March 2016 Latitude 45

March 2016

National Park UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES ~ THE LOST ARTS

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Sleep Better | Feel Better | Think Better | Perform Better

Feeling Good is Good to Feel

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CONTENTS March 2016

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Latitude N O RT H W E S T L I V I N G

WWW.LATITUDE45MAG.COM MARKETING

Washington Sales and Marketing Director | Julie Reed 253.273.8524 | julie@livinglocal360.com

EDITORIAL

Managing Editor | Patty Hutchens patty@livinglocal360.com Editor | Jani Gonzalez jani@livinglocal360.com

DESIGN

Creative Director | Whitney Lebsock Senior Designer | Jessica Herbig

SOCIAL MEDIA/EVENTS Media Manager/Events Kelly Williams kelly@livinglocal360.com

Media Intern | Maddie Russo maddie@livinglocal360.com

CONTRIBUTORS Megan Olson • Teresa Pesce

Latitude 45 is published and mailed to targeted neighborhoods in the Pacific Northwest. We’re not responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine.

Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher and no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the permission of the publisher.

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Feature Story The Lost Arts

6 16 22 26 06 Travel & Leisure Southwest Montana

16 Arts &

Entertainment Go Green!

22 Feature Story The Digital Marketing Frontier

26 Local Flare

An Unexpected Gift

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SOUTHWEST MONTANA Where it all comes together

TRAVEL & LEISURE

By Colin Anderson

C

owboys, college kids, the ultra-wealthy, and the family caravan; all characters you’re likely to see on a visit to Bozeman, Montana. Originally a small ranching community, Bozeman continues to evolve and is now the central hub for visitors to Yellowstone National Park, Big Sky Resort and an expanding Montana State University. The combination of youth and retirees, city and country dwellers, and longtime residents alongside vacation homeowners has created a diverse destination rarely seen today. A stroll down Main will show you saloons that have stood for decades along with shops featuring upscale clothing and art. You’ll bump into wranglers and Stetsons,

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engineering students letting off steam, and travelers looking to flee their big city life for a week or so. The reason for each visit varies, but it’s easy to see how Bozeman’s tourism industry continues to grow and adapt to an ever increasing visitor population.

Western Montana in general boasts some of the most breathtaking scenery and incredible outdoor experiences in the lower 48. Bozeman serves as home base for many planning to spend their trip in the great outdoors.

Evidenced by the numerous fly shops that dot the town, trout fishing is a huge draw here. The Gallatin, Madison and Yellowstone rivers all carry the blue ribbon designation for their water quality, public accessibility, native trout

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A melting pot of Old West and modern is what you’ll find on your visit to the greater Bozeman area.

population and ability to handle fishing pressure. Serious anglers from all over the country put a float down one of these Montana legends as a fly fishing bucket list can’t miss. Very fortunate fishermen can land one of only a few yearly permits for a five-day float down the Smith River. During the 60-mile float, it’s rare to see another outfit giving visitors a truly alone-in-thewild experience.

Yellowstone National Park sits just 90 miles south of town and guests can enter the north end of the park through Gardner or the west entrance at West Yellowstone.

Easily one of the most visited and popular National Parks in the country, a trip into Yellowstone will bring you up close and personal with wildlife, geothermal wonders, as well as spectacular bodies of water and mountain peaks. Yellowstone is one of the best places in the country to see the most famous animals of the West. Entering through Gardner, you are all but guaranteed to see herds of elk and some of the last native buffalo left in the West. While they may look like calm massive cows, every year overzealous picture takers get mauled by bison who feel threatened when people get too close.

Don’t be that person. These 1,000-pound animals will often block the roadway, and provoking them or honking your horn does little to sway them into moving out of your way. Nature makes the rules and runs the show here.

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Another common occurrence in the park is a traffic build up also known as a “bear jam.” Grizzly and black bears are often spotted right from the road, and as soon as they are seen, cars pull over and stack up to get a glimpse. This causes a headache for park staff, but the chance to see a Grizzly in the wild is too much for most visitors to pass up and drive by. There is an average of one bear attack each year in the park, and most of those occur where visitors are out hiking and surprise a bear. Before going out on trips, park staff educates hikers on how to avoid surprising a bear and what to do if charged. Your odds of being attacked are extremely low, but having the knowledge of what to do beforehand could make all the difference.

