August 2018 Splash

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2 • AUGUST 2018

The Park Bench

Caring Catalyst – Crump raises awareness of mental health issues

By Craig Howard Splash Editor You might say Dave Crump was an unconventional child.

In grade school, his mother received a call from the office one day informing her that Dave was adamant about sitting in chair – turned upside down. Another issue involved her son standing next to his desk but not taking a seat.

Crump recalls the incidents being less about behavioral concerns than a simple stage of harmless idiosyncrasy.

“I wasn’t causing any trouble,” he said.

Born in Sacramento, California, Crump moved with his parents and two sisters to Spokane at the age of 3. His dad sold life insurance and his mom stayed at home to raise Dave and his siblings. Dave like sports and remembers being an engaged learner from an early age.

“I was always asking a lot of questions,” he said. “I loved math and the ocean.”

As he grew older, Crump envisioned being an astronaut or a marine biologist. While neither career path quite materialized, he didn’t completely abandon his ambitions, applying to NASA after college (he dealt well with the rejection letter) and eventually learning to scuba dive.

As a student at Ferris High School, Crump had part-time jobs like delivering pizza and working in an auto parts store. His parents divorced when he was 18, the year Crump graduated. He recalls his folks teaching him a good work ethic and to treat others well.

Crump thought of studying medicine after high school but declared business as his major when enrolling at Brigham Young University. After one year of school, Crump served a two-year mission for

NEWS his church, splitting his time between Ecuador and Columbia and becoming fluent in Spanish.

Upon returning to college, Crump shifted his studies, “I enjoyed people and solving problems,” he said. “I wanted to go into something like that.”

Crump eventually graduated with a double major in psychology and Spanish. He would go on to earn his master’s in school psychology and doctorate in counseling psychology.

While at BYU, he met his future wife Shelley. The couple celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary in May and have three grown children – Braden, McKayla and Brielle, all graduates of Central Valley High School. Shelley has her own career as a successful tax accountant.

While studying for his doctorate, Crump worked in a mental health clinic as a counselor and in program management. He and Shelley – who, like her husband, had roots in the Inland Northwest – would eventually return to Spokane in 1997.

“This was home,” Crump says.

Crump applied for work at Spokane Public Schools, was hired and has been there ever since. He currently serves as director of Student Services, working with school psychologists throughout the district and also overseeing an employee assistance program.

Crump was the catalyst in a process that would lead to the certification of Spokane Public Schools as a mental health center, prioritizing the emotional wellness of students and staff.

“I’ve always been involved in combining schools and mental health,” he said. “It’s very important to me. I believe we need to put mental health services where the students are at. If there’s a network there, people are going to be aware of a problem or a student in need and alert someone who can help.”

Crump rallies to raise awareness about subjects like anxiety, depression and suicide, encouraging parents to “get involved in your children’s lives,”

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by asking questions, staying in tune with social media accounts, texting and peer influences.

“Talk to your kids,” he said.

“Ask them how they’re doing. Pay attention.”

Crump also works to break through lingering stigmas attached to mental illness and treatment.

“We seem to be more comfortable with bad behavior than mental illness,” he says. “When we don’t understand something, we push it away. I’d love to change the culture, and say, ‘Run to it.’”

Crump has been an adjunct professor at Gonzaga in the Master’s of Counseling program for the past 10 years. He has also taught at Whitworth.

Not long after Crump moved to Liberty Lake – then an unincorporated swathe of Spokane County – he joined a group that was studying the feasibility of cityhood. After the vote for incorporation passed in November

See CRUMP, Page 3

Dave Crump was part of the inaugural Liberty Lake City Council beginning in 2001. He served for 10 years, a tenure that included three stints as mayor pro tem. Crump works for Spokane Public Schools as director of Student Services and has his doctorate in psychology counseling.

Photo by Craig Howard

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CRUMP

Continued from page 2

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being the aggressors. We also see mental illness as something to be ashamed of and therefore attempt to cover up. Many people struggle with anxiety, depression and many other day-to-day challenges. What we can do is treat others respectfully, accept others as they are not as how they should be according to some false societal standard and look at people in eye and genuinely talk with someone, not talk at them or look down at our cell phones. I see mental illness as an illness. It is one that can have devastating challenges to the individual and her or his family. I also see mental wellness as something that we should be seeking for everyday of our lives. We all live with stress, challenges, gains and losses. How does it impact our mental health? I see that these three terms have important differences but they share the need for non-judgmental acceptance on a daily basis.

Q: In your work with Spokane Schools, what have you learned about the keys to providing reinforcement and reassurance for students who may be facing mental health challenges?

A: There are several keys that I have found. One is to have a positive relationship with at least one adult and one peer. No student should be anonymous and uncared for in a school. I have also seen that we must reinforce effort not just accomplishment.

Reinforce doing your personal best and being pleased with trying your hardest and then learning from what you did. I also believe in having clear expectations that students strive for, accompanied with tolerance and acceptance for individuality. And the power of a smile and kind eye contact and a kind word.

The power of human connection and being valued is a powerful force.

Many find this connection in homes but not all. We need to offer that in schools, neighborhoods, clubs and work places.

Q: What role can parents play in helping their kids achieve increased emotional stability?

A: Parents can ask how their children are, how their day was, what are they thinking and then listen. Too often we ask questions and then think about what our response is going to be while the other person is talking.

Children and adolescents have a strong sense of when someone is really listening. They may not be able to describe it in words but they can feel it. Parent figures often are afraid they may not have the answers and that is OK. To have the experience of truly being heard is a powerful source of strength. Children and adolescents often feel like everyone is watching them, judging them and

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2000, Crump decided to run for the inaugural City Council.

In 10 years on the municipal governing board, Crump established a reputation as a calm and wise leader who did his homework and listened generously to all sides. He served three tenures as mayor pro tem and represented the city as a three-time committee chair with the Spokane Regional Health District. He was appointed by the governor to the Washington State Board of Health where he served six years and also spent time as chair.

After all these years, Crump’s former teachers would be glad to learn this accomplished doctor, counselor and civic leader finally figured the chair thing out.

Q: Why did you decide to go into the field of psychology?

A: I went into psychology because I have a great respect for the individuality and uniqueness of people and at the same time the bond of being human. We all go through life together but on an individual journey and none of go unscathed.

I am fascinated by people and hurt when others hurt others.

I am curious by nature and always strive to understand. I also wanted to be of benefit to others in some way.

Q: In your experience as a counselor, what are some of the most significant benefits for those who receive effective, supportive therapy?

A: Often we as a society see going to counseling as being weak, sick or something wrong with you. My experience in positive, effective and supportive counseling is that it takes courage to honestly look at yourself and to grow. It is much easier to be able to look at others and see their flaws, weaknesses and deficits than it is to look at yourself. I believe if you can understand, accept and grow in a positive nature you will find greater joy, be able to be of help to others and have protection against the time that challenges and self-doubts hit you.

Q: Issues surrounding mental health seem to be generating more awareness these days.

What can we do as a society to get over any stigmas and be more accepting and informed?

A: There are a lot of incorrect notions about mental health and a lot of fear. Mental illness is feared by others and by ourselves. People often think that those individuals struggling with mental illness are to be feared, however the truth is that those with mental illness are often the victim of others more than

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4 • AUGUST 2018

CARING

Continued from page 3

that they are the only ones with these thoughts and feelings. To validate and listen is a huge protective factor against many challenges, such as drugs, alcohol, thoughts of suicide, depression and anxiety. If I could give one suggestion it would be to sit individually with each of your children for 10 minutes each day and just listen. At first it may be awkward and the child may doubt your intentions but if you persist you will find that the child will begin to share and talk with you as you listen. What a blessing to the future generation. This also works well with grandchildren.

Q: If we know people in our circles who deal with depression, anxiety or other conditions, what can we do to help?

A: I would suggest acceptance of who they are first. These challenges make the person feel “less than” and they often they interpret the actions of others as reinforcing the “less than” mentality. Then I would suggest finding a healthy person that they can confide in. This may be a counselor, pastor or friend. A healthy person provides positive boundaries and also a reference to a healthier life. Then I would suggest service. Being of help to others has proven to aid in getting the focus off self and on to others, which builds a sense of self-worth.

I am also a believer in increasing physical activity and especially going outside. Our minds and bodies were built to move. There is great benefit to going for a walk, exercising or just getting out. Medication may also be an option. Sometimes our bodies need help. It is not a sign of weakness but may be a chemical challenge. I do not see diabetes or allergies as making a person weak or that there is something wrong with her or him. I do not think everyone needs medication, however in some situations if may help.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of the work you do?

A: The most rewarding part of the work I do is the human connection and helping others on this shared journey we call life. It seems as I help others take a step it also helps me. I have had the privilege in working with individuals in some of their worst times and to be able to offer a positive direction, step or suggestion is rewarding. I know that my time with them is only a short moment in their life but maybe it can be of some good.

Q: What were some of your first impressions of the Liberty Lake community when you and Shelley moved here 20 years

ago?

A: Some of my first impressions were the beauty of the area and this is a place where I would feel comfortable and would like to raise my children.

The people were friendly and there was a sense of community. There are many houses and neighborhoods in Washington but we did not find any that offered a sense of community. The feeling of working together was evident.

Q: What are some of the most significant changes you've seen in the time you've called Liberty Lake home?

A: Some of the most significant changes are the improved services that are in existence now that were not evident before. By this I mean we have a proactive visible police force.

We have our own library. We have a trail system that interconnects the community. We have snow removal, a city owned golf course and additional parks and open spaces and trees for our citizens. Another aspect that makes Liberty Lake unique amongst other cities in the nation is our businesses.

Our community has the blessing of a healthy combination of homes, mixed use and business. This combination provides opportunities to live and work here and to have the finances to continue to make community improvements.

Q: As an inaugural council member for a newly incorporated city, what sort of duty did you feel to create a foundation that would serve Liberty Lake well for the present and future?

A: It was an honor and privilege to serve on the City Council. My personal guiding vision was that I am making decisions that will impact a time that I may not see. I used this vision in all of my actions. To help start a city from nothing and have the opportunity to help write ordinances, make decisions on roads, finances, building codes, personnel, departments and all aspects was a treasured privilege. We as a council took the use of tax money very seriously and always had a future view. This was difficult at times as the immediate needs were staring us in the face but we took the vision of what is best for the future. This was an excellent way to form a new city.

Q: As we approach another anniversary of Liberty Lake incorporation, what are you most proud of when it comes to this city?

A: I am most proud of helping start the city with all the departments, services, parks and still being able to maintain the sense of community that makes Liberty Lake different from any other city I have visited in Washington and several other states.

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NEWS

CVSD land purchase shifts site for third high school

By Jamie Borgan

Splash Correspondent With the purchase of over 99 acres in Greenacres last month, the Central Valley School District (CVSD) is one step closer to delivering on its promise to voters to build a new high school by 2021.

CVSD approached the Spokane Gun Club earlier this spring regarding the sale of the land.

Club members voted on June 30 in favor of the sale. The decision was approved July 2 by the club’s board. The purchase was approved unanimously by the CVSD Board on July 3 and is set to close in early August, says Central Valley Superintendent Ben Small.

Construction on the site should begin in July of 2019.

Voters overwhelmingly approved a $129.9 million bond in February of this year to cover costs for construction of a new high school, new middle school, renovation of Horizon Middle School and updates to several elementary schools. A 2015 bond had allowed the district to address some of the overcrowding challenges at the elementary and middle school levels through the construction of several schools.

Small says that the burgeoning population of students in the Central Valley School District had also pushed high schools in the district over capacity, necessitating the construction of a third comprehensive high school. The district states that current capacity in Central Valley high schools is 3,187 students, and current

enrollment is 4,324 students. With enrollment estimated to grow to nearly 4,500 by 2021, the need for new space was clear to the district. The construction of the 240,000-square-foot high school will expand the CVSD’s capacity by 1,600 students.

Originally, the district planned to build the new high school on land it owned at 16th and Henry in the Saltese area. The district changed course when plans for building on the land came in $2.7 million over budget due to cost of infrastructure improvements, including road upgrades and the addition of sewer and water.

The land acquired by the district is located northwest of Henry Road and Sprague Avenue and south of Country Vista Drive. The district will end up paying a little over $8 million to purchase the land, but the acquisition should bring the budget for the new school much more in line with projections.

Small says unexpected costs that arose in the planning at the 16th and Henry site prompted the change. He says the land purchase from the club is advantageous for the district for a number of reasons, including easier accessibility than the Henry site, capacity for growth for the schools, including athletic fields and, most importantly, in the ability to “complete this project on time and on budget, delivering on our commitments to the voters.”

“The site is better for a growing Central Valley community,” Small says, “it allows the district to maximize and be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

The district will conduct several open houses to keep the public aware of its plans. Additional information can be found on the CVSD website at www.cvsd.org under the “High School Planning” page.

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Women-led, grassroots campaign emerges to support Cathy.

Perhaps you’ve now seen the billboards and social media videos about local women leaders taking a stand to support our Congresswoman. Recently, more than 250 women from across the political spectrum and all walks of life have rallied to support Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

Inspired by Cathy’s accomplishments and unique brand of positive, civility building politics — the women-led campaign has held four rallies to celebrate Cathy and continues to grow.

Outdoor recreational burn restrictions in place From Splash News Sources

The Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) Fire Marshal announced July 16 that outdoor recreational burn restrictions are now in place, due to extreme fire danger caused by hot, dry weather conditions.

This means that citizens residing in the cities of Liberty Lake, Millwood, Spokane Valley and unincorporated areas of Spokane County must discontinue outdoor recreational fires and open burning until further notice. Unauthorized fires include: • All recreational fires – any outdoor fire without a chimney such as a backyard fire pit or campfire using chopped firewood or charcoal • All open Burning – any open burning of fields and yard waste is prohibited at all times Any person found with a recreational fire or conducting open burning who fails to take immediate action to extinguish or otherwise discontinue such burning when ordered or notified to do so will be charged with a misdemeanor.

Citizens may continue to use manufactured portable outdoor devices including fireplaces, chimineas, (freestanding front-loading fireplace or oven), barbeques and patio warmers in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. Approved fuels such as clean and dry seasoned firewood, charcoal, natural gas or propane gas must be used in appropriate devices.

More information about outdoor burning is available at 928-1700 or www.spokanevalleyfire.com. Visit Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency for updated burning restrictions for the greater Spokane area at www. spokanecleanair.org/current-burning-conditions.

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AUGUST 2018 • 7

The Lookout MEMO from the

Mayor

By Mayor Steve Peterson

Coming together hibachi style! Welcome to the Fujiyama restaurant now open for business in our downtown core. The ribbon cutting was on July 9 after a few days of soft opening training and serving.

Charmaine and I were fortunate to be part of this first sampling.

The food was awesome and the show… the show was super fun!

There are seats around the hibachi grill where your meal is prepared before your eyes. The master chef makes this dining experience not only fun but truly interactive. It is a flipping, pouring, slinging, throwing, flaming, tossing good time with a great deal of laughter to well season this experience.

If that is not enough to entice you to go… let me bring you to the meat or seafood of this message (pun not intended but yes it was!)

The most enjoyable experience for me was the interaction with the other dining guests especially the ones at our hibachi grill, that included a nurse, computer

tech guy, chef for a sorority at WSU, dental assistant, mom and ambulance driver! We really had fun meeting these neighbors from Liberty Lake and the surrounding area. In fact, we are hoping to have the chef participate in the Liberty Lake Farmers Market next year.

Fujiyama is more than a dining experience – it is where Liberty Lakers come together to enjoy each other’s company and meet new people, a place where we can preheat memory, fold in new friends with old and share a good laugh!

City taking VIP approach to local trees

I want to thank Peter Chen and Fujiyama for investing in our community, for manager Yuki Zheng and her staff who will be preparing these lunches and dinners for years to come and to you, our neighbors, who support a growing core of restaurants.

Without you, they will not survive.

So, wherever you dine, share the experience with another, have a great time, eat locally and remember that we are all working together to make Liberty Lake Spokane County’s premier address!

(Please take time to sample all of our Liberty Lake restaurants)

Culinary Community – Restaurants in LL

By Joice Cary City Horticulturist

An exciting new program, Community Canopy Volunteers in Pruning, (VIP), will be introduced in Liberty Lake this fall.

The Community Canopy program is a tree care education program facilitated by the cities of Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Spokane and Liberty Lake as well as the Spokane County Conservation District. These communities pool resources to train volunteers and supply them with proper tools and pruning opportunities.

