News Roundup – Relay for Life a huge success/Panel endorses Yeomalt funds/All aboard the Virginia V/Council looks at benchmarks

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, August 2, 2006

Relay for Life a huge success

Last weekend’s Relay for Life Bainbridge Island drew an enthusiastic crowd of walkers and runners and raised $40,000.

Many participants already are looking ahead to the second annual relay next year.

“It was so fun for everybody,” said co-chair Dawna Kramer. “There were moving parts and there was the community part. Everybody loved hanging out with their friends.”

The event “really exceeded my expectations,” she added. “There was more enthusiasm and commitment from all the teams than I could have imagined.”

A range of islanders made up the 17 teams, including some 40 survivors and lots of families. John and Heidi Washenberger brought their 2-year-old, who circled a few laps with them. John ultimately ran for 2 1/2 hours, starting at about 1:30 a.m.

Highlights for Kramer included seeing “Walli Corn making it all the way around the track with her walker for the survivor lap and the luminarias.”

The luminaria lap Saturday was in memory of those who died of cancer. Candles cast the only light around the track.

“The ceremony was very nice, but for me the biggest emotional impact came walking around the track in silence and reading the names on the luminaria bags and thinking of all the people touched, all the memories recalled and all the terrible sadness of losing people before their time,” Kramer said.

With more money coming in over the next few days, the amount raised should be around $40,000, she said. The announced total on Sunday morning was about $37,000.

The top fund-raising team was formed to honor Tom Green, who died of esophageal cancer June 4. The team’s captain was Krista Green, Tom’s wife.

“We had 18 registered team members, but we had five people just show up to walk with friends or spouses who were officially on our team,” team member Susan Sivitz wrote via email. “The current subtotal indicates that we raised $4,903, but there are still donations coming in. Tom worked at WaMu and they have a dollar-for-dollar match that is not included in this tally. Krista was told by the American Cancer Society that several people donated money in Tom’s name at the event.”

There were so many luminarias in his name, Sivitz wrote, that several people came up to the team’s station and asked who Tom was.

“I guess they were moved to donate in his honor,” she said. “I knew this would be a very inspiring experience, but I didn’t really know what to expect. I think I liked the low-key nature of it all. It all just felt very homey and Bainbridge Island-ish – not slick.”

Also honoring the deceased and supporting the survivors were a group of teens from BI Rowers and members of the Bainbridge Runners.

“My idea for next year is to have a Bite of Bainbridge at the same time and have all the restaurants on the island participate,” said Kramer, adding emphatically that she will not co-chair again. “I will be a loyal and dependable volunteer and committee chair. I had two teams this year. Maybe I’ll have three next year.”

Although she was on her feet for 18 hours straight and running on pure adrenalin, Kramer came through just fine, as did almost everything, she said.

“I fell asleep on the field about 11 a.m. on Sunday, waiting for my husband to return for the last load of stuff. I knew some force was at work when we made the turn into our driveway on Sunday afternoon with the last load and the pouring rain started.

“We were so lucky. Somebody was looking out for us.”

– Rhona Schwartz

Panel endorses Yeomalt funds

The Yeomalt Cabin Restoration Project took a giant step forward on July 25 when the State’s Heritage Capital Projects Fund Advisory Panel recommended that the $69,000 funding request of the Bainbridge Is. Metro Parks & Recreation District be included in the governor’s 2007 state budget.

“This is a huge step in our fund drive,” said Clo Copass, Team Yeomalt finance committee member. “We are three-quarters of the way done raising necessary cash funds. We only need $54,000 more to meet the project’s $200,000 cash goal and to assure our local match for the state’s grant.”

The 11-member review panel ranked Yeomalt Cabin 11th among 40 project applicants. Only 31 were approved for some funding. Yeomalt Cabin was one of only 14 projects approved as requested.

“That is a testament to the work done by Copass, park staff and all the people who in so many ways have expressed their support of this project,” Team Yeomalt’s Jerry Elfendahl said. “We’re not over the top, but we can see the summit. Hopefully this fall, we will be able to turn our attention from fund-raising to log wall-raising.”

Team Yeomalt continues to seek funds to restore the publicly owned log meeting hall. Tax-deductible donations may be sent to: “Yeomalt Cabin Fund” c/o BI Parks Foundation, P.O. Box 10010, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110.

All aboard the Virginia V

August 27 is the last chance to take a “Round-the-Island Tour” aboard the Virginia V for some time. The 83-year-old restored steamboat is the only remaining locally built member of the Mosquito Fleet.

Bring a picnic and toast history with a drink from the bar. Then enjoy the panoramic views and watch the operation of the 100-year-old-plus steam engine that quietly propels the ship. Joyce Lhamon and author/historians Andrew Price, Jr. and Barbara Winther will narrate the tour.

The Virginia V will board at 11 a.m. from Winslow city dock. The next opportunity to sail the vessel will be in 2008.

Tickets are $70 and available at Vern’s Drug; the Chamber of Commerce; and the historical museum. For information call 842-2773 or e-mail info@bainbridgehistory.org.

Council looks at benchmarks

The City Council will discuss a study tonight comparing the city’s budget and service levels with other cities.

The “benchmarking” study, set for public release today, was conducted by Colorado-based CH2M Hill engineering and construction consulting firm.

CH2M Hill conducted approximately 20 interviews with city department directors, the mayor, councilors, staff and citizens to form baseline assumptions and craft a profile of the city.

The consultants then compared Bainbridge data with a half-dozen communities with similar populations, demographics, economic characteristics, city services, zoning rules and other factors.

City management structures and the city’s Comprehensive Plan were included in the analysis.

CH2M Hill will hold four meetings with the council and citizens over the coming months. The final version of the benchmarking study will be available after the fourth meeting.

Tonight’s meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall.