Seattle Children’s Hospital featured in launch of first-ever crowdfunded hospital gift catalog

Press Release, Jennifer Kern, PR & Company LLC

With the holidays fast approaching, holiday giving this year has a new social media twist: crowdfunding gifts that give back.

In Seattle, Seattle Children’s Hospital is taking part in the launch of the first-ever crowdfunded hospital gift catalog –www.GiveMiracles.org – as part of a national campaign led by the world’s largest crowdfunding-for-good platform, Fundly, and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Through www.GiveMiracles.org, individuals wanting to give back with their holiday gifts can purchase critically-needed medical equipment and medical care for children at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

Once donors choose their gift from the www.GiveMiracles.org catalog, ranging from comfort toys ($30), to a pediatric wheelchair ($970), to an entire hospital wing devoted to neonatal intensive care ($12 million), they will receive updates on exactly how their gift is being utilized.

Individuals can also quickly and easily launch their own personalized crowdfunding campaign on the www.GiveMiracles.org platform to collectively purchase big-ticket, high-impact medical items for the hospital through small donations from friends and family via Fundly, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Tulalip Transit installs permanent bus stops along their routes

Permanent bus stop featuring benches for riders are now being installed along the Tulalip Transit Route

Article by Brandi N. Montreuil, photo submitted by Mike Sarich

            Tulalip Transit has finished installing the new permanent bus stops along their Tulalip Bay Route. Each bus stop will feature the Tulalip Transit logo to identify which service the rider will be using. Benches attached to the bus stop poles will be available for elderly commuters who utilize the free transit service currently running two routes around the Tulalip Reservation.

            “Right now nine have been placed, some additional work needs to be done in order to put the remaining three in, so there will be a total of twelve,” explained Tulalip Transit Supervisor, Mary Hargrove.

            “Mission Highlands [housing development] received four bus stops, and those are the people that we are really trying to reach, because they don’t have any bus service at all. By getting them to at least Silver Village they can catch the Community Transit, or if they needed any of the services that are located out here, they can ride our bus.”

            Currently, the bus routes offered through Tulalip Transit services areas along Tulalip Bay, including stops at the Tulalip Administration Building, Silver Village and Mission Highlands housing developments, the Karen I. Fryberg Health Clinic, Senior Center, and the Don Hatch Jr. Youth Center & Greg Williams Court.

            The John Sam Lake route covers areas in the John Sam Lake and Aspen housing developments, the Seattle Premium Outlet Mall, and the Tulalip Resort Casino.

            Riders, who need to reach areas near Quil Ceda Casino and Tulalip Tribal Court, will need to use Community Transit.

Community Transit, explains Mary, can be used to connect the two Tulalip Transit routes, John Sam Lake and Tulalip Bay, as they share some bus stops with Community Transit.   “Community Transit has been gracious enough to let us share their bus stops, such as the one along Totem Beach and 64th Street. We are going to be placing another one near the Karen I. Fryberg Health Clinic, there is a temporary bus stop there now, but Community Transit was kind enough to leave there bus stop there when they made changes to their route so our passengers could continue to have some place to sit.”

            Tulalip Transit is a free transit service to Tulalip Tribal members and residents located within the Tulalip Reservation boundaries. It provides service to rural areas of the Tulalip Reservation where there are no other transit service available.

            For more information on routes and transit schedules, please visit the website www.tulaliptribes-nsn.gov/Home/Community/TulalipTransit.aspx.

Marysville School Board named Board of the Year

Press Release, Larry Nyland, Superintendent’s Office

The Marysville School Board was named Board of the Year at the Washington State School Directors (WSSDA) annual conference November 17th.  “Marysville School Board received the honor of being named a Board of Distinction last year.  Being named Board of the Year this year is certainly a tribute to our board and their focus on the district’s four year goals, mission and vision.  Their commitment to student achievement has made a big difference for our students and our staff.  Long term goals, along with board support and encouragement, allow schools to focus on student achievement,” says Superintendent Nyland.

Each year, WSSDA honors outstanding school boards that demonstrate understanding of their leadership role and follow through on their responsibilities, while showing concern for the educational excellence for all students.

The application process is based on the Washington Effective School Board Standards, which ask the boards to:

  • Show how their actions align with effective board governance practices;
  • Document their focus on educational excellence and equity for all students;
  • Identify how they create conditions for student and staff success; and
  • Share their commitment to continuous improvement and accountability.

Marysville was recognized as Washington board of the year for school districts of 9000 students or more.

