Skagit Business Expo

A steady crowd of business men and women from Skagit and Whatcom counties attended the recent Business Expo and Small Business Conference held at the CottonTree Convention Center.

Exhibitors surveyed say that while attendance may have been down slightly from the previous year, quality of those visiting the booths was up.

“I’ve gotten more leads. I’d say the people are all here to get something out of the expo,” says Ron King, photographer, who had a booth at the third-annual event, sponsored by Consolidated Cellular, KLKI Am 1340 Radio, AT&T Media Services and The Skagit County Business Monthly.

At the same time, participants also were invited to attend several free seminars on organization, management, leadership and sales, and a highlight was a morning workshop on “Excellence in the Workplace,” conducted by Patrick MGaughey, who spoke on customer service, performance, handling people, earning client respect and lessening stress. That three-hour workshop was put on by the Burlington Chamber of Commerce, Skagit Valley College and Business Monthly magazine, which hosted the day-long expo.

Another important part of the day was a breakfast and political forum, hosted by the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce. Business decisionmakers heard brief speeches by candidates in the Nov. 6 General Election, while also meeting new faces in the business community.

Expo is held every year in mid-October to help companies network with other businesses, host valuable seminars and give the community an opportunity to have a little fun during the after-hours extravaganza.

 

Hansell, Mitzel Merge New-home Businesses

Two leaders in the Skagit Valley real estate development industry — Jeff Hansell and Dan Mitzel — have teamed up to provide better-quality customer service and shared expertise.

Hansell Mitzel Homes, as the new company is called, was the natural “integration” of two well-established businesses in the county, one of which, Mitzel and Associates, finds and develops property and the other, Hansell Homes, builds spec and custom single-family residences.

“This partnership will work because Dan and I have diverse talents,” Hansell says. “Mine is in home building and customer service; Dan brings the ability to develop residential neighborhoods.”

Hansell Mitzel Homes was conceived more than a year ago when Dan, who sold the lots Jeff was building on, suggested it would be more cost effective to buy the land, develop the property and build the homes as an integrated business plan.

“Lots and projects like that take a huge capital investment,” Hansell asserts. “It can also take years to get a project built because of all of the permitting and approvals required. Not many builders can afford to do that.”

With Mitzel’s expertise in acquiring the land and following through the approval process and Hansell’s abilities to build high-quality spec and custom homes, it seemed a “logical extension” to merge their businesses, Hansell adds. “We already have combined our staff in our new location,” he says.

“We’re excited about the potential here,” he enthuses. “We’re home grown. I’ve been here 10 years and Dan’s been here most of his life.”

The new business will concentrate first on three projects: Nookachamp Hills off Highway 9 near Big Lake, North Woods between the Northridge community and Francis Road in Mount Vernon, and North Hill, a newly cleared location for condominiums and single-family homes on Francis Road farther to the north.

Meanwhile, Hansell says he’ll continue to provide ongoing service to customers of Hansell Homes and Mitzel will guide his other business, which deals with commercial real estate development, commercial real estate management and general contracting. Hansell Mitzel Homes, Jeff explains, will focus entirely on residential construction.

Hansell Mitzel Homes is located next to Lennox (Whitfield Stoves) at 1369 Pacific Drive, Suite 201, off Pease Road in Burlington. For more information, call 757-7930 or fax 757-7960.

 

Burlington Second State Site for Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme, the doughnut maker that’s attained an almost cult-like following nationwide, is hoping to establish its second outlet in the state in Burlington, if approved by the City Council this month.

The bakery, which opened its first Washington-state store in Issaquah late October, applied for a permit to build at 711 Haggen Drive near the new Haggen Food outlet. The city planning commission reviewed the request last month and sent its recommendation to the council for its Dec. 13 meeting.

Prior to Krispy Kreme’s opening in Issaquah, some devotees to the sweet doughnut treats, went so far as to set up tents to be first in line, while radio personalities ballyhooed the cakey food ad infinitum.

The company started 68 years ago in Peducah, Ky., and later spread throughout the South. Only recently has Krispy Kreme moved out West.

 

Women’s Fitness Center Opens Doors

Stephanie McBride has opened Curves for Women, a fitness center franchise specifically for women, at 307 S. First St., Suite A., Mount Vernon.

“Our motto is: ‘No mirrors, no men.’ Curves is fast, fun, effective,” says McBride, from Stanwood, who also owns a franchise in Arlington.

