The 3rd & Goal Foundation was founded in 2011 by Notre Dame graduate and former NFL quarterback, Brady Quinn. His father served as a Marine in the Vietnam War and his grandfather fought in World War II, which inspired Brady’s desire to give back to the often neglected needs of America’s military veterans.
According to their website, the 3rd & Goal Foundation began building wheelchair ramps, as well as, remodeling bathrooms and kitchens for those veterans who were wounded to help them adjust a little easier to their new life and surroundings. Years later, 3rd & Goal began to expand its efforts to be able to serve more veterans in need by implementing Operation Education and Operation Joy components to their mission. While the mission is still growing, one thing that will always stay the same is that 3rd & Goal is committed to making a difference in the lives of our honored veterans.
This past summer 3rd & Goal supporter Tom Hoban, who grew up in the Tulalip community, had a timely conversation with Board of Director Mel Sheldon. During their chat, Mel mentioned how the reservation-based Veteran’s building was in need of repairs. Hoban immediately brought up 3rd & Goal as a viable solution. After some coordination between Hoban, 3rd & Goal, and then Tulalip Veterans coordinator Rocky Renecker, a mutually agreed upon idea to replace the aging and hazardous deck of the Veteran’s office with a new one was put into place.
“This office is intended for all Tulalip veterans, so by replacing our old and withered deck it feels like a genuine gift for every single one of veterans,” said Veterans Department manager William McLean III. “Staff from 3rd & Goal came out periodically over the last several months, while most of Tulalip was furloughed, and built us an upgraded deck. It was must needed.
“Prior to COVID, we were having monthly gatherings for veterans,” he continued. “We were hosting those meetings at Admin because upwards of 30 people would show up and we lacked the capacity. Now with our new deck, which is twice the size of our previous one, we are able to host future monthly gatherings at the Veterans office.”
The expanded deck with improved stairs and accessible ramp makes it easier for our veterans to access their building, gather comfortably outside when they want to, and revel in the knowledge that they are not forgotten. Foundations like 3rd & Goal and individuals such as Brady Quinn and Tom Hoban are intentional with their desire to positively impact the lives of retired military servicemen.
With operation build a new deck now completed, it marks the first-ever project by 3rd & Goal accomplished in Indian Country.
“Having a group of people willing to give back to veterans for nothing more than a thank you is always great to see,” added McLean. “When our building looks nice and is maintained, it lets our veterans know they are cared for and prioritized.”
“[A huge] thank you to 3rd & Goal for everything they’ve done,” added Tulalip veteran Rocky Renecker. “Ninety percent of our Tulalip veterans are over sixty-years-old and this new accessible space will make it possible for us to come together as a veteran community.”
Over the past several months, the Tulalip Police Department has welcomed nearly ten officers to the tribal law enforcement agency. These include four lateral officers who transferred from other departments and four new officers, who recently completed three-months of training at the United States Indian Police Academy in New Mexico. With the addition of these eight officers, TPD currently stands about forty officers strong.
According to TPD Professional Standards Manager, Angela Davis, the department would like to see the tribal police force increase by about twenty-five additional officers.
The main focus now is recruitment. TPD has made it their priority to introduce Tulalip tribal members and citizens to the badge, in an attempt to strengthen the community from within. With the Tribe’s best interest at heart, Tulalip PD is looking to increase communication and interaction with the people who they vowed to protect and serve, and they believe a major key to achieving that is bringing on individuals who also have Tulalip’s best interest at heart, whether they are members of the Tribe or simply call Tulalip home.
Angela, who oversees a large portion of the hiring, took a moment to speak with Tulalip News about the process of becoming a Tulalip Law Enforcement Officer.
TPD is growing! Eight new officers were recently sworn-in and the department is still looking to expand. How long does it take to become a police officer after making the decision to apply?
