If you’re a parent, you know growing up is hard. A child’s mind and body are always changing, and learning how to adapt to these changes can be incredibly stressful. Children can feel pressure from all aspects of their life: to succeed in school, to succeed at sports, to succeed at making friends. It is important for you to look for ways to let children know that they’re appreciated and can succeed, and trophies are a tried and true way to help.

Commemorating a child’s achievements impacts them in several positive ways. It creates a memory for the child. Children will display their trophies proudly, and any time they see these awards, they will remember the story associated with them. It also provides the child a tangible object that they can feel proud of. It is not merely something given to them, but rather something they earned due to their achievements and skill. This encourages children to take pride in themselves, developing self-esteem. Perhaps most importantly, receiving a trophy, medal, or award is fun! Everybody loves the opportunity to be honored for their achievements, and children are no different.

Friendly competition is a great motivator to improve one’s skill in a given area. The competitive spirit encourages children and adults alike to try their hardest. However, children appreciate tangible rewards for their hard work. A medal, trophy, or other award is a great way to give children something to strive for.

All kids can benefit from receiving awards and medals in their life. Awards are a great way of acknowledging them for their hard work. Customized trophies, awards and medals from TAGS Awards & Specialties can help motivate your child, create a proud memory, and improve their self-esteem.

Greg Miller knows men’s clothing.

He began working at downtown Olympia’s landmark men’s clothing store Bartels in 1987, became store manager and eventually part-owner, and then recently took on sole ownership, sparking a long-planned name change for the popular clothier: g. miller.

Located at Fifth Avenue and Capitol Way, the store has long been known for offering unique, stylish clothes alongside extraordinary customer service.

“People want to be comfortable when they come in,” says Miller, who enjoys getting to know his clients. “They like to come in where they’re known and where they’re doing business with their friends – because ultimately you do become friends with your customers.”

After growing up in Napavine, near Chehalis – “Olympia was the big city when I was growing up,” he says – Miller moved here when he was 24.

In fact, it was a job offer from Bartels owner Joe Mount that instigated the move.

“I happened to be in town because the guy who cut my hair had moved to Olympia,” Miller remembers. “I just walked into the store and started talking with the owner. He said, ‘Are you interested in working in the retail business?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I seem to be pretty good at it.’ And he said, ‘Then come work for me.’”

Miller has been here ever since.

He worked for Mount for about three years before becoming the store manager. Seven years later, the two men worked out a deal for Miller to buy in to the business.

“We were collectively partners for about a dozen years, and then he was ready to retire and I bought him out,” says Miller. During their time working together, Mount did the accounting and other behind-the-scenes work, but didn’t interact with clients much. That’s where Miller excelled.

Although the store’s name recently changed, nothing else about this exemplary store is different: it’s the same faces, same stellar products, and same high expectations being met for longtime clients and just-off-the-street shoppers by Miller and his staff.

g. miller can outfit a man from shoes to a hat, and everything in between. “We tend to focus on dressier or a more unique product,” Miller says, “but we’re kind of like an old fashioned men’s store where they had all the categories.

The store also does customer tailored clothing and custom shirts – something no one else in town offers. The store’s talented alterationist has been with them for over 20 years.

“We do tremendous business in premium denim, like Joe’s and Seven, and Agave, lines that a lot of people have never heard of simply because they’re not the biggest brands in the industry,” says Miller. “But they do make great product and we’re very product-driven.”

“Quite often we’ll buy a product that has no name but ultimately turns into a great product, à la Tommy Bahama,” he says. “It’s now a huge company that has its own stores, but when we started, it was one small rack of apparel; they had maybe 20 different items to offer.”

Step inside g. miller, and you’re instantly aware that you’re looking at out-of-the-ordinary clothing and accessories.

“Every Macy’s looks pretty much the same up and down I-5 and across, east to west. And listen, those big stores do a ton of business; they’re good at what they do,” Miller says. “But it’s not good for everybody – for somebody who wants something unique. What we carry is less common.”

Miller’s goal as a buyer is to find a product that he believes a guy in Olympia will wear that won’t look out of place but also won’t look like everybody else. “Our niche is finding things that are a little different.”

Who is g. miller’s customer?

“It’s a guy who wants to put on something nice to wear that he feels good in, looks good in, that he’s comfortable with,” says Miller.

