage? Would he have any memory of this brutal act of violence that took away his innocence before he could even be placed in his mother’s arms? A young teenage girl who police believed was part of a gang had attacked me in a mugging. They said she was likely in desperate need of money to continue to

survive on the streets. She wore large army boots, a symbol of particular gang the police later told me. In a downtown mall restroom, the girl quickly grabbed my purse. I instinctively grabbed her forearm trying to keep that which was mine. In an effort to escape my grasp, the girl lifted her leg and swiftly and forcefully kicked me in my stomach; the stomach that carried my first child who had lived safely inside me for 29 weeks. In pain, I let go as my husband exited the men’s room. I had chased her into the hallway and told him she had taken my purse. Unaware that I had been injured, he chased the girl, only to slip and fall when he jumped from the escalator stairs – men’s dress shoes do not make good running shoes. In the meantime, I was doubled over with contractions. Storekeepers came out to help me. We called the doctor. “Get to the hospital,” he said. “But don’t come to ours; go to the one with neonatal care in case we cannot stop the contractions. This baby may be born tonight,” he warned.

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Fear gripped me as we entered the emergency room. The doctors who greeted us were clients of my husband’s. Friendly faces eased his fears. But I was still waiting. Waiting for that kick that this active little baby had given me so many times over the past several weeks. It didn’t come. Why wasn’t he moving? Was he alive? Finally the doctor gave me the relief I was looking for — a heartbeat. An answer to my prayers, the contractions subsided a few hours later. But it still took several hours before those kicks started again. Looking back, I now realize my son had probably been knocked unconscious. After all, the black bruises that covered my midsection were an indication of just how forcefully I was kicked — he was kicked. The policeman who visited me gave me the best gift of all. The gift of hope. He shared stories of domestic abuse cases he had investigated – stories of pregnant women who had been assaulted and yet who had subsequently given birth to healthy children. I don’t remember the officer’s name, and I regret not letting him later know the hope he gave me that day. Over the next several weeks I waited for the arrival of my dream, a child. After 27 hours of labor, he finally arrived. A beautiful baby boy with the most perfect features. We named him Kevin and

Would he have any memory of this brutal act of violence that took away his innocence before he could even be placed in his mother’s arms?

referred to him as “Kevin our bundle from Heaven.” After all, it was God’s protection that had gotten us through the ordeal several weeks earlier. Being the youngest in my family and Kevin being my first child, I really had nothing to compare him to. But as the days went on, it was clear that this little boy whom I desperately loved wanted little to do with me, his mom. My mother visited and shared her concern that there was something wrong. His behavior was not “typical.” Looking back on home movies of Kevin’s first days, I heard myself expressing an observation that proved true for years – Jim, Kevin’s dad, was the only one who could calm this child. My precious child did not want me to hold him. The first and only time he fell asleep in my arms, he was five months old; it was the night before I returned to work from maternity leave. Broken hearted, I did not know what I was doing wrong. How could I fail as a mother when all I had was a heart full of love to offer? My first Mother’s Day, Kevin was nine months old. I sobbed the entire afternoon. I thought babies instantly bonded with their mothers. I was wrong. I then suffered a miscarriage of my second pregnancy. I had been three months along. There had been a heartbeat, but yet I lost the baby. Was God trying to tell me I was not cut out to be a mother? It was not until my second child, Brett, was born nearly three years later that I realized I was not a failure. Brett and I bonded instantly and he would only sleep in my arms. From the moment he was born he would look for me in a room when he heard my voice, longing for the arms of his mother to cradle him. But Kevin’s reluctance to be with me continued. I arrived home from work and he would cry when our nanny left. He stood at the front window crying until Jim arrived home from work. Doing all I could to find the perfect bonding activity, I failed at every turn. As time went on we enlisted the help of counselors. We went through a few of them in an effort to find one we all liked. But there was a consistent theory expressed by a few of those with whom we met. The attack that Kevin and I experienced when he was in the womb was something that affected not only me but also affected Kevin more than we ever knew. “You were his protector,” one counselor said. “But he was hurt and he somehow equates that experience with you.” Farfetched? At first I thought so. It makes more sense to just assume he didn’t like me. How can a baby at 29 weeks of gestation blame me, his mother, for allowing him to get hurt? How would he even know? But then I read books and did my own research. It began to make sense. When I shared my theory with others, some thought I was crazy, others just silently shook their

