2024 January Splash

JANUARY

2024

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2 • JANUARY 2024

The Splash

DOCKSIDE Service Squared – LL couple focused on giving back

By Craig Howard

but the connection grew.

Splash Contributing Editor

“We could talk,” Mark recalls.

“You spend time with someone and you just enjoy their company. Our life experiences were different but we had the same values. As long as we could talk it through, we could say, ‘OK, I get where you’re coming from.’”

Mark and Anna Henry referred to the Wednesday evenings they spent in downtown Spokane as “Date Nights.”

Only instead of up-scale restaurants, concert venues and front-row seats at the theater, the Henrys opted for the stark surroundings of a freeway overpass.

After a year of dating, Mark was offered a job with an Itron

subsidiary in Australia. While away, he and Anna kept in contact, mostly through hand-written letters and phone calls.

“You learn to communicate with each other,” Anna said.

When Anna’s dad was hospitalized with spinal meningitis, Mark flew back home. He asked for permission to marry Anna while her dad was in the ICU. After marrying in 1989, the couple headed overseas to England on assignment with Itron. They lived in Redding, 40 miles west of

As volunteers with the nonprofit Blessings Under the Bridge, the couple joined others in serving warm meals to people experiencing homelessness and poverty in Spokane’s urban core. The Date Nights started in 2016 under the concrete span of Interstate 90 at Fourth Avenue and McClellan and continued until last December when Blessings became a food provider at the Trent Assistance and Resource Center (TRAC) and changed its name to Blessings and Beyond.

Anna’s foray into volunteering began in the kitchen at the House of Charity, a homeless shelter in downtown Spokane operated

by Catholic Charities. She began donating time at Blessings Under the Bridge in 2015 and Mark followed after.

“Mark and Anna are vital part of the Blessings family,” said Wagoner. “Mark plays a key role in operations and Anna serves and helps wherever she can. Both are very loyal and have loving hearts.”

Both Mark and Anna remember the early stages of their relationship as anything but love at first sight

The move back was a homecoming for Mark and Anna who both grew up in the Inland Northwest. Mark is a Spokane native who was raised in the shadow of Joe Albi Stadium in the northwest part of town and attended Gonzaga Prep where he was a standout in soccer. He went on to play at Whitworth before transferring to Eastern Washington where he graduated with a double major in Management Information Systems and Operations Management. He latched on with Itron in 1985.

Anna was born in Massachusetts but moved to Lynwood, Washington with her family after her dad was offered a job with Boeing. When she was in the second grade, the family transitioned to Coeur d’ Alene and planted roots. Anna grew up hiking Tubbs Hill and swimming at Sanders Beach. After graduating as an honors student from Coeur d’Alene High in 1981, she enrolled at the University of Idaho. She graduated with a degree in Business Marketing and a minor in Statistics.

These days, Mark and Anna continue to be part of serving others at TRAC through the latest incarnation of Blessings. Their contributions are not lost on the organization’s founder and Executive Director Jessica Wagoner (formerly Kovac).

Liberty Lake residents since 2008, Anna and Mark first met when both were employees at Itron, known as one of Liberty Lake’s high-tech pillars with a wellestablished international presence.

Before Itron’s move to Liberty Lake, the company was located in the Spokane Business and Industrial Park.

London and established friendships that have endured to this day. After two years as transplants, the couple returned to the States and started new chapters in their respective careers.

“I look at this as we’re all in this together,” said Anna, who has also volunteered with the Spokane Humane Society and currently lends support to Spokanimal as a grant writer.

Photo by Craig Howard Mark and Anna Henry have called Liberty Lake home since 2008. The couple met when both were working at Itron and have plunged into volunteer efforts over the years with a variety of nonprofits including Blessings Under the Bridge, Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank & Social Services and Meals on Wheels.

The Henrys have been integral to the transition of Blessings Under the Bridge to Blessings and Beyond over the last year. The centerpiece of the change is a commercial kitchen, café and drive-thru coffee shop at 12928 E. Mansfield in See HENRY Page 4

JANUARY 2024 • 3

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Anna and Mark have both served on the board of Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank & Social Services and drive a weekly route for Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels. Practicing Catholics, the couple are parishioners at St. Joseph’s Catholic Parish in Otis Orchards.

“Anytime you can give back, sacrifice or reduce someone’s pain, it’s worth it,” Mark said.

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Q: What have each of you enjoyed about living in Liberty Lake for so many years?

Anna: It’s pretty hard to beat the Fourth of July here. The parade in Dreamwood Bay is a slice of Americana at its best. I enjoy the new boat parade tradition too. Every year I’m amazed at how creative some folks get with decorating.

The Halloween witches paddle is a Fall highlight. (I’m a spectator not a participant!) We don’t do a lot of the community events like the music, movies and theater in the park, but we both appreciate that they are accessible.

Mark: We’ve made a lot of use of the trails in the hills walking and riding with our dog and it’s wonderful to have county park so close. Driving home I look up at the snowcapped hills and just marvel at how beautiful they are and how lucky we are to live near them. I also appreciate that we have 45 holes of golf in Liberty Lake and I can get to all of them without going through one traffic light, amazing.

Q: Mark, growing up in Spokane, how aware were you of issues like poverty and homelessness that were part of the community? Did you imagine your future self contributing to causes that would help address these concerns?

A: My mom volunteered at the House of Charity and Anna and I, along with some of our friends, would go and volunteer with her.

The Splash

My dad also volunteered once he retired. Volunteering with friends gave us a sense of community. We got involved in youth groups and we wanted them to see that part of our community and learn to help our community. Volunteering has just become a part of our life.

I have always thought given a few different turns in my life, perhaps I could be in a similar situation.

Thank God for Anna, my parents, family and friends.

Q: Why do you think you have been a good match for each other?

Mark: We think differently enough to challenge each other. We can be at two ends of the spectrum on certain things but after we talk through it, we find that our values are the same, we simply came to a different position based on our life experiences. Because our strengths and weaknesses complement each other, we are stronger and happier together. It’s difficult sometimes but fun to talk through these issues because we can then see the issue from a broader perspective now with each other’s help. We are both tolerant of each other’s faults, well sometimes, or at least try.

Anna: I think our values are well aligned. For us, those values are based in faith. When life has thrown us challenges, our shared beliefs have sustained us.

Q: During your time volunteering for Blessings Under the Bridge how did your perception of people experiencing homelessness change?

Mark: We had volunteered at many places before Blessings Under the Bridge but serving under the bridge was different. It provided us an opportunity to know the homeless as individuals. We have lived in Spokane most of our lives and had no idea how cold it can get when you are out in the elements for hours. We just could not imagine how some survive. For some, they had no shoes, wet socks, no coat, no gloves, etc., all in freezing weather.

It’s hard to keep things when you live in that environment. For the most part, there is no place to take a shower, no place to wash your clothes, no place to put your things or any place to put a change of clothes without worrying about it being stolen. How do you get a job if you do not have the basics to present yourself to a potential employer?

JANUARY 2024 • 5

The Splash We never really understood how difficult it is to move ahead in life when you have nothing to stand on and once you get something, it is stolen from you. We have also found that our friends are more religious than we expected. We would receive many heartfelt “God bless you’s” every night under the bridge. The variety of people under the bridge is interesting also. Yes, you will get a few that are angry or in their own world but for the most part they are people just like us, they just have been dealt some difficult life circumstances.

Anna: I was surprised at their sense of community. Many have “street families,” families they choose versus biological families. I was also surprised when I realized that probably 25-30 percent of those we served actually lived in lowincome housing. Because have very little money, they rely on services like Blessings in order to survive.

