ConocoPhillips helps fund tsunami warning system
Residents on Sandy Point in Ferndale can rest easier knowing their area is now covered by a state-of-the-art early warning system that will notify them to move to high ground if a tsunami is detected off the Washington coast.
The All Hazards Alert Broadcast (AHAB) Warning System is a joint project of Whatcom Fire District 17, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management and the Washington State Military Department Emergency Management Division.
The AHAB’s $46,500 purchase price was funded by a $20,000 donation from ConocoPhillips Ferndale Refinery with the remainder paid by the State Emergency Management Division.
“Ferndale Refinery employees spend hundreds of hours every year developing and fine tuning response plans for a variety of potential emergencies,” said Gary Goodman, Ferndale refinery manager. “Not only do we participate in full-scale drills annually with state and federal agencies, we activate our internal emergency address system every Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. Employees stop their regular jobs and assume their emergency response roles to practice the procedures for a particular scenario. Planning, prevention and practice are key components in our safety philosophy.”
Fire District 17 officials started work on research and acquisition of the AHAB system in 2004. Experts predict that Sandy Point could be completely covered by as much as six to eight feet of water by a tsunami caused by a large earthquake off the Washington coast.
Perched atop a 45-foot tower, the 12-foot tall AHAB system will broadcast a 125 decibel siren for 30 seconds followed by spoken instructions on the nature of the emergency and what actions residents should take. The 4,800-watt unit is the largest produced by Federal Signal Corp. and can be heard for 3.25 square miles. It is battery powered, therefore isn’t rendered inoperable if electricity is lost.
In addition to being used to alert residents to a tsunami, the AHAB system can be activated to warn residents of any natural or manmade disaster. Fire District 17 officials could activate the system to advise residents to evacuate their homes or to ask residents to remain indoors due to unsafe conditions.
Fire District 17, Whatcom County Division of Emergency Management and State Emergency Management officials all will be able to activate the system if necessary. Future plans call for the system to be upgraded to satellite capability, which will allow State officials at Camp Murray near Tacoma to monitor the system’s health.
Fire District 17 plans to test the system weekly.

Food Pavilion, Cost Cutter raise money for cancer relays
Through the sale of sun and moon memory cards, creative store team fundraising and sponsorships, Food Pavilion and Cost Cutter employees and their customers raised over $60,000 to benefit cancer research.
Employees also participated in several 24-hour relays, including the July 14 Relay for Life in Whatcom County. The relays celebrate and honor those who are cancer survivors, those fighting cancer, and those who have passed on. Teams spent 24 hours walking a track in a positive and energizing event. It is the culmination of weeks of fundraising, from hot dog sales to dress down jeans days, knitted scarf competitions, the sale of luminaries to honor those afflicted, Wally’s Water and parking lot sales.

Key Bank, Lakeway Inn support humane society
The Lakeway Inn & Conference Center provided a booth as one of the sponsors at the Whatcom Humane Society’s annual Dog Days of Summer Fun Run and Festival on Labor Day Weekend.
The Lakeway Inn gave away gourmet dog biscuits prepared by their in-house chef and held drawings for prize items. Nearly 1200 dog biscuits were given away at the event. The remainder was donated to the dogs at the Whatcom Humane Society.
Over 300 dogs and their owners attended the WHS event, raising nearly $6,000 in funds for the animal shelter.
Key Bank donated $10,000 to the Whatcom Humane Society’s new building campaign.
“This generous gift will go a long way in helping us build a new reality for the animals in Whatcom County,” said Penny Cistaro, WHS Executive Director.
All money raised goes to build a state of the art animal shelter and humane education center in Ferndale.

Golf classic raises $9,000 for Habitat for Humanity
The Northwest Washington Chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors NW (NAIFA-NW) raised $9,000 for the Whatcom County chapter of Habitat for Humanity in their eighth annual NAIFA Golf Classic. Over 80 golfers participated in the tournament in August at Shuksan Golf Course in Bellingham.
The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is a national nonprofit organization representing the interests of more than 70,000 insurance and financial advisors nationwide.