Congratulations to Chris Nation, President, Wendy Fryberg, Vice President, and Directors Dr. Tom Albright, Cindy Erickson and Pete Lundberg.

For more information about the award, visit, www.msvl.k12.wa.us/board-of-directors.

Newest Face of Gerber Is Native

Mary Jane Montoya’s grand prize winning photograph. (Photo courtesy Gerber)

By Indian Country Today Media Network Staff, www.indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

The newest face of Gerber, 8-month-old Mary Jane Montoya from Fresno, California, is of mixed heritage. Her mother, Sara Montoya, has Mexican heritage and her father, Billy Montoya, is a descendant of the Yokut Mono Tribe.

They plan on raising Mary Jane with a mixture of those cultures too.

“We’re teaching her Spanish,” Billy said after explaining that his sister and mother are very involved with the tribe and will be getting Mary Jane involved as well. “We want her to know everything about her culture.”

Being the Gerber baby comes with a $50,000 prize that Sara and Billy have decided to put away and save for Mary Jane’s college fund.

“Higher education is so important and we see the value in that,” Billy told Indian Country Today Media Network.

“We want to make sure she doesn’t struggle with college…making sure she is able to focus on that,” Sara said. “We know how hard it is to work and go to school.”

Billy is doing that right now. He works full-time and attends Fresno State full-time. He plans to graduate next semester with a degree in graphic design.

“I know first-hand how hard it is,” he said. “I’m so glad I’m going to be able to give her a chance to focus full-time on school.”

Mary Jane was chosen from more than 308,000 entries because her picture demonstrated the visual appeal and expressiveness the judges at Gerber were looking for and was consistent with Gerber’s heritage, said a press release from Gerber.

When she was announced as the winner on October 6, Facebook was abuzz with negative comments from people saying she didn’t look like the original Gerber baby. Gerber has since removed the negative comments from the page.

The negativity didn’t bother the Montoyas though. They are just proud of their little girl and appreciative of the experience being chosen has brought. They got to go to New York City and be on the TODAY Show to meet the original Gerber baby, Ann Turner Cook, who is now 85, and be interviewed by Natalie Morales.

“She [Ann Turner Cook] has that same look and that same twinkle in her eye. She’s super sweet,” Sara said. “They were so nice and so open to talk to us and let us know what it was like for her to be the icon of the Gerber baby.”

The Montoya family had never been so far across the country and were amazed by the fast pace of the city and seeing how a television show is put together.

 

“Just the process of walking into the building, the hair and makeup, how many people it takes to make the show happen [is incredible],” Sara said. “And to be in New York and feel the city alive—it was a lot of fun, we really enjoyed it.”

“It was just a big whirlwind,” Billy said. “I couldn’t believe how small the sets are and how many people go into doing it—it was just amazing.”

That’s not all. Sara and Billy said Mary Jane actually learned to crawl while they were in New York City.

“We can’t wait till she grows up so we can tell her she was the Gerber baby,” Billy said.

The Power of Partnerships: Celebrate World AIDS Day in Everett, Nov. 30

Rapid HIV testing during the day; evening memorial walk & program

Press Release, Kristin Kinnamon, Communications Manager

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. – The public is welcome to free events in downtown Everett to commemorate World AIDS Day 2012 on Friday, Nov. 30. A collaboration of local agencies is sponsoring a resource fair, HIV testing, a memorial walk, and an evening program that includes refreshments, artwork and music. All activities take place at the Snohomish Health District, 3020 Rucker Ave., Everett.

The World AIDS Day events will commemorate those lost to AIDS, support those living with the disease, reinforce the need to combat stigma, discrimination and intolerance, and underscore the need for routine HIV screening.

This year’s special emphasis is to raise awareness that people living with HIV are also at risk for tuberculosis. While 1/3 of the world’s population is infected with the tuberculosis bacterium, most people never get sick. However, TB is the leading killer among people living with HIV. In 2011, 1.4 million people in the world died from TB, and of those, 430,000 of them were HIV positive.

“The unfounded fears surrounding tuberculosis and people with TB mirrors the fears people have had about AIDS,” said Snohomish Health District HIV/AIDS program manager Brenda Newell. “Neither disease is caught by casual contact, and both are treatable once detected.”

An estimated one in five Americans infected with HIV is unaware of it. According to the Washington State Department of Health, 707 people in Snohomish County are currently known to be living with HIV. Screening for tuberculosis is recommended for HIV-positive people.