He could be a local business owner or somebody who’s in government. “We have customers who are retired and customers that come from out of town – who like the idea of a store like this but there may not be something in the town they live in,” says Miller.

Regular shoppers come in because they want a higher level of service, a better product, and a certain fit.

George Sharp, executive director of the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater Visitor and Convention Bureau agrees. “I like shopping at g. miller because they take the time to get to know me and my style, and are willing to custom order to fit my size.”

With everything humming along nicely for the store, even in this softer economy, and the interior remaining the same after the moniker makeover, why the name change?

“We always struggled with identity and the name Bartels,” Miller explains. Joe Mount owns another Bartels store in Chehalis, which sells both men’s and women’s clothing, as well as outdoor apparel.

“Then there was always Bartell Drugs, up north. And even though it was spelled differently, there was still always this confusion. So I knew, probably for the last 10 or 12 years, that I wanted to change the name,” Miller says with a laugh.

After a couple years spent conjuring up new names – but ultimately finding them lacking – Miller landed on g. miller. “I decided I could just use my own name – and people happened to know who I was after 25 years in town.”

Although a name change is a big move, to Miller, it’s the only thing that’s different since he became full owner. “In my mind, it wasn’t a change. It wasn’t like I bought a business; it was a business I already owned half of.”

Miller sees the name change as a continuation, another step forward, in the history of a successful store.

Miller’s goal is to continue pushing the store forward, to gain new customers while retaining strong relationships with his traditional customers.

“We always have this balance of fashion and tradition,” he says.

One popular item that straddles both worlds is hats. “Hats are really hip right now,” Miller says. “We sell them to older gentlemen, but then young people come in and buy them, too. If you look at Hollywood, people are going out wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a cool hat.”

The store is also using new methods for staying in touch with customers, from email and texts to social media. Check out their Facebook and Twitter pages to keep up with the latest on the store.

Or, of course, do it the tried-and-true, old-fashioned way, and stop on in. Greg and his staff will be there to greet you with a smile and a warm word.

“Sometimes I describe my job as a glorified waiter,” Miller says. “I’m here, and I find out what the customer wants, and I take care of their needs. That’s what I do – that’s what I like to do. And it’s what makes a business like this work.”

g. miller

501 South Capitol Way

Olympia WA 98501

360.786.6634

www.gmillerolympia.com

LACEY, WA, May 17, 2012: At the regular meeting on May 10, 2012, the Lacey City Council passed Ordinance 1391, eliminating the requirement for bicycle registration, and Ordinance 1392, removing the license requirement for garage sales. Both ordinances, effective May 21, 2012, refine outdated city laws.

The bicycle registration requirement, originally implemented in 1973, to provide police with serial numbers to assist in recovery of lost and stolen property, has become obsolete. To date, there is no record of a registered bicycle being recovered through this manual system. The law is also unknown to many citizens—in 2011, ten bicycles were registered in Lacey.

“Our laws should be meaningful and enforceable. Removing unnecessary regulations will streamline public services for the citizens of Lacey,” stated Deputy Mayor Hearn. Voluntary registration will continue to be available to citizens through the police department. All other bicycle traffic and safety regulations contained in Lacey Municipal Code (LMC) 10.10, will remain in effect.

Garage sale regulations were adopted in 1975, to discourage trafficking of stolen property and operation of second-hand businesses without proper licensing. Lacey police department staff issued 1,210 garage sale licenses in 2011, mandating residents make a trip to City Hall for each license and requiring more than 100 hours of staff time. No citations for violations have been issued by police officers since the adoption.

Councilmember Andy Ryder affirmed, “This is a practical decision that eliminates extra work for staff and inconvenience for citizens.” Although Lacey residents will no longer need a license to hold a garage sale, the provisions of LMC 5.34 will remain—limiting the number of garage sales per year at a single residence to four, with a maximum of four days in length per sale.

For more information, contact Commander Joe Upton or Crime Prevention Officer, Sean Bell, with the Lacey Police Department at (360) 459-4333.

By Mary Ellen Psaltis

It’s all in the family at Dingey’s, a place to find not only Puget Sound Cuisine but three generations of Ricklicks. Craig and his wife Teresa Ricklick have been serving up their popular crab cakes at this location for eleven years. Now their son Dan and their grandson Calvin are also working there. You’ve surely seen Craig walking around the market with a pair of cherries hanging over one of his ears – he’s usually smiling and heading somewhere. When cherries are out of season, he has a unique cherry lei – be sure to look for it. His wife Teresa will likely take your order.

