Yelm Rotary President Ken McCulloch, YHS Principal Brian Wharton,
SOTM Emily Greninger and Rotarian Kim Lyle. Photo courtesy, Yelm Rotary

– From Yelm Rotary:
“For October we honor Emily Greninger as our Yelm Rotary Student of the Month. Emily is both an outstanding athlete and academic force. She has maintained a 3.6 GPA while taking AP/Honors classes as well as being involved with the sports medicine program and various other community activities. Emily has been accepted to WSU where she hopes to receive an ROTC scholarship. She is a talented bowler and was on the 2013 team that won the WIAA Academic Championship. Emily is much loved by the staff and students here at YHS.”
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Image courtesy: Veterans Day 2015

– ABOUT VETERANS DAY
“Veterans Day is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. A federal holiday, it is observed on November 11. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.)…

The U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. In proclaiming the holiday, he said

“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with lots of pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.” quoting Wikipedia.
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– HONORING ALL SOLDIERS WHO SERVED
“For most of us Veterans Day holiday just means a chance to enjoy an extra day off from work or school. However this day November 11, be sure to spend a few minutes on its true purpose, by acknowledging any person who served in any military service branch. These include the members of the US Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy or the Coast Guard.

Many people often believe that Veterans Day and Memorial Day are celebrated for the same reason. There is however a important difference between the two holidays. While both honor our military personnel, the Memorial Day is a day to remember and pay respect to all that died serving our country in a war, while Veterans Day is to celebrate all soldiers who served in the forces at anytime, during peace or war,” quoting Veterans Day 2015.
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– “ARMISTICE DAY 97 YEARS ON”
“Ninety-seven years ago, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, fighting ceased in the ‘war to end all wars.’ People went on killing and dying right up until the pre-designated moment, impacting nothing other than our understanding of the stupidity of war.”

“Believe it or not, November 11th was not made a holiday in order to celebrate war, support troops, or cheer the 15th year of occupying Afghanistan. This day was made a holiday in order to celebrate an armistice that ended what was up until that point, in 1918, one of the worst things our species had thus far done to itself, namely World War I.

World War I, then known simply as the world war or the great war, had been marketed as a war to end war. Celebrating its end was also understood as celebrating the end of all wars,” quiting David Swanson, World Beyond War.org.
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“Dan Crowe and Molly Carmody of The Crowe Law Office
are the new owners of one of Yelm’s most historic buildings.”
Photo credit: ThurstonTalk

– “Crowe Law Breathing New Life Into a Historic Building”
“Driving through Yelm, you can’t miss it: the big white building with the large Grecian pillars in front. Variously known as the Masonic Lodge or Gordon’s Grange, for years it has remained mostly vacant, used only for occasional meetings or special events, and was slowly decaying from rot and neglect. But when Dan Crowe and Molly Carmody first walked into the historic edifice in the heart of Yelm, they didn’t see the ancient carpet and layers of ingrained dust: they saw a law office.”

“In the ideal world, The Crowe Law Office will be moving in by Thanksgiving, says Carmody, but Crowe believes Christmas is a more realistic target.”

“The Lodge was originally built by the Freemasons in 1926 and used as a meeting space.”

“It is listed on the Washington State Historic Registry as ‘Masonic Temple – Lodge Hall No. 244.’ To keep the historic value, Crowe Law had to go through the city’s historic commission to get their plan approved,” quoting Heidi Smith, ThurstonTalk.
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Editor’s Note:
Dan Crowe is the Crowe Law principal attorney and Executive Director of the Yelm Business Assn. (YBA).
Molly Carmody is the Crowe Law office manager, current member of Yelm’s Planning Commission and now, a Councilor-elect to the Yelm City Council.


Blogger Klein is a Crowe Law client.

Yelm Food Co-op’s Carol Franks

From the Yelm Food Co-op’s Release:
YELM COOPERATIVE ANNOUNCES SIXTH ANNUAL “GIFT OF GOBBLE”

Thanksgiving is traditionally about giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest. The Yelm Cooperative will, once again, ensure a bountiful Thanksgiving feast for 125 families in our Community who may not have been blessed with an abundant harvest this year.

The Yelm Cooperative will raise $8,000 to feed 125 families a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast that will feed a family of six. Each family receives: a naturally-grown turkey, organic carrots, onions and potatoes, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, pie fixings and more.

Charitable contributions, large or small, are gratefully being accepted at the Yelm Food Co-op now until Thanksgiving. $60 will feed a family. In addition to accepting individual contributions, project volunteers will call on area businesses for donations.

The Yelm Food Co-op is located at 308 Yelm Avenue East inside Gordon’s Garden Center.
The store carries organic, artisan and whole foods from many local farmers and companies.

For further information, contact Outreach Coordinator Andrea Levanti at 360-894-6529.


Blogger Klein is a Gift of Gobble founding contributor & founding Yelm Food Co-op current member.

