Progress 2023

State Law gives you the right to choose the repair shop of your choice. We work hard for our customers, they come first, not the insurance companies. We work with them, not for them!! We are not owned, dictated, controlled, or in contract with any insurance company. We work for our customers only! At Maple Leaf, YOU are our priority.

Thank you for 90 years of support. Read our 5 Star Google reviews, they mean so much to us. Thank you all!!

Table of Contents

C4 — Nooksack Valley moves past pandemic, floods into 2023

C8 — A Strike of Luck: Gregg Hill coaches daughter Emma to 28th in state’s 1A bowling

C12 — Nurse opens mobile hydration business

C15 — Study says Washington workers are owed $3.3 million in unpaid overtime

What is progress? Depends on who you ask.

Ask a roomful of people what progress means, you'll likely get a roomful of answers.

At Ferndale High School, it's their beautiful new campus.

Kristi Dominguez, Ferndale School District superintendent, says that schools are the hub of a community.

"It really represents a common care and collective by the city of Ferndale and the voters of Ferndale toward their students and sta ," Dominguez said. "And the kids feel it and the sta feel it when they walk in.”

For the folks in Sumas, it's the reopening of their library just a week ago after the November 2021 oods closed its doors for 14-plus months.

On Feb. 15, the library reopened with a ribbon cutting and celebration. A part of the recent celebration, Carl Crouse read from his book, " e Waters Are Rising.”

For his book, Crouse listened as neighbors and former parishioners were stressed and scared.

Eventually, Crouse took his series of Facebook memory posts, interviews, and research and published his book.

C16 — Harriet ‘Penny’ Nielsen-Howlett a penny worth more than her weight in gold

C17 — New Ferndale High School designed to promote collaboration, utilize all spaces

C24 — Imagination Library comes to Whatcom

C26 — Ferndale offers free t-shirt to encourage ADU construction

For one family, progress is seeing a daughter learn to bowl - and bowl quite well - under her father's guiding hand.

anks to a strike of luck, Emma Hill rst became interested in bowling. One of Hill's friends signed her up for the bowling team without her knowledge and said it would be fun. What started out as something to do after school later turned into a state-level competitive sport for Emma.

Along the way, Hill's father Gregg became her high school bowling coach. Before he became coach, Gregg did not have much bowling experience. At his rst coaches meeting, he admitted "youth groups and birthday parties" were the extent of his background.

Progress is also encouraging the creation of housing for all, and the expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library into Whatcom County.

is is Progress, 2023, in North Whatcom County.

-- Bill Helm, editor

Moving past pandemic, floods into 2023

By Elisa Claassen For the Tribune

As anksgiving 2021 was hitting, so were the ood waters. In the aftermath, the Lynden Tribune talked with residents whether it was at the store, public meetings, or for other stories.

e following stories introduce you to some of the many people who are doing their best to get past the November 2021 ood.

• Everson resident Doug Davis lives along the river bank o of Highway 9 on Hopewell Road. He has lost portions of his farm property fronting the Nooksack.

It has happened over the decades. At one point, he appealed to the government in Canada to get help for the Nooksack here. He was actually heard, he said.

• Trisha Gri n Hadeen was living at 1400 Boon Street in an Indigo Property Management unit in Sumas. She and her family had 20 inches in their home and had to leave. ey spent the beginning of 2022 bouncing between family and friends’ homes and stayed on and o at hotels.

• Carl Crouse had retired from being a full-time pastor at Sumas Christian Advent Church and came into a whole new ministry during — and after — the ood. He showed up and listened as neighbors and former parishioners were stressed and scared.

Eventually, Crouse took his series of Facebook memory posts, interviews, and research and published a book, “ e Waters Are Rising.”

While looking at the impact of the oods, his subti-

tle is “Stories of Inspiration and Hope.”

Everson and Nooksack Marcelo Pratesi, director of advancement and communications for Habitat for Humanity in Whatcom County, said a lot has been selected on Everson’s Lincoln Street, east of P3 Materials and Supplies, on which 30 townhomes – a mix of two, three, and four bedroom units – will be built. e goal is to break ground this summer, 2023, or even late spring after the building permits have been obtained, he said.

Habitat has built four single-family homes in Everson and three in Nooksack. e last was a home in Everson in 2023.

“ ese will be permanently a ordable homes,” Pratesi said. “We will be starting our own land trust to help preserve a ordabil-

This is the site in Everson where Habitat for Humanity will build 30 townhomes. Marcelo Pratesi, director of advancement and communications for Habitat for Humanity in Whatcom County, said the goal is to break ground this summer, 2023, or even late spring after the building permits have been obtained. (Courtesy photo)

Nooksack Valley residents continue to find their way following the November 2021 flood. (Tribune file photo)

ity, and hope to serve the medianincome range.”

