Lorraine Loomis, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission chairperson and Swinomish fisheries manager, passed away August 10 at the age of 81.
Loomis became fisheries manager for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community after the 1974 Boldt decision that reaffirmed tribes’ treaty-protected fishing rights. She began working in fish processing in 1970, and thought fisheries management would be easier than working 14 to 15 hours a day, seven days a week.
She was wrong. For the rest of her life, Loomis worked tirelessly to fight for treaty rights, not only for the Swinomish Tribe, but for all of the treaty tribes in western Washington.
Loomis served as NWIFC commissioner for more than 40 years. She served as vice chair from 1995 to 2014, when she became chairperson following the passing of Billy Frank Jr.
“I love fisheries management,” she said at the time. “When we have a fishery opening – and salmon fishing is not open a lot these days – you see the happy faces of the tribal fishermen. You know you have done your job. I live for that. It’s my life.”
In October 2020, Loomis was honored with the Billy Frank Jr. Leadership Award for her decades of work defending treaty fishing rights. The award recognizes initiative, commitment and accomplishment in protecting tribal sovereignty and natural resources in western Washington.
“Our hearts are heavy with the loss of Lorraine Loomis, who dedicated her life to defending tribal treaty rights,” said Justin Parker, NWIFC executive director. “Our thoughts are with the Wilbur family and the entire Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. She also was the matriarch of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission family, leading us for decades in fisheries management.”
In addition to being the lead negotiator for tribes in the North of Falcon salmon planning process with the state of Washington, Loomis was involved in developing and implementing the U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty and served on the Fraser River Panel that manages sockeye and pink salmon.
“We have been rocked by another tremendous loss,” said Stillaguamish Chairman and NWIFC Vice Chair Shawn Yanity. “Prayers for the family and all of us. Her powerful leadership, guidance, friendship and presence will be missed.”
“I can’t put in words how much I’m going to miss her spirit in my world,” said W. Ron Allen, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Chairman/CEO and NWIFC commissioner. “She made a difference for all of us just like Billy. Now we have both their spirits to keep us moving forward to protect and restore our salmon.”
In her first Being Frank column after becoming NWIFC chairperson, Loomis wrote: “None of us tribal natural resources managers are working for today. We are all working for tomorrow. We are working to make certain there will be salmon for the next seven generations.”
Every time a Native American graduates from a university, community college or vocational school, they become the living embodiment of what it means to reclaim a narrative. For so long Native students were shut out of academic environments where they could tell their own stories and promote their thriving traditions.
When it comes to being Native American and educated, the dominate narrative is they can’t succeed in a westernized education system. United States Census data supports this notion by showing that while more than 65% of American high school students go to college, just 19% of Native students continue their education after high school. In an age where education is an important cornerstone for self-sufficiency and quality of life, only 13% of tribal citizens age 25 and older hold a college degree.
That narrative is being reclaimed and rewritten by present day Indigenous scholars who are actively working to decolonize education pathways, not just for themselves but for generations to come. On the evening of July 28, thirty-one such proud Tulalip scholars were celebrated for their commitment to higher education and, in the process, breaking the often-cited stereotype that Natives don’t succeed on the college level.
“You’ve all put in so much hard work and countless hours of studying to earn your degrees. We are so proud of you for choosing to better yourself, your family and your future through education,” said Tulalip Chairwoman Teri Gobin during the higher education graduation dinner. “As a Tribe, we know we need to be better at utilizing your brilliant minds and supports our college graduates. As we continue to grow our business operations and evolve as a tribal government, we want you to feel welcome to build a career with us.”
It was a powerful moment as the words washed over the graduates as they sat with their support system of family and friends in the Tulalip Resort’s orca ballroom. Hopefully many of the graduates will consider finding their place within Tulalip’s enterprise that every year expands larger than both casinos and the Administration Building.
