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City of Vancouver

Vancouver Sparkles Award Program 2009

Vancouver Sparkles with community pride!

The Vancouver Sparkles Award is an annual program sponsored by the City of Vancouver that recognizes neighbors who go the extra mile to make their neighborhood special. Whether it’s picking up litter during a daily walk, organizing a clean-up or helping neighbors with yard work, since 2001, over 200 award winners have been recognized for making Vancouver Sparkle to acknowledge them for making their neighborhoods clean, green and a good place to live and work.

2009 Vancouver Sparkles Awards (8-27-09)

Following are this year's winning nominations as selected by neighborhood associations:

Airport Green
This year's nomination for the Vancouver Sparkles award from the Airport Green Neighborhood goes to Rosie Richter (pronounced rick-ter) and Linda Hanley.

Association President Ross Montgomery wrote:
They are great neighbors who keep an eye on the neighborhood as usually one of them is up late at night and the other early in the morning and they make it a habit to be aware of what is going on in the neighborhood during these hours.

They lend lawn equipment to neighbors. 

They have taken care of two dogs for an elderly neighbor when he was hospitalized.

They repaired the same elderly neighbor's fence that had broken down allowing their dogs to escape.

They help neighbors with their yard work--and keep a very nice yard themselves!

And between snowstorms last winter, they shoveled neighbors' sidewalks!
 
The Airport Green Neighborhood continues to sparkle as a result of Rosie and Linda's generosity! 

Arnada
This year’s winner is Jim Girard.

Arnada Association Chair, Russ Pasco wrote:
Jim has been leading our NA recycling effort for 3 decades. He has worked one Saturday a month raising thousands of dollars for our projects and events. More importantly ARNADA was the first neighborhood to start recycling in the county and Jim helped start that. ARNADA recycled before there was any organized City recycle program. Jim and others found homes for materials and later the local governments followed our lead. So you can say Jim is one of the fathers of recycling in Clark County.

Bella Vista
The Bella Vista Neighborhood Association proudly nominates our neighbor,
REGGIE FROST for this year’s SPARKLE award.

Reggie has a wonderful, beautiful yard that he had fully landscaped  last year, a
complete “make over”. It features  attractive trees, shrubs, and flowers. He tends a
vigorous vegetable garden. His back yard is a wonderful, peaceful sanctuary and he
makes sure the birds are well fed. 

Reggie has taken a special interest in our neighborhood and the neighborhood association. 

He has volunteered for several  tasks.  He led this year’s planting efforts
at the Bella Vista park Rose Garden where over 400 tulip bulbs were planted last fall,
which became this  spring’s tulip show.  He is planning to lead the next planting of annual   flowers next month.  This involves procurement of flowers and soil amendments
and organizing neighbors as volunteer planters. 

Reggie stepped in as acting Road Committee Chair this past year and attended every
meeting of the Neighborhood Traffic Safety Alliance to make sure Bella Vista was
represented and to promote our grant bid.  Since the Chair had to be out of town on
business trips often this year, Reggie’s presence was very useful. He was our advocate.

Reggie Frost has become a vital member of our neighborhood and he states his pride in our neighborhood  and association.  We are proud to recognize him as he truly helps Vancouver and Bella Vista “sparkle”.                                               

Burnt Bridge Creek
Cameron Townsen
Cameron is in the 4th grade at BBC Elementary. He recently became aware of the lack of finances at our local YMCA. Completely by himself he decided to help by offering some of his personal possessions for a garage sale. He is a very loving, caring and seriously responsible child. He took his concerns to the “Y” and they agreed that the sale was a great way to “declutter” and make some money at the same time. This past April on a Saturday, he spent 4 hours handing out brochures to encourage participation. He is quite concerned about environmental problems and discusses this at length with some of our neighbors. I think he emulates what the Sparkles Award is all about and that it would encourage more young people to “pitch in” if he won. He has such a good heart- a wonderful young man and sets a great example for the rest of us. Submitted by Susan Tucker and Shannon Kelly. 

Carter Park
Kathy Powell was selected by members of the Carter Park NA because Kathy has always been a good citizen of our neighborhood and always has the best interests of the neighborhood at heart.

In past years, she has been instrumental in helping to discourage drug activity in our neighborhood.

When we have needed officers to serve on the board, she has been willing to step forward to serve. She has also served as our NeighborWoods Steward.

Kathy has always been willing to deliver newsletters, often taking more than one route, even when she was working full time on the late night shift.

Most recently, she stepped forward to successfully organize our annual clean up with only three weeks notice.

Outside of neighborhood related activities, Kathy is also active in many other volunteer activities especially in programs helping children.

Her home and yard, shared with her husband, is always attractive and has recently undergone some exterior changes making it even more attractive.

Kathy is an asset to our entire community as well as Carter Park neighborhood; we are proud to select her for our Vancouver Sparkles award winner.

Cascade Highlands
Mike Stroy  is this year’s winning nomination.