IT WAS THE SHARING OF OUR STORY WITH KEVIN THAT BEGAN THE HEALING OF TWO HEARTS. heads and said “interesting” – not saying what they really thought. But in my heart I believed that this child somehow had an imprint on his soul that affected us long after my bruises disappeared. One counselor asked me if I had ever shared with Kevin the experience of what happened when he was in the womb. I hadn’t. I took the counselor’s advice. Kevin was 11 years old at the time when I sat him down and shared with him the horrific details of how we almost lost him. I dug deep into boxes where I had secretly tucked away a newspaper that published an editorial I had written on the need for increased police on our local force which at the time was contemplating cutbacks. Kevin asked a lot of questions, and of course he loved the story of how his dad chased the perpetrator through a downtown mall. It began the healing of two hearts.

Then one day, when he was about 15 years old, I was going about my normal morning routine. I made the bed, poured another cup of coffee, sorted the laundry and got ready for the day while keeping one ear on the morning news. But what I heard on the TV made me suddenly stop. As I listened to the words the newscaster said, tears rolled down my face. Finally, scientific evidence confirmed what I had known in my heart all along. Babies in the womb are able to form memories as early as 30 weeks of gestation – possibly earlier. As I stood there holding onto every word, I felt vindicated and angry at the same time. Angry that a young teenage girl could rob a mother and son of so much during those early years. Interestingly, when Kevin suffered an injury in his teen years, an x-ray showed damage to one of his neck vertebras from what the doctor said was an old injury. There had never been an older injury that we were

aware of, and the doctor concluded it was likely from the injury he sustained in the womb. It was the sharing of our story with Kevin that began the healing of two hearts. It was almost as though a light switch came on. Now 21 years old and embarking on a career as a high school business and marketing teacher, Kevin and I have an amazing relationship. He is the young man I always knew he would become, with or without a close relationship with me. He is a big brother who adores his younger sibling and is loved by all who know him. We have shared many fun memories together over the year – concerts, soccer tournaments and mother-and-son trips. We have a special bond, the one I always hoped for. Yes, my heart broke during those early years of rejection, but now it fills with pride for being part of life’s journey with this amazing young man. So while there is finally scientific evidence that babies can form a memory at the tender age of 30 weeks of gestation, that is something this mother’s heart knew long ago. And what those news reports did not say is that even if those memories are tragic, hearts can still be healed.

The mission of the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation encompasses many areas of our community including education, arts and culture, social capital, recreation, and parks and environment. Their mission statement reads: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We work collaboratively to build, bridge and enrich the greater Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula region by raising funding, advocating for and providing support to help meet diverse community needs which are all essential to sustaining vibrant healthy communities across our peninsulas.â&#x20AC;?

LOCAL FLARE

INVESTING IN COMMUNITY Greater Gig Harbor Foundation is a blessing to the community By Lynette Hoy Photos by Diana Fetzner

hat began as a grassroots effort to preserve 19 acres of pristine parkland has evolved into a model community foundation that awarded almost $4.5 million in grants and scholarships to Gig Harbor and surrounding communities over the past ten years while reinforcing the region’s commitment to nature. The Greater Gig Harbor Foundation (GGHF) was originally established as the PenMet Foundation in May of 2006 to help raise $1.25 million needed to purchase the land that became Harbor Family Park. Less than two years later, the inaugural board of directors worked with the Park District in Gig Harbor to raise an additional $200,000 to establish the first Boundless Playground in the Northwest at Sehmel Homestead Park. A Boundless Playground is equipped with specialized equipment that allows children with virtually any type of disability experience what most other children take for granted and allows for children of all abilities to play side by side. “At that point, we all realized we were onto something very special,” recalled Dr. Julie Ann Gustanski, a founding member of the Foundation board and the current CEO of the Office of Development for the GGHF. In addition to awarding the Foundation’s normal array of grants and scholarships, this year the board of directors will present its first Distinguished Volunteer Leadership

Award to one of the many individuals who dedicate time and energy to the community. Nominees will be judged based on a minimum of two years of notable service that contributed to the mission of the Foundation. By the end of 2010, the PenMet Foundation directors had negotiated the sale of an additional 18.8 acres of adjacent park land from Knight Forest to double the size of Harbor Family Park at a price less than half of what was paid for the original property. The charity formally changed the name of the organization in 2011 to the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation and broadened the scope of its mission to better serve the population. The Foundation joined forces with the Peninsula Gateway to develop the Students of Distinction program to honor 36 students from the three local high schools in the areas of academics, athletics, business and entrepreneurship, community service, music, art and drama, overcoming adversity, and science and technology. Students from each school were featured in local newspapers in the weeks leading up to the annual banquet. Since its inception, the Students of Distinction Fund has raised more than $130,000 for post-secondary education scholarships. The 13th Annual Students of Distinction Awards event in 2015 came together through the efforts of more than 300 volunteers and resulted in $12,500 in scholarships awarded to local high school seniors.

