Fridays at Spokane Valley Partners during the tenure of Ken Briggs often meant the mild-mannered CEO donning a Hawaiian shirt and strolling around the campus on Broadway Avenue.
While the weather may not have been of the tropical variety, Briggs was known for a sunny countenance that made staff, volunteers and beneficiaries of the programs at SVP feel at ease. If he saw a stray piece of garbage on the floor, Briggs didn’t leave it for the janitor.
“I’ve always been a person who was away from the desk,” said Briggs who oversaw the Valley’s largest social service organization from 2006 to 2016. “I’ve always believed in a management by walking around and never thought any job was beneath me. Never assign a job you’re not willing to do yourself. I checked in with staff and volunteers daily and often joined them in tasks to better understand challenges.”
Briggs took over SVP at the age of 55. By that time, he had compiled an impressive resume that included high-level administrative roles at local entities like Community Frameworks and Nova Services as well as Northwest Center Industries in Seattle. He also brought a master’s and bachelor’s degree in psychology from San Francisco State University.
“When I joined Valley Partners, I was looking to be part of something that was grassroots,” Briggs said. “I wanted to show them the possibilities of what could be done.”
Briggs faced a steep challenge
when he took over the CEO seat, specifically related to the merger between the food bank and the component then known as Spokane Valley Community Center. With the help of Matt Ewers, board chair at the time, Briggs helped calm the stormy waters created by the transition and proceeded to lead a major upgrade of the food bank. Briggs also spearheaded a series of other capital improvements to the site that once housed a church, adding a new roof, boilers, a commercial kitchen and improved entry access.
“It was this ancient steamship,” Briggs said. “I ended up doing some of the maintenance myself.”
Along with prioritizing infrastructure improvements, Briggs made a point to address underlying issues that aggravate poverty for many residents of the greater Valley area.
“Ken helped me understand
how much of the conditions of poverty are structural in nature,” said David Stone, director of Emergency Services at SVP who was hired by Briggs and is now in his 12th year with the agency. “This let me understand not only that services are needed but that alone is not enough, the structural problems creating poverty need to be solved too.”
Briggs brought his institutional knowledge to Whitworth University where he was part of the adjunct faculty in sociology from 2011 to 2021. He would often take his students on field trips to SVP, touring the food bank, clothing bank and nearby community garden.
“We talked about how society makes change and that change can happen in a variety of ways.” Briggs said. “Classical activism is not always magnificent. Sometimes there are small matters that take
effect. You never know what these actions are going to add up to in the long run.”
Briggs made key hires during his decade-long tenure like Stone and Development Director Don Kaufman that brought enhanced stability to SVP that is still felt to this day.
“Don was a terrific addition,” Briggs said. “We worked together on every grant for five years.”
A native of San Francisco, Briggs spent his formative years in the Bay Area before moving to Seattle in 1979. His father passed away from colon cancer when Briggs was only 9. When he moved to Spokane in 2000, Briggs returned to some of his ancestral roots. His mother’s family settled in the Logan neighborhood of Spokane in 1896.
After leaving SVP in 2016, Briggs took a year off before resurfacing in a part-time role as warehouse manager of Project Beauty Share, a nonprofit that provides personal hygiene, cosmetics and beauty products to nonprofits serving women and families. Briggs was at Project Beauty Share until 2021.
These days, Briggs is perhaps best known as the husband of Spokane City Council Member Lori Kinnear who has served on the city’s governing board since 2016. The couple met in Palo Alto and have been married since 1973.
Over the years, Briggs has been in high demand as a board member and has served for organizations like SNAP, Spokane Low Income Housing Consortium, Friends of the Centennial Trail, the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, Community Minded Enterprises and others. He was also executive director of the Spokane Lilac Festival from 2004 to 2006.
Outside of work, Briggs has played the Great Highland Bagpipe for over 60 years and is accomplished in areas like glasswork, carpentry and gardening.
Q: When you were hired as
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CEO of Spokane Valley Partners in 2006, how much did you know about the Valley in general and what level of need existed in areas like food security, utility assistance and affordable housing?
A: Lori and I have a number of friends in Spokane Valley, some for over 40 years. We have had many discussions of community affairs during our many visits. My work with Community Frameworks involved affordable housing development regionally, including the city of Spokane Valley. I served on several boards of organizations with a regional or statewide area of operation, including the Spokane Low Income Housing Consortium, Community Minded Enterprises and Spokane Baptist Association Homes. I also learned much of Valley history following the debates and votes over whether to incorporate it as a city. Despite being born and raised in San Francisco, I have deep roots in Spokane, my mother’s family emigrated here in 1896. I enjoy researching family history and genealogy and, in doing so, have run across much regional history. I was well aware of the demographics of Greater Spokane Valley when I became CEO of SVP.
Q: How would you characterize the support from the community Spokane Valley Partners received while you served as CEO?
A: Much of the support was in place when I arrived. However, it was not fully developed and key information was not in a robust, fully addressable database. The major areas of financial and programmatic support were and, I believe remain, financial support from faith congregations, families, businesses, capital project support from foundations and government grants and county fees for service. Our Rotary and Kiwanis clubs were always there when we needed them. Our golf scramble and Ladies’ Night Out provided us needed funding and were wonderful opportunities for networking and developing new relationships. And at the heart of the organization, were our invaluable volunteers, without whose generosity none of the work would be possible. We also offset some building expenses by rent from other on-site agencies. With
the board and our development committee, we created a strategic approach to outreach and marketing the organization. This required extensive networking with our chambers of commerce, congregations, service clubs and other service providers by not only me, but also our program managers and development director.
Q: You brought an extensive background in a wide variety of nonprofits when you took over Valley Partners. How did this experience feed into your work over the decade you spent there?
A: What I brought to the organization was 25 years of hardearned experience balancing a business acumen with a missiondriven approach to program development and management. I had many incredible mentors and teachers along the way. In Seattle, I worked as a division director for Northwest Center Industries, a large vocational rehab organization with hundreds of employees, HR department, social entrepreneurial business units and government contracts. I constantly tested the limits that the bureaucracy imposed. To his credit, and my appreciation, our CEO gave me considerable latitude to operate a nod to what my units accomplished. However, the loudspeakers on our seven-acre campus quite often bellowed: “Ken, please report to Jim’s office”.
Q: I’m guessing the food bank is one of your proudest achievements in the time you spent as CEO of SVP. What were the keys to this project reaching fruition?
A: Shortly before I joined the organization, the Spokane Valley Community Center and Spokane Valley Food Bank had merged into the Spokane Valley Community Center and Food Bank. Former food bank board members were invited to join the surviving entity (Community Center) board. Prior to the merger there was considerable animosity between the two organizations and this carried over to the newly merged board and staff. My leadership skills were tested as never before. The attitude of some, not all, of the former food bank board was, “Can’t do it that way, we’ve never done that, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it.” They were well-aware that in my former
work, continuous improvement was essential. They also knew that I was certified in time and motion analysis and that I had led business units through ISO 9000 certification. None of this seemed as important as preserving a comfortable old way of doing things. I give credit to the majority of the board and Chair Matt Ewers for helping me navigate this difficult time and arrive at resolutions to many old disagreements. It was clear that the food bank was our largest and most complex program and the one with the most community impact. It was also clear that food bank facilities were woefully insufficient and that processes and systems were archaic and inefficient. I immediately tackled major reorganization, renovations and the addition of a modern warehouse. Further capital improvements included reroofing, new boilers, a new commercial kitchen and a new entrance and ramp to the lower level. Working within the constraints of a former church was a challenge. I credit Don Kaufman our development director and Rustin Hall of ALSC Architects without whose work, we would not have completed such an ambitious transition.
