Eagle Scout remodels church closet
May 14, 2013
Over the course of four days and 185 hours of volunteer work, Matthew Harlan, of Sammamish, organized the cleanup and repair of a previously unusable storage closet at a local church. Harlan, a member of Boy Scout troop 575 in Redmond was responsible for cleaning out the closet, installing shelves, replacing sheetrock and organizing the closet to earn his Eagle Scout Award, according to an email from Harlan’s father.
Home and garden show returns to Pickering Barn
May 7, 2013
The second annual Issaquah-Sammamish Home and Garden Show, held in conjunction with the weekly Issaquah Farmers Market, is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 11 at Pickering Barn, 1730 10th Ave. N.W.
Admission to the show is free. Attendees can visit with more than 20 local businesses and organizations specializing in home and garden products, and services.
Learn from local experts on how to remodel, decorate and finance your home, inside and out. Get insight into patios, outdoor rooms, painting services, shelving and cabinets, heating and cooling systems, landscapes and more.
Undying love
May 7, 2013
Bessie and Robert Burton sit in their Issaquah home, a day after they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary April 24.
By Christina Corrales-Toy
Longtime Issaquah resident Bessie Burton clearly remembers the day she first laid eyes on her future husband of 60 years, Robert.
She was standing on a street corner in Deer Lodge, Mont., just before her shift at a local restaurant began, when a slick yellow car caught her eye.
“Robert drove by in a 1949 Ford convertible with the lid down and I emphatically asked, ‘Who is that?’” she said. “I saw him and that was it.”
The courtship did not start immediately, since Bessie worked nights, making it difficult to form a relationship. During that time, Robert dated other girls and visited other restaurants, Bessie said.
Running store hosts community run/walk in support of Boston
May 7, 2013
Runners gather outside Plateau Runner before the start of the Boston Strong Sammamish run/walk April 22. Contributed
Local runners and walkers joined in a recent nationwide memorial to support the city of Boston and victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.
The Boston Strong Sammamish run and walk drew nearly 100 participants from Sammamish, Issaquah and Redmond to Plateau Runner, the local specialty running store that sponsored the event. Wearing green headbands and armbands, participants ran or walked a 3-mile course in solidarity.
“We had families pushing baby strollers, kids from local middle and high schools, even some Boston Marathon racers,” Plateau Runner store owner Elizabeth Steen said. “It was heartwarming to see the community turn out to support Boston.”
Family friendly bird walk is May 18
May 7, 2013
Lorenzo Rohani, 13, does some birdwatching with a camera, long lens and tripod. He gives a talk May 18 at an Eastside Audubon event.
By Michael Rohani
A guided family birding walk at Lake Sammamish State Park and a lively talk by an accomplished 13-year-old birder will show kids and grown-ups the excitement of discovering the natural world through bird watching.
Both events are free, and Eastside Audubon welcomes everyone in the community to attend either one or both.
An easy walk on maintained trails and walkways with master birder Andy McCormick will explore the many habitats of Lake Sammamish State Park. Woodlands, streamside, lakeshore and meadow attract a variety of birds this season. Expect to see (and hear!) colorful songbirds and woodpeckers, Great Blue Herons, Bald Eagles, goofy American Coots and many others.
First pitch honors
April 30, 2013
Eastside Catholic High School’s baseball team goes to pinch pitcher for Mariner’s pregame ceremony
Eastside Catholic High School student Hayden Meier (left), Seattle Mariners pitcher Oliver Perez, students Chris Miller, Sydney Weber, Jane Dickison and Alex Foley, and Mariners pitcher Bobby LaFromboise, pose at the April 13 Mariner baseball game against the Texas Rangers.
It wasn’t a hall-of-famer, a politician or a rock star that threw the first pitch of the Mariners’ home game April 13. It was Jane Dickison, a 20-year-old developmentally disabled woman from Sammamish.
