Her teammates whooped and her father shouted words of encouragement before the ball even hit the ground.

While many children play basketball, Abbey is a special case. Doctors diagnosed her with both autism and cerebral palsy, although they never gave her family a clear diagnosis that would explain all of her challenges.

“It was unbelievable,” her father Jeff Powers said. “We were told she wouldn’t walk, we were told she wouldn’t talk, we were told she would only live to 2.”

Now a sixth-grader at Pine Lake Middle School, Abbey has a full schedule. Four years ago, her family enrolled her in Special Olympics for a children’s basketball class. At first, her parents only knew of practices in Woodinville, and would drive Abbey all the way from Issaquah so she could dribble the ball as part of a basketball team.

When they learned Issaquah offered a Special Olympics program in their own backyard, they were delighted, Jeff Powers said. But they’re not nearly as excited as Abbey.

“She got up extra early this morning,” her father said as he watched her and her friends play ball at the Issaquah Community Center. “She could hardly wait for basketball.”

Special Olympics in Issaquah

Today, scores of people support and coach Issaquah’s Special Olympics players. Thanks to Issaquah resident Leo Finnegan, Issaquah hosts two Special Olympics tournaments annually, including a basketball tournament in the winter and a softball tournament in the summer.

“I pushed to get them here,” said Finnegan, who said Special Olympic families used to have to drive all over the county for games. Issaquah is more in the middle of the county, he said, which makes the drive for many easier.

Finnegan first started coaching Special Olympics when his son’s high school coach retired. Like many Special Olympics players, Finnegan’s son, Tim Finnegan, has a developmental disorder. Tim Finnegan is now 43 and his family is still involved in the organization.

The Special Olympics has three divisions: junior (ages 8-15), senior (ages 16-21) and masters (ages 22 or older).

Leo Finnegan welcomes each player with the same enthusiasm and support, high-fiving them as they come in for basketball practice. He remembers details about each player, and asks them questions based on last week’s conversation about life and basketball.

“A lot of the athletes I coach are some of the most genuine people I’ve met,” Finnegan said.

Basketball and softball coach Ted Stamper said he enjoyed getting whole families involved, with siblings playing basketball together and parents coaching. He encouraged the community to get involved, too, whether people chose to coach on the court or cheer from the bleachers.

“That’s what it’s about: fun and exercise,” Stamper said.

It’s also about children with special needs realizing their full potential.

“Their whole lives, they’ve been told explicitly or implicitly they don’t fit in,” Leo Finnegan said.

For Abbey Powers, basketball connects her with other players, many of whom are now her friends.

“Abbey was shy the first year, but now she’s very outgoing,” her father said, adding that basketball gives his daughter confidence.

“I think it lets her know she can do what the other kids can do,” he said. “She’s shy, but she understands.”

Christopher Miller, a 13-year-old Special Olympic athlete from Redmond, said he bowls and plays basketball with the program.

“I just like hanging out with my friends,” he said. “We just do a lot of working out and running a lot.”

The Soukup family, of Sammamish, brings 14-year-old Aubrey to basketball practice, too. Aubrey has Down Syndrome, but she doesn’t let that get in the way of her game.

“It gives her an opportunity to be part of a team,” her mother Julie Soukup said. “Her brothers and sisters are very athletic and it gives her an opportunity to have her own sport.”

How to get involved

King County has about 1,500 Special Olympic athletes. Coaches are welcome at any level, be it junior, senior or masters, said Megan Hemingson, King County region sports and training manager for Special Olympics.

Those interested in coaching must take two online courses, a protective behaviors class and the general orientation.

After completing those, they will take a sport skill-specific course, such as a soccer or aquatics course.

Coaches must recertify every four years.

People can either be a head or an assistant coach. Head coaches must be 18 years or older and need to submit a background check done by both the Washington State Patrol and a national database. Assistant coaches can be 16 to 17 years old.

Skyline High School junior Chris Torres has volunteered as an assistant basketball coach for two years.

“It’s good community service and I really enjoy doing it,” he said.

Torres said working with Special Olympics athletes has helped him realize how inappropriate some of the Special Olympics stereotypes are, especially those about players not being skilled at sports.

“They are so much smarter than you would imagine,” he said. “I don’t even think they’re special anymore, because they actually make some crazy plays.”

Torres pointed at an athlete wearing a green jersey.

“He’s a guy with talent,” Torres said. “I’ll watch him and he’ll run up to the 3-point line and just turn and shoot and sink it.”

Just as he finished his sentence, another player made a basket, the ball landing on the carpeted community center floor with a thud.

“Good job guys!” Torres clapped and shouted.

‘Everybody encourages everybody’

Another Skyline junior, Michelle Bretl, has made many friends on the court through assistant coaching.

“I always get hugs every day and it makes me smile, because I know that they’re having fun and that they enjoy it,” she said. “It’s very rewarding.”

Bretl’s mother Teresa Bretl is the executive director of Athletes for Kids. She instilled a strong sense of community service in her daughter. Like mother like daughter, apparently, as Michelle Bretl commended Special Olympic athletes and encouraged others to get involved.

“Special Olympics is a place where people can just be themselves and be comfortable with who they are and how they play,” she said. “They don’t have to be perfect at everything, but they should get the opportunity to do what they love.”

Jeff Powers attested to that, saying his daughter will “crack up and laugh” whenever a ball is in her court.

“There are some good ball players,” Powers added. “They can dribble behind their back.”

During one game, Abbey’s team lost 68-2, and she was the one who made her team’s only shot.

“She was the leading scorer,” Powers said, clearly proud of his daughter’s achievement.

Leo Finnegan called the positive atmosphere pivotal to any Special Olympics practice or game.

“We never let anybody say anything negative about anything,” he said. “Even if they miss a free throw, we cheer.”

Parent LeeAnna Hayes agreed.

“Everybody encourages everybody, even on the opposite team,” Hayes said. “It doesn’t matter how good you are. This is a very happy environment for everybody.”

Date to remember

Special Olympics Softball Tournament

• 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• July 31
• Tibbetts Valley Park, 965 12th Ave. N.W.

Night descended hours earlier, when the weak, winter sun slunk behind the Olympic Mountains. Stragglers wait along Fauntleroy Cove; the afternoon rush ended long ago. The last commuters sit, impatient and weary, in vehicles, sealed behind steel and safety glass. Lines form and vehicles — mud-caked Subaru wagons, worn SUVs with stickers on the rear windows — inch into position. Destination: Vashon Island.

The ferry glides into view across Puget Sound. The hull carries the same name as a place 20 miles east: Issaquah.

The vessel matters little to the travelers; the Klahowya or the Tillikum could carry them home just the same.