Now that Blessing is serving at TRAC, I’m more aware of senior citizens ending up at shelters because they are being priced out of their housing.

Q: Mark, how would you describe the transition that Blessings Under the Bridge has made to Blessings and Beyond?

A: It was a blessing to be awarded the contract to provide meals to the Trent homeless shelter. It gave us the opportunity to move to a new kitchen and still provide meals to our friends at the shelter. Transition has been difficult because a lot of the friends we have made, we do not see any more. We both worry about them and wonder how they are getting along. We do still seem some of the homeless we served under the bridge but serving at the shelter is different. It is not as personal and you do not get a chance to talk to them as much and get to know their story. However, the new kitchen is exciting and affords us a lot of new opportunities. We have been able to bless a few people more personally. We have been blessed and the new Blessings and Beyond has provided us the opportunity to bless others in a more substantial way. When you can help reduce the pain someone is going through, it always makes you feel like you are making a difference. I believe diversity in income resources is becoming more essential. Blessings

Under the Bridge relied solely on the generosity of our community.

However, this is changing and we need to diversify. Soon, Blessings and Beyond will be opening a coffee and food drive-thru and we will be offering a venue for special events. We have already provided the venue and food for a few events and we hope these two businesses will us bless more people in need in our community.

Q: Anna, what has been the most rewarding part of volunteering with Meals on Wheels?

Anna: It’s definitely the people we’ve been given the opportunity to meet. They always appreciate the meal but when you show up week after week, they share tidbits of their life and you share some of yours. They worm their way into your heart. Once, I was doing our route alone during the summer.

The client’s door was open and they yelled for my help. They were OK but they were stuck in an awkward position and I ended up having to call 911. I was glad I could help, and the client and I had a good laugh about it the next week.

Q: Finally, with the New Year upon us, what advice would each of you offer to those who want to make a positive impact on the community but might not know where to start?

Mark: Listen to your heart. Go visit a place you have heard about and just see what they are doing.

You are not forced to help any of them, but if one seems to touch your heartstrings, go again. Helping in our community does not have to be a life-long commitment, but making it a small part of your life is worth the effort. Anna and I had more fun spending a night helping others and going home talking about our night than other things we could have been doing. It is a nice change of pace and gives you something to share with each other the rest of your life.

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ic Collisions/Hit & Runs / Injury 6 • JANUARY 2024 sions

Introducing the

9

ions (Traffic/Criminal/Non-Criminal)

26

(Driving Under Influence)

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The Splash

Safety Awareness Channel

s / Vehicle Prowls / Vehicle Theft / Parking Violations 0 Police Report laries Suspicious Vehicles 17

- Nov. 2023

ciousTotal Mischief incidents generated by Splash news sources

Officers and emergency calls for service last month 479

LLPD Crime Analysis Significant Cases 2023-88005879 Theft, 11/03/2023: Officers responded to the report of a theft in the 22300 block of E Appleway Avenue.

The complainant said that a subject has concealed items in their pockets and failed to pay for the items.

Officers watched the surveillance video from the business and then used the Flock system to develop a suspect. The suspect was contacted and cited for Theft as well as being trespassed from the victim business.

ment / Assault DV / Simple Assault / Traffic Collisions/Hit & Runs / Collisions 9 ult Injury w/a Weapon Citations (Traffic/Criminal/ Non-Criminal) 26

DUI (Driving Under Influence) ng Violations 2

Thefts / Vehicle Prowls / 22

VehicleVehicles Theft / Burglaries icious Malicious Mischief 6

Argument / Assault DV / Simple Assault / Assault w/a Weapon 10

2023-88006021 Suspicious Vehicle/Luring, 11/12/2023:

Officers were advised of a subject in a vehicle attempting to lure a juvenile into the vehicle around S Liberty Lake Road and E Sprague Avenue. The victim did not get into the vehicle and was picked up by their parents. Officers spoke with the victim and parents and followed up on the vehicle and suspect description.

Detectives conducted more in depth follow up and arrested a subject for Luring and Attempted Kidnapping.

22 6

10 0

2023-88006220, 11/24/2023:

Hit

&

Run,

Officers responded to a hit and run vehicle accident in the 1900 block of N Country Vista Blvd. The victim stated his vehicle was struck while parked along the street in the early evening hours. A piece of the

17

suspect vehicle was located down the street. Subsequent investigation led to the development of a suspect.

Officers contacted the suspect and forwarded charges for Hit and Run Unattended.

Please call 911 immediately for emergency assistance when needed and call Crime Check if you see something you feel may need our attention. If you don’t hear back from Crime-Check in a timely manner, please call, and request officer assistance.

The Liberty Lake Police Department would like to remind everyone to keep their belongings out of sight or out of your vehicles and to ensure your doors always remain secure to prevent theft.

Stay well and be safe!

JANUARY 2024 • 7

The Splash

The Lookout

January 2024

Building Services team. outreach and communications What’s coming to Liberty Lake in 2024 pieces with residents.

• The Liberty Lake Municipal trailer.

Liberty Lake’s 2024 city budget, adopted by the City Council on Dec. 3, will be bringing several new services and programs for the area’s residents and visitors during the next 12 months. Among some of the highlights: • The Liberty Lake Police Department is adding two more officers – for a total of 23 – in January.

The department will also be purchasing additional Flock Cameras, updated evidence storage lockers and a second speed

• The city will also be adding a recreation specialist position as well as a procurement office that will help with larger purchasing contracts and grants.

• Current city services will be expanded to create a new Public Works Department.

• A staff Neighborhood Code Enforcement Group will be created with the Police Department and City Hall’s Planning, Engineering and

Library will be adding a “Library of Things” program at the Liberty Lake Municipal Library that will allow people to check out objects such as such as a mini-projector or an electronic drum set.

• The golf cart fleet at Trailhead Golf Course will expand from 14 carts to 28 and golfers will soon be seeing a driving range with improved poles and netting.

• Public engagement efforts will be increasing through more interactive

How you could help with the new strategic plan’s progress!

January’s mailings will be used to establish current information and views about community satisfaction in 2024. Members of the city’s Community Engagement Commission have been assisting city staff in establishing statistically relevant methods for distributing the surveys.

Subsequent surveys during the coming years will allow city staff to track the progress of the strategic plan’s results through its conclusion in 2028.

Learn more about the upcoming programs and features being funded under the 2024 budget in special episodes this winter of “The Liberty Lake Deep Dive” podcast.

produce key results throughout the community across several priorities.”

The 15-page illustrated piece offers an overview of the city’s current demographics and staff operations as well as a narrative about the Strategic Plan’s creation. The document also contains a summary of key findings from the community surveying that occurred throughout several months of 2023 that ultimately helped identify the new plan’s foundations and priorities.

Starting in the latter part of January, City Hall will be reaching out to some of Liberty Lake’s residents for input that, five years from now, will help determine the ultimate success of the city’s newly initiated 202428 Strategic Plan.

People who receive the upcoming survey in their mailboxes will be able to offer information in several areas reflecting individual satisfaction levels about current city services, the city’s future direction, and the quality of life in Liberty Lake.

• The 2024 budget involves a 0-percent property tax increase, a decrease of the utility tax from 3 percent to 1 percent and the implementation of a more advantageous Transportation Benefit District tax for residents to fund street projects.

City’s new Strategic Plan looks at the next five years of LL

With a new year, the city of Liberty Lake also has a new strategic plan that will help guide the city’s projects and programs for residents during the next five years.

