Living TC Winter 2017

 ARTIST PROFILE: BETHANY BEARD  GIFTS FOR THE BODY AND MIND

OPENING SOON Columbia Gardens Wine Village

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

MAKING MEMORIES SENSKE LIGHTS

BRIGHTEN THE SPIRIT Winter 2017

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WINTER ACTIVITIES experience another side of the outdoors

in this issue OPENING SOON: COLUMBIA GARDENS URBAN WINE AND ARTISAN VILLAGE | p6 2 wineries hope to be pouring tastes by the holidays

FAMILY: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS IN THE TRI-CITIES | p10 make memories in your own backyard

GIFTS: EASY BUT HEARTFELT HOLIDAY CANDY | p13 you make it, people will love it

SENSKE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS | p16 don’t miss the display’s 15th year, complete with 3-D glasses

NONPROFIT: BITE2GO | p19

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT:BETHANY BEARD

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Second Harvest is helping keep kids fed on the weekend

ART: THE COLLAGE ART OF BETHANY BEARD | p22 West Richland artist finds beauty in the things the rest of us throw away

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS | p26 John and Linda Clark’s custom-built home is where their heart is

A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

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EXPLORE: WINTER RECREATION | p29 experience the tranquility of nature in the hills of Eastern Washington & beyond

GIVE THE GIFT OF HEALTH | p32 from cookbooks to gym memberships to fresh produce delivery

FITNESS: STRENGTH IS BEAUTY | p36 3 local women aren’t just strong -- they’re inspiring STRENGTH IS BEAUTY INSIDE AND OUT 4

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WINTER EVENT CALENDAR | p38 from holiday children’s theater to wreath workshops

winter 2017 Editor Ruth Paul Advertising Director Sean Flaherty Design Team Jonathan Hooley Sara Nelson Design Cover Photo Photo by Eder Abogabir, instagram.com/abogabir_photography.com

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SENSKE LIGHTS

holiday show that ligths up the night sky

On the Cover Julie and Ivan Semenyuk in Columbia Park Contributors Kevin Cole Jennifer Colton-Jones Carolyn Henderson Laura Kostad Renee Pottle Elsie Puig Jackie Sharpe Alicia Walters Ashlie Martin Shannon Mahre

333 West Canal Drive Kennewick, WA 99336 For Editorial Info: Ruth Paul rpaul@idahostateman.com For Advertising Info: Carol Perkins carol@livingtc.com 509-582-1438 facebook.com/livingtcmagazine

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opening soon

Wineries hope to be uncorked by the holidays

A rendering of the Columbia Gardens Urban Wine & Artisan Village, to be completed in three phases.

Story by Jackie Sharpe Photos provided by the Port of Kennewick and Jackie Sharpe

NEXT MONTH, TWO WINEMAKERS ARE HOPING TO HAVE THEIR NEW KENNEWICK TASTING ROOMS open in time for the holidays.

Bartholomew Winery and Vino La Monarcha Winery, the first two tenants of the Columbia Gardens Urban Wine & Artisan Village, hope to open their doors to the public next month.

The two winemakers’ tasting rooms and boutique 6

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production facilities were selected for phase one of the project, which has been 10 years in the making. This joint effort between the Port of Kennewick and the city of Kennewick is focused on reconnecting the community with the historic Columbia River waterfront. From wine

Both Vino La Monarcha Winery and Bartholomew Winery, above, will include a tasting room and production facilities.

The first three buildings to be completed in phase one are Bartholomew Winery and Vino La Monarcha Winery.

production and tasting rooms to food trucks and specialty shops, this will be a prime spot for the community and tourists.

Phase one includes three port-owned winery buildings and a new city-managed winery wastewater discharge and treatment facility. Seattle-based Bartholomew Winery will occupy one of the three buildings.

Although Owner and Winemaker Bart Fawbush is keeping his tasting room open in Seattle for customers, he likes the idea of the Tri-Cities for both his family and his business. “We had a desire to change our lifestyle and an opportunity to make a change,� Fawbush said.

He will also be closer to the vineyards he works with in Zillah and Benton City.

Moving to the Columbia Gardens Urban Wine & Artisan Village will provide him with more space to increase his production.

The other two buildings will be home to Vino La Monarcha Winery out of Walla Walla, also with production and tasting room accommodations. Both winery tasting areas are located next to the production room, with great views to observe the winemaking process. There are also two attached outdoor seating areas.

During phase one, the port removed dilapidated buildings and cleared 16 acres of port-owned waterfront property between W i n t e r 2017

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Above and Below: The tasting rooms for Bartholomew and Vino La Monarcha wineries.

the cable bridge and Clover Island Drive.

The revitalized development kept recreation in mind -- from walking in between wineries and specialty shops to bike riding and kayaking.

Art is essential to the project. The Columbia Center Rotary teamed up with the Port of Kennewick to support the creation of a public mural. The Latino Heritage Murals by artist Andrew Reid from Miami will be hung on the side of the two buildings joined by the covered breezeway and leased by Victor Palencia with Vino La Monarcha Winery.

Two other installations include a metal sculpture by Ivan McClean from Portland and functional artwork in the form of a transit shelter by Kevin Berry from Phoenix.

Construction of phase two is scheduled for February through June 2018. Phase two will create opportunities for food trucks. “This works hand in glove with the wineries,� said Larry Peterson, director of planning and development for the Port of Kennewick.

In addition, phase two will have room for specialty markets, boutique wine production, tasting rooms, craft breweries, cheese 8

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shops, bistros, distilleries and galleries. The farmers in the Tri-Cities and nearby communities are known for growing an array of delicious food, from asparagus to apples, that can be showcased in specialty shops and prepared into delicious meals by the food trucks.

Part of phase three includes a partnership with Columbia Basin College, the city and the port to develop the CBC Culinary Institute.

For more information, contact the Port of Kennewick at 509-586-1186 or visit http:// portofkennewick.org.

Jackie Sharpe is a freelance writer and photographer. www.jackiesharpeimages.com

Visit the first two winemakers at the Columbia Gardens Urban Wine & Artisan Village at 421 E. Columbia Drive, Kennewick.

Bartholomew Winery: December opening (expected) Hours: 12-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday http://www.bartholomewwinery.com Monarcha Winery: Early December opening (expected) Winter/Fall hours: 12- 8 p.m. ThursdaySunday (October through February) Regular hours: 12-8 p.m. daily (March-October) http://www.palenciawine.com

Come Discover Kennewick’s Historic Waterfront

taste

• Two waterfront restaurants, a brewpub & hotel lodging • Lighthouse & public art • Ice, food & beverages to go • Scenic viewpoints & public plazas • Boat launch & marina

• Bartholomew Winery • Sample wines

• Monarcha Winery

• Enjoy Columbia River sunsets

• Explore public art

• View Bald Eagles, herons, and American White Pelicans from sun-dappled patios • Adjacent to the Clover Island Riverwalk, and 23-mile Sacagawea Heritage Trail

421 East Columbia Drive

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W i n t e r 2017 Clover Island

Columbia Gardens

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family

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Home for the Holidays in the Tri-Cities

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Story by Alicia Walters Photography by Eder Abogabir Models, Julie and Ivan Semenyuk in Columbia Park.