Q: At places like Nova Services and NWC Industries, you were part of vocational rehabilitation efforts that helped people find hope and opportunity. What were some of your takeaways from those stops in your career?
A: While at NWC, most of my responsibilities were production oriented. I did have two service coordinators and multiple trainers within my units that reported to me. I developed a deep respect for, and understanding of, our service recipients with physical, developmental and intellectual challenges. I came to understand that those we served each had a story to tell, faced adversity and were at a disadvantage in society. I also learned that with the appropriate support and opportunities they could achieve amazing things. This was equally true of those served at SVP. There remains much untapped human potential in the community and organizations must serve as the catalyst for improvement.
Q: In your time as a teacher at Whitworth, how did you try to prepare students for a career
in sociology-related fields that perhaps fell outside their comfort zones?
A: I was an adjunct faculty member in the School of Continuing Studies at Whitworth for 10 years where I taught courses in Social Intervention Strategies. I credit the university for allowing faculty to provide students with an array of viewpoints. Most of my students were already working with various social agencies and needed to complete this degree to advance in their fields. Students learned to use sociological imagination to explore public issues while examining a variety of social problems. The emphasis was on the methodology of direct action, protests, demonstrations and other political activism and less so on direct service, the work of public charities. Through reading, case studies and simulations, they examined steps, strategies, approaches and skills used to make change while developing an understanding of neighborhoods, communities and organizations. The case studies often revealed serious gaps in students’ knowledge of the root causes and meaning of social disparities. Together we addressed those gaps. The process of making change is rarely comfortable. The satisfaction comes with the completion of a successful campaign.
Q: Finally, you embraced running early and rediscovered it later in your life. What did it teach you over the years?
A: After running track in high school and college, I quit running for 30 years. In 2003 at age 52, I finished my first marathon. Fourteen years later I had completed 93 marathons and 41 ultras (runs of 50K 100K, 50 miles and longer). I learned that, for me, successful long-distance running requires patience and perseverance. I also learned it can be a meditative experience. In 2015, I also was reminded that life is fragile as I went into sudden cardiac arrest near the finish of a “routine” marathon. I was saved by the quick CPR of a nurse running just behind me. Long story, subsequent testing revealed no cardiac abnormalities. This experience also reminded me that arrogance and conceit can lurk just below the surface. I walk and run with our dog Maggie five times a day now for fitness of mind, body and spirit.
The maps provided depict where citizens have reported Vehicle Thefts, Burglaries, Malicious Mischief and Thefts. The Spokane Valley Police Department and the Spokane County Sheriff’s office analyze this data to determine high crime areas and where to allocate resources. Citizens who have been a victim of crime are encouraged to call 911, if the crime is in progress, or Crime Check at 4562233, if not in progress, to report a crime.
Deputy Chris Johnston, Crime Prevention Unit
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office/Spokane Valley Police Department
Not long ago, most homeowners likely believed that installing a security camera system on their home would be too costly, too complex, and difficult to operate. Now, however, advances in the technology of these systems have made them affordable. And, if someone like myself can set up and operate one of these systems, anybody can!
CCTV, or “closed-circuit television” systems, are a fantastic way to protect your home. Let’s discuss some of the many benefits of having a CCTV system installed as a form of home security:
1. Visible video cameras are an excellent deterrent! Bad guys, particularly burglars who are looking for a home to enter, just might think twice about breaking into your house if they believe they will be recorded doing so. In this way, the presence of cameras may help prevent you from becoming the victim of a crime. Which leads me into the next benefit…
2. Recording creates evidence! If a burglary, theft, or some other type of crime should occur, law enforcement can often use the video recording from the system to identify, and even prosecute, the perpetrator. The CCTV system that I have on my home helped me do exactly that, on more than one occasion!
3. The ability to check up on the kids or elderly family members in real time. It’s always nice to have another set of eyes on your children as well as your aging relatives when they are home alone. Adding remote video will allow you to log in and check up on them from your office computer, tablet, or smart phone. Indoor cameras can also be used to keep an eye on younger kids and their babysitters.
4. Checking up on your pets. Ever wonder what mischief your furry friends are getting into when you’re away? Worried about an older pet that might need special attention? With a home security camera, you can ensure that your four-legged loved ones are safe and sound. And, not gnawing through the leather on your new sofa!
5. Saving money on homeowners insurance. Most major insurers will offer lower premiums if you choose to protect your property with a CCTV system. If you piggyback an existing security system with CCTV, such an advanced system could net up to a 15% discount on rates. This, of course, depends on many other factors, but I have been informed that such discounts do exist.
So, what to do now? It’s time to do your homework, and begin shopping! It’s important to first ascertain what your specific needs are, and what your budget will allow. Most modern systems are digital, so there are no pesky cassette tapes to replace- the data that is recorded by the cameras is stored to a hard drive (or the cloud), just like your home computer. Some questions to ask yourself should include:
1. How many cameras do I need?
2. Do I need/want cameras indoors, outdoors, or both?
3. Do I want cameras that are activated by motion, or always on?
4. Do I want the ability to check the cameras remotely, as discussed above?
5. Should I use wired, or wireless cameras?
6. Is IR, or infrared technology important (this allows recording in dark conditions)?
7. Do I want audio monitoring as well, so I can hear what happened/ is happening?
There are other less expensive ways to achieve a little bit of video security, such as “doorbell” cameras, and even systems that have only one or two channels. Just remember, like anything else, you get what you pay for. I installed my system a few years ago, at a cost of roughly $2000. There are systems for $500, and there are systems for $20,000. Doorbell cameras can be had for around $150.
So, if you’ve been considering a CCTV system, now is a great time to do some research and see what’s available to help protect your home.
Be safe, everyone!
Spokane Valley Districts
It is shaping up to be a busy rest of the year for construction projects in Spokane Valley. Projects on tap range from street preservation/ improvements to an expansion of Balfour Park.
Just over $26.45 million in estimated engineering costs is scheduled, with some projects already awarded and ramping up.
Balfour Park
The City Council awarded two contracts at its Jan. 24 meeting. The first was a $3.81 million bid from Cameron Riley for the park infrastructure, parking lot and three alternatives for an events plaza, a Veterans Memorial and arc lighting for food trucks.
The project was originally bid in March 2022, but with bids ranging from $5 million – $5.7 million was considerable over the engineering estimate and outside the construction budget. Council declined an award, sending it back to staff to rework some of the details.
