203 North Mason Progress

North Mason School District

North Mason High School student state champion Journal photo

by Dean Siemon

North Mason High School’s Zac Joaquin, wrestling Squalicum High School’s Ren Bishop, brought a state championship to Belfair after winning the 2A 112-pound championship at the WIAA Mat Classic wrestling tournament on February 19 at the Tacoma Dome.

Joaquin is a junior and is already preparing to defend his title next winter.

North Mason School District Volunteers As parents, grandparents, neighbors and community members, you have ideas, talents and

time to share with our students and our schools.

It is our belief that volunteer programs are beneficial to everyone involved. These programs also help to foster stronger school/community relationships by creating a common ownership in the success of our schools. They also demonstrate the importance of community service to all involved

in the program, especially students.

Making the decision to volunteer your time and talents to the students of the North Mason School District is a very honorable one Please visit our web site at nmsd.wednet.edu and select Volunteers Wanted to explore the detailed list of volunteer opportunities.

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner & Auction

Web Links:

Join your friends and neighbors at the St. Patrick’s Day Dinner and Auction at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 14 at the Victor Improvement Club. This annual event is a lot of fun and does a lot of good for our community by supporting the needs of our senior citizens.

The dinner is a full corned beef and cabbage dinner – very delicious.

Beer and wine will also be available and live music will be provided by the Sundowners.

Highlights of the evening include a silent and live auction with proceeds to benefit the good works of Faith in Action. Our auctioneer will be George Kenny.

Sponsored by Faith in Action, doors open at 6 p.m.. Tickets are only $12 per person. To purchase yours or have them waiting at the door for you, contact Patti Kleist at Faith in Action, 275-0535 or e-mail faithinaction@wavecable.com.

Page S-8 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, March 10, 2011

alderbrookresort.com explorehoodcanal.com hoodsportwa.com northmasonchamber.com oysterfest.org portofallyn.com tasteofhoodcanal.com thelercenter.org

North Mason

Progress

Thursday, March 10, 2011

INSIDE: Olympia Federal Resort • Spa • Golf Theler Center NM Visitor CenA Special Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal

Belfair Herald

ters NM Humane Society NM Outdoors

Olympia Federal embraces green-friendly design Our commitment to do this, while making our location as energy-efficient as possible, shows our desire to be a good neighbor in Mason County.”

By ARLA SHEPHARD After more than 30 years at its original Belfair location, Olympia Federal Savings started the new year with a brand new look and space off State Route 3.

The new office features solar-panel roofs and radiant floor heating as part of an effort to build a more environmentally friendly branch – the building is still awaiting LEED certification, a standard for “green” building design.

“Belfair is a very important community for us,” said Lori Drummond, Olympia Federal Savings President. “We are very excited to offer our customers in the area a convenient, welcoming environment. Our commitment to do this, while making our location as energy-efficient as possible, shows our desire to be a good neighbor in Mason County.”

The branch originally leased the site and owned the facility at its old location in the downtown Belfair corridor, but when the lease came to an end, the ownership of the building reverted to the owner of the land, said Sandy DiBernardo, marketing director of Olympia Federal.

“Olympia Federal looked at this as an opportunity,” DiBernardo said. “We have no other leased branches and felt this was the time to purchase and grow our Belfair Branch. So we … re-commit-

ted to the Belfair community by purchasing and building just down the street from our great location.”

The mutual financial institution tore down the existing building at the new site, donated the usable building material to Habitat for Humanity and made other efforts to recycle when possible, DiBernardo said.

To build the new Northwest lodge-style structure, Olympia Federal contracted with MSGS Architects to design the building and Andy Johnson

& Company to build the facility.

Much of the building material came from companies within a 500 mile radius, when possible, to reduce the project’s carbon footprint, DiBernardo said.

Customers will also find a tech café offering computer access, a fireplace, drive-thru ATM and windows at the 5,387 square foot building.

Olympia Federal Savings was created in 1906 and serves customers in Thurston and Mason counties at seven branch locations.

Michelle’s Espresso

Serving North Mason Area Since 1993 Open Monday - Friday 5:30am - 7:30pm Saturday 6:00am - 7:30pm • Sunday 6:00am - 7:00pm

Page S-2 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, March 10, 2011

13 NE Old Belfair Hwy • Belfair, WA 98528 Phone: (360) 275-4197

10062

10054

Located next to Seabeck Pizza in Belfair

North Mason Chamber of Commerce Job Shadow Program for NMHS Students March Chamber Luncheon 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 23 At the Theler Center - NE State Route 3, Belfair $20 at the door Call Pam Volz at 275-6258 or e-mail at pam@northmasonchamber.com Chamber Luncheons are normally held on the Fourth Wednesday each month at the Theler Center in Belfair 11:30 a.m.: Networking Noon to 1 p.m.: Program Cost $15 for lunch, preregistration necessary. $20 at the door Public is welcome.

