Everson-Nooksack News November 2017

Everson-Nooksack News

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, November 29, 2017

C1

Santa returning to Winter Festival, with guests Friends of the Everson Library again hosting annual Silver Tea

EVERSON — Santa, his elves and some very special guests will visit Everson on Friday for the annual Everson-Nooksack Winter Festival.

Santa will arrive at the Everson City Park at 6 p.m. with goodie bags for the first 175 kids, along with free hot chocolate and wagon rides.

The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who from the Doctor Seuss classic will also visit the park this year.

In addition to Santa and his friends, the winter festival will feature cash-only vendors including a hot dog stand, a holiday bake sale, Christmas wreaths, winter home decor and accessories, a kids’ Christmas book sale and more.

The Friends of the Everson Library will host their annual Silver Tea event this year as well.

Now in its 34th year, the Silver Tea event will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3, at the library, located at 104 Kirsch Dr. in Everson. There wil be craft-making on hand for kids, and Santa will be there too. The Friends of the Everson Library support the library and the community it serves, providing support for the Nooksack Valley Heritage Center, sponsoring events and book sales and the annual Silver Tea. The Friends began two months after the library first opened in Santa Claus will return to the Everson City Park for the Everson-Nooksack Winter Festival, and this year he'll be joined by 1977. the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who. (File photo)

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, November 29, 2017

C2

EVERSON-NOOKSACK NEWS

Nooksack Valley schools near end of construction Middle school gym remodel recently finished, and is being used

By Ashley Hiruko ashley@lyndentribune.com

NOOKSACK — A construction process that began more than a year ago in the Nooksack Valley School District is nearing its end.

On Wednesday, Nov. 22, Nooksack Valley Middle School students gathered in their new gymnasium for a morning assembly of cage ball before the Thanksgiving break. This was the first gathering to happen in the new gym since construction of the impressive building began in July 2016.

Students moved into the new school for the fall start of classes and have since been watching the gym’s progress toward completion. The large room has been sanded, stripes painted and the finishing coat on the gym floor was added over the Nov. 18 weekend. Handprints of curious students peering in are visible on the outside windows. It was a wait of seven months.

An entirely new Nooksack Valley Middle School was built behind the old one at 404 W. Columbia St. Voters approved a nearly $28 million school bond to replace the 68-year-old structure in a February 2015 special election.

Coupled into the bond were partial upgrades of the Nooksack elementary and high school within the Nooksack Valley School District. The approval allowed for an additional four classrooms to be added at the elementary school and an increase of the covered play area.

Nooksack Valley Middle School students participate in Pioneer Level 1 activities at a reward incentive assembly for positive behavior, the first of its kind to be held in the remodeled gymnasium. (Ashley Hiruko/Lynden Tribune) At the high school, advances were made on a new administration area, fitness center and kitchen along with improvements of the science room, career and technology center and cafeteria.

Matching state funds totaling $11 million aided with the construction costs of the projects.

“(Students) seem to really be enjoying (the new middle school) in terms of the classroom space,” said Joel VanderYacht, principal. “There are large classrooms, so students are able to spread out a bit in them.”

Happy Holidays from...

In line with scheduling, the educational wing of the middle school is mostly complete. Some concrete work is needed yet and the locker room needs finishing.

The general contractor of the project will most likely be on site through December completing necessary system checks, VanderYacht said.

Paint striping out in the front parking lot was completed over the Thanksgiving break, while students were away, checking another item off the list.

Of things already done, students are already taking full advantage of their new

commons area, VanderYacht said. Filled with round tables, natural lighting and a stage, its purpose is to provide a place for the students to visit and connect with one another.

“It has a nice cozy atmosphere overall and students seem to enjoy it a great deal,” VanderYacht said.

Students have also taken to the new fitness center, which opened its doors to community members on Monday, Nov. 20. Students of the middle school have already inquired about accessing this array of rowing machines, stationary bikes

Happy Holidays from MARKET1

LLC

• 966-3271

7 2 9 1 E v e r s o n G o s h e n R o a d • E v e r s o n , WA 9 8 2 4 7

www.eversonauctionmarket.com • eversonauctionmarket@comcast.net

Main Office: 411 West Front St. • Sumas, WA Phone: (360) 988-5811 • 1-800-821-6288 Othello, WA 1-800-572-6454

Specializing in Dairy Nutrition, Management & Consulting Providing a Full Line of Feed Services: • Commodities • Feed Blends • Customized Formulas • Specialty Products

Next Feeder Sale Sat., Dec. 9 • 12:30 pm All sales as usual through the holidays, Mondays and Wednesdays EVERY MONDAY 12:30pm Cull Cattle, Small Animals & Poultry EVERY WEDNESDAY 1:00pm Dairy & General Livestock Sale Your Consignments Are Appreciated!

