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Shelton Mason County Journal
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April 15, 1999     Shelton Mason County Journal
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April 15, 1999
 
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: i I:' Serving Belfair -- Allyn -- Grapeview -- Tahuya April 15, 1999 -- Mason Lake -- South Shore -- Victor Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal s first state legislator g the ropes in Olympia and ON Is a bona fide, card-car- ng Belfair resi- this community Legislature for the Representa- Eickmeyer lives on 'eek Road by North is his second year e in Olympia. leyer finished out Tim final as 35th Dis- for 1998, then to the two-year post along the way, he's few things about poli- People. "It's a brutal Period, the wolf-pit theo- he said. "They you to the wolves You survive." hae" 56th Legislature ck in January, Eick- learned the subtleties on a first-hand ba- been in charge boss. But here, I've that there are a lot Vith a lot of knowledge topics. And we all )le and accept ained the importance of Understand the con- things. Know- of the bills and the them, all helps him comfortable with the on those bills. He Democratic co-chair Economic Develop- and Trade Com- is a member of the and Family Ser- and the House Committee. AND wisdom ant in the legislature. brings some of both table, said Eick- OWn strengths are in lervices and dealing of Social Services. The other Coin is being humble realize that "your are both long and he proved himself a his woman with his isn't right." and Stevie Wonder recorded the song How Long," which i'domestic violence these words. 'ational Boys and 11-17, the presented a Boys and Girls Club for the HOPE group, Helping was tit award for their for Hitting" pre- domestic vio- express my heart- to the outstand- of the HOPE Torch well done," wrote National Torch in his congratula- group. CLUB is made :s ages 11-13, both Ison is the who serves as er Jason Peterson, Bill Eickmeyer deep," he said. The second-year representative appreciates the ex- pertise that his fellow legislators, committee staff members and lob- byists possess. Chuckling, Eickmeyer explains his take on learning from the best. "There are some people here who've really perfected grand- standing and posturing; there are also some very good negotiators too," said the Belfair resident. "I sometimes precede my speeches on the floor by announcing that I'm going to be doing a little grandstanding. This always elic- its a little chuckle from my peers, but I still get my point across." The most frustrating experi- ence he's had is staying on course, keeping the goals in mind. "Good public policy is the goal, and you need to set aside 'your personal desires and animosities," he said. "Sometimes the wisest thing to do is to withdraw." Another thing he has found frustrating is people in leadership who place limits up front of what they WON'T do. For Eickmeyer, one of the posi- tives of working as a legislator is the opportunity to work with the troops. "I'm pleased to work with these people," he said. "To pass a bill requires surviving the scruti- ny of both parties, and that will make for better laws." Eickmeyer says he sometimes comes up with grandiose ideas, but that he needs detail people to balance him. That's when he re- lies on Phil Rockefeller, a fellow Democrat out of Silverdale. "He can fine tune the ideas and keep me focused on the important stuff." EICKMEYER described be- coming sleep-deprived during his first session last year when he chose to commute from home each day. There simply wasn't enough time in a day to do everything, and then drive home to Belfair. This year, however, he's rented an apartment in Olympia, which allows him to attend evening meetings and events he would otherwise miss. "There are sometimes up to four events going on in the evenings and it's im- portant to attend some of these," he said. While learning the ropes in Olympia, there's also a little care- free atmosphere that accompa- nies new legislators. When your first sponsored-bill comes up for a vote, there are a number of people who will say derogatory things about it, and everyone will vote 'No,' Eickmeyer recalls from first- hand experience. The 'No' votes are lit up on a board for all to see as the new representative sinks into his seat wondering how he could have been so wrong! Then, just prior to the votes be- ing locked in, they're changed to reflect the true vote of each repre- sentative. "And your heart sinks to your stomach. It's a rite of passage," said Eickmeyer. "When your first bill passes, you are ac- corded a standing ovation." ONE CAN SEE that Eick- meyer is in his