Come daylight, the boxy Issaquah looks as unglamorous as a mail truck, with the same work ethic as a letter carrier — neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom keeps the ferry idle.

Darkness softens the hard edges, and the Issaquah looks handsome, even majestic. Light spills from the oblong windows and the open vehicle deck. Reflections glimmer across the dark water.

As the ferry approaches the West Seattle terminal, propellers churn the inky water into foam, like the frothy head on a glass of pilsner. The vessel nudges the dock, the ramp lowers and attendants in fluorescent gear direct vehicles from the maw. Not 20 minutes later, more cars, trucks and SUVs fill the hold.

The placid efficiency contrasts with the years in the Carter era when the Issaquah entered service and headlines blared problems aboard — and caused by — the ferry.

The ferry, and the other Issaquah-class vessels under construction at a Seattle shipyard in the late ’70s, took a circuitous route from lemon to modern-day workhorse in the state fleet. Nowadays, the ferry Issaquah plies Puget Sound on regular runs from the Fauntleroy Terminal to Vashon Island and Southworth on the Kitsap Peninsula.

Lawmakers and the builders hurled sharp words at the other in the early days. The rhetoric ratcheted higher as Washington State Ferries yanked the vessels from service, inspected and repaired the ferries, only to remove the vessels from service again.

Reminders from the contentious early years remain: Crewmembers still refer to the vessels as “citrus class” ferries, a nod to the era when editorial cartoons and T-shirts derided the Issaquah as a proverbial lemon. The vessel debuted with unforeseen mechanical problems, spats between builders and officials, and troublesome safety questions.

“My mother would call me up and say, ‘Do you know what you’re doing down there?’” ships superintendent and welding supervisor Ralph Hansen recalled.

He worked at the Marine Power & Equipment shipyard, where the Issaquah class vessels took shape.

Before the maelstrom — accidents, lawsuits, angry letters to the editor — dignitaries set aside the unease to christen the Issaquah. Townspeople gathered at the Seattle shipyard to watch the ferry ease into the Duwamish River. Historian Harriet Fish walloped a bottle of champagne against the hull Dec. 29, 1979.

After the ceremony concluded, the boldface names and Issaquah residents left, and yard workers raised the vessel from the water for some last-minute construction.

Name game, blame game

Not long ago, a class of Port Townsend fourth-graders beat students in Chimacum and Whidbey Island to pick the name for the newest state ferry class: Kwa-di Tabil, or “little boat” in the Quileute language.

A celebration followed the announcement from the state Department of Transportation. Next came congratulations from Gov. Chris Gregoire. A commemorative plaque — delivered by the governor — should arrive within weeks.

The announcement recalled a push more than 30 years ago to name a vessel after Issaquah. The effort resulted in a ferry class named with words picked from native tongues: Issaquah, Kittitas, Kitsap, Cathlamet, Chelan, Sealth.

But the grade-school contest — tied to lessons about Pacific Northwest American Indians and Puget Sound maritime history — lacked the ironclad determination and political maneuvering behind the Issaquah effort.

Fish, then the Issaquah historian, spearheaded the endeavor to name a vessel in a planned ferry class for the Eastside city, and shepherded the necessary legislation through Olympia.

A Lake Washington ferry from the early 1900s also carried the name Issaquah, and townspeople conceived the drive to name a new ferry as part civic pride, part tribute to the bygone vessel.

Supporters marshaled students to collect innumerable signatures scrawled on petitions, City Council members to endorse the effort and residents to sit through legislative committee meetings. For the effort to succeed, city residents had to convince lawmakers to name a ferry for Issaquah.

The blitz worked: A state transportation bureaucrat told a Senate committee how he had never seen “such a tremendous outpouring of support” for a ferry name.

Legislators agreed, and designated the first vessel in a soon-to-be-launched ferry class as the Issaquah.

But the rollout of the new class proved nettlesome. Designers included advances — like computer technology and variable-pitch propellers built for maneuverability — in the new ferries. Although engineers hailed the systems as innovative, delays and public squabbles between the shipyard and state officials shoved the superlatives aside.

Chuck Fowler served as the state Department of Transportation public affairs administrator in the ’70s. He handled a barrage of questions from reporters asking about the troubles with the Issaquah class.

“I think that the major problem was the use of variable-pitch propellers, the first application of this new technology on state ferries,” he recalled. “There were some early ferry-meets-dock collisions, but they were explained as crews becoming familiar with the new technology and equipment.”

The woes and high-profile missteps drew unwelcome attention to the largest ferry system in the United States. A cruise around Elliott Bay for state dignitaries ended after a gasket blew and the Issaquah limped into port alongside a tug. Accidents and computer glitches plagued the Issaquah-class vessels after the ferries entered service in the early ’80s. The new ferries rammed docks and, another time, a vessel pulled away from a pier, dropping a — thankfully — unoccupied car into Puget Sound.

People called the new ferries unsafe. T-shirts emblazoned with “I Survived the Issaquah” appeared. The ringer tees depicted cartoon cars and passengers tumbling into the water, while seagulls recoil from the scene.

Paul Zankich often faced a firing line from passengers and the news media back then. He designed the ferries, and served as chief engineer of the Marine Power & Equipment shipyard.

“People said I should get combat pay for what I was doing,” Zankich said.

Former shipyard workers said some of the snags dissipated as ferry crews acclimated to the new systems. Tweaks ordered by DOT officials helped remedy problems, too.

“Once you’re sitting at the helm and the controls are in your hand, that’s where the buck stops,” Hansen said.

A rising tide

Midmorning sunshine reveals the Issaquah as a leviathan — brawny and utilitarian, all noise and steel. The deck plates jostle beneath cars, trucks and Metro Transit buses, rumbling aboard in a careful choreography. Day-Glo-orange life rings and Zodiac lifeboats punctuate the hunter-green-and-white color scheme.

Nowadays, the Issaquah and its five sister vessels serve as workhorses in the state ferry fleet. Combined, the ferries haul about 18,500 passengers per day. The flagship Issaquah carries 2,751 people each day on trips from West Seattle to Vashon Island to Southworth and back again.

Built to carry 1,200 passengers, about 130 vehicles and almost as long as a football field, the Issaquah feels like a lonely place on midday crossings. The cavernous passenger deck sits almost empty. Below, on the vehicle deck, most of the passengers wait in cars, idle and still seat-belted in.

Aboard the Issaquah, Boatswain Greg Kruse keeps order on the vehicle deck, where loadings and unloadings unfold in a well-timed blur.

“Safety is our biggest concern,” he said during a mid-January crossing.

The former charter boat captain wakes on workdays at 3:17 a.m. and leaves home in Ballard to reach the Fauntleroy Terminal by 4:25 a.m. On some days, the job rewards Kruse with postcard-perfect vistas: Mount Rainier to the south, the downtown Seattle skyline to the northeast, the Olympic Mountains to the west.

