Connections
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ISSAQUAH HIGHL ANDS
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By Community, for Community March 2020
W H AT ’ S I N S I D E ? Feature: Rootedness Volunteer of the Month Highlands Council Highlands Youth (HY) Wish You Were Here What’s Happening IHCA Operations & Board Elections 20 Living Green® 21 Home Organization 5 9 11 13 14 16 18
23 23 24 25 27 28 29 30 31
Ask Kari Merchant of the Month School Spotlight Paying for Public School The Smart Home Census News Issaquah Highlands Travels Emergency Preparedness Directory
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March 2020
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Issaquah Highlands Connections
March 2020
EDITOR’S NOTE This month’s feature, "Rootedness," is intimately connected to our mission at Highlands Council of building community. The word “rootedness” might not be in our everyday language, but we frequently talk about its concepts: belonging, stability, and connection. Being “rooted” challenges our modern tendencies to seek community online and asks us to be part of where we are, to be at home in a place, even if it is only temporarily. See on pages 5-7 for details of how you can explore the concept of “rootedness” by participating in upcoming local events.
PC: Julie Clegg Editor Nina feels a strong sense of rootedness every highlands day (pictured with IPD Officer Ryan Smith and former-HFN GM Frank Pineau).
The concept of “rootedness” continues throughout this issue of Connections. Discover how articles on topics like volunteering (pg. 9) youth and social media (pg. 13) and emergency preparedness (pg. 30) contribute to our sense of home and rootedness. Even the story about the U.S. Census is related to rootedness (pg. 28) in that the census applies to all residents, whether you live here temporarily or for the long term. If you are here now, consider yourself rooted and get counted! Also inside: browse local events and stories by our volunteer writers, read about how to live more sustainably in Living Green®, and enjoy the second installment of Maia’s travels abroad. In our most recent community survey, we learned that our community values Connections above all other media. Reading Connections cover to cover the weekend it arrives (as so many of you do) seems like “rootedness” to me!
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About the Cover: Quilt and image by Janice King, artist in residence for the “Rootedness” exhibition and programming in April 2020. This quilt illustrates trees, root systems and soil layers. It will be on display at Blakely Hall for all to enjoy, as well as inspiration for those participating in making a community quilt on Friday, April 3 at Blakely Hall.
Nina Milligan | Editor of Connections, Highlands Council Communications Manager Highlands Council is the publisher of Connections, producer of community-wide events such as Highlands Day, owner and manager of Blakely Hall, liaison with the greater community. The mission of Highlands Council, and therefore, Connections News, is “to foster the development of a vibrant and caring community committed to service, diversity, and well-being.”
2520 NE Park Drive, Suite C Issaquah Highlands 98029 (425) 996-0457 RayBesharati.com
Highlands Council would like to showcase your business in its media, sharing with the community information about you and your business. Each month, we will choose one Issaquah Highlands-based business to profile in Connections, for free. See our first Merchant of the Month, KS School of Design, profiled on page 23! Submit your business for consideration at
issaquahhighlands.com/merchant-of-the-month Questions? Contact Nina Milligan, Highlands Council Communications Manager at nina.m@ihcouncil.org.
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Spon
Issaquah Highlands Connections
Get ready to blast off!
Sponsor opportunities available Contact christy.g@ihcouncil.org or 425-507-1110 issaquahhighlands.com/highlands-day
The ARt of Face-to-face communication
A Workshop for Teens
Sunday, March 8, 4:00 - 5:30pm Blakely Hall Hosted by the Highlands Youth Advisory Board
Is there a skill more important than being able to have confident, clear and coherent face-to-face conversations, regardless of the topic or who you are talking with? Today’s teens are very good with social media platforms, but the art of face to face conversation needs a little attention. This interactive workshop is designed to support the growth of this pivotal life skill to not only improve academic results but also to improve the way teens communicate within their family sphere, within their social circles and to be college and career ready. FREE to attend and space is limited. Pre-registration is required.
THE BEST CAMERA Presented by Scott Moffat
Wednesday, March 11 7:00 pm, Blakely Hall Get More from Your Smartphone Tips and Tricks Photo Editing Examples of Better Travel Photos Free, please bring a snack or beverage to share. ď‚‚ Issaquah Highlands Travel Club issaquahhighlands.com/events
Issaquah Highlands Connections
A Sense
Intro by Nina Milligan Communications Manager, Highlands Council and Starpoint Resident
March 2020
of Belonging Turns a Place Into
In this issue of Connections, we explore “rootedness” and what it means in our lives. Janice King, local artist behind the upcoming “Rootedness” exhibition in Blakely Hall, will combine art and participation to create “rootedness.” When talking about her exhibition in Issaquah Highlands, she explains the project as “a way to encourage people to think about the meaning of being rooted in the places where life takes you. I want to encourage
everyone to develop a sense of rootedness through ongoing, active awareness and exploration. This can also deepen the sense of rootedness for a family when you explore together.” Issaquah Highlands was designed to foster a sense of belonging in the physical spaces where we live, work, and play. Neighborhoods are designed around parks or other structures that encourage us to know our neighbors. Plazas in our commercial areas encourage people to connect. We know from community survey data people feel a sense of belonging when they see their neighbors, whether it is in a neighborhood park, at the local store, or at a block party. In addition to infrastructure that inspires a sense of belonging, Issaquah Highlands is home to organizations that
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Your Place
cultivate a sense of belonging in our daily lives. Highlands Council’s mission is to build community in Issaquah Highlands and to foster a caring community, both essential to a sense of belonging and that feeling of rootedness. Blakely Hall provides a shared place for us to belong, to gather and share events and activities. Read on to learn more about our upcoming “Rootedness” events in Issaquah Highlands. We hope you will stop by Blakely Hall to experience the joy of creating art and develop a deeper sense of belonging to Issaquah Highlands, a skill you can take anywhere. Turn the page for more details on upcoming "Rootedness" programming.
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March 2020
by Janice King "Rootedness" gallery exhibition artist
Issaquah Highlands Connections
I am a daughter of Colorado, a granddaughter of Nebraska and Missouri, a greatgranddaughter of Ireland, Scotland, and Germany. There’s no question that I still feel a sense of rootedness to the places of my family heritage. But by spending much time walking and exploring and learning about the Pacific Northwest, I have created a deep and meaningful sense of rootedness here.
In a highly mobile society, the idea of feeling rooted in a place seems like a nostalgic notion of the past. We may feel that we have more connections in the virtual places and lives we encounter in our social media feeds than in the lives that are physically around us. Yet I believe that living so much through our phones creates a challenge: We want to experience more connection to people and places, yet we’ve gotten rusty about how to actually do that in the here and now of our real lives. Art and art-making can help us remember and create a sense of rootedness in any place. Awareness of place becomes even more powerful when you combine it with art-making. Whatever type of art you make, it can help you see and understand a place in new ways. About the Artist: Janice King is a fiber artist and writer who has long had a deep sense of place in the Pacific Northwest. Her work encompasses art quilting, textile collage and art knitting, often combining new with rescued or repurposed materials. Long involved with artEAST in Issaquah, Janice displayed her art quilts in two previous Blakely Hall exhibits and helped bring the “I Am” quilt exhibit to Blakely in September 2015. She also co-founded the Eastside Art Quilters group, is a long-time nature walk leader, and is author of a soon-to-bepublished walking guidebook. Learn more about her work at creabunda.com. Janice makes specific fabric and stitching choices to help her express different trees, root systems, and soil layers in her "Rootedness" quilts. Photos provided by Janice King.
I create quilts as my art medium for several reasons. The materials and techniques make it easy to create the abstract, minimalist images that appeal to me. Yet the mix of designs and colors in fabrics and stitching make an interesting visual texture for the eye to explore. For the Rootedness quilts, these fabric and stitching choices helped me express different trees, root systems, and soil layers. I also want to encourage others to make art and quilts are often seen as an approachable medium. I intentionally use commercial fabrics, raw appliqué techniques, and rustic stitching to show that it is possible to create art without the barrier of a perceived need for high skill or particular
techniques. I hope that people who stop by Blakely Hall will experience this joy of creating art from fabric for themselves by contributing a “root” to the community quilt that will be in development during my residency. Finally, I quilt because it gives me a feeling of being rooted in a long, global tradition. Quilters across time and place have stitched together fabrics, some humble and some grand, with the idea of creating beauty and an object of utility. Of course, the Rootedness quilts will never serve the role of keeping someone warm. But I hope they will fulfill the quilting tradition of offering something pleasing to the eye and inspiring to the mind.
Issaquah Highlands Connections
March 2020
Programming coordinated by Lindsey Pinkston Community Program Manager and Wisteria Park Resident
Schedule CULTURAL CONVERSATIONS: ROOTEDNESS
ART IN ACTION: OPEN HOUSE & ACTIVITES
Thursday, April 2, 7 p.m. Blakely Hall Cultural Conversations is a safe space for community connection that inspires new friendships, awareness of diverse cultures, and common bonds. We invite all members of the Issaquah community to join artist Janice King for a discussion about what makes us feel a sense of belonging, or “rootedness” to a place, and for a preview of the “Rootedness” gallery exhibition. Light refreshments will be served.
of Events
Saturday, April 4 1-3 p.m. Blakely Hall
GUIDED ART EXPLORATION WALK Saturday, April 4, 10 a.m. Meet at Blakely Hall Join artist Janice King and resident Nina Milligan for a two-mile walk to learn about the Issaquah Highlands story and discover everyday images that can create a better sense of understanding and connection for a place. This walk is designed for adults and children ages 12 and up – space is limited so pre-registration is required at issaquahhighlalnds.com/events.
Join us for an afternoon of art and activities for all ages! See artists in action and ask questions as they work, watch demos, and participate in activities provided by the Issaquah/Sammamish Urban Sketchers group and the artists with works on display at Blakely Hall.
Who are urban sketchers? by Victoria Jendretzke
Urban Sketchers is an international non-profit group for all who love to draw the places where they live, work or visit. Urban sketches are always done on location. They can’t be drawn from a photo or from memory. Urban Sketchers was founded in 2007 by Gabi Campanario, the “Seattle Sketcher” and artist for The Seattle Times. Since then, chapters have started around the world.
OPEN ART SESSION: "ROOTEDNESS"
We recently formed an Urban Sketchers Issaquah/Sammamish group. We are excited to welcome the Issaquah Highlands community to join us for sketching. Don’t be apprehensive. All levels of artistic ability are welcome and celebrated.
Friday, April 3, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Blakely Hall Stop by Blakely Hall to see artist Janice King at work on her art piece and contribute to a community-created quilt about rootedness! All ages welcome and supplies will be provided.
"ROOTEDNESS" GALLERY RECEPTION & ARTIST TALKS
Read more about our group and how to get involved at issaquahhighlands.com/blog.
Saturday, April 4, 3-5 p.m. Blakely Hall View the “Rootedness” gallery exhibition and meet the participating artists. Artists will talk about the inspiration, meanings, and techniques in their works. Refreshments will be provided.