Sponsored by the city, residents are trained in proper pruning technique, tree biology, pruning tools, safety and more. In exchange for this valuable training, citizens will provide volunteer hours to prune young trees within the city. VIP is a successful and popular program in neighboring cities that contributes to a safe and healthy tree canopy cover.

Our goal is a trained volunteer group of motivated and skilled people in Liberty Lake who will help care for city trees now and into the future.

For more information contact Joice Cary, City Horticulturist, at jcary@ libertylakewa.gov or call 755-6714.

August 2018

Utility tax rebate available for certain residents

City of Liberty Lake residents who are seniors and low-income or disabled and low-income, may qualify for a rebate of the utility taxes they were charged in 2017.

The utility tax rebate criteria and application form for utility taxes charged in 2017 can be found on the city’s website or by calling the city treasurer.

You are eligible for a utility tax

rebate if: • You lived within city limits of Liberty Lake in 2017 • You paid household utilities, which are in your name in 2017 • You were at least 62 years old or disabled in 2017 • The annual gross income of your household in 2017 did not exceed maximum allowed per household (contact the city for more information on the maximum).

For more information on the utility tax rebate please visit our website at www.libertylakewa.gov or call City Hall at 755-6700.

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8 • AUGUST 2018

City Council News and Notes – August 2018

By Craig Howard Splash Editor • At the July 10 council meeting, Finance Director RJ Stevenson said the city has collected $1.7 million in sales tax to this point.

Construction, RV and auto sales have been the main revenue generators.

The numbers are up $170,000 from the same time last year. Stevenson also noted that Big Trout Lodge sold two months ago and added almost $200,000 to the Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) fund. The same complex sold five years ago, resulting in $150,000 toward the REET • New speakers, wireless mics, three new large screens a new council dais made their debut at the July 24 council meeting.

“How do you like the new layout?”

Mayor Steve Peterson asked those gathered in council chambers at the start of the meeting. Feedback from those in attendance was positive • The city has spent roughly $200,000 on preliminary concepts for expansion of the Harvard Road Bridge to this point. The Washington Department of Transportation has now indicated they will cover the costs of the design work. City Administrator Katy Allen said her understanding is the city does not need to purchase any right-of-way property additions for the project.

“We are a growing community,” Allen said. “Between 3:30 and 5 (p.m.) we have a lot of traffic in this city. One of the challenges we have is people on Appleway going westbound on Harvard.”

• The city spent $7,000 to purchase a security camera at Pavillion Park in an effort to reduce the recent rash of vandalism at the greenspace. Needle disposal bins have also been installed in the bathrooms at the park • Council Member Cris Kaminskas asked how the city could get the word out about the opportunity some residents have for a utility tax rebate based on their income level. “We could at least let the citizens know it is available and that we are trying to help them out,” Kaminskas said. See more details on the rebate on the Lookout page in this issue • Library Director Pamela Mogen told council that the library has developed an informational rack card. “I think this is a helpful vehicle to talk about our library,” Mogen said. On the top of the card it reads, “In this digital age, why a library?” Mogen’s response? “I think this (card) composes a pretty good answer,” she said. “It’s not just about books – people need spaces.”

• The Summer Soiree, a fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Library, will take place Aug. 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Liberty Lake Wine Cellars. Tickets are $20 each.

The event will include lawn games, desserts, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Attendees must by 21 and over.

• A total of seven candidates for the new library director were interviewed the week of July 16. The chosen applicant will replace Mogen who is retiring this fall • The Liberty Lake Youth Commission is putting together a talent show scheduled for Aug. 24 at Pavillion Park. The event is set for 5 to 8 p.m. with talent show starting at 6 p.m.

• The library will be starting a chess club. A former library employee, Michelle Walker, will be the lead coach for the club • Summer reading has been a hit again. As of June 30, registration has surpassed the previous two years • In the first week of July, three residents operating golf carts were charged with impaired driving.

“Just because you’re in a golf cart or on a bicycle or some other mode of transportation doesn’t mean you’re immune to DUI laws,” Chief Brian Asmus said • Asmus said the department continues to participate in community outreach with one example being every Thursday in July where LLPD was represented along with the Spokane Valley Police Department in support of the Police Athletic League, a youth sports program.

• Allen gave an update on this year’s donation from Waste Management to various community causes - $3,000 given to Liberty Lake Rotary was divided among eight local nonprofits, Fallen Heroes, Friends of Pavillion Park, HUB Sports Center and Liberty Lake Community Theatre among others • There will be an opening soon on the library Board of Trustees as current Board Member Tricia Morgan will be moving to Seattle • The city’s SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) mitigating determination of non-significance for the River Crossing East development has been challenged by the city of Spokane Valley. River Crossing is a large project intended to be built out over seven to nine years. Spokane Valley challenged the determination because Liberty Lake did not conduct a traffic study addressing potential impact on Barker Road and Spokane Valley. Liberty Lake officials have been in conversations with the developer, Greenstone Homes, and legal counsel. Spokane Valley has indicated it would like to see the developer pay a “proportionate share” for infrastructure improvements.

City puts wheels in motion on grant for pioneering shuttle

By Craig Howard Splash Editor Liberty Lake may soon be the home to an innovative mode of tailor-made transportation.

On July 10, the City Council heard a report from LeAnn Yamamoto, coordinator for Spokane County’s Commuter Trip Reduction (CTR) program, about a grant opportunity that would bring a public shuttle to be used by both commuters and residents.

Tentatively called the “Liberty Lake Dash,” the van would operate Monday through Friday during morning and afternoon commute times aligning with the current Spokane Transit Authority (STA) bus schedule. The same van would offer shuttle service to residents on weekdays during the summer from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There would also be the option for off-season and special event service.

“We thought this would be really advantageous for the businesses but also the community,” Yamamoto said.

On the commuter side, the shuttle would run every 15 minutes and provide doorstep delivery from the STA Park and Ride on Mission Avenue to the Meadowwood Technology Center (MTC) and possibly other commercial sites like Itron and Huntwood. Yamamoto told council that a survey of workers in Liberty Lake last year indicated that many commuters opt against the bus due to the distance from the Park and Ride to commercial hubs like MTC. Around 3,000 employees call MTC home. A total of 1,874 returned the CTR survey with only 42 saying they utilized the bus.

“What we noticed was that bus ridership was lower going into Liberty Lake during those commuter times,” Yamamoto said. “About 60 percent of those in the survey said they would be interested in taking the bus if they didn’t have to walk (from the Park and Ride to MTC). That was just one of the barriers when people were considering riding the bus.”

After the survey results were in, Yamamoto met with Liberty Lake City Administrator Katy Allen and representatives from the city’s

community development committee to talk about collaborating with STA’s Van Pool program. That idea fizzled when Allen and Yamamoto explored the option in detail with STA officials.

“Their concerns had to do with it being more of a ‘route’ and there would be issues with unions and contracts,” Yamamoto said.

The latest option was described as “a regional mobility grant opportunity” by Yamamoto. Funds would be provided through the Washington State Department of Transportation. Council unanimously approved pursuing the two-year grant that could mean $140,000 toward the program with a local match of $28,000. If approved, funds would be available next summer At the July 24 council meeting, Allen informed council that Yamamoto had contacted her the day before the grant application was due with news that a 48-month rendition of the grant was available. The additional time frame would mean more money – just over $236,000 plus a $48,000 local match – and include the option of concluding the grant after two years.

Allen said it made sense to pursue the 48-month option and council agreed.

“It was a case where we couldn’t roll it forward to four years with the original grant but this way, we can always roll it back to two,” Allen said.

While those around the dais supported the shuttle idea, there was discussion about the long-term sustainability of the service.

“I think tonight it’s a very simple decision to move ahead with the grant,” Council Member Mike Kennedy said on July 10. “This has merit but we will also have to look ahead and figure out how we’re going to fund it.”

While CTR would help with certain aspects of the program like marketing and determining routes, the Dash would essentially become a branch of the city.

Cost of a new van – with seating for nine plus wheelchair accessibility – is

See SHUTTLE, page 9

The Splash

NEWS

SHUTTLE

Continued from page 3 estimated at $50,000 with insurance running $2,400 over two years. Gas and maintenance over the same span would run around $13,200.

Footing the bill for a van driver – who would be considered a municipal employee – is the biggest ticket item.

The salary plus benefits is estimated at $74,440.

“In essence, we’re starting our own bus service,” Kennedy said.

The city is not looking at a fee for those who use the shuttle initially but there may be a cost at some point.

For residents, the shuttle would start near Rocky Hill Park and head to Pavillion Park with stops including Guardian Angel Homes, the Park and Ride and retail area along Liberty Lake Road before continuing to residential sections on the north side of the city like Bitterroot and Trutina.

The route would venture east to the Hawkstone complex before returning to Rocky Hill.

“It will allow residents to have more connectivity,” Yamamoto said.

Yamamoto said there would still be a matter of “working out details of stops and determining routes that would work best for the city of Liberty Lake.”

Yamamoto emphasized a local shuttle would not represent competition to STA. “This actually supplements STA not competes with it,” she said. “It would eliminate the last mile barrier that exists for some employees.”

If the grant is awarded and the Dash begins service, Liberty Lake would be the first community in Washington to incorporate such a program.

“If it is successful and does work, I could see implementing it in other communities,” Yamamoto said.

The city of Liberty Lake has applied for a grant for a local van shuttle through the Washington State Department of Transportation. The shuttle would be available to commuters and residents and operate on weekdays to align with the STA bus schedule.

File photo Approximately 8,000 people commute to Liberty Lake each weekday. Yamamoto said adding the shuttle to the city’s transportation network would have an impact in reducing congestion and parking issues while optimizing mobility, improving air quality and lessening environmental impact.

Also on July 10, council unanimously approved a change order to Orchard Park, minus a slide hill that had been estimated at $92,600. A grass slope minus amenities will still be part of the park. The current list of approved features for the park still does not include a pavilion or maintenance shed that Allen could be readdressed next year.

The complete list of the proposed change order includes: site lighting ($7,692), maintenance building pad, including gravel and utilities ($3,000), south parking lot ($63,700), picnic shelters ($68,700), sport court, including two tennis courts ($93,540), site furnishings ($12,000) and play structure ($124,700). A pair of additional tennis courts – funded by the Central Valley School District at a

cost of $64,738 – are also part of the change order.

The July 24 council workshop included a report from Operations and Maintenance Director Jennifer Camp that crowded public tennis courts continue to be an issue throughout the city. “It’s probably one of the most popular sports we have in our parks,” Camp said.

While there will be four more courts at Orchard Park, expected to go online next year, Camp said the city is now considering taking reservations on courts at sites like Rocky Hill Park. The city will be posting etiquette signs that address players being conscientious about not taking up too much time on courts when others are waiting.

In other recreation news, the city will be installing lines for a Pickleball court on the basketball surface at Pavillion Park. A ribbon cutting will take place on Aug. 4 at 9 a.m.

Introduced in the Northwest in 1965, Pickleball is a blend of tennis, ping pong, racquetball and badminton, played on a court about two-thirds the size of tennis court.

AUGUST 2018 • 9

The public comments portion of the July 24 council meeting, included a suggestion to address congested conditions at the post office by installing postal drop boxes at various sites across town. Allen said she would discuss the possibility with the postmaster.

Allen told council the city is looking at a window of about a year to complete the design of the Harvard Road Bridge widening project.

The city received a grant from the Washington State DOT. “It’s one of those projects that takes a lot of time but we’re all optimistic and we all know the need for that additional northbound lane,” Allen said.

Lisa Key has been hired as the city’s new director of Planning and Engineering. Key had been working in an interim basis since March as a replacement for Amanda Tainio.

Allen made the announcement about Key to council on July 24. Key brings nearly 35 years of experience in land use planning, economic development, project management and transportation planning to the role.

In her first official meeting as a permanent city employee, Key presented the results of council feedback on its top priorities for trail and pedestrian projects with the following receiving the most votes: sidewalk improvements on Mission Avenue, the Country Vista operational study and the pedestrian crossing on Mission, west of Harvard.

Finally, on July 24, council approved Resolution 18-242 regarding the finalization of the River Crossing South Additional Plat, clearing the way for 36 lots on 7.64 acres. Council Member Bob Moore pointed out that the original plat was designated for 33 units per acre. “I was interested in what impact this might have on density,” said Moore who voted in support of the resolution. “I really don’t have a problem with it but I think it’s relevant.”

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The Splash

10 • AUGUST 2018

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Every second, someone over the age of 65 falls in the United States. Every second.

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In fact, one-in-four older Americans (65-plus) falls every year. In Washington state, the rate is one-in-three. Locally, your Spokane Valley Fire Department responds to more than 2,200 falls a year, comprising nearly 13 percent of our overall emergency responses in 2017.

The Washington State Department of Health is launching a new older adult falls prevention effort called “Finding Our Balance” next month. The multi-faceted plan is timed with National Falls Prevention Awareness Day, Sept.

22 and is focused on public awareness, education, improving home safety and much more. Our department is an active member of the Washington Falls Prevention Coalition and is working with many partners, including public health, to help prevent older adult falls.

Falls can result in major injuries, including broken bones, hip fractures and head trauma.

Even when falls occur without a major injury, many people who fall become afraid of falling again. These individuals may cut back on certain activities, including exercise, which makes them weaker and more likely to fall again. Falls can also result in costly medical bills and impact the quality of life for your loved one.

The good news about falls is they can be prevented. Falling is not a normal part of getting older. Instead, by learning about common factors that contribute to falls, you can better determine if you or a family member is at risk of a fall and take action to reduce or eliminate those factors.

Common factors contributing to older adult falls (according to the National Council on Aging): • Decreased muscle strength

balance

and

• Vision impairment • Medications • Chronic health conditions • Environmental factors Action steps to prevent falls: • Stay active: Regular exercise strengthens muscles and helps maintain balance, stability and flexibility. Try to get 150 minutes of physical activity every week.

Check with your healthcare provider about best activities for your current fitness level • Have your vision tested annually: Even small changes in vision may impact your balance and cause you to fall • Review medications: Have your healthcare provider or pharmacist review all of your prescription medications, overthe-counter medications and supplements you are taking for any adverse interactions or side effects that could increase your risk of falls.

• Talk to your doctor: Discuss any unsteadiness or falls you have experienced.

• Make your home safer: Remove tripping hazards, including floor rugs and electrical cords; add grab bars and other assistive devices as needed and add good lighting to dim hallways and stairwells. The National Institute on Aging has a checklist for “fall-proofing your home” on their website at www.nia.nih.gov/ health/fall-proofing-your-home.

There are local resources available to empower you to take action toward a safer and healthier life. You can find many of these resources by contacting the Spokane County office of Washington State Community Living Connections (CLC) at 9607281 or www.waclc.org. CLC provides information and referrals to local older adult programs, services and assistance providers.

For more information on steps you can take to help prevent older adult falls, visit the Fire & Life Safety page on our website at

www.spokanevalleyfire.com.

The Splash

Wave of lakefront property crime prompts heightened security

By Benjamin Shedlock Splash Correspondent In early June, several Liberty Lake shoreline property owners were the victims of boat vandalism and theft of electronic equipment and kayaks. Since the thefts, a group of homeowners has been working with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Spokane County Sheriff Marine Enforcement Unit (MEU) to find the best way to respond to the illegal activity and prevent future incidents.

WDFW manages access to public

AUGUST 2018 • 11

boat launches and enforces fishing rules while MEU provides regular boat patrols of the county’s lakes and surrounding shoreline to enforce state and local laws. The Liberty Lake Police Department does not have jurisdiction over the lake or shoreline, which is located in Spokane County.

WDFW plans to install new signage at the entrance to the public boat launch on Liberty Lake as one way to increase awareness.

The signage will remind users that Fish and Wildlife has authority to patrol the area in order to enforce the boat launch closure from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

A Series of Thefts Spokane County deputies say four boats on Liberty Lake were burglarized over the weeks leading up to June 14. MEU knows of two specific thefts of boat stereo equipment and of a kayak, according to MEU Coordinator Deputy James Ebel. On the same dates, there were reports of vandalism on Long and Newman Lakes and on the Spokane River along the Argonne

corridor.

Sophia (actual name withheld by request), a Liberty Lake shoreline property owner, says there have been as many as seven incidents of theft or vandalism on the lake, which have included motherboards for boat electronics, sound equipment and kayaks. Upholstery and other finishes were vandalized during some thefts, she says.