The passengers aboard include former Issaquah Councilman David Kappler, a frequent rider on the ferry. He boarded the vessel on a sun-splashed January day for the crossing to Vashon Island, where he has a house.

Kappler left his pickup on the vehicle deck, and then ambled upstairs to the passenger area. The longtime councilman eyed grainy reproductions of historic photographs depicting turn-of-the-20th-century Issaquah. Besides the photos, the ferry contains few connections to its namesake city.

Kappler, however, noted similarities between eco-savvy Issaquah and conservation-minded Vashon Island, and described the rural island as a locale where “people are proud to say the place is weird.”

Despite dozens of trips to the island, he has never encountered notable, part-time residents Al Rossellini and Booth Gardner — former governors who spend summers there.

Capt. David Wilson joined the state ferry service about the same time the Issaquah-class vessels entered service. On most days, he guides the Issaquah from pilothouses at each end of the ferry.

“If you cut the ferry in half, you’d be hard-pressed to know which end is which,” Wilson said.

The vessel sails Puget Sound at about 17 knots, or 20 mph. Upgrades, like radar and global-positioning technology, have alleviated some of the navigation concerns about fog and bad weather.

“It’s not a real stressful situation like it was in the old days,” Wilson said.

The ferry’s design — so maligned when the Issaquah-class vessels entered service — also withstood the wear and tear of the decades. The state even plans to build new 144-vehicle ferries based on the Issaquah-class design. The new ferries could enter service as early as 2014, state budgets permitting.

Consider the decision as belated vindication for Zankich, the designer of the Issaquah class and West Seattle resident who lives not far from Fauntleroy Cove. On a clear day, he can look outside and watch the Issaquah sail from the mainland to Vashon Island with workmanlike efficiency.

But once the weather cleared up, things were back to normal, said Matthew Bott, CEO of the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber and its member business owners want “normal” to be as it was when it snowed. That’s why they recently launched a “Shop Issaquah” campaign to bring awareness of the benefits of spending your money locally.

“When you shop locally … it develops the character of the community,” said Darlene Cohen, manager of the Gilman Antique Gallery, located in Gilman Square on Gilman Boulevard.

Her 17,000-square-foot antique mall is the largest antique mall on the Eastside, and offers one-of-a-kind arts, collectibles and gifts from vendors who have sold in Issaquah for 20 years or more. Each vendor is another entrepreneur, keeping commerce alive and well in Issaquah.

Other local businesses strive to be unique while filling a niche for their customers. Some local shops make room for youngsters to play in the corner while adults shop. Other businesses lead the way in community service. And almost all prefer to hire local employees whenever possible.

Fischer’s Meats in historic downtown is historic itself, celebrating 100 years in business this year. Customers know the little meat market for its great steaks and chops, but also for the specialties made right here on Front Street — like pepperoni and jerky.

Gilman Village has the largest collection of unique shops and small restaurants in one Issaquah shopping center.

One of those, X Marks the Tot, is a homegrown business that designs and manufactures custom clothing for babies and toddlers. Tarri Burchak and daughter-in-law Carisa Burchak co-own the business. Larger orders are manufactured in Seattle, but all of their sales come back to Issaquah, she said.

“We try to keep it pretty local. I think it’s important to keep the community thriving,” Tarri Burchak said. “It also keeps it unique.”

X Marks the Tot’s clothing is made from recycled or organic material, and the owners also make custom outfits, she said. One hot-seller is the T-Suit for 1- to 3-year-olds, a one-piece made of adult T-shirts.

“One of the things I think people overlook is that often in local establishments, they can find products and services that really are not generally available,” said Aaron Barouh, general manager of Gilman Village. “And they sometimes don’t realize that there are a lot of homegrown products.”

Issaquah residents may not be able to buy all of their desires locally, but Issaquah business owners and their customers agree that shopping locally is good for the community.

Top reasons to shop locally

• Sales taxes support city services and parks.
• Local businesses hire locally.
• Save gas and time with shorter trips to the store.
• Sales taxes help support police and fire departments.
• “Go Green” — cut down on air pollution with shorter drives.
• Local merchants support schools with fundraising and more.
• Local businesses create community pride. Their achievements help put Issaquah on the map.
• Boost property values. Nearby goods and services are amenities homebuyers seek.
• Better service comes from local people who know you.
• Local charities are supported by local businesses.

Crunching through snow-covered hills, the two friends enjoyed the hike’s quiet, easy pace.

Climbing up the Kendall Ridge Trail, the hikers enter another world apart from the crowded, noisy trailhead off Interstate 90.

The crowd thinned out, the silence echoed in their ears and the snow turned more powdery.

By far, snowshoeing is one of the easiest, no-fuss winter sports around.

It was Millard’s first time snowshoeing, but he cruised along without a problem. Most people quickly get used to walking in snowshoes.

“You strap them on and go,” he said as the snow crunched below his feet.

It’s a simple pleasure

Floating across fresh powder on a pair of snowshoes is a pleasure unto itself. Most outdoor enthusiasts know the frustration of wading through snow in hiking boots. It only takes a few inches for a simple walk to become physically taxing.

With snowshoes on, you glide along quickly and with ease.

A few quick steps in them and you’ve pretty much learned all you need to know: Pick your foot up a little higher, have a solid place for it to land and don’t walk backward — otherwise you might find yourself sitting in the snow and asking for help up.

Those who have had knee injuries should know it’s easy to twist them into unusual angles if you’re not on a stable path or looking where you’re going. Be cautious, especially going downhill.

For the most part, even a group of novice hikers or first-timers can head out into the snow without instruction. While most winter activities involve a load of specialized equipment or a lot of preparation, snowshoeing is easy and affordable for most.

“You can do it anywhere there’s snow,” and the costs are minimal, Hiltmann said.

Snowshoes and poles can be rented for as low as $20 from local outfitters for the weekend, far less than the cost of ski or snowboard rentals, lessons and lift tickets.

It does help to have a pair of sturdy, water-resistant hiking boots. If you’re going snowshoeing, make sure to dress appropriately for the weather.

“You’ve got to make sure you have got the right clothes on,” Hiltmann said.

You should come equipped for cold weather, but wear layers you can peel off and store, since you might get hot, depending on what trail you choose.

Hats and gloves are a must, and if you’re not used to frosty temperatures, bring hand and feet warmers. You can find the one-use, prepackaged kind at drug or convenience stores for about $1 per pair.

Bring a relaxed attitude

Aside from that, the sport is pretty low maintenance — no special boots, binding or even outdoor wear is necessary.

Millard said he appreciates the relaxed attitude of snowshoeing.