element while serving his constituents at the state capital. His enthusiasm and dedication are an asset to the en- tire legislative process. During this 105-day session, which is scheduled to end April 25, Eick- meyer has sponsored three bills and one amendment. His meas- ure, House Bill 1212, states that Washington citizens living out of state wouldn't need to renew their driver's licenses in person. A Bremerton woman working in Italy for the United States De- partment of Defense contacted Eickmeyer's office last year to note a problem regarding her Washington driver's license. Eick- meyer immediately took action. Provisions of the legislation have already been approved by the House and Senate. Eickmeyer said that other Washington citi- zens out of state for work or trav- el for a year or less could get their driver's license extended by writ- ing to the department. If they ex- pected to be out of state for more than a year, they would be able to write the department asking to renew their license by mail. "Military dependents stationed away from Washington and other citizens spending time away from our state should be able to get their driver's license extended - or, if they're staying out of state longer than a year, renewed - by writing to the department," said Eickmeyer. "They shouldn't have to travel back to Washington to do this." THE LEGISLATION, now headed to the Senate Rules Com- mittee for the scheduling of floor action, directs that out-of-state Washington drivers would be re- quired to go to a license office to get an eye exam within 60 days of their return to Washington. Not only has Belfair's first state legislator become acclimat- ed to the ins and outs of politick- ing, he's also become very reliant on his legislative assistant, Jean McMilian. "She's like a command post," said an appreciative Eick- meyer. "She keeps me informed and on track, and I'd be lost with- out her." All in all, Eickmeyer feels that serving as a state legislator is a labor of love. "You have to main- tain a good sense of humor," he says. "If you can't laugh at your- self, you're gonna be hurting." The session has been intense, but Eickmeyer seems to thrive on it. When it concludes, he hopes to take his sons on a trip, possibly up the Al-Can Highway for some fishing. Club receives award president of the group, introduces the group and the song when they perform. The kids themselves choreographed the moves that tell the story of a beautiful, well-edu- cated woman who fell in love with the wrong kind of man, and died at his hands, regardless of the signs that friends and loved ones saw, but ignored. In California, Ison had occa- sion to meet Denice Brown, an advocate against domestic violence, who gave her informa- tion about the Minnesota Coali- tion for Abused Women. The coa- lition had helped the children of her murdered sister, Nicole Brown Simpson, following her death. The slogan "Hands are not for hitting" came from the Minne- sota organization. Later, at a convention in Flori- da, Ison met actor Edward James Olmos, who shared a video with Boys and Girls Club workers ex- posing date violence in an effort to promote healthy dating rela- tionships. Performers in the video were students. THEN WHEN SHE heard the song by Babyface and Won- der, she challenged the Torch Club's dance class here to portray diverted diverted from the portion of several hours 9. A loaded by Shearer overturned. not injured, nor to be at fault, ac- Spokesperson for With State Route 3 between Belfair and Allyn out-of-commis- sion since November 20, 1998, due to landslides, the (Victor Cut- off) detour road is heavily trav- eled. Traffic was routed through Key Center and South Kitsap from the Allyn and Victor end of the road. The other re-route is via Trails End Road. the words in choreography. The kids took this on as a long-term project. Following their perfor- mances, audience members are invited to place a painted palm print on a banner signifying their pledge that hands are not for hit- ting. "The kids take this very seriously," said Ison. The Haw- kins Middle School students have given a number of performances throughout the area in the last year. They look forward to shar- ing their program in Bellevue and in Oregon, as well as other local schools in the future. For more in- formation, or to schedule a perfor- mance, contact Ruby Ison at (360) 275-7805. NMHS scholars honored North Mason High School sen- iors Rebekah Feldermann and Aaron Hendrickson have been named Washington Scholars. They will join a select group of 147 high-school seniors who will be honored at a luncheon in Olympia on May 3. The Washington Scholars pro- gram was enacted by the state legislature in 1981 for the pur- pose of honoring