The center — one of more than 1,700 Curves for Women franchises in North America and Spain — offers strength and aerobic trainings in 30-minute workouts. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and again from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To sign up or learn more, call 336-3365.

 

New Health Club Completed in Anacortes

Water’s Edge Health Club and Spa, owned by Marc and Anna Youngberg, has opened in Anacortes as a replacement for the popular Anacortes Health Club.

Located near Seafarers’ Memorial Park off R Avenue, the new 11,250-square-foot facility features state-of-the-art exercise equipment, cardiovascular and strength training, yoga, karate, kickboxing, a juice and coffee bar, a lounge, locker rooms, sauna, tanning rooms and aerobics area. A feature of the new structure is the cushioned floor to prevent injuries.

“We’ve strived to do the best,” Marc Youngberg says. “It’s an upscale, adult health club for people of all fitness levels.”

Constructed by Alan N. Perkes Construction Co. of Mount Vernon for $1 million, the building is owned by Marc’s parents, Richard and Annie Youngberg, who have leased the land from nearby Shared Healthcare Systems, a software-development firm. It’s located due east of Food Pavilion. Call 299-2180.

 

S-W Home to New Data Comm Business

Sean M. Overman has opened Sound Data Communications, a company specializing in database design, in Sedro-Woolley.

The business offers design and development of database applications in Microsoft Access, Microsoft Data Engine or Microsoft SQL Servicer, utilizing front-end applications in Visual Basic, Active Server Pages or Microsoft Access forms.

The company also can create Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and forms, build or rebuild a Web site, apply a new look and feel to an existing Web site or perform maintenance and updates on Web sites.

For more information and a free consultation, call 856-5698, e-mail info@sounddatacom.com, or visit www.sounddatacom .com.

 

New Edward Jones Branch in Mount Vernon

Timothy V. Price has opened a branch office of Edward Jones Investments at 1616 N. 18th St., Suite 140.

A native of Mount Vernon, Price is a financial representative qualified to help individuals set and meet their personal and financial goals.

He is a member of the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce, Skagit-Island Counties Builders Association (SICBA) and other community and business organizations.

For an appointment, call 424-0366.

Edward Jones has several offices in Skagit County and more than 7,800 branches nationwide.

 

Mental Health Counseling Offered at New Facility

Alpine Human Development Center has opened at 2215 Old Highway 99 S., providing mental-health counseling and services.

On hand are Barbara O’Leary Mathern, a registered marriage and family counselor, and Darlene F. Stuber, a registered mental-health counselor, specializing in children and adolescents.

Mathern conducts group sessions on divorce, domestic violence and other topics, as well as facilitates career-development seminars.

Stuber, who has a practice in Anacortes, conducts group sessions on anger management and parenting, among other issues.

Call 848-1191 for an appointment or information.

 

Packaging Store under New Ownership

The Packaging Store at 1833 Bouslog Road in Burlington is under new ownership.

Charles Dugaw took over late this summer from Bill Thomas, who started the business in the early 1990s on South Burlington Boulevard at Sharon Street.

“Fragile, large, awkward and valuable are what we take care of,” explains Dugaw.

“A big part of what we do is crating and custom packaging for freight forwarding, and we’re very qualified in that area,” he adds. “And I provide the same excellent service as my predecessor .”

Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call Dugaw at 757-6800 or fax 757-1508.

 

New Restaurant by New Owners at Wild Iris

Jill and David Britt, new owners of the Wild Iris Inn in La Conner, have also opened a new restaurant there.

Le Jardin (The Garden) offers homegrown, “truly organic” foods prepared daily by chef Drew Jackson.

“We have a monthly menu and a tasting menu that includes five to six courses paired with different wines — an opportunity to try different items,” says David Britt, a former sales and marketing associate for a food company in the Midwest. “We focus on organic cooking with local purveyors.”

Jill Britt also has wide experience, her husband says, adding: “She used to manage a high-volume restaurant.”

Hours are 5:30-9 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Call 466-1400 for a reservation, and visit the Web site at wildiris.com. The inn and restaurant is located at 121 Maple St.

 

Bed Outlet Takes up New Residence

The Bed Outlet has a new home — 17910 Memorial Highway, about one mile from the bridge.

Formerly at 1022 Riverside Drive in Mount Vernon, the store specializes in mattresses and bedroom furniture.