The Liberty Lake City Council formally adopted the 2024-28 Strategic Plan during its regular meeting on Nov.

8, following several months of community involvement on the document.

The 2024-28 Strategic Plan can be found under the “Your Government” section of the city’s website at www.libertylakewa. gov.

“This plan, crafted through collaboration with many contributors, outlines a clear vision for our city’s future, emphasizing our core values and outlining our strategic priorities,” said City Administrator Mark McAvoy.

“The plan is ambitious, aiming to

Input from the community as well as city leaders helped define nine core values about the city and its residents. The nine core values listed in the Strategic Plan are: Quality of Life, Integrity, Partnership, CommunityCentered Activities, Community Investment, Civic Pride, Financial and Environmental Stewardship, Healthy Local Businesses and Patriotism.

The body of the five-year Strategic Plan centers on five main priorities and the desired results that city leaders hope to achieve in those areas between now and the end of 2028. Those five priority areas are: Quality of Life and Connectedness, Public Safety and Well-Being, Economic Vitality and Opportunity, Planned Growth and Infrastructure, and Public Service Excellence.

https://www.facebook.com/libertylakewa • www.libertylakewa.gov

8 • JANUARY 2024

NEWS

News and Notes

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

• Mayor Cris Kaminskas told council she had a conversation with Sen. Mike Padden who represents Liberty Lake in Olympia as part of the 4th Legislative District, about the Army National Guard facility that has been discussed for a site near Gee Automotive off I-90 in Liberty Lake. Kaminskas said two appraisals have been completed – one on property near the Spokane International Airport of around 20 acres and the Liberty Lake site consisting of closer to 34 acres. The airport land checked in at $1.2 million while the Liberty Lake property was appraised at $7 million. “There’s still more work to be done,” Kaminskas said. “It’s not over.”

• Kaminskas announced the appointment of Joni Hay to the Parks and Arts Commission as an adjunct member, noting Hay’s background in events will be a plus. The reappointment of John Bahr to Parks and Arts was also announced on Dec. 5.

• Winter Glow will be on display at Orchard Park until Jan. 1. The holiday light extravaganza is free and open to the public.

• City Administrator Mark McAvoy gave an update on the regional effort to address homelessness, noting that a Public Development Authority (PDA) will be established.

McAvoy said Liberty Lake will be part of a 14-person governing board that will feature two seats for smaller cities, a category that will include Liberty Lake. A formal vote for creation of the PDA is expected in the first quarter of 2024. More information on the project can be found at www. spokaneunite.org.

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The Splash

Valley

Fire Department report on Dec. 5 included a reminder to change smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector standard batteries twice a year. “Those are truly lifesavers but only if they work,” said Deputy Chief Zack Bond. “If you need help with that, call our department.”

509-928-1700. Bond also urged residents to practice caution with candles.

• The city was not awarded the grant for the Sprague Avenue overlay from the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB). “It sounds like it was just a matter of a lot more demand than there was funding,” said Key who told council the city will be following up with TIB on the grant.

Construction on Sprague is not scheduled until 2025.

• Finance Director Kyle Dixon led a workshop on the 2024 budget at the Nov. 21 council meeting. The financial game plan will include a civil service secretary and chief examiner with an accompanying salary schedule of $183,742. The future of streets funding and how to balance the current utility tax and a proposed Transportation Benefit District (TBD) as a way to pay for road maintenance was discussed with Dixon bringing up four options. “This is not an exhaustive list,” he said. One option included keeping the gas and cable tax at 3 percent with all other utilities eliminated.

The second option involved a phone tax at 6 percent like the city of Spokane Valley. The third option would reduce all utility tax from 3 percent to 1 percent.

All scenarios would affect capital outlay. Council Member Chris Cargill expressed support for the phone option but lowering it to 5 percent, saying taxes shouldn’t be applied for necessities of life. Key told council that there has been “neglect of our aging residential streets.” Support for 1 percent across the board emerged as the conversation went on. The motion eventually passed 5-2 for a 1 percent utility tax on electric, gas, cable, phone and waste collection. Council also approved

a resolution to implement a onetenth of 1 percent sales in 2024 to fund streets maintenance as part of a designated TBD. The motion passed 5-2. The increase will balance out the shift created with the reduction of the utility tax to 1 percent beginning in 2024.

• The Liberty Lake Lions Club donated $6,300 to the city toward a trio of benches at the Nature’s Place Arboretum near City Hall. The amount covers the brick base for the benches with the actual benches being donated at a cost of $3,700. Council Member Wendy Van Orman, who is a member of the club, brought up a request to the city for $30,000 toward the project to have the benches shaded by a gazebo. Kurtz suggested that the idea be added to the unfunded projects list until community input could be received. Van Orman said the benches could be installed without a formal covering. She said the plan is to install the benches next fall. The council vote tied at 3-3 on the expenditure, meaning the motion failed since the mayor cannot break a tie on funding matters.

Council eventually voted to move the bench coverings to the unfunded projects list.

• Council voted to add a quartet of projects -- protected bike lanes, a disc golf course, restrooms at the arboretum and additional baseball fields – to the unfunded projects list.

• Katie Ferris was approved by council as the newest member of the Parks and Arts Commission in an adjunct role.

• Council approved a zeropercent change in the property tax rate for the upcoming year.

With the incremental increase in valuation from new construction, the rate will actually drop from 96 cents per $1,000 of valuation to 86 cents.

• The second read on Ordinance 299 establishing a Capital Facilities Plan from 2024 to 2029 was unanimously approved by council on Dec. 5.

•

The

vote

on

the

city

budget for 2024 passed with a 6-1 vote.

• A public hearing was held on Dec. 5 to discuss proposed amendments to the city’s Development Code. The agenda included sign code amendments, utility local distribution facilities as a limited use, fencing standards for essential public facilities and utilities and River District landscape standards.

The suggested changes to the Sign Code and landscape standards were initiated by Greenstone Homes while the other two proposals were generated by the city. The hearing was intended to provide Planning and Engineering Manager Lisa Key with direction from council on moving forward.

The city Planning Commission recommended that the Sign Code amendments not be approved. Staff recommended that the proposed amendments be deferred for potential consideration and resolution as part of the 2024 Sign Code amendment process. Council ultimately selected this option by a unanimous vote of 7-0.

The Planning Commission recommended allowing public utility local distribution facilities as a limited use.

Council approved the change to Comprehensive Plan by a vote of 7-0. On the issue of fencing standards for essential public facilities and utilities, the Planning Commission recommended allowing barbed or razor wire and chain link only in those uses. Council agreed by a unanimous vote.

On the final item – River District landscape standards – council opted to send it back to the Planning Commission.

Greenstone had requested an alteration in the section on tree placement as part of the proposed amendment. “There are a lot of great things that go with having a great urban forest within the city of Liberty Lake,” said Mike Terrell of MTLA in testifying on behalf of Greenstone.

The Splash

Council passes ordinance to oversee library policy

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

The city of Liberty Lake has seen the passage of hundreds of municipal ordinances since incorporation became official in August 2001.

The case could be made that Ordinance 119D featured more layers of dialogue leading up to the City Council vote on Dec. 5 than any other proposed legislation in the city’s history.

Public comments before the vote on ultimate control over library policy echoed a theme expressed by residents and non-residents over the last yearplus – Uneasiness over the final say formally shifting from the Board of Library Trustees to the City Council.

Before the vote, Brad Hamblet, library trustee chair, voiced his concern.