I LOVE CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS IN THE TRI-CITIES. I STILL REMEMBER OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS IN Kennewick. We lived in a two-bedroom apartment and had one little baby girl. She looked so cute in her Christmas footie pjs. We had a plastic nativity play set that she liked to play with, and although it was just the three of us, a small Christmas tree and not much else, we indeed felt the Christmas spirit warm our little family.

Coming up this December will be our eighth Christmas in the Tri-Cities, a wonderful place to celebrate the holidays and enjoy Christmas as a family. Even if your family will be travelling for part of the month, there are activities and events to enjoy here all month long. (See details about all events mentioned in this story in the calendar on page 38.)

For 15 years, Senske has lit up 400 N. Quay in Kennewick every night in December.

Admission to the lights is free, and cash as well as nonperishable donations to Second Harvest are welcome. My family looks forward to this beautiful light show every year.

turn into a frosty wonderland. While there is typically less snowfall here than surrounding regions, the cold temperatures create a visually stunning display of thick frost encapsulating the trees and riverbanks. I like to walk the Riverfront Trail off Bradley Boulevard in Richland and the paths that take you right up to the river. Ducks and geese still inhabit the cold water, and the panoramic winter landscape is breathtaking.

When snow does come, it’s fun to take a wool blanket and thermos of hot chocolate and play at Howard Amon Park. People gather in the park to gaze at the snow-filled trees, practice photography and build snowmen. Across from the park parallel to

George Washington Way is The Parkway – a street of local shops decorated with trees and lights for the holidays. We like to grab a quick bite at Frost Me Sweet and stop by Ariel Gourmet and Gifts -- a kitchen supply and grocery store. This is our go-to shop for special gifts, and they have a delicious assortment of imported treats, including baking chocolate.

For sledding after a good snowfall, Carmichael Middle School just off Wellsian Way in Richland has a good hill. It can be crowded on school snow days, so I recommend taking children when they are very comfortable sledding. For beginners and younger children, White Bluff Elementary School is a great place for sledding after school hours. Since big snow isn’t a regular occurrence here, children are that much more excited to be out in it.

Andy Rooney famously quipped, “One

I love attending Christmas performances by local choirs. For me, there is no comparison between a recording and attending a live performance surrounded by people who share an appreciation for Christmas music.

Handel’s “Messiah” will be performed by the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers Dec. 1 and 2. Another “don’t miss” Christmas concert is the AGO Christmas Choral Festival.

Admission is free and families can enjoy an interfaith choral event that fills the church with the Christmas spirit. The choral festival will be Dec. 3 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Kennewick.

For my family, it wouldn’t be Christmas without taking our children to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus at Downtown Kennewick’s Merry Little Christmas Village. We love to stroll up and down the street and see the fantastic Christmas-themed window displays. Shop owners hand out candy canes for the kids, and there are winter characters to delight and take pictures of with the children. There is also ice skating, hay rides and caroling. It truly feels like a hometown Christmas party.

During winter, the riverfront trails in Columbia Park and Howard Amon Park W i n t e r 2017

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of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day.” In reality, we will not remember in great detail the gifts we give and receive over the years. What we cherish is time spent with one another in the spirit of generosity and love. That is what the Christmas Day living room mess means to me: the presents, the wrapping -- all of it is just a means to share in something positive and joyful with my family. In giving and receiving gifts -- and smiles -- we share in the joy of our love for one another.

I still enjoy the simplicity of making a construction paper “Christmas countdown” chain with my children or decorating sugar cookies and delivering them to our neighbors. Involving my children in the “giving” of gifts helps them to enjoy what the holidays are all about. Even older children can take part by being delivery drivers to neighbors or packaging gifts. As a teenager, my mom would put me on a gift assembly line in our kitchen with my sisters all working together as Christmas music blasted from the next room.

Whatever your holiday traditions, I hope your family will enjoy this wonderful season. Make time to see the beautiful Christmas trees displayed at Beaver Bark in Richland or take a drive the evening of Dec. 16 to see Desert Plateau’s Luminaria – thousands of Christmas lights and lanterns light the neighborhood. It isn’t always easy during the holidays, but if we can slow down a little and make this time memorable with those we love, our season will be all the better for it.

This December Alicia Walters, author of the When in Tri-Cities blog (whenintricities. com), is proud to feature Sweet Delights

by Krystal and The Village Bistro, who are giving a Polar Express Party to Beautifully Inspired, a nonprofit that benefits the foster community. Other local creatives, including Moments in Time, Artful Virgo and Courtney Corriell, will contribute to this event. Look for this post on whenintricities.com in December. And visit beautifullyinspired.org/ support-us to learn how you can help.

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gifts

Holiday candy: quick, easy - and from the heart

Story and recipes by Renee Pottle THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE APPROACHING HOLIDAYS THAT BRINGS OUT THE CANDY MAKER IN many of us.

Yes, we can purchase seasonal candies, but making our own connects us with the traditions of the season -- and just seems right.

I used to teach a class called Gifts from the Kitchen. It was so much fun that many people returned year after year, learning to make the same delicacies their mothers and grandmothers had created in years gone by.

Alas, although many of us would love to spend hours making old-time holiday candy, we often feel we don’t

have time during this busy season. Thankfully, we can have it all: quick and impressive treats that make heartfelt gifts. You can make all three of these candies in just a few hours and have the perfect gifts for shutins, co-workers, your hairdresser and others. After all, everyone loves candy!

Renee Pottle writes about food and gardening from her home in Kennewick. Find more candy recipes in her cookbook, “Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen,” available at Amazon.com.

Recipes On Pg 14 W i n t e r 2017

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Marbled Peppermint Bark Use baking chocolate, not chocolate candy coating wafers here. Don’t try to speed up the cooking process or you may overheat the chocolate. Overheated chocolate seizes and is ruined for this recipe.

2 (4 oz) bars of white baking chocolate

1 (4 oz) bar of bittersweet baking chocolate

½ tsp peppermint extract or ¼ tsp peppermint oil

Red food coloring (optional)

2 Tbsp crushed peppermint candies

Grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish and set aside.

Break white chocolate bars into smaller pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl.

Set microwave oven at 50 percent power.

Heat chocolate for 20-40 seconds at a time, stirring after each period.

When chocolate is fully melted, smooth and shiny, add peppermint extract and food coloring.

Pour chocolate into prepared pan and spread with a spatula.

Repeat the cooking action with the bittersweet chocolate, omitting the extract and food coloring.

Pour bittersweet chocolate over the white chocolate. Using a butter knife, gently swirl the chocolate together.

Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over the top.

Chill until set.

Break bark into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

For an orange version: Substitute ¼ tsp orange oil for the peppermint extract, add yellow food coloring to the red, and top with snipped candied orange peel instead of peppermint.

Cognac Chocolate Truffles Melt-in-your-mouth smooth with a decidedly adult flavor. Use rum, bourbon or crème de menthe instead of cognac if desired.