“About 50 percent of the business is in mattresses,” says owner Bill Bonner. “That’s our thing.”

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call Bonner or his wife, Melissa, at 424-4931.

 

Machine Shop Moves to South Mount Vernon

Parallel Precision, a high-precision machine shop, has moved to a new location off Cedardale Road in south Mount Vernon.

Located at 1129-A Dale Lane, the company machines parts for the commercial, medical, aircraft and electronics industries, according to owner Luc Dorais.

The machining industry has changed much in recent years and the many related technologies have finally come of age, Dorais says.

“We utilize these technologies to their fullest, which includes an integrated Cad Cam system. This allows us to handle many machine-related tasks more efficiently,” Dorais states. “Therefore, more work can get accomplished in a shorter amount of time, with higher quality and a lower cost to our customers.”

For more information, call 424-7626.

 

Elks Club Moves to Burlington

The Mount Vernon Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Lodge 1604, beleaguered over a road project and need for expansion, has moved to a new, temporary site at 351 Pease Road, Burlington.

Elks members say they hope to build a new lodge on an acre of land purchased on Cottonwood Street in Burlington, “but that hasn’t been decided yet,” a spokesperson says. A new name for the lodge also must be considered , since “Mount Vernon” cannot be changed without Elks International’s okay.

The Elks spokesperson says any new building would need approval. One plan being considered would 6,000 square feet, just over a quarter the size of the old building, and cost about $800,000.

Meanwhile, the old Elks structure, at 2111 Riverside Drive, was sold to Christ The King Church for $1.1 million and services have already started there.

 

$.O.$ Storage Being Expanded

Phase three of the expansion of $.O.$. Mini Storage on Market Street in Mount Vernon has been started by general contractor Piazza Construction.

According to Mike Camacho, manager, phase three will add another 22,225 square feet of mostly larger units to the 6-year-old facility, bringing the total to 75,650 square feet. The total number of units will be 624.

The storage facility, at 2329 Market St., is being expanded because of constant demand, Camacho adds.

 

Flair Designs Adding on Artists, Sale Items

Flair Designs of south Mount Vernon is spreading its wings, adding on new works from other artists and selling items from far and near. The shop, at 2103 Highway 99 S., sells elegant handcrafted gifts and fine fabrics.

Owned by artist Marlis Kuusela and business partner Stanley Odle, the company, which will be one year old this month, includes fabrics Kuusela has purchased abroad — on many of which she has added her own airbrushed designs — as well as accessories, handmade espresso sets from Brazil, scarves from Italy and jewelry from South Africa, Odle says.

“We’ve been knocking people out with what we have available,” he adds. “We want to make people feel good and buy things that make people feel good. We’re a gift place — but for art you would want to give to yourself.”

Kuusela, who also teaches special education in Sedro-Woolley, has been developing her technique for 20 years and started the shop in the old Hart’s Floral building last December. She has been to textile shows in the United States and Europe to find the fabrics she and Odle sell.

Now they’re featuring other artists’ work as well and give lessons in airbrush painting. They also plan to do more community outreach with personal appearances to promote their creativity, Odle states.

For more information, call 424-8093 or visit their Web site at www. flairdesigns.com.

 

Airporter Shuttle Adds Options for Travelers

Airporter Shuttle has introduced “stay, park and ride” options for people traveling from northwest Washington to Seattle Tacoma International Airport.

When shuttle customers stay one night at a participating local hotel, they can park up to seven days for free, according to Catherine Sheard, director of sales and marketing for Bellair Charters/Airporter Shuttle of Bellingham.

Because the hotels are located on the scheduled Airporter Shuttle run, customers can catch the shuttle to SeaTac and arrive at the airport free from the stress of driving and parking.

“People traveling to the SeaTac airport are finding it much easier to ride a shuttle than to drive themselves or ask a friend to drive,” Sheard explains. “Our customers arrive at the airport relaxed, free from worries about driving and parking.”

For more information, call 1-866-235-5247.

Airporter Shuttle serves Anacortes, Burlington and Mount Vernon and has service also to Oak Harbor. It’s based in Ferndale.

 

Performing-arts Center Likely to Go to Contract Bid

The Skagit Regional Public Facilities District, formed to oversee construction of a new performing-arts center at Skagit Valley College, hopes to start construction the first of next year using a private contractor.

The seven-member board, which was holding public hearings on the plan this month, says it would bid out the project to a private firm instead of allowing the college to handle construction.