It takes so long for them to get to this point; a long time to go through the background process. To get through a background investigation, there’s a lot of steps. The first is they have to pass the testing requirement for employment and they have to pass the interview. Once they get done with the interview process, we do a conditional offer of employment, stating if you pass the background investigation, we’ll hire you.
Once we have an effective start date, then we have to try to get them into the Academy. Unfortunately, being a tribal division, we do not have priority when we go through the Washington State Academy in Burien, it’s a hurry up and wait and you might not get in. We’ve chosen to go to the U.S. Indian Police Academy in New Mexico. Even with that though, there’s a waiting list. It could be months. And then when they finally go to the Academy, which is three-months long, they come back and have to complete their field training before they can be on the street by themselves.
There have been strong efforts to hire and train officers from within the community, why is it important to have that tribal and citizen representation on the tribal police force?
Chief (Sutter) and I both believe that it is important to have people that represent the community that we serve on the force; having officers of minorities, any kind including non-tribal, that represent all of the people that we serve. And we have all different kinds of people out here, different cultures and races. It’s important for us to have that representation so when people are interacting with a police officer, they feel more comfortable and at ease, like they can relate and connect with them. It’s more about building a relationship and connection, to try to help de-escalate a situation better, to understand where they’re coming from – why they might be acting this way. Or let’s say they’re other Native from another tribe, they might understand some of the culture and traditions here. A lot of the Tulalip ways are done on other reservations, and so just trying to understand the ways of the Tribe and the people and not disrespect it.
Every single officer who recently took the oath stated that they are not going anywhere, that they plan on serving the Tulalip community for years to come. How does it feel hearing that, especially after several former TPD officers left once they received their training and the necessary amount of required field hours?
I think it’s really great because retention is key. We have had a lot of turnover in the past couple years. Retention is a big topic that we’ve been talking about with the Board of Directors. Law enforcement officers off-the-reservation get to be a part of a retirement pension package, so if you work twenty years you get to have a pension. Here, we don’t offer that. We have a 401k-type of retirement package, but it’s not a pension. A lot of times, off-the-reservation, medical insurance and stuff like that is cheaper. They have the same great benefits but at a lower cost for them and their families. Here, we are all under the same umbrella as the government, TGO, and everyone that works for them. It’s really difficult to retain people because of wages, because of insurance, and sometimes even growth and opportunity. But, it’s really nice to have people that are committed to staying here.
And it has to do with recruiting. When we’re recruiting, we’re trying to tell them upfront that we want someone who is committed to the community. We tell them that we would like them to be committed to serving Tulalip for at least five years with us. I think one thing that’s different to with our recruitment is that we’re trying to find people with a servant’s heart – just good people on the inside. I’m not focused about someone’s physical appearance, their physical abilities as much; are you tall and strong and intimidating looking? Are you a woman? Are you a man? It sounds like all those things happen in the law enforcement world but I’m not like that. Chief’s not like that. We want people with a good heart that will serve our people and respect each other and have dignity and respect the human life and not have this power struggle with the people.
Where would one start on the journey to becoming a member of the TPD?
We have our new updated Tulalip tribal police website where they can look at all the information there. On there, it talks about the careers and they can click on job openings to learn more. They can apply to the any of the positions that are open. And they can always reach out to the Chief or I and we can take their name down for any future openings, so just reach out to us, stop by anytime and introduce yourselves.
Can you outline in detail the process of becoming a Tulalip officer?
After successfully passing the interview process, they can do their new hire paperwork, their UA, and fill out this thirty-five-page personal history packet that lists their whole life, along with some personal references, work references, any other law enforcement agencies that they’ve applied to, any drug history – just tons of questions.
I then call them in and do what’s called an integrity interview, and ask them eleven more pages worth of questions that are similar, but now I’m seeing them face-to-face to see how they respond. Are they pausing? Are they quick to answer? Are they trying to get around the question? It’s just another way to verify what they wrote.