Cameron Riley’s base bid of $3.293 million was within the estimate, but inclusion of the $427,327 in alternates exceeded that and the budget. At the Jan. 24 meeting, council approved moving money from the General Fund to the park to cover the alternates.
Also at the meeting, the council awarded an $850,292 contract to the Public Restroom Company for manufacture of a precast multi-use building for the park. The council agreed to allocate $950,000 leftover in the Expo Center project budget to cover the building’s costs.
Mission
At the Jan. 31, meeting, council awarded a $349,760 contract to NA Degerstrom for reconstruction of the Mission Avenue bridge deck over Evergreen Road.
The project is $133,654 over the engineering estimate of $216,106 — over half of which is due to differences in actual cost and estimates of the polymer overlay for the bridge. The bid is within the project budget,
however, due to a $433,248 grant from the Federal Highway Bridge Program.
More recently at its Feb. 28 meeting, council awarded a $782,370 contract — but not to exceed $1.5 million — to Inland Asphalt for the city’s local street preservation project. The contract utilizes a unit price bidding method like what the city now uses for its street and stormwater maintenance and repair contracts. The contractor will be assigned work orders for various locations utilizing these rates and established quantities for each location.
Sullivan Road work on deck
City staff are eyeing March 31 to open bids on a $5 million project reconstructing Sullivan Road from Sprague Avenue to 8th Avenue near Central Valley High School. The project involves a full-depth reconstruction of the street pavement, installation of new sidewalk on the west side of Sullivan to fill in gaps where no sidewalk exists, along with an ITS system, stormwater and ADA improvements. It also includes construction of concrete panels on the southbound lanes of Sullivan at the Sprague intersection.
If bids are acceptable, staff hopes to make a contract award at the April 11 City Council meeting.
Busy bidding April
Six projects are slated to be bid in April, with potential awards coming in May and work to commence soon after.
Two projects will advertise on April 7: pavement preservation work on Broadway Avenue from I-90 to Fancher Road and sidewalk and stormwater work on Park Road from Nora – Baldwin.
“We’re basically grinding an overlay on Broadway and we’re also extending the concrete pavement at each end,” CIP Engineering Manager Rob Lochmiller told the council at its Feb. 21 meeting. “You get a better life cycle out of the roadway.”
The $550,000 Park Road project involves a new sidewalk on the west side of the road, along with stormwater improvements and pavement patching.
Four projects, totally an estimated $10.8 million, are slated for advertising by April 14. One is the $3 million Phase 2 of Barker Road improvements north of the Spokane River.
The project involves widening
Barker from just south of Euclid across the Union Pacific Railroad tracks to just past Euclid on the north side. Left turn lanes will be installed on westbound Euclid and northbound Barker, along with extending the existing new shared-use path on the east side of Barker all the way to the BNSF Grade Separation project.
Also on tap is new sewer infrastructure by Spokane County and new water mains by the local irrigation district.
Another $3 million project slated for April 14 is sidewalk and pavement preservation of 8th Avenue from Carnahan to Park Road. Pavement work will run from Thierman Road to Carnahan with sidewalk installation on the north side taking place form Park to Thierman.
Also on tap is the $3 million Broadway Avenue and Park Road Intersection & Park Road Sidewalk project. This is two projects combined involving concrete pavement intersection reconstruction, signal and stormwater improvements, a new sidewalk on the westside of Park Road from Broadway – Cataldo along with pavement work.
“We’re also doing the street
preservation work since we’re out there,” Lochmiller said.
Finally, April 14 could see advertising of an $1.8 million pavement preservation, sidewalk and ADA improvements project of local streets in the Summerfield East neighborhood — a project carried over from 2022.
May…and beyond
May 12 is the projected date for advertising a $1.6 million improvement project at the Pines Road / Mission Avenue intersection. The project adds left turn lanes for eastbound Mission, right turn lanes for southbound Pines, new signal poles on the northwest and southeast corners and new sidewalk on the northwest corner.
A bid advertisement date has yet to be determined for a waterline project on Sullivan from Sullivan Park to north of the UP railroad tracks. The $500,000 is designed to provide a new water source to get Sullivan Park off of the water well system.
All projects listed are fully funded through a variety of federal, state and local sources. Advertisement and bid opening dates may change.
Spokane Valley Partners will soon be moving to a location at the site of the Spokane Valley’s Ziggy’s Home Improvement Center. The move comes after years of hard work and assessing the growing need in the community.
Cal Coblentz has been with Spokane Valley Partners as CEO after years of working in both the private and non-profit sector. The current building that houses the Spokane Valley Partners on Broadway near Broadway Elementary School began as a Nazarene Church. The church was sold to the non-profit in 2002 and has been a great central location.
Before Spokane Valley Partners became the organization it is today, it was a partnership between local Valley churches. It began after WWII when people needed additional help and a network of various churches across the Valley came together to help meet the needs including a food bank, clothing bank, and emergency funding. The network included over ten churches of different faiths. “The churches came together and worked together. It became such a big endeavor that in 1989 the committee of the grass roots effort to provide
resources, came together and agreed that it was in the communities best interest to found a non-profit to support the movement.”
In April of 1990 the Spokane Valley Partners 501c3 non-profit was founded.
The churches that were originally part of the grass roots movement continue to play a large part in the organization today. From hosting food bank drives to donating money to the non-profit local churches of all different faiths support the needs in the community. “We’re not faith based, but we are faith inspired.” Cal shares that many of the volunteers that help at the non-profit come from the local valley churches.
The current building has a 30,000 square footprint and over the last couple of years Spokane Valley Partners has out grown it. The building houses not just the Spokane Valley Partners non-profit and the services they provide, but tenants as well. SNAP has a large office in that is open during the week and the Catholic Charities, that provide housing assistance to homeless people and their families, has a large office upstairs. At one time the Arc of Spokane had the lower-level office, but the space has become needed for the operation of the different programs Spokane Valley Partners provide.
The programs that Spokane Valley Partners oversee include one of the areas largest food pantries, a clothing bank, diaper bank, emergency assistance, food for thought school program, a homeless outreach, and a mobile food bank.
Cal joined the Spokane Valleys Partners in 2017 after retiring from a career in the United States Armed Forces. After a short retirement, Cal served as a pastor for 5 years while working towards getting his Master’s Degree in Divinity. He had moved to Texas and had been offered a job in a mega-church when he and his wife discovered the need of helping children that had turned 18 and aged out of the foster care program. The family moved back to Spokane and after working at various jobs, Cal applied for the position at Spokane Valley Partners and hasn’t looked back since.
“I want to create legacy in the community and leave something that is impactful,” Cal explains about his desire to move into the nonprofit sector. “It makes you want to rally people around a cause. Here it’s preventing hunger and poverty. Our mission is really two things: providing resources for people in dire need and connecting them to resources that we don’t have.”
Spokane Valley Partners has its roots in its namesake, but has spread to the great Spokane County and beyond. They are the largest food pantry in the area, largest diaper network in the Inland Northwest, and one of the largest clothing banks. They have an active homeless outreach program that includes a commissioned police officer when needed.