For some of the graduates, they are already working diligently on carving out a role on their traditional homelands. Homegrown product Adiya Jones attended Quil Ceda elementary, Totem middle school and Heritage high school before venturing off to Skagit Valley College to earn her degree. While attending college, she began working for Tulalip’s Youth Services with a mission to show the youth that they can succeed on and off the reservation.
“I think it’s so important to surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed and motivate you to continue growing into your best self,” said Adiya. “I was fortunate to have those kinds of people in my life and now I want to be that person for others. With the right support system, our kids can dream bigger and brighter. My advice to my fellow graduates is to consider working for your people. The best thing about the Tulalip Tribes is they’re very welcoming to their own people and the higher practices are set up for us to succeed and allow us to transition to other departments in order to find what we’re passionate about.”
The class of 2021 higher education grads included 9 Associate’s degrees, 8 Bachelor’s degrees, and 3 Master’s degrees. Six vocational diplomas, 4 high school diplomas, and a GED recipient rounded out the 31 Tulalip honorees.
Native graduate stories are as complex and diverse as the students themselves. It’s often a longer, tougher road for Tulalip adults pursuing their education, which is all the more reason to celebrate their accomplishments. Such is the case with 42-year-old Santana Sheldon-Thompson who managed to balance her family life with multiple kids, working a fulltime job, and going back to school to fulfill an educational dream.
“To be truthful, I was a little embarrassed at my age receiving my Associate’s degree. Then I realized everyone has their own path,” shared Santana, now a Columbia College graduate, who was embraced by both her teenage daughters before taking the stage. “My path was to raise my two girls, give them my full attention and pause on my education. My advice to both my daughters is it’s never too late to go back to school and you’re never too old to learn new things. My grandpa Francy once told me, ‘You never stop learning’, and those words are always in my heart.”
The importance of recapturing the story about Natives and education requires telling it anew with bold new characters and captivating subplots. Unquestionably, it will take a new generation of Native storytellers who have the cultural knowledge and digital knowhow to film, photograph, and document history as it unfolds on reservations across Native America.
Tulalip tribal member Chalet Alexander shares in the mission to recapture the story of her people and armed with a Master’s degree from Seattle Film Institute, she intends to do just that. For her incredible work to date and courage shown to overcome severe mental illness enroute to her degree, Chalet was chosen as the student speaker and wrapped in a 8th Generations blanket.
“It’s so difficult being a Native American and telling the story. It’s difficult being a woman and telling the story. What drives me is knowing how difficult it is and yet choosing to overcome all of it by saying ‘I’m important. My people are important. And our stories are worth telling’,” said Chalet. She hopes to continue her educational journey first, with her goal toward a one-of-a-kind experiment media Ph.D. offered by Western Washington University. “Ten years from now I will be telling stories in a unique, ever-changing way that will evolve as our technology continuously improves.”
Tulalip Higher Education staff are eager to help new and returning students find their path to academic success. They can assist with FAFSA applications and finding scholarship opportunities, as well as simply reviewing the Tribe’s current policies regarding paying for college. For those tribal members who are empowered to help reclaim the narrative, please contact Higher Education at (360) 716-4888 or email highered@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov
Nearly five months ago, The Tulalip Tribal Justice Department introduced a new program for Tulalip parents who are struggling with an addiction. It’s a structured plan for the parent who is ready to kick their habit and regain custody of their children for good.
Tulalip Family Wellness Court is, in many ways, modeled after the success of the Healing to Wellness Court, only the new program is voluntary-based, without the criminal, mandated-court element. And in addition to helping tribal members get clean and maintain a healthy and sober lifestyle, the Family Wellness Court focuses primarily on one goal, reunifying parents with their children in an effective, timely and responsible manner.
“We’re one of the first in the nation to be doing this as a tribe because we want our people to be healthy, happy and successful,” said Melissa Johnson, Family Wellness Court Coordinator. “We want people to understand it’s different than the standard dependency proceedings that parents involved with beda?chelh go through. With more frequent review hearings in the drug court model, they get a chance to show their progress in real-time.