The next step would be a polygraph test, once they pass that they get to the point of a medical exam. They also have a psychological evaluation from certified public safety psychologists. If they pass that, and all the references and all the information I got, all that totality of everything allows us to decide if they’re suitable for Tulalip or not.
Hopefully the department continues to grow. I know the new officers are excited to get out into the community. Perhaps by seeing people of the community on the force, others will be inspired to follow a career in law enforcement with TPD.
You know, it is a long process. It’s not an easy decision, it’s not an easy job to get into. For anyone that wants to become an officer, and that has tried and failed at some point, you can always keep on trying. Sometimes time is all that people need. For instance, let’s say that there was someone that was young, and used to get a bunch of tickets, or smoked marijuana. Well, now the laws have changed and the times have changed. Don’t disqualify yourself, apply for the job and let us make that decision.
If you wish to pursue a career with the Tulalip Police Department, please reach out to Angela to begin your new journey with law enforcement. For additional details, visit www.TulalipTribalPolice.org or call the non-emergency line at (360) 716-4608.
Charles (Chaz) Sneatlum III, a Tulalip Tribal Member, was born on June 23, 1972 to his parents Charles R. Sneatlum Jr. & Janet D. Patrick. He entered eternal rest on October 29, 2020 at Tulalip WA. Charles led an active life as a Commercial Fisherman & Hunter, a Black Jack Dealer and Security at the Tulalip Casino and also worked with the Grounds Maintenance Crew for Quil Ceda Village.
Charles was preceded in death by grandparents Wesley & Joyce Patrick, Charles & Shirley Sneatlum, parents Charles Sneatlum Jr. & Janet Patrick, brother Edward Sneatlum, son Michael Sneatlum, grandson Louie Williams Jr. Charles leaves behind his mate Jenny Marteney. He also leaves behind his children James Dean Agulair, Charles Williams, Charles Sneatlum IV, Louie Williams, Mary Jane Moses, Shirley Mae Sneatlum, Janet Enick Sneatlum, Caitlyn Sneatlum, his grandchildren Ilena Spencer Williams, Isabelle Williams and nephew Baby Ed Sneatlum.
Visitation will be held on Monday, November 2, 2020 from 9am to 11am at Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home. A graveside service will take place at 12pm at Mission Beach Cemetery.
By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News; Images courtesy Marvel Comics
November is Native American Heritage Month. It’s an entire 30-day calendar month dedicated to celebrating rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of America’s first people. Heritage Month is also an opportune time to educate the general public about tribal sovereignty and raise awareness about the 574 federally recognized tribes and their inherent uniqueness. Moreover, it’s an opportunity to spotlight tribal citizens who dedicate themselves to conquering the challenges Native people have faced both historically and present day.
Jeffrey Veregge, a Port Gamble S’Klallam tribal member, has been an artist since the moment he was able to hold his first action figure and create stories of his childhood superheroes on paper with whatever art utensils were available. That creative fire and passion for super powered warriors and comics never faded as he grew from imaginative youngster to inspired illustrator. His desire to keep improving eventually led him to the Seattle Art Institute where he studied industrial design technology.
Afterwards, he was fortunate enough to study under the tutelage of Tsimshian master carver, David Boxley. It was with Boxley’s vigilant guidance Veregge learned the basics of Salish formline design. Formline is an Indigenous art of the Northwest Coast and is distinguished by the use of characteristic shapes referred to as ovoids, U-forms and trigons.
“A member of Port Gamble S’Klallam, I was raised and spent a majority of my life on our reservation known locally as Little Boston, which is located near Kingston, Washington. Although I am enrolled there, I am also of Suquamish and Duwamish ancestry,” explained Veregge to Tulalip News in 2015. “I graduated with honors from the Art Institute of Seattle and had the privilege to study with Tsimshian master carver, David Boxley.