Nov. 30 Schedule of Events

·        9 am – 4 pm: Free or low-cost confidential Rapid HIV Testing

·        noon – 6 pm: Community health resource tables

·        5 – 6:30 pm: Light refreshments catered by Ross Day

·        5:30 pm: Walk to Everett’s AIDS Memorial at 3021 Wetmore Ave.

·        6:30 pm: World AIDS Day Program

The evening program includes remarks by Dr. Gary Goldbaum, Snohomish Health District director and health officer, Teresa Rugg, Snohomish County RESULTS group leader, Patricia Yepassis-Zembrou, Health District epidemiologist, and Dennis Worsham, regional health officer for Public Health Seattle-King County.

The evening program also features music by local musicians Terri Anson and Savannah Woods, and concludes with a candlelight vigil. The commemoration is free and open to the public.

Local sponsors include Snohomish Health District, Evergreen AIDS Foundation, Snohomish County Gay Men’s Task Force, AIDS Project Snohomish County, RESULTS Educational Fund, TB Photovoice, and the AIDS Outreach Project.

Evergreen AIDS Foundation is one of the oldest AIDS service organizations in the country – established in 1985. EAF provides community outreach, counseling and testing, emergency food and housing assistance, volunteer services and support for persons with HIV disease and their families. It serves over 600 clients across six counties, including Snohomish County.

RESULTS Educational Fund was founded in 1980. Their mission is to create the public and political will to end poverty through improved policies and funding for health, education, and economic opportunity.

Established in 1959, the Snohomish Health District works for a safer and healthier community through disease prevention, health promotion, and protection from environmental threats. Call 425.339.5298 for information about Snohomish Health District’s HIV/AIDS education and outreach programs and services, or visit our Web site: www.snohd.org.

Resources:

·        Washington State Department of Health

o   http://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/IllnessandDisease/HIVAIDS

o   http://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/IllnessandDisease/Tuberculosis

·        National Prevention Information Network

·        United Nations HIV/AIDS Program

·        AIDS Project Snohomish County

·        Snohomish County Gay Men’s Task Force

·        TB Photovoice

·        AIDS Outreach Project

·        Evergreen AIDS Foundation

 

United Way Announces Three-Year Grant Opportunity

Press Release, Neil Parekh, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, United Way of Snohomish County

(Everett, Wash.) — United Way plans to invest in programs that support the optimal development of children and youth, improve access to basic needs and ensure that residents in Snohomish County are connected and engaged with their community.

Snohomish County nonprofits must meet certain minimum eligibility requirements and have or plan to establish programs that address the priorities identified by United Way’s volunteer-led Vision Councils.  Applicants must submit a letter of intent (submitted online) by December 20. Potential applicants are invited, but not required, to attend one of two Bidders’ Conferences: Tuesday, Nov. 27th from 10am – 12pm or Tuesday, Dec. 4th from 10am – 12pm. More information is on United way’s website at www.uwsc.org/programgrants.php.

“This is a volunteer-driven process,” said Dennis G. Smith, president and CEO of United Way of Snohomish County. “Every three years our volunteer committee members meet with experts to understand the needs of our community. Based on that work, they identify priority investment areas. Once proposals are submitted, our volunteers will review and make decisions on where our donors’ contributions will best be invested.

Award decisions will be made in May 2013.

The priority investment areas for the 2013-2016 funding cycle fall into three categories:

1.    To ensure the optimal development of children and youth in Snohomish County, United Way will support programs across the youth spectrum, from birth to age 18. We will do this by investing in programs that focus on early learning, after school programs, foster care, and family engagement and support.

2.    To increase the ability of all individuals and families to live self-sufficient lives, United Way will invest in programs that increase the ability of families to find secure, safe, suitable and affordable housing; offer emergency services (including rent/mortgage assistance, emergency shelter, food  and utility assistance); support access to health care for the uninsured and underinsured; offer career education and job skills training; and offer life skills programs that will help at-risk youth, people with disabilities and others to help them live independently.

3.    To ensure that Snohomish County residents are connected and engaged with their community, United Way will invest in programs that that create an aging-friendly community for seniors; overcome barriers caused by lack of transportation, disability or language; increase access to services through community based centers; and support programs for crime victims.

Eligible applicants must be a 501(c) 3 health and human service agency that can provide an audit or reviewed financial statements for the prior two years and meet other eligibility standards.