“They tend to get their kids back faster in this type of program because of the intensive case management and the added support. We are still new and maybe people don’t know about us yet, but the program is 100% voluntary. They have to have an open dependency with beda?chelh. And if they want to work on getting their kids back, they can benefit from our team approach.”
That team approach is a big aspect of the Family Wellness Court. The team consists of multiple professionals including Tribal courthouse officials, attorneys, beda?chelh representatives, counselors and recovery specialists. The idea is that with everybody meeting regularly and on the same page, the client will stay in-compliance and will make positive progress in maintaining their sobriety if they know exactly what their team expects from them.
Kelly Prayerwarrior, Family Recovery Support Specialist, explained her role as one of those team members in the Family Wellness Court system, “I’m a parent advocate, I help the parent if they need help finding resources for school or housing, maybe visitation with their kids, or whatever they need to help move them forward so they can get their kids back. I think the Family Wellness Court is really exciting. I like the wrap-around services that we offer. We definitely have a system that’s built for success. If the people come in and really work the system, they will see success.”
As a member of the team themselves, the clients will receive a personalized game-plan to reunification and their success depends on what they put into the program. If they give it their all and follow the plan to a T, clients will more than likely have their kids back much sooner than they would with the standard custody process.
“It’s an alternative to the current dependency proceedings,” said Melissa. “I think there is an advantage to the team approach, recognizing the successes, strengths and any issues that may arise in real time, other than waiting. Because with the current dependency proceedings, months can go by between hearings. I think with Family Wellness Court, the courtroom becomes a therapeutic environment. You see that relationship with the judge and the team, it’s not adversarial at all. It’s so much different from when you go to court and everything seems scary. The judge comes off the podium and sits with us.”
Judge Michelle Demmert presides over each case and builds a strong connection with the clients. She previously mentioned that the Family Wellness Court model is important to the tribal community and that the program is special to her personally. As a recovering addict, Judge Demmert has seen both sides of the coin, and she often goes out of her way to let the client know she understands how hard recovery can be, making her support and encouragement that much more authentic to the parent throughout the hearings.
“To me, personally, I’m 33 years in recovery,” expressed Judge Demmert. “I think it’s really important for people to know that about me so that they don’t think I’m judging them like I’ve never been in their situation, when most likely I have. I want them to know that there’s hope, that I believe in them and that I love them.”
So far, the Family Wellness Court has helped multiple parents begin the reunification process. In the very first court hearing, Judge Demmert explained that the clients should expect setbacks and that it’s important to learn from any relapses that may occur.
Melissa explained that up to this point, though there are many clients who are ‘super-compliant’, there are those parents who aren’t in-compliance but she believes that in time, the program will prove to work for them as well.
She stated, “Even the people who aren’t 100% in-compliance, I see them still showing up every week, and that is progress. Just showing up is progress and realizing that we’re still here for them no matter what. We’re all working together, working toward the goal of reunification and for the kids to stay home, to stay out of the system and to stop that cycle. We can help strengthen families and get families reunited faster. All the parents want their kids back, but sometimes it seems so far out of reach. We try to help people with that and bring that support.”
The Family Wellness Court is currently taking on new clients. If you, or anybody you know is ready for a new approach to sobriety and reunification, and are ready and willing to take on the intensive, but evidence-based, model in order to regain custody, please contact Melissa at (360) 716-4764.
With a scenic view of Tulalip Bay on a hazy August evening, Tulalip families and the local community gathered to celebrate National Night Out. Showing support for the Tulalip Police Department in a good way, laughter filled the air for the duration of the two-hour event as the people enjoyed good company and created memories with the local police force.
For the past 38 years, National Night Out has helped strengthen the relationships between law enforcement agencies and their respective communities all around the country. This year, approximately 100 Tulalip citizens of all ages participated in the summertime event while getting to know those officers who vowed to protect and serve the tribal community.