“Salish formline is beautiful and felt like a natural extension. Comic books, Star Wars and all this hero stuff are equivalent to modern day myths. Salish art has told stories and myths [for countless generations],” he continued. “My work is a reflection of a lifetime love affair with comic books, toys, TV and film; taking my passions and blending them with my Native perspective.”
After graduating from the Seattle Art Institute, Veregge had a job at an advertising agency for eleven years. Working in advertising allowed him to tap into his creative side, but the Native artist within wasn’t satisfied, he needed something more. He went to art school to hone his skills and have fun, not to have his inner artist constrained by the everyday politics of advertising.
For him, being an artist wasn’t just to sell art and make money. Being an artist meant loving what you do and constantly searching for new ways to create. It meant viewing a blank piece of paper as a magical canvas to express the imagination of a cluttered mind who loves comics, movies, Sci-Fi, and action figures. So he left the advertising agency and embarked on the artist’s mission: to create something truly unique.
A search for a new, personal and bold direction in his work resulted in Veregge creating Native Superhero comics. The sleek lines of the Salish design applied to superheroes such as Batman and Spiderman give them a solid, yet defined silhouette against a simple background. The use of negative space and vivid color contrast so well that the illustrated defenders of peace and justice convey a real sense of power and motion.
“Basically, I am just trying to have fun and get back to that kid that went to art school to begin with, wanting to create artwork that I want to see and make just for the hell of it,” described Veregge of his formline remixed, boundary pushing artwork he creates today. “There is a time and place for preserving the old ways, the traditions, but then there is the call for all artists to push the limits, find new ways to say things, and new stories to tell.”
The eye-catching, Salish remixes of Earth’s greatest heroes brought about one opportunity after another to showcase his work in local comic book stores, online publications and the occasional commission. Then a monumental shift came in 2018 when he was asked to host a 15-month solo exhibit at the Smithsonian in New York City, called ‘Of Gods & Heroes: The art of Jeffrey Veregge.’
His growing fan base dubbed him ‘Salish Geek’, while online Veregge went by the moniker ‘NDN Geek’ when contributing writing on behalf of pop and nerd culture. His explosion onto the highest levels of the art scene eventually meant his one-a-kind designs reached the game-changing creatives at Marvel Comics. It was perfect timing, too, as the comic book goliath was in the midst of developing an all-new collection titled Marvel’s Voices.
“Marvel’s Voices started and evolved from a popular Marvel podcast into a larger program within our comics,” explained Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief, C.B. Cebulski in a press release. “Our first anthology in this program was released this past February and the reception from fans was incredible. It was clear we needed to do more to lift up more voices and talent and increase representation in and behind our stories. This is the first step of our next expansion of the program to discover new writers and artists who can bring their voices to our characters, both old and new. And this is only the beginning.”
In a cosmic shift for Native representation, Marvel will be celebrating Indigenous history this November with a landmark special, Indigenous Voices #1. Written and drawn by some of the industry’s most renowned Indigenous talent, including none other than the ‘Salish Geek’ himself, Jeffrey Veregge. Now a celebrated artist, he is leading this super powered movement alongside a team of creators to explore the legacy and experiences of Marvel’s incredible cast of Indigenous characters.
In addition to the new Indigenous Voices comic, Veregge illustrated Native American heritage tribute variant covers for other popular comic titles that will feature Dani Moonstar, Black Panther, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk and others. All depicted in his signature Salish style.
“I am truly grateful for the platform that Marvel has not only provided for me and my work, but with this edition of Marvel Voices, all of Native America,” Veregge said. “This is an opportunity to share the cultural influences that we as Native artists and writers grew up with that will add more depth and dimension to the Native heroes in the Marvel Universe.”