three graduating high school seniors from each leg- islative district. Students are se- lected for their academic achieve- ments, leadership abilities and participation in community activ- ities. The program is adminis- tered by the Higher Education Board in cooperation with the Washington Association of Sec- ondary School Principals. "These are some very well bal- anced kids," said high-school principal Mark Flatau. HENDRICKSON'S achieve- ments and accomplishments in- clude being selected as the 1999 American Legion "Eagle Scout of the Year" for Washington State. He currently has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedic- torian of the senior class. His work outside of the classroom is just as impressive. He finds time to be involved with Distributive Educational Clubs of America (DECA), National Honor Society, Knowledge Bowl, student govern- ment and athletics. This year he competed at the Washington State Cross Country Champion- ships. In addition to the above accom- plishments, Hendrickson is very active with his church and its youth programs. He is a techni- cian licensed amateur radio op- erator and is a registered emer- NMHS PRINCIPAL Mark Flatau is flanked by Washing- ton scholars Aaron Hendrickson and Rebekah Felder- mann. gency worker for Mason County. He plans to pursue a major in in- ternational business at Brigham Young University in the fall. Feldermann, also a North Ma- son senior, has a 3.99 grade-point average and is the high school's salutatorian. She is a Prudential Spirit of the Community State Honoree and a Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citi- zen finalist. FELDERMANN also played on the varsity volleyball team, serving as team captain and be- ing honored as the most valuable player this year. Recently, she or- ganized a book drive to benefit underprivileged children in the community. This spring, she will be teaching other students how to plan successful community ser- vice projects at the Future Home- makers of America State Confer- ence. She too plans on attending Brigham Young University this fall, pursuing a degree in orthope- dic medicine. Both students are courtesy clerks at the Belfair QFC. "They are both great employees," said store manager Randy Baetschig- er. "Aaron and Bekah show that we have quality young people in our communities that make a dif- ference. These young people de- serve the recognition." State Representative of the 35th District Bill Eickmeyer mir- rored those sentiments. "This is a wonderful honor and I offer my sincere congratulations on being chosen as a Washington Scholar for 1999." St. Vincent's grand opening today It's Grand Opening time at the new St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Belfair, located at 23632 State Route 3, the former Belfair Hardware store. Today, Thurs- day, April 15, through Saturday, April 17, is the Grand Opening Celebration. St. Vincent's had previously been in business in the Red Barn across the highway from the Timberland Library. President of the 1Dcal St. Vin- cent's, Valerie Bush, is pleased that there is plenty of parking available, and the store is visible from the highway. It's all on one level now, and is about half again as large as the previous store, she said. As you step in through the glass doors, you feel a sense of spaciousness and light. The shelv- ing on the walls goes up high for maximum visibility of the mer- chandise. There's plenty of room between displays on the floor, as well. And, according to Bush, business is doing great. Store hours are 9.'30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Satur- day. There will be various grand opening drawings during the three-day event, with prizes for both children and adults, plus one grand prize. Children will want to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar, and one will be the lucky winner of all those jelly beans! "ST. VINNIE'S," AS it is af- fectionately called, is, of course, a second-hand store. You'll find a little bit of everything in stock: books, videos, toys, puzzles, cloth- ing for all ages and all occasions, bedding, jewelry, sewing and craft items, kitchenware, lamps and more items than you can look at in one visit. Store Manager Richard Ross was hopeful that the furniture annex, in the former Belfair Glass and Radiator build- ing, would be open by the time you read this newspaper. Following a three-year search, St. Vincent's purchased the prop- erty, including both the old hard- ware store and radiator shop buildings, from Ernie, Shirley and Harold Aries, signing the fi- nal papers in late February. The store opened in March, and they moved into the office space in the front building in April. The store is actually owned