The Inland Northwest Diaper Bank is in eight counties currently with plans to increase to twelve by the end of this year. With one in three babies in the United States are living
below the poverty line, the program provides need in the community. The goal is to plant diaper banks in even more rural areas over the coming years and help the communities run the program as they need. Some of the counties that the diaper bank currently serves include Spokane, Lincoln, Adams, Stevens, Pend Oreille, and Whitman county.
In addition to the active diaper bank, a mobile food bank visits outlying areas in Spokane County. In 2022, 1.6 million pounds of food were distributed to families the Spokane Valley Partners support. In the past, the food bank was only open on select days of the week, but with need increasing, the bank has moved to a “don’t say no to food” philosophy. The bank is open five days a week to be able to better support to working families. There are no set requirements to receive food. If someone comes in and asks for food assistance, they will be helped.
“In the past, our services were split into thirds. A third of our clients where minors under 18, a third where seniors, and a third were working class families that just needed a little extra help,” Cal describes that the current crisis is not solely affecting those like in the past. “Based on out observations and the new people we are signing up and who are asking for help, it’s the working class that has increased to about half of the clients we serve now.”
With the increase of need in the post-pandemic era, a new building was needed to accommodate the additional resources. Cal began conversations with the former Mayor of Spokane Valley Ben Wick about the process of acquiring a new location. Cal continued the conversation with the current Mayor of Spokane Valley Pam Haley and when the COVID CARES package was granted to Spokane Valley, a vote was passed by the city council to allocate funds to Spokane Valley Partners for them to be able to relocate to a larger facility.
Cal envisions a location that has a “wrap-around” all-serving resource center. In additional to the new location housing Spokane Valley Partners and their programs, they will bring in additional tenants that can offer resources not provided by Spokane Valley Partners.
Homelessness is a rising crisis across our nation. Homeless individuals often lack access to necessities such as food, shelter, and medical care. Providing these basic needs can help ensure their survival and well-being. Aiding homeless individuals can help address the
root causes of homelessness such as poverty, mental health issues, and substance abuse. By addressing these underlying issues, programs can work towards long-term solutions and help prevent homelessness and stop generational poverty in the future.
Spokane Valley Partners welcomes anyone who would like to volunteer in their community. Volunteering is one way to contribute to the betterment of the Spokane Valley community. By working together with other volunteers, individuals can help address community issues and promote positive change. To volunteer at Spokane Valley Partners, visit their website at svpart.org or stop by their office for more information.
The Spokane Valley Partners food pantry and clothing bank is open five days a week. To see the programs offered, visit svpart.org/get-help.
Ziggy’s and the Ziegler Family
The Ziegler family can trace its roots in the lumber business in the Spokane area clear back to the 1880’s. At the time, the family worked in and owed local lumber mills.
We sat down with the Ziegler family who lives in Spokane and owns Ziggy’s Home Improvement and had a conversation about how the business came to be and the future of the company after selling the Sprague Ave location to Spokane Valley Partners.
Mary Ziegler, the matriarch of the family and active board member, along with her sons Neil Ziegler, Vice President of Ziggy’s, and her youngest son Karl Ziegler, President of Ziggy’s, share that the business began as a family business and continues to operate as a family operation to this day.
The story begins when Vern went to work with his father at a lumber yard back in the early years of the 20th century. The lumber yard at the time was in North Spokane and when Vern turned 19, he struck out on his own and began building homes. He would say in later years that he had built 21 homes before he turned 21 years old.
Vern and Mary were married at a young age and began to raise a family in Spokane. Across the Ziegler family, many members were in the building supply business. Some of the Ziegler cousins owned and operated a plumbing company while Vern opened the first Ziggy’s lumber yard in 1965.
The first Ziggy’s lumber yard opened on Market Street near Francis
Road and remained a staple of the area up until a few years ago when the land was acquired by the state to improve the land for the North-South Freeway and the building was torn down.
In 1978, Vern and Mary decided to make their way to Spokane Valley and open an additional location on Sprague Ave. At the time of the store opening, the surrounding area was field and wide-open spaces. Today, the location is a prime spot of real estate on the Sprague corridor.
The building includes a large warehouse with an open showroom floor. The combined available square footage is around 60,000 including the warehouse. The thought to sell one of their main stores in Spokane had originally not crossed the minds of the Ziegler family members.
The Ziegler family was approached in the Fall of 2022 with a proposition that a local non-profit was looking to acquire a new location to provide services to the residents of the Spokane Valley community. At first the thought was “no way, we have no intention of selling,” but after learning that it was Spokane Valley Partners who were the clients, they began to entertain the idea.
The location of the Spokane Valley Ziggy’s store fit all the checkboxes Cal and Spokane Valley Partners
were looking for: it was centrally located, very close to a bus stop, room to grow, among others. With the help of the allocated funds that the City of Spokane Valley set aside for the purchase of a new location for the non-profit and with additional fundraising, Spokane Valley Partners has purchased the building.
The transition from Ziggy’s to Spokane Valley Partners will occur over the course of about two years. Ziggy’s will be leasing the property back from Spokane Valley Partners until December 31, 2024. On January 1st, 2025, Spokane Valley Partners will move into the building and begin renovations for the improvements they need for their work.
All other locations across the inland northwest will remain open. The family believes that they will be able to place all current employees with a position within the company and continue their tradition of familyoriented values through support and success.
Karl shares that “For the next two years, we will continue to be here for out customers. And even after that we still have our other stores. We will continue to be able to service our customers. The valley location has been a great store and location.”
Dennis Aho, who is the General Manager/Operations Manager of
Ziggy’s, has been an employee for 51 years. He and the family joke that he’s the oldest brother, despite not being blood relation. Dennis has brought his daughter, Alicia, into the fold of the business as well. “Because I grew up out here in the area, it leaves a big hole. I’m anxious to see if we’ll replace the facility at a different location to serve our valley customers.”
“Our family has been blessed by all the people who have been involved with the business. Both the customers and the employees. We have many second-generation employees working with the company today. My father had a saying ‘Do you think I pay your paycheck? No. That customer pays your paycheck. Go take care of the customer.’ That’s been the moto of our company and is in the background of our service model. It’s a lot to live up to.” Neil Ziegler has worked for the company since graduating college in a number of different roles. Customer service was and still is a number one priority for the company.
Mary wraps up the interview about her family and legacy by saying, “Vern cared a lot about the people he was helping.”
Ziggy’s Spokane Valley location will remain open until December 31st of 2024. Watch for a celebration in the fall of 2024 to honor the closing of the store.
When asked about her approach to school, Vanessa Lester has a twoword reply: “Very dedicated.” The University High senior has proven the approach to be true, compiling a 3.91 grade point average and being part of U-Hi’s National Honor Society chapter. Lester has also contributed to Crimson Crew, the mentoring program that offers support to freshman students. She volunteers at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital and is part of a youth-led professional development organization called Health Care Occupation Students of America. Lester says her weekly volunteer work at Sacred Heart is nourishing. “I get my stability from there,” she said. “It makes my week. Those kids may be in the hospital and struggling but they’re still so happy.” The senior maintains a part-time job and has career aspirations of being a nurse. She will enroll at Gonzaga University in the fall.