Because the area is zoned for commercial use, the frontage, he said, would include 7,000 square feet of commercial space. Above the space would be eight apartments.

“We are looking for ways to make them equity-building rentals, where we help people in our program prepare for home ownership, Pratesi said.”

Pratesi explained that Habitat selects locations for projects based on availability of land.

“As the cost of land increases, it becomes harder to nd a ordable places to build,” He said. “It is also more rare to be donated land. We received ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds, which are federal but were administered through Whatcom County, as well as a loan from Habitat for Humanity International to purchase this lot.”

Whatcom County residents in need of a ordable housing apply for Habitat’s program, he said.

“Our Homebuyer Selection Committee goes through the pro-

cess of analyzing their eligibility based on income and current living conditions,” Pratesi said. “Our volunteer Board of Directors then choose homebuyers based on recommendations from the selection committee. We serve low-income families currently living in substandard conditions, which we de ne as unsafe, overcrowded, or where 30% or more of their income is spent on rent.”

e chosen site sits on a shallow edge of the 100-year ood plain. Aerial shots did show partial ooding there from the fall 2021 ood, he explained. A hydrology report was also done and they are watching the FEMA guidelines.

“We hope the site doesn’t ood in the future, but preventing damage has guided our approach from the start,” he said. “Especially since avoiding the damage from future oods is a crucial part of our goal for long-term a ordability for our homebuyers.”

Habitat’s construction team plans to raise the building sites

Despite the Everson-Nooksack Chamber being dissolved, the annual EversonNooksack Festival took place in Everson in 2022. (Bill Helm/Lynden Tribune)

Nooksack Valley: Moving past pandemic, 2021 floods and straight into 2023

Continued from C5

one foot above the base ood elevation.

“Our plans include building the nished oors two feet above the base ood elevation, utilizing slab foundations,” Pratesi said. “We also plan on using attic space, instead of crawl spaces, to run ducts, power and venting, to limit damage during future ood events.”

summer festival set up vendors in the park, the parade continued, and a Nooksack Valley Farmers Market started with a growing list of food vendors, owers and produce, crafters and musicians.

Jesse Johnson Knapp has been farming at Sunset Farm and is responsible for developing the Saturday market.

In other Everson/Nooksack news:

• Since the Everson-Nooksack Chamber of Commerce ceased operations near the end of the pandemic, the community and the cities took over the local festivals.

e public likely didn’t see much of a di erence as the

• e City of Everson has stepped back into a mitigated city hall after oods. It has also utilized more technology and instituted the Voyent Alert system which is available online at Voyent.alert. us and by downloading an app from Google Play or the Apple app store. It is a multipurpose communication serAlthough Sumas Elementary School didn’t o cially open until fall 2023, the newly finished campus was the site of the school’s fifth grade promotion ceremony in June 2022. (Tribune file photo)

NeilMcKay, left, of Whatcom County Library System’s podcast, interviews Carl and Sally Crouse at the Sumas Library grand reopening, Feb. 15. Carl Crouse, a retired pastor, read from his book “The Waters Are Rising” at the library’s reopening. The library had been closed since the November 2021 floods. (Bill Helm/Lynden Tribune)

vice provided by the city to keep residents informed of critical events such as res or oods as well as day-to-day communications for road maintenance and closure, water advisories, and more.

• With a vacant city council position, at the Jan. 10 meeting, Everson Mayor John Perry administered the oath of o ce to David Sarna to ll the vacant seat for the remaining unexpired term.

• e City of Everson continues to consider annexation. Jake DeHoog has requested two parcels, totaling 65 acres, to be added to the city.

e acreage is adjacent to other areas being developed at present and in the current Urban Growth Area (UGA).

is was heard and tabled in January but is showing a pattern of growth for Everson to the south of the River in the Strandell neighborhood.

Sumas

e City of Sumas moved back into the renovated City Hall in the past year and the Sumas Library reopened o cially to the public with a Feb. 15 ribbon cutting and celebration. A part of the recent celebration, Crouse read from his book.

e Sumas Library shares its building with the city’s senior center. While the library was closed, Whatcom County Library System used the bookmobile for Sumas’ distribution.

In other Sumas news:

• Sumas Mayor Bruce Bosch took o ce in January of 2022 as the ood mitigation was still continuing.

• Nine months after ooding, Lyndenbased Faber Construction nished work on the new Sumas Elementary School which was started pre- ood. It opened for the fall 2023 school year after students had been divided and sent to di erent schools within the district following the ood.