by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Prince of Peace Conference. It is an extension of the Catholic church in Belfair. Worldwide, the society is run by lay individuals, said Bush, the local conference president. The society is a charitable or- ganization that helps people with- in the boundaries of the church area: the county line on the north, to the Sherwood Creek bridge in Allyn, and down South Shore to Union. ACCORDING TO Bush, there are 10 paid employees, and 7 volunteers who keep the store running. She is a volunteer, and runs the charity end of business. They had quite a bit of help from community service workers through the county for the move, she said. St. Vinnie's cooperates with the state's work training program for welfare recipients. They have a good working relationship with the North Mason Food Bank, sometimes giving folks what the food bank cannot supply, sometimes passing items along to the food bank for distribution. The nonprofit organization re- ceives income in three ways: pri- vate donations, church tithe, and retail sales. "After expenses, the money goes into our aid pro- gram," Bush said. Aid is given in the form of food, utilities assis- tance, and in-kind service, includ- ing some of the items off the shelves in the store. They never give out cash, but can extend credit for items such as gasoline or prescriptions. The society has assisted fami- lies during holidays, and with back-to-school supplies. They con- ducted the Angel Tree program with the generous cooperation of Belfair Drug at Christmastime. They have a good working rela- tionship with the various church- es and agencies in the North Ma- son area, and are pleased to have the new location to better serve their customers and their clients. Relay For Life needs more volltTlteers The local Relay For Life event, scheduled for June 18-19 to bene- fit cancer research, will hold a Committee Planning meeting on Wednesday, April 21, at Pioneer School from 7-9 p.m. The gist of the meeting will be to discuss and hopefully fill va- cant committee responsibilities. "We still have quite a few vacant areas that need help," said Tracey Harrison, co-chair for the event. Safeway breaks ground Safeway finally broke ground last week on construc- tion of a 42,500 square-foot store. Belfair's second major supermarket is being built at the intersection of State Route 3 and Clifton Lane, now known as Belfair Valley Plaza. Safeway officials say the store will open sometime this fall. Currently, the Relay For Life needs include numerous people to help clean up after the event ends at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 19; people to collect trash during the 24-hour event; volunteers to set out and light luminaries (paper bags with candles) at midnight on Friday, June 18; traffic control volunteers; and a logistics chair- man. THE LUMINARY ceremony will no doubt be moving. Dozens of candles, lit inside of brown pa- per bags, will outline the entire track. Candles are lit in the mem- ory of loved ones lost to cancer, and also as a triumphant remin- der of those who have survived the throws of cancer. According to Harrison, to date, about 37 teams have signed up lo- cally. "It's all about fun, it's all about teams, it's all about sur- vivors, it's all about hope, and it's all about you," she said. "Cancer is a disease that touches the life of everyone. One in three people will have some kind of cancer at some time in their life." Harrison says that in addition to the Mason County Relay For Life campaign, there will also be about 2,500 other such events held around the country. This is the first year Mason County will hold its own relay. The local theme is Together We Can. It will be held at North Mason High School. Locally, the goal is to raise $35,000. Relay History The first Mason County Relay For Life is the continuation of a [RELAY A TEAI EVENT TO FIGHT CANCER vision and dedication of one man in Tacoma. In 1985, Dr. Gordon Klatt ran and walked around the track at the University of Puget Sound for 24 hours, raising about $27,000 for the American Cancer Society. Dr. Klatt traveled 81 miles that day, but little did he envision the journey that lay ahead. His dream to create a relay- style event was realized the fol- lowing year when 19 teams par- ticipated in the first Relay For Life. Thus, the original 24-hour relay against cancer was born. The event expanded in Wash- ington and across the nation. The Relay has become the signature event for the American Cancer Society nationwide with more than 2,500 communities partici- pating in 1998, raising in excess of $85 million. THANKS TO the dedication of volunteers and teams across the country, the Relay will contin- ue to grow until we win the