Tad Stillwell

Tad Stillwell now leads Jennifer Littlefield for City of Yelm City Council, Position No. 4 by 4 votes: 455-451. All votes received to date have been counted.
Read more from Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall’s office.

From the National Weather Service:
“Special Weather Statement for Southwest Interior, WA (includes Yelm and vicinity)”

“… PERIODS OF ACTIVE WEATHER EXPECTED THIS WEEK…
A FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS WESTERN WASHINGTON TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS FRONT WILL BRING A PERIOD OF MODERATE RAINFALL TO THE AREA AS IT MOVES THROUGH. WINDY CONDITIONS…”

“A MUCH STRONGER FRONT WILL MOVE SLOWLY SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY. THIS FRONT WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG JET STREAM AND MAY PRODUCE A VARIETY OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS. THESE HAZARDS INCLUDE FLOODING… DAMAGING WINDS…”

“MANY FORECAST MODELS SUGGEST THAT WINDS OF 20 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 TO 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. WIND THIS STRONG WOULD RESULT IN SOME TREE DAMAGE AND POWER OUTAGES.”

“PEOPLE IN WESTERN WASHINGTON ARE URGED TO MONITOR LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.”
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Yelm Skate Park, conceptual view
Photo courtesy: City of Yelm website

The Yelm City Council is set tomorrow evening to approve construction of the Skate Park relocation which was approved March 24, 2014 with no public involvement and against a petition signed by 32 Yelm business owners.
The City applied for a Community Development Block Grant through Thurston County for the development of a new skate park at the site of the old City Shop at 203 1st Street in the amount of $450,000. The grant request was approved by Thurston County in the amount of $439,208.

The City of Yelm Staff recommend the City Council approve their Request for Authorization to Award Bid and to Enter into Construction Contract and Recommend Authorization for authorize Mayor Harding to award the project to and sign the construction contract with Dreamland Skateparks, LLC in the not to exceed amount of $409,300.00.

From the City Staff report:
The project was designed in partnership with City Staff, BCRA consulting, New Line Skateparks Inc, and a Citizen Advisory Committee.
The majority of the project is funded via a Federal grant through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, facilitated through Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
This project was originally bid in August of 2015, with bid results unfortunately coming in well above the allotted budget for this project.
The project was rebid in October.

Photo credit: © Dream Tree Film & Productions, nature-rx.org

– About Nature Rx:
“Nature Rx is an award-winning comedy series about a struggle affecting many of us today. Set in the world of a spoofed prescription drug commercial, Nature Rx offers a hearty dose of laughs and the outdoors – two timeless prescriptions for whatever ails you. Side effects may include confidence, authenticity, remembering you have a body, and being in a good mood for no apparent reason.

With Nature Rx environmentalism also gets a needed dose of fun. Nature Rx is a friendly reminder to us Earthly inhabitants what feels good and what is worth protecting once we take an adventure outdoors. Warning: when enjoying nature always pick up after yourself, be prepared safe, and leave it better than you found it.”
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Click here for the video.

Bob Foster, Yelm Farmers Market Mgr. Karen Rae
Photo credit: Carl Zambuto, Yelm Food Co-op

From Yelm Farmers Market Manager Karen Rae:
“As most of you will know, Bob Foster passed last week but his dream lives on.
There is an abundance of his divine produce available for purchase …

Paradise Organics is located at 18819 Sorenson Road SE, Yelm.”


From Tom & Jutta Dewell of the Yelm Food Co-op:
“Robert’s family and Susan have agreed Paradise Organics should continue forward, stay open and complete the Sprouts, Fodder and Micro-Greens project.

Timberland Bank branch in Yelm
Photo courtesy: Timberland Bancorp, Inc. (TSBK)

– “Timberland Bank parent stock soars after company announces quarterly profit“
“The parent company of Timberland Bank saw its stock rise nearly 11 percent on Tuesday, a day after the company reported record profits for its fiscal fourth quarter.”

“The strong earnings were attributed to several factors, including a reduction in non-performing assets,” quoting Rolf Boone, The Olympian.
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Timberland Bank has a full-service branch office in Yelm.

– South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust surpassed fundraiser goal
From “Farms Forever – A Benefit for Farmland Preservation” – held on Saturday, October 24th!
“For the first time in the event’s five-year history, we were completely sold out – two hundred people turned out to support the Community Farm Land Trust!

We’re very pleased to say that, thanks to you, we didn’t just achieve our goal, we surpassed it! As a community, you invested over $30,000 in the future of our local farmland! Wow!

This generous outpouring of support will allow us to accomplish significant things in 2016:

* Expand our outreach to local farmland owners;
* Identify high-priority farmland preservation projects;
* Leverage available grant funding to preserve our next farm;
* Protect Oyster Bay Farm in perpetuity and facilitate the transfer of the historic farm to a new generation of farmers; and
* Continue stewarding the farm properties we own, to ensure that their value to the community is maximized.”
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Blogger Klein is a Timberland Bank customer & a South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust contributor.