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR FOR TRUCKING CALL: Barn: 360-966-3271 • Pete: 360-815-0318 • Terry: 360-815-4897

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, November 29, 2017

EVERSON-NOOKSACK NEWS and weights outside of physical education hours.

Interested community members can apply to access the workout facilities by submitting an application from the school district website (www.nv.k12.wa.us) to the high school.

Overall safety of the school has also been improved. The nine entrances of the old building are replaced with time-based doors that are programmed to lock during the day. Visitors must now enter through the school’s office.

“It’s a much safer building,” VanderYacht said. “We can control the schedule and control who goes in and who goes out.”

And science teachers no longer have to share their lab space, thanks to the added 58,000 square feet and modernized 11,000 square feet of building. There’s now allocated space for each teacher to have their own classroom space and science materials.

Classroom technology has even been updated and is now compatible with smartphones and laptops.

“The kids wants to be here and want to be a part of things that are going on,” VanderYacht said. “We’re very appreciative to our community for passing the bond.

There’s no question about that.”

C3

Nooksack Valley Middle School students moved into their new school building, including the commons area pictured above, when school began this year, but the gym was completed a bit later. (Ashley Hiruko/Lynden Tribune)

OPEN HOUSE

December 9th, 4-7 pm WAGON OLIE LIVE RIDES BOLLEN NATIVITY FROM 4:30-6:30 & DRINKS SCENE & GIVEAWAYS

Thanks for

71

great years!

Christmas Trees Available!

MONDAY - FRIDAY 8 am - 6 pm SATURDAY 8 am - 4 pm Everson 302 W Main Street | 360-966-3352

Join us for an Open House Friday, December 1st in our Sumas and Everson offices.

EVERSON

www.KELLEYINSURE.com SUMAS 360-966-3732 • 103 W. Main Street 617 Cherry Street • 360-988-2462

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, November 29, 2017

C4

EVERSON-NOOKSACK NEWS

Two new on Everson City Council But both Jaleen Pratt and Matt Goering have deep roots here

By Elisa Claassen for the Lynden Tribune.com

EVERSON — While Matt Goering is entering his first term on the Everson City Council — unopposed for Position 3 — he is not new by any means to the Everson area.

Much of his life has been spent in and around Everson. He brings management skill as a strength to the council. “I have a good history of looking at situations, listening to see the need, making an informed decision and following through.”

“I’ve managed too many stores to count,” he said.

Goering, 47, has been in the retail grocery industry for nearly 30 years from Point Roberts to Marysville, including a stint in Everson’s Red Apple Market. Now at Fred

Meyer in Bellingham as a merchandising manager for eight years, he and his wife Angel (shortened from Angela) are the yearlong owners of Herb Niemann’s Steakhouse on Main Street. While Angel is responsible for most of the day-to-day management decisions, Matt addresses maintenance issues, works with vendors and sources specialty foods.

“I’ve thought of getting into the council most of my life,” he said, feeling it was his civic duty.

He is planning to initially look more closely at the current council’s agenda and immediate work plans. He will not only discuss the issues with council members, but talk to more residents in town too regarding planned growth and how to best manage it.

“I realize I can’t please all people,” he said, adding, “My goal is to work together with growth ... how, where and what’s best for residents and business.”

The Goerings have three grown children: Matt, 23; Ashley, 27; and Kiefer, also 27.

0% ng Financi

8 mo for up to 4 through 12/31/17

In his spare time Matt enjoys fishing, doing yardwork and being in nature.

Jaleen Pratt, who has two past terms on the Everson City Council and two terms as the city’s mayor, has decided to return to the council after nearly eight years away.

“I love my town,” she said, and added as to her sole run for Position 1, “No one should ever run unopposed.”

Jaleen was born and raised in Anacortes. She and her husband John moved to Everson when he became manager of the Copeland Lumber business for 19 years (it is now closed). That was nearly 35 years ago.

Much of her professional career has been in banking, 26 of 29 years with Peoples Bank. Now retired, she said she sees her life as “less busy” and so she has more time to devote to the city again. While she says many things haven’t changed drastically since her last stint on the council — such as managing growth and protecting clean water — she is seeing a number of younger families moving into the community.