• From the minutes of the Jan. 23 Sumas City Council meeting, one Request for Price Quotation was received for the surveying and clearing of the Sumas River from the Canadian border to Morgan Road for the pre-disaster restoration.

• Patricia Mullett, formerly a sta member of former State Sen. Simon Sefzik, has taken the position of local disaster recovery manager for the City of Sumas. She posted an online survey with 55 responding to look at the Community Development Block Grant.

A strike of luck

By Nathan Schumock Sports Editor

The Trojans bowling team is a combination of progression and sportsmanship that is encouraged by head coach Gregg Hill.

Gregg became the head coach of Meridian following his daughter Emma, who joined the team two years before him. Previously, Gregg did not have much bowling experience. At his rst coaches meeting, he was asked about his bowling experience. He admitted, “youth groups and birthday parties.”

Despite the novice-level entrance into bowling, Gregg has since turned into a staple for the Meridian bowling team and has led them to numerous broken school re-

cords. He said the “growth and maturity as individuals and as bowlers has far surpassed anything I could have expected this season.”

Gregg learned the ins and outs of coaching through helpful tips from other coaches in the community, as well as online assistance. Additionally, Gregg was voted this year as coach of the year for the 1A Northwest Conference.

One of the best parts of bowling is the camaraderie shared between opposing teams. Gregg said it is a unique trait of bowling to cheer on the other team even during the competition.

“I have never seen a group of girls who go out of their way to congrats the other team, to support them,” Gregg said. “ e togetherness that they had was something you don’t tend to see very often. So seeing how that manifested

over the entire season and grew into this really great core was a lot of fun to see.”

Emma has blossomed into a state-level bowler under the tutelage of her dad. She placed 43rd in the state tournament last year and improved on her placing this bowling season. She jumped all the way up to 28th in the state 1A bowling meet this year.

It is the nal bowling year of Emma’s high school career and she is sad it is over, but she has loved her experience with the team. Emma said she wants to keep in touch with her teammates and may coach someday.

Emma got into bowling because of a strike of luck. One of her friends signed her up for the bowling team without

At Meridian, Gregg Hill coaches daughter Emma to 28th in state’s 1A bowling

Emma Hill has been a state contender for two years in a row as she represents Meridian bowling. (Courtesy of Gregg Hill)

Come

Engineered with purpose. Designed to inspire. Kia is pioneering the future of mobility by investing $25 billion dollars to develop sustainable, environmentally-conscious transportation & production - including the launch of 11 new EVs by 2025. The future will be here sooner than we think. The transformation of Kia begins now.

explore your options at Smith Kia of Bellingham

Hill: Bowling progresses under watchful eye of father

Gregg

Continued from C8

her knowledge and said it would be fun. What started out as something to do after school later turned into a state-level competitive sport for Emma.

At state this year, she had three goals, of which two she accomplished. Emma surpassed her previous total pin count and nished in the top 30. e only goal she did not reach was having a 150-pin-pergame average but was just inches from picking that goal up too. Among other accolades, Emma

Emma Hill was a state contender this year and finished 28th. (Courtesy of Gregg Hill)

Gregg became head coach of Meridian following his daughter Emma, who joined the team two years before him. (Courtesy photo)

was picked as the WIAA athlete of the week for week 20.

While her high school bowling career is done, she has a sister named Dakota who will take up the mantle. Gregg has another daughter on junior varsity who will make the jump to varsity soon.

Gregg said the season ended great, and he is lucky to coach his daughters in this game.

“We kept meeting our goals and exceeding them,” he said. “It was fantastic, absolutely loved it.

-- Contact Nathan Schumock at nathan@ lyndentribune.com.

Emma Hill was voted as the WIAA player of the week for week 20. Emma has blossomed into a state-level bowler under the tutelage of her dad. She placed 43rd in the state tournament last year and improved on her placing this bowling season. She jumped all the way up to 28th in the state 1A bowling meet this year.

(Courtesy of Gregg Hill)

By Elisa Claassen For the Tribune

Abreast cancer survivor, Amber Erdmann now has a new health-related business.

Erdmann, a Class of 1997 graduate of Meridian High School, works weekdays as a nurse for the Meridian School District. She now also operates Oasis IV Hydration & Wellness erapy and sees her clients by appointment at their homes or at Sparrows Salon and Spa, 13 Front St., Lynden.

A resident of Lynden, Erdmann saw a nursing friend was o ering this service in Oregon. She called the friend to ask questions, did some research, and then asked local friends in a Lynden moms group if they would be interested.