battle against cancer. If you would like to assist in this worthwhile cause, please con- tact Tracey Harrison at 275-2656, or Selena Meyers at 426-9367. : i I:' Serving Belfair -- Allyn -- Grapeview -- Tahuya April 15, 1999 -- Mason Lake -- South Shore -- Victor Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal s first state legislator g the ropes in Olympia and ON Is a bona fide, card-car- ng Belfair resi- this community Legislature for the Representa- Eickmeyer lives on 'eek Road by North is his second year e in Olympia. leyer finished out Tim final as 35th Dis- for 1998, then to the two-year post along the way, he's few things about poli- People. "It's a brutal Period, the wolf-pit theo- he said. "They you to the wolves You survive." hae" 56th Legislature ck in January, Eick- learned the subtleties on a first-hand ba- been in charge boss. But here, I've that there are a lot Vith a lot of knowledge topics. And we all )le and accept ained the importance of Understand the con- things. Know- of the bills and the them, all helps him comfortable with the on those bills. He Democratic co-chair Economic Develop- and Trade Com- is a member of the and Family Ser- and the House Committee. AND wisdom ant in the legislature. brings some of both table, said Eick- OWn strengths are in lervices and dealing of Social Services. The other Coin is being humble realize that "your are both long and he proved himself a his woman with his isn't right." and Stevie Wonder recorded the song How Long," which i'domestic violence these words. 'ational Boys and 11-17, the presented a Boys and Girls Club for the HOPE group, Helping was tit award for their for Hitting" pre- domestic vio- express my heart- to the outstand- of the HOPE Torch well done," wrote National Torch in his congratula- group. CLUB is made :s ages 11-13, both Ison is the who serves as er Jason Peterson, Bill Eickmeyer deep," he said. The second-year representative appreciates the ex- pertise that his fellow legislators, committee staff members and lob- byists possess. Chuckling, Eickmeyer explains his take on learning from the best. "There are some people here who've really perfected grand- standing and posturing; there are also some very good negotiators too," said the Belfair resident. "I sometimes precede my speeches on the floor by announcing that I'm going to be doing a little grandstanding. This always elic- its a little chuckle from my peers, but I still get my point across." The most frustrating experi- ence he's had is staying on course, keeping the goals in mind. "Good public policy is the goal, and you need to set aside 'your personal desires and animosities," he said. "Sometimes the wisest thing to do is to withdraw." Another thing he has found frustrating is people in leadership who place limits up front of what they WON'T do. For Eickmeyer, one of the posi- tives of working as a legislator is the opportunity to work with the troops. "I'm pleased to work with these people," he said. "To pass a bill requires surviving the scruti- ny of both parties, and that will make for better laws." Eickmeyer says he sometimes comes up with grandiose ideas, but that he needs detail people to balance him. That's when he re- lies on Phil Rockefeller, a fellow Democrat out of Silverdale. "He can fine tune the ideas and keep me focused on the important stuff." EICKMEYER described be- coming sleep-deprived during his first session last year when he chose to commute from home each day. There simply wasn't enough time in a day to do everything, and then drive home to Belfair. This year, however, he's rented an apartment in Olympia, which allows him to attend evening meetings and events he would otherwise miss. "There are sometimes up to four events going on in the evenings and it's im- portant to attend some of these," he said. While learning the ropes in Olympia, there's also a little care- free atmosphere that accompa- nies new legislators. When your first sponsored-bill comes up for a vote, there are a number of people who will say derogatory things about it, and everyone will vote 'No,' Eickmeyer recalls from first- hand experience. The 'No' votes are lit up on a board for all to see as the new representative sinks into his seat wondering how he could have been so wrong! Then, just prior to the votes be- ing locked in, they're changed to reflect the true vote of each repre- sentative. "And your heart sinks to your stomach. It's a rite of passage," said Eickmeyer. "When your first bill passes, you are ac- corded a standing ovation." ONE CAN SEE that Eick- meyer is in his element while serving his constituents at the state capital. His enthusiasm and dedication are an asset to the en- tire legislative process. During this 