Law firm raises $17,000 for YWCA program
Chmelik Sitkin & Davis P.S. held its eighth annual Charity Invitational Golf Tournament on September 15 at the Bellingham Golf & Country Club.
The law firm’s designated charity this year was the YWCA Transitional Housing Program. This year’s team champion was Dawson Construction, captained by Pete Dawson.
Through generous contributions of the golfers and friends of the law firm, $17,000 was raised for the YWCA of Bellingham. Frank Chmelik noted that, “Over the years, this tournament is an opportunity for our staff, our clients and our friends to join together and give back to our community. The YWCA has a real need for support this year – we are all glad we can help meet that need.”

Golf tourney nets $10,000 for homeless shelters
In September, DeWaard and Bode raised $10,000 for The Lighthouse Mission and The Agape Women’s and Children’s Home in Bellingham. The Lighthouse Mission & Agape Home are Bellingham and Whatcom County’s only walk-in crisis homeless shelter for men, women and children.

Northwest Hot Springs plans holiday toy drive
Northwest Hot Springs has announced it will hold its third annual Toys for Tots drive from Nov. 5-Dec. 22.
Northwest Hot Springs began collecting Toys for Tots in 2004 and was able to raise 317 new toys for all children ranging in age from newborn to teen. In 2005, Northwest Hot Springs managed to triple the number of toys to 1,137 which filled three Hot Spring spas. This year, Northwest Hot Springs has committed to two months of toy collecting in hopes to raise over 2,000 toys this holiday season. Anyone wishing to donate to Toys for Tots can visit www.nwhotspring.com for more information or just look for the signs & the giant Santa (Burlington location only). Donations must be in the form of new, unwrapped toys for children ranging from newborn to teenager and can be made at 1511 Iowa Street in Bellingham or 507 Fisher Lane in Burlington. Store hours are Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 9 a.m.-5p.m.

Island businesses support housing program fundraiser
Whidbey Island Share a Home (WISH) has announced its second annual fundraiser, “Share Your Change – Share a Home” with the support of some key businesses on the Island.
From Nov. 17-Dec. 1, small plastic banks will appear in store fronts, retail store counters and bedroom dressers encouraging people to donate their change and return filled containers to WISH.
According to WISH director Julie Pigott, the success of the program is due to the cooperation of many local businesses.
As a special incentive, Whidbey Island Coffee is offering a 10-beverage gift certificate for every empty bank returned full to the same Whidbey Island Coffee shop on the island. Interstate Labels in Freeland donated labels for this fundraiser, as well.
WISH offers a self-match program where home providers and home seekers have the final decision in selecting who they would like to meet. This arrangement allows both parties a better place to live for less. Often times an agreement between parties includes an exchange of services for reduced rent.
Island County is the sixth fastest growing county in Washington and ranks seventh among the counties with the least affordable housing. According to figures provided by Island County, the cost of a home on Whidbey has increased over 21% since 2005.
WISH offers innovative and practical solutions using already existing housing. They have facilitated 58 home share matches, serving over 280 people. Of those 58 matches, 22 home share matches have lived together more than one year. WISH supports both short term and long-term housing needs on Whidbey Island.
The concept for WISH was conceived three years ago by South Whidbey Soroptimists with the idea of providing opportunities for affordable housing alternatives on Whidbey Island. WISH works closely with other Whidbey Island programs to support affordable housing options, include Helping Hand of South Whidbey, Senior Services of Island County, Family Resource Center, Opportunity Council and Island County Housing Authority.
If a business would like to participate in this year’s Share Your Change – Share a Home, here’s what it can do to help:
1. Pick up a WISH bank at the office at Highway 525 and Woodard in front of Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland, at a Whidbey Coffee kiosk or at other participating churches and businesses.
2. When the bank is filled, return it to the WISH office by Dec. 1. Persons picking up and returning a filled bank to the same Whidbey Coffeee location will receive a 10-beverage card.
3. You can also write a check and send it to WISH, PO Box 213, Freeland, WA 98249.
For more information about this fundraiser or WISH, call the office at 1-800-864-7549 or 360-331-5910.
– Carolyn Browne Tamler