One of the most fun aspects of living in Thurston County for many years is reconnecting with people you knew from other circumstances in another time. I call them past lives. Do you remember The Prime Connection restaurant in Lacey? The Ricklicks used to own it. It’s the building on Lacey Boulevard near the Post Office that has never been the same since they left. Fortunately, they resurfaced at the market.

By moving to their current location, the Ricklicks were able to take the parts of the restaurant business they liked – serving great food to nice people while leaving behind the parts they didn’t like as much – endless hours and no time off. Well, they still work plenty, but the Market is not open all year round and when it is open – it is Thursday – Sunday.

Dingey’s sells a lot of crab cakes. A friend of mine commented, “Lots of places make crab cakes, but theirs are the best.” You can test that yourself. Teresa passed along an easy to make coleslaw, a popular summer dish, which is great for barbeques and potlucks. Son Dan Ricklick shared his smoked salmon corn chowder recipe. I am a person who does not usually gravitate toward chowder, but this recipe hit just the right spot for me. Maybe I didn’t like it in a past life…

Eat Well – Be Well.

Dan’s Smoked Salmon Corn Chowder for home use

4 ounces smoked salmon, flaked

2-3 tablespoons butter or margarine

2-3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2-3 large potatoes, peeled and diced

2 carrots, sliced

1 small onion, diced

2-3 cups corn, fresh kernels or frozen niblets

1-pint half-and-half or milk

2 quarts of chicken stock

5-6 tablespoons chicken soup base (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, melt butter or margarine and add the celery, carrot and onion. Sauté slowly until the vegetables are soft, but not brown. Add chicken stock to sautéed vegetables and add diced potatoes. Simmer these together until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. To avoid curdling, slowly add in milk or half-and-half. Add in corn kernels and flaked smoked salmon. Add the chicken soup base, if using the half and half. Using a roux, thicken your chowder to the consistency you prefer.

Roux: Mix equal amounts of flour and butter or margarine together into a paste, and then stir a bit at a time into the chowder until it is melted and the desired thickness is reached.

Dingey’s Coleslaw

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sugar

1 ½ tablespoons vinegar (to taste)

1 medium head of cabbage, shredded

1 carrot

Mix shredded cabbage with mayo, sugar and vinegar. The carrot, along with a little shredded purple cabbage, will add color. The salad may seem too dry at first, but let is rest in the frig for a while before adding any more dressing.

The 2012 Olympia Composite High School Mountain Bike Team Back row from left: Nolan Brady, Coach Luke Brechwald, Kevin Stewart, Andrea Casebolt, Josh Peterson Front: David O'Brien, Kyle Sweeney

by Laurie O’Brien

For the second year in a row, a group of riders from the Olympia area has banded together to form a small but mighty high school mountain biking team. Since the inception of the Washington High School Cycling League in 2011, The Olympia Composite team has dominated the competition, and they are poised to win a number of individual titles this coming weekend at the “Battle on the Base” state championship race at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

League founder Lisa Miller has nothing but praise for the group of six riders representing five different schools in the south sound.  “The Olympia Composite team is very unique in that most of the members are experienced bike racers, not only in mountain biking but also in other cycling disciplines. Naturally their experience and dedication to bike racing results in a strong presence on the podium. But their greatest achievement is immeasurable; the Olympia Composite riders serve as excellent role models for novice riders. They demonstrate superior sportsmanship, dedication to living a healthy lifestyle and serve as exceptional ambassadors to not only the sport but also to the League.”

Sophomores Nolan Brady, from Steilacoom High School, and David O’Brien, who attends Capital High School, have been the top two Varsity riders in the state throughout the season.  Brady discovered the league at the end of  last  season, and, as a freshman, rode to a decisive Varsity victory in the final race of the year.  Meanwhile, O’Brien was undefeated and won the state Junior Varsity title as a freshman.

Nolan Brady and David O'Brien on the Varsity Boys' podium

Both riders have competed at the national level in mountain biking, cyclocross, and on the road.  After winning the first two Varsity races this year, Brady, was sidelined in April with a broken collar bone and gave up the series lead to his teammate, O’Brien.  The two are expected to duke it out for series championship and the state title on Sunday.