“The thieves were pretty strategic,” said property owner Balin Strickler, whose boat sustained up to $1,500 worth of damage. He speculated that the thieves targeted the boats with the most value, such as wakeboarding boats.

“They were trying to be covert about it and slip in, grab things and slip off,” Strickler said. He lost items that were easier to steal, including amps and embedded speakers. The bulkier tower speakers and player were left.

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“There was no cutting of upholstery or intentional reckless damage,” said Strickler.

An Increasing Problem Property owners along Liberty Lake are calling attention to a theft problem they feel is more widespread than law enforcement realizes.

According to Deputy Ebel, “boat vandalism is not common.”

“I’ve been running (the Marine Enforcement Unit) for five years and this is the first time I’ve had any real incidents like this,” he said.

On June 14, after the first reports, the County Sheriff issued a press release describing the incidents and asking residents to report suspicious behavior. Sheriff officials also patrolled the boat ramp for two nights around July 4.

“I haven’t had any reports of anything since that release,” Deputy Ebel said.

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He added that Liberty Lake shoreline residents think that the problem is common, but their neighbors need to report it.

“Not everybody calls into Crime Check,” said Sophia. “People don’t understand the benefit of getting (reports of theft) into the hands of authorities.”

A rash of property crime along the shores of Liberty Lake this summer has homeowners concerned. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will be installing new signage at the public boat launch as a reminder that the agency enforces the closure of the dock from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Photo by Craig Howard

She says that neighbors frequently discuss thefts on social media networks like NextDoor, but that law enforcement needs to see the reports to respond appropriately.

Strickler agrees.

See VANDALISM, page 19

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Four Questions for Flag Founder – Dunne humble in project role

By Craig Howard Splash Editor Quick – how well do you know your flag trivia? What do June 14, 1777 and Dec. 18, 2017 have in common?

In American history, the first date is when the Continental Congress voted to establish an official flag for a new nation. The banner would consist of 13 alternating red and white stripes with 13 white stars on a blue background representing the states in the burgeoning union.

The second date – just over 240 years later – marked a meeting at Liberty Lake City Hall in which representatives of local civic groups gathered to select an official community flag. Votes were cast among three designs that emerged from a contest which drew over 50 entries. A colorful image created by lifelong Liberty Lake resident Rebekah Wilding – featuring familiar icons like Pavillion Park, the surrounding hills of Mica Peak, the lake and area golf courses – collected the most ballots.

While the origin of the inaugural Stars and Stripes is the subject of some conjecture – most accounts credit Congressman Francis Hopkinson from New Jersey with the design and Betsy Ross, a seamstress from Philadelphia, with sewing the flag – the background of Liberty Lake’s rendition is a little clearer.

City Council Member Dan Dunne introduced the idea to his colleagues on the governing board in the early part of 2017. His pitch included a PowerPoint presentation at City Hall detailing the history of similar flags as well as why Liberty Lake deserved its own.

Dunne spent several months researching the topic and served as the point person for the contest, all the while rallying support and interest for the project.

“I commend Dan for his efforts,” said Mayor Steve Peterson. “He really did his homework and did a great job gathering input from the community.”

After the design was selected, the city purchased 500 hand flags to distribute for free. Liberty Lake Kiwanis – of which Dunne is a member – acquired the same number with a similar mission. Through it all, Dunne has remained humble about his role, saying the flag “is really about the people here and their perception of the community.”

Dunne said one of his proudest moments came last month when the Liberty Lake Police Department hosted a stop on the torch run for the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games.

Police Chief Brian Asmus gave out

COVER STORY hand flags to each of the participants as well as law enforcement officials at the event.

“It was just a really cool gesture to give people a sense of this place,” Dunne said.

The Splash caught up with Liberty Lake’s flag founder recently to ask a quartet of questions related to the banner that is making its dynamic debut this summer.

Q: In your research of flags prior to the introductory presentation at a City Council meeting last spring, what did you learn that may have surprised you or been particularly illuminating about this topic?

Dunne: Flags have a unique cultural significance that dates back centuries. They represent a place, person or idea in ways that logos or stand-alone symbols cannot. I gained an appreciation for that, as well as for the things that distinguish great flags from not-so-great flags.

Q: There has been quite a bit of talk about the flag representing the entire community of Liberty Lake not just the city. What kind of feedback have you received from residents beyond municipal limits about the concept and their acceptance of this flag as a unifying symbol?

Dunne: I worked hard to earn participation and credibility with the greater community. My objective was to arrive at a flag which could be recognized and flown with pride by the people in greater community, not just the city of Liberty Lake. I think it will serve that purpose. Everyone I speak with, I share how it came to be, as well as the meaning behind the chosen colors and symbols.

People can immediately recognize and understand its value.

Q: Where do you see implementation of the flag a decade from now?

Dunne: I hope to see it in places and on items that make people proud of the place they call home.

I think there’s going to be some amazing and creative students at the elementary - and soon, middle and high schools - in our community that will find great ways to help with this.

The key words or concept to consider where flags can and should be used are that flags are for use on things that will be seen at a distance and things you expect to see in motion.

Q: While you may not have designed the flag that was selected at the end of last year, you are recognized as the catalyst that created interest and momentum for this project. How would you like to be remembered in the legacy of Liberty Lake's community flag?

A: I enjoyed being a facilitator and providing introduction to people.

This work is a catalyst to the pride of place that we all share already.

Bonding Banner – New community flag seen as unifying symbol

By Craig Howard Splash Editor Most visitors to the Liberty Lake Farmers Market have local produce – and maybe a slice of wood-fired pizza – on their open-air shopping list this summer.

Now you can add a unique symbol of Liberty Lake to the inventory here.

Local resident Kathi Chandler was among those surprised to discover miniature versions of new community flag on a sun-speckled Saturday last month as she strolled by a booth sponsored by the city of Liberty Lake. The bonus got even better when Mayor Steve Peterson made sure that Kathi and her son Eric each received complimentary banners.

“You can’t leave without a flag,” Peterson called out cheerfully.

Kathi, who has called Liberty Lake home for the past 15 years, instantly recognized the flag’s centerpiece, an image of the signature canopy at Pavillion Park, patterned after the dance pavilion that once stood during the lake’s resort heyday.

“Obviously that’s the pavilion,”

The Splash

she said. “It’s a gathering place in our community.”

When informed the flag represents not only the city but also areas south of Sprague Avenue and around the lake beyond municipal boundaries, Kathi said the unifying message resonates with her.

“I like how everyone’s part of one community,” she said. “We’re all in this together.”

Along with the pavilion, the flag includes graphics that symbolize the rolling slopes of Mica Peak, the rippling current of Liberty Lake and the freshly manicured fairways of the area’s three golf courses.

A beaming halo reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty’s trademark crown is also part of the design.

Like many, Kathi also saw rays of sunshine in the same image.

Her only proposed addition to the flag had to do with a possible tribute to the surrounding forest.

“I like the hills, I can see the water and the sun,” she said. “I would maybe add a tree.”

The new community flag is hard to miss, replete in two shades of blue, complimentary white and a color often referred to at “Seahawk green.”

Even out-of-towners seem to appreciate the flag’s role in magnifying the image of Liberty Lake. During his visit to the farmers market last month, David Hogsate of Tacoma was impressed with the design.

“Just in general, I think branding is a good idea,” said Hogsate who

See BANNER, page 13

Smaller renditions of the new Liberty Lake community flag are available at City Hall and Yoke's. Council Member Dan Dunne introduced the idea of a unifying civic flag last spring. A contest to determine the design of the banner drew over 50 entries.

Photo by Ben Wick

COVER STORY

The Splash

literature. Peterson noted that the latest design “includes all the same elements” of the seall created almost two decades ago.

Calling All Ensign Enthusiasts Council Member Dan Dunne, the catalyst for the idea of a community flag, was clear in the expectations for the project when he introduced it to his fellow city leaders early last year. In pointing to examples of flags representing cities like Chicago and states like Colorado, Dunne emphasized that the Liberty Lake rendition should feature compelling colors and symbols but not include any text.

“It should be simple, include just a few colors, be seen in motion and include no text,” Dunne said. “It needs to fly and it’s difficult to read things that move.”

As he was rallying interest for

The Liberty Lake community flag made its ceremonial state premiere at the Association of Washington Cities annual conference in Yakima last month. Representatives of City Council and municipal staff represented Liberty Lake at the event. Photo by Ben Wick

BANNER

Continued from page 12

has a background in marketing and has visited family in Liberty Lake since he was a kid. “I think this will help with the identity of the community.”

A Premiere in Yakima Peterson and representatives of the City Council and staff had the flag in tow last month for the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) annual conference in Yakima. The four-day agenda included a flag ceremony in which Liberty Lake’s official new pennant made its premiere.

“We got a lot of good feedback” Peterson said. “I think people especially liked the Seahawk green.”

City Administrator Katy Allen said the flag was “well-received” by a variety of municipal leaders.

“People thought uplifting,” she said.

it

was

very

At the July 10 City Council meeting, other attendees at the AWC conference reiterated the positive response heard in Yakima, although Council Member Mike Kennedy did pass along one suggestion.

“Two individuals approached me and said, “Gee, we love your flag but we don’t know what city it’s for,” Kennedy said. “When you think about a flag, don’t you want the recognition of what it represents?”

Kennedy recommended the possibility of adding “Liberty Lake”

somewhere on the flag while Allen pointed out the city may want to address the design layout which now features one predominant side.

Municipal vs. Community Symbol The community flag is not the first time a merger of Liberty Lake traits has been incorporated in a public emblem. Not long after city incorporation became official on Aug. 31, 2001, Liberty Lake officials went about the process of generating a symbol to represent Spokane County’s newest jurisdiction. Peterson recalls the city putting out a call for design submissions and not getting much response.

“I think we got three or four is all,” he said. “We took different aspects of each one, like the lake, the sun, the water, the pavilion and kind of blended them all together.”

The result was a scene that depicted the park pavilion surrounded by towering pine trees with a sprawling putting green in the forefront. A shimmering lake is in the distance with the entire image illuminated by an enormous sun. The rays are comprised of a repeating series of the two numbers “01,” an homage to the year of incorporation. Peterson recalls the similarities to the binary code also serving as a tribute to the city’s collection of high-tech businesses.

The community flag will not replace the municipal symbol which can be found on city vehicles, police patches, the city website and all sorts of municipal

LL’s Screen Tek recognized as elite pennant producer

By Craig Howard

Splash Editor If you are interested in the “stadium” version of the new Liberty Lake community flag, there is a company on Appleway Avenue that is ready to take your order.

Screen Tek, Inc. has been a fixture in Liberty Lake since 1988, when it relocated from Spokane Valley and nearby businesses like Hewlett Packard and Itron became clients.

Established six years before the move, the company is recognized as an industry leader in screen process printing, capable of churning out a variety of custom-made products – even a community flags that measures 60 feet by 100 feet.

That means the familiar canopy from Pavillion Park depicted on the knitted polyester banner approaching life-size proportions.

Shelley Scheid is the general manager at Screen Tek and has been here since the beginning. She said the company appreciates its strong working relationship with the city of Liberty Lake that goes back to the early days following incorporation in 2001.

“They’re fun to work with,” said Scheid of the city. “Just real nice people.”

If you see an A-frame sign promoting a Friends of the Library book sale, Screen Tek has produced it; if you spot a city emblem on a maintenance truck, the company has created that, too. Same with signs and stickers for entities like the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water

AUGUST 2018 • 13

a contest to determine the flag design last May, Dunne said he was “thrilled with the participation and entries from a diverse group of community members, all with great ideas of what a banner to show pride in our community may look like.”

The contest eventually drew over 50 entries that were narrowed down to three last August when Dunne conferred with representatives from the Spokane Valley Arts Council.

The trio of finalists included retiree David Hardin, Jenne Hatcher, an art instructor at Central Valley High School, and Rebekah Wilding, a part-time graphic designer.

Last December, a panel of judges gathered at City Hall to cast their votes on the three chosen designs. The arbiters included

See FLAG, page 16 District and the Spokane Valley Fire Department.

“Screen Tek has come to our rescue on many occasions,” said Liberty Lake City Administrator Katy Allen. “They always do quality work at a good price with a good price and a quick turnaround. We really appreciate the efficient and responsive service. Having them as a local business makes us very proud.”

When he was pitching the concept last year, City Council Member Dan Dunne talked about the flag eventually being displayed outside homes and public buildings, on boats and golf carts. Screen Tek will be there when the demand hits.

Screen Tek’s extensive product list includes safety labels, full vehicle signage wraps, machinery face plates and much more. Scheid said the company has also printed flags for cities like Nez Pierce and Coulee City.

Litehouse – the Sandpoint, Idahobased producer of salad dressings – is one of Screen Tek’s biggest clients and one of a number of companies depicted in the dynamic wraps that cover public buses.

“They’re basically just big stickers,” Scheid said.

As for being the manufacturer of the flag that represents a place Screen Tek calls home, Scheid said it is an honor.

“We have pride in our community,” she said. “We want to be a part of getting that brand out there and familiarizing people with Liberty Lake.”

Want to fly the flag?

A standard version of the Liberty Lake Community flag (3 feet by 4.5 feet) produced by Screen Tek is available for $30 by calling Liberty Lake Kiwanis at 205-KIWANIS (549-2647). Hand flags are being distributed at Liberty Lake City Hall and the Liberty Lake Yoke’s.

COMMUNITY

14 • AUGUST 2018

The Splash

Calendar of Events COMMUNITY EVENTS Aug. 3 | Barefoot in the Park Weekend - Concert featuring Minor Adjustments - 6-9 p.m., Pavillion Park, 727 N. Molter Road, Liberty Lake. The sixth annual Barefoot in the Park will also feature familyfriendly activities, vendors, a car show, Cecil the Magician and more.

For the entire Aug. 3-4 schedule, visit www.libertylakewa.gov.

Aug. 4 | Barefoot in the Park Weekend - Concert featuring Angela Marie Project - 6-9 p.m., Pavillion Park Aug. 10 | Friends of Pavillion Park Movie Night, "The Incredibles" - dusk at Half Moon Park, River District Aug. 11 | Friends of Pavillion Park Movie Night, "Wonder" dusk at Pavillion Park Aug. 17 | Friends of Pavillion Park Movie Night, "Kubo and the Two Strings" - dusk at Pavillion Park Aug. 18 | Montana Shakespeare in the Park, “Love’s Labour’s Lost” – 5 p.m., Pavillion Park Aug. 22-26 | North Idaho State Fair, Kootenai County Fairgrounds, 4056 N. Government Way, Coeur d'Alene. This annual event will feature five days of music, entertainment, fair food, carnival rides, rodeo competition and more.

For more information, including full event listings and ticket prices, visit www.northidahostatefair.com.

Aug. 24 | Liberty Lake Youth Talent Show presented by the Liberty Lake Youth Commission, 5 p.m., Pavillion Park. Ages 4-18

or families. Sign libertylakewa.gov.

up

at

www.

Spokane Valley. Call Steve at 8934746 for more information

Aug. 25| Friends of Pavillion Park Movie Night, "A Wrinkle in Time" - dusk at Pavillion Park

Baha’i Fireside Conversation | 7 to 8 p.m., third Thursdays of the month. Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Discussion of Baha’i teachings, history, and perspectives on resolving the challenges facing humanity. All are welcome. More at 599-2411 or www.bahai.us

Sept. 1 | Lud Kramer Memorial Concert featuring the Spokane Symphony – 6 p.m., Pavillion Park Through Oct. 13 | Liberty Lake Farmers Market – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Town Square Park, 1421 N. Meadowwood Lane. This popular open-air market features local food and farm vendors, artisan crafts and baked goods, music and more.

The Pie Festival will take place on Aug. 18. The venue is open each Saturday through Oct. 13.

For more information, visit www. libertylakefarmersmarket.com.

RECURRING ACT 2 senior classes | Affordable classes offered by Community Colleges of Spokane to those who are retired or planning to retire.

A wide range of courses from geology and history to exercise and art are offered at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, as well as other locations throughout the area. “Focused Fitness on Dishman Mica,” a yoga class, is now part of the schedule. More at www.sccel. spokane.edu/ACT2 Al-Anon family meetings | Mondays, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Liberty Lake Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave. No meetings on holiday Mondays.