For families and friends, it offers quality time to catch up without the distraction of televisions, iPods, video games or computers. There’s time to spend with each person in your group as you traipse through the cool mountain air to new places or familiar trails covered in white.

“It’s more social and less competitive than skiing,” Millard said.

Snowshoeing also offers a sense of freedom that doesn’t often come with winter outdoor sports. While it’s easiest to stay on trails where snow has already been tramped down, anyone can swing off trail to do some bushwhacking on virgin snow. Of course, sound judgment should always be used to maintain safety and avoid ecological damage.

Remember to check a map before you go off trail, as you could end up on private property or in unstable areas.

Research where your trail goes and what it borders, in case you get lost. You should also keep in mind that some trailheads require parking permits, so research those ahead of time by visiting a park’s Web site.

Whether it’s just a few hours after brunch or a weekend of exploring mountains, snowshoeing is a great way to experience winter in the area.

Before you go

• Check avalanche conditions from the Northwest Avalanche Center or call 206-526-6677.
• Seattle Mountaineers Snowshoeing — call 206-284-8484 or go here for courses, trails and tips.

Dreams do come true. Seattle Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs is living proof. From the time he was able to pick up a baseball bat and throw a baseball, Rizzs dreamed of becoming a Big League announcer.

“I’m one of the most fortunate guys in the world,” the Issaquah resident said. “How many people get to do what they dreamed of as a kid?”

Rizzs grew up in Chicago and was passionate about baseball at an early age.

“I’ve always been a baseball fan,” said Rizzs, who would get together with guys in his neighborhood and play sandlot ball during the summer.

“We would play all day long,” he said.

Meeting his hero

The White Sox was his favorite team, although he occasionally rooted for the Cubs. When it came to players, his idol was shortstop Luis Aparicio, one of baseball’s all-time greats.

Rizzs had another hero — Cubs’ broadcaster Jack Brickhouse. Actually, it didn’t matter whether the White Sox or Cubs were on the radio. Rizzs tuned in his transistor radio to whoever was on the air. He listened to the broadcasters of both teams, but Brickhouse, a future Hall of Famer, was definitely his favorite.

By the time Rizzs was 12, he knew what career he would pursue — broadcasting.

He worked hard to reach that goal. Sometimes as a youngster, he would race home from school and go down in the basement, where the family had a television set. He would turn the sound down, and pretend he was broadcasting the game.

When Rizzs was 12, he received support from Brickhouse.

“I wrote a letter to Brickhouse and told him I wanted to become a Major League Baseball broadcaster,” Rizzs said. “He wrote me a handwritten letter back. He urged me to get all the schooling I could and to work hard. I never forgot that.”

After high school, Rizzs attended Southern Illinois University, where he played baseball and majored in radio and television.

Then, he began a long climb to the top. It took eight years.

His first broadcasting job was with Alexandria, La., a Class AA farm club for the San Diego Padres. When the team moved to Amarillo, Texas, Rizzs went with it. He later worked for the Memphis Chicks, an AA team for the old Montreal Expos, and the Columbus Clippers, a Class AAA team for the New York Yankees.

In 1983, the Seattle Mariners had an opening and Rizzs sent a résumé and tape to the club. Former owner George Argyros called Rizzs and had him come to Seattle for an interview. Argyros and Dave Niehaus, another future Hall-of-Fame announcer, liked what they heard on tape. Rizzs got the job.

At spring training that year, Rizzs met one of his idols — Brickhouse.

“I came up to him and said ’Mr. Brickhouse. You probably don’t remember this, but when I was 12, I wrote you a letter about becoming a broadcaster. You answered that letter. I just wanted to let you know that I’m now a new broadcaster for the Mariners,” Rizzs said recalling the meeting. “He gave me a big hug.”

‘One of the best storytellers’

The 1983 season was the beginning of a long relationship with Niehaus.

“I couldn’t have broken in with a better mentor than David. He is one of the greatest broadcasters of all time. He is one of the best storytellers,” Rizzs said. “So much of the time when you are doing a baseball game, you have to fill those gaps with a great story.”

The one thing Rizzs learned early was putting the fan at home in the front seat at the ballpark.

“You really have to make him feel like he’s at the ball park. Radio is really a visual media,” Rizzs said. “The game takes place in your mind. If I can make the fan feel the excitement, then I’m doing my job. Imagination is better than any camera ever invented.”

The best part of the job?

“I get to be the fans eyes and ears. I have a responsibility to the fans to be creative and prepared for all 162 games,” Rizzs said. “Every game is different. You have a different story to tell every night.”

Rizzs settled in Issaquah in 1988. Like joining the Mariners, he has never regretted the move.

“I love it out here. I grew up in Chicago, where everything is flat. I came out here and there are mountains, streams and lakes. There is so much to offer,” he said.

From No. 2 to No. 1

Rizzs left the Mariners for a short time when he was hired as the Detroit Tigers’ broadcaster for the 1993 season. He was to replace longtime Tigers’ broadcaster Ernie Harwell, a favorite of Mo-town baseball fans. Tigers president Bo Schembechler, following the 1992 season, had forced Harwell out.

Rizzs said he knew it was going to be a difficult job replacing Harwell, another Hall-of-Famer, when he showed up for the club’s season opener.

“There were thousands of fans protesting the club’s decision to let Ernie go. A radio station in town had printed up Ernie Harwell faces and put them on sticks,” Rizzs said. “There were 10,000 fans at the park with Ernie Harwell on sticks. There was a ‘We want Ernie’ banner in center field. A plane circled the field with a ‘Bring Back Ernie’ banner.”

After being the No. 2 guy for the Mariners, Rizzs had looked forward to being the No. 1 guy for the Tigers.

“But I knew it was going to be a tough job, because I was asked to replace a legend,” Rizzs said.

At the season opener, Rizzs turned to Bob Rathbun, his sidekick in the booth, and said, “I hope people give us a shot.”

However, fans were so loyal to Harwell that he was brought back by popular demand. Rizzs worked with Harwell for a little more than a season, and then was let go.

“I did the best job I could do. Things just didn’t work out,” he said.

A memorable season, memorable moments

He didn’t stay unemployed long. Niehaus invited Rizzs back to the Mariners’ booth, and the duo wound up broadcasting a memorable 1995 season.

“As things turned out, it couldn’t have turned out better,” Rizzs said. “Thank goodness I didn’t miss the 1995 season. That was the team. That was the year baseball was saved in Seattle. The Tigers actually did me a wonderful favor.”

Rizzs has been with the Mariners ever since. Fans have become familiar with his catch phrase “Good-bye, baseball!” his call for home runs.