Tyler Boden didn’t wait long in the 2023 prep baseball season to make an impression. The University High senior threw a no-hitter against Chiawana as part of an 11-0, five-inning Titans’ victory on March 11. “It just felt super cool, especially because they were ranked higher than us,” Boden said. “I also want to give credit to my defense and the team for scoring 11 runs.” The senior has accomplished the feat once before as a member of the Spokane Expos club squad last summer. Boden was named to the All Greater Spokane League First Team last season after compiling an undefeated league record and finishing among the top three pitchers in strikeouts and top five in earned run average. Boden maintains a 3.8 grade point average and will continue his baseball and academic pursuits at Spokane Falls Community College.
Based in the Central Valley School District’s Student and Family Engagement Center, Casey Morphis is a school social worker who helps pre-K-12 students and families remove barriers to education as part of a strength-based approach. “The most rewarding part of my work is seeing kids achieve their set goals,” Morphis said. Morphis has her master’s in Social Work and bachelor’s in Counseling and Educational Development from Eastern Washington University. She is part of the Washington Association of School Social Workers Board, the EWU School of Social Work Professional Advisory Board and the Behavioral Health Coalition, a statewide consortium of mental health professionals. Morphis has served with the Greater Valley Support Network Leadership Team since 2009 and is a past board member with the Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council and Spokane Valley Partners. She is the proud mom of two children.
Feb. 28 regular meeting
Council approved a resolution adopting a special logo for the city’s 20th anniversary celebration. The logo will be a supplement to Spokane Valley’s existing logo, and will be used on most official correspondence through the rest of 2023.
Spokane Valley official incorporated on March 31, 2003.
Council awarded a $782,370.50 contract to Inland Asphalt for the city’s local street preservation project. Inland Asphalt was the lowest of three responsive bidders, the others being Poe Asphalt ($864,303) and Shamrock ($1,367,834).
The contract utilizes a new “unit price” bidding method like what the city now uses for its street and stormwater maintenance and repair contracts, providing various road treatment approaches for multiple locations. The contractor will be assigned work orders for various locations utilizing the unit rates and established quantities.
The contract with Inland Asphalt is not to exceed $1.5 million.
March 7 regular meeting
Council approved the purchase of property at 10303 E. Sprague Ave., across from City Hall and next door to Balfour Park, the new Spokane Valley Library branch and Spokane Valley Fire Station #1.
The 27,130 square foot parcel with a 4,800 square foot building that was formerly the home of the Leather Furniture Gallery was purchased for $790,000. Assistant City Manager Erik Lamb told the council the building would need minor repairs and updating before it could be used for city purposes — something that would be determined through a specific process.
Lamb said the money for the purchase would come out of the city’s general fund as a one-time expense, but that it would not impact funding already designated for other purposes as per the city’s 2023 budget. As such, it would require a budget amendment.
Council approved the Police
Department’s request to purchase a second camera trailer. The trailer — which has a camera mounted on a tall pole and a blue light — will be purchased with $79,840 of $117,848.22 left over from the $750,000 Buckeye Sewer Project.
Police Chief Dave Ellis said they have had great success with the first camera trailer, which was purchased in fall 2022 using American Rescue Plan Act funding, along with an additional $100,000 for emphasis patrols from the $842,857 ARP funding council allocated to the department. The trailer has been a crime deterrent when deployed for several weeks in defined “hot spot” areas and has met with a positive response from the public.
March 14 regular meeting
Council adopted an ordinance regulating the procurement of compost for use on city projects. Community and Public Works Director Bill Helbig said the ordinance is required by state law passed in 2022 with the goal of getting municipalities and governmental agencies to use more compost and finished organic waste product in projects.
The ordinance defines which types of projects will require consideration of compost, exemptions to the requirement due to certain conditions and a requirement to send a report every other year to the state Department of Ecology on the city’s efforts in using these materials.
Council approved closing a portion of Flora Road as part of the city’s obligations on the Barker Road/ BNSF Grade Separation project. Flora will be closed from Garland Avenue to Trent Avenue, with the left and right turn pockets on Trent closed and asphalt pavement from halfway on Flora to Trent removed. The lower portion of Flora remains open to local traffic.
Council approved a staff request to increase the amount of money the city is asking from the Federal Local Bridge Program for use on the Sullivan and Trent Interchange Project. The council approved asking for $10 million from the program at its Feb. 21 meeting, but due to rising construction costs for the Sullivan
Bridge, and a higher maximum limit of $15 million, agreed to increase the request to just over $13.85 million.
Council authorized city staff to apply for federal funding released through the Spokane Regional Transportation Council (SRTC). The city will apply for $1.5 million for each of four projects: Sullivan Road (Spokane River – Kiernan), Fancher Road (Broadway – Trent, Sprague – Broadway) and Sprague Avenue (Bowdish – McDonald).
There is $7.9 million in funding available. Awards are capped at $1.5 million per project, with each agency capped at $3 million. A non-federal match of 13.5% is required.
March 21 study session
Council awarded a $232,670.50 contract to Badger Daylighting Corp. for storm drain cleaning services. Badger, a national company with an office in Airway Heights, was the lowest of three responsive bidders, the other two being Big Sky Industrial Services ($243,340) and AAA Sweeping ($246,825.50).
City Engineer Gloria Mantz said the contract is for one year, but carries the option for three, one-year renewals.
Council approved participation in Settlement II of the Distributors Washington Settlement regarding opioids distribution. The city will receive $148,486.91 over 15 years, about $6,000 – $8,000/year, as its
Spokane Valley City
Council meetings are moving to CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, beginning with the April 4 meeting. The meetings are moved due to upcoming repair work at City Hall, and could last the duration of 2023.
share of the $217 million overall settlement with opioid distributors in the state.
The city agreed to participate in the $517 million overall Settlement I in 2022, receiving $147,106.76 over 17 years — $5,000 – $7,000/year. Neither amount is negotiable as they are determined by a complicated, established formula.
Finally, council agreed to the appointment of Mayor Pam Haley and Councilman Tim Hattenburg to serve on a recently created regional homelessness work group. The group is meeting over the next 90 days to determine a regional approach to addressing homelessness, with the city not obligated to take part in any outcomes from the group.
“Participation is to really just to have a seat at the table,” Lamb said.
By Colette Buck Current contributor
Surrounded by shelves full of fabrics, dozens of pattern books and unfinished quilt tops, Spokane Valley resident Lois Roos creates masterful works of practical art stitched together with love and passion.
“(Unless) you’re a quilter, it’s hard to explain,” Roos said, describing how she gets inspiration for new quilts. “You look at lots of patterns, but there’s one that will jump out at you that you like…so you think, ‘ah, that would be fun to make.’”
Roos grew up in a family of quilters and remembers creating quilts with her mother and sisters for big family milestones, like weddings and births. She only started quilting as a personal hobby in the late 1990s, and since then, Roos said it has become her passion and even a purpose after retirement.