Is there a problem of alcoholism with a relative or a friend? Al-Anon family groups can help. For more information call 456-2125 Military Sobriety Support Group | 10 to 11: 30 a.m., Spokane Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway,

Catholic Singles Mingle | meeting times and locations vary. This group, with no dues, is for single adults of all ages. More at www. meetup.com/Catholic-SinglesMingle DivorceCare Recovery Support Group | Mondays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Eastpoint Church, 15303 E. Sprague Ave. Learn how to heal from the deep hurt of divorce and discover hope for your future.

DivorceCare for Kids (ages 5-12) meets at the same time and location.

Cost is $25 for workbook. More at 892-5255 or eastpointchurch.com Grange Meeting and Dessert | 6:30 p.m., first Wednesday of the month, Tri-Community Grange, 25025 Heather St., Newman Lake. The public is welcome for this community-based service organization. For more information call 226-2202 or see us on Facebook Liberty Lake Library | 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake.

Various clubs and weekly meetings including book clubs, children’s story times, LEGO club, computer drop-in class, knitting club, and more. More at www.libertylakewa. gov/library Men’s Weekly Bible Study | 7 a.m.

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Spokane County Library District | Locations include Argonne, Fairfield, Otis Orchards and Spokane Valley. Special events and weekly activities for all ages including book clubs, children’s story times, classes, Lego club, teen anime club and writing clubs.

More at www.scld.org Toastmasters, Liberty Lakers #399 | 5:45 to 7 p.m., Wednesdays at the Liberty Lake Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake.

This is a speaking and leadership development club.

Spokane Valley Quilt Guild | Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December at Valley Assembly of God Church, 15618 E. Broadway, Spokane Valley. Open to all interested in sharing ideas and skills of our quilting craft. Participants have can access a comprehensive library, can engage experienced teachers and participate in community service projects. More at www.svqgspokane.com Free Sunday lunch | Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 North Raymond Road, Spokane Valley - 12:30 p.m. in the church’s Fellowship Hall, Room 115

MUSIC & THE ARTS

GIFT SHOP

UNIQUE JEWELRY •

Church, 3223 N. Marguerite Road, Millwood. The men’s weekly Bible Study meets in the Reception Hall with different members sharing in the leading of the study. All men are invited to join. More at www. milwoodpc.org

We are located across from The

Well at

21950 E Country Vista Dr. Suite 500 in Liberty Lake

(509)862-4731 www.camilee.com

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The Splash

Aug. 2-5 | “The Music Man” presented by Christian Youth Theater, Magnuson Theatre at Gonzaga University, 502 E. Boone Ave., Spokane. Showtimes are Thursday-Sunday at 7 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 3 p.m. Tickets are $12-$16.

Through Aug. 11 | Inland Northwest Juried Landscape Art Exhibition, Jundt Art Museum, Gonzaga University, 200 E. Desmet Ave., Spokane. This display features works focusing on Inland Northwest landscape-based interpretations from artists from the region. Hours are Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturdays in August | SCRAPS “Paw Art,” 10 a.m. Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS), 6815 E. Trent Ave., Spokane Valley. This free, family-friendly event will feature local artists leading community art projects with canine participation.

For more information, contact Janet Dixon at SCRAPS – jkdixon@ spokanecounty.org or 477-2752.

Aug. 11 | Coeur d’ Alene Symphony 40th anniversary celebration, 5 p.m. - Coeur d'Alene Resort, 115 S. Second, Coeur d'Alene. Join North Idaho’s acclaimed orchestra in welcoming new conductor Jan Pellant. The night includes hors d’oeuvres, dessert, exceptional entertainment and an auction. Tickets are $75. For more information, call (208) 7653833, email info@cdasymphony. org or visit www.cdasymphony.org/ shop/.

RECURRING Pages of Harmony | 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Wednesdays. Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S. Pines Road.

If you enjoy singing, you will love the four-part, a cappella harmony of this men’s barbershop chorus.

More at www.pagesofharmony.org Spirit of Spokane Chorus | 6:45 p.m., Tuesdays. Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road. Make new friends by joining this women’s chorus, specializing in four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. More at 2184799 Spokane Novelists Group | noon to 4 p.m., second and fourth Saturday of the month.

Otis Orchards Community Church, 23304 E. Wellesley Ave., Otis Orchards. A support/critique group

COMMUNITY

for writers. Open to anyone with an interest in writing fiction (no memoirs, nonfiction, poetry, etc., please). Participants should bring 5-10 pages to read aloud and 6-8 copies for others to read along and critique. More at 590-7316 Spokane Valley Camera Club | 7:15 p.m., third and fourth Monday of the month (September through April). Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District building, 22510 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. All levels of ability—students through experienced photographers—are invited to learn. Social events include field trips and workshops.

More at 951-1446 or www.sv-cc. org Teen Writers of the Inland Empire | 4 p.m., first Thursday of the month (except holidays).

Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Writers (sixth grade and older) meet to write and share their work. More at 893-8400

HEALTH & RECREATION Aug. 7 | Quit for Good – Tobacco Cessation class. Have you tried quitting smoking before without success? INHS and Providence Health Care are teaming up to provide a free four-week program designed to help you have longterm success in quitting tobacco.

Tobacco cessation tools will be available to you as well as tobacco cessation experts.

The class includes Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) while supplies last when NRT is not covered by participant’s health insurance. This is a live, interactive webinar. Log in information will be emailed with your registration confirmation. For more information, call 232-8145 or visit www.inhs.info.

Aug. 8 | Liberty Lake Community Blood Drive – Greenstone building, 1421 N. Meadowwood Lane, Liberty Lake, 10 to 11:30 a.m. This event will be facilitated by the Inland Northwest Blood Center which reminds residents that it needs an average of 200 blood donors every day to meet the needs of more than 35 hospitals in the Inland Northwest. A single donation can save the lives of up to three people. To learn more, visit www.inbcsaves.org or call 1-800423-0151.

AUGUST 2018 • 15

Aug. 2 and 29 | Pre-diabetes screening, INHS Community Wellness Center, 501 N. Riverpoint Blvd., Spokane. This simple blood test provides information about a person’s average levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar, over the past three months.

Immediate results are provided and can be discussed at the time of appointment with a registered dietitian and/or a certified diabetes educator. For more information, call 232-8145 or visit www.inhs.info.

Wednesday mornings | Mindful Music & Movement class, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Specifically designed for those living with chronic health issues such as: Parkinson's, dementia, COPD, MS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cancer. Supporting body, mind and soul. $10 donation suggested.

Facilitated by board-certified Music Therapist, Carla Carnegie. Willow Song Music Therapy Center. 21101 E. Wellesley #102. Otis Orchards.

For more information, visit www. willowsongmusictherapy.com or call 592 7875.

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The Splash

16 • AUGUST 2018

BANNER

Continued from page 15 RECURRING HUB Sports Center 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake.

Various activities and events occur throughout the week including: • Pickleball drop-in: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Mon. through Thurs.; 10 a.m. to noon Tues. and Thurs.; and 6 to 8 p.m. Wed. and Sun. $3/seniors ($5/non-seniors) • Classes including Kenpo Karate and Zumba Aerobics. See website for cost and times Tuesday afternoons | Decreasing Anger Group, 3 to 4:30 p.m., the Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. Eligibility: Combat veteran from all eras, military sexual trauma survivors, Contact Steve at 893-4746 to make an intake appointment.

CIVIC & BUSINESS

Aug. 11 | Night at the Nat “fun” raiser for Spokane Valley Heritage Museum – 6-10 p.m., Spokane Valley Heritage Museum, 12114 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley. Enjoy an exhibit that recounts memories of the Natatorium Park on the 50th anniversary of its closing. Take photos in an original stainless steel rocket ship from the Circle Swing.

The KSPS documentary “Remember When: Nat Park” will be shown at dusk and copies will be available for purchase. The event will also feature refreshments and music . Call to RSVP by Aug. 4 or email spokanevalleymuseum@gmail. com. Cost is $5 and donations for the museum are encouraged.

Aug. 15 | A Summer Soiree benefiting the Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 6 to 8 p.m., Liberty Lake Wine Cellars, 23110 E. Knox Ave. Tickets are $20 for this event hosted by Friends of the Library.

Includes dessert, lawn games and non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. For more information, email FriendsLLLibrary@gmail.

com. Central Valley School Board | 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, CVSD administration building, 19307 E. Cataldo, Spokane Valley

Club | Noon to 1 p.m., every Thursday at the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water building, 22510 E Mission Ave. For more information, go to www.LibertyLakeRotary.org

Liberty Lake City Council | 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive

Liberty Lake Merchants Association | 11:30 a.m.

Tuesdays, Liberty Lake Portal, 23403 E. Mission Ave., Suite 120.

More at 999-4935

Liberty Lake Kiwanis | 6:45 a.m. on the first through third Wednesdays of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive.

Fourth Wednesday, the club meets at noon at Barlows restaurant, 1428 N. Liberty Lake Road Friends of Liberty Lake Municipal Library | 2 p.m., the last Wednesday of each month, Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake Liberty Lake Lions Club | Noon to 1 p.m., every first and third Wednesday of each month. Meetings are at Barlow's Restaurant, 1428 N. Liberty Lake Road. For questions, call Mary Jo at 558-5426 Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary

Liberty Lake Municipal Library Board | 10:30 a.m. the first Thursday of each month, 23123 E. Mission Ave. Liberty Lake Planning Commission | 4 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive Liberty Lake SCOPE (Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort) | 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District Board | 4 p.m. on the second Monday of each month, 22510 E. Mission Ave.

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The Splash

Mica Moon adds aerial trekking to zip line menu

By Jamie Borgan

Splash Correspondent For adventure enthusiasts in the Inland Northwest, the landscape just got a little more interesting.

The area’s first Aerial Trekking course opened in June on the same land as Mica Moon Zip tours; the tree top tour is an adventurous addition to the zip line course owned by Rik and Heidi Stewart, long time Liberty Lake residents.

Now in its fourth year, Mica Moon sits on nearly 300 acres of richly forested land on Mica Peak. The zip line course has been attracting thousands of visitors per year since inception and has only grown in popularity each year. According to owner Rik Stewart, only about half of their customers live in the area. The other half are visitors to the Spokane area, making Mica Moon a true tourist destination.

The ability to draw such a large customer base from outside of the Inland Northwest may have been a contributing factor in Mica Moon recently winning the 2018 Visit Spokane Spirit of the Intermountain Northwest award.

The zip line tour includes eight zip lines, two short hikes and two UTV rides, all set against the backdrop of the picturesque forest of Mica Peak. Because of Mica Peak’s elevation, the tour includes breathtaking views of the entire Spokane area. Stewart says they’ve recently added two new zips to the course, including one affectionately known as “Big Mama” that’s 3550 feet long. At well over half a mile, Stewart says it’s one of the longest lines in the world.

BUSINESS longboard ride in the air, and rickety bridges. Unlike the zip line tour, customers are not given a guided tour on the Aerial Trekking course and can choose the intensity of their experience. In attempting to “stay within the brand,” Stewart says there are climbing walls etched with pictures of the animals in the area and moonshine barrels to walk across, celebrating the area’s legendary history as a moonshine making hub.

As with the zip line tours, Stewart is quick to mention the safety features of the trekking course and emphasizes that there are varying degrees of difficulty designed to accommodate thrill seekers, but also those who are simply interested in pushing their comfort zones a little bit.

While the aerial course is still new, Stewart sees it attracting a similar clientele to the zip line tours: groups celebrating events, corporate clients interested in team bonding, and Baby Boomers who Stewart calls “bucket listers.”

Stewart wants the tour to be something that attracts all kinds of people, from adventure seekers to families looking to spend an afternoon together. And of course, there are those who find the rush of speed and elevation the perfect place for a marriage proposal. “I think we’ve had seven proposals,” Stewart says with a laugh.

For the Stewarts, Mica Moon and the Aerial Trekking course are more than a business. After a diagnosis of cancer, Rik decided to create a business he loved that would get people to “push their envelope.”

He loves “getting kids out from behind screens” into nature to have authentic experiences and watching the thrill of someone experiencing the zip tour for the first time. “There’s not a week that goes by that people don’t come off that big zip with tears in their eyes,” he says “I absolutely love it.”

In addition to the recently added Aerial Park, Mica Moon plans to add a kiddy playground this summer, a miniature version of the tree top adventure for kids under six, the minimum age for the full course.

The kiddy course will allow even the smallest adventurers to experience the thrill of the Aerial Park, but in miniature.

Stewart says they also plan to add food on site, so customers can make a day of both the zip line tour and the Aerial Trekking course.

Packages are available for both attractions, as are group discounts.

Reservations are recommended for both attractions, as space is limited and tends to fill up quickly. Information about rates and packages can be found at micamoon.com.

In the four years that the Stewarts have owned Mica Moon, Stewart says there have been so many memorable stories, including the experience of taking a paraplegic man who had been injured in an accident on a zip line tour, or the couple celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary who, at 89 and 93 years old, were Mica Moon’s oldest customers so far. “I love the stories, the people, the experiences,” Stewart says, “this is a win, win.”

The recently opened Aerial Trekking course is also owned by the Stewarts, but attracted the interest of Spokane icon, John Stockton, who had visited Aerial Trekking courses in Europe where his son plays basketball and was interested in bringing a similar attraction to this area. Stockton is a partner in the venture.

Stewart describes the course as something of an Ewok village with rope bridges, tree top platforms, and elements of varying difficulty that customers can attempt depending on their comfort with heights and spirit of adventure.

Elements include a Tarzan rope,

AUGUST 2018 • 17

Folds of Honor Patriot Golf Day Tournament Friday, September 14, 1-7 pm MeadowWood Golf Course 24501 E. Valleyway, Liberty Lake

Shotgun Start, 1:00 pm Dinner to follow Awards will be presented to top teams and individuals for long drive and close-to-the-pin Various sponsor levels Registration includes green fees, cart and dinner: $500 per team or $125 per individual BEHIND EVERY WAVING FLAG, THERE ARE THOUSANDS FOLDED

Folds of honor provides educational scholarships for the children and spouses of military men and women killed or disabled in service to America. Since 2007, Patriot Golf Day has been our number one source of financial support.

Help us continue to change lives through the game of golf by participating in your courses’ Patriot Golf Day.

Register Your Team: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ patriots-day-golf-classic-2018-tickets-38444452392

Mica Moon Zip Tours is now in its fourth year of operation on 300 acres in the Mica Peak area. The business, owned by Rik and Heidi Stewart of Liberty Lake, recently added an aerial trekking course to its popular zip line features.

Contributed photo

Corporate Sponsorships Available! Call: Craig Whiting at (509)869-8650 or Duane Tait at (509)280-2797 Tee and green sponsorships are available for $1000, which includes: one foursome and signage

The Splash

18 • AUGUST 2018

SVFD Report – August 2018 From Splash News Sources

Spokane Valley Fire Department crews responded to a total of 104 emergency calls in the greater Liberty Lake area* from June 20 – July 18: • Emergency medical services – 77 • Motor vehicle accidents – 6 • Fire - 6 • Building alarms – 4 • Service calls – 1 • Dispatched and cancelled en route – 10 *Service area for SVFD Station #3 in Liberty Lake Burn Ban – As of July 16, outdoor recreational fires and open burning are restricted due to high fire danger in the cities of Liberty Lake, Millwood, Spokane Valley and unincorporated Spokane County. This means any outdoor fire without a chimney – including campfires and backyard fire pits (with or without screens) – are prohibited. Open burning of fields, yard waste and garbage is always prohibited. Read more at www. spokanevalleyfire.com or call 9281700 for more information.

Fire Commissioner vacancy – Applications are now being accepted from citizens interested in serving the community as a member of the Spokane Valley Fire Department Board of Fire Commissioners. The board will appoint one individual to fill a current vacancy. Applications are due by Aug. 10 at 4 p.m. More at www.spokanevalleyfire.com or by calling 928-1700.

Grass fire – June 28 – SVFD firefighters responded to a reported grass fire in the 3000 block of North Idaho Road shortly after 1 p.m. The

fire was reported to be traveling toward the Upriver Stables about 200 yards away. Firefighters established a wet line around the slow-moving brush fire with assistance from Kootenai County Fire & Rescue and Department of Natural Resources crews before extinguishing the fire. Investigators believe fireworks caused the fire.