In a world severely lacking in authentic representation of Indigenous cultures, Veregge has reached the highest pinnacle of his craft while helping bring Salish formline to the comic book mainstream. Globally there are millions of Marvel fans, including a very devout base of comic book enthusiasts. The exposure to November’s Indigenous Voices and the must-have Native Heritage tribute covers offer immeasurable introductions and learning experiences about Salish formline and traditional Native storytelling
“For thousands of years, Native and non-Native storytellers have used art as a means to share the tales of their people,” reflected Veregge. “For me, I am simply carrying on a tradition that started with my ancestors by using the means of today, and all its modern conveniences, to share the tales that I love. Art evolves, artist tools advance, but the essence of what I do is the same as those who created with the canvases nature provided to tell the stories of gods and heroes long, long ago.”
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to own a piece of Native history with the Salish remixed covers of your favorite superheroes. Contact a local comic shop this month to pre-order the exciting new Marvel comic, Indigenous Voices #1, featuring stories, words, and images created by an all-Native ensemble.
As the original caretakers of this region, the Tulalip people share a deep connection with Mother Earth. Generation after generation, the youth are taught about the natural world; the knowledge of plants and their medicinal components, as well as their use for sustenance and ceremonial purposes, including but not limited to regalia and blessings. The traditions are usually passed on through families. Today, classes are offered by a number of departments and traditional ceremonies are often open to the public, helping pass down that knowledge on a larger scale and ensuring the sduhubš way of life is preserved and lives well into the future of Tulalip lineage.
One such program that develops cultural lessons and projects, and thereby provides the Tulalip people with a deeper understanding of the local Native plants and their many uses, is the Rediscovery Program. Originally started by Tribal members Hank Gobin and Inez Bill, Rediscovery was recently, in traditional fashion, handed off to the next generation as Virginia Jones and Taylor Henry take the knowledge learned, working alongside Inez, and prepare to put a new spin on tradition.
The program has been invested in the annual Tribal Canoe Journey and makes traditional medicinal supplies with the community, not only for the Tulalip Canoe families, but also to gift to the hosting tribes along the way. Throughout the year, the program will hold classes at the Hibulb Cultural Center where tribal members can create handmade products such as lip balm, sunscreen, salves, headache and sinus oil, tea, and also sage and cedar bundles for Journey. With the cancelation of Canoe Journey this year, the Rediscovery had an abundance of product that would expire if not used within the year.
While determining what to do with the handmade goods, the program was met with yet another challenge – how to provide their services to the tribal membership during a worldwide pandemic.
Explained Virginia, “We had to find a way to provide a cultural connection for our people. And when we were thinking about classes, it didn’t feel like that was reasonable around COVID. We were considering how many different family members and households we could reach if we put together this drive-thru kit idea, and we’ve been able to reach a lot more families than if we were just providing classes.”
Once-a-month, you can catch the Rediscovery team offering medicine, in the form of both laughter and DIY craft kits, at the far end of the Hibulb Cultural Center parking lot. Since the kits are offered to Tulalip tribal members only, Virginia and Taylor advertised the first two events solely on the Tulalip tribal member Facebook page. Those advertisements alone brought hundreds of people by the carload to see what the program has to offer their families. Each tribal member chooses one kit of their liking and receive one bottle of sinus and headache oil.
“Some of that smudge from Journey are in these kits because we figured that maybe the Tulalip families could use those things even though they were put together with the intention of being for Journey,” Virginia continued. “The sinus and headache oil was another one of the items that people got together to make. With a lot of these plant medicines, it’s better that they get used than waiting until next Journey, so we decided we would provide them to the community.”
On the morning of October 22, Rediscovery set up shop and were busy throughout the day while cars trickled in and out of the Hibulb parking lot. People had three options to choose from; shawl kits complete with thread and needle, rawhide rattle kits or a smudge blend and loose-leaf tea kit. Tribal member Theresa Sheldon expressed that COVID cannot stop the culture when she dropped by to pick up several kits for herself and her nieces to construct while they spend a little family time together.
“I love this, because we are all at home and this really helps,” said Theresa. “I have nieces who we’ve been doing art projects with, so it’s perfect being able to teach them how to do this stuff, because they’re going to carry this on after us. And it doesn’t stop, the teachings and the time to learn, that doesn’t stop as time goes on.”