According to board sources, the college had proposed a design-build concept, which is procedure, but the board chose the contractor and construction-manager process instead.

The college has given the parking-lot area north of the Annex Building over for construction of the new, 700-seat performing-arts center, which will cost about $18 million overall, a third of it funded by a donation from the late Jack McIntyre’s family. LMN Architects of Seattle is the designer.

 

New Pipeline Sections Applied for in State

Application has been made to enlarge an existing natural-gas pipeline from Sumas in Whatcom County to the Columbia River, including two eight-mile sections in Skagit County.

Northwest Pipeline filed the application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in early October and hopes to start construction next summer and the Evergreen Expansion Project, with in-service dates of June 2003 for the Sumas to Chehalis Corridor.

The pipeline will include about eight miles of 36-inch pipe in the Sedro-Woolley area and the same size and amount near Mount Vernon, which will also involve additional compression. The project will provide about 67,000 additional horsepower at five existing compressor stations.

Other counties involved are Snohomish, King, Pierce, Lewis, Clark, Skamania, Klickitat and Benton. For more information, contact www.evergreen. twc.com or rimsweb1.ferc.gov, under Docket#CP02-4.

 

Statewide Jobless Rate Takes Sharp Rise

The state’s unemployment rate soared seven-tenths of a percentage point in October, a result of economic troubles and effects of terrorism. Skagit County’s was no different, leaping 1.1 percent in one month.

Skagit had 51,020 persons in its labor force at the end of October, down 30 from the previous month and down 930 from a year ago. The jobless total reached 7.2 percent in October, compared to 6.1 percent in September and 5.9 percent in October 2000.

Other nearby counties ended October at 7.0 percent in Whatcom (up 0.9), 5.7 percent in Snohomish (up 0.5), 4.9 percent in Island (up 0.6) and 3.4 in San Juan (up 0.8).

Nationwide, the unemployment rate already was showing a sharp increase before the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. The number of workers on payrolls outside the farm sector sank 199,000 in September and a further 415,000 in October, the latter the largest monthly cut since May 1980. The jobless rate stood at 5.4 percent at the end of October.

 

Housing Prices Rise Slightly

The average price of a home in Skagit County increased 7.6 percent in October over September, following a tumble of nearly 16 percent in August. The average cost in October was $183,574, compared with $170,586 the month before, according to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

There were 132 closed sales in October, compared to 140 the previous month, with the average time on the market an even 100 days.

The median price of a home — the midway point between the lowest- and highest-paid figures — was $154,000 in October. In September, it was $156,500.

New listings of 219 homes brought the inventory in Skagit County to 912, of which 128 had sales pending.

 

Congress Awards $2M to Protect Skagit River

The U.S. Congress has appropriated $2 million to buy and protect land along the Skagit River and its tributaries.

The money, from offshore oil-drilling fees collected by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, will go toward the purchase of mostly undeveloped land to help protect salmon and eagle populations, according to environmentalists.

Congress allocated $1 million to the Skagit River last year.

 

Anacortes, Burlington Budgets Submitted

Anacortes has proposed a $35 million budget for 2002, which is actually $6 million less than 2001 because two major capital projects are winding down and requiring less money.

The budget includes about $700,000 more for continuing operations and adds salary needs for a computer technician and a Public Works Department engineer and general pay and benefits increases.

Meanwhile, Burlington Chamber of Commerce has approved its $24.9 million budget, which also is slightly less than last year.

 

Memorial to Replace Morrison Mill Stack

The 150-foot Morrison Mill smokestack that was knocked down following the Feb. 28 earthquake will be replaced with a memorial that will include a flagpole and pavilion.

The Morrison Mill Smokestack Memorial Committee, formed last May, says the pavilion, designed by local artist Bill Mitchell, will be constructed of bricks from the 75-year-old former smokestack.

The Morrison Mill, where Seafarers’ Memorial Park is today, was a mainstay of early Anacortes. The memorial, expected to be completed next spring, will honor the lumber, canning and fishing industries that made Anacortes.

 

New Hotel May Come to Anacortes

A national hotel chain that specializes in offering stays of several days or more to visitors is considering building a new 120-unit structure on Anacortes waterfront property.