The honor was originally offered to the Eastside Catholic High School baseball team. Instead of choosing from among themselves, the boys decided to offer the opportunity to one of their classmates in the school’s Options Program, which provides instruction for students with developmental disabilities. Dickison is in her final year of the program and was selected for the spot on the mound.
“We thought it would be awesome to give someone with disabilities the opportunity to do something like this they couldn’t be able to do otherwise,” said Alex Foley, of Issaquah, one of the team’s four co-captains. Foley has already played at Safeco Field in the Mariners High School Baseball Classic and was set to do so again April 20, when the Eastside Catholic Crusaders were going to faceoff against Newport.
“We get the opportunity no matter what, but an Options student wouldn’t,” he added.
Bike Rodeo comes to Gilman Village
April 30, 2013
CleanScapes will host a Kids Bike Rodeo at its Gilman Village retail store and customer service center May 11.
The Kids Bike Rodeo will be held at the CleanScapes retail store in Gilman Village, 317 N.W. Gilman Blvd., No. 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn more at cleanscapes.com/news/kids_bike_rodeo.
The event, held during National Bike to Work Month, provides children with an opportunity to learn about bike safety and maintenance, according to a CleanScapes press release. The Issaquah Police Department is providing a limited number of youth bike helmets, and staff from Bike Works and Compass Outdoor Adventure will be on hand to demonstrate bike handling and how to fix flat tires.
The Kids Bike Rodeo will also include a treasure hunt by bike.
AAUW honors STEM achievement
April 30, 2013
Eight Issaquah School District high school junior girls were honored by the American Association of University Women for their achievements and potential in the science, technology and math fields. Left to right are Amanda Levinson, Holly Boothroyd, Megan Larson, Rachel Wittenberg, Pan Zheng, Sarika Ghangurde and Crystal Liang. Not pictured is Audrey Storm.
While we hear frequent national and state media reports of the dismal state of education in the science, technology and math fields, eight Issaquah School District high school junior girls are proving that excellence in STEM education is a priority for them and their schools, according to the American Association of University Women.
The eight girls were honored at an association awards ceremony April 18 for their achievements and potential in STEM subjects.
Nominated by their school counselors, the girls from Issaquah, Liberty and Skyline high schools have shown outstanding ability in the subjects for which they received recognition, and have participated in numerous extracurricular activities as well. The association recognizes the importance of excellent preparation in the STEM subjects, not only for future individual educational and employment opportunities, but also for the health of the United States and Washington’s scientific and tech economies.
Nominations sought for teacher of the year awards
April 30, 2013
Do you know a teacher who deserves a Teacher of the Year award? In honor of National Teacher Appreciation month in May, Ivar’s and Kidd Valley are holding the 10th annual Teacher of the Year contest, according to a press release from Ivar’s.
Nominated teachers will have the opportunity to win a $1,000 gift card for school supplies.
Two winning teachers will be selected, by Ivar’s and Kidd Valley, and students ages 14 and younger are invited to nominate their favorite teacher. The students who nominate the winning teachers will receive either an Ivar’s Kids Meal for every student in their class or a Kidd Valley Burger Party.
In addition to the grand prize, four teachers will receive a $150 gift card for school supplies and 30 teachers will receive a $25 Ivar’s or Kidd Valley gift card.
Nominate a teacher at any Ivar’s or Kidd Valley location in the Puget Sound area or go to www.ivars.com or www.kiddvalley.com by May 27.
Skyline junior honored for his volunteer work
April 30, 2013
Tony Elevathingal
The junior class president at Skyline High School will be honored later this month by United Way for giving up parts of his weekends to help seniors on the plateau.
Tony Elevathingal will be one of several teenagers spotlighted during the annual Food for Thought Breakfast on May 23 as part of National Volunteer Week.
The aspiring film student has donated Friday nights since last June to help three elderly residents of Sammamish organize their attics and move boxes as a volunteer for the nonprofit group Eastside Friends of Seniors. In addition to his heavy lifting, Elevathingal has done a variety of routine maintenance for all three seniors, including painting, vacuuming and yard cleanup.