There have been many memorable moments for Rizzs in his 25 years with the Mariners. The 1995 season holds most of them, especially the Mariners’ dramatic finish to tie California for first place in the West Division, the playoff victory over the Angels and the five-game series with the New York Yankees.

Rizzs also cherished the 2001 season, when the Mariners set an American League record for victories. The 2009 season was special, too.

“I was really impressed with last year’s team. Jack Zduriencik (general manager) did a fabulous job of building the team. Don Wakamatsu (manager) did a great job, and all the players contributed.” Rizzs said.

With third baseman Chone Figgins and pitcher Cliff Lee among the new additions, Rizzs said he is anxious to get to spring training.

“This team has a chance to be very good, especially with the one-two pitching of Felix (Hernandez) and Lee,” Rizzs said.

If the Mariners reach the playoffs this season, Rizzs will really enjoy his job. Winning makes the job easy, but there are other benefits. He especially enjoys the relationships he has made with players, fans, front office personnel and the members of the Mariners broadcast team.

“I’ve been around a lot of great people,” he said.

His father once told him, “If you wake up in the morning and you’re happy to go to work, you’ve got it made.”

Rizzs knows he has it made.

“I am very blessed. I set out to be a broadcaster when I was 12. How many people get to do what they dreamed of?” he asked. “I don’t regret one day of the choice I made. Now, I am the voice on the radio I heard as a kid. I have the greatest job in the world.”

Rick Rizzs’ top 10 Mariners’ memories

1 – Edgar Martinez’s game-winning double in the fifth game of the 1995 American League series with the New York Yankees.

2 – The Mariners’ victory against the California Angels in the one-game 1995 playoff when Rizzs said “Everybody scores!”

3 – The 1983 Seattle Mariners’ opener, his first major league broadcast.

4 – The 1995 Seattle Mariners’ season. “Everyone contributed. They just refused to lose!”

5 – The 2001 season when the Mariners won 116 games, setting an American League record and tying the Major League record.

6 – Edgar Martinez’s grand slam in Game 4 of the 1995 playoffs that propelled the Mariners to a victory against the New York Yankees.

7 – Aug. 31, 1990, Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. play in the same game for the first time.

8 – The final game of 1991 season when the Mariners finished with a .500 record for the first time.

9 – Broadcasting his first game in Chicago’s old Comiskey Park in 1983.

10 – Brian Holman’s near-perfect game in 1990.

Teens today are changing the world one day and one life at a time and Issaquah youths are joining the movement.

Volunteering by 16- to 19-year-olds has more than doubled since 1989, from 13.4 percent to 28.4 percent, according to a 2007 report from The Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that oversees service programs in the U.S. Volunteering by that age group is also 36 percent higher than it was in 1974, when it was 20.9 percent. Today, 8.2 million people ages 16-24 volunteer their time.

Mitchell Byron, a Liberty High School alumni who volunteered for Athletes for Kids and is deaf, is one of them.

“I want to give back to a community that has given so much to me,” he said.

Students are learning philanthropy at home; through community organizations, like Kiwanis and Rotary clubs; in children’s leadership groups; and in school, according to the agency’s reports.

Locally, there is an Issaquah School Board policy dedicated to ensuring students learn philanthropy before they graduate, said Superintendent Steve Rasmussen.

“Globally, we want kids to know that we’re in a world that they can impact, personally and in larger groups,” he said. “I want them to know what they do impacts the rest of the world, and it is incumbent upon them to be much wiser than my generation.”

Students in Issaquah have taken that message to heart, not just for their grades, but also in hopes of leaving their world better.

“We have to take action to see the outcome that we want,” said Lindsay Baringer, a senior at Issaquah High School who volunteers with the Issaquah Schools Foundation. “If you help out, the world will be a nicer place to live.”

Planting seeds (Volunteers of Issaquah Changing Education Mentor program)

Children and students in Issaquah can get involved at an early age by volunteering their time as a mentor for other students.

The Volunteers of Issaquah Changing Education program, funded by the foundation, helps 173 students in elementary, middle and high school each year by matching them with older students and adults.

Baringer, is one of 145 mentors, and works with a second-grader named Levi at Clark Elementary School.

The mentors help students during or after the school day as a one-on-one tutor and mentor for at least one hour per week.

“It’s been fun to work with him, and to help him learn and encourage him,” Baringer said of Levi, whom she’s mentored for two years.

“She gets to help me with math, and it gets better and better,” Levi said. “We also play games like Tic-Tac-Toe and Connect Four.”

Foundation officials carefully match students with their mentors based on a student’s strengths, desires or needs. Mentors come from many walks of life, cultures and backgrounds, and they foster social skills and motivate students to become lifelong learners, said Susan Gierke, the program’s director.

“Our volunteers feel that their time is highly valued when they see that for one hour a week they can see that they make a huge impact in the life of a student,” Gierke said.

Part of the program also requires the mentor to work with school staff members to provide appropriate tutoring and enrichment activities.

“We make sure everything is going well at home, they’re happy and learning the things they need to know, and we also contact the teacher to make sure they are on track,” Baringer said.

“Our students not only develop a relationship with their mentor, but their academics are improved with the one-on-one tutor mentoring they receive on a weekly basis,” Gierke said. “What we found is that both mentor and mentee come away with wonderful, worthwhile, valuable experience shared between the two of them.”

Helping them grow (Athletes for Kids)

Byron, a Liberty alumni and now freshman at the University of Oregon, has been deaf most of his life. But he hasn’t let that stop him from helping others.

He learned the importance of volunteering early, and chose to volunteer with Athletes for Kids, an organization that pairs special-needs students and children with high school athletes in their community as mentors.

Right now, the program has 65 trained mentors from five high schools matched with students, but 50 additional students are on the waiting list for mentors, which the organization would like to fill, said Executive Director Teresa Bretl.

“Being deaf, I’ve had a lot of help from my grandma, my neighbors, my classmates and my school,” Mitchell said. “I wanted to give back.”

For Byron and his friend Liam Dammann, a sixth-grader at Maywood Middle School, their time together makes a difference in both of their lives.

Liam’s mother, Andrea Johnson, signed him up for the program to help him learn how to be a good athlete and friend with someone closer to his age. When he interviewed Mitchell to be his mentor, they hit it off right away and have been playing catch and Wii and going to movies and sports events since.

“We spend a lot of time playing games, making up our own games and talking a lot about things,” Mitchell said, adding that Liam dreams of playing professional football after college.

“I had a bit of social issues and was being a bit aggressive, so I signed up and I met Mitchell,” Liam said. “I saw the way he acted toward people and it’s gotten better and better.

“I also saw he has a hearing disability, so he’s kinda like me,” he added. “We both have some issues, so we’re a good match.”

Even after Mitchell graduated from high school, the two boys stay in touch when Mitchell is home for breaks and through his brother Dean, a Liberty High School senior, who took over mentoring Liam.