"ROOTEDNESS" GALLERY EXHIBITION Thursday, April 2 – Mid-June Blakely Hall How do you create a sense of being rooted in a place, especially one that is new and unfamiliar? How can you actively explore a place to find connection and meaning for your life there? Seven local artists are coming together to answer these questions through their art, which will be displayed as part of the Blakely Hall exhibition, “Rootedness: Art-Making to Deepen a Sense of Place.” Artists Gail Baker, Britt Greenland, Ekta Gupta, Janice King, Anna Macrae, Carol Ross, and Ann Elizabeth Scott are contributing to the exhibition which will hang in Blakely Hall from April 2 through mid-June. All are invited to view the gallery during Blakely Hall business hours.
A recent watercolor "sketch" of Blakely Hall by artist and urban sketcher, Victoria Jendretzke.
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March 2020
SUMMER CAMP at Blakely Hall
Issaquah Highlands Connections
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Issaquah Highlands Connections
March 2020
MARCH VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH Congratulations to Bertan Aygun, our volunteer of the month for March! Bertan volunteers as a member of the IHCA Architectural Review Committee (ARC), helping to maintain the aesthetic standards of our community, as detailed in the Issaquah Highlands Architectural Guidelines. My wife, Sevgi, and I moved to Seattle area back in 2005 after both of us graduated from University of Pennsylvania where we first met. Before then, while we didn’t know each other, we both lived in Istanbul, Turkey. We moved to Issaquah Highlands in 2013 from Klahanie. We loved the Klahanie area and its surroundings. However, we were looking for a place that was a mix of both suburban and urban living. Issaquah Highlands was one of the few areas providing that mix, so we bought our current home near Ashland Park. We love having multiple dining and shopping options within walking distance, while still being able to enjoy a quiet neighborhood. In 2017, we welcomed our son Deniz to our family and rediscovered the neighborhood from another perspective. He is nearly three years old now and really enjoys having many parks, trails and an ice cream place he can easily walk to. I always enjoy contributing to communities I am part of. When we lived in Klahanie, I used to volunteer at our condo homeowner’s association and I also had board positions in a Turkish non-profit organization in the area. So, after spending a year in Issaquah Highlands, I looked for opportunities to volunteer for IHCA. The Architectural Review Committee (ARC) had an open position that I applied for in 2014. I love being part of the ARC and IHCA. They truly care about the neighborhood and always try to strike a good balance between having aesthetically good-looking neighborhoods while keeping different design requests in mind. In my opinion, volunteering at any part of IHCA makes one realize the scale and large diversity of our community and difficulties that come with it. I am hoping, as part of ARC we can continue to keep our neighborhood’s aesthetics while making it easier for homeowners to do changes.
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Photos: (top) March Volunteer of the Month, Bertan Aygun with his wife, Sevgi. (Right) Bertan, Sevgi and their son, Deniz.
In my opinion, volunteering at any part of
IHCA makes one realize the scale and large diversity of our community…
Inspired to get involved in our community? Visit issaquahhighlands.com/volunteer to discover all of the different ways you can get involved in our Issaquah Highlands community or contact lindsey.p@ihcouncil.org.
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Issaquah Highlands Connections
OPEN
mic ALL AGES
Performers & Audience Welcome! Fridays March 27 & APril 24 6:30pm at Blakely Hall
For Middle School Students Only
FEATURING: Prizes usic M Games Ic e cream Sundae Bar
Bunny Photo Booth
WHAT TO BRING... Student I.D. REQUIRED
Sponsored By:
$5 on fee
i Admiss
ght Something Flashli to collect eggs in
Highlands Youth Advisory Board
IssaquahHighlands.com/Events
with Dr. Carrie McMillin
A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Child Thrive April 7, 6:30pm at Blakely Hall
Free to attend for parents, caretakers, and educators of children ages 5-18 Dr. Carrie McMillin will help parents:
• Recognize the difference between anxiety and “normal stress” • Learn how you can support your child at home • Know when and how to find additional help
Thursdays, March 5 & April 9 6:30PM at Blakely Hall Enjoy an all ages board game night with friends and neighbors! Feel free to bring a favorite game and snack to share.
issaquahhighlands.com/events
Issaquah Highlands Connections
March 2020
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HIGHLANDS COUNCIL
Thank You, Julie! Long-time staff member leaves Highlands Council but remains valued neighbor and friend After seven and a half years, Highlands Council’s Creative Coordinator, Julie Clegg, has decided to leave Highlands Council to focus on her family and other business interests. Julie Clegg joined Highlands Council in October 2012. A by Christy Garrard resident of Dahlia Park, and Executive Director, a well-known photographer Highlands Council and specializing in dog Dahlia Park Resident photography, she had just the skills Highlands Council was looking for to take our community paper, Connections, to the next level. Connections not only benefited from her beautiful photography, but also her understanding of technical layout and the printing process. In July 2013, Julie shot her first cover for Connections, moving from a newspaper-style with stories listed on the cover publication, to more like a magazine with a single cover image. The July issue featured our beloved summer tradition– the goats! But of all the great community photos Julie took over the years, the one of Station 73 firefighters was the most spectacular. Julie also supported graphic design needs for advertisers, community groups, and of course, Highlands Day Festival posters for several years. As our staff photographer, Julie has also taken extraordinary photos on Highlands Day, Veterans Day and many other community events. The Highlands Council staff would like to share their wellwishes for Julie with all our readers: I have thanked Julie thousands of times for her contributions to Highlands Council. She is and will remain loved by our staff at Highlands Council and this community. We wish Julie all the very best in this next chapter and are happy to know we will see her around the neighborhood on a regular basis. – Christy Garrard, Executive Director
I am always amazed at Julie’s eye for photography. She somehow manages to capture true emotion in her photos – whether it be joy and excitement at Highlands Day, or reverence and pride at Veterans Day. She effortlessly makes all of her photo subjects feel welcome and at ease, and it shows in her work. Her photography has changed the way I see my community and makes me feel closer to my neighbors. I’m glad we get to share her work with the community in Connections and beyond. – Vicki Grunewald, Communications Specialist I enjoy working with Julie. She has a great sense of humor and makes me smile. I love looking at her photos. – Michele McFarland, Controller Julie is a great artist, photographer, teammate, and friend. I am awed by her eye for photography (how does she even find those tiny details?) and appreciate her as a valuable member of our community. – Lindsey Pinkston, Community Program Manager Julie’s low-key and personable spirit immediately welcomed me to Highlands Council, which I’ve ever been so thankful for as a recent addition to the team. Her talent for photography is extraordinary, as her stunning images of the community always remind me how wonderful it is to have her as my neighbor and friend. – Kim Kirschbaum, Blakely Hall Specialist I will miss working with Julie! She started at Highlands Council at the same time as I did, bringing her expert skills and talents to help guide our way forward with Connections and other media. She is a woman of few words, but the ones she provides are rich with sincerity, support and humor. She will continue to be my cherished neighbor and friend. See ya ‘round the hood, Julie! – Nina Milligan, Communications Manager
Cross-Cultural Committee Starts Strong Volunteers representing many different backgrounds, including African, American, French, Italian, Korean, Native American, Turkish, and Vietnamese, came together on February 8 to kickoff the new Issaquah Highlands Cross-Cultural Committee.
by Lindsey Pinkston Community Program Manager and Wisteria Park Resident
Members of the Highlands Council Communications team celebrate Connections News’ nomination for 2018 Newsletter of the Year by Neighborhoods USA.
The group discussed their goals, which are to share and build awareness of the different cultures our neighborhood represents, advise Highlands Council on cultural matters and programming, and plan special, inclusive events. The committee is currently in the planning stages of a multicultural potluck dinner – stay tuned for details!
(Above) In her time at Highlands Council, Julie worked on 85 issues of Connections! Here are just a couple of our favorite covers with photographs by Julie: (left to right) December 2018 with pioneering residents of Issaquah Highlands , and March 2014's Emergency Preparedness featuring firefighters from our local Station 73. (Middle) Julie pictured with her son at Highlands Day 2016.
Staff Member Takes On New Role at Highlands Council
Join Us!
by Nina Milligan, Communications Manager, Highlands Council and Starpoint Resident
The Cross-Cultural Committee is always open to new members who would like to share their passion for celebrating the diverse cultures that make up our community. Please join us for our next meeting on March 28 at 10:30 a.m. at Blakely Hall. Contact Lindsey at lindsey.p@ihcouncil.org or visit issaquahhighlands.com/volunteer for more information.
We are happy to announce that Vicki Grunewald has been promoted to Communications Specialist. Vicki previously worked as the Graphic Designer and Digital Marketing Coordinator at Highlands Council. In her new role, she will Vicki Grunewald focus on copyediting and layout PC: Julie Clegg. design for Connections, manage IssaquahHighlands.com, BlakelyHall.com, and our weekly e-letter. Vicki’s strong journalism background will serve us and the community well in this new role.
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March 2020
Issaquah Highlands Connections
Kirkland Arts Center and Highlands Council Present:
Rain Village at Blakely Hall
Join us for a community reception featuring your contributions to Soo Hong's exhibition! Rain Village Community Reception
Thursday, March 19th at 6:30 pm The exhibition has continued to evolve. Community art components will be installed in time for the reception. Join us to celebrate how we each create a sense of home & community through art.
Improving Interpersonal Skills for Teens
A Workshop for Parents
Sunday, March 8, 2:00 - 3:30pm Blakely Hall Hosted by the Highlands Youth Advisory Board
Is there a skill more important than being able to sustain confident, clear and coherent face-to-face conversations, regardless of the topic or who you are talking with? Issaquah Highlands resident Matt Crevin, Founder of Talk Shop, will be delivering a FREE parent orientation designed to help you help your student develop the life skill of having face to face conversations. Bring a friend! Mom's and Dad's both encouraged to attend.
This project is supported by the City of Issaquah.
Please join us at our annual fundraiser and celebration!
SAVE the DATE
22nd Annual Luncheon — Friday, May 8, 2020 7th Annual Breakfast — Tuesday, May 19, 2020 Both events will be held at Eastridge Church, Issaquah
Visit isfdn.org for more information.
Issaquah Highlands Connections
March 2020
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HIGHLANDS YOUTH - HY
Social Media and FOMO An Interview with Matt Crevin of Talk Shop
by Joseph Bone Mazak 8th Grader, HY Board Member and Park Drive Resident
The Highlands Youth (HY) Advisory Board is hosting two free seminars on Sunday, March 8 at Blakely Hall to address the importance of developing strong interpersonal skills that younger generations are losing in the social media age. The seminars are facilitated by Issaquah Highlands resident, Matt Crevin, founder of Talk Shop, Discovery Heights resident, and parent to two sons.