“This is a very disappointing day for me,” said Hamblet. “You have heard from citizens over and over and over again. As legislators of our community, it is your responsibility to represent our community. You have failed that duty.”

When the final vote was called for Ordinance 119D, the motion passed 5-2. Mayor Pro Tem Phil Folyer and Council Members Wendy Van Orman, Jed Spencer, Mike Kennedy and Chris Cargill were in the majority. Council Members Annie Kurtz and Dan Dunne voted against.

Mayor Cris Kaminskas, who vetoed a similar vote in May, noted that the supermajority decision this time would preclude a veto but added that it would not garner her support.

“I will not spend the people’s time and money and staff resource on that,” Kaminskas said. “I do have the option of not signing the ordinance. That will not prevent it going into effect, unfortunately.”

Prior to the final vote, an amendment to Ordinance 119D proposed by Kurtz and focused on neither the council nor the board of trustees exercising censorship at the library failed by a similar 5-2 vote.

“I’m not in favor of that because I see that as a policy,” said Kennedy

NEWS

JANUARY 2024 • 9

who began attending library trustee meetings in 2012. “For 20 years, we’ve had this as a city and it’s worked really well.”

At the Nov. 21 council meeting, Kurtz raised the idea of the council collaborating to find a healthy compromise.

“This is a chance to show the citizens we are not a divided council and we can work together,” Kurtz said. “It’s a genuine offer. That is my rationale for moving it off the agenda and moving it to a committee.”

The meeting never took place.

Instead, Kurtz met with the library trustees on Dec. 1 and crafted the amendment that was rejected on Dec. 5. Kurtz also talked with City Attorney Sean Boutz about the scope of policy oversight that council has over municipal departments and committees.

She called the answer “surprising.”

While council has statutory authority to define all city policies and procedures, Kurtz discovered that council does not currently exercise authority over 86 percent of municipal departments.

“We do not exercise authority over every department,” Kurtz said.

“That is misinformation. This is the only department we would exercise operational authority over.”

The revelation drew an immediate response from Spencer.

“We’re not doing our job with all the departments as far as approving policy even though we should be,” he said.

The council meeting on Nov. 21 included over an hour of public comments related to the library as well as Kurtz and others expressing disappointment that readdressing the ordinance was shuffled onto the agenda later in the process than usual.

“This was a surprise to me,” Kurtz said “It was not included on upcoming agenda items.”

“This is an end run-around the democratic process,” said resident Shawn Chalich.

Council Member Tom Sahlberg, who was appointed last year, attended his last meeting on Nov. 21. Sahlberg has sided with Dunne and Kurtz in the minority on the library issue, expressing support for trustees.

“I do not believe this government, in any shape or form, should have governance of the library,” Sahlberg said at his final meeting.

On Dec. 5, Mike Kennedy – who won his bid in November’s general election – took his seat on council and

joined the existing majority of Cargill, Van Orman, Spencer and Folyer in approving Ordinance 119D, creating a supermajority that is veto-proof.

Members of the majority mapped out their reasoning on Nov. 21 for bringing the library issue back for a vote.

“Members of boards and commissions are not accountable to voters,” said Cargill. “The library receives around a quarter (23.8 percent) of property tax revenue. There needs to be oversight.”

Folyer called the current ordinance “broken.”

“The way the ordinance is written, we can’t even have a discussion about policies,” Folyer said. “There needs to be a dialogue.”

Spencer recounted some of the history between council and trustees, pointing to the presentation by the board last October at City Hall about their plans for 2023.

“We were led to believe we were going to have a policy discussion,” Spencer said. “No red line version was ever presented to council. We weren’t included in that discussion.”

Resident Kim Schmidt was one of many to speak out in public comments on Nov. 21, expressing frustration with the majority’s latest approach, characterizing it as a “highly partisan agenda.”

“Here we are again,” she said.

“You are about as transparent as a brick wall. “You have been obstinate and unconcerned with what your constituents are saying.”

Bob West, a resident of Spokane Valley, described the proceedings as “an attempt at power and control over the library board.”

Resident Jackie Babin said the latest move by the majority “reeks of politics.”

“The mayor nominated library board members and council approved them,” Babin said. “Now you want to second guess them and make library decisions that fit your agenda. Don’t we want trained officials making decisions about the library?”

On Dec. 5, public comments echoed concern from prior meetings.

“It has never happened this way, I don’t know where you’re getting that,” said Library Trustee Shawna Deane in response to a comment made by Van Orman stating that council has always maintained oversight of the library.

After the vote, Kevin Wilding, a Liberty Lake resident since 2003, spoke in support of the majority and their actions.

“I want to applaud those members of the City Council that I voted for because I live in the city and my kids are in this city and they are trying to make sure they’re protected,” said Wilding.

“They’re being vilified for just passing something to give them control which we vote for so we have a say in what happens in the functions of the city.”

Linda Ball, who defeated Folyer in November with nearly 58 percent of the vote, will take the oath of office in January. She has backed library trustees throughout the discussion.

“I listened to people as we canvassed neighborhoods,” Ball said during public comments on Nov. 21.

“These citizens are not concerned that the City Council doesn’t have enough control over the library board. Library staff and library board are experts in their field and perfectly capable of taking care of the business of the library.”

10 • JANUARY 2024

CV Lacrosse fundraiser - A great way to

COVER STORY

The Splash

dispose of your live tree

By Nina Culver Current contributor

Many people leave their Christmas trees up until January 1 as a way to further celebrate the season, but then there’s always the dilemma of how to dispose of the dried out, needle shedding tree.

The Central Valley High School lacrosse team is continuing its annual tradition of offering Christmas tree disposal as a fundraiser, asking people to pay $10 for tree pickup or $5 if the tree is dropped off at the Yoke’s in Liberty Lake.

Dan Dunne had two sons attend Central Valley High School, with the youngest graduating in 2021. Both of his boys played lacrosse, so Dunne was involved in the parent booster group. They needed a fundraiser and the idea came up to offer Christmas tree recycling. Many people still use live trees, but then have to worry about getting rid of the tree once the decorations come off.

“A natural Christmas tree is a very important part of some people’s Christmas tradition,” Dunne said.

At this point, the Christmas tree fundraiser is an important part of Dunne’s tradition, since he’s still involved even though his youngest son graduated years ago.

“I appreciate the program,” Dunne said. “Lacross is a sport my sons really enjoyed.”

Booster president Dan Duer said the group typically collects between 150 and 200 trees and raises about $1,900. Groups fan out to different neighborhoods to collect trees that people want picked up. “It’s all volunteer,” he said. “It’s parents, players, families.”

It’s not atypical for sport booster clubs to raise money for local teams, but it is key for the lacrosse team. Since lacrosse is not a WIAA sanctioned school sport, it is considered a club sport and is not supported by the school district in any way. The team isn’t even allowed to practice on school property.

“It’s a pay to play sport,” Duer said. “We have to pay to rent space

File photo While most trees are collected by in the large dumpster at the Yokes parking lot provided by Cannon Hill Industries. The City of Liberty Lake Goats love to snack on a variety of things so several of the greenest, freshest trees are brought to the goats to eat each year. for every practice, every game.”

said.

Duer said each student pays $425 to play on the team and there are some corporate sponsorships.

Valley Real Life Church lets the team use its grounds for practice. Other fundraisers are held throughout the year as well. “We have all these different levels that go into the pot,” Duer said. “That donation money is huge to the operational success of the club.”

Not all the Christmas trees end up in the dumpster, however. Each summer the town deploys a herd of goats to eat tall grass and weeds in local parks and on other city property.