“Within an hour, 200 said they were interested,” Erdmann said. Some at the time told her they were recovering from the u and were tired of sitting in emergency rooms to get hydrated. Erdmann said the bene ts of hydration and wellness therapy extend to other health issues, like recovering from a hangover, and speci cally breastfeeding mothers producing breast milk.

By using the same umbrella company from Peoria, Arizona, iDrip, Erdmann has the assistance of a medical director, pharmacy, insurance and licensing needed.

According to her website, oasis-

Amber Erdmann, right, gives a vitamin B12 injection to Dana Stuth. Erdmann founded Oasis IV Hydration and Wellness mobile vitamin and medical injections and infusions. She also works on a limited basis at Sparrows Salon and Spa on Front Street. (Elisa Claassen for the Tribune)

LYNDEN

FARMERS MARKET

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN 2022!

WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE PROGRESS IN 2023

· 21 local businesses supported, including 9 local farms!

· Over $64,000 in small business sales including $42,000 for local farms! That’s over triple our sales from 2019!

· 8,753 annual visitors (nearly 600 shoppers per day!)

· Nearly $3,000 in local food provided to EBT, WIC & senior shoppers

· Over $1,000 earned by youth vendors through our Young Entrepreneurs Program

· 15 days of free concerts

Support local farmers, artisans and small businesses! Dollars spent at the market stay in our local economy.

NEW FOR 2023:

· Shoppers can now DOUBLE their EBT dollars. UNLIMITED match provided by Market Match!

· Expanded Young Entrepreneurs Program. Previously monthly, now every-other week!

· Chef demonstrations, kids activities, workshops, and more!

SATURDAYS 10am - 2pm

June through September

319 Grover St, Centennial Park, Lynden

(At the corner of 4th and Grover across from the library)

www.lyndenfarmersmarket.com

Continued from C12

hydrate.com, IV therapy delivers vitamins, minerals and hydration directly to the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system so you get their full, nourishing e ect.

e menu of services includes both infusions and injections to impact energy and performance, emergency migraine and headache relief, weight management, and immunity boosting.

Intravenous therapy is explained as using a small exible straw-like catheter inserted into the arm to receive uids, vitamins, and minerals.

Treatments may take 20 to 30 minutes.

Erdmann will be at Sparrows Salon and Spa initially 1-2 days each month, but the majority of appointments will be mobile. Erdmann has an in-home business license in Lynden as well as a Washington State business license.

“I’ve learned a lot about how taking care

of your body and maintaining a healthy weight can really help your body ght o diseases and keep you feeling your best,” she said. “I started this so that people can get uids, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals they are lacking without having to wait crazy hours in the emergency room and pay thousands of dollars to get an IV of uids. ey can feel their best and take care of themselves in the comfort of their own home or in a spa setting without having to go through insurance and the public  healthcare system.”

Erdmann has a master’s degree in nursing education as well as a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She has been a registered nurse for more than 10 years. Since then she has worked in surgical services, PACU, nursing management and intermediate intensive care.

For more information or to schedule, contact Erdmann at 360-318-4784 or oasishydrate@gmail.com.

Earlier this year, Amber Erdmann founded Oasis IV Hydration & Wellness Therapy. Erdmann provides service either by going to clients’ homes or to Sparrows, a salon and spa at 13 Front St., Lynden.

(Elisa Claassen for the Tribune)

Louis Adelstein

Mel Adelstein

Sadie Adelstein

Louis Adelstein

Carrie Adelstein

Mel Adelstein

Mobile Hydration: Nurse opens business

Study says Washington workers are owed $3.3 million in unpaid overtime

vealed that the average Washington employee in the private sector worked approximately 1.5 hours of unpaid overtime per week over 2022 (the national average was 2.1 hours of unpaid overtime).

When this gure is applied to the number of exempt workers in e Evergreen State (and based on the median wage), and then annualized, it transpires that Washington workers are collectively owed $3,367,523,054 in backpay.

Overtime pay may not be a familiar term to many younger generations, but in the past, it was a staple for middle-class workers. Nowadays, a signi cant portion of employees work over 40 hours a week without receiving any overtime compensation.

unpaid overtime per week in 2022. is means they are collectively owed $4.4 billion by their employers. In contrast, workers in South Dakota ‘only worked’ 0.3 hours in overtime, resulting in a collective overtime debt of $79 million.

According to managing partner and trial lawyer Brian Chase of Bisnar Chase, the concept of free time has drastically changed over the past 50 years.

“Free time is now something that is expected to be given up to one's employer.

