Blast From The Past contest winners to eat well

The Sedro-Woolley Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of contests held June 7 during the Blast From The Past community celebration.

Pizza eating: Kyle Nunez, Kelsie McCloud, Cindy South, Chad Wilburg, Anthony Srisom Miranda Kinsolving, Kyrstin Sexton and Gavin Hess.

Jump rope: Katelyn Duvall, Daniel Kyser, Emily Huggins, Nicholas Granberg, Aidan Ristow and Erin Kaplan.

Hula hoop: Regan Frette, Cooper Ristow, Ethan McClenaghan, Austin Frizzell, Alysann Van Beek, Riley McClenaghan, Forrest Ristow and Kayla Ostby.

Pie eating: Cameron Moses, Kaleb Ralph, Dakota Walker, Ian Thomas, Cheyenne Walker, K. Brown, Shania Brown, Bryce Luke, Will Fletcher and Robin Yates.

Each winner won a certificate to dine at a participating area restaurant.

Tiger Pride fund lands sixth matching grant

The Burlington-Edison Education and Alumni Foundation has received its sixth matching grant in six years from the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The foundation used funds raised from the engraved brick project at Kirkby Field and the Antiques Safari event as the basis for requesting the $2,000 annual match. A “Tiger Pride” endowment has been created from the grants and matching funds, with the goal to award annual scholarships in recognition of B-E grads who have made significant contributions to the community or society in general.

The endowment now has about 50 percent of the funds needed to sustain an annual award. Award recipients’ names will be added to a plaque for display. For information about the endowment or to donate, contact Kathi Williams at 360-757-0835 or .

Children’s social facility receives gift

Secret Harbor, a private social service agency, has received a $3,000 gift from Regence BlueShield to support the facility’s Residential Treatment and Foster Care programs.

Don Harper and Jim McGregor of McGregor Benefits in Anacortes were about to receive an award from Regence when they discovered they could assign it to a nonprofit organization.

“We immediately thought of Secret Harbor,” McGregor said.

Anacortes-based Secret Harbor programs provide structure, stability, nurturance and support to children who have a combination of severe behavioral, social, developmental, learning or emotional problems.

Libraries systems awarded arts grant

Sno-Isle Libraries, which serves Island and Snohomish counties, and the Everett Public Library have received a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The funding will support The Big Read, an Arts initiative designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. It is supported in the Pacific Northwest, in part, by a grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

The program provides an opportunity for community members to read, discuss and celebrate selections from American and world literature. The Big Read in Snohomish and Island counties will focus on “The Maltese Falcon” by Dashiell Hammett in May 2009.

The grant also will enable the libraries to host read-a-thons, book discussions, lectures, movie screenings, performing arts events and related activities. Participating communities also receive supplemental educational materials.

Rotary announces award recipients

The Rotary Club of Skagit in Mount Vernon named Bob Shrumm as the Rotarian of the Year during its 23rd annual installation banquet. Gary Shand and Duane Henson were honored as Paul Harris Fellows, and Bruce Lisser received special honors as a Paul Harris Fellow for his unselfish giving to the club’s recent international project in Africa.

New officers for 2008-09 are: Jim Stewart, president; Jerry Dodd, president-elect; Bob Masterman, secretary; Brad Pickett, treasurer; Bob Shrumm, community service; Noel Cook, club services; Bruce Lisser, international services, and Carol Thomas, vocational services.

Symphony board elects new executives

The Skagit Symphony Board of Directors named its executive officers for the 2008-09 season: John Boyes, president; Clare Drews, president-elect, and Dennis Carman, treasurer.

Joining the board for three-year terms are David Chaplin, Kathleen Kollmar, Stan Relyea and Bill Langworthy.

Barbara Carstens, Celia Chandler, Armin Mohr, Karen Parnell, Katrina Pierson, Lisette Roozen-Mast and Nancy Slind retired from the board.