6 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate

½ cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp cognac

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Break chocolate into small pieces. Combine chocolate and cream in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until cream boils. Remove from heat and stir until the chocolate melts. Stir in the cognac.

Pour mixture into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the chocolate. Chill until firm, about 2 hours. Shape into 1-inch balls.

Roll in cocoa. Store truffles in a cool, dark place.

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SUGARPLUM CANDY If you really want to impress Grandma, make some traditional sugarplums. An old-fashioned treat, sugarplums fell out of favor because the required chopping was so labor-intensive. Thank goodness food processors make the job easier. One bite and you will have visions of sugarplums dancing in your head, too.

4 oz dried plums (prunes)

½ cup dried cranberries

4 oz dried apricots

2 cups toasted walnuts

2 tsp grated orange zest

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp anise seed

½ tsp ground allspice

2 Tbsp orange juice

1 Tbsp honey

Granulated sugar, decorative sugar or shredded coconut

Combine plums, apricots, cranberries, orange zest, walnuts and spices in a food processor and process until finely ground.

Add orange juice and honey. Combine.

Pinch off pieces of the mixture and form into 1-inch balls.

Roll in sugar or coconut. Refrigerate until firm.

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local

Senske

dazzles with its synchronized light show

Each of the giant trees in the Senske display has 25,000 lights.

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Story and photos by: Kevin Cole About this time every year a number of clues remind us that the holidays are getting close. Days (and nights) get colder.

Green- and red-themed retail displays take over local retail stores. And outside of the Senske Services headquarters in Kennewick, a crew starts wiring up the most impressive annual light display in the Tri-Cities.

This will be the 17th year that Senske has lit up December with its impressive light show.

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Why Senske, particularly? Because Chris Senske – youngest son of founder Bill Senske – likes Christmas lights. That simple.

The (primarily) lawn care company started 70 years ago, doing pest extermination in Spokane. After just a few years of war on rodents, Spokane was declared a “rat-free city” and the company needed to expand to stay busy – so it did, both adding services (landscaping, lawn maintenance, snow removal and Christmas decor) and going into new territory.

Senske came to the Tri-Cities and Yakima in the 1980s, then moved into Idaho, Utah and Nevada. In 1987, the company’s corporate headquarters moved to the Tri-Cities.

Fifteen years later, in 2002, the company W i n t e r 2017

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It takes 1,500 man-hours and about a month to prepare for December's light show, which is choreographed to music.

built a new headquarters on the 400 block of Kennewick’s Quay Street – and that was about the time Chris decided he wanted to see something extra-special in the way of Christmas lights – even if he had to be the one to make it happen.

2017 marks 15 years of dancing trees and a half-million colored lights flickering in time to Christmas music, both traditional and contemporary. Everything from Vince Guaraldi’s classic cool jazz holiday music from the first Charlie Brown Christmas special (more than 50 years old now) to the Tom Hanks-voiced “Hot Chocolate” from the 2004 movie “Polar Express” is in the mix, as are more recent holiday classics such as “Mary, Did You Know?” and traditional carols such as “Deck the Halls” (Mannheim Steamroller version, of course).

Preparation begins in late October to early November each year: “Whenever the leaves are gone from our trees,” according to Senske’s Becca Presley. It takes 1,500 man-hours to set up the lights, run the wires, test the connections and prepare for a month’s run of music and lights. Then when it’s done at the end of the holiday season, it takes even longer to take it down and put it away for next year.

For those who like details: There are 11 songs in the show. Ten, actually – one piece isn’t a song; it’s Linus reciting the Christmas story from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

The show runs about 32 minutes. The music to which the lights are synchronized can be heard over speakers at the Senske building and are also broadcast over a micro-powered FM signal that can be heard on a car radio (90.3Mhz) roughly a block in each direction from the display.

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Each mega-tree light pole (if you’ve been to see the display, you know which ones they are; if you haven’t, you’ll recognize them when you go this year) has 25,000 lights. Controlling 500,000-plus lights and keeping them synchronized with the music take 600 data channels, all fired off from a server in the Senske building. One last piece of trivia: Each of the trees is wrapped with four separate strings of lights – one for each color used. And yes, that is a lot of work.

Around Thanksgiving, the crews will finish up and the display given a dress-rehearsal, as it were – a test run to make sure everything is ready. Cruising along Quay Street between Edison Avenue and Columbia Center Boulevard about dusk that weekend, you may just stumble across the crew doing the final testing.

On Dec. 1, the music and lights will go live for another holiday season.

Six years ago, the company began holding an open house concurrent with the display on one weekend evening of the month, using the event to collect food and money for Northwest Second Harvest. At last year’s open house, lines were out the door, 60 volunteers (30 each from Senske and Second Harvest) were needed to keep everyone and everything coordinated. On those evenings, Santa’s lap was kept busy and more than $1,000 was raised over and above the donations of food, which were substantial. This season, the open house nights will be 6-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, and 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9.

Several years back, a giant inflatable snowman was added to the display. Predictably, he comes to life for the song “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” from the mega-hit

kids movie “Frozen.” He’s been a big hit.

Also in recent years, Senske started handing out 3D glasses that turn points of light into lit-up shapes such as candy canes, stars and Christmas trees. And they have been popular as well. (No, it isn’t legal to drive while wearing them. Take them home and look at your Christmas tree through them.)

One might think that the only reason a company would invest this heavily in something would be to promote the fact that they install Christmas lights as a professional service.

In fact, Senske does offer that service. But, according to Becca Presley, “That’s not really why we do it. In 15 years, we’ve only ever gained one customer that we know of from doing the Christmas light display.

It’s more that we like the idea that we’re helping families to make memories. And, of course, even more, we do it because Chris really likes Christmas lights.”

And what better reason could there be?

Find more about Senske’s Annual Christmas Light Show online – including an impressive video from previous years – at https://www.senske.com/ holiday-lights/annual-light-show.

Senske Charity Christmas Light Show Where: 400 N. Quay, Kennewick When: Nightly in December Listen to the music synced to the holiday light show on your car radio at 90.3 FM. Senske open house When: 6-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8 and 5-9 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 9. Accepting monetary and non-perishable food donations for Second Harvest ​

non-profit

e n o , d e f s d i k g n i e Keep m i t a t a k c a p k bac

This is the third school year for Second Harvest's Bite2Go program in the Tri-Cities.

Photo provided by Jennifer Colton-Jones.

Story by Jennifer Colton-Jones IMAGINE HAVING TO DECIDE ONE WEEK WHETHER TO PAY FOR HEALTH CARE OR TO BUY FOOD. THE next week, the decision is between groceries and electricity.

That might be the reality for your next-door neighbor or the family down the street. One in seven people in the Inland Northwest struggles with hunger and, on average, is at risk of missing five meals a week. For one in

four children, food shortages are normal.

“That’s what we’re talking about when we talk hunger.

It’s food insecurity,” said Michele Roth, community W i n t e r 2017

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Some of the food provided in Second Havest’s Bite2Go program.

impact director for Second Harvest. “These are kids who are just not getting what they need.”