Last year was the first year of serious mountain biking for River Ridge sophomore Kyle Sweeney.  Despite having no prior racing experience, he finished the freshman/sophomore series in fifth place overall.  This year, each grade level has its own race, and Sweeney has consistently crushed the rest of the sophomore competition.  Barring an unforeseen mishap, he should win the sophomore series, and the state championship title.

North Thurston sophomore Andrea Casebolt will have to miss the series finale on Sunday due to another racing commitment.  The only female member of the Olympia Composite team this year, Casebolt was the girls’ Junior Varsity series leader.  Last year she easily won the freshman/sophomore title.

Rounding out the team are Aberdeen High School students Kevin Stewart and Josh Peterson, a senior and sophomore respectively.  While not in contention for the podium, this year, Stewart, who rides junior varsity, and Peterson represent what the league is really about:  Getting new riders hooked into mountain biking.

When Miller started the league in 2011, her vision was to get as many kids as possible onto bikes and involved in her favorite sport.  The league is still in its infancy, and she has high expectations for the future.  This year about 125 individual students, primarily from western Washington, competed in the race series.

Kyle Sweeney atop the Sophomore Boys' podium

“A major goal for next year is to bring more awareness of the program across the state in an effort to afford as many students as possible the opportunity to discover a lifelong sport, ” she says.  “The paramount goal is to enable each and every student who wants to participate in the program the ability to do so, regardless of socio-economic status, equipment and transportation needs.”

Debbie Driver, who lives and works in the Olympia area, is involved in the League as the volunteer coordinator for the series.  She wishes she’d been introduced to the sport earlier.  “I see the league as a fantastic opportunity for high school kids to explore the world of cycling through mountain biking,” says Driver.

She is excited that mountain biking is now an option for high school aged athletes.  “Cycling seems to be overlooked in the traditional high school.  I hope this League, along with other youth-related cycling development teams and events in Washington, will encourage youth to ride.”

She continues, “I expected to be inspired by the high school racers and that has indeed been a personal reward!  The pre-race energy is exciting and it is obvious that every student who finishes is proud of themselves and their teammates. It has been very rewarding to see the number of committed parents, coaches and volunteers.”

Even if a student doesn’t consider him or herself athletic, sometimes an individual sport like cycling can draw out the inner  champion.  For those who don’t have the right skill set or build to make a high school team sport, cycling may prove to be the right fit.   “The coaches spend a lot of time teaching the racers biking skills, race strategy and the importance of being a part of a team,” says Driver.  Unlike many other sports where the focus is always on the “win,” with cycling it’s about challenging yourself.  On race day, it’s often more about finishing than beating an opponent.

“All in all,” says Driver, “the races seem to bring out the best in folks who simply want high school students to have a positive experience in an outdoor, sport-event setting.”

Despite only having 6 riders, the Olympia Composite Mountain Bike Team is among the best in the state.

While the Olympia Composite team consists primarily of experienced athletes, both they and their coach, Luke Brechwald, welcome any and all high school aged riders regardless of their biking experience and ability.   Miller, Driver, and Brechwald would all like to see  Olympia area ridership expand.  After this year, Olympia Composite is no longer eligible for “team” competition.  Once there are enough riders, League rules encourage composite teams  to break into smaller units representing individual high schools, and although students may still ride under a composite team name and compete for individual titles, no composite team may compete for team prizes for more than two years.

Brechwald, especially, would like to get more adults involved with coaching and mentoring of new riders.  “These are great kids. Not only are they rock star athletes, but they epitomize the term  ‘student-athlete.’  They’re involved in their schools and they’re good students.   I’m proud to work with them.”

According to Miller, many of the 21 teams currently in the league started completely from scratch. “No past biking experience is needed for students or adults to participate,” she says.  “What I am looking for in a coach, ride leader, volunteer, or student athlete is the willingness and desire to learn, to teach, and to grow.”  Training programs are offered for adult leaders during the off season, and Miller encourages anyone interested in participating to contact her.  (Contact information is provided below.)

Says Miller: “It is absolutely amazing to watch students find empowerment through cycling.”

If you would like to get involved helping to expand the Washington State High School Cycling League in the Olympia area or elsewhere in the state, please contact Lisa Miller at: lisa@washingtonmtb.org

To learn more about the League, click here.