“When I would go over to Mitchell’s house, Dean would be at the house, so I knew him,” Liam said. “Me and Dean are working out really well. He’s a soccer player, so I’ve learned how to kick a lot further like him and we have a lot of fun.”

“AFK impacted my life by allowing me the experience to be a part of someone’s life and be a positive influence to my buddy,” Mitchell wrote in an e-mail. “I got the chance to make an impact on someone else’s life, which is always good, and I hope he remembers what I taught him, which was to open up to people and believe in himself, that he can accomplish anything and be whomever he wants.”

Affecting change (Generation Joy)

At Beaver Lake Middle School, change for others is something students have specialized in for nine years as part of Generation Joy and the Beaver Lake Humanitarian Project.

“It makes me feel good to do stuff with my friends and help people around the world,” said Jordan Rabold, now a ninth-grader at the Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus.

The program started with Curtis Betzler, a science teacher, who took a trip to Ghana in 2001 and returned with an idea to help his students help other children around the world.

Each spring, Betzler and his students raise items, like clothes and school supplies, for a humanitarian drive for children in South Africa. The items are collected in March and shipped to Africa in April.

“It’s the little things that we take for granted that are their big treasures,” said Harper Guard, now a ninth-grader at Pacific Cascade.

“If I give a pencil and a piece of paper, they can learn to write. They can build a career and an education,” said Andrew Smith, another former Beaver Lake student.

After the shipment arrives, educators from the school, students and their parents pick it up and travel to villages, schools and orphanages to distribute the goods during summer vacation. To date, more than $100,000 worth of items has been donated to South Africa through Generation Joy. More than 6,200 students in 32 schools throughout South Africa were given items donated by 2,500 local students by summer 2008.

To better manage their growing efforts, Betzler and several others turned the project into a nonprofit organization last year, so they could expand their capacity to accept donations and coordinate travels to South Africa.

In 2009, 10,000 books, 20,000 pens and pencils, 1,200 pairs of shoes, 2,500 soft toys, 2,500 notebooks and packages of paper, 1,000 clothing items, 280 sports balls and 95 bicycles were collected.

Collections are now being accepted for this year’s drive.

“I’m so proud of these kids,” Betzler said. “This is the power of kids helping kids.”

The event has had such a large impact that many students who participated in middle school have continued to contribute in high school and college.

“I have kept in pretty good touch with Mr. Betzler over the years,” Patrick Horton, a Washington State University student, wrote in an e-mail. “As of now, the work with Generation Joy at the WSU campus is still in the planning stages. The Greek system at Washington State University has always been largely focused on service. Knowing this, I am really optimistic about the kinds of supplies that we will be able to raise this spring.”

“I have continued to support GenJoy by organizing the Pencils Fight Poverty Drive at Interlake, a two-week collection of pencils to help the students of South Africa through GenJoy,” Kevin Vu, a student at Interlake High School, wrote in an e-mail. “In doing this, I support both the actions and ideals that GenJoy exemplifies: how one ordinary human can do the extraordinary with the power of love.”

“When our students leave school and go into world, when someday they are all at the end of the line, we want them to look back and say ‘I made a difference. I left this place a better place than I found it.’ That is something we instill in all of our students as they become leaders of a future generation,” Rasmussen said.

Building for the future (1in2)

Leaving the world a better place is something former Issaquah students are already doing.

When both of his parents were diagnosed with different types of cancer, Mark Horoszowski was devastated.

But instead of wallowing in sorrow, he formed a plan to help others fight the fight his parents were battling. He helped organize some of the first Relay for Life events at Issaquah High School in the early 2000s.

“Both my parents were big on giving back. It was never a chore or mandatory, but always encouraged,” said Horoszowski, who is 26, living in Seattle and launching a new company called Symbol Interactive. “I felt like cancer sucks and this I can do. It is actually something I can do that directly affects my parents.”

Both of his parents survived their battle with cancer, but the experience led him to keep fighting for others, as a Relay for Life student coordinator at the University of Washington and as a volunteer ambassador with the American Cancer Society.

“I’ll get jazzed up and spend 30 minutes on a project that is big and exciting for a good cause,” he said. “What a cool break from the working world.”

His experiences have led him to new friends across the world and to found his own nonprofit organization, 1in2, with his friend Jesse Durrance, from Colorado.

The name 1in2 stands for the number of men diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, he said.

“I’m a guy. I don’t really like the odds,” he said. “My first question was, ‘What do I have to do to not be one in two?’ Then, we realized that everybody needed to know this information.”

In 2007, Horoszowski and Durrance climbed up and skied down Mount Adams, Mount Baker and Mount St. Helens, and in 2008, they climbed up and skied down Mount Rainier to promote awareness.

However, after two years, the pair realized the organization had to take on a larger role.

Today, they strive to coordinate volunteer efforts, educational tools, advocacy programs and health screening opportunities between research and health facilities and nonprofit organizations, like the American Cancer Society or the American Diabetes Association.

The bottom line is to get people living healthier lifestyles through education, so there are fewer people battling diseases that are preventable, making room for research and funding for cures.

“A big part of what we do is educating people that one-third of all cancer is attributed to not living a healthy lifestyle, like wearing sunscreen, eating vegetables and fruit, and staying away from chemicals,” he said.

“I wish my parents never had cancer and I wish, in a way, I was never involved with this,” he added. “But it is what has happened and it’s this way. It’s a cool way to give back, and its motivating, encouraging and fun.”

Here’s the good news: The Census Bureau has taken steps to ensure the process is as quick and painless as possible for residents.

The census is a short questionnaire mailed to every household across the country every 10 years. Only one census must be filled out per household, and the census will ask about the number of people living in a given household. Specifically, it will ask the ages, genders and races of the people living in the household, and their relations to the homeowner. It will also ask for a phone number.

All residents need to do is fill out the census and return it in the postage-paid envelope the Census Bureau provides. It’s as simple as that.

However, if you don’t complete the form and mail it back, a census worker will knock on your door and ask you the questions. Census workers will never ask to enter your home, and they carry identification verifying their employment with the Census Bureau.

If you are not home when a census worker knocks on your door, he or she will leave a door hanger with a contact number. Census workers will be making their rounds between April and July.

According to the Census Bureau’s Web site, participating in the census helps communities receive federal funds for things such as hospitals, job training centers, schools, senior centers, public works projects and emergency services. In total, more than $400 billion of federal funds will be distributed for such things.

Census information is also used for redistricting, the process by which electoral districts and constituency boundaries change. Redistricting is required by the U.S. Constitution.

State legislators or independent bipartisan commissions use census data to redraw district lines.

On occasion, residents have even used census data to support community initiatives, according to the Census Bureau.