Said Tulalip Chief of Police, Chris Sutter, “I am so happy to see the community come out and support National Night Out. This is an event that occurs across the country on the first Tuesday of August each year. To have all the other Tribal departments and the Tulalip Bay Fire Department here to provide information and do some community outreach is really great. Of course, as a police department, we are all about building a positive relationship with the community and enhancing the trust and opening lines of communication.”
Said Tulalip Chief of Police, Chris Sutter, “I am so happy to see the community come out and support National Night Out. This is an event that occurs across the country on the first Tuesday of August each year. To have all the other Tribal departments and the Tulalip Bay Fire Department here to provide information and do some community outreach is really great. Of course, as a police department, we are all about building a positive relationship with the community and enhancing the trust and opening lines of communication.”
Multiple Tribal departments were in attendance, including the Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy, TERO, Family Haven, the Legacy of Healing and the Child Advocacy Center, Behavioral Health, Higher Education, Problem Gambling, the Tulalip Bay Fire Department, TOCLA, Youth & Enrichment of the Tulalip Education Division, and the Tulalip ODMAP program, all providing resources and information about each of their programs.
“We’re here to support the community and the police department,” stated Robin Johnson, Problem Gambling Counselor and Chemical Dependency Professional. “We have information on the Problem Gambling program and offer educational material for chemical dependency and also for the healing lodge. This event is important for us because we need to get that information out to the community and let them know that we have resources and opportunities and that we’re here if they need us. And plus, there’s always lots of fun giveaways.”
The cookout event was especially exciting for the kids, who collected swag from all of the departments, received Junior Police Officer sticker badges, tried-on tactical gear and handcuffs, and got an up-close look at the TPD squad cars, all while spending some time with their local heroes in blue.
“It’s a beautiful community event,” expressed Marysville School District Instructor, Diane Tillman. “I am a teacher and I thought it would be nice to come out, show support and see some of my students having fun and enjoying time with their families and the police department. I’m really appreciative of National Night Out because it’s good for the police to have a positive influence on the kids.”
The people left the gathering with filled tummies and swag bags, as well as a better idea of who those TPD officers are behind and beyond the badge. National Night Out continues to be a fun and positive community-building event, helping establish personal and individual connections between the Tulalip Police Department and the Tulalip public.
And as Chief Sutter put it, “This is a great night just to come together and be friends and get to know each other.”
Have you been thinking about taking that leap and getting your GED? Well the back to school season is the perfect time for you to either begin or continue your GED journey. There are benefits in earning your GED. The overwhelming majority of employers in this country require a high school diploma. A GED diploma is accepted by employers, i.e., like a high school diploma.
The GED testing service introduced a new version of the test in 2014. Format changes occurred in the 2019 update, with no changes to the tested content. With a goal of aligning the tests with the new Common Core curricula, most states adopted the College and Career-Ready Standards Act – 2019. The Common Core standards places more weight on writing and content analysis. The test was originally developed back in 1942 for U.S. military personnel. The GED test gave an alternative option for those who had not completed their high school diploma. The current test shifted test taking from pencil and paper to computer format. Instead of five (5) sections, the test series was reduced to four (4) sections that evaluates students’ reasoning capabilities through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science and Social Studies. The Language Arts and Social Studies sections have been absorbed into the essay section and includes writing assignments in each area. The test is not necessarily more difficult, but it quizzes different skills.
So why are you taking the test and how is it going to help you in the future? A major tenent of the test requires students to show their critical thinking skills through writing that is convincing. So why is this important? Because employers want their new employees to have the ability to think critically. Critical thinking is that ability to analyze and evaluate a problem arriving at a fact-based solution. “The skills that we need, in order, to be able to think critically are varied and include observation, analysis, interpretation, reflection, evaluation, inference, explanation, problem solving, and decision making. Specifically, we need to be able to: Think about a topic or issue in an objective and critical way.”1
Receiving your GED, opens many doors for you. Now, you can continue with your education at an accredited trade school, college, or university. In addition, having a GED paves the way for you to establish higher educational goals for your life.
