Kudos to Scouts for cemetery work

On behalf of the McMurray Cemetery Association, Vice President Dave Granstrom and I would like to thank the many folks who recently provided hard work, care and support in the section of the McMurray Cemetery that was established in 1903.

First, thanks to Cody Schwab and Boy Scout Troop 4057. They cleared brush and tree limbs, cut invasive climbing ivy enabling longevity of the stately trees, constructed a gravel path and found previously hidden gravestones. Cody created a careful plan that was efficiently completed.

Thank you to George Groesbeck, who designed a handsome sign, installed it with help from Boy Scout Troop 4057 and created a wonderful Web site. Both the sign and Web site feature names of those buried in the cemetery.

Thanks also to the friends and families of Cody and George who helped in various ways and were so friendly. All those concerned were interested in the projects and showed great respect for the site and its history.

This special little cemetery is a very significant part of McMurray and surrounding areas and of great importance to the descendants of pioneers, early-day mill workers and others buried there. Our small cemetery association could not have completed the work itself. We are very grateful.

We also appreciate the McMurray community and friends and relatives of those buried in the cemetery. Their continued interest in the process of ownership, restoration, the well-being of the site and their willingness to share historical stories are the keys to successful preservation.

Andrea Xaver, president,
McMurray Cemetery Association

S-W grad night a huge success

With hard work and help from a small band of parent volunteers and generous donations from local businesses, the Sedro-Woolley High School Parents of Class of 2008 raised about $30,000 to send 153 seniors on an overnight alcohol- and drug-free graduation night celebration.

The goal was to enable as many students as possible to attend. They left directly after the graduation ceremonies and were escorted to different fun, family centers in Seattle and returned home Saturday morning.

Co-president Connie Lance and I would like to thank the parent group officers — Mary McGoffin, Debbie Riegel, Lisa Davis, Belinda Bisbey, LeAnne Hickman and Debbie Huson — for their 11⁄2 years of work and commitment toward this goal. Thanks also to the volunteers and donors for helping to make the event a huge success.

Colleen Rutledge, co-president,

Sedro-Woolley

Generous donation of books for kids

A great big thank you to Pat Rimmer’s Les Schwab Tire Centers for its extreme generosity over the past eight years as a major sponsor of the Home Run Against Drugs Give-A-Book Program. This program teaches first- and second-graders the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices. Each student in this program receives his or her very own personalized book in which they are the star. Pat Rimmer (Les Schwab) Tire Centers has donated some 10,000 books to students. Way to go Pat Rimmer Tire Centers.

Colleen Johnson

Burlington

Thanks for supporting Mount Vernon in Bloom

On behalf of the members of the Mount Vernon Plant Society and the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs, I would like to thank the participants in the first Mount Vernon in Bloom. We also would like to thank the following groups and local businesses that donated financially and/or offered their support to this event: the Mount Vernon City Council, the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce, Christianson’s Nursery, Skagit Valley Gardens Nursery, Wells Nursery, Charlie’s Greenhouse and Nursery, Summersun Nursery, Blade Chevrolet, Ace Hardware, Safeway Store, Haggen Store and Starbucks at Safeway.

We are looking forward to next year, when the competition will extend until the end of June.

Sharon Merrill, president

Mount Vernon Plant Society