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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.