You might have noticed when searching for a job that most employers are requiring at least a high school diploma or GED to apply for a job at their company. Studies have shown that persons with a GED diploma will earn about $400,000 more during their lifetime. This is a HUGE incentive.
Knowing that you were able to reach the goal gives you a giant boost to your self-esteem. With this piece of paper, your whole world opens, and new opportunities present themselves, all because you decided to get YOUR GED. This is a new chapter in your life, and it is going to be amazing because you made the effort to study and persevere, while reaching for the brass ring. Earning a GED is a generational investment. Educated parents generally want their children to become educated.
So, if you want education to become your family’s tradition, please contact Higher ED. The Higher ED Team is ready to assist you on your educational journey. You can either call us at 360-716-4888 or email us at highered@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov for more information.
“The Skills We Need for Critical Thinking”. Read more at: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/critical-thinking.html
Have you been desperately wanting to have a family outing to enjoy the summer weather, but want to stay close to home and not break the bank? Well, a trip to Garden Treasures to harvest from a variety of nutritious food, grown locally may be the ideal destination. This organic u-pick farm is located just over 20 minutes from the heart of the Tulalip Reservation. Conveniently located off exit 208, Garden Treasurers offers an everyday farmers market and garden center filled with fresh food.
Taking the family on a farm excursion to pick produce allows children to gain a sense of where their food comes from, demonstrates the satisfaction of seeing how seeds grow into fresh produce that nourish their body, and is a fun way to spend a summer day together.
“I really enjoy having elders and kids visit the farm,” said farm regular, Tulalip elder Dale Jones. “They have big smiles on their faces while enjoying the opportunity to be out in the farm and eat the fresh foods. The kids can see how the food grows and they learn how it’s better for them than fast food and candy. Too many of our people our battling diabetes and obesity because they learned bad eating habits as kids. Making fruits and vegetables a priority at a young age can really make a lifetime’s worth of impact.”
Spending time outdoors while wandering the vast berry fields and green houses at Garden Treasurers is an opportunity to get back to nature, both physically and spiritually. Their seasonal u-pick garden is currently filled with an assortment of flowers, perfectly ripe raspberries and strawberries, and a variety of vegetables, like bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini and onions. They don’t use any synthetic chemicals or fertilizers, so your u-pick experience is safe, clean, and all-natural.
Tulalip tribal members, their families, patients of the Tulalip Health Clinic, and Tulalip employees were encouraged to take full advantage of a unique partnership between Garden Treasures and Tulalip’s own award-winning Diabetes Care and Prevention Program. From 10am to 4pm on July 13th, the Tulalip community turned out in droves to visit the farm, enjoy a healthy bite to eat, and receive a tour by Diabetes Care staff. Most importantly, each visiting household was allowed to pick $30 worth of nutritious produce.
Unlike overly priced grocery stores and organic shops, $30 worth of fruits and vegetables at Garden Treasures goes a long way. You can easily pick an assortment of sweet and spicy peppers, enough raspberries for the kids to snack on for days, some herbs to season up your favorite meals, and make a flower bouquet with the $30 credit. Numerous Tulalip citizens did just that, and for many it was their first time ever picking veggies.
Donna and Jim Furchert brought their daughters, Joy and Patience, to Garden Treasures and came away with quite the colorful harvest. “We’ve never picked fresh fruit or fresh veggies before, so I wanted us to experience this as a family,” explained Donna. “We’re going to incorporate everything we picked into our dinners over the next few days.”
Six-year-old Patience said she liked digging for peppers the most and was super excited to stumble upon the strawberry patch. She was seen devouring the bright red, heart-shaped berry straight off the bush at every opportunity.
