Tawnee Hillmer, 18, of Lynden is the new Miss Lynden Rodeo, according to Hattie Ramerman, the Lynden Rodeo royalty director. Tawnee's parents are Shereen and John Lycklama. She currently attends Insight School of Washington.
Tawnee won the crown at the Nov. 19 pageant, which included personal interviews, a written test and a horsemanship competition. Her reign starts Jan. 1, representing the rodeo at parades, community events and other rodeos. She received perpetual chaps and crown, a $300 academic scholarship, a custom buckle, a $100 gas card, business cards and autograph sheets.
DIRECTOR SELECTED FOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Erin Thompson, director of Food Sovereignty Programs with Bellingham's Community to Community Development, has been selected to participate in an 18-month agriculture and forestry leadership development program, according to a press release from MelisaCQ Williams.
As a member of Class 34 of the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Leadership Program, Erin will attend 14 seminars about leadership and the state's natural resource industries.
PEACE BUILDERS RAISE $18,000 AT GALA
The Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center's ninth annual Peace Builder Awards Gala raised $18,000, according to Ellie Rogers, program assistant.
The Nov. 18 event at the Majestic in downtown Bellingham sold out. The 200 guests were treated to improv comedy by the Upfront Theatre, music from Lindsay Street, appetizers from Boundary Bay Brewery and a silent auction and raffle, along with comments from the honorees.
The winners were Lora Barton, Jill Heckathorn, Animals as Natural Therapy, LAW Advocates, Aubri Keleman, Gary Gerard, Peacemaking Circles of the Lummi CEDAR Project, and Megan Hall.
FLAG PHOTO FOLLOW
TheBellinghamHerald.com published a photo of a wind-torn flag at Blaine Middle School Nov. 22. A reader was concerned about how that happened and I followed up with Principal Darren Benson. He assures us the flag was not torn when it was put up, and was promptly replaced.
BELLINGHAM STUDENT STUDYING AT SEA
Bellingham High School graduate Ezra Citron is studying oceanography and climate change during a semester on the Pacific.
Ezra, son of Todd and AnjiCQ Citron of Bellingham, graduated in 2008 and is a senior at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., majoring in chemistry. This semester he is participating in the SEA Semester program "Oceans and Climate Change." He spent six weeks doing coursework in Woods Hole, Mass., and is now doing research for six weeks sailing from Honolulu to Tahiti.
LIBRARY HONORS TEEN READING FACILITATORS
Whatcom County Library System recognized Suzanne Harris and Lani Brogan with the Golden Apple award, according to LizzCQ Roberts, library community relations coordinator. The award annually honors community members or organizations that actively build connections between books and young people.
Suzanne and Lani work with the teens at the Whatcom County Juvenile Detention Center school, which has teamed with the library to set up a monthly book club at the facility.
Lizz says the detention center school staff is passionate about literacy and reading.
"Without a book budget they do their best to build up their in-house library, and teen inmates have regular visits to check out books," Lizz says. "The staff reads teen books so they can recommend titles, and that care and knowledge has a big impact on the teens as readers."
For five mornings each month, county library staff visit with a group of teens to read aloud together and discuss a book.