Extended Stay America, the fastest-growing, company-owned and -operated hotel chain in the hospitality industry, has tendered an offer on land currently owned by Shared Healthcare Systems (SHS), which three years ago purchased a total of eight acres from the Port of Anacortes on which to build its own facility. The software-development firm, which paid $3.2 million for the land next to Seafarers’ Park off R Avenue, offered the land it didn’t use back to the port, under a first-right-of-refusal provision of the contract, but the port says it doesn’t have the money.

Extended Stay reportedly has offered $1.3 million for the land.

SHS, which has had to lay off workers recently, built its own building but says it does not need the extra acreage.

Extended Stay America is a nationwide chain with 418 hotels in 40 states, including deluxe studios, efficiency studios and economy studios. Founded in 1995, its headquarters is in Spartanburg, S.C. It’s traded on the New York Stock Exchange as ESA.

 

Walgreens Wants to Build in Anacortes

Walgreens wants to build a new pharmacy on the site of the old Anacortes Copeland Lumber Co., owned by Keith Brown Lumberyard.

The drugstore chain, which operates more than 3,500 stores throughout the country, announced it was expanding into new locations soon and that Anacortes is the perfect spot.

If approved, the now-closed lumber yard and its familiar orange-and-black building at 17th Street and Commercial Avenue would be completely demolished and a 14,500-square-foot structure put in on 60,000 square feet at 17th Street and Commercial Avenue. Developer is Powell Development of Kirkland. CDA Architects of Seattle is designing the building.

Powell says it hopes to begin the project in the spring and that it will take about 150 days to complete.

 

Skagit’s Temporary-bridge Breakdown Delayed

Dec. 1 was the new deadline Kiewit Pacific was granted to completely breakdown the temporary wooden span it had placed across the Skagit River to work on the new Riverside Bridge.

Because of work delays, the contractor asked the City of Mount Vernon to apply for the one-month extension from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, which had created a construction-free period from Oct. 31 to July 1 to allow salmon to migrate and protect against a potential buildup of flood debris.

The plank workbridge was constructed at a cost of half a million dollars as part of the three-year, $23 million bridge project. It will go up again next summer.

Although the cost is high, engineers says it’s still less costly than it would be to clean up debris that might accumulate during a major flood.

 

Bellevue Firm Hired for Second Sewer Phase

The Mount Vernon City Council has hired Northwest Construction of Bellevue for the second phase of the city’s sewer-extension project in the newly annexed south part of town.

Northwest came in as the lowest bidder at $1.96 million, although its selection has been challenged by an Oak Harbor firm that claims the Bellevue company doesn’t meet federal requirements on hiring. Northwest says it will bring in an approved subcontractor to meet the prerequisite.

Phase two includes a half mile of construction along Old Highway 99 South, including drains and repaving from Anderson to Blackburn roads.

 

Hospital Dissolution Taking Longer Than Expected

The “letter of intent” required for dissolution of Affiliated Health Services by its Joint Operating Board is not expected before the end of the year, according to AHS administrator Patrick Mahoney.

The board comprising two hospital districts — 1 in Mount Vernon and 304 in Sedro-Woolley — was to begin dissolution in September, but that has been postponed several times while members haggle over terms of agreement.

AHS was formed in 1991 to bring the two districts together to save on expenditures for operating both Skagit Valley and United General hospitals. The districts, which oversee the hospitals separately, have been at odds almost from the beginning.

The district boards voted unanimously last August to allow one board to dissolve the partnership unilaterally and dissolution talks began. Administrators and board members say they never expected the breakup to take so long.

 

AHS to Provide AmbulanceService Next Year

Affiliated Health Services has agreed to provide 911 paramedic ambulance service through 2002 in a contract extension with the Skagit Emergency Medical Services Council.

“Affiliated will maintain the same level of services as is currently provided to cover emergency calls in areas including central Skagit County, Mount Vernon, Burlington, La Conner, Sedro-Woolley and portions of the upper valley,” according to AHS.

 

Local Physicians, Clinics Nix HMO Health Plan

Skagit Health Associates (SHA), representing 60 physicians and 13 clinics in northwest Washington, have given notice to Group Health Cooperative (GHC) that it intends to terminate its relationship with the HMO health plan effective May 1, 2002.

The move means more than 13,000 enrollees of the health-management organization (HMO) in Skagit, Island and San Juan counties will have to choose between staying with Group Health or their personal physicians.