Michelle Martin was another first timer to the Arlington farm. She brought her three young boys Anthony, Brayden and Caiden on an afternoon outing with their grandma and grandpa. “It’s our first time out here and we absolutely love it!” said Michelle while perusing the fields. “Never knew we had a u-pick farm this close to the reservation. This seems like an ideal way to get fresh veggies and fruit. My boys love fruits and were excited to run around the farm to pick their own berries.”
When 5-year-old Anthony and 3-year-old Brayden were told they could pick out some flowers to make their mom a bouquet, they quickly scoured the spacious flower gardens for a colorful bounty.
For a Tulalip community desiring to eat healthier in order to escape the processed food and refined sugar wasteland, Garden Treasurers is an oasis offering a variety of essential nutrients and vitamins that can make everyday meals more nutritious. Those who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of chronic diseases and a better immune system. Plus, eating fresh produce will make you feel better and have more energy to take on every day challenges of the 21st century.
In addition to all the health benefits is the wisdom and positive encouragement the dedicated Diabetes Care and Prevention Program staff had to offer to those visiting the farm. They were willing to assist in produce selections, answer any questions, and offer advice about healthy meal making and dietary requirements for those managing diabetes.
“I am getting to an age in life when it’s important to pass down knowledge and share my gifts with others, especially the younger generation,” explained Roni Leahy, Diabetes Program coordinator. “I love being with the people and listening to them talk about their experiences in the garden or the kids discovering how the plants they eat grow. It is such a precious opportunity to talk about the plants and how important they are in health of our bodies. This truly is prevention of diabetes and other chronic diseases.”
“My favorite part is seeing the community members and their families out at the farm enjoying the vegetables and knowing they are going to go home and prepare a meal they will all remember and enjoy,” added Brooke Morrison, Diabetes Program assistant.
Visiting Gardening Treasures u-pick farm to harvest the freshest foods can boost your family’s health without creating a dent in your wallet. Bringing the kids can only help them create a lasting relationship with their nature world, while planting seeds of curiosity and excitement for eating a variety of clean food, grown locally. Maybe even, this will be the inspiration your family needs to plant a garden at home.
During the summer months, the farm offers some of the best fresh produce around. Try and grow a diverse palette of seasonal products for a single meal, or stock up the pantry for winter. The next few weeks are the perfect time to find sweet strawberries, delicious raspberries and other garden-fresh produce at your local, organic u-pick farm.
It was clear skies, 80-degree weather with an occasional breeze, on the afternoon of July 17. A perfect summer day to spend outdoors, and for golfers specifically, a great day to hit the links. The scenery at the Battle Creek Golf Course was remarkably gorgeous, with tall evergreens lining the fairways.
Just a day prior, young Leah Stacy took a journey through the course with her family, posting-up signs that read either the name of a local business, individual or family who signed-on to be a sponsor for the 7th annual Golf Tournament hosted by none other than Leah’s Dream Foundation.
“We really believe in inclusion,” said Leah’s mother and Founder of Leah’s Dream, Deanna Sheldon. “My daughter has apraxia so she doesn’t speak very well. She has very slow speech and her speech is often combined together so you can’t really understand what she’s saying. A lot of [people] overlook that and put a lot of judgements and biases on her. But once they see past the fact that she has apraxia and she does have autism, they see she’s this beautiful little girl who is just radiant and wants to be loved and accepted. It opens up their eyes because we do live in a labeled-world, but we have to embrace each other for everyone’s abilities and hopefully one day all that other stuff will be eliminated.”
After putting the sponsorship signs throughout the Battle Creek course, Leah shared a video to the non-profit’s Facebook account; a cute message to everyone participating in the event stating, “Thank you for playing and sponsoring,” while she wore a huge smile.
While advocating for inclusion, promoting awareness about autism and raising funds to support the local special needs community, 30 teams of four, 120 golfers total, drove, chipped and putted the 18-hole course that Saturday afternoon. Participants also had the chance to take-part in a 50/50 raffle, as well as try their hand at a number of fun mini-challenges at certain holes throughout the day.