The herd is popular, with the city posting their location on Facebook so people can stop by and visit them.

During the off season, the goats reside with Jennifer Camp, Liberty Lake’s operations and maintenance director.

But while there are other fundraisers, the Christmas tree recycling brings in the most money of any of them, Duer said. “This is definitely our largest fundraiser,” he said. “This is a significant chunk of the operating budget.”

Since it is a club team and not sponsored by any school, the students who are on the team come from several different schools and school districts. Currently, students from Ridgeline, Central Valley, West Valley, University and East Valley high schools play on the team.

The trees that are collected or dropped off at Yoke’s are put in a large dumpster that is collected by Cannon Hill Industries in Post Falls, which specializes in wood recycling.

Dunne said the business provides an empty dumpster and removes it when it is full at no charge. “We’re always very grateful for the support of Cannon Hill Industries,” Dunne

Goats love to snack on a variety of things, so several of the greenest, freshest trees are brought to the goats for them to eat. They’ll strip the trees bare, including the bark on the trunks. “We do a little discriminating to make sure the goats get the best we’ve got,” Dunne said.

The trees are very popular with the goats, Dunne said. “I have such

fun with it,” he said. “These goats go crazy. They love it.”

The trees are collected over two weekends and Duer estimates that the goats get about 10 trees a weekend. “They are so cool,” he said.

“They come running up to the fence.”

Dunne said he maintains a list of about 100 phone numbers of people who have previously used the tree recycling service and he texts the people on the list every year to see if they are interested again and to schedule a pickup time.

Volunteers will be out and about picking up Christmas trees on January 6. Anyone interested in scheduling a pickup can send a text to (509) 879-2758. The dumpster will be available in the Liberty Lake Yoke’s parking lot from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on January 6 for those who would rather drop off their discarded tree.

File photo Dan Dunne assists in filling dumpster with trees for the CV Lacrosse fundraiser.

The Splash

Mica Peak Give Back Days

COVER STORY

JANUARY 2024 • 11

By Nina Culver

Current contributor

The students at Mica Peak High School have a tradition twice a year where they select a local non-profit organization that they want to help and spend a school day helping out.

The semi-annual Give Back days have become an important part of the alternative school’s culture.

Twenty-five years ago, back when the school was called Barker High School, there were only four teachers and 30 students. The teachers became aware that many of the students could not afford to celebrate Thanksgiving with a traditional meal, so they bought groceries and cooked a Thanksgiving meal for their students and their families, said Principal Kamiel Youseph.

After a decade of this Thanksgiving tradition of teachers giving back to their students, people began to discuss how the students could give back.

And so it became a new tradition for students to spend the day before the Thanksgiving meal volunteering at local organizations. “This was what we call Give Back Day,” Youseph said.

Each year students are presented with a list of participating organizations and they are allowed to pick where they would like to volunteer. “We believe contributing to your community as a service learning opportunity should come with autonomy,” Youseph said. “Giving back to the community doesn’t necessarily mean money. It means time.”

Some of the organizations, such as Meals on Wheels, are on the list every year while other organizations come and go. This year the participating organizations also included Spokane Valley Partners, SCRAPS, Free Rein Therapeutic Riding and Central Valley’s Early Learning Center. Some students also made cancer care bags for chemotherapy patients.

Senior David Brogdon has been attending Mica Peak since his sophomore year. Last month he chose to volunteer with Meals on Wheels, the same organization he worked with last year. Brogdon said he picked Meals on Wheels because his widowed grandfather, who lives in Oregon, gets his meals delivered by Meals on Wheels.

Contributed photo Lucy Howey working at Free Rein Therapeutic Riding, one of the many options students can volunteer and contribute to during the Mica Peak Give Back days.

“He talks about his relationship with his Meals on Wheels person,” he said.

Brogdon knows how important the Meals on Wheels volunteers are.

They don’t just deliver meals, they also check on their clients and often know when something is wrong and a client needs help. They also provide key social interaction to people who rarely leave the house.

This year he and his classmates helped make holiday gift baskets.

They would pack each basket and then decorate it with ribbons. “We made over 500 of them,” he said. “We had kind of a production line. It was fun.”

Brogdon said his cousin attended Mica Peak before him, so he knew about Give Back Day before he even started classes. He said he enjoys being part of the day. “We get to give back and give something to the community,” he said. “It’s so easy to

give back. It feels good.”

outside of school,” he said.

Volunteering in the community is something Brogdon said he’d like to continue after he graduates from Mica Peak, though he doesn’t know what that looks like yet. “I definitely will try to,” he said.

Teachers accompany each group and recognize that volunteering may be out of the comfort zone of some students, Youseph said. After the day is over, students are encouraged to reflect on the experience and how it went.

In addition to giving back to the community, the day is also a good way to create relationships and deepen bonds among students, Youseph said.

Mica Peak doesn’t have sports teams or other groups that students typically use to get to know one another, but Give Back Day can provide that opportunity. “We do it in small enough groups that we see it as team building,” Youseph said.

Brogdon said he also likes that aspect of volunteering in the community with his classmates, some of whom he may not get the opportunity to interact with much.

“I like that I get to see my classmates

“This isn’t worth points or anything,” he said. “The goal is to foster lifelong involvement in the community.”

Though Mica Peak now has 120 students, the original tradition of teachers hosting a Thanksgiving meal for students and their families continues. While the food itself is the main item on the menu, it’s also about making students feel accepted and involved. And while the meal is still a beloved tradition, it has become more elaborate over the years. “We turn our cafeteria into a formal dining area,” Youseph said.

12 • JANUARY 2024

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About and for Liberty Lake seniors

Moore remembered as wise, humble man of influence

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

When Bob Moore moved to Liberty Lake from Florida with his wife Jackie in 2009, he was beyond the typical age of retirement.

While his days as a CEO, CFO and senior executive in fields like manufacturing, finance, oil, accounting and real estate may have been behind him, Moore was anything but sedentary.

He still ran his own business consulting firm and, within a year of relocating to Liberty Lake, joined the city’s Planning Commission where he would serve as chair.

“Bob always wanted to change things for the better,” said Jackie. “He was an optimist and he was married to a pessimist. He always said there was a solution to every problem.”

In June 2014, Moore was appointed to the Liberty Lake City Council, replacing Lori Olander. He would quickly establish himself as a respected and knowledgeable voice at the dais, particularly on the financial front where he drew upon decades of experience in the private sector. He had previously served on the Planning Commission and City Council in Montgomery, Ohio.

Moore’s tenure on the Liberty Lake’s governing board ran through 2019.

“Bob brought a lot of wisdom from his background on the municipal side and in business,” said Hugh Severs who served with Moore on council for five years. “He was a logical, well-thought out person who brought a voice of reason to council. He never brought bias into the discussion. I learned a lot from Bob.” Friends, family and colleagues from Moore’s career in business and government are reflecting on lessons learned from a man who impacted many lives over nearly nine decades.

Moore passed away at his home on Nov. 17 after a battle with mesothelioma. He was 88.

“He was a super, super person,”

said John Kahles who first met Moore in 1972 when he interviewed at the David Joseph Co. in Cincinnati where Moore served as vice president. “Bob meant a lot to me in my professional life but also as a friend. I owe my whole professional experience to Bob.” Kahles tells the story of pitching the idea for a company softball team to the CEO himself. David Joseph was known as a solitary figure who spent most workdays tucked away in his office.

Kahles realized the request faced slim odds for success.