“You see I’ve got a stash, so you pick out your fabrics and start sewing, and sometimes it takes years to finish a quilt,” Roos said. “Quite frankly, I probably have 50 (finished) quilt tops that are not quilted, but I do finish a lot of quilts.
Most of the quilts Roos worked on over the years came from service projects hosted by the young women's group at her church to benefit local nonprofits like the Ronald McDonald House, Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, and the children's hospital at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.
Other recently completed projects came from a quilting group at the Spokane Valley Senior Center, while much older projects stemmed from personal connections to loved ones and friends battling cancer.
“We always looked for service projects to teach the young women the value of service,” Roos said.
“Some of the things we did are (make) seasonal pillowcases and take them to the children’s hospital at Sacred Heart. We’ve also done small fleece-type quilts and taken them to Vanessa Behan, and we’ve taken small quilts and pillowcases to (the) Ronald McDonald House.”
The wife of a United States Air Force veteran, Roos also uses her passion for quilting to care for our nation’s veterans by producing quilts with her group at the Spokane Valley Senior Center and donating them to Mann-Grandstaff VA Hospital in Spokane.
The biggest service project Roos got involved in started as a meaningful way to celebrate a family friend battling breast cancer. While at a quilting retreat, Roos and several others decided to make a blanket for Joyce Gebhart, a friend of Roos and her sister who couldn’t attend for medical reasons. The group of women put together
a flannel rag quilt and gifted it to Gebhart who took the quilt to every chemo appointment she underwent.
When Gebhart passed away, Roos’ sister and two of Gebhart’s daughters started the ‘Joyce Gebhart Chemo Quilt Fund’ to provide comfort to other cancer warriors undergoing chemotherapy. The quilts produced by the chemo quilt fund were free to recipients and funded through donations that came from all over the world.
“We would get together two or three times a year and make chemo quilts, and they were all donated,” Roos said. “We’ve given away hundreds of those quilts. I don’t make so many of them anymore; I only make chemo quilts if I know someone that had cancer.”
Roos said her love of quilting and carrying out acts of service came from growing up in a family of six kids with a mother who always tried to lend a hand to someone who needed it. When Roos was in the seventh grade, she volunteered her mother to sew four sets of white Christmas flannel pajamas for several members of Roos’ Girl Scout Troop without asking. Reluctantly,
Roos’ mother agreed to sew the pajamas.
“That was a sacrifice for her, but I grew up in the kind of house where if somebody needed something and there was a way to do it, it got done,” Roos said. “That’s just kind of how I’ve been my whole life, and that’s the kind of family I grew up in.”
While Roos taught both her adult daughters to sew, neither of them quilt currently. Instead, Roos said they do home decor, but didn’t rule out the hope that her daughters would follow in her footsteps. For now, the quilts Roos’ daughters receive come from mom, made with love.
“You know the amount of love that goes into a quilt?” Roos said. “That’s not something that you went out and spent $50 bucks on. It took planning, and thought, and then a lot of time to do…so there’s a lot of love that goes into a quilt.”
When putting together a new quilt, Roos said she tends to gravitate toward 1930s reproduction prints called ‘flour sack quilts,’ which use a specific type of fabric that Roos grew up using. The fabric came from old animal feed or flour sacks decorated with beautiful patterns that families could make into dresses or other textiles during a time of crisis.
For Roos, the whole purpose behind quilting is gathering with her friends to socialize and serve her community. The Spokane Valley Senior Center quilting group is a major part of how Roos spends her days, attending meetings on the second and fourth Mondays each month.
“Quilting is a way to get out, be social, and make new friends,” Roos said. “Quilting is not a solitary hobby. It might be for some people, but quilty is a very social hobby. It fills a lot of needs.”
As for the advice Roos would give to anyone interested in picking up the hobby: “Go for it. I have taught so many people to quilt. If you want to get into quilting and you know a quilter, ask her how to get started.”
Current Contributing Editor
When the 2022-23 wrestling season began, University High senior Q’veli Quintanilla had a goal of competing at Mat Classic in Tacoma with his younger brother and Titan teammate Czar.
Then Q’veli tore his ACL in December and the road to state become muddled at best.
U-Hi coach Ryan Montang saw the bond between the brothers early in the season when Q’veli and Czar – a freshman – both captured gold at the prestigious Tri-State tournament in Coeur d’Alene.
“It really first shone through there,” Montang said. “They knew each other’s goals and were really cheering for each other.”
After the injury, Q’vali tackled rehabilitation until the district tournament with an eye toward state.
“It was a challenging season,” he said. “I debated not wrestling at state but I knew I wouldn’t have this opportunity again. I just wanted to compete one last time, especially with my little brother.”
Q’vali won his first district match and took an injury default for the rest of the bracket. He advanced to state with a strategy of “getting matches done as quickly as possible.”
“I don’t think many wrestlers could have done what he did,” said Montang. “It’s just a testament to how good he is.”
Q’vali brought an impressive resume to Tacoma that included state titles his freshman and junior year as well as two national championships. Only a pandemic his sophomore season prevented a chance at four consecutive first-place medals. He is
also a three-time All GSL Wrestler of the Year.
Czar also moved on to state with a perfect record in the GSL like his brother. Being a first-year wrestler in the high school arena never presented a hurdle for the confident freshman.
“Even last summer, I had confidence going into this season,” Czar said.
The championship pedigree runs in the Quintanilla family. Czar and Q’veli’s older brothers Izaec and Clai were elite wrestlers at North Central High before competing at the University of Wisconsin and Fresno State, respectively.
Q’veli started his prep career at Gonzaga Prep, then transferred to U-Hi as a junior.
“I’d say University High School changed me into a better person,” he said.
In Tacoma, the Quintanilla brothers soared to the top of the podium. Czar won state at 106 pounds while Q’vali overcame his knee injury to capture first at 145.
“After winning state I went right to my brother and family,” Czar said. “It’s probably the happiest I’ve ever been.”
Q’veli said seeing his brother secure a state title “ranked right up there with winning nationals twice.”
“The biggest thing for me was getting Czar to that point of knowing he could win state,” Q’veli said.
Q’Veli, who is part of the Advanced Athlete program that produces many Team USA Olympic athletes, had surgery on his knee in late March. He will continue his wrestling career at Utah Valley State.