Would you like to help a North Mason High School student make important career decisions? Local businesses are needed to participate in the North Mason Chamber of Commerce Job Shadow Program.

From veterinarians, flight attendants, pilots and culinary arts to publishing and cosmetology, our local students want to see you in action and experience a typical business day in a career of interest.

The Chamber’s Education Committee works hard to pair interested students and employers for the best experience possible. Job shadow experiences from 2 to 4 hrs are being scheduled from now until May 25, when participating students and businesses will attend our May Chamber luncheon and receive a certificate

of participation.

Questions?

Please contact Anne Whitman (Chamber trustee and committee chair) at 275-4898 or Denise Beckwith (NMHS Career Cen-

ter) at 277-2186.

For job shadow overview and information or to download the Jjob shadow application form for businesses, visit northmasonchamber.com.

North Mason Shop Chamber Campaign The Chamber encourages involvement of all local businesses - chamber membership is not required. The Shop Chamber campaign is intended to reinforce the chamber’s motto, “Supporting Business and Building Community.”

Please contact Mark Costa, North Mason Chamber President/CEO, at 275-4267 for more information about the Shop Chamber program and other efforts underway to support and promote the North Mason community.

Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government

NCUA

8944

Here’s how the Shop Chamber campaign works: By visiting local businesses, consumers can be entered into a monthly drawing for a $100 “Shop Local” gift certificate redeemable at any participating business.

National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency

Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, March 10, 2011 - Page S-7

North Mason Outdoor Scene High Steel Bridge The High Steel Bridge is a must for photographers and those who love the thrill of heights. This 685-foot bridge is perched spinetinglingly high above the South Fork of the Skokomish River. 420 feet of thin air separate the steel structure from the icy snowmelt rushing down from the slopes of the Olympic National Forest and Wonder Mountain Wilderness.

During the rainy season, a deep chasm channels hundreds? and sometimes thousands? of cubic feet of water per second through its narrow walls with spectacular force.

A striking sight in this remote forest, the bridge structure is an engineering feat, and a carryover

from the area’s logging history.

Visitors peering down from atop the High Steel Bridge feel as if they are suspended in mid-air.

Watching the water’s steep descent through the near-vertical basalt below creates a respect for the natural forces that colluded to create such an awe-inspiring terrain.

The High Steel Bridge was built by Simpson Logging Company in 1929 as part of a logging railroad. Its construction opened up an area of Olympic Peninsula timber that was previously inaccessible. The bridge span supported a single logging railroad track.

In 1950, the tracks were replaced with wooden planks, allowing vehicles to pass. 1964 brought the relatively modern addition of con-

Winter is scuba diving time in Hood Canal Hood Canal is well known among scuba divers for its gentle currents and curious rock formations. Travelers the world over come for the chance to dive with the giant Pacific octopus, wolf eels and rockfish that reside in the clear waters of the canal.

Potlatch State Park and Hydro Park

crete decking and guardrails.

The High Steel Bridge is one of only two Washington bridges that is considered a long-span structure formerly used as part of a logging railroad.

Getting There Follow US Highway 101 to the Skokomish Valley Road (about 7 miles south of Hoodsport) at the Adams Hatchery. Travel on the Skokomish Valley Road for approximately five miles to Forest Service Road #23. As the road forks, take the right fork. Continue on for a little less than 2.5 miles to Forest Service Road #2340. Another 2.5 miles or so on this road brings you to the bridge.

You can’t miss it!

by the electric powerhouse near Potlatch both provide dive staging areas and canal access.

Local establishments offer lessons and equipment, including: Mike’s Beach Resort in Lilliwaup Hood Sport ‘N Dive in Hoodsport The Waterfront at Potlatch offers cabins, hotel rooms and RV sites steps away from Hood Canal. They have facilities to wash your gear and a secure drying room.

May is shrimp season Shrimp season is fast approaching. The last couple of years many shrimpers caught limits.

The Waterfront at Potlatch is located next door to the Saltwater Park boat launch. The launch has 3 ramps and has been extended a year ago to provide easier access during low tides.

We welcome shrimpers staying at our resort free access to our 3 buoys to avoid the hassle of launching and retrieving your boats.