I had the opportunity to interview Matt in advance of the March seminars. What if social media was never created? Like many of today’s parents, I grew up without any internet and we all managed just fine if not better. Many would argue that we didn’t have the constant challenge of “having to be connected” online, or FOMO (fear of missing out) if we weren’t online. If we wanted to talk or connect with friends, we rode our bikes or walked to their house, met at the school, or spoke on the phone. Either way, it was always a two-way conversation, not one-way like it is for most of today’s youth via social media (sending messages that are distinctly one way and not allowing for feedback or any form of two-way conversation). If social media was not created, I truly feel communication across the board would be easier and more direct and there’d be a lot fewer misunderstandings. There’d be a lot less damage control, a lot less drama created, and a lot happier and (mentally) healthier groups of students (and society as a whole). All that being said, I don’t feel social media is a horrible aspect of today’s high-tech world. I personally feel it’s used way too much and causes way too many unnecessary headaches. All these unnecessary headaches then take more time to get cleared up. Like most things in life, if it’s used in moderation, it’s fine! I just want today’s 13 to 22-year-olds to have more face-to-face conversations instead of chatting over their screens.
What are the alternatives for kids so that they don’t have to use social media? Alternatives would, first and foremost, be live face-to-face conversations. This allows for the normal give and take that any conversation deserves. It requires listening, and allowing everyone’s thoughts to be heard too, which is key in understanding others and to be understood. The second option is a phone call. It’s still live and the only element that changes is it’s not face-to-face. What are your personal thoughts about social media? My thoughts on using social media range. It can be a powerful communication tool when used in a positive way. For example, it’s amazing how someone can be connected by a few quick twitches of thumbs and fingers on a screen, and instantly be in touch with someone around the world or around the corner. On the flip side, it can be a hazard for many if they don’t pause, even for a moment, before sending a comment, snap, insta, or text without thinking about what they are saying. If you take a pause, and even reread what you’ve typed out, it may make you slow down, cool off if it’s a charged topic, and edit your comments a little to be more impactful and less hurtful. Ultimately, if you take a pause and reread your messages, it can alleviate potential drama every time. There are those who promote themselves in a less than stellar way online on the whole, let alone in social media. I always ask students if they would talk with someone face-to-face the same way they would over social media. The answer is always no. When I ask why this is the case, today’s youth just seem to think it doesn’t matter if they are rude, selfish, or even mean spirited (intended or not) over social media.
Their defense is “well, that’s not what I meant.” Bottom line, it’s just too easy over social media to send something that someone else will take the wrong way. It backs up the concept of talking face-to-face, where this rarely happens. How can people prevent social media addiction? To be clear, I am not sure what the best way is to prevent addiction to screen time and social media. I wish I had a magic wand for this. This is a huge question for many adults, parents, educators and the medical community who research and study this topic all day every day. In my opinion, everyone plays a part: parents, students, schools and others. Many (not all) parents enable their kids to have technology in their hands at an early age, and for some parents, they have many good reasons to justify their kids having a phone. Allowing kids to have access to phones too early creates a hard habit to break later. Limiting screen time is one answer, by creating time limitations (having screen time be earned). This often creates battle lines being drawn and it’s an ongoing fight/debate within families. Set an allotted time for a student to use their device per day, and only if they earn it by completing their schoolwork, for example. Treating it like the real work-world operates. Perform well on the job and earn a bonus check. So, if kids are handling their schoolwork and achieving agreed upon results (grades), they can earn more access.
Join Us! Improving Interpersonal Skills for Teens A Workshop for Parents Sunday, March 8, 2 - 3:30 p.m. Blakely Hall The Art of Face-to-Face Communication A Workshop for Teens Sunday, March 8, 4 - 5:30 p.m. Blakely Hall Free, pre-registration required. See page 17 or visit issaquahhighlands. com/events for more details.
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Dear Neighbor,
Dumpling Workshop
We had so much fun making dumplings (and new friends) with the help of experienced volunteers at the Lunar New Year dumpling workshop! The best part was eating the dumplings, but a close second was enjoying live music played on a traditional Chinese Guzheng.
Calligraphy Workshop Chinese calligrapher Allen Chen taught us all about the art of Chinese calligraphy in this workshop. We sipped oolong tea and watched him create beautiful brush strokes, then we practiced on our own while he translated and wrote each of our names on red rice paper to take home.
Issaquah Highlands Connections
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Wish You Were Here... Living Green: Vision Boards
New year, new us! We inspired each other as we discussed our goals for the year and visually represented them on our vision boards. We also worked together to create a vision board for the Issaquah Highlands community! Here’s to a great 2020!
Rain Village Art Workshop We had an amazing time with artist Soo Hong and the Kirkland Arts Center talking about what “home” means to each of us, watching the 3D printing process, and then working together on different aspects of the upcoming "Rain Village" exhibition at Blakely Hall. Come see the collaboration on display at Blakely Hall during the reception on March 19 (details on page 17)!
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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE HIGHLANDS
Kids & Families Family Game Night
Thursday, March 5, 6:30pm Blakely Hall
Enjoy an all ages night playing board games with friends and neighbors! Feel free to bring a favorite game and snack to share.
Library-2-Go
Tuesday, March 10, 3:30-4:40pm Outside Blakely Hall
The King County Library will bring the Library-2-Go Book Mobile to Blakely Hall. Bring your library card and browse the curated collection of books – check out your favorites and return any KCLS library books you’ve finished! Free fun for all ages. Next visit: April 14.
Minecraft Mania
Tuesday, March 10 & 24, 5:00pm Blakely Hall
Join fellow elementary and middle school Minecraft enthusiasts from novice to expert as we share our knowledge of the Minecraft world including Redstone, building, surviving the night, and more. You’ll need a laptop with licensed Minecraft loaded on it. Club leader is Quinn Ryan at boxcargriz@gmail.com and parent leader is Tim Ryan at dadtime@gmail.com.
Toddler Playgroup
Every Wednesday, 10:00am Blakely Hall
Moms, dads, caregivers and their children are invited for fun, friendship, support and socializing. Contact katiels84@gmail.com. Search Facebook for Issaquah Highlands Toddler Playgroup.
Arts & Cards Gallery Exhibition – Raindrops Presented by the Kirkland Arts Center January 17 through March 27, 2020 Blakely Hall
Asian artist Soo Hong says that her paintings are records of her “molla,” meaning “don’t know” in Korean, addressing themes of psychology and spirituality related to human emotions. Blakely Hall will feature her painting series, “Raindrops," through March 27, with the addition of community art transformed into threedimensional ceramic raindrops for the last two weeks of the exhibition. Join us for a special gallery reception on March 19 at 6:30pm!
Figure Drawing Group
Every Monday, 9:30am & 12:00pm Blakely Hall
Bring what you need to draw and join a group of artists for weekly sessions to draw from a nude model. The Short-Pose Session meets from 9:30am-11:30am with poses ranging from 1 minute to 15 minutes in length. The Long Pose Session meets from 12:00pm-2:00pm with a single pose repeated in 20-minute sittings. There is no formal instruction. Attend one or both sessions - the cost per session is $10, cash only. See issaquahhighlands.com/ events/ for more information.
Bridge Club
Monday, March 2, 7:00pm Blakely Hall
Grab a partner or come solo to play a little Bridge! Bring your own beverage of choice and a snack to share. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned bridge player, you are welcome to join us. RSVP: Ed Tellman, etellman@pobox.com.
Knit for Life®
Zumba Fitness® Class
A network of volunteer knitters in area hospitals, providing physical and mental support in a nontraditional therapeutic environment to cancer survivors, patients and caregivers through knitting. We teach anyone with any skill level. You don’t have to bring anything but yourself. We have all the supplies you will need. Contact: Elaine.Eckert@yahoo.com.
Zumba Fitness is the Latin and world rhythm and dance based fitness party that will change the way you think about working out. Grab your workout clothes, your water bottle, and join the party! Free class but please bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the food bank! Contact: zumbawithcindy@gmail.com.
Every Monday, 1:00pm Swedish Medical Center, Main Lobby
Photography Meet Up
Every Saturday, 9:00am Blakely Hall
Special Interest
Saturday, March 21, 10:30am Blakely Hall
Book Club
Poker Night
The book club is a great place to meet neighbors, socialize and explore a variety of books. Email lindsey8@gmail.com or join the Facebook group at facebook.com/ihbookclub.
Enjoy monthly meetings with guest speakers, share and discuss your work with others, and participate in an online community throughout the month. Contact ihpc@outlook.com.
Thursday, March 26, 7:00pm Blakely Hall
Whether you are a novice or a salty vet looking for some steep competition, you will love our monthly group Texas Hold ’em tournament! Contact Henry at hlh1969@hotmail.com.
Rovin’ Fiddlers
Every Tuesday, 7:00pm Issaquah Highlands Fire Station 73
Drop in on our jam sessions. We welcome guitars, flutes, whistles, banjos, mandolins, autoharps, dulcimers, stand up bass, and percussion. All abilities welcome. Contact Martha at mclnev@yahoo.com.
Yarns & Threads Group Every Friday, 9:00am Blakely Hall
All knitters, crocheters, and stitchers are welcome. For more details or questions, please contact Cathie Coulter at Catherine.coulter@ihmail.com.
Fitness Issaquah Highlands Hiking Group
The Issaquah Highlands Hiking Group is open to all ages to connect with other hiking enthusiasts and go on planned hikes in the beautiful northwest. For more information and details on our next scheduled hike, join our Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/ nwhiking.
Meditation Group Every Friday, 2:00pm Blakely Hall
Discover how to find moments to relax the mind. The group practice exercises that promote balance, strength, and calmness. Learn techniques to help deal with stress and strain of a busy life. Free to attend and open to all! Questions? Contact ih.meditation@gmail.com.
Mountain Biking Group
The Issaquah Highlands Mountain Biking Group is open to all ages to meet other mountain bike enthusiasts while exploring some of the amazing local mountain bike trails! For more information and details on all planned rides, join us on Facebook at “Issaquah Highlands Mountain Biking Club.”
Taichi Fitness Group Every Wednesday, 6:30am Blakely Hall
The ancient Chinese martial art, Taichi, will be offered every Wednesday at Blakely Hall. Participation is free; a donation of a nonperishable food item for the Food Bank is encouraged. Contact: taichifitness_IH@outlook.com.
Tuesday, March 17, 7:00pm Blakely Hall This month: The Dutch House
Bunco Night
Friday, March 6, 7:00pm Blakely Hall
Come roll the dice with friends and neighbors at Bunco Night! Please bring $5 for the prize pool and a snack or drink to share. No experience necessary. For more information and updates, join the Facebook group: Issaquah Highlands Bunco.
CERT Training – Spring Session
Wednesdays, March 4-April 29 Issaquah Public Works Operations
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training is an eght-week, hands-on course that covers emergency preparedness, fire safety, medical triage and treatment, search and rescue, incident management organization, disaster psychology and terrorism. A disaster simulation at the end of the course provides a chance to apply your newly learned skills. The course has a $35 fee and includes a CERT backpack and vest, a hard hat and a basic medical supply kit. Visit issaquahcitizencorps.org for more information or to register.
