WHIDBEY
BUSINESS Page A4
Dine out for kids at Christopher’s Dine out at Christopher’s on Whidbey to support Coupeville students Thursday, March 20. Lunch is 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner begins at 5 p.m. Reservations are recommended. Christopher’s will donate a percentage of the day’s proceeds to The Community Foundation for Coupeville Public Schools. Parents’ Night Out child care will be available at Ebey Academy, 104 S.E. Terry Road, Coupeville. Ebey Academy will donate child care fees to the Foundation.
Ribbon cutting for Whidbey Sign Whidbey Sign Company will host a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of their new office space. The event will be held 11:30 am. Thursday, March 13. The new location is located at 31780 State Highway 20, Suite 4, the former location of the Soroptimist’s Upscale Resale near Curves. The public is invited to attend the event and stop by to find out more about their products and services they have to offer
CHILI FEED AND BAKED POTATO BAR: South Whidbey Home Builders is hosting a Chili Feed and Baked Potato Bar, 5:30-8 p.m., March 14, at Clinton Progressive Hall, 6411 Central Ave., Clinton. Proceeds benefit South Whidbey Home Builders’ 2014-15 scholarship program. Live auction features auctioneer Jim Freeman. Auction starts at 7 p.m. Food sells for $5, or $15 for family of four.
WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 • Whidbey News-Times
Bakery partnership is a WIN-win By BETTY FREEMAN
Whidbey News Group contributor
At 11 p.m. when most people are asleep, Kelly Baugh is grinding fresh red wheat and starting a large batch of bread. Baugh bakes her bread at Living Green Bakery & Cafe on Second Street in Langley. On Sunday and Wednesday nights, she makes 40-50 loaves of whole wheat bread for Whidbey Island Nourishes‚ commonly known as WIN, a program that provides nutritious food for families in need. Though others have now discovered her bread and bakery, Baugh said, “What I do for WIN comes from my heart.” “WIN is my first priority.” WIN began seven years ago when Clinton resident Mary Fisher and a group of South Whidbey women wanted to provide weekend food for children who received free or reduce-priced lunches at school. They initiated the Backpack Program‚ which provides weekend lunches to families that sign up. WIN sends home familysized bags of food with qualified elementary school children on Thursdays to tide them over for the weekend. The lunches contain meat and cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole wheat bread, yogurt,
fresh fruit, mixed vegetables, string cheese and trail mix. If there are younger children in a home, WIN provides food for them as well. For teens and others with food insecurity, WIN offers complete lunches at Good Cheer Food Bank in Bayview, and a la carte items in coin-less vending machines at South Whidbey Commons in Langley and Clinton Community Hall. WIN also provides lunches for the Family Resource Center, and nutritious snacks for the HUB, Homework Club, Whidbey Island Academy and the South Whidbey Children’s Center in Langley. WIN food is prepared by volunteers who work three days a week in the kitchen of the former South Whidbey Primary School. During 2013, WIN volunteers made 20,000 sandwiches, up from 16,000 during 2012. During a WIN fundraiser in 2013, Baugh’s whole wheat bread was served with bowls of hearty soup. WIN board member Jerry Stiers thought the bread was wonderful, so he approached Baugh about providing bread for WIN. “WIN has long had a goal of using locally sourced ingredients in its bread,” said Stiers. “We have been buying bread from Costco, but wanted bread with no preser-
Photo by Betty Freman/South Whidbey Record
Kelly Baugh grinds fresh red wheat in preparation for baking wholesome bread which is in turn used to make sandwiches for Whidbey Island Nourishes. vatives or added sugar. “Kelly Baugh offered to supply us bread at cost, which makes it affordable for WIN.” Baugh’s whole wheat loaves contain just five
Saturday and Sunday, March 22nd, 23rd 9am - 4pm A wide variety of hybrid, species and heritage rhodies. From 1 gallon to mature, 6’-7’ field-grown plants. Extensive selection of new and historic hybrids from the Lem, Fujioka, Watson and Barlup.
Brought to you by:
Knowledgeable staff and volunteers on hand to assist you. Come early for best selection.
Meerkerk Gardens off Resort Road 3531 Meerkerk Lane, Greenbank 360-678-1912 or 360-222-0121 meerkerk@whidbey.net • www.meerkerkgardens.org
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WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES WITH YOUR COFFEE
P.O. Box 1200 • 107 S. Main St, Ste E101 • Coupeville, WA 98239 360-675-6611 • www.whidbeynewstimes.com
ingredients: freshly ground red wheat flour, honey, salt, water and yeast. Baugh gets wheat from Coupeville farmer Georgina Silby and honey from Morningstar Honey Farms in Oak Harbor. WIN’s mission to provide nutritious food for children resonates with Baugh because she had to learn to find her own food from an early age. “If I had the kind of community support like WIN offers, it would have changed my whole life for the better, Baugh said. “All kids need is one person to help them believe in themselves. Not having to worry about food every day gives kids hope that they can do better.” Originally from Chicago, Baugh started working in the food service industry 30 years ago at age 11, making pizza dough in an Italian restaurant. By age 18 she was the assistant manager of an A&W restaurant. Baugh also worked for 14 years as a prep cook and assistant baker. In 2001, she received her
associate of arts degree in baking and pastry arts from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, then worked as a baker/manager for Great Harvest Bread Company and later for the Lucky Eagle Casino as baker and pastry chef. Baugh has lived on Whidbey Island for 11 months. As the new owner of Living Green in Langley, she transformed the space into a cafe-bakery and gathering place for adults and children, including her own five children, son-in-law and two grandchildren. “South Whidbey has become a place for my family to belong,” said Baugh. WIN’s standing order for 40-50 loaves of bread each week helps the bakery financially, provides employment for her family, and helps kids who need good food do their best. “It is a win-win situation,” said Baugh with a smile. ■ Betty Freeman is a WIN volunteer and a contributing writer for The South Whidbey Record.