Across miles of hiking trails there are deer, moose, eagles, as well as the rarely seen bobcat, mountain lion and wolf pack. The other feature many visitors come to see is the majority of active geysers in the world. Old Faithful is the most popular, but many are surprised to learn that it does not erupt exactly every 60 minutes and isn’t even the most frequent erupting or largest geyser in the park; it is however the most consistent. There are more than 300 erupting geysers in Yellowstone making it the largest concentration in the world. If you can’t wait until your trip, the National Park Service has a constant live stream where you can watch the Old Faithful eruption (www.nps.gov/features/ yell/webcam/oldFaithfulStreaming.html).

This is truly a spectacular place and a trip through the park should not be missed.

While summer brings outdoor hikers, bikers, fishermen and adventure seekers, winter brings visitors looking for light fluffy powder, steep terrain and an incredible ski experience. Locals take the 30-minute drive to Bridger Bowl ski area, famous for soft snow as well as some of the most challenging terrain around. Back country skiers hike to the very top for untouched powder and the thrill of leaping off cliffs and ledges. There are also miles of crosscountry skiing as well as snowshoeing trails. The more famous mountain, Big Sky, sits about an hour south of Bozeman and boasts one of the largest skiable mountains in North America. This is a true western resort experience with dozens of dining and on-mountain lodging options. The gathering area seems more like a small downtown than a ski chalet. It would be a challenge to hit every run if you had a week, and if you aren’t a big fan of chairlifts, there

is a run that’s six miles long that will take you plenty of time to traverse. Multi-million dollar homes are common throughout the area. Plans were laid to create a private ski mountain called The Yellowstone Club that encompassed nearby Moonlight Basin.

However, the dream didn’t come to fruition and in 2013, Moonlight became part of Big Sky Resort, creating over 7,600 acres of skiable terrain.

If a more laid back stay is your style, there are plenty of options back in Bozeman, and the town is easy to navigate on foot. During the summer months, the downtown area puts on weekly art walks featuring the local galleries as well as ”Music on Main” which features live local bands, activities for kids, and plenty of food trucks serving up a variety of specialties. Pride from Montana State University shuts down Main Street in both the spring and fall for graduating senior sendoffs and fall homecoming parades and pep rallies. The annual Brawl of the Wild football game pits the Bobcats of Montana State against the Grizzlies of the University of Montana. It’s been going on since 1897,

and it’s easy to tell which side you’re on during Cat-Griz week.

A melting pot of Old West and modern is what you’ll find on your visit to the greater Bozeman area. Luxurious options abound alongside beat up farm trucks. A passion for the outdoors is what drives visitors

Entering through Gardner, you are all but guaranteed to see herds of elk and some of the last native buffalo left in the West. here and keeps locals from ever leaving the area. Big Sky country is a term not easily described until you’ve experienced it firsthand. Western Montana is the playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Even if you’re not the mountaineering type, you can experience all the beauty of this region through the window of your car or a short stroll off the beaten path.

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THE LOST ARTS...

THAT ACTUALLY AREN'T!

FEATURE STORY

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By Teresa Pesce

Photos courtesy of Lanie Johnson

Calligraphy Today How do we love calligraphy even today? Let’s count a few of the ways: Calligraphy you would expect: wedding invitations, dinner invitations, menus, and place cards, awards, certificates, and diplomas, letterhead, business cards, and notecards, famous poems, inspirational prayers and sayings and sonnets and lyrics.

Calligraphy in the name of love: marriage proposals, wedding vows, the groom’s wedding speech, anniversary poems, love letters, birthday sentiments, memorials, and words of love and wisdom from parents to children.

Gifts: For instance, from realtors to clients a rendering of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s definition of a home.

Heirlooms: A famous family recipe.

Manuscripts: Illuminated original books of poetry bound with Coptic stitching so each page opens flat.

CALLIGRAPHY My grandson likes to play Santa and give family members their presents from under the Christmas tree, but the names on the gift tags must be written in print. Why? Because he can’t read cursive; schools no longer teach it. And penmanship is passé. Handwriting is exiting into obsolescence, replaced by the keyboard.