Overall, 251 DIY kits were handed out during October’s drive-thru event, as well as 261 medicinal plant kits with items such as four thieves room spray, smudge blends, tea and sinus and headache oil. The next drive-thru kit-giveaway will take place on November 4th, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Rediscovery is currently planning drive-thru events through March 2021, but Virginia warns that could change depending on any new developments of the COVID-19 virus.
“I would say that they’re all very happy when they come through to pick up their kits,” assessed Virginia. “It’s hard for them to choose because they want a little bit of everything. I’ve seen a couple people respond to us, showing their completed crafts. We hope to offer different kits at each drive-thru for each month. The November drive-thru will probably be necklace kits – it’ll be a carved paddle or a carved canoe head with string and sandpaper, but they’ll have to do their own beads this time.
“We miss being able to offer the classes and the culture night events in-person. We miss being able to spend time, sharing-in all of those cultural activities, like gathering together and making items. But, we are definitely glad to see the families who come through and take some of these kits home because then at least we know that they can spend that time with their family making those things.”
The coronavirus continues to have its way with planet Earth’s human civilizations. Worldwide there have been 40 million confirmed cases, 1.1 million deaths and, most importantly, over 30 million people have recovered. Seemingly every major news channel in the United States continues to break stories about surging spikes, outbreak hot spots, super spreader events and the dreaded second wave. Yet, life continues to adapt and find new ways to thrive. As is the natural order of all things.
Pumpkin picking is a perfect example. The typically mundane tradition is done in the weeks leading up to a holiday where individuals pretend to be something else by wearing a costume in an effort to receive as many sugar-filled treats as possible. But now? Leaving the house, going outside in a social distancing friendly environment, and picking a plump pumpkin at the local farm is simply party business. More than that, it’s a reassuring pick-me-up during a global pandemic.
On Saturday, October 17, the greater Tulalip community and patients of the reservation’s health clinic were cordially invited to Garden Treasurers organic farm for a host of fun activities, highlighted of course by roaming the make shift pumpkin patch. Over the last few months, Garden Treasures has become a sanctuary for those in desperate need of fresh air and sunshine. There people can take a leisurely stroll through acres of vegetable-fill greenhouses and flower gardens, while reconnecting with nature.
“We had 150+ community members participate in last weekend’s farm tour and u-pick. In our 11-year history, that marks our largest non-ceremonial event ever!” marveled Veronica ‘Roni’ Leahy, manager of Tulalip’s Diabetes Care and Prevention Program. “The enthusiasm of those who come and share their thoughts with us of how they want to use their harvested foods gives our team an opportunity to share our knowledge and cooking skills with them.
“For me personally, I love to listen to their hearts speak about the plants and their experiences with them,” continued Roni. “I enjoy answering their questions about how the plants grow and how to care for them. Our team is well rounded at the farm, we have people with different skills and levels of understanding who eagerly want to share their gifts with others.”
Farmers markets and local organic farms are making the most of an otherwise dire situation this year. Under the scope of pick-your-own or u-pick, both considered a type of agritourism, business is booming during the growing seasons of Covid-19. As nationwide health concerns and pandemic-induced lockdowns continue to loom, farms, as food producers, are essential businesses and remain a healthy alternative to overly processed, pre-packaged grocery stores.
So many popular entertainment venues are closed, but people remain eager to get out and do stuff. Especially parents seeking family activities. That’s one of the reasons Josh and Danielle Fryberg attended the community farm day with seven kids and two grandparents in tow.
“It’s a good time for us to be together as a family and benefit from something that one of our Tulalip departments put together for our community to stay healthy,” said Josh. “We’ve participated in a few u-pick days now, and learned something new each time. We’ve been able to learn about what fruits and vegetables grow in which seasons, and realized how much healthier the foods are here than what’s sold in stores. You can literally see the difference, taste the difference, and even smell the difference.”