According to Dr. Rick Kirkwood of Anacortes, spokesperson for SHA: “Throughout our state, we have seen a rash of physician-practice bankruptcies this year and an exodus of physicians leaving the state because compensation here is less than in almost any other state. Ultimately, this reduces access to care for our patients.

“We are taking this step to try to forestall similar problems in our area,” Kirkwood added.

The clinics involved include: Anacortes Family Practice, Burlington Family Practice, Creelman and Shilling Clinic, Dietrich and Smith Clinic, East Valley Medical, Fairhaven Family Medicine, Sedro-Woolley Family Medicine, Island Hospital Family Physicians, Island Hospital Family Care Clinics, North Cascade Family Physicians, Skagit Pediatrics, Fidalgo Medical Associates and Whidbey Community Physicians.

 

Secret Harbor Receives Accreditation

Secret Habor School has received accreditation from the national Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children.

“Accreditation means that the programs at Secret Harbor have been measured and evaluated according to an established set of quality standards and we have been compared to similar programs nationwide,” a school spokesperson says.

COA is similar to a review process given to hospitals every year and is good for three years.

Secret Harbor School, on Cypress Island near Anacortes, is a private, not-for-profit social-service agency serving special-needs children and youth through residential treatment and foster-care programs.

 

Matt Barkley Marks 20th Anniversary

Matt Barkley Cabinets of Burlington recently celebrated its 20th year in business.

The kitchen and bath dealer, located at 323 E. Fairhaven Ave., offers homeowners and contractors design and remodel services, kitchen and bath cabinets and quality installations, owners Matt and Sandy Barkley say.

They can be reached at 755-9394.

 

Savannah & Co. Celebrates First Year

Savannah and Co., a tea room and gift shop at 735 N. Burlington Blvd., Burlington, recently celebrated its first full year in business with an open house.

Kristi Cannon, owner, says she has served hundreds of patrons from New York, Seattle, Arizona, Vancouver, British Columbia, and “of course Skagit Valley” since her opening in October 2000.

Savannah and Co. is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and serves lunch from noon to 2 p.m. Grand tea is presented by reservation only. Call 757-8424.

 

Express Personnel Earns Top Honors

Express Personnel Services’ franchise in Mount Vernon recently earned top honors at the international staffing firm’s “Hire Power” regional meeting in Portland.

Owners Mark and Sandy Hagen say the Mount Vernon office received two awards for excellence and achievement in sales, recruitment and placement.

“It’s a great achievement to be recognized in a company that is a leader in the staffing industry,” says Sandy Hagen. “We work very hard helping the job seekers and local businesses in our community. It was great to be rewarded for excelling in our efforts.”

The Mount Vernon office, at 525 E. College Way, Suite F, is part of an Oklahoma City-based company that serves more than 250,000 people a year in six countries. The Hagens and their staff can be reached at 336-1980.

 

SVC Medical Grads Rank in Top 1% Nationally

Medical assistant graduates of Skagit Valley College ranked in the top 1 percent nationally this year on their certification examinations, according to the chair of the Medical Assistant Department.

Jeanette Hemming says she received the news during National Medical Assistant Recognition Week in October.

The field is an allied health profession in which the practitioner’s training focuses on the performance of administrative and clinical procedures for nonhospitalized patients. Students can enroll in the SVC program on a full- or part-time basis during any of four academic quarters.

 

College Catalog Garners Silver Medallion

Skagit Valley College’s 2001-2003 Catalog recently received the Silver Medallion Award at the District 7 conference of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations.

The district consists of community and technical colleges in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Yukon Territory.

“Many people have a role in the catalog, but our two designers, Arden Ainley and Don Cairns, do the lion’s share of the work and deserve the bulk of the credit,” says Bruce McBane, public information director at the college. “They are the creative forces in all of our publications.”

 

EPS Gives Scholarship Money to SVC Foundation.

Express Personnel Services of Mount Vernon recently donated $1,500 for scholarships to three business students at Skagit Valley College, Brandon Boyd, Joe Stewart and Melinda Weir, who received $500 each.

“I was absolutely delighted to call the (SVC) Business Management Department and ask them to select three students to receive this money,” says Patrick Kennicott, executive director of the Skagit Valley College Foundation, which oversees donation disbursements. “Express Personnel Services is just another sterling example of how caring and involved the business community is in our youth and their education.”

EPS is located at 525 E. College Way, Suite F, and is owned by Mark and Sandy Hagen.