The following is a roundup of outstanding achievements among Greater Spokane Valley athletes and teams during the 2022-23 winter sports season:
Central Valley
Girls’ basketball – Autumn Agnew, senior – All GSL 3A/4A First Team; Eden Sander, sophomore – First Team
Boys’ basketball – Daniel Crowley,
senior – All GSL Honorable Mention
Gymnastics – Sixth in 4A state team competition; Mikah Baggot, senior – All GSL First Team, balance beam, Second Team, all-around, floor exercise; Kyley Schneckloth, senior – First Team, floor exercise; Kylie Morias, sophomore – Second Team, uneven bars; Schneckcloth, Baggot and Makenzie Moll (state qualifiers)
Wrestling – Blaine Beard, junior –All GSL First Team (fourth at state); Bayden Beard, sophomore – aFirst Team (seventh at state); Danner Smith, junior – First Team (seventh at state)
East Valley
Boys’ basketball – Luke Holecek, senior – All GSL 2A First Team; Coleton Hansen, senior – Second Team
Wrestling – Orlando Morales, senior – GSL 2A Wrestler of the Year (seventh at state); Devin Pierce, junior – First Team (third place at state); Alonzo Vargas, senior – First Team (fifth at state); Tyler Conrath, senior – Second Team; Owen Spendlove, senior – Second Team
Freeman
Girls’ basketball – Second at District; Sixth at 1A State; Academic 1A State Champions; Jaycee Goldsmith – First Team All Northeast 1A League; Stephanie Chadduck – All League Second Team; Taylee Phelps – All League Second Team and Defensive Player of the Year
Boys’ basketball – Northeast 1A League, District Champions and 1A State Qualifiers; Boen Phelps – All League First Team and MVP; Gabe Schulhauser – All League First Team; Tanner Goldsmith – All League Second Team
Wrestling – Chase Smith – All League First Team, District and Regional Champion, Third at State; Jonah Orndorff and Hunter Hawk –State Qualifiers
Ridgeline
Boys’ Wrestling – Tyson Ramsey, junior – 3A/4A All-GSL First Team (third at state)
Girls’ Wrestling -- Hailee Argaw, freshman, All-GSL First Team Gymnastics – 3A Academic State
Champions; Bella DeLaRosa, junior, First Team vault, First Team balance beam, Second Team all-around; Julianne Stevenson, sophomore, First Team balance beam
Girls’ basketball – Elianna Ramirez, senior – All GSL 3A/4A First Team; Julianna Jeross, junior –All GSL Honorable Mention
Boys basketball – Tyler Nelson, senior – All GSL Second Team; Shane Skidmore, junior – Second Team; Gabe Heimbigner, junior –Honorable Mention
Boys’ Wrestling – Fifth in 3A state competition; Q’veli Quintanilla, senior – All GSL 3A/4A Co-Wrestler of the Year (first at state); Czar Quintanilla, freshman – First Team (first at state); Samuel Thomas, sophomore (second at state) – First Team; Cooley Conrad, junior – First Team; Amadis Sans, sophomore – Second Team (seventh at state); Taylor Daines, junior – Second Team (fifth at state); Xzavier Elgee Sanders, senior – Second Team; Nicholas Alexander, senior – Second Team (seventh at state)
Girls Wrestling – Libby Roberts, sophomore – All GSL 3A/4A Wrestler of the Year (first at state); Olivia Vignere, sophomore – First Team
Gymnastics – Maya Meeks, senior – First Team uneven bars; Isabella Lefler, junior – Second Team vault; Michelle Hess – 3A/4A GSL Assistant Coach of the Year
West Valley
Girls’ basketball – Chloe Deharo, junior – GSL 2A Player of the Year
Boys’ basketball – Second place in 2A GSL, state qualifier; Ben Fried, junior – All GSL 2A First Team; Grady Walker, junior – First Team; Ryan Schroder, senior – Second Team; Jay Humphrey – 2A GSL Coach of the Year
Wrestling – Logan Utecht, junior –All GSL First Team (second at state); Andrew Royston, sophomore – First Team; Logan Leeson, freshman –First Team
Gymnastics – Brenna Vasicek, sophomore – First Team vault (state qualifier)
Help us reach our goal of $5,000 for the Library of Things collection.
Donations accepted: APRIL 1–15, 2023
For only $25, you can help add items to the Library of Things, such as:
• Musical instruments
• Educational toys & tools
• Useful gadgets VISIT www.supportscld.org/giving-day Or TEXT “THINGS” to 53-555 Or
Interest in home gardening and homesteading skills has increased significantly over the last several years. As you might expect, the library has books, resources, programs, and seed libraries to meet your interest.
While local gardening tradition suggests holding off on planting your warm season crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini, until the snow disappears off Mica Peak—typically closer to the end of May, it is never too early to start planning what your spring garden will look like.
So, if you consider yourself garden-curious or a beginning gardener or even if you’ve been gardening for decades, April is the perfect time to drop in at the library
We’re all about learning at the library and are thrilled to be part of the grand opening of the Doris Morrison Learning Center at Saltese Flats on Earth Day 2023. This learning center provides a new option for outdoor environmental education and an interpretive center for the community.
Once drained for farming, Spokane County has restored the Saltese Flats back to a healthy and productive wetland. As part of this work, the Doris Morrison Learning Center was built near the wetland to provide a space to learn about this special habitat and its occupants.
The library joins a gathering of community partners in offering activities for all ages at the grand
for a gardening program or two.
Master Gardener Steve Nokes is presenting several different gardening programs at various libraries this April and May. At Spokane Valley Library (12004 E Main Rd) on Tuesday, April 4, at 6:30pm, he discusses the basics of successful vegetable gardening, including garden design, soil preparation, planting, watering, and weeding.
At Otis Orchards Library (22324 E Wellesley Ave), Steve shares his expertise during the program “Raised Bed Gardening” on Wednesday, April 5, at 6:30pm. He goes over the best materials to use, bed sizes and shapes, soil options, and locations for productive raised beds.
The program “Pruning Your Garden: How, When & Why” is at Otis Orchards Library on Wednesday, April 25, at 6:30pm. You can learn about the importance of pruning, how to prune with triedand-true techniques, and the best timing practices for pruning.
In May, you discover the “Best Plants for Container Gardening” at Spokane Valley on Tuesday, May 2,
opening event. There will be live raptor shows, activities for kids including storytime, guided bird walks, and over a dozen free activity booths.
We hope to see you at the Doris Morrison Learning Center (1330 S Henry Rd) on April 22, 10am-2pm. Visit www.spokanecounty.org/ DMLC for more information.
In May, you can hike the Saltese Uplands with the library! We’re offering a two-part program about the Saltese Flats that includes a lecture and hike. Todd Dunfield of the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy will tell the story of Saltese dating back to when Saltese Flats was a lake and the efforts to bring back an oasis for migratory birds and local recreationists. After hearing about its history, we will hike and explore the natural beauty of Saltese Uplands.
The lecture takes place at Otis Orchards Library (22324 E Wellesley Ave) on Saturday, May 6, 10:30am–12pm. The hike of the Saltese Uplands Conservation Area is on Saturday,
at 6:30pm. Also see how to propagate plants from seeds and cuttings at Otis Orchards Library on Wednesday, May 3, at 6:30pm.
We invite you to share your extra plant starts and pick up something new to try in your garden at the “Plant Starts Swap” at Spokane Valley Library on Saturday, May 13, between 1pm and 4pm. Plus, you may meet other local gardeners there and swap gardening insights.
While you’re at either Spokane Valley or Otis Orchard Library for any of the above programs, you can always swing by and check out our seed library. We welcome you to drop off your extra heirloom seeds for other gardeners and to borrow some seeds to try in your own garden.
Our take-and-give seed libraries depend on local gardeners who donate seeds harvested from their own gardens for others to try growing in their gardens. Our seed library is a great place to find vegetable, flower, and herb varieties that grow well in our area. Talk to library staff to learn more or visit www.scld.org/seedlibrary.