Eleven-year-old Kyla Fryberg displayed her picking prowess when she ventured off to the carrot field and then to the greenhouse where strawberries grow. She wanted to make sure she got the perfect snack foods for her two pet rabbits, and some carrots for herself.
“It was really nice,” chuckled Kyla about her time roaming the farm. “There are pretty flowers and lots of carrots to pick. I like fruits and vegetables, mostly carrots and apples because they are my favorite. I think it’s important for kids eat vegetables so we can grow to be big and strong.”
For Tulalip citizens desiring to eat healthier and want to add a variety of vitamins and nutrients to their everyday meals that will naturally boost the immune system, fruits and vegetables are the answer. Nearly everyone left the farm with not only their own pumpkin, but a fresh bounty of organic food to add to their favorite meals. Those who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases and have more energy to tackle every day stresses.
Sisters Marilyn and Denise Sheldon made the most of their afternoon farm visit. Their goal was to handpick a variety of beautiful flowers, ranging in colors and size, to make unique bouquets. Along the way they thoroughly enjoyed a brisk fall excursion while experiencing the joy shared by Tulalip youth able to spread their wings and run around.
“There were all kinds of organic fruits and vegetables,” said Marilyn Sheldon. “What I liked most was seeing our people out here enjoying all of it. There were little ones running around being happy they were outside and able to pick something cool. There were adults and elders walking around with beautiful bouquets of flowers they created themselves.”
“You can pick whatever you want!” added Denise. “I enjoy soaking up all the pleasant aromas from flowers to vegetables to herbs. Some of the herbs I hadn’t seen in their farm grown form before and had to smell them in order to figure out what was what. I’m thankful to receive a large pumpkin because I’ve been excited to bake pumpkin seeds and try out a new recipe to make pumpkin bars.”
Several children took full advantage of the on-site pumpkin carving demonstrations. Young Dalyn Jones spent his morning at the farm with his great-grandpa Dale. He put his carving skills to the test when he attempted a difficult owl design. After his first attempt didn’t exactly go as planned, the owl had an unfortunate accident that couldn’t be fixed, he skillfully carved an exquisite squiggly face design.
“Who doesn’t like to carve pumpkins? Not me,” shared 10-year-old Dalyn while showing off his jack-o-lantern. “I think it’s so much fun. I call mine Squiggles. I’m excited to bring it home and put a candle inside. It’ll go outside my house until Halloween. I can’t wait for Halloween because I’m dressing up as a vending machine.”
It was a day filled with laughter, excitement, and pleasant stories shared by some who hadn’t seen each other in months. One person after another roamed the pumpkin patch, but none did so quite like the younger kids who beamed with a sense of independence and pride as they picked the perfect pumpkin to claim as their own.
The community thrived in the open-air space Garden Treasures offers. From youth to adult to elders, there was something for everyone and activities to experience together. Roni and her Diabetes Prevention team are so thrilled with Tulalip’s response to the farm days that they are already planning to expand future activities to include crafting, educational opportunities with native plants and berries, and more hands-on workshops.
“It’s like watching a connection occur right before your eyes. It’s like watching people you care for enjoy life’s gifts,” reflected Roni on the countless memories made from first time farm visitors and veteran food harvesters alike. “For example, watching kids experience the ocean waves for the first time, or catching their first fish. It is something that completely fills your heart. This is what our whole team experiences and why we have this driving force of motivation to share with others the opportunity to experience the farm with all our people.
“Peer-to-Peer motivational education seems to have the biggest impact on our lives,” she added. “The farm, the clinic gardens, and our field trips give our multi-disciplinary team the opportunity to bring people and nature together. Our days always end with our hearts filled with good memories and hopeful anticipation to create more. This is why we do this work; we believe that creating positive memories and connective experiences with our food sources truly helps in the development of a healthy and vibrant community.”