So surely calligraphy – the ancient art developed by scribes and named from the Greek words ”kalos” (beautiful) and “graphos” (writing or drawing) — has long since been culturally entombed, hasn’t it? I am admittedly pleased to say the answer is “no.” Yes, calligraphic fonts are common and graphic artists produce similar effects. And yet, the byhand art of calligraphy flows unobtrusively alongside the incoming tide of the computer age. How does it manage to survive?

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It is still the most elegant, eloquent way to commemorate and celebrate, acknowledge and honor, love and adore, and express insights and inspirations. It often includes “Illumination,” where a glow is imparted to the page with bright colors and burnished gold applied with special pens and brushes.

And because it is, in essence, literature as art, the element of a soul channeled through human hands renders it immune to death by technology. Calligraphy is alive and flourishing!

invitations, she muses about the essence of handmade calligraphy. “The lettering is nuanced,” she observes, noting how the type of pen and the interaction of ink and paper create a distinct originality born in the moment of writing. “So much of it is a concept from the artist’s inner self. Any (time an) artist is sharing their thought process and their feelings; it comes from them personally, and it’s not an automated thing you can get with just the push of a button.”

Lanie Johnson, an artist and calligrapher for 40 years, speaks of the unique creative process involved as we tour her work on exhibit. Her original poetry plus other poems, essays, quotations and inspirations are expressed in “calligraphic imagery,” which means words made into pictures, and brings writing into the realm of interpretative design and emotional expression. One method is to change the color of the letters to form an image.

Other more complex artwork incorporates calligraphy into a painting with an intriguing layering technique.

She notes that, “The designs, artwork and illustrations are original. Each one is unique. That’s one thing I think people like, the fact that their invitation or menu is theirs alone – no one else will have one like it.”

and artists Marita McDonough and Mike Franklin, who blends it as a key ingredient into her art, Johnson knows that calligraphy is handwritten chivalry, if you will. We cannot and do not want it to disappear. In fact, we treasure it as a lovely way to formalize, commemorate and add romance to important occasions and communications. The dancing pen choreographs the moments of our life… still.

SEWING

She lovingly unzips a travel-battered leather portfolio and reveals samples of a life’s work in scripted creativity. As she pages through commissioned personal works, menus, awards, diplomas and certificates, announcements and wedding

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“It can’t be duplicated mechanically,” she concludes. “You do so many things spontaneously in the process of making a piece. It’s the difference of doing things by hand,” she finishes simply, expressing an element that escapes definition and yet is evident at a glance.

“Things done by hand belong in a different world than things done on a machine,” says Johnson. And yet the graceful effects of what is called “the dancing pen” endure even in our font-happy world. As one who carries on the tradition, who once taught it at the library along with calligraphers

Coming in from the cold to the warmth of seamstress Robin Jelinek’s business, Sew I So, I was greeted with the jingle of bells on the door handle, smiles from her assistants, and the happy clutter of a very busy sewing shop. It occurred to me that Jelinek’s business is always busy. My next thought was that in these days of buying new things when old things wear out, how could the arts of the seamstress still be in demand?

I remembered seventh grade when boys were required to take wood and metal shop, while girls took Home Economics – a class in cooking and sewing. We made cookies, a skirt and a gym bag. My gym bag looked more like a skirt. Others did well and in fact saved money by making their own school clothes. With the rising cost of material plus

mass production of lower-priced clothing, the only people who sew now are those who simply enjoy it. And yet – Jelinek and her staff are busy year-round. Why? The wow factor. Once people discover the many benefits of tailoring, it changes everything! One 24-year-old summer firefighter had a slightly heavier friend who admired his jacket, tried it on, zipped it right up, and it fit him perfectly! How could that be? Well, the jacket could expand accommodatingly. So the young man brought it to Jelinek who tailored it for his particular build – broad shoulders, narrow hips – and he was amazed at the “dude!” difference.

Women discover when jeans fit in the hips they tend to gap in the waist, until Jelinek tailors the waistband to fit. Their first turnaround in front of a mirror makes them customers for life.

“Clothes are manufactured for a medium body type and according to generalized styling, but we are born quite individualistically,” explains Jelinek.

“So whether it’s shortening, lengthening, taking them in or letting them out, putting in darts – it’s the reshaping that makes the critical difference in how you look and feel.

People like to have things made to look like they were custom-crafted for them.”