Co-Chair Jean Kent submitted the following reasons:
The story of our beautiful Homestead Neighborhood Park special garbage can is as follows...  For two or three years at our summer-desserts-in- the-park meeting, the topic had been brought up of adding garbage cans to the park, to the 15th St. pass through, and somewhere along litter- prone 160th Ave.  The city was clear that park maintenance only included emptying our two 'sanctioned' garbage cans which were strategically located near our two picnic tables installed at the distant ends of our park.  During good weather times, these garbage cans frequently overflow with the detritus of picnic and park activities.  It is not a happy picnic experience to have people depositing their doggie doo bags in these garbage cans.

The CHNA leadership was reluctant to add other cans to the neighborhood as we wondered just who would empty them with consistency and care?  However, several people enthusiastically stated that THEY would empty the garbage cans.  Two cans were purchased, slathered with C.H.N.A. lettering, the lids attached with metal cable, the park can attached to a pole, and liners installed in the cans (the other can 
was located on the west end of the pass through).   Our liaison got an 
agreement from the city maintenance personnel that if we dragged a securely-tied liner to the location of one of the two 'city' cans, they would pick up the bags each week during their Friday park maintenance.

At first, the park can was emptied.  But then two weeks went by with no emptying.  Then three.  Leadership put up a note on the pole by the  can "we need someone to empty this can.  Call for information."   Someone else agreed to empty it, but only stuck to that agreement for  a month or two.  Another note went up - the note was torn down.   Another note - 'removed' again.  The final note said, "If no one commits to empty this can on a regular basis, the can will be removed on Saturday."

At that point Mike Stroy stepped up and said that HE would empty the can.  And he has, faithfully, as needed, asking for new liner bags when he ran out.  He even supplied doggie doo bags sometimes when the container with small poo bags became empty.

Additionally, Mike has painted out graffiti which occasionally appeared on nearby fences.

We appreciate Mike's sense of responsibility, his follow-through, his cheery attitude, and his dedication to helping make our neighborhood park a great place to visit and enjoy.  THANK YOU, Mike!

Central Park
Please welcome Tom Schaff , groundskeeper and his wife Cristy, Rob Tracey, facilities manager and Dr. Dean Stenehjem from Central Park’s Washington State School for the Blind.
The Washington State School for the Blind’s campus and facilities are an asset to Central Park as well as the entire community. Walking through the campus is like walking through a beautiful park; the historic Fries Auditorium hosts exceptional public musical performances; and the new Kennedy Fitness Center is a beautiful state-of-the-art facility both inside and out. Friendly staff teach students how to manipulate the streets and sidewalks safely as they guide them through our neighborhood as part of their training, and we are privileged to be able to play a small part in this experience. Under the leadership of Dr. Dean Stenehjem, the School is an important CPNA partner. It has provided space to us for more than 15 years for our bi-monthly neighborhood meetings at no cost.

Esther Short
President Ron Mah wrote:
I am very pleased to announce that our ESNA executive board met last week and unanimously approved of Patricia Coulthard as the deserving recipient of our neighborhood's 2009 Vancouver Sparkle Award.
 
Patricia is our ESNA secretary and treasurer. Along with her many community activities, Patricia has played a major role in establishing the No If And or Butts program to install cigarette receptacles along the sidewalks in the downtown Vancouver district.
 
The No If And or Butts program is co-sponsored by the Vancouver Downtown Association and ESNA to install cigarette disposal receptacles to reduce the littering and environmental health problems created by cigarette butts being tossed by smokers onto our downtown sidewalks and streets.

 
Fircrest
Yin S. "Vince" Lee
It was a common sight: Yin S. Lee (aka., “Vince”) at your mailbox. Without fail, he’d raise his head, flash that smile and throw his hand up in a wave. Imagine seeing that same roving landmark stopped in a beautiful yard, digging a hole for a new rhododendron… you look again and see his head pop up, that familiar smile and wave… how many residents are lucky enough to have the kindest mailman as their neighbor? Vince epitomizes the friendliness of Fircrest. Since his retirement, he is sorely missed at our mailboxes, but we’re still able to find that quick smile here in our own neighborhood!

First Place 
Awarded by First Place Neighborhood Association is Susan Page .
Susan, as our neighborhood chairperson, works hard to improve the neighborhood. She spearheaded the replacement of the neighborhood sign, and beautifying the entryway with flowers and a new landscape design. She attends countless City meetings dealing with issues affecting our neighborhood, such as the 18th St. widening project. She keeps the neighborhood informed through e-mails and the bi-monthly newsletter.

Susan opens her home for neighborhood meetings and special neighborhood events. She schedules pertinent speakers for neighborhood meetings and is constantly looking for ways to improve the neighborhood. The landscaping and beautiful flowers around her home are a beautiful example for all who live here.

Susan’s enthusiasm and dedication to the First Place Neighborhood is appreciated by those who live here. She is always looking for ways to make this an even better place to live. We are fortunate to have a leader who truly cares and works above and beyond the call of duty. Thank you Susan.