105-day session, which is scheduled to end April 25, Eick- meyer has sponsored three bills and one amendment. His meas- ure, House Bill 1212, states that Washington citizens living out of state wouldn't need to renew their driver's licenses in person. A Bremerton woman working in Italy for the United States De- partment of Defense contacted Eickmeyer's office last year to note a problem regarding her Washington driver's license. Eick- meyer immediately took action. Provisions of the legislation have already been approved by the House and Senate. Eickmeyer said that other Washington citi- zens out of state for work or trav- el for a year or less could get their driver's license extended by writ- ing to the department. If they ex- pected to be out of state for more than a year, they would be able to write the department asking to renew their license by mail. "Military dependents stationed away from Washington and other citizens spending time away from our state should be able to get their driver's license extended - or, if they're staying out of state longer than a year, renewed - by writing to the department," said Eickmeyer. "They shouldn't have to travel back to Washington to do this." THE LEGISLATION, now headed to the Senate Rules Com- mittee for the scheduling of floor action, directs that out-of-state Washington drivers would be re- quired to go to a license office to get an eye exam within 60 days of their return to Washington. Not only has Belfair's first state legislator become acclimat- ed to the ins and outs of politick- ing, he's also become very reliant on his legislative assistant, Jean McMilian. "She's like a command post," said an appreciative Eick- meyer. "She keeps me informed and on track, and I'd be lost with- out her." All in all, Eickmeyer feels that serving as a state legislator is a labor of love. "You have to main- tain a good sense of humor," he says. "If you can't laugh at your- self, you're gonna be hurting." The session has been intense, but Eickmeyer seems to thrive on it. When it concludes, he hopes to take his sons on a trip, possibly up the Al-Can Highway for some fishing. Club receives award president of the group, introduces the group and the song when they perform. The kids themselves choreographed the moves that tell the story of a beautiful, well-edu- cated woman who fell in love with the wrong kind of man, and died at his hands, regardless of the signs that friends and loved ones saw, but ignored. In California, Ison had occa- sion to meet Denice Brown, an advocate against domestic violence, who gave her informa- tion about the Minnesota Coali- tion for Abused Women. The coa- lition had helped the children of her murdered sister, Nicole Brown Simpson, following her death. The slogan "Hands are not for hitting" came from the Minne- sota organization. Later, at a convention in Flori- da, Ison met actor Edward James Olmos, who shared a video with Boys and Girls Club workers ex- posing date violence in an effort to promote healthy dating rela- tionships. Performers in the video were students. THEN WHEN SHE heard the song by Babyface and Won- der, she challenged the Torch Club's dance class here to portray diverted diverted from the portion of several hours 9. A loaded by Shearer overturned. not injured, nor to be at fault, ac- Spokesperson for With State Route 3 between Belfair and Allyn out-of-commis- sion since November 20, 1998, due to landslides, the (Victor Cut- off) detour road is heavily trav- eled. Traffic was routed through Key Center and South Kitsap from the Allyn and Victor end of the road. The other re-route is via Trails End Road. the words in choreography. The kids took this on as a long-term project. Following their perfor- mances, audience members are invited to place a painted palm print on a banner signifying their pledge that hands are not for hit- ting. "The kids take this very seriously," said Ison. The Haw- kins Middle School students have given a number of performances throughout the area in the last year. They look forward to shar- ing their program in Bellevue and in Oregon, as well as other local schools in the future. For more in- formation, or to schedule a perfor- mance, contact Ruby Ison at (360) 275-7805. NMHS scholars honored North Mason High School sen- iors Rebekah Feldermann and Aaron Hendrickson have been named Washington Scholars. They will join a select group of 147 high-school seniors who will be honored at a luncheon in Olympia on May 3. The Washington Scholars pro- gram was enacted by the state legislature in 1981 for the pur- pose of honoring three graduating high school seniors from each leg- islative district. Students are se- lected for their academic achieve- ments, leadership abilities and participation in community activ- ities. The program is adminis- tered by the Higher Education Board in cooperation with the Washington Association of Sec- ondary School Principals. "These are some very well bal- anced kids," said high-school principal Mark Flatau. HENDRICKSON'S achieve- ments and accomplishments in- clude being selected as the 1999 American Legion "Eagle Scout of the Year" for Washington State. He currently has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedic- torian of the senior class. His work outside of the classroom is just as impressive. He finds time to be involved with Distributive Educational Clubs of America (DECA), National Honor Society, Knowledge Bowl, student govern- ment and athletics. This year he competed at the Washington State Cross Country Champion- ships. In addition to the above accom- plishments, Hendrickson is very active with his church and its youth programs. He is a techni- cian licensed amateur radio op- erator and is a registered emer- NMHS PRINCIPAL Mark Flatau is flanked by Washing- ton scholars Aaron Hendrickson and Rebekah Felder- mann. gency worker for Mason County. He plans to pursue a major in in- ternational business at Brigham Young University in the fall. Feldermann, also a North Ma- son senior, has a 3.99 grade-point average and is the high school's salutatorian. She is a Prudential Spirit of the Community State Honoree and a Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citi- zen finalist. FELDERMANN also played on the varsity volleyball team, serving as team captain and be- ing honored as the most valuable player this year. Recently, she or- ganized a book drive to benefit underprivileged children in the community. This spring, she will be teaching other students how to plan successful community ser- vice projects at the Future Home- makers of America State Confer- ence. She too plans on attending Brigham Young University this fall, pursuing a degree in orthope- dic medicine. Both students are courtesy clerks at the Belfair QFC. "They are both great employees," said store manager Randy Baetschig- er. "Aaron and Bekah show that we have quality young people in our communities that make a dif- ference. These young people de- serve the recognition." State Representative of the 35th District Bill Eickmeyer mir- rored those sentiments. "This is a wonderful honor and I offer my sincere congratulations on being chosen as a Washington Scholar for 1999." St. Vincent's grand opening today It's Grand Opening time at the new St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Belfair, located at 23632 State Route 3, the former Belfair Hardware store. Today, Thurs- day, April 15, through Saturday, April 17, is the Grand Opening Celebration. St. Vincent's had previously been in business in the Red Barn across the highway from the Timberland Library. President of the 1Dcal St. Vin- cent's, Valerie Bush, is pleased that there is plenty of parking available, and the store is visible from the highway. It's all on one level now, and is about half again as large as the previous store, she said. As you step in through the glass doors, you feel a sense of spaciousness and light. The shelv- ing on the walls goes up high for maximum visibility of the mer- chandise. There's plenty of room between displays on the floor, as well. And, according to Bush, business is doing great. Store hours are 9.'30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Satur- day. There will be various grand opening drawings during the three-day event, with prizes for both children and adults, plus one grand prize. Children will want to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar, and one will be the lucky winner of all those jelly beans! "ST. VINNIE'S," AS it is af- fectionately called, is, of course, a second-hand store. You'll find a little bit of everything in stock: books, videos, toys, puzzles, cloth- ing for all ages and all occasions, bedding, jewelry, sewing and craft items, kitchenware, lamps and more items than you can look at in one visit. Store Manager Richard Ross was hopeful that the furniture annex, in the former Belfair Glass and Radiator build- ing, would be open by the time you read this newspaper. Following a three-year search, St. Vincent's purchased the prop- erty, including both the old hard- ware store and radiator shop buildings, from Ernie, Shirley and Harold Aries, signing the fi- nal papers in late February. The store opened in March, and they moved into the office space in the front building in April. The store is actually owned by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Prince of Peace Conference. It is an extension of the Catholic church in Belfair. Worldwide, the society is run