Brush fire – July 5 – Firefighters were called to the 2400 block of South Zephyr Road just after 2 p.m. in response to a fire reported in the hills above the Off Road Vehicle (ORV) Park. Incoming units noted a smoke column and upgraded the response to the highest level, bringing more firefighting resources to the scene. The slowmoving grass and timber fire began to burn more quickly uphill and was estimated to be about five acres before several aerial water drops stopped the fire. Spokane

Valley firefighters were assisted by crews from Department of Natural Resources and water tender trucks from Spokane County Fire Districts 9 and 13. Firefighters noted the remains of a campfire near the starting point of the fire.

Motor vehicle accident – July 14 - Shortly before 11:15 p.m., SVFD crews responded to a motor vehicle accident in the 1600 block North Liberty Lake Road. A 31-yearold male riding his motorcycle was attempting to turn and did not see the curb. He hit the curb and was thrown to the ground. Firefighters treated injuries to his knee and shoulder before he was transported to the hospital.

About SVFD - Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the cities of Liberty Lake, Millwood, Spokane Valley and unincorporated areas of Spokane County including the communities of Otis Orchards,

Pasadena Park, and the area surrounding Liberty Lake, with a combined population of 125,000 across approximately 75 square miles.

SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 17,280 emergency calls in 2017. Established in 1940, SVFD is an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), one of only a handful in the state of Washington.

SVFD operates 10 stations providing fire suppression, emergency medical services, vehicle extrication, hazardous materials response, special operations rescue, fire investigation, fire prevention, commercial property inspection, CPR and fire safety training. SVFD provides free fire safety inspections and installation of free smoke detectors. For more information call 928-1700 or visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com.

SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY Your experience is what makes SCOPE work!

Our mission is to provide a safe living environment for the community. To increase citizen’s awareness of, and involvement in, community-oriented services in partnership with the Spokane County Sheriff ’s Office.

To foster community spirit.

Join us! There is a station near you!

509-477-3376

12710 E Sprague • www.scopespokanewa.org

The Splash

VANDALISM

Continued from page 11 “The big thing is to get the community aware of what’s going on,” Strickler said. “If we see something, say something.”

Searching for a Solution According to Sophia, part of the problem is that the public boat launch, which is closed from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. by ordinance, is left open and frequently unpatrolled.

She points out that people use the boat launch at night, both for fishing and other activities.

“We are frustrated at the lack of police enforcement of existing law and at the lack of resources the agencies have to address the issues,” Sophia said.

The new sign, which will be privately funded by homeowners and will supplement an existing sign at the boat launch itself, will state the hours for the public boat launch and that the site will be patrolled by WDFW. “Our officers stop by the area periodically, both during the day and at night, to assess use and make sure people are complying with the access pass and fishing rules,” said WDFW Public Information Officer Madonna Luers.

Luers also noted that “we have very limited staff to patrol Liberty Lake,” which is one of the more than 1,500 lakes, 600 rivers, and 11 reservoirs for which her office has responsibility. Patrols increase during the summer months. Partly as a result of the limited staff, WDFW allows what Luers calls “legitimate users” – fishing license holders angling for fish that are more active at night such as channel catfish and brown bullheads – to continue to fish during the launch closure. WDFW Officer JoLynn Beauchene, whose area of responsibility includes Liberty Lake, develops trust with those who fish here.

“Our experience has been that misconduct can occur more frequently at low-visitation sites,” Luers said.

When Officer Beauchene finds legitimate users at night, Luers says she speaks with them about respecting the area and provides her cell phone number to report suspicious activity. There are no rules against fishing at night on Liberty Lake.

AUGUST 2018 • 19

Sophia believes this practice shifts too much responsibility from the agency and doesn’t replace the need for more patrols. “You cannot expect the public to take the responsibility of your job,” she said.

Luers also cautions that adding a sign and monitoring the boat access is not a panacea.

“To our knowledge, there is no evidence that any thefts were made using the public water access site,” Luers said. She pointed out that there are many other ways to access the lake.

However, Sophia sees the sign as a positive step toward addressing the thefts. “I want them to enforce the regulations they have in place,” she said. “Will it completely be the answer? Probably not, but we’ll address the next problem.”

Friday Nights are Rib Nights Enjoy our slow cooked Memphis Style Baby Back Ribs or slow roasted Prime Rib Dinner

Next Steps Law enforcement recommends property owners take basic security measures, such as installing lighting and security cameras and using cables and locks for equipment left outside. Deputy Ebel encourages property owners to write down serial numbers of kayaks and other mass-produced items, like electronics, so they can claim ownership if they are recovered.

To report a theft or vandalism of a boat, call Crime Check at 456-2233.Luers tells neighbors to report suspicious activity on the water or at public access sites by calling the Spokane Valley office of WDFW at 892-1001. She believes “cooperative, communitysupportive eyes on the water” will decrease thefts in the first place.

For his part, Strickler has made sure his dock lighting is not obscured and is working with his homeowners’ association to place cameras and signage on their dock.

“Homeowners are the best line of defense,” he said. “It’s on us to create an environment of deterrence.”

The Liberty Lake shoreline property owners will also keep working with law enforcement to find long-term solutions. Strickler said he is looking forward to the new signage and hopes that patrols of the water and the launch can be increased.

“We have worked with James Ebel and JoLynn Beauchene and they are stand-up people,” said Sophia.

“We’ve worked well in the past.”

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The Splash

20 • AUGUST 2018

FLAG

Continued from page 13 representatives from groups like Liberty Lake Kiwanis, Central Valley School District, Friends of Pavillion Park, Spokane Valley Fire Department and others. In a close vote, Wilding’s composition was picked.

Since then, the mother of five and lifelong resident of Liberty Lake has seen her creation fly outside Liberty Lake Elementary School and the new SVFD station on Country Vista.

City Hall has several versions of the flag on display while the smaller banners are being distributed there and at other sites like the market and Pavillion Park.

“It’s been fun to see something that I created in different places,” Wilding said. “I guess I imagined it would be in more places than it is but I know it’s still taking hold.

My kids (at LLES) have told their friends that the flag was designed by their mom and they think that’s pretty cool.”

Wilding produced around 20 flag options, eventually settling on four that she entered into the competition. Each rendering included the recognizable awning from Pavillion Park.

“Our Liberty Lake history is so great and to me that pavilion is a symbol of our history,” she said.

Wilding recalls a time when Liberty Lake’s commercial area included little more than a gas station and the Hewlett Packard campus. Like others, she sees the flag having the potential to further unite the community.

“There’s the area around the lake and the north side with the River District,” she said. “I sometimes forget Liberty Lake encompasses so much more now.”

Allen, who has lived here since 1983, said the pavilion was a suitable selection as the flag’s focal point.

“Before Pavillion Park, the connection to this community was the lake,” she said. “Now it’s the park. It’s so wonderful that we have a place called “the pavilion” that pulls the community together.”

One Flag, One Community Brian Davis first read about the concept of a community flag in The Splash last year. He and his wife Annette live south of city limits not far from the lake. Both say they would not be opposed to displaying the new flag outside their home.

“I haven’t heard too much about

Screen Tek, Inc. has called Liberty Lake home since 1988. The company on Appleway has now added production of the new Liberty Lake community flag to their impressive resume. Screen Tek employees from left to right: Stan Burke, Shelley Scheid, Emily Synold and Scott Mader.

Photo by Craig Howard it but anything that can unite the community is a good thing,” Brian said. “We believe we’re a part of the Liberty Lake community even though we live south of Sprague and I would be surprised if our neighbors felt any differently.”

Dunne has continued to do his part in establishing the flag’s role among the greater Liberty Lake populace. He handed out larger versions of the banner to two homeowners along Lilac Lane overlooking the lake and said the gesture was “well-received.”

While many around the lake had

their reasons for sitting out the Liberty Lake 2000 campaign that led to the successful incorporation vote, Peterson said civic solidarity has come to define the community – regardless of the address.

“We’re one big, great community,” he said. “We shop at the same stores, we drive on the same roads, we attend the same churches, we play on the same golf courses and this flag represents that. Historically, a flag has been a rallying point and it’s no different here. It’s Liberty Lake – long may she wave.”

S

E AT D E

SPOKANE VALLEY HERITAGE MUSEUM

VE SA

TH

FARMERS MARKET L i b e r t y

ADMISSION $10

REMEMBER

RSVP BY AUGUST 4TH

Natatorium Park FUN-raiser for the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum

Food | Beer Garden | Music Authentic rides on display Nat Park movie at dusk

August 11th 6 pm- 10 pm

12114 E. SPRAGUE AVE SPOKANE VALLEY, WA 99206 (509) 922-4570 spokanevalleymuseum.com PARKING AVAILABLE ON SIDE STREETS All benefits go to the preservation of local history

L a k e

Every Saturday 9am -1pm

Italian Festival July 14th • 9am-1pm

Pie Festival

August 18th • 9am-1pm

Art At the Market September 14th • 5pm-8pm September 15th • 9am-1pm

SHOP · EAT · CONNECT Visit us at LLFarmersMarket.com or find us on

The Splash

AUGUST 2018 • 21

2018 Official Event Guide Friday Aug. 3 - Saturday Aug. 4 Pavillion Park - 727 N Molter Rd

Two Days of FREE FAMILY FUN NEW

DRONE RACING FOOTGOLF HOLE-IN-ONE PICKLEBALL - Opening Ceremony with

Mayor & City Councilmembers Sat. 9 am

BAREFOOT GUIDE 22 • AUGUST 2018PAGE 2

The Splash

2018

Friday Food Vendors 5 pm – 8 pm DJ Noon to 6 pm Touch a Truck 5 pm – 8 pm Car and Golf Cart Show 5 pm– 8 pm Beer Garden 4 pm – 11 pm Live Music 6 pm – 10 pm

LEGEND Live Band Stage Food Beerfoot Garden Dog Agility and Demonstration Area Food Trucks FRIDAY ONLY Car and Motorcycle Show Vendors Family Yard Games Soccer Tournament Ultimate Frisbee The Fun Guy Entertainment Co Drone Racing NEW Pickle Ball NEW Golf Carts NEW Touch a Truck

Sched

https://www.facebo

FOOTGOLF HOLE IN ONE

BAREFOOT GUIDE AUGUST 2018 PAGE • 233

The Splash

dule of Events

ook.com/Barefoot.2018.CityofLibertyLake/ - Stage for the band (bigger than last year) - Beer & Wine Vendors Lake Kiwanis Kick- Liberty off your shoes for Barefoot in the Park!

Maximum 5 players per team.

- Beer Garden

Double Elimination Tournament.

Teams guaranteed 3 games.

T-shirts for every player!

- Dog Agility GO TO

www.hubsportscenter.org/barefoot for schedules and updated information about the tournament.

- Food Trucks (IN THE PARKING LOT) - Car & Motorcycle Show (Friday) -

PARKING etc.)

Liberty Lake School - Oversized Yard Elementary Games (Jenga, Connect 4, and Liberty Lake Ballfields (Molter and Boone) Twister, etc.)

17 Handicap / Senior Spaces in Pavilion Park Lot

Saturday Pickleball Court Opening Ceremony 9 am Food Vendors 10 am – 8 pm Business Vendors 9 am to 6 pm Family Fun Activities 9 am – 5 pm (bounce houses, bungee trampoline, bubble ball, face painting, oversized yard games, pickleball, footgolf hol-in-0ne) Barefoot 3v3 Soccer 9 am - 3 pm Drone Racing 10 - 1 am Dick Frost Magician 10 - 11 am Ultimate Frisbee 2 pm – 4 pm Dog Agility Demonstration 10 - 11 am VALOR K9 11-Noon Dog Agility Demonstration 1-2 pm Field Games with Mayor & Councilmembers 2 am – 3 pm Cecil the Magician 3-4 pm DJ 9 am – 6 pm Live Music 6 pm – 10 pm Beer Garden 4 pm – 11 pm

24 • AUGUST 2018

Thank you to our Sponsors!

The Splash

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Save The Date: Friday September 28th, 2018 4:00pm-7:00pm Come Celebrate the HUB Sports Center’s 11th Anniversary!

Enjoy hot dogs and drinks, photo booth, bouncy house and all the courts open to try different sports!

Play Unplugged Participants: Bring in your summer badges for a chance to win awesome prizes!

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AUGUST 2018 • 27

Roll a die to determine the features to add to each shape to create your own unique monster! Color and send to us! Contest@libertylakesplash.com

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28 • AUGUST 2018

Come In, Cool Off!

PACE Trait for August – Gratitude

By Tracy Russell

Summer brings change for our Indoor Playground and Open Gym hours!

Indoor Playground Summer Hours: Monday-Friday 1:00 PM- 2:00 PM, Friday 6:00PM-8:00 PM. June 25- August 31, 2018.

Open Gym Summer Hours- Fridays 6:00 PM- 8:00 PM June 29- August 31, 2018.

My name is Tracy Russell. I just wanted to say a very special “thank you” to all the men, women and families that have donated their money, time, food, clothing and other items to Union Gospel Mission.

So, you know God truly watches over this place. His Spirit is so powerful here.

I found out today that I lost my grandmother. She went to see Jesus two days ago and the love and support I have received from staff and my sisters here is really incredible. I feel all the women here are my sisters (in Christ) and love them all. I see the Holy Spirit in so many women.

When a lot of women first come in, they are scared and unsure, sad, confused and don’t want to be here. What a transformation a few days can make in a woman’s life when she has women gathered around her as sisters. The women here get really close and, when one leaves, there are always tears of sadness and joy. Our different reasons for being here always seem to help one another.

We are all so broken when we arrive. God changes that to hope and encouragement and a new look on life.

Tracy wrote this note while living at the UGM Crisis Shelter

for Women and Children. She transferred from the Crisis Shelter to the Women’s Recovery program at Anna Ogden Hall, finishing the program last June. Today, she has a good job and her own place, but she continues to value the strong relationships she formed while at UGM. Background: From its inception in 1951, Union Gospel Mission’s purpose has been to break – not perpetuate – the cycle of homelessness. Believing each individual is created in the image of God, we see in each one the potential to live a meaningful life, something much better than mere survival on the street.

UGM Women’s Recovery at Anna Ogden Hall is a long-term program for people dealing with often overwhelming personal issues such as addiction, domestic violence or a criminal record. Recognizing that permanent change takes place at the heart level, UGM Recovery addresses the underlying thoughts, feelings and beliefs that drive destructive behaviors.

Anna Ogden Hall gives women and their children a safe place to find healing for their brokenness.

The program equips residents with the tools, training, and direction they need to live life a whole new way.

UGM served 2,368 women and children at its three shelters and summer camp in 2017, providing 57,651 nights of shelters and 142,373 meals. To learn more, visit www.uniongospelmission.org or call 535-8510.

The Splash

AUGUST 2018 • 29

Student of the Month Maggie Ames is one of the main reasons the Central Valley girls’ soccer team has won three consecutive Greater Spokane League championships and is considered one of the best programs in the state. The senior-to-be was named the GSL offensive MVP last season. CV was 18-1 and finished second in state.

Last season, she was part of the Washington State Soccer Coaches Association all-state second team. Ames was a first-team All GSL honoree as a sophomore.

She participates in club soccer with the Spokane Sounders.

Ames is also a standout in track and field, participating in the 800 and 4 x 400 relay. She has qualified for regionals in the 800 and has a personal best of 2:25.

In the classroom, Ames maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society and Key Club

Citizen of the Month

& Thanks you for all you do in our community

You could say Central Valley senior-to-be Kyle Clay addresses his studies expeditiously. “I guess I’m good at not procrastinating,” he said. “If I get something that’s due on a Friday, I’ll start on it Monday.” The approach appears to have paid off. Clay maintains a 3.99 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society. He is also a stellar athlete, lettering in basketball as a sophomore and junior and earning All Greater Spokane League honors in baseball last season as a pitcher. Clay went 6-2 with a 1.70 earned run average and also hit .339. While he enjoys sports, Clay makes sure to keep academics a priority.

“I really care about school,” he said. “For me, it comes before sports.” Clay’s favorite topics are math and science; he would like to pursue medicine as a career.

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Athlete of the Month If there’s snow to be cleared in a certain Liberty Lake neighborhood, Mark Saba is there to help.

Same with lawn edging and litter removal. As the team captain for the Malvern Road branch of the Neighborhood Watch program, Saba also pitches in with the effort to increase community safety.

Neighbor Jason Stone calls Mark “an outstanding Liberty Lake resident who is such a wonderful guy for our beautiful community.

I think he should be recognized for what he does for the citizens of Liberty Lake.” Saba is part of the Meadowwood Homeowners Association Board of Directors and speaks out on issues of concern at Liberty Lake City Council meetings. “I take pride in our city,” Saba says. Mark and his wife Karen recently celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary.