May 13, at 9am. This program is for adults and registration is required for the hike. Hiking participants must register and sign a waiver at www.inlandnwland.org/events.
You can also hike the Waikiki Springs Nature Preserve with the library in April. Todd Dunfield will present another two-part program in April, “Salmonopolis: An Ecological Story of the Little Spokane River.” In the lecture, learn about conservation efforts to bring wild salmon back to the Little Spokane River. Then take a guided hike to explore the river in Dartford.
The lecture takes place at North Spokane Library (44 E Hawthorne Rd) on Friday, April 14, 5–6pm. There are two opportunities to hike the Waikiki Spring Nature Preserve in Dartford on Saturday, April 15, at 9am and 12:30pm. Participants must register to join one of the hikes and sign a waiver at www. inlandnwland.org/events.
For more about these programs, visit www.scld.org.
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Current contributor
Redeemer Lutheran Church surpassed an important milestone on March 25 by preparing the 1 millionth package of food for distribution to starving children through an international relief organization.
The Spokane Valley church, located on Shafer Road off DishmanMica Road, has been helping feed children worldwide since 2015 through Feed My Starving Children (FMSC). With the except of the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, congregation members along with members of other Spokane-area churches and local businesses have raised money to purchase food stuffs and meet for a weekend in March to put that all together.
Founded in 1987 by late Minnesota businessman Richard Proudfit, FMSC has been providing “MannaPack” meals to children worldwide in over 70 countries — equating to about 3 billion meals so far, according to its website. The organization utilizes volunteers from around the U.S. to prepare the meals through “Mobile Pack” events, and in 2015 was looking for a location in the Spokane area large enough to accommodate a multi-day event. It was an opportunity Redeemer
Lutheran Associate Pastor Drew Bayless said the church “couldn’t pass up.”
“It really aligns with our core values of who we are,” Bayless said.
Charles Brondos, a member of Spokane’s Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, agrees. Brondos first heard the FMSC story in 2008 while at — ironically — a place called Starving Rock State Park in Illinois. He remembered that story seven years later upon hearing that the organization was looking at Redeemer Lutheran as a Mobile Pack location.
“I looked at the video (on its website) and thought, ‘This
is something we should do in Spokane,’” Brondos added.
Redeemer Lutheran Director of Operations and Communications Susan Baldwin said over 500 people volunteered to fill five shifts March 24 – 25: two on Friday and three on Saturday. The events are managed by fulltime staff from FMSC that travel throughout the U.S.
At the beginning of the noon –3 p.m. shift Saturday, the 100-plus local volunteers received orientation about FMSC along with instructions for preparing the meal packs. As part of the former, FMSC staff member Brad Olson told them that 1 in 9 children throughout the world goes hungry each day — and not just by missing a meal here and there.
“It’s that they missed several days,” Olson said. “They don’t know when the next meal will be.”
FMSC meal packing events are regulated by the federal Food and Drug Administration, and as such the volunteers were given instructions on what to wear and not to wear, handwashing and how to prepare the packs to maintain sanitary conditions. They were also given instructions on preparing the packs themselves, from loading the contents to sealing them for shipment.
Each pack consists of four basic food stuffs: a coffee cup-sized scoop of rice and soy along with a ladling spoon portion of vegetables and vitamins. According to its website, the meals generally ship overseas and not to children in the U.S. because they are “designed for the severe undernutrition that is common in the developing world” with a “taste and texture” not well received in the U.S.
Each meal costs 29 cents, with churches like Redeemer Lutheran using fundraising to purchase the ingredients. For other donations to FMSC, 90% goes to feeding children, with less than 10% used for fundraising, administration and overhead combined.
Volunteers at Redeemer Lutheran were divided into different tasks: seven heading to a separate room to prepare packing labels and 15 of high school age and older as warehouse workers, sealing the boxes of packs — each containing 36 meals — and loading pallets along with keeping packing stations stocked with food stuffs.
The rest manned the dozen food
packing stations, anywhere from 6 – 8 per station. With popular music blaring from a portable P.A., and interspersed with chants and coordinated shouts of encouragement, four volunteers scooped up spoons and cups of food stuffs, pouring the ingredients down a funnel that loaded a plastic food pack underneath. After each pack was loaded, other volunteers took the packs and sealed and put them into boxes.
Some of the volunteers came from churches other than Redeemer and Beautiful Savior Lutheran. Baldwin said there was a group from Slavic Baptist Church at Saturday’s noon shift, while Brondos added area churches such as Holy Cross, St. John’s and Opportunity Presbyterian have sent volunteers in the past as well.
Not all the volunteers were associated with churches, and many were taking part in the Mobile Pack event for the first time. One of those was Jocelyn Nostrant, a junior from Central Valley High School who heard about it through her participation in Honor Society.
Nostrant said she was volunteering for all five shifts, and was led to do so through hearing about the challenges children and families face on a daily basis worldwide from wars, political upheaval and natural disasters. Given the cost of the meals, and how many children they would feed, she said giving her time was the least she could do.
“That number blows me away,” Nostrant said. “Wow, two hours out of my day, and I helped feed 100 kids. It feels very rewarding, knowing how many families and kids we’re helping. Everybody should have an equal chance at survival.”
Those rewards were also what led Lauren Privett to FMSC. The Grand Canyon University graduate, based out of Dallas, Texas, said she grew up in a low-income community in the Los Angeles-area where her mother was always aware of the precariousness of the family’s financial situation.
A friend told her about FMSC, and after volunteering for an event, Privett knew the organization was where she was meant to be.
“I quit my daytime job, volunteered then worked parttime until I got a fulltime job (with FSMC),” she said, adding her youth experiences provided inspiration to
work with the organization.
“It gave me enough of a connection where I knew this was special to me,” Privett said.
Overall, volunteers at the Mobile Pack event March 24–25 prepared 139,968 meals — a number including the 1 millionth meal prepared since 2015 — and loaded 648 boxes of food.
“This equates to feeding 383 children one meal a day for a year,” Baldwin wrote in an email.
Those pallets of boxes go to an FMSC distribution center in Mesa, Arizona where they will head to countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Cambodia, the Philippines and in the Caribbean. There, some of the 200 organizations working with FMSC will distribute the food to children.
“There are partners there so it does not go through the governments,” Brondos said. “Ninety-nine percent of meals get to their intended destination.”
While the packaged food was the focus, local food insecurity needs did not go overlooked. Baldwin said over the two days, volunteers donated 1,331 pounds of food to Spokane Valley Partners — much of it a mixture of “high protein items” like tuna fish and peanut butter along with staples such as cereal and soup.
Baldwin said the church has partnered with Spokane Valley Partners for over 20 years. Started by 10 churches in 1951, the organization now includes a food bank, a clothing bank and a mobile food distribution network.
“Redeemer is passionate about living out our mission beyond the four walls of our Church,” Baldwin, said. “We are committed to building relationships in our community — loving neighbors as Jesus loves us.”