• Perhaps in a sign of the times, with so many layo s (particularly in the technology sector), employees have greater job insecurity - over a quarter (26%) said they would not bring it up with an employer if they found out that a colleague who does a similar job was being paid for overtime, even if they were not.

Average hourly wages, adjusted for in ation, have declined since the 1970s, while the average number of hours worked has increased. As a result, American workers are facing underpayment, overwork, and stress. One of the reasons for this is the decrease in overtime pay.

A new study by Bisnar Chase has re-

Despite laws that protect the right to overtime pay, those earning above $35k per year are often misclassi ed into exempt positions that do not qualify for overtime. is creates a large pool of free labor for employers to exploit, leading to increased pro ts, declining real wages, and a widening income gap.

When broken down by state, it is Marylanders who are working the most for free.

e average worker in e Old Line state estimates that they worked 3.5 hours in

e recent trend of working from home due to the pandemic has exacerbated situation, as unpaid overtime has become a widespread and accepted norm.” e study also uncovered some interesting ndings:

• Employees were asked, hypothetically, if they were interviewing for jobs at two different companies, would they opt for the company that guaranteed overtime pay, or the company that o ered more vacation days? Respondents emphatically said they would take overtime pay (70% compared to 30%).

• Ninety-six percent also believe that being remunerated for overtime is ‘a basic human right’.

• When asked what they would do if they were paid overtime in one lump sum, 53% said they would put the money in savings; 15% said they would invest in the stock market; 10% would pay it into the mortgage, and 6% would either buy a car or try to start their own business.

• Finally, an overwhelming 79% said if an employer agreed to backdate payments for overtime, that they should receive interest on said payments.

e decline in labor standards, including not receiving overtime pay over the years, could be the cause behind the mass quitting of jobs, referred to as " e Great Resignation" by the media.

e pandemic resulted in many workers switching jobs in search of improved worklife balance.

-- Bisnar Chase

Lynden Florea is the newest flower shop in Lynden that specializes in floral design and care of their customers.

Judy Hazel entered the flower business forty years ago. She has served the Whatcom County wedding industry for the last 17 years as Ever After Floral. Her dream was to one day own her own shop!

Lynden Florea would love to serve you and your loved ones through all of life’s celebrations.

Average Washingtonian worked 1.5 hours of unpaid overtime per week in 2022; 96% believe that being remunerated for overtime is ‘a basic human right’

The reason you may feel like you're earning less for longer hours compared to your parents is because it's likely the case.

A penny worth more than her weight in gold

In 1972, Harriet ‘Penny’ NielsenHowlett led first Nooksack Valley girls basketball team

By Nathan Schumock Sports Editor

In 1972, Title IX was passed and it opened the door for young women to compete in organized high school sports around the country. Harriet “Penny” NielsenHowlett was the rst coach in history to lead the Nooksack Valley girls basketball team in 1972. Nielsen-Howlett was a 1956 graduate of Nooksack Valley and a 1960 graduate of Western Washington University. But It did not take long for her to get called back to the valley as she was hired right out of college to teach

See Penny on C18

Nooksack Valley’s first girls basketball coach, Harriet “Penny” Nielsen-Howlett, acknowledges the crowd at Nooksack’s game against Anacortes on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

(Dennis Cairns for the Tribune)

Ferndale students, staff settle into new school

New campus designed to promote collaboration, utilize all spaces

By Sarah McCauley Sta Reporter

FERNDALE — As of Jan. 4, Ferndale High School students have become part of a historic moment in any small town: being the rst to roam the halls of a brand new high school campus.

Any small town resident knows what a pivotal role the high school plays in its community.

Numerous events, achievements, and memories take place in the halls of that building. So when it comes time to tear down an aging school to make way for a new and improved version, it’s a huge moment.

“I have a saying that schools are the hub of a community. I’ve never felt that to be more true than this building. It really represents a common care and collective by the city of Ferndale and the voters of Ferndale toward their students and sta . And the kids feel it and the sta feel it when they walk in,” Superintendent Kristi Dominguez said.

It can be bittersweet for the community to watch the old school come down, but ultimately, the upgrades are worth the goodbyes.

“I’m like a weird combo of nostalgic and excited,” said Riley Cornelsen, chair of the bond oversight committee.

Cornelsen, who owns his own con-

Ferndale High School janitor Konstantin Andrushenko has been with the school district throughout the transition from old to new campus. While he misses the history of the old building, Andrushenko said he is excited to be in this new space. (Sarah McCauley/Ferndale Record)

Penny: Led first Nooksack Valley girls basketball team

Continued from C16 at the middle school.

e following year, Nielsen-Howlett was brought up to the high school to teach history and serve as the girls physical education teacher. In the 1960s, P.E. was still separated by gender, so the girls and boys had separate classes. Being anointed as the P.E. teacher ended up being a blessing because it led to her future as the head coach for the Nooksack Valley girls team.

Before 1972, there were no competitive girls sports and they had to make do with a form of basketball called basquette. Basquette was similar to basketball, but instead of having ve players on the oor for each team, there were six.

ree guards and three forwards but the guards and forwards were never on the same side of the court. e guards would play defense and the forwards would play o ense.

According to Nielsen-Howlett, this sport was played because the men of the time said girls could withstand the physical nature of traditional basketball.

Nielsen-Howlett said all the women in the community felt it was about time when Title IX passed.

“It was long overdue that women should have the chance to compete. ey

were being denied that, denied the right for competition,” Nielsen-Howlett said.

Once Title IX was passed, NielsenHowlett naturally transitioned from P.E. coach to head coach of the girls team. She

said it was initially challenging to teach the girls organized basketball as they had not experienced that level of play before. Nielsen-Howlett had to teach them the correct way of passing, dribbling and guarding on defense.

“You had to go back to the very basics with most of them,” Nielsen-Howlett said. “It took three or four years until that really got across to them”

Once that training kicked in, the Nooksack Valley girls team was a successful staple in northern Whatcom County. In 1976, Nielsen-Howlett led the Pioneers to their rst league championship and state playo berth. Along with the league championship, Nielsen-Howlett was named coach of the year for Whatcom County in 1976.

Nielsen-Howlett said one of the fond memories she holds from that time is seeing how she and the girls improved over time.

“Each year I learned a little more,” Nielsen-Howlett said. “Not only did the girls progress, but I progressed as a coach.”

In 1979, Nielsen-Howlett retired but

Nooksack Valley’s first girls basketball coach, Harriet “Penny” NielsenHowlett, is surrounded by current Pioneer players during the pregame tribute to Howlett. (Dennis Cairns for the Tribune)

was brought back in the early ‘80s to coach as an assistant. She said it was a fun experience to return and help coach again.

Today, Nielsen Howlett’s impact is still being felt in the Nooksack Valley community. Before the Nooksack Valley girls game against Anacortes on Wednesday, Feb. 1 she was honored with a ceremony. Feb. 1 was National Girls and Women in Sports Day, so it was tting to bring back one of the original pioneers in the Nooksack Valley and Whatcom County communities.

At the game, NielsenHowlett got an inside peak at the Nooksack Valley girls locker room and shared some of her wisdom and stories with the number-one 1A girls team in the state. She also received a standing ovation from the players,

coaches and fans in attendance for the game.

Nielsen-Howlett is an avid fan of the Nooksack Valley girls and a relative of star player Devin Coppinger. Nielsen-Howlett sung the praises of this Pioneer girls team and said it is amazing to see how well they are doing this season.

Nielsen-Howlett helped break barriers in this county 50 years ago and her in uence has carried through all these years later.

“It has been wonderful to watch it progress, it really has,” NielsenHowlett said. “I am really happy to see the girls allowed competition and allowed to compete because it has not always been this way.”

-- Contact Nathan Schumock at nathan@ lyndentribune.com.

Harriet “Penny”

NielsenHowlett was honored before the Nooksack Valley girls game on Feb. 1. NielsenHowlett was the first coach in Nooksack Valley girls history.

(Dennis Cairns for the Tribune)

Continued from C17

struction business, has been watching this process since the very beginning. He joined the committee out of motivation to help this community he is tied to. His mother was a teacher in the district for 30 years, he was a Ferndale graduate himself, and he has young children who will one day attend the new school. But more than this, Cornelsen said he has a personal interest in helping provide oversight to the process.

“I was also one of the people who were a little skeptical, or [who] had some concerns, about how money had been spent in the past with regards to capital projects,” Cornelsen said. “All that led me to want to be part of it. at led me to want to make sure my tax dollars and everyone else’s were spent appropriately.”

Shortly after voters passed a $105 million bond in February 2019, the existing Bond Task Force recommended to the School Board, which agreed, that a Bond Oversight Committee be created to ensure the funds

were spent as voters intended.

Four years later, Cornelsen is still serving on the committee where he will see this project through to the end, which is scheduled to be in time for the new school year this fall.

“One of the main things I’ve learned going through the process is that there hasn’t ever been a solution that answers every single person’s desires,” Cornelsen said. “But I think through the process we’ve been able to address as many people’s concerns as possible. We’ve tried to accommodate the sta , students, and community as best as possible. It’s impossible to please everybody, but it was a far better process than had our group not existed.”