Hough
Co-Chair Brian Booth announced the selection of Dale and Jenice Ruland as this year’s Sparkles Award winner for Hough NA.

Their nomination submitted by Jacki Bebb read:
Dale and Jenice have resided in the Hough neighborhood for over forty years. They raised four children in this neighborhood and enjoyed activities such as Little League (Dale was a coach) and Cub Scouts (Jenice was a den mother). The recent transformation of the Hough neighborhood has thrilled the Rulands.

They represent the Hough neighborhood by committing to their community in many ways. Their home is immaculate and a source of great pride. They work very hard at keeping their home pristine and they have a passion for gardening. They put their hearts and souls into their gardens and yard, and it shows.

The Ruland’s contributions don’t stop at just having a neat house and yard. Both Dale and Jenice extensively volunteer their time to the community. Jenice has been a neighborhood babysitter, a volunteer for the City of Vancouver, organized community potlucks, and is a leader in the neighborhood watch program. She takes her role very seriously and is dedicated and vigilant in keeping all of the neighbors informed and safe. Dale donates his time by planting and mowing the lawns of neighbors who are unable to do it themselves. The Rulands attend a church in the Hough neighborhood because they want to see their resources help others in this great community.

They are both active in the Hough Neighborhood Association and are always actively recruiting members. Their love of the neighborhood is contagious and they don’t have a hard time getting others excited about Hough.

Meadow Homes
Don and Gloria Burris have contributed much to our neighborhood and our community. Gloria has helped with the annual garage sale for many years. Don maintains a lovely yard that add beauty and value to our neighborhood. His roses are especially pretty. Don collected newspapers for the USA singers where they both performed. They participate regularly in our meetings and other functions. They are simply really good neighbors. Nominated by neighbor Dorothy Rivoli .

Northfield
John Robinson  is selected as this year’s recipient of the Sparkles Award by Northfield NA. His nominated submitted by Tami O'Kinsella Baker reads:
John, and his family, are very neighborly. He is always ready to help--last year when I had injured my foot and could not walk, he cheerfully mowed my lawn when I asked for his assistance. He is always glad to pump up my son's soccer or basketball. He notices when our bike tires are flat and pumps them up as well. His wife picked up groceries for me or provided me with transportation when I could not walk due to my injury. They also keep their yard immaculate. It is so pretty and adds class to our neighborhood. They have donated some of their beautiful plant starts to me. I know they are generous in this way with many other neighbors and also very friendly to everyone. John is a good neighbor and the kind that is deserving of this award.
Oakbrook
Lela Keim was nominated to be this year’s winner from Oakbrook NA. Oakbrook NA is very fortunate to have Lela as our newsletter editor. Lela came forward in March, 2007 to volunteer her services. ONA believes we have one of the very best neighborhood newsletters in Clark County.

Lela continues to bring neighborhood news to all Oakbrook residents and also coordinate  the newsletter deliveries. She is persistent in getting neighbors to volunteer for newsletter deliveries so all Oakbrook neighbors will be informed.

We want this award to recognize her steadfast dedication to her task and neighborhood. This dedication also includes other Oakbrook community issues. Thank you Lela from the ONA.

Rose Village
Kristol Robinson
Bruce Baxter, Chair of Rose Village said: I have been watching the steady work on this residence over the past few years since our prior RVNA Chairman moved out. Kristol has put a lot of effort into remodeling this house. Foundation, exterior siding and a total inside remodel. I am happy to see the progress and realize that she is doing it for her own pleasure and not for any special recognition. It is residents like this that improve our Neighborhood's appearance, (one house at a time).

Shumway
Tabitha Reeder and Glenn Grossman were selected by Shumway Neighborhood because Tabitha as a graduate of Leaderhsip Clark County whose class founded the concept of Slow Food Southwest Washington to encourage support for local farmers, food and beverage producers as part of Leadership Clark County. Glen served as the convivium leader for the two years following the formation of the local group. They have worked hard to encourage and promote better food systems for southwest Washington. All of their gardening is organic so no chemicals means no harm to the neighbors or neighborhood animals.

Village at Fisher’s Landing
The Dehler Family.
The Bob and Cathie’s yard and home is always beautiful and in a prominent position in our neighborhood. We appreciate their efforts to plant water and maintain seasonal flowers in the community planting area at the entrance to our neighborhood. They make the VFLNA sparkle!

West Minnehaha
Charles Hirsch

West Minnehaha would like to nominate Charlie Hirsch for the Vancouver Sparkles Award. He has worked with the neighborhood for many years. He cares for his own home but our focus would like to be his service to our community. During the years he has helped with numerous cleanups by helping with loads, hauling materials for neighbors, directing cars and currently gathers donations on the day of the event, he has also taken time out of his schedule to attend meetings and do repair to the once rented Community Center. Charlie is a kind, gentle, caring person who has a big heart that sparkles! WMNAB