If you’re a high school aged rider who’d like to join the Olympia Composite team next year, please contact Miller (above) or Luke Brechwald at Joy Ride Bicycles in Lacey.

For more information about Sunday’s state championship race, visit this page.

By Stacee Sledge

Scholarship Recipient Cameron Campbell from Rainier High School

The Rotary Club of South Puget Sound-Olympia recently awarded $1,000 scholarships to eight local graduating seniors – with four more to be granted later this month.

According to Chris Townley, Board member and Scholarship Committee Chair, the Rotary Club of South Puget Sound-Olympia focuses its scholarship funds on smaller area schools.

“Within our club we try to focus on the smaller schools in Southern Thurston County,” says Townley. “We even pick up one very little school, Oakville, which is actually in Grays Harbor.”

The goal of Rotary Club of South Puget Sound-Olympia in awarding the scholarships is simple: To make a difference in the lives of these students.

Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders who volunteer their time to provide humanitarian service and help build goodwill and peace at the international, national, and community level.

Rotary’s global membership is approximately 1.2 million men and women belonging to more than 33,000 Rotary organizations. Thurston County has seven distinct Rotary clubs.

Scholarship Recipient Alicia Jazmin Gonzalez from Rochester High School

Rotary Club of South Puget Sound-Olympia primarily focuses its efforts on the community level. A recent auction raised approximately $33,000 for SafePlace.

Awarding scholarships to local students is another way Rotary works to benefit the community. “We try to help kids get a leg up and get them on their way to whatever it is they want to do for the rest of their lives,” says Townley.

This year’s recipients are graduating seniors from Oakville High School, Rainier High School, Rochester High School, New Market Skills Center, and Tenino High School. Eight scholarships have been awarded, with four more to be granted soon.

Scholarship Recipient Jessica Baker-Reichel from Rainier High School

The application process consists of 12 questions, including a 500-word essay, and the student’s transcripts.

“The essay outlines a bit of their background,” says Townley, “where they want to go and what they want to do, some of their activities and achievements.”

Scholarship Recipient Rayne Dorsch from Rochester High School

Transcripts are requested not so the committee can see how well students are doing in school, but to see if they are slowly but surely working in a purposeful direction. “To see if they have the right stuff to keep going forward and just need a boost or helping hand,” Townley explains.

Scholarship awards are not based on athletics or grades. The committee of eight Rotary members reviews the applications and looks for recipients they believe will benefit most from the organization’s help.

Some of the scholarship recipients will start off at the community college level, and then move on.

“We’ve got kids going all over,” says Townley, “to Western Washington University, the University of Washington, Grays Harbor, Saint Martin’s, Linfield College down in Oregon, Central, and Centralia.”

Rotary Club of South Puget Sound-Olympia currently has about 65 members. “If you’re in Rotary, you’re expected to attend and play an active role, which I love. It’s truly a service club,” says Townley.

The list of local accomplishments, on top of the yearly scholarships, is long. From assisting with housing for the homeless to being instrumental in helping create the new park on West Bay Drive, Rotary Club of South Puget Sound-Olympia sticks to its humanitarian mission.

“They’re wonderful people to work with,” Townley says of the group. “It’s just so nice to see that dedication to service.”

Scholarship Recipient Sidney L. Black from Rainier High School

To date, this year’s Rotary Club of South Puget Sound-Olympia scholarship recipients are:

Andrew Knotts, Oakville High School

Andrew Williams, Oakville High School

Kaleb J. Merriman, Oakville High School

Cameron Campbell, Rainier High School

Jessica Baker-Reichel, Rainier High School

Sidney L. Black, Rainier High School

Alicia Jazmin Gonzalez, Rochester High School

Rayne Dorsch, Rochester High School

Pacific Ocean and Miles of Sandy Beach at Quinault Beach Resort & Casino

It’s a food lover’s delight – a rare opportunity to enjoy tasty Quinault River Blueback Salmon.  The exclusive salmon, permitted to be fished only one week per year, will be on the grill this weekend during the Quinault Beach Resort & Casino’s festival.

“The blueback salmon is a big part of our culture.  We call it medicine.  We believe it is the best salmon in the world,” says Quinault Indian Nation member Lorna Grover.