The city has partnered with the census team in Issaquah to let residents know about the upcoming census and its purpose, said Autumn Monahan, Issaquah communications coordinator.

She said the city is issuing notices in its newsletters, on its Web site and on flyers at City Hall to alert residents of the upcoming census.

After you have completed the census, sit back, relax and a wait for the statistics to be announced. In December, the Census Bureau will deliver the regional population data to President Obama, and in March 2011, regional data will be added to the Census Bureau Web site for members of the public to view and use, U.S. Census Bureau Media Specialist Deni Luna said.

For 72 years, no census data for individual households is made available to anyone, including the president. However, after 72 years, census data for individual households will be made publicly available to allow individuals to track their ancestors, Luna said.

Questions about the 2010 Census

Can political organizations manipulate the census?

The census process is closely watched by Congress, the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Commerce and others. Only sworn employees of the Census Bureau conduct the census. Our partners only volunteer to help raise awareness of the coming count.

Could there be criminals working for the census?

All census workers undergo an FBI name background check. Fingerprinting has also been added as a requirement in 2010. These security measures screened out about 16 percent of the hundreds of thousands of applicants for census operations in 2009.

Will the census ask a bunch of intrusive questions?

The 2010 Census will be one of the shortest and simplest in the nation’s history. It will ask 10 basic questions, including name, gender, age, date of birth, race, household relationship and if a given home is owned or rented. It asks less personal information than a typical credit card application.

Should I be concerned about sharing my personal information?

Census information is protected by law, and everyone who works for the census must swear that they will never disclose any personal information. An employee who shares personal information could be sentenced to as much as five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Why can’t I fill out the census form on the Internet?

The Census Bureau explored this option and found that allowing individuals to fill out the census form online would not allow enough protection on individual census responses. It also found that doing so would not increase the percentage of individuals who responded, and that doing so would not save money. However, the Census Bureau is still exploring a secure Internet option for the 2020 census and other surveys.

Take the Issaquah Census*

• How many pounds of salmon did you consume last year?
• How many miles have you traveled by foot on Issaquah’s trails in the past year?
• How many times have you visited Fraternity Snoqualmie in the past year?
• How much money have you spent at Costco in the past year?
• How many XXX burgers were you able to finish in the past year?
• How many Modest Mouse albums did you purchase in the past year?
• How many pints of beer did you down at the Brew House in the past year?

* Just kidding!

Does jumping into brutally cold water sound like fun to you? On a hot summer day, it may sound like a good idea, but what about in the dead of winter? If this painfully cold combination sounds appealing, you may consider taking a polar bear plunge.

Yes, polar bear plunges are what you may expect: events where masses of people run and dive into frigid water when the weather is at its coldest. So, do you need to be completely out of your mind to participate? Not necessarily.

Polar bear plunges are held all across the country, and they are usually held as fundraising efforts. In Washington, there is a Polar Plunge series that benefits Special Olympics Washington.

The 2010 series stops at six cities, and it kicked off New Year’s Day in Lake Sammamish at Redmond’s Idylwood Park. After the kickoff, the Polar Plunge series also made stops at Alki Beach in Seattle and Columbia Park in Kennewick.

The series also stopped at Sarg Hubbard Park in Yakima Feb. 13, Walla Walla Point Park in Wenatchee Feb. 20 and Medical Lake Waterfront Park in Medical Lake Feb. 26. Visit Special Olympics Washington’s Web site for more information on upcoming plunges.

It seemed covering the series’ kickoff would make for a chillingly good article. However, since the event was in Redmond, the story needed an Issaquah connection, which meant finding Issaquah residents who were taking the plunge. This turned out to be quite difficult during the holiday season, and I was forced to resort to my plan B: take the plunge myself.

New Year’s Day quickly rolled around, and with no word from Issaquah residents, I suited up in my tropical-looking board shorts, grabbed a change of clothes and headed to the lake.

The actual plunge was preceded by drinking hot beverages, eating tiny sandwiches donated by Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches and the presentation of the “best costume” award, as some individuals came to the plunge dressed in insane outfits. There was even one man dressed as a voluptuous hula girl.

Then, the moment came. All of the plungers lined up on the shore, and after a short countdown, we all took to the water. Knowing the process would be analogous to ripping off a Band-Aid, I ran as fast as I could until I reached knee-deep water, and then I performed a triumphant belly flop.

The water temperature was somewhere near 45 degrees, and the experience of diving in felt like getting hit by a brick wall. Every muscle seemed to contract as if each was screaming out in shock, and I hurried to the shore as soon as I was back on my feet. Total elapsed time in water: about 10 seconds. Extremities left with feeling: none.

Next came the process of recovery. Somehow, my knee was bleeding. There was goose poop stuck to the bottom of my numb feet. I was shivering uncontrollably.

What proved to be particularly tricky was fitting my shoes on my numb feet with hands that were virtually too cold to function.

However, after putting on a dry sweatshirt, warming up didn’t take long, and knowing I had contributed to a good cause by donating to Washington Special Olympics to participate helped keep the warm feeling going inside.

Ironically, before taking the plunge, I got acquainted with several Issaquah residents who were participating: Ben and Keith Nussbaum, both 13, and Connor Broughton and Henry Dees, both 12. The boys had heard about the plunge and decided to make a splash themselves.

The cold water didn’t seem to faze them as much as it did me, thus proving their toughness. In fact, Ben, Keith and Connor are members of the Issaquah Swim Team, and they vowed to return next year with more of their teammates. If it weren’t for the charitable aspect of the event, I would have no choice but to conclude these boys are a little bit nuts.

Event organizers declared the event a success, and they thanked participants for their pledges, of which the minimum was $50. In total, the New Year’s Day plunge raised more than $10,000, and event organizer Lt. Tim Gately, of the Redmond Police Department, said the department plans to host the plunge at the same time and place next year.

In fact, Gately and several of his fellow officers even took the plunge … in uniform.

“It stings the lungs at first, but then it’s kind of refreshing,” Gately said.

While it may be an addition to the city’s beauty — depending on your tastes — you may have driven by more than one of the pieces and wondered, “What is that?”  Well, here are some answers to some pieces you may have wondered about.

Have others that we didn’t list? Send them to editor@isspress.com.

Chefchaouen door

Location: City Hall

Artist: Omar Ettaleb El Alami and Ahmed Benyoussef, from Chefchaouen

Architects: Omar Herras, Brett Dean, BAD/CAD

Engineer: Terry Baldwin, B&T Design & Engineering

Contractor: WYN Property Maintenance

Installation: April 2008

Funded by: Arts Commission

Story: Since beginning a relationship with Chefchaouen, Morocco, through a local student’s study abroad program, both cities have enjoyed a relationship of cultural exchange. ‘This traditional door is a gift from the city and the people of Chefchaouen, Morocco, to the city and people of Issaquah. The gift’s message is one of welcome and friendship. Once you enter through the doors, you are welcomed into our homes and lives and are among friends and family,’ the dedication plaque says.