“Before I went in, Bob said, ‘I’ll go with you,’” Kahles recalls. “That meant a lot. We ended up talking with Joseph for 45 minutes and got our softball team.

From then on, it changed the entire atmosphere of the company. Bob didn’t have to go with me but he did and I think that made the difference.”

A native of Ohio, Moore grew up in Norwood, a suburb of Cincinnati.

He graduated from Norwood High in 1954 and went into the banking business while attending night school at the University of Cincinnati where he would earn a degree in Marketing.

In 2012, Moore was inducted into the Norwood High Alumni Hall of Fame.

Jackie met Bob when both were students at Norwood. They married in 1956.

“I just thought he was Mr. Cool,” said Jackie recalling her first impression of Moore. “He was a good student and enjoyed learning.”

Degrees from the Ohio University School of Banking, American Institute of Banking and Harvard University Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management were part of Moore’s academic pedigree. Despite his collection of degrees and decorated career, Moore was known for his humility.

“Bob was not one to gloat or brag,” Kahles said. “He just wanted people to succeed and he did it in such a generous and humble way. He was just a downto-earth, very caring person.”

In late 2008, Bob and Jackie visited Liberty Lake during one of the worst snowstorms on record. Cris Kaminskas, Bob and Jackie’s daughter, remembers her parents bringing up the idea of moving to the Inland Northwest upon their return to Tampa in hopes of spending more time with their grandson, Kyle who was 7 at the time.

“I was surprised when mom and dad

Contributed photo Bob Moore served on the Liberty Lake City Council from June 2014 to the end of 2019 following tenure on the city’s Planning Commission. The Ohio native established a successful career in business, largely in the Cincinnati area before moving to Florida and eventually to Liberty Lake in 2009 with his wife Jackie. Moore passed on Nov. 17 at the age of 88.

called and brought that up,” Kaminskas said. “We’d just had all that snow. But it turned out to be such a great bonding time. They got to spend a lot of quality time with Kyle over the years.”

Kaminskas was serving as mayor pro tem on the Liberty Lake City Council when her dad was appointed in 2014.

“Our first two votes, we voted differently,” Kaminskas recalls. “It was like reliving his past city experience in Montgomery. He was the kind of person who sat back and listened. He thought a lot before he spoke.”

Tom Sahlberg remembers attending council meetings when Moore was at the dais and being impressed with input that was “informed and measured.”

“Bob’s love of family and community was inspiring,” said Sahlberg who was appointed to council in 2022. “Any time I called Bob to ask about a Planning Commission, City Council or other issue, his words and advice were pure gold wisdom that came from experience.”

In his last several conversations with Moore, Sahlberg absorbed insightful words.

“He wanted me to be a voice of reason and reminded me that any and all issues boiled down to one simple question: ‘How will this benefit the citizens of Liberty Lake?’ Bob will always be one of my few treasure mentors, to whom I could always turn and trust. I will endeavor to pass on his words to any who have ears and a heart to hear.”

Moore attended Millwood Presbyterian Church with Jackie and Kyle. He also served six years with the Ohio National Guard, was a Free Mason and a member of Shriners. Donations in Moore’s name to the Shriners Children’s Hospital of Ohio are encouraged by Moore’s family.

Jackie said her husband’s faith was a guiding force to the end.

“He told me, ‘My soul is ready, whenever the Lord calls me, I’m ready,’” she said.

As she continues to serve Liberty Lake as mayor, Kaminskas said her dad’s legacy of thoughtful leadership will provide a steadying influence.

“My dad was always looking at the positive in people and the positive in things,” Kaminskas said. “I rarely heard him say anything bad about anyone. I just hope I can continue to make smart decisions like he did.”

JANUARY 2024 • 13

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Falcons winter sports teams look to continue building in third year

By John McCallum Splash contributor

With rosters filed mostly with underclassmen, Ridgeline High School winter sports teams began their seasons with high hopes for success and possibly deep post season runs.

Basketball – boys The Falcons 8-12 season last year was a marked improvement over their 1-17 campaign in their inaugural season of 2021-2022. So far in 2023-2024, they’re making bigger strides towards success in the tough Greater Spokane League.

Ridgeline is 8-1 through Dec. 20 games, whereas last year they were 4-3 through the same time period. The biggest feather in the Falcons cap came Dec. 14-16 as they traveled north — as in the Great Far North of Alaska — to win the Doc Larson Roundball Classic in Wasila, AK. Ridgeline opened with a 65-41 win over host Wasila High School, and advanced to the title game with a 68-44 win over Bartlett High School. In the championship, they outlasted West Anchorage High School 71-58.

“We defeated a very tough West Anchorage team that is one of the top three teams in their state and yet we are probably predicted sixth or seventh in our own league,” Ridgeline head coach Freddie Rehkow said in looking ahead to the upcoming GSL season.

The Falcons return three starters from last year’s team.

Senior post player Easton Amend (6-feet, 3-inches) leads in scoring with 17.3 points per game, with sophomore guard Caden Andreas (5-7) second at 10.8 ppg and junior guard Brayden Allen (60) at 10.3 ppg. Those three along with senior post Tanner Allred (66) are the Falcons top defenders as well.

Rehkow said the Falcons like to use a motion offense “with multiple quick hitters” that strives for balanced scoring and getting everyone involved in the action. Defensively, they play an “aggressive man to man” that presents opponents with multiple looks and “multiple press attacks to keep our opponents off-balance and fully engaged for the full 32 minutes.”

“The keys to our success this year is to have as much offensive balance as possible so teams can’t just focus on one or two players, while also being a high level rebounding team to control the number of shots and possessions our opponents have,” Rehkow said. “We must play solid team defense and trust our teammates to be in the right places and execute their roles each and every night.”

Rehkow also stressed the importance of his bench players, who will be asked to fill certain roles during the game.

“We must play together and well every night in order to succeed, but I believe in these guys and know we can if they will believe in themselves,” he said.

Basketball – girls Third-year head coach Clyde Woods returns three starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s team that finished eighth in the GSL, 2-7, and 8-12 overall.

While there are no seniors, six juniors return, four with varsity experience.

The Falcons have some good height on the front line, led by 6-footers Emma Myers (junior) and Madilyn Crowley

(sophomore), along with juniors Morgan Kelly (5-11) and Cayce Paske (5-10) and freshman Ryan Libey (5-10). Freshman point/ shooting guard Grace Sheridan is leading in scoring at around 16 ppg, including 34 in a 67-35 win over Cheney on Nov. 30.

Ridgeline sits at 4-4 overall in nonleague action as of Dec. 20, including a 55-39 win at Pullman on Dec. 19 heading into the winter break.

Gymnastics Head coach Leah Grisafi has six returning varsity gymnasts on this year’s squad: seniors Bella DeLaRosa and Anabelle Frazier and juniors Elliott Edminster, Eva Harris, Julianne Stevenson and Trynity Van Gelder.

“Bella DeLaRosa, Anabelle Frazier, Julianne Stevenson will be key competitors on beam, vault, and floor,” Grisafi said.

“Trynity Van Gelder is going to be a tough competitor on floor and beam. Everyone else has a shot at any event.”

The Falcons placed second in their first Greater Spokane League meet on Dec. 12 at the Mead Gymnastics Center, finishing eight points behind the host Panthers.

In that competition, Stevenson placed first on the beam. Grisafi noted Ridgeline was did not have a full team competing on all four events.

There are four events gymnasts can compete on: vault, beam, bars, and floor. Each event gets a start value (example 10.0).

With any mistake, missed series, incomplete turn, etc., a gymnast will be docked a portion of a point.