Visiting Quinault Beach Resort & Casino in Ocean Shores, Washington

Travel about 1.5 hours from Olympia to Ocean Shores, Washington.  Your path will take you along Highway 101 until Hoquiam when you’ll exit towards the beaches onto State Route 109.  Enjoy the scenic drive, beautiful coastline, and easy access to the beach and Pacific Ocean.

Ocean Shores boasts wide open sandy beaches that is the perfect backdrop for a number of activities including kite flying, building sand castles, and of course splashing in the surf.  If your family is interested in getting out on the water, look into renting a vessel such as a canoe or sailboat.

The Washington State coastline is renowned for its scenic hiking trails.  Throw your bike into the back of the car and travel among many miles of trails to enjoy beautiful views.  And, with six miles of beach, there will always be an clear space to build a one-of-a-kind sand castle creation.

At Quinault Beach Resort & Casino, relax in the spa or treat yourself to a massage.  Let the kids burn energy in the full-size indoor pool.  The resort also houses a sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi.

Family Fun at Ocean Shores, WA

More adventuresome travelers may be interested in fishing or hunting with tribal guides arranged through the hotel.  A stable nearby offers families a chance to horseback ride along the coast.

At the Quinault Beach Resort & Casino, only a few steps separate you from the beautiful coastline.  The Quinault Beach Resort & Casino offers a spectacular, seaside getaway destination while enjoying the natural beauty of the Pacific Ocean.  The hotel offers spacious, comfortable accommodations with full service amenities.

Clearly, there is never a shortage of family fun and entertainment while visiting the Washington coast.

Cookin’ The Blues Festival at Quinault Beach Resort & Casino

The weeklong event celebrates the 12th anniversary of the Quinault Beach Resort & Casino as well as the run of the Quinault River blueback salmon.  The festivities culminate in a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 19th at 12:00 pm followed by live music and delicious eats.

Several Blues bands will be playing at the resort on Saturday beginning at noon.  Sour Owl will close out the night.  On Sunday, the bands will play from noon until 6:00 pm.  The free live music will keep you dancing all weekend.

“We would like to challenge the Copper River Sockeye to a taste test next year,” concludes Grover.

Come out to Ocean Shores this weekend and taste it for yourself.  You’ll likely be a fast convert!

Tami Garrow, Satsop Business Park CEO

ELMA – After 11 years at the helm of the award-winning Satsop Business Park, Tami Garrow, CEO, officially gave notice of her decision to retire next spring, during Tuesday’s board meeting of the Grays Harbor Public Development Authority, the Park’s governing board.

“This was a purely personal decision, but not a hard one,” said Garrow, 53. She and husband John Mertz, 64, plan to travel more, work less and spend time with parents, kids and grandkids.

“I love my job, my staff and this Park, but the time is right for me to move on, and I am blessed to be able to do so. I’ve worked since I was 13, manning the counter at the Red Rooster grocery store in Humptulips, waiting tables to pay for college, and, for the past 30 years, working in the ‘economic development trenches’ of rural Washington trying to make a difference, the last 13 here at the Park.  It has been a terrific experience.”

Garrow said that she plans to work through the end of March 2013, but wanted to give the board plenty of time to plan for her departure.

“She’s done an outstanding job, just an incredible job. She’s brought the Satsop Business Park into the 21^st Century,” said Jack Thompson, a longtime board member who helped hire Garrow. “She has really been responsible for putting the Park on the map throughout the county,  the state of Washington and beyond,” he said.

Garrow, who has been working at the Park since it’s inception in July 1999, became CEO in early 2001. She said she’s glad to be leaving the Park in such good shape. Not only is it debt free with more than $6 million in reserves, her legacy includes several new and renovated buildings, new roads and other vital infrastructure, with a new sewer system connection on its way.

Garrow said she’s especially proud that the Park has had 10 straight years of clean financial audits. She has been credited with guiding the Park through the growing pains of its early years, turning its finances around and building a solid foundation for future growth.

It’s not just the financial picture that has improved at the Park.  Over the years she and her staff converted many former nuclear power plant structures to commercial building use, as well as constructing new office and manufacturing buildings. Under her direction, the Park’s first comprehensive master plan was developed, miles of new roads were constructed and an entire telecommunication infrastructure was built from the ground up. Other utilities, including water and sewer, a chlorination plant and a filtration plant were also built. In all, more than $50 million in improvements to the Park were made during her tenure – much of it largely financed through grants and loans. “We literally built the proverbial shining city on a hill,” she said, “out of an unfinished, hidden asset.”