They have two children and four grandchildren.

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30 • AUGUST 2018 Brought to you by

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Moving History – Otis museum showcases transportation relics

By Keith Erickson

Splash Correspondent Jerry Turner has visions of flying in a bathtub – a very old bathtub.

And this is no pie-in-the-sky pipe dream.

A lifetime collector of transportation relics, Turner has fabricated the fuselage and wings of the 1924 Dormoy Bathtub, a high-wing ultralight racing aircraft that made its debut in the National Air Races in Dayton, Ohio 96 years ago.

“It’s looks like an old turn-of-thecentury bathtub and you sit in it and fly,” Turner says of the peculiar plane, which sits disassembled in his Otis Orchards shop/museum.

“It’s not flyable yet; it still needs a little more work.”

The Dormoy is among dozens of antique vehicles and countless

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transportation-related gadgets that fill the rooms of Nostalgic Reflections, a one-of-a-kind business situated on three acres at 24203 E. Dalke Ave. in Otis Orchards off Starr Road.

More than a museum, Nostalgic Reflections is also Turner’s “office,” where he spends countless hours reproducing parts for collectors, history buffs and anybody else interested in having customproduced relics meticulously fashioned to resemble the original part.

Since most of the vehicles Turner crafts parts for have been out of production for decades, it can be difficult for its owners to find a replacement piece. That’s where Turner’s expertise comes in handy.

He can reproduce it exactly – even if it’s only from a picture.

A licensed pilot since 1960, Turner still flies whenever he gets the chance and he hopes to one day take flight in the Dormoy. “It may not even happen in my lifetime but I’m not going to give up,” he says.

“I’m going to keep forging ahead.”

A labor of love, Turner divides his time between collecting, restoring and creating transportation relics representing virtually every mode

Jerry Turner has compiled a wide variety of unique artifacts and collectibles in his ode to transportation known as "Nostalgic Reflections." The museum in Otis Orchards just north of Liberty Lake covers 10,000 square feet and includes antique cars, transportation-related gadgets and reproductions of historic airplanes like the 1903 Wright Brothers Write Flyer. Photo by Keith Erickson of movement – from cars, airplanes and motorcycles, to tractors, bicycles and boats.

Serving clients around the world since 1972, Turner reproduces plates, scripts, decals and more from his shop, which is overflowing with antiques that he has collected over the decades and even includes his childhood toys like a train set, circa 1947.

Turner says his museum is the perfect complement to his reproduction parts business.

“They fit hand in glove,” he says.

The machinery he uses to reproduce vintage transportation pieces is as old as the antiques on display. An oft-used lathe, for example, was built in 1909.

While there are other museums with antique transportation artifacts on display, Turner says his combined business of producing replicas of vintage parts makes Nostalgic Reflections unique.

“There’s nobody in the United States, as far as I know, that has a similar business,” he says. Turner relies on word of mouth for his business, seldom advertising.

A licensed pilot, Jerry Turner has worked on reproductions of classic transportation pieces for collectors and history enthusiasts since 1972. He has plans to increase the Nostalgic Reflections space by 7,200 square feet.

Photo by Keith Erickson

Offering museum tours free of charge (there is a discretely placed donation box to help with restoration projects), visitors can step back in time and admire historic displays like a reproduction of the 1903 Wright Brothers Write Flyer, the first successful heavierthan-air powered aircraft.

From floor to ceiling (several airplanes are hang overhead from

wires), antiques fill the rooms of Nostalgic Reflections, including 15 airplanes, six of which are flyable, Turner says.

“Most are disassembled; you can’t fly them without putting a couple bolts in them.”

Always on the lookout for a new piece to add to his sprawling collection, Turner says adding to his inventory is a never-ending process and he’s constantly on the lookout for new treasures. With space at a premium at Nostalgic Reflections, Turner has plans to expand his existing 10,000 square feet of floor space by adding another 7,200 square feet.

Calling himself highly motivated, self-driven and healthy, Turner says he has no intention of closing his business anytime soon.

“I don’t even want to learn how to spell retirement until I can’t see or work with my hands,” he says.

“I really enjoy creating new stuff and the challenge of looking at an original part and figuring out how I’m going to make it from scratch.”

While somewhat cluttered, Turner says every piece has its place at Nostalgic Reflections and he’s passionate about sharing the history of each artifact. On a recent overcast day in May, about a dozen members of a local antique car club toured the museum to appreciate vintage vehicles that cover virtually every square foot of his shop.

“Some people might think it’s hoarding and others think it’s a fabulous museum,” Turner says with a smile.

The Splash

AUGUST 2018 • 31

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Brunelle leaves CV gymnastics with impressive legacy

By Mike Vlahovich

Splash Sports Editor Kim Brunelle kept it in the Valley.

The graduate of West Valley High School and gymnastics guru much of her life, built a pioneering Hall of Fame career in the sport not far down the road at then-rival Central Valley, starting a program that became her 36-year life’s work.

Brunelle retired at the end of this school year, the only coach of the gymnastics program since its 1982 inception. For a long time she was the Bears’ only female head coach among all sports.

You need only jump into the “Way Back Machine” to understand how gymnastics became so important to this remarkable coach.

and gymnastics was dissolved.

There was, however, an emerging star named Jill Stocker, whose father Chuck was a district administrator and whose mother Lu was adamant that gymnastics be reinstated, Brunelle says.

“Jill is the only state champion I’ve had, in free exercise and vault,” Brunelle said. “When she was added to CV’s Wall of Fame it was my 50th birthday. She always thought I was older because I knew so much about gymnastics.”

Brunelle’s final state qualifiers to Tacoma this winter were Victoria Axtell, 12th on vault and in the top 26 during floor exercise and beam, Rebekah Ross and Chloe Robbins.

There was a time when club gymnasts couldn’t compete for their high schools at the behest of the coaches for a variety of reasons, not the least, said Brunelle, were worries about injuries in a sport that comprised their careers.

Brunelle has the distinction of being inducted into the Washington

State Gymnastics Coaches Association Hall of Fame as CV’s first and only coach. She had five teams finish among the top four in state and had numerous individual state qualifiers.

She was named state 4A Coach of the Year in 2006 and been honored as eight-time Greater Spokane League Coach of the Year. The only state meet she missed during her tenure, she said, was when her son Ross was born.

Besides gymnastics she helped coach golf at CV.

also

“I’m still a hacker,” Brunelle quipped about her aptitude on the fairways. “I coach better than play it. It makes me angry when 80-year olds make me look silly. I’m looking in the trees for the ball and they’re already putting.”

So what made her leave as mentor of a sport she began coaching as a sophomore in high school?

“You know? I got tired when my body got tired,” she says. “So many years spotting kids and hauling kids

around. Gymnastics is a physical sport.”

By the same token, she said, “It was a great run. As far as I’m concerned it has been the best job in the whole world. I couldn’t have asked for a better job, ever. I left when I still loved the job, kids and people I worked with.”

Brunelle and her family are equal opportunity Valleyites. Not only did she and her husband, mid-1970s prep sports star Steve who retired from the railroad at 40 years, graduate as Eagles and Brunelle spend her teaching and coaching career as a Bear, but the family lives in the East Valley School District where their sons Brady and Ross played sports.

“We had lots of family ribbing from that,” Brunelle said with a laugh.

“Believe me, it was something we had to live down. I loved West Valley and I love CV and when the kids were (at EV) it was a great school.”

Central Valley gymnastics reaped the rewards of their decision to stay.

Then Kim Hillier, her family moved here from Montana when she was in the third grade. She learned to tumble at Park Junior High and was hooked.

She joined Bleker’s School of Gymnastics, a for-profit club, and ended up working there for $2 an hour, teaching kids.

“I mainly was a spotter,” Kim recalls. “I went with Tom (Bleker) to a congress in California one year and spent a week learning the routines.”

“I have no idea,” she said, when asked why she never gravitated to other sports. “I liked to tumble and stretch. I hung out in the gym.”

Later on Brunelle would tear up her knee and was done as a competitor (shed had a knee replacement seven years ago) but ultimately graduated from Eastern Washington with a degree in Physical Education/Dance Gymnastics that set her course.

Her first year coaching at CV was the year she got an elementary teaching job and was tasked with beginning the high school gymnastics program. At the time, athletics at that level involved a fee (due to a district budget crunch)

Kim Brunelle (second from right) started the Central Valley gymnastics program in 1982 and has coached there for 36 seasons before retiring at the end of the 2017-18 school year. Brunelle has been inducted into the Washington State Gymnastics Coaches Hall of Fame and the CV Wall of Fame. She was named Greater Spokane League Coach of the Year eight times and 4A state Coach of the Year in 2006.

Contributed photo

The Splash

SPORTS

From the Fairway – Local golf results

Hedy Longworth, (tie) 49; Jeanne Hamacher, 31

Trailhead Ladies Golf Club – Trailhead at Liberty Lake Golf Course

Spokane Valley Women’s Golf League – Liberty Lake Golf Course

From Splash News Sources

July 18

Net -

Flight C: Gross - Joyce Thompson, 52; Net - Joanie Koch, 31 Chip In: Koch

Hedy Longworth, Joanie

July 10

Flight A: Gross - Shelia Kellmer, 47; Net - Bobbie Larsen, 35

Flight A: Gross - Crissa Lindly, 42

Flight B:

Flight B: Gross Meltingtallow, 55

Gross - Colleen Kuster,

CV not only school juggling coaching transitions

By Mike Vlahovich

Splash Sports Editor When Robin Barnhart took over for longtime Central Valley Activities Director Butch Walter prior to the 2017-18 school year, she told me she figured everything would be in place and the transition would be smooth.

Turned out it was anything but.

Much of the Bears’ coaching staff, it turned out, would eventually need replacing.

Besides the announcement of gymnastics coach Kim Brunelle’s retirement, boys’ basketball coach Rick Sloan was the first to resign. Then national Coach of the Year Freddie Rehkow departed after leading the girls’ basketball program to two state 4A crowns in three years along with a national title.

Next it was learned that successful boys’ cross country coach Kieran Mahoney would step down and the girls’ coach Dennis McGuire, who led that program to much acclaim, retired.

If that weren’t enough, Andres Monrroy, the remarkably successful soccer coach, gave up leading the girls’ squad, but remains boys’ coach.

So much for easing into her job.

As Brunelle put it, “She (Barnhart) told me, ‘This is wonderful. I won’t have to hire a coach.’ She’ll hire more than anybody.”

Sloan has been replaced by Mike Laws, a CV graduate and longtime basketball assistant. He told me

AUGUST 2018 • 33

Flight A: Net - Norma Sellers, 34 -

Evanlene

he will incorporate philosophical additions to the already well-tuned program.

Brunelle is being replaced by her two assistants, Brittney Schmidt and Lizzie Roberg. Schmidt competed for her at CV, has assisted for four years and is also the Bears track and field throws coach. Roberg has helped coach for two years.

Doug Pecha, whose University of Idaho-bound daughters Anna and Ericka were standout track and cros country athletes, is new girls’ cross country coach, replacing the retired McGuire who had a long, successful career. Girls track coach Geoff Arte adds boys’ cross country to his busy schedule.

Monrroy retains the boys’ soccer job, but has given up the girls team because of the required time commitment. Rob Rowe has replaced him. He has been girls’ coach at Freeman for the past several years taking them to state the last three seasons. It’s the perfect fit since he already teaches at CV. There is a new girls’ soccer coach at West Valley this fall, CC Collins.

The Eagles are in the process of filling the girls’ softball post.

East Valley earlier announced the hiring of its new football coach, Tim Griggs, formerly of North Central, and boys’ basketball coach Jeremy Knee.

University named a new girls’ soccer coach, former Titan All-GSL soccer standout, softball player and Washington State athlete Kara (Jordan) Sharpe.

Besides a successor for Rowe, Freeman replaced football coach Jim Wood and basketball coach Marty Jessett.

Addendum to last month’s Final Point: When I wrote the somewhat

Flight C: Gross - Sandy Nowaski, 59

Flight D: Nancy Moore, 20

Flight C: Net - Kim Sellars, 39

Flight A: Gross - Diane Perry, 48

Flight D: Gross - Becky Schnebly, 59 Flight D: Net - Nancy Moore, 31 No Handicap - Tara Fescher, 72 Count Putts Flight A: Crissa Lindly, 16; Marie Neumayer 16 Flight B: Evanlene Meltingtallow, 19 Flight C: Kim Sellars, 18

July 18 Flight A: Net - Teresa Kelsey, 38 Flight B: Gross - Gail Bailey, 52 Flight B: Net - Sue Dotson, 35 Flight C: Gross - Sandy Nowaski, 64 Flight C: Net- Kim Sellars, 44 Flight D: Gross- Terra LawsonGilbert, 69 Flight D: Net- Mellisa Poe, 73 No Handicap- Eunie Hubble, 64

tongue-in-cheek column on my introduction to and truce with soccer, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you I was once a soccer coach.

It came when my oldest son, Jared, joined a neighborhood youth team that needed a “coach.” As fate would have it I got recruited.

Unfamiliar as I was with the strategy of the game it was another sport, basketball, that led to success.

That first game between 6-yearolds the kids would clump around the ball kicking more shins than anything else. Inevitably the ball

escaped from the scrum where a straggler on the outside alone somehow guided the ball in the proper net, the rest of the teams’ players in futile pursuit.

Something had to change, a light bulb turned on. I incorporated basketball’s three-on-one fast break as our offensive style.

It opened up the field and the players anticipating the scrum couldn’t handle our open-field passing style. We never lost again. I haven’t coached the sport since.

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34 • AUGUST 2018

SUMMER FAMILY FUN! Fireworks Night & Nurse Appreciation Wednesday, August 15th vs. Everett AquaSox Game Time 6:30 pm Join us for another great Fireworks Show following the game! Nurses can register online to receive complimentary tickets courtesy of WGU Washington.

Plus don’t miss all your favorite storybook princesses. sponsored by:

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Tues. 8/14 - 6:30pm vs. Everett

Thurs. 8/23 - 6:30pm vs. S-K

Sun. 8/26 - 3:30pm vs. S-K

Sun. 9/2 - 3:30pm vs. Vancouver

Wed. 8/15 - 6:30pm vs. Everett

Fri. 8/24 - 6:30pm vs. S-K

Mon. 8/27 - 6:30pm vs. S-K

Mon. 9/3 - 6:30pm vs. Vancouver

Thurs. 8/16 - 6:30pm vs. Everett

Sat. 8/25 - 6:30pm vs. S-K

Sat. 9/1 - 6:30pm vs. Vancouver

Future Texas Ranger & Taco Tuesday Fireworks Night & Nurse Appreciation Superhero Night & Team Photo

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Halloween Night

Armed Forces Appreciation & Fireworks Yoke’s $1 Family Feast Night

Augtoberfest Day Game Back to School Night Margaritaville Night

Outdoor Expo Day Game

Season Finale Fireworks Night

The Splash

Liberty Lake played host for enriching Epworth League

By Ross Schneidmiller

Liberty Lake Historical Society “Look Up, Lift Up” – the motto of the Epworth League – seemed perfectly suited for its Pacific Northwest Institute held at Kalez Park in Liberty Lake for several years. As attendees from Washington, Oregon and Idaho would contemplate eternity, their eyes would follow the tall pines upward to the stars.

Kalez Park was located where the

HISTORY Liberty Lake County Park is today.

Opening in 1898, by 1911 it had all the accommodations that make up a popular summer resort. The array of 50 tent houses consisting of two, three or four-bedroom formats meant plenty of room for overnight guests. You could rent a campsite, a tent house or the entire camp like The Epworth League did in 1911.

An organization for the young people of the Methodist Episcopal Church, its purpose was to encourage and cultivate Christcentered character around the world through community building, missions and spiritual growth. The league’s name originated from the village of Epworth in Lincolnshire, England, the birthplace of brothers John and Charles Wesley, two of the three founders of the Methodist movement.

The daily program of the weeklong institute consisted of lectures, studies, meetings, recreation, entertainment and social hours.

They went from sun-up to sundown starting early and going late. The educational portion of the program was often headed up by leadership in the national Epworth League office located in Chicago. Additional faculty came from around the region.

