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By KEVIN SPRADLIN
Friends, faculty and support-
ers of Olympic College Shelton
gathered on May 9 at the Alpine
Way institution to celebrate the
school's 44th year in the city.
The event, which lasted more
than two hours, closed with a for-
mal presentation with college of-
ficials in the meeting room of the
Wes Johnson Library.
Carefully preserved copies of
newspaper articles lined the li-
brary's walls. Each article high-
lighted the passage of college
milestones or noted student ac-
complishments.
Many people who attended
were touched by the school's abil-
ity to establish a personal con-
nection with each student.
"It felt like humble begin-
nings," said Carmen Hoover,
an English department faculty
member who started work right
after graduate school with the
opening of the current facility in
1995.
Hoover said she began work
without a dedicated computer
and competed for time on a ma-
chine located in a common area
-- accessed by students and staff
alike -- simply to complete her
class syllabus.
Things have changed dra-
matically since those early days,
Hoover said. She now has her
own computer and students have
access to an entire computer lab
inside the library.
"We have seen a lot of changes
and growth," Hoover said. "It's
really been an amazing journey."
Olympic College Shelton, she
said, "is a special place. Every
student who comes here gets to
be known as an individual."
The college first offered class-
es in Mason County in 1968 at
Shelton High School..
Classes were later held on the
Skokomish and Squaxin Island
reservations for two years. In
1973, Olympic College Shelton
opened up for business at Eighth
Street and Railroad. Avenue in
downtown Shelton.
In 1976, the school moved its
base of operations to Fourth and
Cedar streets and, in 1980, relo-
cated again to Olympic Highway
North.
A decade later,plans to build a
new Olympic College Shelton be-
gan. Simpson Timber Company
donated more than 20 acres to
the cause.
The construction costs neared
$1 million. The college agreed
to kick in half if the community
raised the other $500,000.
Enter Betty Eager, former
chairperson of the board of trust-
ees, Mildred Warnaca and Ray
Hanson. Together, they em-
barked to complete the mission
of raising the money.
On May 9, Eager wasn,t so
quick to take credit for any of her
groundwork. The pride, however,
she couldn't help but exude in
her smile as she held up a photo-
copy of a newspaper article that
depicted the groundbreaking cer-
emony in 1994.
"It was a rainy day," Eager
recalled. "When I look at today
what this college has become, it's
absolutely gorgeous."
Said Sybil Jones, whose hus-
band is a retired community
college instructor: "It's quite a
story."
Steve Warner, principal at Ev-
ergreen Elementary School, said
he would continue to work to en-
sure that Olympic College Shel-
ton became and remained "the
next logical step for the students
of Shelton."
College President David
Mitchell built a verbal bridge
between the school's early begin-
nings in "Mason County and to-
day.
"How many people remember
40 years ago?," Mitchell asked.
"We really want to grow here. I
really believe this campus could
be at least twice as large as it is,
maybe three times (as large)."
Mitchell focused on the continu-
ing partnership between the school,
local tribes, area high schools and
the business community.
"Workforce development is
Journal photo by Kevin Spradlin
Betty Eager, former chair
of the Olympic College
Shelton Board of
Trustees,' shows a replica of
a newspaper article on the
groundbreaking ceremony
for the college's current
Alpine Way location.
essential to economi~ develop-
ment," Mitchell said.
Cloud earns
Officer of the
Year honors
By KEVIN SPRADLIN
kevin@m,a.~mco~_~n(y,com.
Many of the people who
work at the Washington
Corrections Center (WCC)
prefer staying out of the
limelight.
Superiors and peers
alike, however, feel that
sometimes it's important to
recognize quality and dedi-
cation -- if those people
don't ask for the attention.
.... on May 10, more than
200 wCc 'staff, family
~'mbe~s and dignitaries
gathered to honor five spe-
cial people and one dedicat-
ed team that distinguished
itself with its work in the
prison during the annual
Corrections Pride event.
Kristina Cloud served
as an epitome of the hard-
working professional who
simply wanted to excel at
her job.
Cloud, 45, of Elma, was
recognized for her efforts,
however, twicefold. She
first was named Correc-
tions/Custody Officer of the
Year.
Given the chance to
speak at the podium, Cloud
almost declined. Then she
spoke, with a muted voice,
two words.
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owner.
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Page A-6 - Shelton-Mason County
Journal photo by Kevin Spradlin
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post member Denis Leverieh presents Kristina Cloud with a plaque on
May 10 at the Washington Corrections Center. Cloud was named Corrections/Custody Officer of
the Year for 2011 during a staff awards ceremony. Cloud also garnered Office of the Year honors
from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1694 in Mason County. Post officials said it's the first time a
corrections officer has been selected for the award.
"Thank you," Cloud said,
before returning quickly to
her seat.
It was only a few min-
utes later when Cloud ap-
peared to be so overcome
with gratitude she couldn't
M U LTI- FAM I LY
yard sale, Satur-
day 7a.m.-3:30p.m.
Worth the drive.
5375 S.E. Arcadia
Road. M5/17
help but speak. That's
when she learned she also
had been selected Veter-
ans of Foreign Wars Mason
County Post 1694's Officer
of the Year.