Edible Landscapes for the Homeowner Thursday, March 12, 7:00pm Blakely Hall
Would you like to grow your own food but think it’s too much work or takes too much time? Learn from Jessi Bloom, author, owner and lead designer of N.W. Bloom EcoLogical Lanscapes, how to employ design strategies from nature so you can grow easy edibles that are low maintenance, resilient, and sustainable. Plant once and enjoy the harvest from your edible landscape for years. Basic food forest design and favorite low maintenance edibles for the Pacific NW are featured. Free, but please register at landscape.brownpapertickets.com.
IH Business Networking Group Monday, March 2, 9:30am Blakely Hall
Kick off your month with a new spin on the standard practice of networking, based on knowing that the more we connect and share, the more we all grow! This new monthly group will blend the best parts of other networking meetings while being inclusive, connection-based, and most of all, valuable for all members. Social with refreshments from 9:30-10:00am, meeting from 10:00-10:45am. No obligations, just genuine connections! For more details, please visit issaquahhighlands.com/events.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE HIGHLANDS
Telecommute Tuesdays
Every Tuesday, 10:00am - 1:00pm Blakely Hall
Do you work from home? Do you want a little motivation to work from home once each week? Telecommute Tuesdays were designed for you! Head on over to Blakely Hall on Tuesdays for free wi-fi, coffee and treats and the beautiful setting of our community hall. Questions? Contact Lindsey.P@ihcouncil.org or 425-507-1107.
Toastmasters
Every Thursday, 7:00am Swedish Hospital – 1st Floor Flex Space
Say it better with Toastmasters. Share your interests and goals in a positive, supportive environment. Let us help you expand your knowledge and horizons. Guest are welcome to join a meeting to see what it’s about – it’s one hour of fun, and you won’t be put on the spot! Learn more at https://ihtm.toastmastersclubs.org.
Travel Night
Wednesday, March 11, 7:00pm Blakely Hall Topic: Photograph Your Travels
You likely already have what you need to take great photos when you’re traveling – it’s not the equipment, it’s how you use it. Issaquah Highlands resident and Photography Group leader, Scott Moffat, will share tips on how to use the camera you already have to take great travel photos – whether it’s a pocket-sized point and shoot, your smartphone, or an SLR. Please bring a snack or beverage to share. For more information, visit our Facebook group at ‘Issaquah Highlands Travel Night.’
Understanding Credit Scores & Data Tuesday, March 10, 6:30pm Blakely Hall
Resident volunteer Dave Thoms will share his expertise in credit risk management in this session designed to help you better understand your credit scores, credit bureau data, and how financial services companies make credit decisions. Free and open to anyone looking to learn what your credit scores mean, and/or gain strategies to improve and build good credit over time.
Don’t Miss This Open Mic
Friday, March 27, 6:30pm Blakely Hall
Join us for an all-ages evening of fun and entertainment from local talents. Come to sing a song, play music, read poetry, tell a story, perform stand-up comedy, etc. Or, just join the audience and support your neighbors! For more information, please contact Dino Go at kabalen.geo@gmail.com.
“Rain Village” Reception March 19, 6:30-8:30pm Blakely Hall
Join us for a reception to view the “Rain Village” Gallery Exhibition by artist Soo Hong, featuring community art transformed into three-dimensional ceramic raindrops to complement the hanging “Raindrops” artwork on canvas. All are welcome; light refreshments will be served.
Talk Shop: Parent Orientation “Improving Interpersonal Skills for Teens” Sunday, March 8, 2:00pm-3:30pm Blakely Hall
Help your high school student learn to sustain confident, clear and coherent face-to-face conversations, regardless of the topic or to whom they are talking! Issaquah Highlands resident Matt Crevin, Founder of Talk Shop, will be delivering this FREE parent orientation. Moms and Dads both encouraged to attend. Please register to attend at issaquahhighlands.com/events.
Talk Shop: Student Workshop “The Art of Face-to-Face Communication” Sunday, March 8, 4:00pm-5:30pm Blakely Hall
While most teens are very good with social media platforms, the art of face-to-face conversation could be developed. This interactive workshop for high school students is designed to support the growth of this pivotal life skill to improve academic results and be college and career ready, but also to improve communication within their family sphere and social circles. FREE, but space is limited. Pre-register at issaquahhighlands.com/events.
Save the Date Flashlight Egg Hunt
Friday, April 10, 7:00pm Blakely Hall & Village Green
The Highlands Youth Board invites all Middle School students to join in a Flashlight Eggstravaganza featuring prizes, games, music, photo booth, ice cream sundae bar, and more! Please bring $5 for the admission fee, your student ID (required), a flashlight and something to collect eggs in.
Overcoming Anxiety: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Child Thrive
Governance Mtgs Highlands Council Board of Trustees Meeting Tuesday, 3/3, 12:00pm Blakely Hall
IHCA Architectural Review Committee
Tuesday, 3/3, 6:00pm IHCA Office
IHCA Finance Committee Tuesday, 3/10, 5:30 pm IHCA Office
Highlands Fiber Network Advisory Group Monday, 3/23, 5:00pm IHCA Office
IHCA Board of Directors
Wednesday, 3/25, 5:00pm IHCA Office
City Meetings City Meetings covering Issaquah Highlands topics will be listed at IssaquahHighlands.com/ events.
Holidays
Tuesday, April 7, 6:30pm Blakely Hall
In this free talk, Dr. Carrie McMillan will help parents learn how to recognize the difference between anxiety and “normal stress,” learn how to support children at home, and know when and how to find additional help. Dr McMillan is a licensed naturopathic physician and educator who specializes in ADHD and anxiety. This talk is recommended for parents, caretakers, and educators of children ages 5-18.
Daylight Savings Begins
Parents Night Out
Monday, March 9
Saturday, May 2, 6:00pm Blakely Hall
K-5th Graders enjoy a night at Blakely Hall with games, snacks, crafts, and a movie, supervised by Highlands Council and The Highlands Youth Advisory Board. $10 per child – Registration opens April 1. Space is limited!
Rootedness
Thursday, April 2 – Mid-June Blakely Hall
Sunday, March 8
International Women’s Day Sunday, March 8
Holi
Purim
Tuesday, March 10
St. Patrick’s Day Tuesday, March 17
First Day of Spring Thursday, March 19
The “Roodedness: Art-Making to Deepen a Sense of Place” exhibition will kick off with a weekend of fun events and activities that invite the community to interact with artists, participate in artwork, and explore the idea of creating roots as individuals or families. Learn more about the series of events on page 7.
Get Involved Cross-Cultural Committee Saturday, March 28, 10:30am Blakely Hall
Anyone who has a passion for celebrating the diverse cultures that make up Issaquah Highlands is invited to join our cross-cultural committee. We’ll come together as a group once/month to learn from each other and to help shape the direction of Highlands Council going forward. Learn more at issaquahhighlands.com/ volunteer.
For the latest details, see IssaquahHighlands.com/events For daily updates, follow us on:
For more ways to get involved, please visit issaquahhighlands.com/volunteer.
Subscribe to our weekly e-letter at IssaquahHighlands.com/connect *All Events are FREE unless otherwise noted.
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ISSAQUAH HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Landscape & Irrigation Updates
March is Time for Spring Cleanup and Repairs Landscape: Now that spring has sprung, landscape crews will start their regular weekly maintenance visits. Crews will do the first mow of the turf. You may see fertilizer applied to shrubs and turf areas. Fertilizer is an essential item in the care by Lyle Dickey and maintenance of turf and IHCA Landscape Manager plants. With fertilizer, the plants can combat disease, drought, and other related outdoor growing issues. Healthy and vibrant plants look better and are much easier to take care of than unhealthy ones. Crews will also work on some light spring pruning and bed cleanup. Crews will work
near the roads, so please take the time to slow down and use caution when driving. Remember they’re here to make our community a nice place to live and work. Irrigation: The irrigation crews are busy doing sprinkler system activation and repairs. This usually takes about two months to complete since there are multiple systems to turn on. The crews will turn on the systems and flag possible repairs that need to be made. Crews may have the flags in place for a few days while they catch up on repairs. Please do not remove the flags because it will slow our repair process. Crews will turn the water on only for the repairs to be done, then the water will be shut off until it is warm enough to be activated. Please let the IHCA know if you see any water running or other issues and we will take a look. Remember, sometimes it takes a village.
Ask the IHCA Window Coverings | Exterior Vehicle Charging Station Are there any rules for installing an electric vehicle charger outdoors? I am considering purchasing an electric vehicle and if I do, it will be parked on my driveway. I would like to install a charger outside instead of in the garage. This would be considered an exterior change to your lot. Any exterior changes need to be approved by the IHCA Architectural Review Committee (ARC). You can find the ARC guidelines and application online at issaquahhighlands. com/learn/issaquah-highlands-community-association-ihca/ ihca-architectural-guidelines-and-forms.
to the exterior of your home or yard need IHCA Architectural Review Committee (ARC) approval prior to implementing the change? The IHCA compiled an ARC Guidelines document that outlines the process and details different component restrictions and suggestions. Find the ARC Guidelines document at issaquahhighlands.com, search ‘ARC Guidelines.’
Delinquent Payments
Spring is just around the corner, which is typically the time of year that big household projects begin to take shape. Now is the time to schedule your contractors for big projects like exterior house painting, fence repair and staining, moss removal, major landscaping projects, and roof replacement, to name a few. Many of these improvements require IHCA Architectural Review Committee (ARC) approval. Forms can be found on our website at issaquahhighlands.com. The ARC Committee meets the first Tuesday of each month and applications are due one week prior to the meeting.
IHCA Use Rules and Restrictions state that window coverings must be specifically designed for windows and properly installed. Paper or cardboard, bed linen, or reflective materials are prohibited. If you live in a townhome community that is managed by an outside management company, it may be best to also contact them for your townhome’s rules and regulations.
Accounting Update
Did you know… ANY changes or additions
It's Time to Schedule Those Big Projects!
I live in a townhome. I wanted to check, as part of HOA, if there are restrictions for window blinds, since I need to get these installed.
by Debbie Orosco IHCA Community Manager
The first quarter 2020 review of past due accounts reveals 4% of homeowners are delinquent as of January 31, 2020. The IHCA-approved Collection Policy states that any delinquent account over $300 will be turned over to collections.
by Kristyn McKinnon IHCA Accounting Manager To make a payment, change your banking information for auto draft, or for general accounting questions, please contact the IHCA accounting department at payments@ihcommunity. org or 425-507-1119. You can also make your payment online on the Issaquah Highlands website at issaquahhighlands.com/ learn/issaquah-highlands-community-association-ihca/payonline.
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ISSAQUAH HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
2020 IHCA Board of Directors Election Information “The affairs of the Residential Association shall be governed by the Board of Directors, each of whom shall have one equal vote.” – From the By-Laws of the Issaquah Highlands Community Association by Sarah Hoey IHCA Executive Director
Board Member
There are seven IHCA board members, with Districts 2, 4, and 6 seats up for election later this year.