One of her first goals is to engage younger residents to be more involved in their city, specifically in considering running for City Council themselves in the future. “They are establishing their roots here.”

Another key concern is recognizing the growing need for public safety in the small community. As the population has grown, Pratt sees an increasing homeless population and growth in drug use, especially opioids.

“No city is not impacted” by these issues, she said.

Considering herself to be conservative fiscally, she is always looking at how tax dollars can be best used. “I’m pretty frugal … citizens are paying ‘this’ (budget items). We need to be good stewards.”

The Pratt family also includes son Matthew, 15, and two grown daughters, Jillian and Jennifer, who are married with their own children. She has been active as the treasurer of the Everson-Nooksack Chamber of Commerce.

Buy ANY Husqvarna Riding Mower and get a

FREE 125b Leaf Blower! $160 value

*Please call for details. Expires 12-31-17.

304 W. Main St. Everson 360-966-3561

Buy ANY Ferris Z-Turn Mower and get a

304 W. Main St., Everson 360-966-3561

FREE

Husqvarna 460 Chain Saw! $500 value

*Please call for details.

Expires 12-31-17.

304 W. Main St., Everson 360-966-3561

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, November 29, 2017

EVERSON-NOOKSACK NEWS

C5

Nonprofit hosting Everson Elementary holiday market Funds raised will support outdoor art project this winter

EVERSON — Families 4 Everson Elementary is hosting the first annual Holiday Market Vendor & Craft Fair, featuring a silent auction that will help pay for a student outdoor art project sometime this winter.

The market will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2.

The event will feature more than 30 craft and commercial vendors selling jewelry, handmade clothing, food, signs, art and more.

Santa will be on hand for “Selfies with Santa” from noon to 2 p.m., and a silent auction will take place throughout the event. The items featured in the silent auction are donated from a variety of businesses throughout Whatcom County.

There will be food available for $5, courtesy of Petra of La Gloria in Everson.

Donuts and coffee will also be on sale in

Barbwire and Bows will be one of the many vendors at the upcoming Holiday Market Vendor & Craft Fair. (Courtesy photo/Barbwire and Bows)

Caption. (Tim Newcomb/Lynden Tribune) the morning, and Little Caesar’s pizza will be available at lunchtime for $2 per

Receive a

Giveaways Every Day in December!

FREE Gift with every

$15 Gift Car d Purchase

slice.

Families 4 Everson Elementary is a

nonprofit group supporting Everson Elementary School students.

To all of our customers, friends, and neighbors

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Sat/Sun: 7am - 5pm

• Dr. Greg Iversen • Dr. Kim Feringer • Dr. Karen Kelley • Dr. Josh Borg • Dr. Cathy Mosher P.O. Box 4240 | 302 W. Columbia St. • Nooksack, WA 98276

www.nooksackanimalhospital.com • (360) 966-3207

Washington St.

nA ve .

Mon-Fri: 6am - 6pm

Downtown Everson

Ev e

rso

504 Nooksack Ave., Nooksack • 360-966-0209

Harkness St.

Main St.

360-966-4440

has a wide range of real estate services . . . from buying, selling, property management and maintaining your investment.

Give us a call today.

102 W. Main St., Suite 202, Everson

360-778-3708

www.missionrealtyllc.com

Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm.

Open nights & weekends by appointment only.

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, November 29, 2017

C6

EVERSON-NOOKSACK NEWS

Sorenson’s life work now featured in a coloring book Project draws three generations of family together

By Elisa Claassen for the Lynden Tribune

WHATCOM — While his current house is in Sahuarita, Arizona, home to Wayne T. Sorenson is truly Everson, Washington. It always will be.

Descended from Theodore and Belinda Sorenson, who homesteaded in 1905 at the corner of Telegraph and Sorenson roads between Everson and Sumas, Wayne started drawing as a child. He received a rejection notice for a submission to a magazine at age 8 or 9, but continued to draw.

He graduated from Nooksack Valley High School in 1954, married a local gal Mary Ann Markham and together they raised children Randy and Shari. Wayne operated as a building designer and artist for decades.

An office, Wayne T. Sorenson Design, was once located in downtown Everson adjacent to the former Lectronic Shoppe. (He also worked with retired teacher Rob McKissick on Team Design projects.) Later, it all moved to Bellingham.

After decades, a large body of work develops. Shari, who has a business degree and serves on both her local school board and an angel fundraising board for children, was looking through her dad’s artistic production one day and realized how much material there was and how much of the area’s history Wayne is aware of and how she didn’t want that legacy to be lost.