Old favorites. Anyone who has tried to discreetly discard a man’s favorite tattered t-shirt or battered jacket will rejoice in Jelinek’s skill at preserving, transforming and saving treasured older garments. And

men are not the only clothing-clingers.

Women often bring in a much-loved, well-worn pair of jeans that has finally developed a rip, and Jelinek saves the day by making unnoticeable repairs. “People come in with their favorite shirts, pants, and a jacket that is ripped or worn somehow and ask if I can ‘save it.’” Their phrasing reveals how our emotional attachments can outlast seams and fabric. And the answer is yes, she usually can. “They get to keep the favorite item they were going to have to throw away,” she smiles.

a beautiful leather coat that had a small rip in the sleeve. “I opened it up and with double-stick leather tape and a pack patch glued in place, a three hundred dollar coat was saved.”

“They can also have a quilt made from a collection of favorite t-shirts, for instance, perhaps preserving the logo or the titles from sporting events.”

In reparation, her skills as a designer – and sometimes as an engineer – come into play.

She studies the garment and the challenge, and “figures out ways of repairing and patching so it’s not noticeable.” Her solutions are often ingenious and sometimes involve dissecting the garment and recreating it in ways that camouflage the repair.

But worth it. Expensive items are often preserved by Jelinek’s discreet skills.

Leather presents its own unique repair challenges. “When someone brings an expensive leather garment to a leather expert, they will sometimes be told it can’t be fixed, which is true, in the standard way,” admits Jelinek. However! “I find a method to repair it in a minimalist way so you can still wear it, even though technically, it’s not reparable.” She recalls a client with

Many people have old furs and according to Jelinek, “There’s no reason to let those furs languish. We can change them into fur collars, hats and cuffs so they don’t go to waste.” She can do the same with legally attained furs that aren’t luxurious, but can be put to good everyday use. “One pilot had the ugly synthetic fur removed from his jacket and real fur added – much more effective against the cold when flying – and a tanned animal hide with fur on it became a custom flight jacket!”

Transforming the everyday. Sometimes reshaping the neckline enhances a top

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in just the right way. Do you love t-shirts but prefer a more feminine neckline to the crewneck? Wish a turtleneck could be a V-neck? No problem. Another frequent challenge is the repair of men’s work clothes, according to Jelinek.

that’s not always true,” explains Jelinek.

“They can often be repaired.”

The ups and downs. And of course, there is the weight loss and gain factor. When in weight transition, tailoring changes can accommodate the process instead of buying new clothes every ten pounds.

“I figure out how to make it work – and look good.” And as long as the rest of us can’t quite do that, the art of the seamstress will not only survive, it will thrive.

Zippidy-do-dah. Life is perilous for zippers.

The zipper sticks or breaks. You wash the item with the zipper and waist open, and the machine damages it. It gets caught in something. Winters always result in lots of coats being brought in for zipper repair.

“People think they have to be replaced, but

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Medical modifications. “When people are wheelchair-bound, sometimes their clothes bunch up in their lap and get squished,” says Jelinek. She can fix that. She has modified pants to accommodate a catheter. She created a specialized cape so a client with Parkinson’s disease could be warmly wrapped in cold weather and more easily transferred into and out of a car. “The wrap didn’t catch on things,” explains Jelinek.

Sporting chance. Jelinek created a custom spray skirt for a kayaker and did custom modifications to a pair of pants to make them convenient during a lengthy endurance race.

Join the club. There is a trick or two to sewing on custom patches for jacket insignias so they “look right and hang properly.”

Memory lane. When treasured clothing items have been in a big box for years or are taking up space in drawers or closets, people can have the important portion incorporated into memory pillows so they don’t have to keep the entire garment.

“They can also have a quilt made from a collection of favorite t-shirts, for instance, perhaps preserving the logo or the titles from sporting events.”

Home décor. Slip covers can change the look of your furniture in a moment, and are far more economical than reupholstering.

“I made a reversible one – quite a trick – in very expensive fabric that was two different colors so she could change the colors depending on the seasons.”

As a seamstress, Jelinek is also something of an engineer, a designer and a magician.

Her admirably modest conclusion is, “I figure out how to make it work – and look good.” And as long as the rest of us can’t quite do that, the art of the seamstress will not only survive, it will thrive.

She studies the garment and the challenge, and “figures out ways of repairing and patching so it’s not noticeable.”