by lay individuals, said Bush, the local conference president. The society is a charitable or- ganization that helps people with- in the boundaries of the church area: the county line on the north, to the Sherwood Creek bridge in Allyn, and down South Shore to Union. ACCORDING TO Bush, there are 10 paid employees, and 7 volunteers who keep the store running. She is a volunteer, and runs the charity end of business. They had quite a bit of help from community service workers through the county for the move, she said. St. Vinnie's cooperates with the state's work training program for welfare recipients. They have a good working relationship with the North Mason Food Bank, sometimes giving folks what the food bank cannot supply, sometimes passing items along to the food bank for distribution. The nonprofit organization re- ceives income in three ways: pri- vate donations, church tithe, and retail sales. "After expenses, the money goes into our aid pro- gram," Bush said. Aid is given in the form of food, utilities assis- tance, and in-kind service, includ- ing some of the items off the shelves in the store. They never give out cash, but can extend credit for items such as gasoline or prescriptions. The society has assisted fami- lies during holidays, and with back-to-school supplies. They con- ducted the Angel Tree program with the generous cooperation of Belfair Drug at Christmastime. They have a good working rela- tionship with the various church- es and agencies in the North Ma- son area, and are pleased to have the new location to better serve their customers and their clients. Relay For Life needs more volltTlteers The local Relay For Life event, scheduled for June 18-19 to bene- fit cancer research, will hold a Committee Planning meeting on Wednesday, April 21, at Pioneer School from 7-9 p.m. The gist of the meeting will be to discuss and hopefully fill va- cant committee responsibilities. "We still have quite a few vacant areas that need help," said Tracey Harrison, co-chair for the event. Safeway breaks ground Safeway finally broke ground last week on construc- tion of a 42,500 square-foot store. Belfair's second major supermarket is being built at the intersection of State Route 3 and Clifton Lane, now known as Belfair Valley Plaza. Safeway officials say the store will open sometime this fall. Currently, the Relay For Life needs include numerous people to help clean up after the event ends at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 19; people to collect trash during the 24-hour event; volunteers to set out and light luminaries (paper bags with candles) at midnight on Friday, June 18; traffic control volunteers; and a logistics chair- man. THE LUMINARY ceremony will no doubt be moving. Dozens of candles, lit inside of brown pa- per bags, will outline the entire track. Candles are lit in the mem- ory of loved ones lost to cancer, and also as a triumphant remin- der of those who have survived the throws of cancer. According to Harrison, to date, about 37 teams have signed up lo- cally. "It's all about fun, it's all about teams, it's all about sur- vivors, it's all about hope, and it's all about you," she said. "Cancer is a disease that touches the life of everyone. One in three people will have some kind of cancer at some time in their life." Harrison says that in addition to the Mason County Relay For Life campaign, there will also be about 2,500 other such events held around the country. This is the first year Mason County will hold its own relay. The local theme is Together We Can. It will be held at North Mason High School. Locally, the goal is to raise $35,000. Relay History The first Mason County Relay For Life is the continuation of a [RELAY A TEAI EVENT TO FIGHT CANCER vision and dedication of one man in Tacoma. In 1985, Dr. Gordon Klatt ran and walked around the track at the University of Puget Sound for 24 hours, raising about $27,000 for the American Cancer Society. Dr. Klatt traveled 81 miles that day, but little did he envision the journey that lay ahead. His dream to create a relay- style event was realized the fol- lowing year when 19 teams par- ticipated in the first Relay For Life. Thus, the original 24-hour relay against cancer was born. The event expanded in Wash- ington and across the nation. The Relay has become the signature event for the American Cancer Society nationwide with more than 2,500 communities partici- pating in 1998, raising in excess of $85 million. THANKS TO the dedication of volunteers and teams across the country, the Relay will contin- ue to grow until we win the battle against cancer. If you would like to assist in this worthwhile cause, please con- tact Tracey Harrison at 275-2656, or Selena Meyers at 426-9367.