Every afternoon was devoted to recreation. Tennis, hiking, horseshoe pitching and croquet were very popular. One afternoon of the week was devoted to aquatic sports. The Wednesday afternoon baseball game between nines selected from the faculty and students was a fun spirited competition for both participants and spectators. Friday was family

AUGUST 2018 • 35

day with a ballgame between the faculty and Methodist ministers of Spokane, who on that day with their families picnicked at the lake.

The social hour ran from 7 to 8 each evening proceeding the last lecture of the day. According to the Spokane Daily Chronicle: “Tuesday: Reception by the faculty of the students. Wednesday: Original “stunts” by groups from each district. Thursday: Musical entertainment on the water. Friday: An “Ideal” social hour. Saturday: Parliamentary drill and annual bonfire.

So, if you ever watch the movie or play “The Music Man,” set in 1912 Iowa, when teenager Zaneeta Shinn declines a date because “It’s Epworth League night,” you will understand!

Counter clockwise from left: Epworth League Institute attendees display the districts they were from, (1914). Epworth League Institute pin (1912). Open air lecture (1914). Post card reads: “House tents among the pines, Kalez Park, Liberty Lake, WA. (circa 1912).

Photo courtesy of Liberty Lake Historical Society

The Splash

36 • AUGUST 2018

Remembering Michelle – Family honors loved one with arboretum bench

By Craig Howard Splash Editor If you talk to people who remember Michelle Kennedy, they will tell you about her smile.

It was a smile that consistently beamed and reminded those around her that life should be cherished and celebrated. It was a smile that put things in perspective.

“Michelle always had a great smile on her face,” recalls her dad, Mike Kennedy. “She was absolutely an inspiration. She hardly ever complained. You saw the struggles she was going through and if you happened to say, ‘Poor me,’ you realized you had nothing to complain about.”

Born with multiple disabilities, Michelle spent most of her life in a wheelchair. She was legally blind, dealt with a paralyzed arm and was not able to speak. Despite it all, she became what Mike calls “a catalyst” for bringing a family together.

“She made us all better,” Mike said. “Michelle created a family that held it together through a lot.”

Mike and his wife Betty, residents of Liberty Lake, recently paid tribute to their late daughter in a unique way. A bench in the Nature’s Place at Meadowwood Arboretum in Liberty Lake bears Michelle’s name and stands as a living monument to someone who is gone but never

According to City Horticulturist Joice Cary, there are seven alcoves in the arboretum that are possible sites for a bench.

The alcoves may also be used for a different purpose such as an art work installation. The benches also visually anchor the east side of the arboretum which currently is planted in native grasses. Many of the benches throughout the city have been donated. Families or individuals provide the bench and the city can help with the installation. People wishing to make a donation to the city should contact Operations and Maintenance Director Jennifer Camp at 755-6714.

Photo by Craig Howard forgotten.

“We have friends in California who provided a bench in honor of a loved one,” said Betty. “It’s near the ocean and has a view of the water. We thought this would be a nice way to honor Michelle. Instead of the ocean, it has a view of the arboretum.”

Michelle was born in 1966 when Mike and Betty were living in Pensacola, Florida. He was stationed there with the Navy as a photographer for the Blue Angels flight demonstration team. When Michelle arrived, doctors said she would never walk. She proved them wrong.

“Michelle was probably the most loving person in the world,” Betty says. “She was just a sweetheart.”

Back then, support for families who had children with disabilities was limited at best.

Mike remembers other families calling them for advice.

A bench in the Nature’s Place at Meadowwood Arboretum honors the memory of Michelle Kennedy.

Michelle’s parents, Mike and Betty, are pictured above on the bench. Michelle’s brother, Mike, his son Hayden and wife Chantal are also pictured.

Photo by Craig Howard

“There were no programs and resources for kids with special needs like there are today,” he said. “There was really nothing.

You couldn’t fathom it today. The kids were also not integrated into the public school system, so you never really could find out what they could do for themselves.”

Mike and Betty rallied around their daughter, moving to Spokane

early in her life. A son arrived later with the same name as his dad.

“We made sure that Mike received attention,” Mike said of his son.

“We also made sure he realized that while Michelle was his sister, the responsibility of caring for her belonged to his parents.”

Like his folks, Mike calls Liberty Lake home. He and his wife Chantal and son Hayden live in a home just above the bench that honors Michelle.

As he and Betty cared for Michelle, Mike said the couple cultivated traits like patience and compassion that carried over into other aspects of their lives.

“We had a goal and that was to do the best we could for Michelle,” he said. “By focusing on her, it made us better. It’s because of her that we saw the benefit of helping others and reaching out. We saw the impact it has on other people’s lives.”

That giving approach would have a significant effect on the Merry Glen Home and School in Spokane, where Michelle lived and flourished from the age of 18 until she passed in 2010. The Kennedys became major supporters of the home and remained so even after Michelle was no longer there. The family also recruited the Liberty Lake Kiwanis Club for several clean-up

efforts at the site.

“Merry Glen is just a first-class home for those with special needs,” Betty said.

When Merry Glen proposed putting up a plaque to recognize the Kennedy’s role as benefactors, Mike declined, saying it should acknowledge all of the families that do their part to help.

Betty said Michelle always enjoyed her time in Liberty Lake whether it was going for a drive or visiting landmarks like Pavillion Park.

“She loved Liberty Lake,” Betty said.

Mike expressed hope that others in Liberty Lake might consider the idea of honoring a special person in their lives with a memorial bench.

“I see that as kind of a legacy for Liberty Lake, to be known as the city that remembers our loved ones,” he said. “You sit down at a bench and read or relax, see a plaque and think, ‘I wonder what this person did. I wonder who that was.”

While Michelle has been gone eight years now, Mike said her noble example continues to have an impact.

“She was one who never learned how to hate or be deceptive or talk behind people’s backs,” he said.

“She taught us a lot.”

The Splash

City joins with CVSD, SVFD on contract with state lobbyists

By Linda Ball Splash Correspondent It’s no small task to get funding out of Olympia for local projects and those in the know will tell you it helps to have boots on the ground at all times when the state legislature is in session. As the saying goes, “Out of sight, out of mind.”

Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson spent as much time as he could in Olympia during the latest session, and came to the conclusion the city needs eyes and ears in the state capital consistently when lawmakers are there. With that in mind, the city began looking for a lobbying presence.

After inquiring who would be knowledgeable and effective, the city, Central Valley School District (CVSD) and Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) have jointly contracted with Jennifer Ziegler Public Affairs Consulting and Jeff DeVere to be those eyes and ears.

Ziegler served as the executive policy advisor and legislative director for former Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire. In that role, she advised Gregoire on transportation issues, including the replacement of the Alaska Way Viaduct and State Route 520 bridge project as well as transportation funding options.

Additionally, she has served as the director of the toll division for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

“She has good depth of DOT and transportation projects – it’s a match made in heaven,” Peterson said.

DeVere, a retired Washington State Patrol (WSP) officer, was the liaison to legislators, the governor’s office and local governments for WSP. Liberty Lake is in major growth mode, now with a population over 10,000, and connectivity is becoming critical. Peterson and Ben Small, superintendent of CVSD, have met with legislators three times to plead their case for funds to begin design on an interchange at Henry Road by the new fire station. Using the “Connecting Washington” money, they were successful in securing $500,000 for the design.

“We can’t wait until 2029 to build,” Peterson said. “A lot of work is needed in the next two legislative sessions – lobbyists need to be there on a real-time basis. This way, there are no lost opportunities.”

Peterson and Small learned that it is very effective to have different

AUGUST 2018 • 37

entities working together, so they were successful in engaging SVFD to participate in hiring Ziegler and DeVere. The contract was inked in May and ends April 31, 2019 at a total cost of $24,000, split equally by the city, CVSD and SVFD at $8,000 each.

“I think honestly it’s a bargain for our share,” said City Council Member Cris Kaminskas. “Eight thousand dollars to have experts move these projects forward is worth it.”

Her colleague in the council, Dan Dunne, agreed that it’s important as a community for all three entities to have an interest in ongoing representation. He said he is confident in Peterson and City Administrator Katy Allen’s vetting of the decision.

Peterson said DeVere has met with DOT officials about eight times already, and DOT told him they speak to DeVere at least three times a week. The first phase of the project, Kaminskas said, is to add a northbound lane over I-90 over the Barker interchange with intersection improvements, which will ease congestion and make it easier to get on I-90 west. The second phase will be connecting Country Vista Drive to Mission Avenue with an overpass at Henry Road. Finally, the overpass will develop to a full interchange in phase three.

Kaminskas said it’s difficult to attract new businesses to the undeveloped land between Barker and Harvard off Country Vista Drive because of the limited access, and as the city grows, tax revenue from new business will be needed.

There will be a traffic light going in at Signal Drive and Liberty Lake Road this fall, which is expected to go smoothly since the street surface will not have to be dug up as the conduit is already under the road.

As far as the lobbyists’ contract, Peterson said, “we’ll see” as to whether or not it will be extended.

He said going forward the new high and middle schools would need access roads and good connectivity.

Peterson and Allen are point people for Ziegler and DeVere and will be checking in with them weekly.

The city, CVSD and SVFD will have monthly check-in meetings.

Peterson said the retirement of Judy Clibborn, (D-Mercer Island) hurts because she served as the House Transportation chair. Clibborn’s daughter lives in the area so Clibborn was well aware of the Henry Road issue. Peterson said everyone in Olympia has their own ideas and pet projects and what happens one day during a legislative session, can completely flip the next day. That’s why he and others believe the new lobbyists need to be in Olympia for Liberty Lake.

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AUGUST 2018 • 39

Kiwanis set to tee off inaugural Mother/Son Golf Scramble

colleagues emphasized about the inclusive tone of the scramble.

“Some have read it as a 'tournament' and may have said that they have never played or haven't played in a long time,” she said. “However, it is more of an event because we are encouraging everyone to come and have fun.”

Niece added that other duos – such as grandmother/grandson and aunt/nephew – are welcome as well as those who would like to “adopt” a mother or son to play as a team.

By Craig Howard Splash Editor

Liberty Lake Kiwanis is taking to the greens to generate some green for local students.

Founded in 2001, Liberty Lake Kiwanis is known for its diversity of events and programs that benefit community causes. The list includes Liberty Lake Yard Sales, summer concessions at Pavillion Park, the Key Club at Mica Peak High school, K-Kids Club at Liberty Lake Elementary and more.

Next month, the service club will sponsor the inaugural Mother/ Son Golf Scramble at Trailhead Golf Course in Liberty Lake with proceeds supporting scholarships for local high school and college students.

Liberty Lake Kiwanis President Pat Dockrey said the event – set for Saturday, Sept. 8 – came about as a way to offer a compliment to the annual Father/Daughter Dance, another club fundraiser.

The club also founded the Food 4 Thought program that provides weekend food for students on freeand-reduced school lunch. Kiwanis also benefits civic groups like Friends of Pavillion Park, the Liberty Lake Library and the Centennial Trail as well as events like Barefoot in the Park. Internationally, the club supports orthopedic surgeries and implants.

“Each year at our Father Daughter Dance, people ask us ‘When will you organize a mother/son event?’” said Dockrey. “We’ve taken this to heart and are looking forward to our first mother/son golf event in September.”

The club sponsored a golf scramble at Meadowwood Golf Course in Liberty Lake for a number of years but Bob Schneidmiller of Kiwanis said that the annual occasion was no longer feasible as a means to raise scholarship funds, a priority for the club since 2004.

“Due to changing requirements by the Spokane County golf department it became apparent that we could not continue to use the event as a scholarship fundraiser,” Schneidmiller said. “So, after much discussion the mother/ son golf event was born. The club is always looking for ways to raise additional scholarship funds and the event seemed like a good idea.”

Dan Dunne, Kiwanis secretary, said the club’s latest golf happening will feature games and prizes, making it worthwhile for those who may not consider themselves experts on the fairway.

“You don’t have to be an avid golfer to appreciate this event,” Dunne said. “Moms and sons of all ages are invited.”

Dunne said each registered mom and son will receive a pair of souvenir T-shirts and lunch. Cost for registration is $109 per pair.

Want to find out more?

Trailhead at Liberty Lake Golf Course will host the inaugural Liberty Lake Kiwanis Mother/Son Golf Scramble on Sept. 8. Proceeds from the event will support scholarships for area high school and college students.

Contributed photo Schneidmiller echoed Dunne’s promotion of the event as appealing for serious and non-serious golfers alike.

“The event is being developed as a family fun event that will be different than most golf scrambles,” he said. “It will be a non-competitive outing with fun things to do at each tee box and perhaps each green.

Not only are we looking for mother/ son teams we are also reaching out to the community for sponsorships.

Again, the funds go toward our scholarship program.”

A total of nine event sponsorship levels are being offered, starting with a gift bag giveaway for $25, followed by a “Cart sponsor” at $50 that includes signage with a cart and gift bag giveaway. The “Team” level sponsor supports half an annual scholarship at $500 and includes company logo in all promotional materials, event signage and gift bag giveaway. The top level – “Masters” – runs $5,000,

supports five annual scholarships and includes the features of the “Team” level along with a table at the event, the largest event sign and two golf teams.

Melissa Niece of Kiwanis said the club has been able to provide 15 local students with scholarship support this year alone. Over the last dozen years, Kiwanis has given out over $170,000 in scholarship funds through its tax-deductible foundation, helping 160 high school graduates and college students further their education.

“We are always looking for ways to give back to the community and thought this could be a great way to allow moms to have some bonding time with their sons,” Niece said. “We will be commemorating the event with a T-shirt for the participant and a goodie bag as well as fun at every tee and don't forget lunch.”

Niece reiterated what her Kiwanis

To learn more about registration and sponsorship levels for the Kiwanis Mother/Son Golf Scramble on Sept. 8, visit www. libertylakekiwanis.org, call 205549-2647 or email LLKiwanisgolf@ gmail.com. Brochures are also available from any Kiwanis member and at the Kiwanis concession stand at Pavillion Park.

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The Splash

40 • AUGUST 2018

CV students honored with Emmy for music video

By Staci Lehman

Splash Correspondent Two local students recently got some unique recognition for their hard work and creativity – a regional Emmy award.

Soon-to-be seniors at Central Valley High School Kyle Adams and Austin Florendo put together a music video with some help from CV Theater Manager Kevin Egeland and Egeland thought it was so good he submitted it to the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) to be considered for a National Student Production Award.

NATAS is a professional service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. The production awards are the high school version of the Emmys; something Egeland was familiar with from his time working in local television news in a past career before starting at Central Valley where he also works with video production classes in addition to running the theater.

“I didn’t tell them,” Egeland said of submitting the project for consideration to NATAS. “I thought it was pretty good so I submitted it back in January. I didn’t know how far it would get and didn’t want to get their hopes up.”

Adams said he was extremely

surprised when he learned about the honor.

“I had no idea,” he said. “I was going through the school’s social media and saw that it said ‘Congratulations’ to us.”

The project, and award win, originated with a request from Central Valley administration, who asked Adams to come up with an idea for a video that covered school rules.

“In the past it’s been pretty boring, just here’s what to do, here’s what not to do,” said Adams. “I wanted to do something completely different.”

One option he considered was a game show format, but it was actually Adams’ mother who came up with the idea of doing a parody music video. She suggested using the song “Believer” by the group Imagine Dragons and Adams said he sat down and wrote new lyrics to it in just over 10 minutes.

The new words explain Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports, known as PBIS, which are the school’s rules of conduct.

Traditionally, PBIS videos have been shown to incoming freshmen at the beginning of each year, but have been in a much more traditional video format.

Adams not only wrote the new song but also stars in the video, singing the lyrics and acting, while Florendo, a video production student, was behind the camera.

“Kevin (Egeland) has recording tools, he has a studio in the school,” said Adams of production of the video. “Austin (Florendo) did frame planning and assisted in filming the video and Kevin provided the materials and assisted as well.”

The team worked three to four hours per day on the project for

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Central Valley students Kyle Adams and Austin Florendo were honored with a regional Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The seniors-to-be had help from CV Manager Kevin Egeland in the production called "The Believer."

Contributed photo five or six days before putting the final touches on product they were proud of.

After getting word that their work was in the running for a Northwest regional award, which covers about five or six states in the region, the team traveled to Seattle for the awards ceremony. At the 55th annual Northwest Regional Emmy Awards on June 9, the team from CV won the prize in the high school music video division, a first in school history. The group brought a trophy home with them, an engraved piece of glass that is displayed in the school.’

Of the dozen high school categories, Central Valley was the only Eastern Washington school to win a trophy. The bulk of the winners came from schools on the west side of the state – including Ballard and South Kitsap – while

schools from Wyoming and Idaho were also among the winners.