The Bidders’ Conferences will be held at the United Way of Snohomish County Board Room, 3120 McDougall Ave, Suite 200, Everett, WA 98201. Please RSVP to Toni Wishon at (425) 374-5523 or via email at toni.wishon@uwsc.org as space is limited. Additional details regarding eligibility, the application process and timeline are available at www.uwsc.org/programgrants.php.

United Way is a community impact organization serving Snohomish County for more than 70 years. In addition to funding 102 programs through 39 agencies with a special focus on local health and human services, United Way of Snohomish County supports a number of initiatives focusing on early learning and education, financial stability for families, a youth program, North Sound 211 and an emerging initiative in survival English.

To find out more about United Way of Snohomish County, including how you can find help, how to volunteer and how United Way serves our community, please visit our website at uwsc.org.

County commissioners call for mediation in Skagit Valley water fight

Press Release, Monday, November 12, 2012, Bellamy Pailthorp         

In Skagit County, a decades-old fight over water rights has come to a head.

County Commissioners are walking away from an agreement they say was originally intended to allocate water permits fairly, while protecting endangered salmon. But now they say that agreement has caused nothing but lawsuits, so they’re seeking mediation instead.

Will Honea is Skagit County’s Civil Attorney. He says the agreement, which has been in place for 16 years, was developed through collaborative talks between tribes, cities, utilities and rural landowners and farmers. It was meant to help all of those interests co-exist in the fertile landscapes of the Skagit River valley, while still guaranteeing enough water for salmon.

“Skagit County signed this agreement to participate in a cooperative water planning process that would reduce rural wells, but not eliminate landowners‘ access to water,” Honea says.

And he says as a result, water rights for people outside cities in Skagit County are strictly budgeted. They now have the toughest restrictions in the state on rural water.

But he says the Swinomish tribe has filed repeated lawsuits, seeking to eliminate the entire water allocation for farmers and rural landowners.

The Swinomish argue the agreement was good as originally written. But they say an illegal amendment in 2006 allows development that would hurt salmon, which is at the heart of the tribe’s culture and economy.

Brian Cladoosby is the tribal chairman.

“We’re salmon people. If our salmon go the way of the buffalo, it’s just a part of our culture that is going to die,” Cladoosby says. “And we’re not only doing it for us. It’s for the non-Indians too. They enjoy that beautiful resource as much as we do.”

Skagit County’s Honea says the three other tribes in the area have dropped out of the lawsuit. And he says the county is tired of fighting in court.

“So what we’re doing is, we’re not going to go to court again,” Honea says. “We’re just going to step away from the conflict and we’re asking the Governor to appoint a qualified mediator to help our community move forward on a more positive path. ”

He says the Swinomish tribe’s argument hinges on a technical error made by the Department of Ecology when they drafted the in-stream flow rule in 2001. And if the Swinomish win, about 6,000 rural landowners would be left without a legal source of water, including about 550 homes that have already been built.

The suit has made it all the way to the State Supreme Court, which hears oral arguments in the case on Wednesday.

Affordable Ski & Snowboard Helmets at Marysville Fire District

Press Release, Maryville Fire District, www.marysvillefiredistrict.org

MARYSVILLE, Washington –  As winter approaches so does the promise of snow. When families head to the mountains to enjoy snow sports such as skiing, snowboarding and tubing we want to also encourage them to protect their heads by wearing a properly fitted helmet. According to Safe Kids USA, “Helmets, when worn properly can prevent or reduce the effects of 53 percent of the head injuries suffered by children in the United States while skiing or snowboarding.”

The Marysville Fire District is proud to offer ski and snowboard helmets at a cost of $25, which includes a free fitting. Available sizes include small, medium, and large; and they will fit young children through most adults.

The helmets, provided by Safe Kids Snohomish County, are of equal quality to the helmets found in specialty stores, for a fraction of the cost and come with lined padding and ear covers. The cost of the helmet goes back into keeping a supply of helmets stocked throughout the winter months. Neither Marysville Fire District nor Safe Kids Snohomish County makes a profit from the cost.

To purchase a ski helmet, contact Marysville Fire District at (360) 363-8500 to set up a fitting appointment. The person for whom the helmet is intended for must be present at time of fitting and purchase.

To learn more about Safe Kids Snohomish County visit www.snosafekids.org.  Safe Kids is a not for profit organization whose mission is to prevent unintentional injuries and death in children.

 

Burke Museum awarded $575,000 to support Native Art and Artists

Bill Holm Center to serve more individuals and organizations

Press Release,  Alaina Smith, Director of External Affairs

Seattle – The Burke Museum is pleased to announce Connections to Culture – Resources for Native Art and Artists, a new program of the Bill Holm Center for the Study of Northwest Coast Art. With support from the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, Connections to Culture will significantly increase the Burke Museum’s capacity to support Native artists and arts organizations.