Candidate statement of interest forms will be available next month and a formal ballot will be sent to all owners to vote for your district board positions. Interested in running for your district? Please contact the IHCA for more information. To figure out in which board district you reside, please visit the Issaquah Highlands website: issaquahhighlands.com/learn/issaquah-highlandscommunity-association-ihca/ihca-board-of-directors. Stay tuned for more election announcements. See the board district map above (also found at issaquahhighlands.com).
Officers
District
Term
President
5
June 2021
Vice President
3
June 2021
Dan Vradenburg
Treasurer
1
June 2021
Greg Underwood
Secretary
6
June 2020
Bosedevarahatti Shivakumar
Director
4
June 2020
Bryan Shiflett
Director
2
June 2020
Ben Rush
Director
At-Large
June 2021
Jim Young Rossie Cruz
IN THE KNOW
Community Wide Standards: Broken Windows
Windows, window seals and screens must be replaced when broken or damaged. Any broken glass should be properly disposed of immediately. Updated rule effective March 1, 2020. Thank you for doing your part!
Highlighting IHCA Board Districts Board District 4 Bosedevarahatti Shivakumar Bosedevarahatti Shivakumar (Shiva) has lived in the Highlands for almost 15 years and served the past two years on the IHCA Board of Directors. Currently, Shiva is the board liaison to the IHCA Finance Committee, serving as co-chair. The IHCA Board of Directors is comprised of Issaquah Highlands homeowners from seven board districts who have been elected to the board by Issaquah Highlands homeowners during annual board elections. District 4 has 704 homes, which includes all homes south of Park Drive, includingThe Greens, Wisteria Park, Enclave, Summit Park, Traditions, Central Park, Harrison Street and Grand Ridge Drive neighborhoods (see map above in blue). Thank you, Shiva, for serving your community! Have a question for your representative? Email the board any time at ihcaboard@ihcommunity.org.
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LIVING GREEN®
Are You Ready to Make the “Green” Move? Create a greater sense of purpose in your life through Living Green® I started my journey as a volunteer writer for Connections almost a year ago. Writing about my eco-friendly way of life in my community was an opportunity to share ideas and learnings about sustainable living and inspire others to do the same. by Aline Bloch Eco-Artist and Central Park Resident
I often hear people talking about sustainable living as something complicated and frustrating. Often, they are convinced that a single person on their own cannot have an impact. What does sustainable living mean? What does it imply in our daily lives? Is it so difficult to live sustainably? It sounds so overwhelming. It’s such a commitment. Do we have to give up on things we love in order to live a greener lifestyle? What are the benefits we will get from it? While our team at Highlands Council is working hard on events next month to celebrate Earth Day’s 50th anniversary, I want to remind you of the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ we can together make our community and our planet a better place. Sustainable living is a lifestyle “that meets our need for food, water and shelter, without harming our environment or compromising the availability of essential resources for future generations. To live sustainably we must use less of the earth’s natural resources, replenish what we can and produce less polluting waste,” according to Sustainablefriends.com. I hear you. It’s a lot of words and it seems impossible to fit in our well-established life and routine. As a mom of three
kids, a dog, a cat and 14 fishes (plus one husband), I know all of this is intimidating. But when you take a moment to think about it, to make the first step and commit yourself to only one little change at the time, it’s not that difficult to live sustainably. Oh yeah, and it brings joy, an absolute selfaccomplishment and such a sense of gratitude. It’s not about giving up on what we have or living in selfsacrifice mode. It’s about rethinking the way we consume and why. It’s about adopting a new mindset. It’s not about “zero,” “mini,” or perfection, it’s about intentions and values that we own and are willing to pass on to our children. We have the choice to do something and the option to make the shift by considering some small adjustments in our lives. Sustainability is a mindset. Living sustainably is a (ongoing) process through which you will learn about yourself, create a real sense of purpose in your life, save money and bring a greater sense of community around you.
It’s about rethinking
the way we consume and why.
Aline and daughter, Zoe snuggle with their dog while watching the sunset from Central Park, behind Grand Ridge Elementary.
Three steps that will help you focus on what you want your life to be from now on: Simplify your life: Check the big picture. Do an inventory of what you have and how you use it. Start fresh. Decluttering your space will bring you practical and emotional outcomes (see the tips Johnna has for you in her Home Organization column this month). Consume mindfully: Think twice before shopping. Determine your needs vs. your wants. Plan your purchases in advance to avoid fast fashion and overconsuming syndromes. Think outside the packaging to reduce waste. Commit yourself: Start small. Be consistent. Do not reach out for perfection. Be patient. Inspire others.
One call to Shirey brings you our team of skilled designers and craftsmen to plan, build or rebuild your custom open-air retreat. We’ll attend to every detail, making your year-round, waterproof dream deck a reality. ShireyHomePro.com 425.392.8301
April 3, 2020 Pickering Barn Issaquah Tickets on sale now: GrandRidgePTSA.org Join us for a casual night of FUNdraising & celebrating all that makes Grand Ridge Elementary awesome!
Special Thanks to Presenting Sponsor:
Issaquah Highlands Connections
March 2020
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HOME ORGANIZATION
Your Organized Life The Home Office, Papers, and Finances
by Johnna Masterson Central Park Resident and Owner of Inspired and Organized
Hello neighbors! And a very happy March to you! It’s my birthday in a few weeks, and every year at this time I focus on refreshing and reorganizing my important paperwork and making sure my budget and finances are in check. It is a great time for this task since it falls right around tax season. Paperwork doesn’t have to feel like a beast. Once you have systems in place, it gets easier and easier to tame. So, let’s go!
To start, I highly recommend using an accounting software program. It helps with record keeping without the extra paperwork. Next, I highly recommend creating a household budget. This can change your life for the better. If you don’t know where your money is going, and don’t set limits, you will never feel truly settled in this area. After you create your budget, I recommend getting as many of your bills as possible on auto pay. After you get that taken care of, schedule a day each week when you can quickly reconcile everything. The combination of these tips will save you time and stress, and once everything is set, it’s a much easier way of life. Next, get a weather-resistant file box and some folders. This will eventually house all documents you need access to, including your VIPs (very important papers). Don’t label anything yet, as you must first compete the next step: sorting. I won’t lie to you. Sorting documents can feel a bit overwhelming, especially if you have neglected it up to this point. But once you get started, you will find sorting goes quicker than you expected. Start by collecting documents
from throughout your home, including everything that may have found its way into bags, boxes, and drawers. Choose an area in your home to serve as your sorting station. It may take you some time, so be sure this space is comfortable and out of the way of your day-to-day life. You will also want to have a paper shredder, a garbage bag and a few paper bags available for recycling. A spare room or formal dining room works well. Schedule your sorting sessions so you can dedicate the time needed to make this process go smoothly. And be sure to have snacks, something to drink, and some music or a podcast ready to go. When you are ready to start, just jump right on in! Start sorting based on category. Here are a few to start with: Most important documents: • Social security cards, birth certificates and passports • Mortgage, rental and home ownership paperwork • Health and life insurance, health records • School documents • Tax paperwork Sentimental documents: • Kid’s school and artwork • Family recipes • Cards and letters • Magazine or newspaper articles Remember: you will need to reduce your paperwork by a pretty significant amount to have a successful, organized and sustainable system. While you are sorting, keep this in mind and only keep what you must. Some documents can become electronic. Children’s artwork can be made into a book through online services like ArtKive (kids love to thumb through their creations), and photos of recipes and articles can be uploaded to the cloud or to a photobook service. I created a recipe photo book for a client that ended up being handed down to her daughter. Her clutter became something that will be treasured for years to come.
A designated file box with folders can help you stay organized. Photo by Johnna Masterson.
Now you are ready to file. Label your folders and place all important documents in the file box I recommend above. Anything else you need to keep but doesn’t hold that “top spot” can be housed in a separate place, like a filing cabinet. Be sure to categorize and label everything! This will make it much easier to maintain and you will be able to easily find where things go. Another way to ensure your system is built to last is to set a shallow basket or container on your counter. Every time paper comes into your home, only put it in this one place. It is great if you can sort it at that moment. If not, once the basket is full, take it with you as you watch your favorite TV show, sort it and then file. This will guarantee it never gets out of hand again. And that is an amazing feeling.
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March 2020
Issaquah Highlands Connections
Issaquah Highlands Connections
March 2020
23
ASK KARI
Ask Kari! Dear Kari, I am dating someone new and we get along great. We have been together for four months and I feel like I know him really well, but I have not been completely honest with him. I told him that I have never been married before and I have. It was a brief marriage for less than a year. I really don’t even count it because right after we got married, we only lived together for three months before I moved out. Do you think I need to tell my new boyfriend about the marriage or just keep it to myself? - Keeping it to Myself
Kari O’Neill, MSW, LICSW Clinical Social Worker and Issaquah Highlands Resident Dear Keeping it to Myself, I highly suggest that you tell your new boyfriend about your previous marriage for many reasons. First, starting a new relationship with lies never goes well. Never. Second, your marriage is recorded in government systems, which could show up again in the future even if you never disclose the marriage to others. Also, your partner deserves to know the truth, as they may make their decision to remain with you based on this fact. I know that is hard to hear, but they deserve to know if the relationship continues and leads to a marriage, that it is their first one and your second one. Lastly, I am sure that there are family and friends who know about the marriage and they may reveal it at any time, even if you attempt to keep this lie going. Jump in, reveal the truth. It is best in the long run for all involved to not begin a relationship on secrets. -Kari Dear Kari, My son decided that college is not for him and he wants to drop out. He told me that he plans to move to Los Angeles to become an actor/musician. I am having a hard time with this, since he has never acted in a play in his life, nor does he sing or play an instrument very well. What can I do so that he does not throw away his life? - Scared Parent
Dear Scared Parent, You are in a very tough situation. Your son is an adult who can make his own decisions, even if you feel that they are bad ones. I recommend that you continue to listen and wait to see if he actually puts together a plan to drop out of college and move to California. You do have a right to ask questions about his plans based on your love and concern for him. You also have the right to not financially support your son in this move if you choose not to. If he takes action and moves to launch an entertainment career, wish him luck and wait to see what happens. I know that is very hard to do, but I do not want you both to lose your relationship with each other over a disagreement based on the growing pains of your son becoming an adult. Good luck and hold tight for the ending of this storyline. -Kari I love to hear from our readers. Email your Ask Kari questions to kari@ihcg.co. All questions will be answered in upcoming columns.
About Kari: Kari O’Neill, MSW, LICSW, is a licensed independent clinical social worker and is a resident of Issaquah Highlands. This column is for entertainment purposes only. If you are in crisis and in need of support, please contact the Crisis Clinic at 866-427-4747.