VFW officials said it's
the first time anyone from
the corrections profession
had won the award, which
has been given annually
for at least 20 years.
"I feel honored," Cloud
said.
Chuck Korus, 52, of Mc-
Cleary, earned Counselor
of the Year honors while
three others also earned
distinction in their divi-
sion: Jeanne Thietje, 40,
of Shelton, Employee of
the Year; Becky Hoage, 36,
Elma, Supervisor of the
Year; and Halley Burgess,
35, of Elma, Support Staff
of the Year.
The 16-member records
staff earned Team of the
Year honors. And the fa-
cility's Critical Incident
Stress Management team,
comprised of Amy Czer-
winski, Corey Clark, Don
MacWilliam, Greg Garrin-
ger, Jean Anderson and
Jonathan Bishop, earned
the Statewide Team Excel-
lence award.
Dan Pacholke, director
of prisons fDr the Wash-
ington State Department
of Corrections, emphasized
the importance of stop-
ping in the middle of an
important mission -- that
of securing and maintaing
a safe environment for co-
workers, inmates and the
community.
"I'm glad to see you take
a rare break," said Pa-
cholke, who praised staff
for working through three
consecutive years in which
the budget required a re-
duction in force and had an
adverse impact on salaries.
The budget issues cre-
ated a situation, Pacholke
said, "the likes of which we
YARD SALE -
SUNDAY, May 20,
starting at 10am.
581 Fireweed Rd.,
Shelton, off Arca-
dia Rd. Furniture,
baby clothes, adult
clothes (men's and
women's), kitchen
appliances, etc.
G5/17 .,
GARAGE SALE.
Piano, household
items, car parts,
drill press, engine
stands, 1956 Chevy
truck parts, chain-
saw, shop stuff. May
19, 9am-2pm. 680
Golden Pheasant
Rd. G5/1 7
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natalie@ma.~oncou~ty,com
The twelfth annual Shelton Busi-
ness Expo and 2012 Bite of Shelton is
scheduled for today and offers dozens
of opportunities to grab a bite to eat or
check out a local business.
The event, put on by the Shelton
Mason County Chamber of Commerce,
runs from noon to 7 p.m. today at the
Pavilion at Sentry Park. The event is
free to the public.
Chamber Executive Director Heidi
McCutcheon said a total of 67 busi-
nesses, not counting the chamber, will
have booths at the event. Last year,
she said the total was 65.
While the total number of business-
es is similar, McCutcheon said this
year's expo will have a wider variety
of businesses.
"I think it's a better showing of the
different businesses that Mason Coun-
ty has," she said. "We have everything
from hair salons to ... there's an acu-
puncturist that's going to come this
year."
Also, 12 restaurants are signed up
to compete in the Bite of Shelton, twice
as many as last year.
"Little Creek is new, and Alderbrook
Resort hasn't been there in the past,"
she said. "It's looking up as far as hav-
ing a much fuller bite than we've had
in recent years."
Between 700 and 1,000 people usu-
ally come to the expo and bite, said Mi-
chelle Corral, Business Expo and Bite
of Shelton Committee chair.
"I'm just excited to see all of the dif-
Journal- Thursday, May 17, 2012
have never seen before."
Yet, Pacholke said, the
staff at WCC passed a sig-
nificant test of character
during that time. He said
the prison continues to op-
erate safely -- and more ef-
ficiently.
"We emerged a better
prison system," he said,
one with "more focus on
good, fundamental correc-
tions."
WCC employs more than
600 people at the Shelton
facility. The average daily
inmate population runs at
approximately 1,700. It can
hold up to 2,000 inmates.
Every man sentenced to
prison in Washington, but
not sentenced to death row,
is processed through the
Shelton institution.
He, one of WCC's coun-
selors charged with help-
ing inmates throtlgh the
processing center, said
he believes his work has
meaning.
Korus said he appreci-
ated working in a place
where the environment,
and the people in it, "does
not think it is trite to try
and make a difference."
Prison officials also rec-
ognized seven employees
who had reached a signifi-
cant milestone with WCC
or with state government
employment.
Those recognitiOns in-
cluded: Kathy Cordle,
corrections officer, for 30
years in state government;
Carla Cox, corrections of-
ricer, for five years of ser-
vice at WCC; Derek Ken-
nedy, corrections officer,
for 10 years with the state
and at the prison; Teresa
Schmidt, support staff,
for five years at the state
and at the prison; Mark
Stigall, counselor, for five
years with the state; Gwen
Malham, counselor, for 15
years with the state; and
Mick McCartney, coun-
selor, for 20 years with the
state.
ferent representation of businesses
that we have in our county," she said.
"(I am) anxious to taste all of the food
that has been provided as well."
Last year, Steven's on Railroad took
home the Golden Fork, the top prize in
the Bite of Shelton.
"I save" up in the week prior so I
can have a completely empty belly,"
McCutcheon said. "We see everything
from people coming by on their lunch
break for 20 minutes to grab at bite to
people spending a couple of hours."
Corral said locals who haven't been
to the expo before should come check it
out on Thursday.
"If they haven't come before [they
need] to really make an effort to come
this year to support our local busi-
ness," she said. "Now more than ever
they need our help."