That’s where Second Harvest comes in. For the 25 percent of children in the region that face chronic food shortages at home, school meals provide consistent nutrition, but what happens when those children go home? At Second Harvest, the Bite2Go program is helping fill that food gap.

Bite2Go started at the Second Harvest distribution center in Spokane to provide students facing those chronic food shortages with meals they could prepare and eat on their own over the weekend. They launched Bite2Go out of the Pasco location in 2015.

The first year in the Tri-Cities, five schools participated. In 2016, the number climbed to eight schools in the Tri-Cities, and this current school year, it exploded to 16 schools: 1,000 backpack kits a week.

“We had a huge growth period, between people learning about it and sponsors 20

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coming forward,” Roth said.

In Bite2Go, the students take home two breakfasts, two lunches and snacks for the weekend. All items are shelf stable – no worry for kids who forget to refrigerate anything – and no cooking is required.

“As much as people can’t fathom the idea that there’s no electricity or no microwave, that happens,” she said. “The idea is not knowing what the situation is, the kids can open it and eat it.”

Hundreds of school children receive the backpacks every week, both in the Tri-Cities and as far as Prosser and Walla Walla. The kits go out on Fridays, stocked with food children as young as 5 can open and eat on their own.

Because the food needs to be the same for 500 children and be something that the children can eat on their own, Bite2Go is an anomaly in Second Harvest’s programming.

Unlike most of Second Harvest’s operations, Bite2Go can’t be sourced through produce

donations from the local community and must be purchased and ordered.

At Second Harvest, a fundamental goal is bringing together services to feed people in need, and, unfortunately, many of those are children. Food Sourcing Manager Sarah MacPherson says that encompasses services from setting up school pantries to deciding what foods go out in the Mobile Food Banks. During the summer, Second Harvest increases distribution of items like bread and tuna and peanut butter, so children can prepare their own meals.

“One of the No. 1 barriers for low-income families is transportation,” Roth says, pointing to both food insecurity and the idea of a food desert, where families live farther away from healthy food sources. “Mobile is so important because we can take the food to them and make sure the food gets out to the people who need it.”

That’s a familiar principle: it’s the same one that drives Bite2Go. About 20 percent of

families that qualify for free and reduced school lunches will opt in to Bite2Go, and in some area schools, more than 90 percent of students qualify. One of those is Amistad Elementary, which joined Bite2Go this year through a sponsorship from Washington River Protection Solutions. WRPS is also sponsoring Virgie Robinson, providing 90 kits a week at each school.

Harvest’s website -http://www.2-harvest. org/bite-2-go/ for Bite2Go directly – and donors can choose a specific school or allow Second Harvest to select the area with the greatest need.

“We can source the food, and we can find volunteers to pick up, but finding that funding? That’s our biggest need,” Roth says.

“That’s why sponsors are so important.”

“We’re thinking about these kids and how we can help,” MacPherson says. “As a culture, we need to understand the fact that hunger lives in our culture and we can all do something about it.”

Being a sponsor doesn’t take being a business. Bite2Go runs an average of 36 weeks each year – every week students are in school -- and it costs $4 per weekend to send a backpack full of food home with a child. That’s $12 a month or $144 a year to sponsor a student. For a company or organization, $3,600 sponsors 25 students at a school for a year, sending backpack kits home with them every week.

“It’s a great impact for a small cost,” Roth says.

Donations can be set up through Second

Sponsorships from Washington River Protection Solutions allow some schools, such as Virgie Robinson Elementary in Pasco, to take part in Bite2Go.

W i n t e r 2017

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art

The Collage Art of Bethany Beard

One of Bethany Beard's collage creations.

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Story by Carolyn Henderson DON’T TELL THE MARKETERS, BUT Bethany Beard actually likes junk mail.

The West Richland artist, who creates collages using found items, sees potential in anything made of paper, which she finds “really hard to throw away, ever.” Not only junk mail, but also old magazines, calendars and discarded books find their way into her studio.

It was the tragic fate of an unwanted book that turned Beard's attention toward collage. She was working at a center that supported adults with disabilities, and one of the jobs performed there was recycling paper. When Beard stumbled upon the tattered remains of “The Album of Horses”

by Marguerite Henry, all she could see was the destruction of a book that she had loved as a little girl.

“It was all ripped up and in pieces,” Beard remembers. “I hated the thought that such a great book was going to be trash – that no one else would get to enjoy it.

“So I took a few pieces of it and made them into note cards that I gave to my friends.

“It’s just grown and developed from there.”

One of the challenges of collage, she says, is that "you have to use what is there.

Sometimes the paper has a texture that doesn’t work or a color that doesn’t match my vision – but that’s also one of the perks, too.

“I’m forced to look at things in a new way and be creative in how I put the elements together so that I create a cohesive piece of art.”

As an artist, Beard, whose artistic expression also embraces drawing in pastel and graphite, considers herself unusually fortunate because her day job completely and totally revolves around art, although the time spent on her own endeavors waits until after work. For the last four years, Beard has worked as the gallery administrator for the Allied Arts Association, which runs a gift shop, gallery exhibit space and workshop venue at 89 Lee Blvd. in Richland. Her day to day responsibilities involve interacting with both artists and art lovers, and one of the most exciting

Bethany Beard created this painting out of six panels for a Good Friday service at at local church.

Nov. 8 - Dec. 29 Gallery Aglow

Happy holidays from your local art gallery! Come show your support by buying gifts and holiday decorations. We’d love to see you!

89 Lee Blvd, Richland, WA 99352 galleryatthepark.org

(509) 943-9815

Hours: Tues-Fri 10-5:30, Sat 10-5 W i n t e r 2017

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aspects is seeing the creativity, inspiration, talent, techniques and hard work of a variety of artists, working in a plethora of mediums.

“I love getting to see people’s new work, to see how they’ve grown and developed, and I love sending out those commission checks.

Every time I do it’s a celebration: ‘Yay! Someone likes what you made!’”

Bethany Beard's cowboy collage.

The beauty of the Gallery at the Park, Beard adds, is not only the artwork available there, but also the opportunity for community members to learn to create art themselves, through a rotating roster of workshops.

“I think the Tri-Cities is just waking up to its own artistic potential, and more and more people are looking for places to learn and show art,” Beard says. “I’m glad that I get to work at a place that is an important part of that.

“I wish that I could take all the classes, and I wish we had even more to offer.”

Beard’s own artwork has found its way to various homes in the Pacific Northwest, as well as Hawaii and Texas. One of her most ambitious pieces to date consisted of 6 different canvases, which joined to create a panorama 12 by 18 feet, created for a Good Friday Service at a local church.

Throughout the service, one canvas was added to another until the final moment, when viewers saw the whole picture. The pastor was so enamored of the painting that he transported it to a new pastorate in San Diego.

Beard is an artist as well as the gallery administrator for the Allied Arts Association.

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Beard’s work has been juried into both the Red and Orange shows at DrewBoy Creative,

a Richland-based art organization dedicated to improving lives through art and creativity, as well as the Allied Arts Annual Show. Within her studio, she generally has multiple projects, in various stages, going on at the same time, and while she periodically addresses a contemporary event through her artwork, for the most part she avoids promoting a particular message, aiming to, instead, encourage viewers to think.