KS School of Design
Fashion design & sewing classes for kids and adults Since 2012 About the business: Owner Kelly Su has been in the fashion industry for over 20 years and enjoys sharing her skills and knowledge with others. “I love seeing the expression on each student after they have accomplished their final project. It's a wonderful feeling knowing I played a small part in their joy.” Location: 1646 25th Ave NE, Issaquah Contact: (206) 853-3155 ks@kellychoninc.com ksschoolofdesign.com
See page 3 or issaquahhighlands.com/merchant-of-the-month
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March 2020
SCHOOL SPOTL GHT
MARCH
written and produced by Tracie Jones, Wisteria Park
4 6 12 17 18 20 25 26
Welcome to ISD! Family Partnership PTSA Popcorn Friday (Elementary Schools) School Board Meeting Special Services Parent Night ISD Job Fair Early Release: Middle School Grading Day What Every Parent Wants to Know of ISD School Board Meeting
4
Dining for Kids – Big Fish Grill
6 20 26
Book Swap PTSA STEM and Science Fair Kindergarten Concert
9 9 16 20 21 23 - 28
Staff Appreciation Lunch – First Grade Science/Tech Magnet Program Info Night Coffee with Principal Christy Recess with Kids – Volunteers Needed! 3rd Grade Concert Missoula Children's Theater
7 11 11 20 26
5th Grade Concert Plateau Singers Spring Concert Kind Kids Meeting Science Fair Bingo Night
Grand Ridge Elementary
5 10 11 11 12 18 18 25 26 27 31
2nd Grade Concert General Membership PTSA Meeting After School Movie K-Kids Meeting Camp Chaperone Meeting Science Fair Family Night 5th Grade PCMS Tour & Parent Night After School Movie 4th Grade Concert Grizzly Guys at Recess Deadline to Purchase Yearbooks
Issaquah Middle School
3 9 10 25 30
Music Open House Night 5th Grade Visit 5th Grade Parent Night PTSA Membership Meeting Binder Boot Camp
10 16 16 19 21
Locker Clean-Out NJHS Meeting 5th Grade PCMS Tours & Parent Night PTSA Membership Meeting PTSA Awards Reception
12
PTSA Membership Meeting
Issaquah School District
issaquah.wednet.edu
Issaquah Schools Foundation isfdn.org
Challenger Elementary challengerpta.org
Clark Elementary
clarkpta.org
Endeavour Elementary
endeavourptsa.org
grandridgeptsa.org
issaquahmiddleptsa.org
Pacific Cascade Middle School pacificcascadeptsa.org
Gibson Ek High School GibsonEkPTSA.ourschoolpages.com
Issaquah High School issaquahhighptsa.org
**Be sure to check individual websites for details and updates
9 10 11 12 17 20 25
Spring Sports Parent Night Booster Club Meeting Senior Exit Interviews Band Festival New Families Mixer PTSA Membership Meeting Staff Appreciation Breakfast
Issaquah Highlands Connections
Dyslexia Family Engagement Forum Families interested in connecting with the Issaquah School District regarding support for students with dyslexia are invited to our community forum at the ISD Administration Building, 5150 220th Ave. SE, March 5 and 21, at 6:30 p.m. The forum is designed to facilitate two-way communication, collaboration, and shared learning related to supporting students with dyslexia. For more information, call ISD at 425-837-7000.
8th Annual Influence the Choice Video Contest At some point, almost every student confronts a choice about alcohol or drugs. How can students communicate ways to say ‘no,’ & promote mental wellness to peers? Influence the Choice Drug Prevention Alliance for Youth sponsors a video contest to positively inspire youth to influence others by producing a two-minute public service announcement. Winning videos are eligible for cash prizes (Grand Prize is $1,000!) and are distributed throughout ISD, city TV stations, and civic events. For information, rules, regulations, visit: InfluencetheChoice.org. Deadline: March 15, 2020.
Kindergarten Registration Begins Online ISD offers full-day kindergarten at no cost. Registration window for 2020-2021 must be completed by March 6, 2020. Students turning 5 years old by August 31, 2020 are eligible for enrollment. Visit the ISD New Student Enrollment website to begin enrollment. Once the online portion is completed, families are required to visit neighborhood school for additional forms, finishing the enrollment process. If you cannot access the online application, call or visit your local neighborhood school for assistance. School offices are open from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Questions? Contact your local school office, or issaquah.wednet.edu/district/Kregistration.
Grand Ridge 2020 PTSA Science Fair & Expo The Grand Ridge Elementary Science Fair is a wonderful opportunity to showcase individual science experiments in a hands-on evening filled with learning and experimentation. Start thinking of experiments, and access resources in the library, or sites like ScienceBuddies.org for ideas. Our Science Fair isn’t only for kids. Grown-ups love science, too! We’re looking for parents or community members to participate by sharing their own expertise, with fun & creative projects. Interested? Contact Liette Loiselle, at liette_loiselle@hotmail.com. Join us March 18, 2020, starting at 6:00 p.m.
2020 Senior All-Night Graduation Party What’s the All-Night Grad Party? An all-inclusive graduation party – a senior year highlight – providing a safe, sober opportunity for grads to CELEBRATE, June 12, 2020. Seniors hop on buses and are whisked away to a "secret" locations for a night of festivities. Current cost is $195: includes transportation, activity-packed SECRET venues, entertainment, activities, games, prizes, dinner, breakfast – FUN all night long! Know graduates are safe, chaperoned and having a blast! Deadline: March 31, 2020. Visit issaquahhighptsa.org for details. Questions? Email Lida Buckner, lidabuckner@icloud.com.
Grand Ridge Elementary Yearbook for 2019-2020 Purchase yearbooks by March 31, 2020. Yearbooks cost $20.00 for PTSA members, $25.00 for non-members. Payment required at the time of purchase. Yearbook Photo Submissions: the GRE PTSA would love to get your pictures for the yearbook. Submit up to five pictures of kids/class by March 31. We’re only able to accept pictures taken on school property. Place orders and submit pics at GrandRidgePTSA.org.
Issaquah Highlands Connections
March 2020
25
PAYING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL
School Fundraising Events Bringing the Money Back to the Students This year, Grand Ridge Elementary's school fundraiser will be more casual, cost less to attend When I am invited to a school fundraising event, I do some math before I decide whether to attend. The calculation goes something like this: Ticket Price + Event Donations/Purchases + Babysitting + Formal-ish Outfit + Uber/Lyft = Total Cost of Attending the Event. The ticket price of a school auction can easily be $75 to $100. Families in Issaquah by Carrie Mount Highlands know that quality Grand Ridge Elementary babysitting is not exactly School PTSA and Grand inexpensive. There’s a good chance that I will need to buy View Park Resident something to wear (especially if the event is themed) because I probably do not own a James Bond-themed dress. And if I am going to have celebratory drinks, then I account for rides to and from the event, which is usually in Bellevue or Seattle. These costs may leave me with very little to spend at the fundraiser, where the point of the event is to support the school’s programs.
year. All of these changes point to schools responding to parents’ desire to attend, without spending their donation budget for the school on the event ticket. The Grand Ridge Elementary PTSA asked its families what would work best for their family’s budget, time, and interests. We overwhelmingly heard that parents and school supporters want a more local, casual, and inclusive event. Melynda Cook and our dedicated and hard-working committee, have fashioned an event that we hope will draw many families: Grizzlies Night Out. We aim to
reduce ticket prices to $40 or less, thanks to generous business sponsorships, have moved the event to Issaquah’s Pickering Barn, shifted to a “wear your jeans” dress code, and minimized expensive auction items. We will still have select items for bidding but the focus of the event is fun and free activities for parents. There will be delicious food and drinks, a short and inspiring program, open seating, and most importantly, a “raise the paddle” drive where each dollar given goes straight to Grand Ridge’s students and staff. We hope that you love the fresh approach as much as we do. We welcome your questions or feedback, as well as your attendance at this adults-only event on Friday, April 3, 2020.
Unfortunately, this equation may mean that I and many other parents simply cannot attend the event. Fewer attendees means less money for the school, but more importantly, fewer people included in what is supposed to be a welcoming, community-wide event. An elaborate event also means more money is spent by a Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) to hold the event, including the cost of a fancy hotel venue, seated dinner, and professional auctioneer. Higher overhead generally means a higher ticket price. But many school PTSAs and fundraising organizations have heard this conundrum from parents: the cost of the event either prohibits attendance or donations. Responsive PTSAs have made efforts to create an updated kind of event, one that hopefully allows more families to attend and more dollars to go to their intended target: the students and school. For example, Queen Anne Elementary’s PTSA shifted its traditional auction to a more casual, inclusive event that had a sliding scale for ticket prices. An industry fundraising article, “Popular Fundraising Trends in Charity Auctions” by Joanne Fritz suggests a successful trend is “asking attendees to dress down.” Forest Ridge School in Bellevue has moved their auction from the swanky W Hotel back to the school grounds this
This year’s Grand Ridge Elementary PTSA auction is more inclusive than ever! A lower ticket price and “wear your jeans” dress code! PC: Grand Ridge Elementary School.
Looking for local summer camps? See the full listing of upcoming summer camps at Blakely Hall at issaquahhighlands.com/camps *Highlands Council does not endorse any of these organizations.
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March 2020
Issaquah Highlands Connections
L! E V E &L E G YA R E V RE ER O M F M N U FU S / PS G M N A I SPR SES & C Enroll Today! AS SKILLS FOR THEATRE SKILLS FOR LIFE
CL
Learn More at: VillageKIDSTAGE.org (425) 740-5035 x2
REGISTER TODAY! VillageKIDSTAGE.org or (425) 740-5035
Top 10 Eco Gardening Hacks Problem weeds, water, easy edibles, common bugs… learn about the Top 10 issues faced by NW gardeners and their simple solutions! Led by Jessi Bloom, author and landscape designer. Thursday, March 21 7:00-8:30pm Blakely Hall
Free Admission
Vegetable Gardening from Asparagus to Zucchini It’s time to start planting those veggies! Before you begin, learn from our expert Horticulturist , Mike A. We will be discussing the following:
Classes are free, but registration is required.
Top10blakely.brownpapertickets.com.
Cascade Gardener classes are brought to you by Cascade Water Alliance and the City of Issaquah.
• What, when and where to plant • Types of planting beds • Soil, compost and bed preparation methods
Saturday, March 28 th
• Fertilizers and amendments • Pest management • And some tricks of the trade…
11:00am - 12:30pm At The Grange
145 NE Gilman Blvd Issaquah, WA 98027 (425) 392-6469 www.grangesupply.com
Issaquah Highlands Connections
March 2020
27
THE SMART HOME
Keep Your Internet Service Running Smoothly! We all know how awesome technology can be until it is not working as it should. Not everyone is a tech genius and able to troubleshoot or easily solve an issue at hand. However, there are a few things you can do on your own to make sure your HFN internet service is running smoothly. Here are some of our top troubleshooting tips:
Highlands Fiber Network: Fiber to the Home, Community Owned
Reboot personal equipment: Turn off and unplug your
Issaquah Highlands was designed as an innovative, highly connected, urban village enjoying traditional neighborhood design.
equipment, wait 10 to 30 seconds, then plug your equipment back in and turn everything on again.