“If we can continue working hard and staying laser-focused in our practices, we should have several girls qualify for the state (tournament),” Grisafi said.

Ridgeline’s only home meet takes place Jan. 17. All of the rest of the meets take place at the Mead Gymnastics Center.

Wrestling – boys Like other winter sports teams, the Falcon wrestling squad is short on seniors and long on underclassmen — 10 juniors and one sophomore on the varsity roster to be precise to lead a team that finished 5-4 in GSL competition last season. The three seniors are Josiah Klontz, Tyson Ramsey and Gavin Shoemaker.

Ramsey is the only returner who advanced to Mat Classic XXXIV last year. Ramsey finished third at 145 pounds, defeating Ezekiel Egli of Oak Harbor in a 5-4 decision to run his season record to 32-11.

So far this season, Ramsey is 3-0 in matches against Cheney, Lewis and Clark and Ferris, and finished third at 157 in the Inland Empire Classic at Central Valley High School. Junior Preston Wentling placed fifth at the Inland Empire classic at 215 pounds and is also 3-0 in match competition.

The Falcons are 1-2 in the GSL, losing closes matches to Cheney (36-35) and Ferris (42-41 but handling defeating Lewis and Clark 60-12. Ridgeline finished 16th out of 20 teams at the Inland Empire Classic.

Wrestling – girls Eight girls make up the Falcons varsity squad: seniors Jayden Snyder and Mackenzie Sternod, junior Emma Brumwell, sophomores Maelia Amen and Emmalee Merker and freshmen Abby Clevenger, Logan Crowley and Aria Wheeler.

Ridgeline has only two meets on its schedule so far, the first the East Valley Girls Wrestle In on Dec. 7 at East Valley High School.

Amen, Snyder, Wheeler, Crowley and Brumwell all earned places in their weight classes in the 3A/4A classification.

Amen, Snyder and Crowley each finished third at 120125, 122-125, 131-136 and 160170 respectively. Wheeler and Brumwell were fourth at 129-135 and 160-170 respectively.

JANUARY 2024 • 17

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In the Land of Falcons, Kharma Gentry soars. The senior at Ridgeline High School maintains a 3.91 grade point average and is a member of National Honor Society. She is co-founder and president of the school’s podcast club and participates in Link Crew, a program that provides mentoring to freshmen. Gentry said she opted for Ridgeline for the opportunity “to shape the future of the school and the community we have.” She plays the trumpet in concert band and is also part of marching band and winter color guard. Gentry is president of Diversity Club and participates in Knowledge Bowl. She is Ridgeline’s representative in the Lilac Festival and a candidate for Lilac Court. She competes with Chess Club and is certified as bilingual in English and Spanish. A member of the Senior Class Council, Gentry has taken eight AP classes.

Going into the 2023 cross country season, Aaron Wright faced the hurdle of a hamstring injury that washed out his sophomore track season at Central Valley High School.

Not only did Wright overcome the challenge, he advanced to the state 4A meet in Pasco where he placed 25th. The Liberty Lake resident was named to the All Greater Spokane League first team and, according to CV head coach Chuck Bowden, is hitting his stride as a premier runner. “Aaron is a good leader who has earned the guys’ trust.” Bowden said. “He had a successful junior year that saw him climb up with the best runners in the GSL.” Wright finished second in the 1,500 meters at the USATF Junior Nationals in Eugene last summer with a time of 4:05. He ran a 51:25 in the 400 meters as a freshman.

Lisa Marsh is all about calm influence as a counselor at Liberty Creek Elementary. Marsh said it starts with sincere attention. “The best part of my job is I get paid to listen,” she says. “Kids need to feel heard. I tell parents to put down your phone and spend 15 minutes uninterrupted with your kid.” Marsh began in the Central Valley School District in 2004. The Liberty Lake resident has a degree in Psychology from Montana State and Master’s in Education from Montana State-Northern. She was part of a district Meritorious Service Award in 2007. She has also been a hospice volunteer. “Ms. Marsh is the heartbeat of our school, weaving connections, providing support and fostering a positive atmosphere,” said Liberty Creek Principal Alisha Alsaker. “Her presence is not just appreciated, it’s essential, shaping the fundamental character of our educational community.”

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CV Provides insight into school operations during Community Link Series

By Nina Culver

Current contributor

The Central Valley School District recently hosted three Community Link events designed to highlight programs and practices at local schools to the general public.

Superintendent John Park said the events were opportunities to showcase what is going on at schools, not just academically but in terms of clubs and sports as well. Each of the events featured students, teachers and administrators talking about

February 13, 2024

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various aspects of every school, from elementary to high school.

Recently the district created three learning communities – Western, Central and Eastern – to foster better relationships between school staff and students, in part to create better transitions between elementary school to middle school and middle school to high school.

Each of the learning communities includes one of the district’s comprehensive high schools and all the schools that feed into that high school.

The Community Link sessions were held in the mornings, usually beginning before classes started for the day. Parker said that was done because many families have full schedules after school with sports and other activities. “We really have to be strategic about where you put this in the day,” he said.

Parker said that it’s often programs like drama, music, debate, sports and clubs that “hook” children in and help them be involved in their school

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and meet like-minded students.

Those programs were detailed to the two dozen or so people that attended each event.

“It’s a way to get the word out and show them what we’re doing,” Parker said.

The final Community Link event was held Dec. 7 at Ridgeline High School in Liberty Lake, the district’s newest high school. When addressing the gathered community members, Parker spoke about all the different things the district has to offer, including technical and manufacturing classes for teens interested in those areas.

In addition to three comprehensive high schools, the district also offers virtual learning options for all grade levels as well as the Spokane Valley Tech and STEM Academy.

“We love choice here in this district,” he said.

Parker told the community members that the social aspects of school, including sports and other activities, are as important as academics. “I would argue that nothing is more important than community,” he said. “Those extras are so important to enrich what we bring to students.”

Jeff Dufresne, principal of Riverbend Elementary, said elementary school is the social and academic foundation for each students’ life. “We have the challenge to provide a wide swath of abilities,” he said.

The school receives grants to fund after school programs that include a maker space and lego robotics. “We are trying to create experiences to spark their imagination,” he said.

Greenacres Middle School Principal Quinn LeSage said that in addition to academics, his students have to worry about transitioning from elementary school to middle school and then, after their time at Greenacres, prepare to transition to high school. At each transition and effort is made to get or keep kids involved in school activities to they can feel as though they belong. Studies have shows that students are are involved in school activities achieve at a higher level academically,

The Splash LeSage said.

Among it’s many activities, there is one that the school offers that is hugely popular.

Every Thursday, 75 kids gather after school to play Dungeons and Dragons. LeSage said he often hears students talking excitedly in the halls about that week’s games. The goal is to help students find their passion and find their people, he said.

“We really try to offer as many things as possible in our community,” he said.

Several Ridgeline High School students also spoke to the community gathering, talking about how their involvement in school activities helped them.

They talked about finding a sense of belonging, a sense that they were part of a community. They talked about how being involved brought them out of their shell.

Some were involved in school clubs or sports like volleyball and football. One student performed on the school dance team and others were in marching band.

Student Kharma Gentry, who was a bundle of energy, talked about being involved in 14 school clubs. She’s also the co-founder of the school’s podcast club.

She also talked about moving eight times from her freshman to her junior year and how she spent some time being homeless.

She said that because she got so involved in so many clubs, she learned a lot of new skills.

She also learned confidence and about the power of sisterhood, Gentry said.