“It shows when art is created for an agenda,” Beard observes. “I don’t like that in art and try to avoid it in my own.

“I create because I believe that is a unique way to influence the world for the better. As a person of faith, I believe that I was created in the image of God, and that one of the best ways to reflect that is to create.”

That her particular medium depends upon what most would call throwaway items is an added bonus, Beard says, not only because the material she needs is basic and not difficult to find (“The quarter book bin at the library is an awesome place to find material.”) but because her creative energy gives that material another chance, in another way, to make an impact.

It’s not a bad reminder of how everything – and everyone – has dimension and potential beyond what we initially see.

“I heard once that artists create because of what they see going on around them, or because what they see going on within them,” Beard says.

“I enjoy taking something that has no purpose of value and creating something fun with it.”

Carolyn Henderson is a freelance write who co-owns Steve Henderson Fine Art with her husband, Steve.

She may be reached at Carolyn@ SteveHendersonFineArt.com

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A Home for The Holidays

home profile

Story by: Ashlie Martin

Photos by: Shane Martin of Shane Martin Photo

THIS TIME OF YEAR, PEOPLE OFTEN REFLECT ON THEIR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. WHAT AM I thankful for? What am I going to change next year?

For John and Linda Clark, this is a time to live in the present. A time to be with the ones you love. Months filled with family gatherings, laughs and making memories.

The holidays have always been very important to the Clarks. Life gets busy, they agreed, and we don’t always remember to take the time to show the ones closest to us just how much they mean to us.

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Both having lived in Walla Walla, John and Linda met right out of high school and created a life together that took them out of their hometowns. They started their family in the Seattle area and decided to come back to the Tri-Cities with their two girls. But it was only a short time before John was promoted, taking them back to the west side of the state.

When John was promoted again, it brought him and Linda back to the Tri-Cities, and this time it was for good.

Having lived here before, they were already familiar with the area and knew exactly what they wanted. They purchased an old Government (G) house in the heart of Richland, a house Linda had always had her eye on.

“When we were living here before, we would take family walks by that house all the time and I always thought, we will live there one day,” she said.

And they did, for 10 years. 10 years full of birthdays, happy times and laughs, serious times and tears. But the time eventually came when they needed to move.

John and Linda Clark in their beautiful home

“We had a surprise late addition to our family after 15 years of being a family of four,” John said. “It was a difficult decision, but we had finally outgrown our home.”

They both knew building was the only option because it would be the last home they purchased. They wanted it to be the perfect

home for them, and it needed to incorporate all their wants and needs.

memories alive. That it would still feel like home. It was the most important piece.”

“This time of year, our family comes together and gets really excited about the holidays,” Linda said. “We needed to make sure our new house would keep the

So while the decision to move was difficult, it was also exciting for John. Being in construction, he had the incredible opportunity to be heavily involved in the building

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Clark family holiday dining room table and settings

process of a home. He had always wanted to have a hand in building his family a home, so this was his opportunity to do that.

Knowing that they would be doing a lot of the decorating and planning themselves, the house also had to be big enough for their family of 5 and the entertaining they do on holidays. Both John and Linda researched house plans together, but they just couldn’t find the right one. They decided to go to a contractor and draw out their own house plan.

With entertaining in mind, they spent a lot of time on planning and designing the kitchen and dining room.

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“The kitchen had to be set up in a way that made it easy for more than one person to work at a time since we both like to cook,

but also easy to get to the important parts like the double ovens, stovetop and sink (with a window, of course),” John said.

“And, of course, I had to have a special cupboard with glass, so I could show my Grandma’s Shawnee Cookie Jar,” Linda added. “We planned on having built-ins in the dining room for my McCoy Pottery collection and a long table to fit everyone.”

Collectables, family heirlooms, art and antiques had a bigger part in the design of the house than one would think, including the custom mantle John had made for Linda in secret.

“He wanted our John Clement photo to go above it; it is a picture he gave to me when we moved back to the Tri-Cities after we had been gone for a while and has a special place in my heart,” Linda said. “He has since given me other John Clements that are so beautiful and speak to our feeling of being home.”

The feeling of home is so very important to both John and Linda, and their beautiful home speaks of that right as you enter. It has a feeling of old meets new, and you can tell so much thought, feeling and love went behind the building of it. The building of their home, but also of their family. A house that continued to build them.

Feel the calming effects of winter in the mountains

explore

Dana Cadwell, left, co-owner of Explore More Northwest, and Sarah Lingley, owner of Thrive Fitness Adventures, took a snowshoe trip up McBee Grade last year. Photo courtesy of Thrive Fitness Adventures

By Elsie Puig THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT THE VELVET WHITE SOFTNESS OF THE CASCADES’ SNOW-CAPPED PEAKS or the rolling hills of Eastern Washington blanketed in snow that exude serenity, tranquility and adventure. If you want to experience this side of nature, don’t skip out on all the recreational opportunities this winter, says Steven Ghan of the Intermountain Alpine Club (IMAC).

“Winter in the mountains are the best kept secret in the Mid-Columbia,” said Ghan, “people get to see how beautiful, sunny, pleasant the mountains are in the winter time. It’s often warmer and sunnier, and with how much fog we get in January, we can get above the fog in the mountains. It’s brilliant. It really lifts your spirits.”

IMAC offers opportunities for beginners and experienced explorers alike to unlock winter recreation through snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. In early December, IMAC will offer a cross-country skiing

workshop to teach beginners the basics and familiarize them with the gear required to enjoy winter safely. The winter activity schedule should be on IMAC’s website sometime in November, said Ghan.

The club will also offer a beginner cross-country ski trip in late December and in early January to familiarize participants with using skis.

“We go a lot in the Blue Mountains to a trail called Horseshoe Prairie,” said Ghan. “It’s a mile-long loop and it’s pretty gentle terrain, a great beginner spot, but W i n t e r 2017

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we also have the opportunity to go to other places in the Cascades.”

IMAC also offers snowshoeing expeditions.

Ghan said they hope to do one this winter to Camp Muir — an 8-mile trail in Mount Rainier National Park that offers intimate, up-close views of Mount Rainier.

All of IMAC’s trips are guided by an experienced leader with navigation experience and are capped at 12 participants.

Although IMAC members pay an annual fee of $14 for individuals and $20 for couples (less if you just want an electronic version of the newsletter), the winter activities are open to anyone. The only trip costs, for members and nonmembers alike, are 10 cents per mile to cover transportation and $1-3 for Sno Park Permits.

“Our leaders have to be excellent navigators and bring a GPS with them since, especially during the winters, the trails are not marked,” he said. “Although the ski routes are marked, sometimes it’s hard to follow them.”

For participants who might not have their own gear, IMAC has inexpensive snowshoe, ski, boot, and pole rentals.

For more information, visit www.imacnw.org.