Cheers, oohs and ahhs, could be heard at any given green during the event. The tournament was open to all ages and skill level. While Tulalip Board of Director Mel Sheldon and Leah’s grandpa, Ray Sheldon Jr., made impressive long putts on a Par 3, a golfing family of four, JT and Dinesha Kane, and their kiddos Brodie and Braiden, were on the opposite green visibly and audibly excited about how close they each shot their ball to the pin. And shortly after that, Tulalip BOD, Misty Napeahi shot a birdie at the same Par 3 that Ray and Mel had good luck at as well.
“My husband is the head pro here,” said Deanna, “And Leah’s so funny, we call her the ‘Queen of the Creek’ because she loves Battle Creek. This is our 7th year doing the golf tournament. Our first year we had about half as many players, not very many sponsors and each year it has grown. This year, we finally had a full 30 teams, 120 players, 45-50 sponsors. This is our one and only fundraiser and we want people to have fun and to come back next year. Everything that we raise goes right back into our community.”
Founded in 2015, Leah’s Dream has become well-known in the Tulalip and Marysville communities. The charitable foundation is dedicated to empowering children and young adults diagnosed with autism. By hosting events and get-togethers for the local youth living with disabilities and their families, the organization provides a safe space where the kids can simply be themselves and build friendships within the special needs community.
“We started Leah’s Dream because all of us, the three sisters, have children on the spectrum. We started out family-focused, but we really wanted to branch out and help our community and raise awareness,” Deanna explained. “A lot of children don’t feel like they can be themselves in a neurotypical setting, but they are usually comfortable and eager to go to our events because they know this is their family, this is their friends, this is the community. Ultimately, the goal is to build-up and bring-up a community and have this sense of awareness and unity. It’s a chance for parents who wouldn’t generally see each other to get to know each other better.”
Leah’s Dream Foundation Board Member, Amy Sheldon added, “We hold events usually at one of the high schools in town and all the families through the Marysville School District (MSD) can come and bring their kids and it’s all free. They get free food, we do tons of arts and crafts and open-mic signing. For Christmas, we have Santa come to give-out gifts. We usually do those events every couple of months because the kids look forward to it.”
Unfortunately, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the bi-monthly gatherings have been put on a temporary hiatus. Amy, who is also a MSD Special Needs Liaison, said she still speaks to many of the kids who regularly attended the Leah’s Dream Foundation events and they constantly ask her, ‘when’s the next Leah’s party?’ Reassuring the community, she was quick to answer that question stating, “We just need approval for a facility to have it. Once we can get that, we will have our next party.”
Although they can no longer hold their in-person events, Leah’s Dream continues to find ways to promote awareness and inclusion, namely by distributing gift bags and activity kits filled with sensory items and toys to those MSD students and local youth living with special needs.
The funds for all the events, activities, gift bags and sensory kits are made possible by the annual golf tournament. And since the events are canceled for the time being, the foundation used last year’s donation to purchase a new reading curriculum for Marysville Pilchuck High School, as well as many items off a ‘wish list’ put together by the school district’s occupational therapists and speech therapists, helping students who are on the spectrum at schools such as the Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy and Kellogg-Marsh Elementary.
Deanna and Amy explained that typically, after the tournament, the foundation holds a silent auction. However, due to COVID, the foundation wanted to focus all their efforts on hosting a safe tournament this year and decided to hold the silent auction on a date yet-to-be-announced, possibly as early as this upcoming November.
For more information, be sure to like and follow the Leah’s Dream Foundation Facebook page and check out their website at LeahsDream.org
After a busy weekend Leah and her mom shared two more updates via the foundation’s Facebook. The first informed everybody that they surpassed this year’s goal, raising approximately $35,500. The second was a short video clip of Leah posing next to one of the sponsor signs while making a heart-shape with her hands and saying “I love you” to everyone who had a hand in making the fundraiser a success, and of course to all of her friends and family in the local special needs community – everyone who is a part of Leah’s Dream.