School activities are an important part of letting students know they belong where they are, she said. “If they do that, they’ll find the sky is the limit,” she said.

Student Mike Fox spoke about his experiences playing unified sports, which bring together students with and without special needs. Playing unified sports had helped him make friends and feel like belongs, Fox said. “Everyone calls me Foxy,” he said. “People are very friendly to me.”

In true Ridgeline High School falcon fashion, Fox ended his speech with “Go Falcons!” and a bird cry.

The Splash

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Catching People Before They Fall; Kevin Finch and Big Table In the bustling world of the restaurant and hospitality industries, where the aroma of culinary delights mingles with the energy of a fastpaced environment, there exists a silent support system that goes beyond the clinking of glasses and the hum of conversation. Big Table, a local non-profit organization, has been quietly making a profound impact by extending a helping hand to those who often serve with a smile but may find themselves facing unexpected challenges.

Big Table's motto, "Catching People Before They Fall," encapsulates the essence of their mission. Founded on the belief that everyone deserves dignity and care, this non-profit organization focuses on providing support to individuals in the restaurant and hospitality industries who may be grappling with personal crises, financial hardships, or mental health challenges.

CEO and founder of Big Table, Kevin Finch, has seen the direct impacts the non-profit provides to the individual and the community at large.

Raised near Flat Head Lake in Montana by a pastor father and active community member mother, Kevin recognized the importance of giving at an early age. Food has been an important piece of his life that has continually brought him comfort and joy. “I have always loved food. As a kid it was for quantity, but I’ve since moved the needle to quality. I had a huge appetite as a kid. I grew up with my dad as a pastor in the local church,” Kevin remembers about his origin story, “the one part of life that wasn’t serious and not about faith was food. You need to eat. And so that became an outlet for me to love it and the part of me that just delights in it. Theres always been a lot of joy around food for me.”

During his time in college in Seattle, he developed a habit of gathering local reviews and

The Splash promptly sampling the dishes highlighted by reviewers before the crowds could. This practice persisted into his graduate school years, earning him the informal title of the "Foodie Pastor" as he continued to personally review restaurants and their offerings.

In 1999, he came to Spokane and assumed the role of an associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Spokane. Two years later, he delved into food critique, starting with his inaugural review of the Wolf Lodge Inn for the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene Living newspaper.

He found a joy and creative outlet writing reviews of local restaurants for The Spokesman Review and Spokane and Coeur d’Alene Living newspapers. “As the things at the church were intense, both good and challenging, this just felt like a respite and reset,” Kevin recalls about the mid 2000’s.

“In 2006, what I would describe as my pastoral ‘spidey sense’ went off and I thought gosh there seems to be a lot of folks in the hospitality and restaurant industry that live right on the edge of falling off.” Kevin had spent years talking to local chefs, servers, and others in the industry.

He started looking into industry statistics and realized it’s one of the largest working industries in the nation, but also has one of the largest quantities of people suffering and recovering from addiction, mental health struggles, homelessness, and many other societal issues. “Once I discovered all this information, I began to feel guilty that I would get to go out and eat these great meals.

I decided I was going to tithe the money that I made from writing as a food critic to the organization that was caring for this industry. And I couldn’t find any in Spokane or across the nation.”

Unable to identify a non-profit

The founder and CEO of Big Table, Kevin Finch

ON THAT NOTE

JANUARY 2024 • 23

specifically aiding the service industry, he started looking into ways to help and solve this problem.

Formally inaugurated in January 2009, Big Table attained non-profit status in 2011. The organization is dedicated to assisting individuals in five key aspects of their lives where they may encounter challenges: job readiness, home stability, mental and emotional health, medical support, and addiction support.

When asked what he does, Kevin replied, “the highest concentration of need in our nation is hidden behind the smiles of the people who work in restaurants and hotels.” Big Table can accomplish this by providing a unique approach to the approval process for potential clients.

As a faith-based nonprofit, Big Table doesn’t have to ask people referred to them to provide documentation of income, as the IRS requires for nonreligious social service nonprofits and as such, they work on a personal referral structure, “catching people before they fall,” as Kevin puts it. Big Table recognizes the importance of giving in creating a safety net for those facing difficulties. By offering a helping hand at the right moment, this organization strives to prevent the fall that can happen when life's challenges become overwhelming.

Personal referrals can be made by family members, co-workers, employers, and friends who recognize a person in need by either filling out a short form on-line through their website big-table.com or by contacting their office directly.

Once the initial referral is received, a Care Coordinator from Big Table will reach out to the applicant and meet in person to listen and ask questions. But their initial outreach is just the beginning. Once they have established the type of need for the person, care coordinators will keep in touch with recipients, and provide additional support. For needs that require greater assistance, Big Table partners with a network of service providers and other charitable organizations that include doctors, dentists, therapists, auto mechanics, and lawyers.

A recent success comes from Big Tables’s website and tells the story of Anastasios: “Anastasios has been pouring his heart and soul into various server positions in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. Even though life dealt him a history of violence and trauma that led to substance abuse and other

Contributed photo At Big Table's annual fall fundraiser, Big Table Eats Around the World, guests are invited from the restaurant and hospitality industry. A silent auction and live auction is hosted during the event to help support the various needs presented by recipients. CEO Kevin Finch has provided a unique network of resources aimed to "catch workers before they fall." struggles, he was determined to re- community. A thriving hospitality write the narrative. Now two years sector is not only about delicious sober, he bravely shares his story meals and welcoming atmospheres, to ignite hope to those around him. but also about the people who While working full-time, he also make it all possible. When those takes care of his aging parents and individuals are supported and cared volunteers at Big Table events. He for, the ripple effect is felt throughout was referred to Big Table to help the community. with his deteriorating teeth, resulting Big Table is funded through from years of drug abuse. Our dental sources including restaurants, care partner, Dr. Ryan Love, stepped distributors, food service suppliers, in to give Anastasios a full dental private monthly donors, and a very transformation, simply blowing him small portion of grants. They host away. Anastasios asked Dr. Love to an annual fall fundraiser called “Big pause for a few moments before his Table Eats Around the World” and full mouth extraction, so he could is a fully donated based nonprofit. reflect as the whole process was Private citizens can make monthly very emotional for him. It wasn’t donations or single donations just his teeth that he was removing, through their website. this represented the release of so Big Table further contributes many barriers preventing a life of to community support through emotional freedom from his past. the promotion of spontaneous After healing up and being fitted for generosity.

They initiated the dentures, he lights up the room with Unexpected 20's program, enabling a smile full of life as he generously individuals and small groups serves others. He hopes to continue to pay it forward and honor his to discreetly hand a $20 bill to family heritage by opening his own someone in the restaurant or hotel Greek restaurant.” (https://big- industry without drawing attention. table.com/care-story/new-life-new- Participants are urged to clarify that it is not a payment or tip but a smile/) straightforward gift. Small envelopes Big Table has had a large impact can be obtained by visiting their on the local region and has been able website at big-table.com/requestto branch out and open additional unexpected-20s or by following the offices to serve communities with a provided template and printing need including San Diego, Colorado them out for personal use.

Springs, and Nashville. The success “We get to embody love and achieved in the regions they serve walk alongside people in a way that stems from the fact that Big Table's some of them have never had. We influence goes well beyond the get to tell people how loved they individuals directly benefiting from are by showing up in their lives and their work. By supporting those in the restaurant and hospitality supporting them in a way that often industries, Big Table contributes no one else has with no conditions. to the overall well-being of the There are no strings attached.”

24 • JANUARY 2024

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