Besides the surreal aspect of winning a major award while still in high school, Adams says the experience was unusual for other reasons as well.

“It was weird seeing myself in a video,” he said. “I do theater at my school. I do live performances, so it was weird seeing me doing me instead of a doing a character.”

“The Believer” video also included other theater students as extras in the opening and closing scenes.

While Adams, Florendo and Egeland have already brought home a major victory, there could be more awards in their future.

The first place Emmy winners from each region now move on to the national NATAS competition, which will be decided next fall.

The Splash

AUGUST 2018 • 41

Primary election includes new voter-friendly features

be in play for one election cycle with the offices of the Secretary of State and Governor picking up the bill statewide.

Splash Editor

Dalton urges voters to “check the last pick-up time for ballots on election day” to ensure their votes are counted. Even though voters will have nearly three weeks to mark and return their ballots, procrastination is often the byword in elections, particularly during the waning days of summer. The final pick-up time for white boxes is 8 p.m. on Aug. 7 while collection times for blue boxes vary and occur earlier in the day than white boxes.

By Craig Howard

If you happen to be a voter in Spokane County, returning your primary election ballot just got a little more convenient this year.

Along with a change to pre-paid postage on all ballots, drop-off boxes have been added outside Millwood City Hall as well as Town Halls in Rockford, Spangle and Latah.

The white ballot boxes, property of Spokane County, will also reside outside area libraries as usual.

Meanwhile, the traditional blue U.S. Postal Service mailboxes continue to be an option for ballot returns. Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton says she will be interested to see how the prepaid postage feature will influence where voters deposit their ballots.

Dalton points to the impact in King County last year where prepaid postage meant going from a 50/50 split between use of blue and white boxes to a 70/30 ratio in favor of blue. White boxes in any county have never required postage.

Typically in a non-presidential campaign year, primary elections draw a voter turnout percentage in the low 30s, Dalton said. Not having to worry about stamps may change that.

“In King County, the increase was 5 to 10 percent,” Dalton said.

“We could see high 30s or low 40s here. I’ll be interested to see how it affects our numbers.”

The free postage feature will only

MAIL IN YOUR BALLOT BY AUGUST 7TH

The first mailing of primary election ballots took place on July 18. A total of 305,000 ballots have been sent out for the Aug. 7 election.

“Plan ahead,” Dalton said. “It’s really important to check those pick-up times. You also have fewer mailboxes around than there once were.”

Political pundits will be closely watching the primary election returns in several key races, including the quest for the 5th District seat for U.S. Congress.

While Republican incumbent Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Democratic challenger Lisa Brown are both expected to advance to the general election, primary numbers will likely provide some indication of who will represent Spokane County and the eastern third of Washington in the nation’s capital.

McMorris Rodgers has been the 5th District’s delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives since 2005. Brown, a former state senator and representative, is attempting to become the first Democrat to represent the region in Washington, D.C., since 1994 when Speaker of the House Tom Foley was unseated in an upset by

Republican George Nethercutt.

In the other Washington race with national implications, Sen. Maria Cantwell has nearly 30 challengers on the primary ballot.

The incumbent Democrat who has served since 2001 is expected to face the most serious challenge from Republican Susan Hutchinson, a former state GOP chair.

Another race to watch is the unique scenario of two Republicans vying for one of three Spokane County commissioner seats.

Mary Kuney, who was appointed last year to replace Shelly O’Quinn, is being challenged by current Spokane County Treasurer Rob Chase for commissioner of District 2, an area that includes greater Spokane Valley. The winner will serve out the final two years of O’Quinn’s unexpired term.

The other county commissioner race pits incumbent Republican Al French against Robbi Katherine Anthony for District 3. Voters can only cast primary ballots for commissioner candidates within their own district while the races will be determined by voters countywide in the Nov. 6 general election.

A pair of incumbent Republican state legislators face opposition on the ballot in their respective re-election bids. Rep. Matt Shea,

representing the 4th District that includes greater Spokane Valley, is being challenged by Democrat Ted Cummings for Pos. 1 while 4th District Rep. Bob McCaslin Jr. is attempting to retain his seat against Democrat Mary May for Pos. 2.

In other county races, Michael Baumgartner (R) and David Green (D) are facing off for treasurer; Tom Konis and Leonard Christian, both Republicans, are vying for assessor and Michael Kirk (D) is challenging incumbent Tom Fitzgerald (R) for clerk.

While the primary ballot will determine the top two candidates to move on to the fall vote, over 40 political committee officers (PCO) will be decided this month. PCOs are affiliated with a particular political party and comprise the membership of the county’s Democrat and Republican central committees. One of the committee’s duties is to submit a short list of candidates if a vacancy in a partisan office emerges, such as the scenario with O’Quinn last year.

PCO hopefuls who collect a winning margin this month will begin their two-year terms in December.

“In order to vote in a PCO race, you have to consider yourself a member of that party,” Dalton said.

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LOCAL LENS

The Splash

The 30th annual Liberty Lake Community Fourth of July Parade featured a creative array of festively decorated golf carts through the streets of the Alpine Shores neighborhood last month. This year's Grand Marshals were longtime Liberty Lake residents Ron and Linda Knudsen. Games and food near the lake followed the parade which also included marching music from the Central Valley High School alumni band.

Photos submitted by Betty Wolf

The Splash

AUGUST 2018 • 43

Brilliant colors and reflections characterized the Fourth of July fireworks last month over Liberty Lake and to the north over Pavillion Park. Private donations support the lake show while the city funds the park display that, this year, followed music by Idle Poets. Photos submitted by Russell Kinney

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The Splash

44 • AUGUST 2018

LLPD goes the extra mile for Special Olympics

By Keith Erickson

Splash Correspondent With 11 officers including its chief, the Liberty Lake Police Department (LLPD) is small by Washington state standards – but it’s a force to be reckoned with when it comes to supporting great causes.

As the state’s top fundraising law enforcement agency for Special Olympics, LLPD was selected to host the starting point for the final leg of the nonprofit organization’s Torch Run to the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle.

LLPD personnel joined officers and athletes from across the country on June 27 to escort the “Flame of Hope” torch on a journey across Washington to Husky Stadium for the opening ceremonies July 2.

The honor to kick off the last leg was well earned by the department’s personnel who spend countless hours each year at numerous events held to support the worthy cause.

Liberty Lake Police Chief Brian Asmus says his agency raises between $50,000 and $60,000 annually for the Special Olympics, an organization formed a halfcentury ago with a mission to empower people with intellectual disabilities like autism and Down Syndrome to become accomplished and valued members of their communities.

While he’s proud of his department’s compassion and dedication to the organization, the chief is quick to spread the praise.

THE

On June 27, Liberty Lake hosted the starting point for the last leg of the Torch Run leading to the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle. The city was chosen due to the efforts of the Liberty Lake Police Department, the state's top fundraising law enforcement agency for Special Olympics.

Contributed photo “For the past three years, we’ve been the top fundraising entity in the entire state for the Special Olympics,” Asmus says. “But it’s really all about our generous community.”

Asmus has been with the Liberty Lake police force for 17 years, starting the department after incorporation in 2001. He has served as a Special Olympics volunteer for more than 20 years.

“It’s not only about the members of the department, it’s about a community that recognizes the importance of the Special Olympics in Washington,” he says.

Frequent Fundraisers Running for a great cause is not the only high-profile way the LLPD supports the Special Olympics.

LIBERTY LAKE

COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

Aside from its participation in the cross-country Flame of Hope journey, which symbolizes courage and celebration of diversity uniting communities around the globe, Liberty Lake officers volunteer their time to other Special Olympic fundraisers throughout the year.

In February, the department raised nearly $50,000 during its annual (and hugely popular) “Polar Plunge.” The event, held in the icy waters of Liberty Lake for many years, shifted to Pavillion Park this year where a dunk tank was the centerpiece.

Next month, the LLPD will hold its “Cruising with the Cops” fundraiser, a large car show that will be held at its headquarters, 23127 E. Mission Ave. Set for Sept. 15, the car show has doubled in size from last year.

More than 60 vintage autos and police cars from yesteryear are already registered for the event, which will include food, music and awards.

And later this year, department employees will ascend the roof of Krispy Cream Doughnuts, 15410 E. Indiana in Spokane Valley, for its annual “Cops on Top of Doughnuts Shops” fundraiser to encourage local donations to the Special Olympics. A date has not yet been set.

Asmus says every member of his department dedicates time to the Special Olympics fundraisers, which prove to be a refreshing shift of pace from their daily beat.

“Our goal is to make a positive

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Linda Ball, Jamie Borgan, Keith Erickson, Craig Howard, Staci Lehman, Ross Schneidmiller, Benjamin Shedlock, Mike Vlahovich The Liberty Lake Splash P.O. Box 363 Liberty Lake, WA 99019 Phone: 242-7752; Fax: 927-2190 www.libertylakesplash.com The Splash is published monthly by or before the first of each month. It is distributed free of charge to every business and home in the greater Liberty Lake area.

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Continued from page 44 impact on somebody’s life every day,” the chief says. “Being involved in Special Olympics allows officers to see the immediate impact and spending time with police officers from across the U.S. and interacting with Special Olympics athletes was absolutely inspirational.”

That devotion not only inspires LLPD staff, the chief says, it brings the community together and provides an opportunity for citizens to see the sensitive side of law enforcement.

“Often times, (officers) can get cynical about things because they deal with a lot of negative situations,” Asmus says. “Being involved in the Special Olympics and handing out medals to the athletes is an entirely different experience for the officer. It’s amazing to see the impact they are having on lives.”

Nationwide, the Torch Run attracts more than 97,000 law enforcement members who carry the Flame of Hope. Asmus says the event exemplifies community spirit, volunteerism and an unparalleled commitment to the Special Olympics, bringing out the best in everybody involved.

“To get a big hug and smile from an athlete and see the impact they are making can often bring an officer to tears,” Asmus says.

“And it has a similar impact on the athletes.”

To get involved through volunteering or donating to the Special Olympics locally, contact Chief Asmus at 7551411 or email him at basmus@ libertylakewa.gov. To learn more about Special Olympics, visit www. specialolympics.org.

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Following are the local advertisers in this issue of The Splash.

Amaculate Housekeeping 5 AutoCraft 19 Avista Utilities 46 Banner Furnace & Fuel 41 BECU 3 Cafe 19 15 Cami Lee 14 Casey Family Dental 10 Cathy McMorris Rogers for Congress 6 City of Liberty Lake 7, 21-24 Cornerstone Pentecostal 29 Eagle Rock RV and Boat Storage 38 Evergreen Fountain 31 Fieldhouse Pizza 16 Friends of Mary Kuney 10

Folds of Honor 17 George Gee 4 Greenstone 38 HUB Sports Center 24 Inland Empire Utility CC 40 John L Scott - Pam Fredrick 33 Kiwanis of Liberty Lake 9 Liberty Lake EyeCare Center 3 Liberty Lake Family Dentistry 5 Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District Lilac Family Eyecare 15 Millwood Community Association 37 Mukagawa Fort Wright 43 North Idaho Dermatology 38 Northern Quest 48

Ott Knott Used Golf Carts

11

Pho Liberty

5

Radiant Nails

43

SCOPE 18 Simonds Dental Group

48

Spokane Gymnastics

28

Spokane Indians

34

Spokane Valley Heritage Museum 20 True Legends

19

Valley Synthetics

37

Windermere 5

Service Directory

46

made in ads.

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Liberty Lake Police Chief Brian Asmus has served as a volunteer for Special Olympics for over 20 years.

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After each Special Olympics fundraiser, Asmus says his officers “come back and say, ‘I get it.’ It’s an incredible experience.”

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The Splash

46 • AUGUST 2018

For our customers.

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And the merger means additional funding for energy efficiency and low-income programs.  Teaming up with Hydro One during a time of strength and growth for our company is a unique opportunity to continue to pursue technological innovation, economic development, and community support in an evolving energy landscape.

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The Splash

Retirement on Aisle One – Popular grocery manager DiCicco moves on

By Staci Lehman

Splash Correspondent You may not have known Dan DiCicco by name, but if you’ve shopped at the Yoke’s Fresh Market in Liberty Lake – or the Safeway or Haggen stores that once occupied the same location – chances are good you know his face.

DiCicco is the smiling, friendly mustached guy who would ask if you were finding everything and joke with you while wandering the aisles. DiCicco retired at the end of June after almost 50 years in the grocery business, including a tenure that lasted nearly 20 years as Liberty Lake Safeway/Haggen/ Yoke’s store manager.

He started at Safeway while a high school student at North Central High School and came to Yoke’s when the company bought the store from Safeway a couple years ago, sticking with the site and his employees as the store changed hands.

ON THAT NOTE also served as a pilot project for online shopping and curbside pickup that was started recently.

DiCicco originally came to Liberty Lake in 2000 as the manager of the Safeway store. Civic leaders found out quickly that the Spokane native was enthused about promoting and supporting a wide variety of community causes, from veterans programs to the Liberty Lake Community Theatre to local events and nonprofits.

“When Dan came to this community, he jumped right in,” said Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson.

“Whatever group you were with, you went to Dan and he stepped up to help. Dan always came through. That’s the kind of quality citizen and quality businessman you have in Dan.”

his customers. Not only did he personally help shoppers find what they needed, but he would also go out of his way for his regulars.

He would routinely provide snacks and coffee for a group of veterans that meet weekly at the store and knew many of his other customers by name.

As DiCicco steps down to have time for family and other interests, his position has been filled by Harold Rehbock, who started at the Liberty Lake store on July 9.

“Before that I was at the Sprague store in the Valley,” Rehbock said.

“I’ve been with Yoke’s 16 years now. Prior to that I was at Buttrey’s in Montana.”

DiCicco was always quick to deflect attention when recognized for his efforts. When he received the Key to the City in 2016, he gave credit to his team of employees.

Rehbock also has a long history in the grocery business, starting in high school in California, where he grew up. Since then, he has moved around the West, including working in grocery chains in California and Las Vegas before making the move to more rural Montana.

Besides his employees, DiCicco also took care of and supported

“I’ve been in the industry a long time,” he said. “I enjoy it. I loved

Among shoppers, DiCicco was known for being friendly, helpful and for his sense of humor. With employees and Yoke’s upper management, he was known for the support he provided his employees and the many innovations and improvements he championed at his store. DiCicco was willing to try new things and was a major cheerleader for his employees, often notifying the media about events big and small that happened at Yoke’s.

For instance, in an effort to bring in new bakery clients, DiCicco actively pursued hiring two professional cake decorators when Happy Cakes in Spokane Valley closed last year. He said that the addition of the decorators improved Yoke’s bakery offerings and allowed the store to compete with specialty cake shops.

DiCicco also encouraged and supported the creation, by a long-time Yoke’s employee, of a grocery home delivery program for area seniors, which has increased profits at the store. That program

Dan DiCicco came to Liberty Lake in 2000 as the manager of the new Safeway store. As the site changed ownership from Haggen and then to Yoke's, DiCicco stayed on as manager. The well-liked grocer announced his retirement recently after over 50 years in the business.

File photo

AUGUST 2018 • 47

Montana but Spokane is even better. There’s so much more to do here.”

As for taking DiCicco’s former position, Rehbock says there are no major changes in the shortterm future for the store. And he knows he has some big shoes to fill.

“I met him when Yoke’s bought the store,” he said. “Yoke’s will miss having him. He did a great job running the store.”

Direct from Dan – Five insights from DiCicco

From Splash News Sources On starting out in the grocery business over 50 years ago: “Truthfully, I just needed a job to survive high school and the store was within walking distance. I was 16 and started out washing pots and pans in the bakery.”

On the traits he learned early on in the industry: “Teamwork skills, work ethic and the ability to work hard yet have fun doing it were all things I developed at that time. But most importantly, customer service.”

On aspects of the grocery business that are not as apparent: “We have an extensive recycling program that includes cardboard, paper and plastics. We do composting.

We donate surplus products to support the local food bank as well as the Kiwanis program that makes sack lunches for students in need.”

On what it takes to be a great grocery store: “A great crew, service, selection, freshness and store cleanliness. Providing the best customer service possible is paramount and it all starts with our employees who are happy and proud to be a part of the Yoke's family.”

On accepting a tribute from the city after announcing his retirement: “It’s quite the honor – but this is just not me. I have 104 employees who support me.”

The Splash

48 • AUGUST 2018

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