 

Disaster Relief from Brown & Cole Customers

Customers of Brown and Cole Stores in Washington, Oregon and Montana have donated $34,995 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, following the Sept. 11 attacks on the East Coast.

The four-week campaign included the company’s Thrifty Food Pavilion stores in Mount Vernon, Anacortes, Sedro-Woolley and Burlington, plus the Burlington Cost Cutter and Sedro-Woolley Market Place, which initially suggested the fundraising idea. Skagit stores raised more than $12,000 of the total.

Meanwhile, all of the Skagit stores also have joined the Food Industry Crusade Against Hunger campaign for the holiday season.

Customers to these stores are encouraged to add $1, $3 or $5 to their grocery bill at checkout time. The money collected will go to fight hunger both locally and around the world.

 

Camp Kirby Benefits from Donations from Local Orgs.

Three local organizations have donated funds to help toward renovation of a lodge at Camp Kirby on Samish Island, which is owned and operated by Camp Fire USA Samish Council.

The donations included $2,000 from Tesoro Northwest Refining Co., $2,000 from McDonald’s of Mount Vernon and $5,000 from Mount Vernon-Skagit Rotary Club.

The lodge, known as Herman’s Hut, is used by all Camp Kirby and Camp Fire programs as well as the Brant Hunting Club each winter.

The camp serves youth ages 6-17 from Skagit, Whatcom, Island and San Juan counties.

 

Almost $50K Raised for Scholarships, Schools

The 16th-annual Burlington Rotary/ Soroptimist Winefest and Auction, held in September, raised more than $6,000 in scholarship funds and $43,000 for school projects and other causes.

The sold-out event was attended by nearly 300 persons at the Skagit Valley Casino Resort and sponsored by Sound Beverage.

Scholarship contributions totaled $6,075 including $1,000 in the name of Dave Hansen, former Burlington-Edison School board member who passed away Sept. 17.

Each of the two clubs also contributed $7,500 toward a newly remodeled weight room at the high school. The remainder of the proceeds go to the clubs’ general funds for contribution into the Burlington community. The amount raised was a 70-percent increase over the preceding, record year.

 

Tulip Transit Sponsor Saturn of Burlington

Saturn of Burlington has agreed to sponsor the Tulip Transit for the 2002 Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in April.

“I’m a big believer in our community and in the Tulip Festival,” says Steve Fox, managing owner of Saturn of Burlington, 1611 S. Burlington Blvd.

Festival executive director Audrey Smith notes that with Saturn’s $10,000 contribution, visitors to the area will be able to use the transit during the last two weekends. Cost will be $4 per adult and $2 for children 16 and under.

Smith estimates the Saturn Tulip Transit will transport 4,000-5,000 people during the festival.

 

Recycling Ink Cartridges to Benefit SPARC

SPARC (Skagit Preschool and Resource Center) has joined a partnership program to raise funds for programs through the collection of empty laser and inkjet cartridges.

“It’s simply ‘trash for cash’ dollars and it’s good for the environment, too, since most of the cartridges we collect can be recycled,” says a SPARC spokesperson. “Recycling these cartridges can help our school buy special items that will enrich the program for all the children, such as software, toys and field trips.”

SPARC is a nonprofit agency that offers a variety of programs for special-needs children ages 0-6 in all of the communities in Skagit County.

 

Pacific Mariner Appoints West Coast Dealer

Pacific Mariner of La Conner recently appointed Westport Yacht Sales, Inc. as its exclusive dealer for the Western United States.

Westport, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., currently represents Pacific Mariner in East Coast markets. The dealership recently launched operations in Seattle, with a new sales-and-service center at the Elliott Bay Marina.

 

SVC Offers Class on Computer Security

Skagit Valley College is offering the five-credit course “Introduction to Computer Security Technology” on Mondays and Wednesday, 7-9 p.m., this coming winter quarter, in the Technical Building on campus.

The course is being offered in conjunction with local businesses, law enforcement and WorkFirst.

For information, call Skagit Valley College at 416-7600.

 

Financial Workshop Coming next Month

James V. Fix, the Edward Jones investment representative in Burlington, will host a financial workshop for individual investors next month.

The four-week workshop will assist individuals in setting financial and investment goals and provide an in-depth look at the many kinds of investments available to and suitable for investors who are working or retired.

The workshop, on Thursdays, begins Jan. 10 and continues through Jan. 31. For more information or reservation, call 336-5178.