‘Linda Ruehle’

Location: City Hall

Artist: Rich Beyer with assistant Steve Love

Installation date: Salmon Days 2001

Funded by: Rowley Enterprises, Arts Commission, Microsoft, Talus, Port Blakely Communities

Story: Ruehle was the city clerk for 30 years. In recognition of her dedication to businesses, community groups, city officials and residents, members of the community commissioned the statue in her memory.

‘Reaching Home’

Location: Issaquah Hatchery

Artist: Tom Jay

Installation: Finley (1997) and Gilda (1998)

Funded by: Friends of Issaquah Salmon Hatchery and city Arts Commission.

Story: Officials purchased the piece as a visual and hands-on rendering of salmon during the spawning season for educational purposes at the hatchery. The pair got their names, Finley and Gilda, from a public naming contest.

‘The Valiant Effort’

Location: City Hall

Artist: Doug Eck

Installation: January 2000

Funded by: Arts Commission

Story: Heroic and patriotic, the bronze eagle depicted in ‘The Valiant Effort,’ is a tribute to the city’s police department. Artist Doug Eck is a descendant of Issaquah’s pioneer Eck family. City officials believe it is an outstanding depiction of Issaquah’s enduring spirit.

‘Logging steam pull’

Location: Rainier Boulevard Park

Company: Puget Sound Iron and Steel Works

Built: Between 1895 and 1910Dedicated to: Ted Cook Jr.

Donated by: Issaquah History Museums

Story: This early road engine, or steam donkey engine, as they were most commonly called, helped once clear-cut vast mountainsides of timber in the Puget Sound area. It was abandoned in Tacoma’s Green River watershed at 2,600 feet before making its final home Issaquah as a donation by Ted Cook Jr. It was later dedicated in his memory. Engines like this once helped clear-cut all of the tops of the Issaquah Alps during the beginning of the city’s logging industry and helped build Issaquah’s economy.

‘Kateri Brow Memorial Raven Sculptures’

Location: Issaquah Library

Artist: Robert W. Cooke

Installation: 2000

Funded by: Schools advocates who wanted to honor Kateri Brow in a public way

Story: Kateri Brow was an Issaquah School District superintendent from 1986-1992. There are three life-sized raven sculptures around and outside the library to honor her memory and dedication to learning. There’s a raven outside the library with a book, which says, ‘Knowledge makes all things possible;’ there’s a raven flying into the library and a raven with ‘keys of knowledge’ in its talons. The three sculptures present a sense of a community working together at the library.

‘Zephyr’

Location: Rainier Boulevard Park

Artist: Andrew Carson

Installation: 2004

Funded by: City Arts Commission

Story: Arts Commission members received the piece as a part of their ‘loaned art’ program. The program allows city officials to try out a piece of art and gauge the public’s interest in purchasing it. The ‘Zephyr’ was extremely popular, so they purchased it to keep as a piece of public art.

‘Copper Clad’

Location: Front Street

Artist: Jason Paul Dillon

Installation: 2007

Funded by: Arts Commission

Story: ‘Copper Clad’ was temporarily installed along Front Street North near the Hailstone Feed Store, at the request of DownTown Issaquah Association officials who use the store as their headquarters. Old ‘Copper Clad’ quickly turned into a conversation piece among residents and visitors and has been there since.

‘Fathers of the Issaquah Valley’

Location: Gilman Boulevard Artist: Boris Spivak

Installation: 2001

Funded by: George ‘Skip’ Rowley Jr.

Story: The sculpture celebrates ‘the connection between history, families and land while honoring the shift from an agricultural area to what is now known as the suburban city we call Issaquah,’ according to the sculpture’s plaque. It was commissioned by George ‘Skip’ Rowley Jr. to honor his father, Issaquah developer George Rowley Sr., (seated, left) and Issaquah residents Henry Bergsma (seated, right) and his son Bill Bergsma Sr. (standing). The Bergsmas owned and operated the Issaquah Valley Dairy from 1930-1962 until they sold it to George Rowley Sr., who began selling and developing the land. Today, the Hyla Crossing development stands on the site of the former farm.
‘The Dig’

Location: Gilman Boulevard

Artist: Brian Goldbloom

Installation: 1993

Funded by: King County Arts Commission and the city Arts Commission

Story: The piece, made of Cascade granite, was purchased to commemorate the Issaquah Centennial in 1992. The sculpture was paid for with funding from the hotel/motel tax. The piece includes several pieces of granite lying on the ground, a standing broken granite piece and a granite bench on the west side of Front Street North. Together, the pieces represent a historical or archeological dig, said Parks and Recreation Director Anne McGill, who was with the city at the time. The elements combine various aspects of the city’s history, including its tie to the railroad, fishing and mining industries.
‘Man-Who-Eats-Lots-of Fish’

‘Man-That-Becomes-The-Moon’

‘Song Carrier’

Location: Beaver Lake Park

Artist: David Horsley and David Boxley

Installation: 1992-1999

Funded by: King County Public Art Program

Story: The totem and story poles were placed at Beaver Lake Park, because the area was once part of American Indians’ summer lands. Tsimshian artist David Boxley and adopted Snoqualmie artist David Horsley created the American Indian artworks for Beaver Lake Park. During the artists’ residencies with 4 Culture, thousands of students and adults experienced the artists’ extraordinary carving skills, heard the stories of the poles and learned about the differences between the Tsimshian tribes of Alaska and British Columbia and the Salish Tribes of the Puget Sound, according to the 4 Culture Web site.

‘Under story’

Location: Issaquah Highlands

Artist: Jean Whitesavage and Nick Lyle

Installation: 2003

Funded by: Sound Transit

Story: The enlarged plants and flowers reflect those found in Issaquah’s forest under story. The artwork was purchased while improvements were being made to the Sunset Way and Interstate 90 interchange. Sound Transit, state Department of Transportation and city officials, as well as local artists, chose the pieces to reflect the area’s native flora. The pieces are made from iron and were forged using blacksmith techniques. They may be orange at the time of this publication, but keep an eye out for them to turn color soon as they’ll be repainted this year.

‘Miracle Grow’

Location: Issaquah Highlands

Artist: Leon White

Installation date: 2005

Funded by: City Arts Commission

Story: The piece was part of the city Arts Commission Loaned Art program. The piece was placed in the highlands to recognize their annexation to the city. After a survey of highlands residents, Arts Commission officials found it was popular with the residents and purchased it.