Check your settings: Sometimes we forget, and a device
The “Covenant for Community” was created to fund it, attached to land titles. The Covenant states that each home purchase must include a connection to the network ($250 one-time fee, required at closing). And each home is required to subscribe to the minimum connection (10/10mbps), which is currently $50/ month.
can be changed to “airplane mode” or the internet switch turned off. Check your settings to ensure that your device is not set to “airplane mode” and the internet switch is on.
Try connecting directly to the router if you are using one. If that works, the fiber network is not the problem.
Most apartment rentals in Issaquah Highlands provide the option to join the network, with the same hook up fee ($250) and the same monthly rates.
Go online for instructions: If you look online, most of the time you will be able to find troubleshooting instructions for the equipment you are using. Another option is to Google the problem or error message and often you will find a solution. Contact the manufacturer: Look online for FAQs or
troubleshooting instructions posted by the manufacturer or contact them about the piece of equipment that is giving you trouble. Old or faulty equipment may need to be replaced or upgraded to get the results you would like.
HFN website FAQs: Visit highlandsfibernetwork.com/ support/setting-up. Here you will find basic instructions for setup that may help. Slow, choppy or non-existent internet connection or HFNVoice: Call HFN Customer Support
at 425-427-0999, available 24/7. Support staff can determine whether it’s a problem with the network or your equipment. With HFNVoice, knowing the time of the call when the choppiness took place will be needed.
Find a tech-savvy friend or relative and ask them to
Fiber to the home, community owned!
Don't let technology problems stress you out. HFN is here to help.
HFN’s High Speed Fiber Optic Network is fast, reliable, and competitively priced. Our current offerings include 10/10mbps, 100/100mbps and 1000/1000mbps speeds. For rates and information
To maintain the health of your HFN Internet connection, it is best to be proactive with device protection and proper maintenance. Anti-virus and anti-spyware protection, security features, utility tools and manufacturer updates will go a long way to minimize problems. It is always a good idea to backup any important data on a separate drive or in the cloud. This will minimize data loss should you have a system failure. If you have tried to fix a problem and your efforts are not successful, contact technical support for your equipment and HFN service. It is just a phone call away. Call HFN Support Service at 425-427-0999 or email support@hfnservices.com. Article provided by HFN.
Highlands Fiber Network Customer Service: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week highlandsfibernetwork.com (425) 427-0999 support@hfnservices.com or see highlandsfibernetwork.com/ support Direct questions about the Covenant for Community to: Jeremy Fallt, General Manager, HFN jfallt@hfn.org 425-394-4184 HFN Office is at Blakely Hall
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March 2020
Issaquah Highlands Connections
CENSUS NEWS
Census Mailers are on Their Way! The U.S. Census happens every ten years and counts everyone residing in the country. It doesn’t matter if you live here temporarily, are a citizen of another country, or a long-time local. Everyone counts! Everyone counts because we by Nina Milligan all use our parks, hospitals, and Communications Manager, schools. We all use our water, Highlands Council and roads and emergency services. Starpoint Resident The census helps resources get to where they are needed most. If decision makers don’t know where people are and how many people there are in an area, they won’t know the magnitude of the need there. Each home will receive an invitation to respond to ten questions. You can fill out the form online. If you do not fill out the form, a Census Bureau interviewer will visit
your home to collect answers in person. All responses are confidential and protected by law. The Census Bureau also has a robust cybersecurity program that incorporates industry best practices and federal security standards for encrypting data. See 2020census.gov/en/about-questions.html.
Census 2020 Timeline
• March 12-20: 95% of households will receive an invitation by mail to take the census online; some will receive paper questionnaires. • March 16-24: A reminder letter to complete the census will be sent by mail. • March 26-April 3: Another reminder postcard is sent by mail (if not responded by March 24). • April 8-16: A reminder letter and paper questionnaire are sent by mail (if not responded by March 24). • April 20-27: A final reminder postcard is sent by mail before there is in-person follow-up (if not responded by March 24).
Note: Representatives for the Census Bureau will have proper identification, will never ask for your immigration status, Social Security number, bank or credit card account numbers, money or donations, or anything on behalf of a political party.
Learn More!
• U.S. Census Bureau: census2020.gov • City of Issaquah 2020 census information: issaquahwa.gov/3182/Census-2020 • Info for foreign-born residents: 2020census.gov/ content/dam/2020census/materials/partners/2019-08/ Fact_Sheet_for_Immigrant_Foreign-Born_Audience.pdf
11,212
Number of people residing in Issaquah at the 2000 census Frequency of the census
Language translations available in the online census form
30,440
Number of people residing in Issaquah at the 2010 census
30%
Number of questions asked about each person
Language translations provided for census phone interviews
Estimated population growth in Issaquah since the last census
23.9%
Number of people under the age of 18 in Issaquah at the 2010 census
Congratulations
Congratulations
Omar & AJ Jallow
Kaili Kirschbaum
International Soccer Opportunity
Youth America Grand Prix International Finalist
My two teen boys, Omar (age 16) and AJ (age 13) were scouted to play soccer in Spain this April. They have played for the ISC Gunners for the last 4 years. Prior to moving to Issaquah, they played club in Arizona, and have been playing soccer since they were old enough to walk. Now BOTH boys have an opportunity to compete at the highest level, with and against La Liga academy teams – a dream come true. They both seek a future with an international soccer club, please wish them good luck! Submitted by Shannon Jallow
Congratulations to Kaili Kirschbaum, who placed 2nd in the Pas de Deux category of the 2020 Youth America Grand Prix Seattle Semifinal held January 3-5. She and her partner will go on to compete at the international finals in New York this April. Kaili was also accepted into the prestigious School of American Ballet Intensive Program, where she will spend her first summer away from home in New York City. Currently a seventh grader at PCMS, Kaili has been dancing with Emerald Ballet Academy for the past nine years. Submitted by Kim Ngo
Issaquah Highlands Connections
March 2020
29
ISSAQUAH HIGHLANDS TRAVELS
Maia Travels Around the World Next Stop: South Africa mountains and beautiful scenery. On our second day there, we went on a wine tour. Not my personal choice, but I am glad we did because it was a great experience. At the first winery, there was a cheetah rescue center where we got to pet one of the cheetahs. It was purring as loud as a lawnmower. It was so cool! Every once in a while, my dad or mom will still say, out of the blue, “I wish we were petting that cheetah.” It was such a great moment.
Welcome back! This is my second article about my family’s sabbatical. Last month, I wrote about Ireland, which was beautiful - lush hills and crashing waves. Our next stop was quite the scenery change: South Africa. by Maia Esbensen Roanoke Woods Resident
We went to a small town called Graskop first. Even though it is small, it has awesome attractions nearby. We went to a place called God’s Window and, wow, there were sheer cliffs going straight down. When you drive up to it, you cannot even see to the bottom of the cliff; just the sky! The next day, after waking up in our freezing cold hut, we went to a canyon that rivaled the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
For the last part of our trip to South Africa, we went to Johannesburg and Soweto. Soweto was one of the best times in my life! We went on a guided tour of Soweto with a few other people. First on the tour, we went to a very poor township. A township is a neighborhood/town that has lots of people with low income. Their houses are the size of one of our bathrooms in Issaquah Highlands. They’re made of any scrap material they can find. Also, they have communal toilets.
Our next stop was a private wildlife reserve called Umlani Bushcamp. We saw so many animals, had so much fun, and made lots of friends. If you are going to go on a safari, you must go to Umlani. On the first day, we saw something we never expected to see. We drove up to a herd of elephants. It was so incredible to see such a big group of these intelligent animals in the wild. One of the first things I saw was a baby swinging her trunk around, curiously smelling and touching everything. Later, we saw a female across the road, acting weird. We did not suspect much of anything. My dad and I first thought she was having some stomach problems. Then, a huge amount of water splashed from the elephant onto the dusty dirt. My mom said this was not normal and she saw blood in the water. Then my mom said she thought the elephant was going to have a baby. Whispers spread throughout our Land Rover. Five minutes later, there were tiny, white feet sticking out of the elephant. I shielded my eyes with my arm and stuck my head into my
Once in a lifetime: Maia saw an elephant give birth while on safari in South Africa.
dad’s jacket. Then, right before it happened, my dad shoved me and said, “Look! You can’t miss this!” Right as I opened my eyes, the whole baby elephant dropped to the ground. The ranger started up the car. I was confused. I wanted to watch the baby elephant. Then, suddenly, the other 15 members of the herd came trumpeting across to her at full speed. Second in the lead was another baby elephant; it looked so happy. They all surrounded the baby elephant, trumpeting with delight. Then, it was clear, the mom called for help. A newborn baby elephant that cannot even walk is a prime target for leopards, lions, wild dogs and hyenas. The herd made a circle around the baby and faced outwards. You could tell they would do anything for the baby. Our next stop was Cape Town. We struggled through a long travel day: a six-hour drive, waiting in the airport, and then a twohour flight to Cape Town, at the very southern tip of Africa. Cape Town, to my surprise, looks a lot like Hawaii. It is also bigger than I thought. The population in and around the city is about four million people. One of the best things about Cape Town was the beaches. The waves are huge and turquoise, and the sand is so warm and nice. This was a big change from the safaris.
Maia pets a purring cheetah while on a winery tour with her family in South Africa.
Another stop in South Africa was a little town called Franschhoek. Franschhoek is all about wine,
Despite all this, kids greeted us, asked us to pick them up, hugged us, and were as happy as could be. We went into their preschool and kindergarten. The kindergarteners stood up and told us their names and what they wanted to be, in English. Then, we went into a building where they said they had a surprise for us. They performed a dance they had choreographed, learned and practiced. It was so amazing. I could not believe these kids. Life was obviously hard, but they were fighting through their challenges with big grins on their faces and dancing their hearts out in front of these strangers. That experience left a happy feeling deep down for the rest of the trip. I needed that feeling because the next part of our visit to Soweto was so sad, I felt like crying. Soweto is where the famous uprising of apartheid happened, and many students were killed. Despite that sad ending, we were sad to leave Africa. Come back next month to learn more about our travels and the world. Editor’s note: To read the unabridged version of this entry, see issaquahhighlands.com/blog.
That experience left
a happy feeling deep down for the rest of the trip.
30 March 2020 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Issaquah Highlands Connections
Could Our Community Be a Preparedness Example for the Rest? What if we all committed to preparing ourselves and our families? The clock read 3:58 a.m. Another night of pounding rain and wind. Woken by the sound of pouring rain against the windows, I got up and did my flooding rounds check. by Amanda Keverkamp CERT Team 9, Crofton Springs Resident
Yep, I do that now.