Cornelsen explained that, as it goes with any major change, there were adjustments to work out. For instance, the new design involves shared teaching spaces that are di erent from what teachers have been used to. But overall, from his perspective, the response has been positive.

e school’s principal, Ravinder Dhil-

The new commons space boasts an open design and the unique feature of a wall that can be opened up on sunny days. (Sarah McCauley/ Ferndale Record)

lon is happy to be in the new building after months of planning out how this transition would happen.

“Lots and lots of planning, planning went into [this], as you can imagine, moving into a new house is stressful. But, you know, moving 1,400 kids, over 200 sta - it was a big project,” Dhillon said.

Dhillon credits her team for helping plan out what has been a smooth transition. Dhillon explained that it has been exciting for her to watch the “climate and culture change” as students, teachers, and sta settle into the new building, designed to promote collaboration and utilize school spaces beyond the classroom.

“We have more collaboration happening than ever,” Dhillon said.

e school is designed so that classrooms are grouped by subject. ere is a math wing, science wing, and so on, according to Dhillon. Each classroom is shared by about three or four teachers who teach the same subject, with a separate room that serves as a planning space where each teacher has a personal desk space but can collaborate with their

One of the many classrooms designed to be shared with between multiple teachers. A shared planning space is located down the hall where each teacher has their own desk.

(Sarah McCauley/Ferndale Record)

At Phillips 66, supporting our people, our environment and our communities guides everything we do.

That’s why we’re proud to support the Ferndale community.

School: New campus for Ferndale High

Continued from C21

teacher cohort.

“It’s like moving in with a couple of roommates,” Dhillon said, explaining the transition to this new style of teaching. “[We] want to make sure everybody feels respected and their space is respected … it was organized and designed and communicated from the beginning. So everybody knew who they would be sharing a space with.”

Dhillon explained styles of teaching are changing from the historic model of a teacher being in the same room all day, allowing a room to go through periods where it is completely empty. e idea is to be “utilizing the space 100 percent, instead of having so much empty space.”

Culinary Arts Instructor, Sharon Dyches, is especially excited about the new space she and her students have already been able to step into. When you see her new room, and you hear about the old space she was working with, it’s easy to un-

A look inside one of the classrooms that teachers have already started to decorate and make their own after moving in on Jan. 3. Students were welcomed into the building on Jan. 4. (Sarah McCauley/ Ferndale Record)

derstand why.

“I love it. It’s beautiful,” Dyches said about the new culinary arts room.

It comes to her complete with industry-standard ovens, vents, and various other equipment the students are likely to encounter if they pursue a professional culinary career. is is one of the goals of the new school that will be complete with a career and technical education (CTE) wing: to set students up for success if they choose to go down one of these career paths.

“Now they’re gonna be pampered.” Dyches said, laughing before pausing and changing her mind. “It’s not pampering, it’s setting them up for success. Now they all will know how to work equipment in their workplaces moving forward.”

Construction on the new CTE wing that will house the rest of these technical programs is currently underway and expected to be completed by fall, but the new agricultural science wing recently opened up and is already being used by students, according to Dominguez.

“We have a strong Career and Technical Education department with over 49 unique classes o ered,” Dominguez said. “ ese classes teach students the

skills they need to be successful in a multitude of post-graduation careers, from woodworking to culinary arts to veterinary science.”

Students see the construction of this new CTE wing every day as they go about classes in the still-expanding new campus. Both Dominguez and Dhillon said it has been exciting to watch as students and sta explore the new building. And Dyches echoed their excitement, saying how much she enjoys being in the new space.

“We’re part of this historic thing,” Dyches said. “Old Main has been here since the beginning of time.” e community can look forward to an open house next month plus a ribbon cutting ceremony upon completion of the project in the fall, according to Dominguez.

“We are looking forward to sharing this new space with our community,” Dominguez said. “On behalf of our district, we would like to thank the voters for this extraordinary gift of a building and seeing the value in investing in our children and sta .”

-- Contact Sarah McCauley at sarah@ lyndentribune.com.

Seating spaces are scattered throughout the new campus to utilize spaces outside of the classroom and promote collaboration. (Sarah McCauley/Ferndale Record)

Imagination Library comes to Whatcom kids

Free book program for children from ages 0-5 promotes family time, reading skills, school readiness.

In March 2022, United Way of Whatcom County signed on to become the local a liate for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a world-wide program that sends free books to kids from children ages 0-5.

Any child in Whatcom County is eligible to enroll in this program.