Connections to Culture will expand the Bill Holm Center’s research grants program, which facilitates Native artists’ study of the arts and cultures of their ancestors. Research grants allow artists to study the objects and archives in the Burke Museum’s collections, travel to other museums, and pass their knowledge on through workshops held at the Burke Museum, at other Native art organizations, and in Native communities.

In addition to increasing the research grant program, Connections to Culture will further develop the Bill Holm Center’s role as an information hub to those interested in the vitality of Native art in the region, and allow the Center to make grants to Native arts organizations for the first time.

“The Burke Museum has a long history of pioneering efforts in Native art education and scholarship—from early museum education, public television programs and Bill Holm’s seminal 1965 book, Northwest Coast Native Art: An Analysis of Form, to K-12 arts & culture programs that are booked to capacity each year,” said Burke Museum Executive Director Julie K. Stein.

“This extraordinary investment by the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation builds on that legacy, and will help make the Bill Holm Center’s resources available to many, many more artists and members of our community. ”

While art-making is flourishing in some Native communities, in other places there are few teachers and fewer objects from which to learn. Many artists are working in isolation, without knowledgeable mentors or the critical resources to inform their artistic practice, discover where their cultural objects are currently housed, or access these collections. Connections to Culture will allow the Burke Museum to serve as a hub for the dissemination of this information, and create new digital resources that represent the breadth and depth of Pacific Northwest art traditions.

Historical trends in collecting and researching Pacific Northwest regional art, and the impact of the art market on contemporary artists, has meant that the styles of the northern and some central Northwest Coast tribes (the Tlingit, Tsimshian, Haida, and Kwakwaka’wakw) have overshadowed other art traditions from the southern regions of the Coast, as well as surrounding areas of the Columbia River basin and Plateau. “The Connections to Culture program will help us to expand support for artists and communities whose artistic traditions have not received broad public, scholarly, or commercial recognition,” said Curator of Native American Art and Bill Holm Center Director Robin K. Wright.

“We are thrilled to combine efforts with the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation’s Native Arts and Cultures Program to increase support for Native artists in their pursuit of knowledge about their artistic traditions,” said Wright.

Connections to Culture will award grants and offer programs beginning in spring 2013.

About the Bill Holm Center:

The Bill Holm Center for the Study of Northwest Coast Art was established at the Burke Museum in 2003 to continue Bill Holm’s legacy at the Burke Museum. It is one of the premier centers for the study of Native arts of the Pacific Northwest Coast.

The Bill Holm Center provides hands-on learning opportunities for Native artists to study historical art in person, and connects experienced artists with younger practitioners through workshops and art scholarships. The Center supports access to and awareness of arts resources and activities (including collections, exhibits, and other relevant programs) for tribal communities, individuals, and arts organizations.

About the Burke Museum:

The Burke Museum inspires people to value their connection with all life—and act accordingly. The Museum is responsible for Washington State collections of natural and cultural heritage, and sharing the knowledge that makes them meaningful. The Burke welcomes a broad and diverse audience and provides a community gathering place that nurtures life-long learning and encourages respect, responsibility, and reflection.

Native Americans make their voices heard in presidential election

Tribal member voters show good turnout in the 2012 election.

Article and photo by Jeannie Briones

TULALIP, Washington – Tulalip Tribal members and employees showed their support at the Tulalip Ballot Party on November 6th at the Don Hatch Youth Center/Greg Williams Court, exercising their right to vote.

“To me it’s one of my most treasured constitutional rights, and as a veteran, I always take the time to cast my ballot,” said tribal member Raymond Fryberg Sr.

Tulalip Community Coordinator, Frieda Williams, along with seven other hardworking folks that make up the Tulalip Voting Committee, worked tirelessly to promote the importance of the Native vote.

“I am very excited about the turn out at Tulalip; their vote does count,” said Frieda.

Native Americans are the only ethnicity the U.S. Census Bureau doesn’t track when it comes to election data. It’s important that Native Americans are voting and electing candidates who understand Native American sovereignty rights.

This election ballot party served as a good incentive for people to turn in their ballots, offering food, entertainment and raffle prizes. Prizes included a 55” flat screen TV and an iPod.

For information on voter registration, contact Frieda Williams at 360-716-4220 or visit, www.myvote.wa.gov.