Local winter hikes and intimate snowshoeing adventures There are also plenty of opportunities to enjoy winter closer to home. Sarah Lingley with Thrive Fitness Adventures is offering free community hikes this winter — but the hikes are limited to five people per trip.

Lingley is offering guided hikes at Badger Mountain in November and December and snowshoeing hikes in the White Pass area in January and February.

“We may add some local snowshoeing hikes if the weather conditions merit putting on some snowshoes,” said Lingley, who snowshoed up McBee Grade in Benton City last winter.

All of Lingley’s hikes include backpacks, trail snacks and poles, and each hike ends with stretching and guided mindfulness meditations to help participants tune into themselves and their surroundings.

“I feel compelled to do these free events just to help people get out and explore more 30

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Snowshoers take a trip to the Horseshoe Prairie area of the Blue Mountains near Tollgate, Ore. Photo by Jaynee Levy, courtesy of Intermountain Alpine Club

and connect with nature,” said Lingley. “It is so pretty seeing the evergreen blanketed in snow; it’s very magical.”

Lingley has all her trips scheduled as Facebook events under the Thrive Fitness Adventures Facebook page at https://www. facebook.com/ThriveFitnessAdventures.

Enjoying winter will staying safe Andrea Constance has been skiing since she was a little girl and sometimes volunteers with the snow patrol at local ski resorts. She emphasizes safety and preparedness by checking weather forecast and avalanche conditions, especially during the winter when the weather can be volatile.

“You should always wear a lot of layers, especially wool or synthetics,” said Constance. “I always wear hiking boots with knee-high gaiters so I don’t get any snow inside my boots, and I always bring a foam pad for sitting on the snow. All the trails can be hiked during the winter, but Yaktrax or boot traction are always good to carry with you in the winter.”

“Navigation is a lot more difficult during the

winter, so you should only go on hikes that have already been broken in or high-use trails; there is a lower likelihood you’ll get lost,” said Lingley. “People that are just starting out snowshoeing should go on trails that are more flat to get used to wearing them.”

Constance also recommends getting a Sno-Park Permit, which allows you to park at plowed lots accessible to groomed and backcountry trails.

She also enjoys going hiking locally, especially during the winter.

Tim Strauch of Pasco on a cross-country ski trip in the Blue Mountains near the Spout Springs Ski Area. Photo by Jaynee Levy, courtesy of the Intermountain Alpine Club

“I got out to Candy, Badger, McBee, Chamna Natural Preserve, W.E. Johnson, Bateman Island or Rattlesnake Slope most weeks over the winter months,” said Constance. “McNary Wildlife Refuge is another beautiful place to go but requires caution as it can be hunting

season for waterfowl. We have some really extraordinary winter days here in the Tri-Cities.”

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health

Give the gift of health this holiday season

Story by Laura Kostad STUMPED ON GIFT IDEAS FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO SEEM TO HAVE EVERYTHING OR ARE NOTORIOUSLY difficult to buy for? Why not try giving the gift of health -- and it doesn’t have to be the latest Fitbit. We’ve compiled a list of some alternative health-promoting gift ideas for this holiday season.

Gifts That Encourage a Healthy Diet With New Year’s right on the heels of our most lavish winter feasts, setting fresh goals for better diets is often at the top of our resolutions. Help your loved ones be successful at theirs this year with some of these gifts.

LifeProfile Genetic Nutrition Assessment Better than your average home genetic test, LifeProfile’s FUEL DNA collection kit tests for food sensitivities, vitamin deficiencies, metabolic rate and food breakdown. No longer do you have to guess and check what vitamin supplements and diet programs will help you attain the healthiest You. With personalized results, you can tailor your intake and take control of your nutrition.

LifeProfile’s assessment is $149 and can be found at orig3n.com.

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A gift card at a preferred supplement retailer, including local stores like Kennewick’s Highland Health Foods (101 Vista Way; (509) 783-7147); Richland Health Food (1769 George Washington Way; (509) 943-0001), makes a great complement.

In the Kitchen For loved ones embarking on a new diet program, cookbooks that support their new lifestyle can be of great benefit, especially ones that provide weekly meal plans to help those with busy lives stay on target. Whether they’re going gluten-free, vegan, paleo or something else new and promising, any local bookstore these days will be able to hook you up ($20 and up).

An affordable, Pasco-based service that can help friends and loved ones stock their fridge is The Local Pumpkin,

which delivers customizable boxes of fresh fruits and veggies, baked goods, eggs, meat and even honey and herbs directly to your doorstep. Get them started at https://localpumpkin.deliverybizpro.com.

On-the-Go For friends and family on the go, help them ditch plastic, single-use products and encourage them to start taking their own meals to-go. Equip them with a stainless steel or reusable glass water bottle, such as those offered by Klean Kanteen, Contigo or Lifefactory ($15 and up)—straws, too (SIPWELL, $6 for 4); a reusable lunch bag or box ($8 and up); a set of reusable bamboo utensils (To-Go Ware, $13); and dishwasher-safe, Velcro food pouches (Lunchskins, $7 and up).

Helping Loved Ones Get and Stay Active Another resolution high on the list is physical fitness. A gift membership to a local gym can be a motivating kickstart to a new routine, especially if you undertake the journey to better health together. Setting a loved one up with workout gear can also be

helpful—a colorful exercise mat or trendy workout ensemble (most department stores carry affordable versions of these) can bolster his or her confidence to get moving.

For the cyclist in your life that enjoys taking advantage of our 300+ days of sun here in the Tri-Cities and our many bikeable paths, the vibrant Torch T2 bike helmet with builtin LED lights on both the front and back will help keep him or her safe and visible ($140 at torchapparel.com).

Promoting a Healthy Home Especially during the cold winter months, it’s important to maintain healthy indoor air quality and atmosphere. Help your loved ones stay peppy and lower their risk of illness with a soft-glowing, ambient Himalayan salt lamp. Said to emit negative ions that counteract damaging frequencies from household electronics and combat air pollution, these popular lamps come in all shapes and sizes and can be found for sale locally at Revitalize! in Downtown Kennewick (311 W. Kennewick Ave.; (509) 586-6574; http://www.biofeedbackplus1. com) for $20 and up.

Everyday indoor house plants have similar air-scrubbing abilities, bringing new value to the gift of a Christmas cactus.

Mental & Emotional Wellness Assists The upcoming new year is also an opportunity for us to turn over a new leaf. Get your loved ones off on the right foot with stocking stuffers such as quality essential oils, from brands like doTerra (doterra.com) or Aura Cacia (auracacia.com), a brand carried at Yoke’s Fresh Markets. A CD featuring meditative and relaxing music, a journal with uplifting quotes or affirmations, or a box of tea that promotes a positive mood are all affordable and useful gifts.

The best health-promoting gift of all, however, is the time you spend with family and friends during the holidays—savor the moments, eat well and enjoy ringing in the holiday cheer.

Laura Kostad is a freelance writer and editor. Visit her website at linkedin.com/laura-kostad-628841b9.

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fitness

Strength is beauty inside and out

Elizabeth Victory getting her workout on at Ares Athletic in Kennewick.