Be sure you have all legal documents for your boat, trailer, gear and shell fish license.

Make your reservations early to assure you have a room or RV site during this great time, call 877-9422 or visit thewaterfrontatpotlatch.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

Summer Chum Salmon and the Hood Canal Watershed Located in western Washington, Hood Canal is not really a canal at all but rather a picturesque glacial fjord that sits in the shape of a backwards checkmark between Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula.

Five major rivers with upper reaches protected inside Olympic National Park flow east into Hood Canal [along with] countless smaller streams and creeks that flow west from the Kitsap Peninsula.

Local Marinas with ramp access: • Hood Canal Marina offers complete marina services including gas and diesel. Located at 5101 E Hwy 106, Union. Offsite secured parking lot is an option for boaters who wish to use the Union ramp. Call 898-2252 or visit hoodcanalmarina@hctc.com.

• Twanoh State Park at 12190 E. SR 106, Union has a boat ramp, 100’ dock, parking and moorage, call 902-8844 for moorage rates.

• Mason County public ramp at Union at E 5093 State Route 106, Union next to Hood Canal Marina is open year round with salt water access to Hood Canal, no parking.

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Resort • Spa • Golf A convenient two hours from Seattle, Washington, the Alderbrook Resort takes you worlds away. Surrounded by the Olympic Mountains, the Resort & Spa rests on the shores of the Hood Canal, a glacier-carved fjord home to eagles and osprey, salmon and seals.

Alderbrook Women’s Wellness Retreat

April 15-17, 2011 – A massage. A facial. The perfect pedicure or manicure. The Day Spa at Alderbrook offers a range of treatments for body, mind and spirit, all in the picturesque calm of the Washington Pacific Northwest. For reservations call 898 5520

Alderbrook Golf Club Preferred tee times are available at the best kept secret in the Pacific Northwest. This course is consistently ranked as one of the top 25 courses in the Northwest for play-ability and spectacular scenery. Open year round, the par 72 course offers rolling fairways bordered by massive Evergreen and Fir trees. Look out for the infamous 8th hole! This is a double dogleg, 536-yard par 5. A par here will definitely give you bragging rights.

Full-service amenities include a pro shop, driving range, private lessons and cart rentals. Tournaments for 16 players or more can be arranged.

For tee times, course information or to reach the Golf Professionals please call 898-2560

Gold Mountain Golf Course

The Lady Alderbrook

Trophy Lake Golf & Casting Designed by award-winning architect John Fought, Trophy Lake offers a daring, risk-reward golf experience with sloping fairways, expansive greens and more than 80 deep-faced, white sand bunkers strategically placed throughout the course’s 7,206 yards. The drama is heightened by the serene setting and awe-inspiring views of the Olympic Range and Mount Rainer. One visit and the beauty and charm of Trophy Lake will reel you in hook, line and sinker.

Ranked #2 in the state of Washington on Golfweek’s list of ‘America’s Best Courses You Can Play’ (2006) 15224

We’re pleased to offer you the services of the Lady Alderbook, our very special dinner cruise boat. Accommodating up to 90 guests, and featuring a full bar, The Lady is a truly awesome way to explore the beauty of the glacier-carved Hood Canal while enjoying a leisurely dinner and drinks.

As your group departs from the dock of the Alderbrook Hotel, enjoy cocktails on the outer deck. Watch the sun set on the Olympic Mountains while the boat cruises through gorgeous, pristine waters. Pause to observe passing seals at play. Watch the full moon rise, illuminating the sky. Take a moment to observe the gorgeous silence. Then relax in the comfort of the main cabin where you savour local and imaginative Pacific Northwest cuisine prepared specially

by The Restaurant at Alderbrook.

It’s a wonderful, romantic setting for a wedding. It’s a successful corporate outing. It’s an unforgettable family reunion. The Lady has a magical way of making memories happen.

Dramatically sculpted into the Pacific Northwest splendor, the Olympic course has garnered impressive awards and has taken its place as one of the America’s finest municipally owned golf courses. Wooded enclaves, rolling terrain and wide fairways are touted by the Cascade Course, with a long history of providing Championship golf in the Northwest.

4.5-star rating in Golf Digest’s seventh edition of Best Places to Play” Highest in Washington state!

Our Lazy Boy & Naked City Brewmaster’s Dinner in honor of St. Patrick’s Day will be held Saturday, March 12 Social starts at 6:30 p.m. followed by a five-course dinner including dessert at 7 p.m. Price is $59 per person.

Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, March 10, 2011 - Page S-3

Bird watching at the Theler Wetlands Bird watchers and nature lovers in the Mason County area should take the opportunity some rare, sunny day to explore the Theler Wetlands.

There are several trail options among the 75 acres endowed and 80 acres permitted access by the WDFW. Varying views via boardwalks through trees, marshes and across wetlands offer close viewing of herons, geese, terns, ducks, and dozens of aviary species, often with Olympic Mountains and Hood Canal views in the background.

North Mason Visitors Center

Thank You North Mason

for 14 Awesome Years!

AUTO SALES

Next to Shell NE 23791 Hwy. 3 Belfair

360-277-3028 See Bob, Mark or Jackie

Call for below blue book prices

Volunteers Needed at the NM Visitor Information Center The North Mason Chamber of Commerce is looking for several communityminded volunteers to help staff the North Mason Visitor Information Center.

The VIC is located in downtown Belfair at the Chamber offices.

If you have local knowledge of the North Mason area and would like to share that knowledge with tourists and visitors, letting them know what to see and do, please contact Mark W. Costa, President & CEO of the North Mason Chamber of Commerce at 275-4267. Volunteers can work many hours a week or a few. If you enjoy people and want to help them get the most out of visiting North Mason and Mason County, then please volunteer for this opportunity.

All cars come with a SAFETY check and a 90 day WARRANTY. 0 interest.

• NO or BAD CREDIT “OK” • GOOD SELECTION

Page S-4- Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, March 10, 2011

Other Visitors Centers

There are four visitors centers in Mason County. Stop by for directions, helpful advice on local attractions and accomodations, and maps and brochures.

14754

CROWN

Buy Here Pay Here

The Theler Community Center and Wetland Trails is located off State Route 3 in Belfair. The Mary E. Theler Center is committed to the preservation of local wetland creatures and offers many opportunities to learn about their behaviors and habitats at the Exhibit Center.

The Theler Community Center offers rental of conference rooms or grounds, guided bird walks and field trips. Call 275-4898 or e-mail theler@hctc. com to reserve. The web site is thelercenter.org.

Belfair Visitors Center North Mason Chamber 23910 NE State Route 3 275-4267

Hoodsport Visitors Center Lake Cushman Road at Highway 101 877-2021

Kamilche Visitors Center State Route 108 at Highway 101, exit off 101 and go under the highway to the casino parking area.

Pictured left is a Great Blue Heron is a common sight on the Theler flats. Above is just one of the views accessible from boardwalks over the wetlands. Right, tall grasses, old-growth trees and marshy wetland support the many varieties of Pacific Northwest birds that live here all year round.

Wetlands Exhibit Center depends on volunteers to keep it open. If you are interested in volunteering, please call 275-4898 Journal photos by Gaylene Wiseman

The Humane Society of Mason County first Saturday of each month at the North Mason Timberland Library.

Our future plans include: •Facility Establishment •Educational Outreach Programs •Healthy Animal Adoptions •Spay/Neuter Program We are currently looking for new members, contributions and volunteers for our fundraising efforts.

Please join us the first Saturday of each month at the library in Belfair and learn about our mission, goals, latest news and event planning.

For further information please call 275-9310 or visit us online at: www. humanesocietyofmasoncounty.com.

Memberships and/or donations may be sent to HSMC, PO Box 168, Belfair, WA 98528.

Rod Olsen Jr.

Thank you for continuing to shop local with the third generation at Olsen’s!

• Friendly Service • Brand Name Selection

We know our customers and they know us...

Serving Mason County and beyond since 1936

15243

The Mason County chapter of the Humane Society is a non-profit organization providing and caring for displaced, abandoned or abused animals. We are committed to changing the lives of these animals by providing a second chance with the construction of a stateof-the-art facility in Mason County. Our office is located in the North Mason Chamber of Commerce building at 23910 NE State Route 3 in Belfair. Please note this is an office location only.

We do not have a shelter yet. Do not leave animals here. If you need to surrender an animal, please call to make appropriate arrangements. Animals left at the building will be given to the County Animal Control.

The HSMC meets at 10 a.m. on the

414 Franklin, Downtown Shelton • OPEN Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30 • Sat 10-5:30 • Sunday & Holidays 12:00-4

360•426•4702 or CALL TOLL-FREE 1•800•456•4702 A Large Store with Small Prices! 74 Years in Shelton • Same Family Ownership • Fine Furniture for Your Home

Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, March 10, 2011 - Page S-5