“We are thrilled to have been able to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Whatcom County and o er it to local kids and families,” said United Way CEO Kristi Birkeland. “We know the kids love getting their books in the mail every month, but we also know this well-loved program has been proven to promote literacy and

school readiness. is extremely low barrier reading program will help promote pandemic literacy recovery throughout our community and United Way is proud to be part of that work.”

How does it work? Registered children receive an age-appropriate book in the mail each month addressed speci cally to them. e books are selected by a national committee of early childhood literacy experts with the intent to provide a variety of inclusive and diverse titles that cover feel good topics.

e Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee takes great care in choosing books that meet the di erent needs of children as they progress from birth to age ve. ere are two bi-lingual books (English/Spanish) per child per year. Books are also offered in braille.

Kids receive books from time of enrollment until age 5, at which time they receive a letter from Parton printed in the last book that encourages them to continue with their love of books and learning.

e letter is titled: Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come.

Recent studies suggest participation in the Imagination Library is positively and signi cantly associated with higher measures of early language and math development.

Findings from the body of Dolly Parton Information Library research indicate the program is extremely popular in the communities where its implemented and shows promise in promoting changes in home literacy environments, children’s attitudes toward reading, and early literacy skills.

e launch of Imagination Library in Whatcom County coincided with a larger e ort to expand the program throughout Washington State.

A bill was introduced in the Washington State Legislature Jan. 19, 2022, that made Imagination Library an o cial statewide program.

Many local United Ways have joined in the e ort to help expand this program, becoming a liates in their respective counties.

e statewide rollout received strong support from the Washington O ce of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) with $2 million in matching funds to make the program even more cost e ective for regional a liates through June of 2023.

United Way of Whatcom County’s Imagination Library coordinator Denise Kilcline indicated they have been partnering with a variety of organizations locally to reach as many kids as possible and maximize the success of this program.

Since the program launched March 2, 2022, United Way has enrolled more than 3,700 children in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library countywide.

“We want every child in Whatcom County to be able to bene t from having Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library available in our community,” said Kilcline, “Not only is this program a wonderful way to foster a love of reading in local kids and families, it’s also a great tool to prepare our

littlest learners for long-term success in school and life.”

For more information about this program, visit United Way of Whatcom County’s website.

To register a local child, visit unitedwaywhatcom.org/imagination-library. Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book gifting program in the world.

The flagship program of e Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has gifted well over 160 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and e Republic of Ireland.

e Imagination Library mails more

than 1.8 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to registered children from ages 0-5.

Parton envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading, inspiring them to dream.

e impact of the program has been widely researched and results suggest positive increases in key early childhood literacy metrics. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

For more information about Imagination Library, visit imaginationlibrary.com.   United Way works with local nonprofits, businesses, and community members to support nancial stability in Whatcom County.

By funding a variety of nonpro t programs that provide basic needs and increase economic mobility, they are helping to break the cycle of poverty for individuals and families in Whatcom County.

Making sure Whatcom County kids have access to high quality early learning opportunities, childcare, and parent support programs is a critical element of their work to enable nancial stability for every person in our community.

For more information about United Way of Whatcom County, visit unitedwaywhatcom.org.

Ferndale offers free t-shirt to encourage ADU construction

and

Gearhart wear the City of Ferndale’s newest t-shirt: And Housing

For All. (Photo courtesy City of Ferndale)

City of Ferndale

FERNDALE — Residents who construct an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in Ferndale this year can receive a free Metallicathemed shirt courtesy of the City.

e rst 10 property owners who complete an ADU on their property, either attached or detached, receive the shirt, inspired by the Metallica album And Justice for All, but repurposed to say, And Housing for All.

“Building an ADU is great for Ferndale,” said Mayor Greg Hansen, “It adds to our

housing supply, provides opportunities for rentals or aging in place, and utilizes existing city infrastructure.”

An accessory dwelling unit is a small, self-contained residential unit located on the same lot as an existing single-family home.

An ADU has all the basic facilities needed for day-to-day living independent of the main home, such as a kitchen,

sleeping area and a bathroom.

“Adding an ADU adds value to your property and provides vital housing choices for families, property owners and new residents,” said Community Development Director Michael Cerbone. “If you are thinking about ADUs, come talk to our permit desk. We are excited to work with you.”

Hansen said he understands o ering

a free shirt “is not going to be the tipping point for anyone deciding to invest in an ADU.”

“But it sends a message that Ferndale is enthusiastic about working with our residents to tackle a ordable housing, one ADU at a time,” Hansen said.

For more information on building an ADU in Ferndale, check out www.cityofferndale.org/ADU.

From left to right, Community Development Director Michael Cerbone, Mayor Greg Hansen, Associate Planner Jesse Ashbaugh

Planning Coordinator Patti