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Story and photos by: Shannon Mahre KINDNESS, LOYALTY, DRIVE, A WILL TO HELP OTHERS AT ANY COST, the ability to lift weights that most men only wish they could – these are just some of the traits that could describe a strong woman.

But to me, strength is a mix of the physical and the emotional, a colliding of the two, creating an unmistakable powerhouse not only in the gym, but in the home and in the workplace as well.

It’s the lady you know that has her plate full of work and family but still makes time to help others in need. It’s the girl that no matter what craziness or stress is going on in her life, she always gives you a genuine smile and looks on the positive side of every situation. It’s the woman that keeps getting up every single time she is knocked down, knowing that one day, everything will work out because she isn’t ever going to give up on her dreams.

Strength can show itself in many forms, but so can beauty. Beauty is you being you, no matter your size, your shape or the color of your skin. It’s the smile you give a complete

stranger when you are at the grocery store; it’s the mud-covered faces of you and your friends after a fall mountain bike ride; it’s the body you see when you get out the shower every day, even if that body isn’t what our society has defined as beautiful or womanly.

Over the past few years, I have had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know three women of the Tri-Cities that fully epitomize the true meanings of beauty and strength. One of these women is Kristin Walls, chief meteorologist at KVEW TV. Her passion for helping to protect people drives her to be the

The three ladies working out at Ares Athletic in Kennewick.

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best meteorologist she can possibly be.

“I have such a strong passion for weather,” says Walls. “From looking at the dynamics and track of a thunderstorm, to figuring out snowfall amounts for a storm moving into the area the next day, my job is very challenging and keeps me on my toes all the time! The most rewarding part of my job is informing the public what they can expect that day. If there is a tornado warning for your area, I will let you know where it's heading and if you need to take cover. My job is to keep people safe. I take pride in knowing that my knowledge of the atmosphere can help save lives.”

When Walls isn’t in the newsroom, she 36

enjoys hitting the gym with two of her lady pals, Kristen Faris, client consultant for Gallagher, and Elizabeth (Libby Lee) Victory, Crossfit coach and Kennewick substitute teacher. But these ladies don’t meet at the gym to spend 20 minutes on the elliptical together. Walls, Faris and Victory are Olympic lifters, and although they all may be under 5-foot-3, they are three of the mightiest (and most stunning) powerhouses you will ever meet.

But the benefits of strength training don’t begin and end with the ability to lift heavy amounts of weight.

“With Olympic lifting, it's all about the technique! It's about repetitions at lighter weights that will transfer over to the heavier sets. If the proper technique isn't there, you won't see the weights go up,” says Walls.

“Last year, I broke my leg and ankle and was unable to walk for almost 6 months,” says Victory. “It was, by far, the biggest obstacle I have ever had to tackle in my life. The confidence and strength Crossfit has given me allowed me to see the bigger

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From left to right, Kristen Faris, Elizabeth Victory and Kristin Walls.

“It’s definitely given me a better sense of self confidence, as well as helped me realize that I can tackle many more challenges than I give myself credit for,” says Faris.

Strength training can even help out with the mental and physical struggles that can come with life-changing events.

picture of my lower-body injury to focus on upper-body training and strength. Also, Crossfit allowed me to mentally cope because it has strengthened my mind just as much over the years. It truly trains mind over body, and I knew that if I could mentally keep my head in the healing process, my body would follow.”

And in a society where feminine beauty has been defined in a certain light, these women also show us that strength is beauty no matter how big (or small) your muscles may be.

“My biggest fear when I started lifting weights was getting big and bulky,” says Walls. “I started to see the scale go up and my clothes weren't fitting me the same anymore. But, in the gym, my overall fitness was improving. I felt better, I had more energy and I felt strong!

I started loving my muscles and the results I was seeing at the gym.”

At the end of the day, yes, these women can lift insanely heavy weights - but their strength does not begin and end at the gym.

Their strength is shown in their love, in their drive to be there for and to help others, and

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Kristin Walls and Elizabeth Victory look on as Kristen Faris performs an Olympic lift called the power clean at Ares Athletic in Kennewick.

in their willingness and passion to always grow as individuals and as a team - and all of those traits, physical and mental, make them truly beautiful.

Their goals, passions, athletic pursuits and life paths serve as an inspiration for me

every single day, and I am happy to have given you the chance to be inspired as well.

Because strong women are beautiful, and they are changing the world -- one power clean at a time.

W i n t e r 2017

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Holiday & Winter Events Calendar NOVEMBER Community Stitch Gathering Wednesdays and Saturdays, Badger Mountain Yarns, Richland Great time to meet with others and work on holiday gifts and winter socks, shawls, scarves, sweaters, mittens and hats. Free.

Noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays. The store will also have its 2nd anniversary sale from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Dec. 9. badgermountainyarns.com

Christmas Kickoff Nov. 24-25, Downtown Dayton Plan a visit to “the town that still believes” the weekend after Thanksgiving to kick off the holidays. Hayrides, Santa on Main Street, a lighted Christmas parade, wine tasting and a Christmas market.

6 p.m. Nov. 24; 7 p.m. Nov. 25. https://www.historicdayton.com/

The Bechtel National Planetarium 5th Anniversary Nov. 27-30, Dec. 1-2, Bechtel National Planetarium, Pasco Admission to featured movies will be free for those with Columbia Basin College ID or $2 Nov. 27-30. Regular public planetarium weekend shows will be free Dec. 1 at 7 and 8 p.m. and Dec. 2 at 2 and 3 p.m. Also Dec. 2, Corey Gray from LIGO will present on the Nobel Prize-winning science of looking for gravity waves. Admission is free, though seating is limited. columbiabasin.edu/planet

DECEMBER Red Mountain Trails Through Dec. 16, Red Mountain Trails, Benton City In addition to Red Mountain’s year-round trail rides, wagon rides including wine tasting and dinner rides, there will be a Christmas tree lot and bonfire. redmountaintrails.com/reservations

Gallery Aglow Through Dec. 30, Gallery at the Park, Richland Will feature local artists’ Christmas paintings, crafts, figures and ceramics. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday galleryatthepark.org/upcoming-exhibits/

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Senske Christmas Light Show

Foraged Wreath Workshop

Nightly in December, 400 N. Quay, Kennewick Tune your car radio to 90.3 FM and come enjoy the traditional Christmas light show.

Over 500,000 Christmas lights are synced to beautiful Christmas music. Free. For more information or to donate, visit senske.com/holiday-lights/ annual-light-show/

Dec. 2 and 9, My Garden Overflowerth, Paterson Create a beautiful wreath or swag.

Appetizers provided. 1 p.m. Tickets are $65 plus tax and can be purchased at mygardenoverfloweth.com/product/ foraged-wreath-workshop.

C & M Nursery Christmas Dec. 1, C & M Nursery, Richland Enjoy live music and cloggers, petting zoo, roasted marshmallows, hot chocolate and cider, and Christmas caroling. Cash donations to the Emmaus Center are appreciated.

Free. 5 to 7:30 pm.