In addition to raising monies for the purchase of park land, the Foundation brought together hundreds of volunteers in 2012 who donated time in their own neighborhoods. Matched with the start of the school year, the GGHF launched its own aptly-named Curious by Nature School that provides a truly unique opportunity for young children to learn about nature in hands-on environment. Gustanski said her proudest moment from that eventful year was the establishment of a scholarship program that allowed children from every economic situation to have the opportunity “to have the strong start they deserve … every kid deserves the chance to get their hands dirty and play with a frog.” Curious by Nature continued to expand in its second year with the addition of an outdoor classroom and learning garden, thanks in part to a $30,000 grant from the Foundation for early childhood education and a series of Stewards Scholarships to help “those in the greatest need,” according to Gustanski. In 2013, the GGHF hosted a series of community workshops to listen to the needs from each community’s residents. The concept of ONE Community was magnified even more the next year when the Foundation created The Community

Mark your calendar now for a fundraiser that will benefit the Greater Gig Harbor Foundations. On Friday, July 1 at Cheney Stadium the Third Annual The Big Sports Gig will take place. The Big Sports Gig will "takeover" Cheney Stadium for a fun filled evening with the Tacoma Rainiers as they take on the Las Vegas 51s (AAA team for the New York Mets).

In 2015, the Foundation continued the work started by Young by collecting almost 160,000 pounds of litter during 300 hours of clean-up along roadways and in local recreation areas. Volunteers donated an additional 100 hours of clean up along 28 miles of community trails.

As always, proceeds will help fund the Foundation's Community Recreation Scholarship Fund, which together with donor directed gifts, helps ensure hundreds of local economically disadvantaged youth have the opportunity to participate in sports and other recreation programs.

The Curious by Nature School served more than 80 students from 50 families between the ages of 3 and 10 in 2015 with $5,000 in scholarships to its own Summer Camp programs. The recipients were spread across King, Pierce and Kitsap counties. The school also hosted 1,300plus visitors to the Waterfront Market and various community events.

The early childhood education arm of the Foundation raises funds with an annual Green Gig Locally Grown Dinner using products and produce grown within a 50-mile radius of Gig Harbor, whenever possible. Proceeds raised from the first Big Sports Gig that same year were dedicated to recreational opportunities for disadvantaged youth. The group representing Sports and Environment held its inaugural Cider Swig in September of 2014 to raise awareness of issues concerning the health of the local watershed and conservation. In addition to her role on the board of directors, Gustanski serves as chairperson of the Cider Swig.

Heritage Fund that established a perpetual endowment to support efforts to create and maintain the legacy of stories that will live on for generations. Separate fundraising arms of the Foundation were formed in 2014 dedicated to the core values determined by the board of directors.

Pierce County. Gustanski said continuing the work of Young was a natural fit for the Foundation and a “fitting tribute to a man who loved his community.”

“There are a lot of issues the Foundation needs to address,” she explained. “That means some volunteers are forced to wear many hats to get everything we want accomplished.” The Foundation accepted the challenge to carry on the important work of EnviroCorps in 2014 after the passing of its founder, Vernon Young. The retired airplane mechanic had won numerous awards for his volunteer efforts to protect the natural beauty of Gig Harbor and open spaces in

The Foundation also participated in the 23rd year of the Open Studio Tour that featured excursions through the work space of 26 local artists. The three-day event brought an estimated 2,700 visitors into the studio district of Gig Harbor, or an average of 179 to each artist over the long weekend. All together last year, volunteers with the Foundation contributed 4,470 hours of professional services with an estimated economic value to the region of more than one-quarter of a million dollars. The GGHF served more than 50,000 individuals in 2015 with 1,800 hours of programs and distributed more than $120,000 in grants and direct funding across the eight core areas that serve the greater community. Overall, in its first nine years, the Foundation’s all-volunteer board of directors has directed more than 26,200 hours of public service and focused $4.43 million in assets to an array of community projects. “The best part of the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation,” according to Gustanski, “is that our work has just begun.” Lynette Hoy is a contributing writer and founder of Firetalker PR.

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