“He has an interest in the building and what goes on inside of them,” Shari Sorenson Lowell said. The daughter at first

Mary Ann and Wayne Sorenson winter in Arizona these days, but they still consider Everson home.

(Courtesy photo/Shari

Lowell)

envisioned a coffee table book containing her father’s art and work. After some simmering, the idea transformed a year and a half ago into an interactive adult coloring book. Shari, who has worked for American Airlines for 29 years, has done her fair share of traveling and she has found that taking along adult coloring books and a set of pens is her go-to diversion when she needs to reduce stress and “unplug” from computers and the internet from time to time.

Some health issues had made it harder for Wayne to walk and do some of the things he had enjoyed earlier in life. This project perked him up. “It gave him new life,” Shari said.

EVERSON TRANSMISSIONS 105 BAKER ST., EVERSON, WA Behind the car wash

Diesel Transmission Specialists www.eversontransmissions.com

360-966-4800

Randy Walters

Not only was Wayne looking at his old work, but he developed a new interest in drawing on a regular basis again.

The process has involved: Wayne giving the trademark and copyright to the family for the work, investing in PhotoShop, digitizing the original pen-and-ink drawings, magnifying them up to 700 percent and Shari slowly erasing or shading too many detailed lines, and then getting approval by Wayne for use.

The result is that coloring artists can add their own imagination to a piece, Wayne said.

A Facebook page, In My Father’s House, has an “About” section with a list

360-966-4444 411 Nooksack Ave. • P.O. Box 4210 Nooksack, WA 98276

Christmas Blessings to all of you this season.

Come and enjoy theWinter Festival!

WHATCOM REFRIGERATION 209 N. Harkness, Everson 360-966-5121 24 Hour Service

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, November 29, 2017

EVERSON-NOOKSACK NEWS of all buildings in the coloring book. The website www.waynetsorenson.com was designed by Shari’s 17-year-old son Robert. Also, in a 10-minute video on YouTube Robert and his 15-year-old brother Teddy interview their mother and grandfather. A light goes on, the camera zooms onto the drafting table of Wayne while Shari explains who her father is — ­ a Sunday School superintendent, a father, a son, a husband, a building designer, a volunteer, mountain climber and an artist.

When Robert asks him what his favorite drawing is, he laughs and always says, “The next one.” In fact, even an attempt of the same place or structure turns out differently and becomes a new drawing.

“I have many memories of growing up in the beauty of Everson, Washington, and a lot of them are filled with the images of my father sketching,” Shari says. Sketchpads traveled from his office into the car and along with him as he stopped by historic homes.

Over the summer, Shari’s family drove past a number of these homes and her boys were excited to actually recognize the buildings from the project.

The 35-page book is currently available on Amazon for purchase, and Shari is open to talking to local vendors about making it available in Whatcom County as well.

The first book focuses primarily on Everson and Nooksack, but there are plans for additional books on other parts of Whatcom County as well as a prayer Journal containing his pen-and-ink work of churches.

The website www.waynetsorenson. com has a link to purchase and also to contact the family.

Eighty percent of the profits will go to Wayne to provide extra income in retirement, then to Mary Ann upon his passing, before going eventually to his grandchildren.

Shari said her dad has always donated 20 percent of his professional time and income to community service. He contributed to designing a number of area churches, summer camp buildings, public service buildings and housing for families in need.

Although prolific in residential work throughout the region, commercial jobs in Everson include the Great Western Lumber Mill, Whatcom Fire District 1 building, the medical clinic formerly housing Dr. Kenneth Spady’s practice, Christ Fellowship (formerly Nooksack Valley Baptist Church), Faith Christian Fellowship (formerly Everson Christian Reformed Church) remodel and the Everson Library.

The Sorensens are eager for those who color in the book to share some of their own finished work with them.

C7

7

*Special appearance by The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who* Goodie Bags for first 175 kids

Cash-only vendors:

Hot Dog Stand Holiday Bake Sale Christmas Wreaths Winter Home Decor & Accessories Kids Christmas Book Sale

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of our customers and contractors!

We appreciate your loyalty and wish you a wonderful new year.

Your friends at

#VALLEPE151BM

910 W. Front St. • Sumas

360-988-9631

And more...

The 34th Annual Silver Tea on Sun., Dec 3rd.

C8

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, November 29, 2017

EVERSON-NOOKSACK NEWS