Messiah presented by Mid-Columbia Mastersingers Dec. 1, Central United Protestant Church, Richland; Dec. 2, Walla Walla University Church, College Place. 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Tickets are $25; free for children through 12th grade. To purchase tickets, visit http://mcmastersingers.org/concerts.html

Lighted Boat Parade Dec. 1 and 2, Columbia Park, Kennewick Parade starts at 6 p.m. and goes upriver from the Cable Bridge to Howard Amon Park. lightedboatparade.com

“A Charlie Brown Christmas/Frosty the Snowman” Dec. 1-3 and 8-10, Academy of Children’s Theatre, Richland 7 p.m. Dec. 1-2 and 8-9; 3 p.m. Dec. 3 and 10. $15 adults; $12 ages 13-18, 65 and over, and military; children 12 and under $9.

Tickets can be purchased online. academyofchildrenstheatre.org

Merry Little Christmas Village

Dec. 2 and 9, Downtown Kennewick Festivities kick off at 10 a.m. Dec. 2 with a parade starting along West Kennewick Avenue and welcoming Santa and Mrs. Claus into town. On both days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., children can get their picture taken with Santa, take a hayride and shop at Santa’s Workshop, where everything is under $5. Other activities include a skating rink with lots of holiday characters, wreath making, “Polar Express” story time and much more. http://historickennewick.org/ merry-christmas-village/

AGO Christmas Choral Festival Dec. 3, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Kennewick An interfaith choral event that inspires and invites the spirit of Christmas. Free. 4-6 p.m.

Holiday Bazaar Dec 3 and 10, Sandberg Event Center, West Richland Donations of nonperishable foods, new toys and new or gently used clothing are appreciated and go toward the West Richland Chamber’s adopted holiday families. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

NW Hort Expo Dec. 4-6, Toyota Center, Kennewick Admission is free to the horticulture community to come see the largest display of horticulture products in one location. 8 a.m.5 p.m. Dec. 4 and 5; 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Dec. 6. yourtoyotacenter.com

Broadway Theatre – “The Wizard of Oz” Dec. 7, Toyota Center, Kennewick This is a new production of the classic that audiences fell in love with – the familiar “Wizard of Oz” story, plus some surprises to delight and entertain. 7 p.m. Tickets are $37-$82 and can be purchased at yourtoyotacenter.com.

Chamber Bucks Ball Dec. 8, Historic Uptown Theater, Richland Live and silent auction. Lots of fun games. For ages 21 and older. 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $35 westrichlandchamber.org/events

Mid-Columbia Ballet presents “The Nutcracker” Dec. 8-10, Richland High School Auditorium, Richland 7 p.m. Dec. 8 and 9, 1 p.m. Dec. 9 and 10.

A sensory-friendly performance of The Nutcracker Suite will be at 4 p.m. Dec. 10. $14-$28. midcolumbiaballet.org

Cocoa & Donuts with Santa Dec. 9, First Avenue Center, Pasco Families are invited to register for this event

where children can enjoy cocoa and donuts with Santa. A 4-by-6 professional photo will be provided. 8-11 a.m. Purchase tickets ($3 per person) by Dec. 7. pascoparksandrec.com

Kennewick Stake Christmas Choir Dec. 9-10, Stake Center on Gage Boulevard, Richland This 100-women choir fills the building with gorgeous Christmas music, directed

by Kennewick’s own Marianne Larsen and Rachel Mohlman. Free. 6-7 p.m.

Celtic Christmas Concert Dec. 12, Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick Affiniti, a string group from Ireland, will perform Golden Voices of Hollywood, The Magic of Christmas and Beloved Irish Songs. This concert will benefit the Arts Center Task Force, a nonprofit on a mission to establish the Vista Arts Center. Tickets are $35 at www.brownpapertickets.com; sponsorship opportunities available at artscentertaskforce.com.

Desert Plateau Luminaria Dec. 16, Pasco The route is generally along Road 44 to Burden Boulevard, from Road 36 to Yuma Street. Visitors can drive slowly through the neighborhood or park and take a walk through thousands of Christmas lights and paper bags filled with lighted candles. 6-10 p.m.

The 39th Annual Lampson Cable Bridge Run Dec. 16, Kennewick 1-mile, 5K or 10K races. Races start at 9 a.m. Parking available at the Benton County Fairgrounds; shuttles to and from the run will be provided. No pets allowed in the race. Early registration deadline: Nov. 30; late registration deadline: Dec. 13 Register at www.pascoparksandrec.com.

Winter Bulb Planter Class Dec. 16, My Garden Overflowerth, Paterson Paint a planter and plant winter bulbs that will bloom in your home. Makes a wonderful Christmas gift or way to fill your home with beautifully scented blooms. 1-3 p.m. Tickets are $65 plus tax and can be purchased at mygardenoverfloweth.com/shop.

'Tis the season for holiday parades. Photo courtesy of West Richland Chamber

HIHO brings “Amusement Park Science” Exhibit Dec. 27-29, Gesa Carousel of Dreams, Kennewick Until there is a permanent museum space for HIHO (Hands In for Hands On Tri-Cities), the organization is proud to bring “Amusement Park Science” to Gesa Carousel of Dreams. The traveling exhibit features 12 hands-on components that teach families the physics behind the fun of their favorite rides. Admission is free thanks to generous community support. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information or to donate to HIHO, visit hihotc.org.

First Night Tri-Cities Dec. 31, Gesa Carousel of Dreams First Night Tri-Cities is a popular event and includes entertainment and live performances, carousel rides and character appearances, interactive games and activities, as well as a countdown to the New Year. See website for admission prices. firstnighttricities.com/schedule.

January 2018 Brides 2018 Jan. 7, The Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick Upscale bridal show: This is the “must-attend” bridal show in the region for anyone planning a wedding. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets are $20. bridestricities.com

Tri-Cities Sportsmen Show Jan. 19-21, TRAC, Pasco This is a fun event for the whole family of outdoor enthusiasts. Retail merchants, fishing boats, outdoor cooking, outdoor

guides and prizes at the indoor 3-D archery shoot. Cost: Free-$10. shuylerproductions.com/tri-cities

February Old Dominion Concert Feb. 17, Toyota Center, Kennewick Doors open at 7 p.m./show at 8 p.m. Tickets are $29.50-59.50 and can be purchased at the Toyota Center Box Office and also at ticketmaster.com.

Broadway Theatre – “The Buddy Holly Story” Feb. 25, Toyota Center, Kennewick This rock n’ roll musical has been captivating audiences for 27 years and has been seen by 22 million people. It tells the story of Buddy Holly through his short yet successful career. 7-9 p.m. Individual tickets available starting Dec. 8 at yourtoyotacenter.com.

March Brian Regan March 16, Toyota Center, Kennewick Audiences love Brian Regan for his clean comedy and delightful use of everyday occurrences to make his comedy act both relatable and one that will for sure make you laugh. 7 p.m. $35-50.To purchase tickets, visit yourtoyotacenter.com/events-tickets.

For more events as they become available, follow Tricities Family Fun on Facebook or visit: tricitiesfamilyfun.wixsite.com/familyfun

W i n t e r 2017

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