I’m naturally a worrier but since the flooding my sister and I experienced in December, rain has taken on a more sinister role. What was once soothing and tranquil is now a menacing threat, looking for any avenue into our home. It might sound melodramatic, but I’m also the one who’s writing this at 4:00 a.m, listening to the wind and rain, and watching the glowing chandelier hanging from our arbor eerily wave back and forth with each gust of wind. It’s at times like these – the quiet times while the rest of the world sleeps, that my mind begins to wander, thinking about what it will be like when we have a major disaster, one that affects the entire region. How long will civility last when a major earthquake happens? What will mass panic look like? I worry about people new to the region who rely on GPS and Waze to get around. They won’t have those tools if cell towers go down or are so inundated with requests that cell phones stop working. I worry about parents with children in school who haven’t made plans to pick-up their children, frantically trying to get home. I worry about people who haven’t set aside several days of non-perishable food and water. How will they respond with they run out and store shelves are empty, or credit card machines won’t work because the power is out and they don’t carry cash? I worry about how people will react when emergency responders are so overwhelmed, they can’t respond to calls for medical, fire, or police assistance. Do you worry about these things too? I wonder, though, if our community could be different. Be the example for all the rest. Be a community that puts these worries to bed. What would happen if we all – and I do mean all of us – truly committed to preparing ourselves, our families, our neighborhoods, and our community?
Amanda (left) with fellow Issaquah Highlands residents who also volunteer as part of CERT Team 9. Issaquah CERT offers emergency response training for members and non-members. Visit http://issaquahcitizencorps.org/training.html to learn more.
It requires action. It requires time. It requires effort and energy. It requires a deliberativeness. We can do it. I believe we can. I know we can. There are tools to help us. Start by making a plan, if you don’t have one. FEMA has great tools to get you started. Pull together some non-perishable food and water (or a way to purify water). Take a class: CERT, Map Your Neighborhood, Stop the Bleed, CPR, anything – just do something!
Get started with these helpful resources FEMA Checklists and Toolkits: fema.gov/preparedness-checklists-toolkits Preparedness Ideas and Kits: ready.gov CERT Training (begins March 4): issaquahcitizencorps.org Map Your Neighborhood: issaquahcitizencorps.org/myn.html Stop the Bleed: stopthebleed.org/training CPR Training: redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr
Visit issaquahcitizencorps.org for more information. CERT Team 9 is the Issaquah Highlands-based group of volunteers.
Issaquah Highlands Connections
March 2020
RENTAL FACILITIES
DIRECTORY ISSAQUAH HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION 2520 NE Park Drive Suite B Monday–Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm
MAIN PHONE: 425-427-9257 | AFTER HOURS: 425-223-8887 | IssaquahHighlands.com Governing Body Responsible for:
Property Management Enforcement of CCRs, Rules, Regs Architectural Review Common Area Landscape
Board of Directors ihcaboard @ihcommunity.org Jim Young, President Rossie Cruz, Vice President Dan Vradenburg, Treasurer Greg Underwood, Secretary Bryan Shiflett, Director Shiva Bosedevarahatti, Director Ben Rush, Director
Funded by:
Annual IHCA Assessments Neighborhood Assessments
HIGHLANDS COUNCIL Blakely Hall 2550 NE Park Drive Monday–Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm*
MAIN PHONE: 425-507-1107 | IssaquahHighlands.com Blakely Hall Social Programs Community Garden Connections Newspaper issaquahhighlands.com BlakelyHall.com E-Letter Official Social Media
Blakely Hall
2550 NE Park Drive 425-507-1107 | kim.k@ihcouncil.org | BlakelyHall.com Blakely Hall is Issaquah Highlands’ award-winning community center that feels like a luxury lodge. With a variety of meeting, art & dining spaces, an outdoor patio, and adjacent park, it accommodates groups from 20 -200. See BlakelyHall.com for more information or contact us with your questions.
Fire Station #73 Meeting Room
1280 NE Park Drive 425-313-3200 | eastsidefire-rescue.org/Facilities
Homestreet Bank
Conference Room 909 Northeast Ellis Dr. | 425-677-2210 homestreet.com/branches/issaquah-branch
Sarah Hoey, Executive Director | sarah.h@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1120 Barbara Uribe, Senior Accountant and Benefits Coordinator | barbara.u@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1123 Kristyn McKinnon, Accounting Manager | kristyn.m@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1117 Soledad Ruiz, Account Receivable Specialist | soledad.r@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1119 Blair Krieg, Community Manager | blair.k@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1121 Debbie Orosco, Community Manager | deborrah.o@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1134 Lyle Dickey, Landscape Manager | lyle.d@ihcommunity.org Matthew Hendrikse, Maintenance Facilities Manager | matthew.h@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1137 Billing Inquiries | payments@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1119
Responsible for:
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Governing Body
Board of Trustees hcbot@ihcouncil.org Gary Ashby, President David Ngai, Vice President/Treasurer Ami Desai-Mehta, Secretary Kimberly Kapustein, Trustee Philip Nored, Trustee Jimmy Ochiltree, Trustee Anna Preyapongpisen, Trustee Larry Norton, President Emeritus
Funded by:
Sponsorships/Grants & Advertising Community Enhancement Fees (1/4 of 1% on sale of home) Retail/Commercial pays by the square foot, Rental Apartments by the door Christy Garrard, Executive Director | christy.g@ihcouncil.org, 425-507-1110 Nina Milligan, Communications Manager | nina.m@ihcouncil.org, 425-507-1111 Michele McFarland, Controller | michele.m@ihcouncil.org, 425-507-1108
YWCA Family Village
Community Rooms 930 NE High St. | 425-270-6800 ywcaworks.org/locations/family-village-issaquah
CONNECTIONS Connections: By Community, For Community Connections News is a nationally recognized monthly community newspaper written mostly by volunteer-resident writers, edited and published by Issaquah Highlands Council. Connections helps Highlands Council fulfill its mission to develop a vibrant and caring community committed to service, diversity, stewardship and well-being. Join the Connections Team Highlands Council is always looking for volunteer contributors. Contact Nina Milligan, Communications Manager, at nina.m@ihcouncil.org. Submit an Announcement for “Milestones” See your announcements published in the new life “Milestones” section of Connections. We accept birth/adoption, graduation, marriage, obituary and culturally-recognized life milestone announcements for Issaquah Highlands residents only. See submission form and guidelines at IssaquahHighlands.com. Interested in Advertising in Connections? For more information, contact Nina Milligan, Communications Manager, at nina.m@ihcouncil.org . More information, ad packets/pricing, editorial calendar and electronic archives can be found here: issaquahhighlands.com/ connect/connections-news/ Opinions expressed either by paid advertisers or editorial content do not necessarily reflect the views of Highlands Council or this newspaper. Highlands Council reserves the right to accept or refuse submissions, and to edit content. We also reserve the right to refuse advertising or content that in our opinion does not reflect the standards of this paper.
Lindsey Pinkston, Community Program Manager | lindsey.p@ihcouncil.org, 425-507-1109 Kim Kirschbaum, Blakely Hall Specialist| kim.k@ihcouncil.org, 425-507-1107 Vicki Grunewald, Communictions Specialist| vicki.g@ihcouncil.org
COMMUNITY SERVICES AT BLAKELY HALL Neighborhood lost & found • Free Wifi • Limited Copy & Fax Services (fee-based, by appointment) • Notary Service (by appointment) * Excluding holidays and private event closures.
HIGHLANDS FIBER NETWORK
Support: 425-394-4184 | HighlandsFiberNetwork.com Jeremy Fallt, General Manager | jfallt@HFN.org
Governing Body
Board of Directors Tim Underwood Larry Norton Charlie Herb Allen Enebo Howard Kapustein David Ngai
@issaquahhighlands @IssHighlands @issaquahhighlands Sign up for our weekly E-Letter at issaquahhighlands.com
GET INVOLVED Getting move involved in our community is a fun and easy way to meet people and contribute to the participatory culture of Issaquah Highlands. Visit issaquahhighlands.com/volunteer/ for more information or contact Lindsey at lindsey.p@ihcouncil.org or 425-507-1109
EMERGENCY Emergency: 9-1-1 Issaquah Police (non-emergency) 425-837-3200 WA Dept of Fish & Wildlife 425-775-1311
Emergency Contact Number For after-hours emergencies not involving police and fire response or gas or water main breaks, contact IHCA at 425-223-8887
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March 2020
Issaquah Highlands Connections
The Market Is Hot, The Time To List Is Now! Listing commissions starting at 1%, 2% and 3% options too
Multiple Offers! 2317 23rd Lane NE
Multiple Offers!
Multiple Offers!
1489 29th Pl NE
$1,525,000
2492 NE Ivy Way
MLS#1554791
$725,000
4 Bed / 4 Bath / 4,340 Sqft / View and basement
Multiple Offers!
SOLD!
1873 NE Kenyon Ct
$885,000
MLS#1554117
4 Bed / 2.5 Bath / 1,440 Sqft / Corner lot
1733 27th Ln NE
MLS#1552829
3 Bed / 2.5 Bath / 2,254 Sqft / Burnstead greenbelt home
SOLD!
SOLD!
1787 28th Ave NE
3224 NE Marquette Way
MLS#1426018
MLS#1449338
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4 Bed / 2.5 Bath + bonus rm / 3,490 Sqft / Private greenbelt home
$700,000
MLS#1551921
$775,000
3 Bed / 3.75 Bath / 1,710 Sqft / Loaded with upgrades
All Cash Sale!
All Cash Sale!
1545 24th Ave NE
$30,000 Over List!
MLS#1504969
3 Bed / 2.5 Bath + bonus loft / 2,080 Sqft / Seattle views
2430 NE Iverson Lane
MLS#1518922
$785,000
5 Bed / 3.25 Bath / 3,660 Sqft / Central Park view home
MLS#1524988
4 Bed / 2.5 Bath / 1,890 Sqft / Open concept parkside home
CALL (206) 890-6347 TO BUY OR SELL A HOME Preferred placement on Zillow & Trulia Open Houses/Brokers Open Unlimited Color Flyers Individualized Property Website Social Media Campaign Full Internet Exposure for your listing Professional HDR photography Virtual Home Tour 2 Listing Agents = Highest Level of Service Aerial drone photography
Professional move in/out cleaning as client gift Free staging consultation Zero pressure, 100% friendly, in home consultation designed to inform you about your options Local office next to SIP! Whole house staging Professional video production with narration Zillow video walk through RELOCATION CERTIFIED SIRVA, CARTUS, ALTAIR & MORE
Krista Mehr
Lynn Crane
Joey Dalupan
Krista Owen
Lisabet de Vos
Owner/Broker
Broker
Broker/Handyman
Broker
Broker
lynncrane.re@gmail.com
jdalupan@hotmail.com
206.890.6347
kristamehr@gmail.com
425.241.3225
206.437.0142
425.891.1545
photogbykrista@live.com
206.482.7211
ldv@lisabetdevosre.com
Carla Domingues Broker
425.614.6834
carlad47@outlook.com
Visit our NEW Issaquah Highlands Office located at 1114 NE Park Dr. - right next to SIP Wine Bar