Much of this success has not gone unnoticed with Garrow and Satsop Business Park garnering many accolades over the years.

Earlier this month the Satsop Business Park’s collaborative forestry program with

Grays Harbor College received the 2011 Pacific Northwest Champion Award from the U.S. Forest Stewardship Council for the innovative way its 1,200 acres of forest are managed. Past honors have included the 2005 Excellence in Rural Economic Development Award from the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, and the 2004 Governor’s Economic Development Award.

In 2005, Garrow received the Woman of Influence Award from the Business Examiner publishing group.

A graduate of the University of Puget Sound in English literature and business, before Garrow began at Satsop, she served as Executive Director of the Grays Harbor Economic Development Council, the Business Development Director for the Grays Harbor PUD, the Planning/Real Estate director for the Port of Grays Harbor and a Program manager for the State Dept. of Community Development (now Commerce). She also served as City Planner for Hoquiam, her hometown, and worked for Grays Harbor College and WSU in a collaborative partnership.

“Grays Harbor has benefited from Tami’s leadership at the Park through her tireless dedication to developing a public asset and inviting investment and job creation for our citizens,” said board member Shelli Hopsecger.

As for Garrow, who still has 10 months left at her job, she wants the public to know that “There really is no more welcoming, business-friendly place in Washington State than Satsop Business Park. You won’t find anyone who will work harder than we will, to help your business succeed. Not only do we try to attract businesses here, but once they’re here we take on the role of advocate. We’re always asking, ‘What do you need to be wildly successful, and what can we do to make it happen?’ And then we go do it.”

Satsop Business Park is a 1,700-acre mixed-use business and technology park located in scenic Grays Harbor County in Southwest Washington just 30 minutes from Olympia and the I-5 corridor. It is home to more than 30 businesses, offers 440 acres of developed, pad-ready land and buildings supported by super-sized infrastructure and surrounded by 1,200 acres of sustainable managed forestland.

The Park is managed by the Grays Harbor Public Development Authority, a public corporation whose mission is to create new jobs and investment for the region. More information on Satsop Business Park can be found at www.Satsop.com.

The White Coral, a Pacific Lumber and Shipping vessel, is expected to arrive at the Port of Olympia’s Marine Terminal on May 16, 2012. After loading cargo (logs), it’s scheduled to depart on May 20, 2012.  The Port Commission will present the Captain a plaque in honor of the White Coral’s first visit to the Port of Olympia.

Vessel Flag:  Panama
Destination: Japan
Board Footage: Approximately 3 Million
Customer: Pacific Lumber & Shipping
Stevedore: SSA
Agent: ACGI Port Agents
Tentative Work Schedule: Four day shifts (Thursday-Sunday)
Tug: Crowley
Jobs: No fewer than 400 jobs annually are associated with the movement of cargo in and out of the Port–NOTE: This includes direct, indirect and induced jobs.*

* As documented by Martin Associates in the 2009 data study, The Economic Impact of the Port of Olympia, January 2011, page 17; available at www.portolympia.com.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County will hold a celebration to recognize Christine Hoffmann for her achievement in receiving one of 20 full-tuition scholarships offered by University of Phoenix and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA).

Hoffmann is the Branch Director of the Rochester Boys & Girls Club and has been with Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County for five years. She is very much looking forward to starting the Master of Public Administration program and plans to utilize the skills and knowledge she will gain from furthering her education to help Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County continue to grow and succeed.

The national scholarship program offered Boys & Girls Club staff, parents and alumni an opportunity to apply for a full-tuition scholarship for an undergraduate or master’s degree program at University of Phoenix. Twenty scholarships were awarded to recipients across the country.

Academic success is a key priority for BGCA and University of Phoenix and through the partnership youth are receiving education opportunities to help them graduate from high school and prepare for higher education. With the scholarship program, Boys & Girls Club staff, parents and alumni are able to seek additional educational opportunities.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County is a youth development organization serving school-age youth 5-18 years old. Founded in 2001, four Club locations now serve more than 2,300 local youth with the mission of inspiring and enabling young people, especially those in greatest need, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible citizens. BGCTC offers programming in five key areas: Character & Leadership Development; Education & Career Development; Health & Life Skills; The Arts; and Sports, Fitness and Recreation. For more information about BGCTC, please visit bgctc.org.