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| August 4, 2011 Shelton Mason County Journal |  |
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Shelton-Mason County Journal
By NATALIE JOHNSON
After going leaderless
for several months, Habi-
tat for Humanity of Mason
County hired a new execu-
tive director this month.
Their top pick, Richard Mc-
Grue, started Monday at
the small nonproft.
"I want to do as much as
I can," he said. "I certainly
want to increase the num-
ber of affordable homes we
can make in Shelton."
McGrue, of Gig Harbor,
joins the staff at Habitat
with several years of expe-
rience running non-profit
organizations.
"This is actually my
fourth nonprofit as an ex-
ecutive director," he said.
"I fell into it as a fluke."
Ten years ago McGrue
was working as a senior
manager at Boeing when
his first wife suddenly died.
While raising three teen-
agers, he quit his job and
started attending a church
with a small, struggling
food bank.
McGrue offered to run
the food bank and met with
outstanding results.
"In a year's time that
fledgling food bank ended
up becoming the second
largest food distribution
center in Pierce County,"
he said. "I had to learn how
to be an executive direc-
tor ... and actually became
pretty good at it."
Journal photo by Natalie Johnsal
New Habitat for Humanity of Mason County Executive Director Richard McOrue, right, and his
wife Dana, said they are excited to help.build, affordable homes in Mason County.
After the food bank be-
came established, McGrue
was also recruited to run
an organization called
Northwest Institute for
Restorative Justice, which
helped ex-convicts get back
into society.
McGrue is currently
still the executive director
of that organization but is
training another person to
take his place.
McGrue also worked as
the executive director for
two other nonprofits.
McGrue said he plans to
integrate his understand-
ing of corporate practices
into the nonprofit to gener-
ate more revenue for proj-
ects.
"I think the key is I have
a pretty extensive business
experience," he said. "A
lot of nonprofits need that
business acumen."
McGrue said he first be-
came involved with non-
profits while still at Boe-
ing.
He was the treasurer of
the philanthropic Boeing
employee's fund for two
years and managed a $25
million budget each year.
"Boeing gave us an in-
tense overview of how non-
profits operate," he said. "I
really saw what nonprofits
de#, it changed my perspec-
tive dramatically ... I was
able to see firsthand the
tremendous good that they
do."
McGrue said he was "bit-
ten" by non-profit work.
McGrue's wife, Dana,
who has years of grant-
writing experience will
likely help at Habitat as
well, he said.
"We're a package deal,"
he said.
Habitat employees and
board members said they
are excited just to have a
• committed, leader, but also
believe t~hat McGrue is the
right man for the job.
"He has such a heart
for our mission - he wants
to leave a legacy of servi-
tude," Habitat board presi-
dent Kelly Zoldack said.
ISLAND
COOKIN'
Littlest gardener grows biggest squash
By NATALIE JOHNSON
William Macy, 9, en-
tered the Mason Area
fair for the fourth time
this year, in the juniors
agricultural department.
This year he entered
several things he pains-
takingly nursed in his
mother's garden, includ-
ing a
trio of
Z U C -
chini,
zucchini
squash
a n d
summer
squash,
which
he won
William a third
. Macy premi-
um rib-
bon for,
and a dill plant, which
earned him a first prize
and a Best in Class Rib-
bon.
"It felt good," he "said.
"I was excited to enter
it in the fair because I
wanted to show people
how good I do the gar-
den."
Macy said he helps his
morn in her garden and
now tends his own plants
there too.
"My morn does a gar-
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
Shelton resident William Macy, 9, grew this squash trio for the
Mason Area Fair.
den and I help out with
it a lot and I like doing
it," he said. "Almost our
whole yard is a garden."
While Macy's dill won
the best in class over his
squash trio, he said he
was most excited about
the squash because of
their much larger than
average size.
he said.
Macy's father, John
Macy, said that his son
and his siblings have
been working in the gar-
den since before he Could
walk.
"All the ones that I "They've always, al-
choose were going to be a ways gardened, even when
big one because I thought they were just crawling,
I was going to do good," they'd crawl through the
garden," he said.
Macy has no plans to
stop gardening either, he
said.
He's already planning'
for next year's fair, even
though the 2011 fair is
barely cleaned up.
=Next year's fair I'm
going to probably put in
some more squash and
some beets," he said.
Macy said his favorite
things about gardening
are simple pleasures.
"Watching them grow
... and looking at them,
that's all," he said.
Macy said he would
have been "bummed" if
there was no Mason Area
Fair.
"I'm glad .~t the
fair's still going because
Mason County's not do-
ing it anymore," he said.
Volunteers seek donations
for upcoming rummage sales
This past week I came
back onto the island twice
and there were lots of gulls
up on those light poles. I
thought I was going to
get a really high count as
each light had two or three
perched up there. I got up to
17 beth times and then, the
last three poles were vacant
-- not a bird in sight. Last
year I think the highest
count was
up around
23 or
24. Guess
I have to
hope for a
few more
tired
gulls.
This is
MIKE the week-
C~GHAN end . for
rummage
sales.
The community hall will
open its doors at 9 a.m. on
Saturday, and they will stay
open until around 2 p.m..
But, before those doors
can open, people need to
have some stuffto sell. So, if
you haven't already done so,
check your garage and your
house for any unwanted
good stuff and take it down
to the hall. Since the Wom-
en's Club met over at Pat
LaClair's, I think you can
start leaving your items at
the hall anyt'nne. The pric-
ing crew led by Barbara La-
june and Mary Nichols will
show up and start working
on your donations. The mon-
ey from this fundraiser will
go right back into the hall,
and the hall always needs
some repair. It was built
in 1912, and if my math is
right, that means it is 99
years old and that is old. So,
please be kind and take a
few donations down there
today or tomorrow.
Also on Saturday the
Grant School will have its
annual bake and garage sale
at the 1914 school. They will
be selling gently used items,
tools and equipment with
all proceeds going to the
'school's preservation fund.
From Shelton, north on
Hwy 3, right on Pickering
Road and follow the signs
three miles. For more infor-
mation call 427-2522.
Last week we started
talking about the good work
that Nick Neuerburg and
Bud's granddaughter Min-
dy and her husband Kelly
and their son Billy are doing
collecting those cans. I just
found out that Don Nichols
also helps out with the can
drive. He picks up some
of the cans and stores them
at his home in-between
recycling runs. So this is
• quite a. crew. And what
do they do with the mon-
ey? They raised $1,464.74
from their last run. Here is
the list of where the mon-
ey went: Harstine Island
Community Club $150;
Harstine Island Theater
Club $100; Harstine Island
Women's Club $100; Harst-
ine Island Grange $100;
Senior Lunch $100; Pio-
neer Kiwanis $100; Hart-
stine Choir $100; Mason 5
Firefighter's Assn. (Christ-
mas giving $100, scholar-
ship $100, memorial $100);
Habitat for Humanity $100;
Pioneer Community Club
$50; 40 et 8 $50; Hartstene
Pointe Maintenance asso-
ciation $50; Pamona Grange
$50. Wow, that is a list of
good deeds. We need to keep
donating those cans and
any other metals you might
have around the house.
The next senior lunch
will be at noon on Aug. 10.
The menu will include taco
lasagna, green salad and
brownies. If you are over
• 50 and an island resident,
you are invited. The senior
See Harstine on page B-2
Thursday, August 4, 2011 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page B-1
t