Her solutions are often ingenious and sometimes involve dissecting the garment and recreating it in ways that camouflage the repair.

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GO GREEN!

By Colin Anderson

M

arch means two things – the beginning of spring and St. Patrick’s Day fun! Why not combine the celebration of both and contribute to a great cause at the same time? The annual Go Green fun run is just around the corner, so shake off the winter doldrums and get outside for some fresh air and exercise!

The Go Green fun run is a 7K fundraiser – that’s 4.3 miles for those of you who are trying to do a quick calculation – and it takes place March 13. Runners, joggers and walkers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

This event is in its third year and is put on by Peninsula Proud, the Peninsula High School parent organization dedicated to the support of all Peninsula High students.

Their mission is to encourage smart growth and optimal change throughout the Peninsula High School campus.

Anyone knows that funding is a challenge in any school district, and Peninsula High School parent’s organization works to provide not only funding but support to all areas that benefit the students. This annual fundraiser goes a long way towards that goal with 100 percent of the proceeds going directly to benefit the students through various projects.

The Go Green fun run begins at 9am at Judson Street and follows a sevenkilometer course back to the original start line. Participants can compete for the top finisher or simply show up and walk the course at your own leisurely pace.

There will be a post race party at Skansie Park and also through various local businesses who are sponsoring the event. Entry fees are $20 for students and adults and anyone under the age of seven is free. A link to register can be found at www.peninsulaproud.com and you can contact race coordinator Ashley Reid, Ashleybreid@yahoo.com for more information.

If you chose to register early, you can pick up your packet the following dates and locations: March 11- 10am-12pm at Peninsula High School.

March 12 - 10am to 12pm at Route 16 Running store March 13 - 7:30am to 8:30am at Skansie Start your St. Patty’s celebrations early with a great event for a great cause.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS MAR

02

Northwest Yoga Conference - 2-6 No matter where you are in your yoga journey, from beginner to advanced yoga student, yoga teacher or yoga studio owner, the Northwest Yoga Conference will support you on your path to the soul. The conference is held at the Embassy Suites in Seattle. Register for available workshops now! nwyogaconference.com

Seattle Bike Show - 5-6

MAR

06

Calling all bicyclists! Stop by CenturyLink Field for a mega expo featuring several big name bicycling companies. Cruise from booth to booth getting deals on bikes, bike gear, travel accessories and fitness equipment. Whether you’re looking for a mountain bike or just a typical city commuter, swing by the bike show.

Sat.10am to 5pm and Sun 10am to 4pm.

Dine Around Seattle - 6-31

MAR

06

Grab your friends, family or significant other because Dine Around Seattle has returned! Several restaurants throughout the greater Seattle area are participating in a three-course meal special. Enjoy an appetizer, entree and dessert. Visit dinearoundseattle.org to view all participating restaurants. Make your dinner date plans now!

MAR

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Ladies Pint Night Pint Nights are back and this one is being held at Maritime Pacific Brewery in Ballard! Between 6 and 8pm enjoy $1 off pints of locally brewed beers. Join us for some pints and conversation. There will be reserved tables/chairs and Girls Pint Out stickers and a banner on hand so you can easily find the group.

MAR

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Dinosaur Day See hundreds of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures from the Burke Museum’s collection that once lived on the lost continent of Laramidia! From 10am to 4pm meet paleontologists and talk to them about their research around the world! Enjoy other activities great for children too. www.burkemuseum.org

Upcoming Events - April 01 18

WHIRLIGIG CARNIVAL FOR KIDS

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GIG HARBOR PADDLERS CUP

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STAR SEARCH AUDITIONS

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TULIP FESTIVAL STREET FAIR

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Arctic Science Days - 4-6 The 11th annual Polar Science Weekend is here! Enjoy hands-on activities, live demonstrations and exhibits presented by scientists who work in some of the most remote places in the world. Learn all about life in the freezing Arctic at the Pacific Science Center starting at 10am.

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RAGS Wearable Art Sale - 10-13 St. Patrick's Day Parade

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Bacon, Eggs and Kegs

RAGS is a juried wearable art competition and sale hosted by Larson Automotive Group. Enjoy shopping 10am to 6pm for handmade clothing, jewelry and accessories. All purchases benefit the YWCA Pierce County’s domestic violence services. Free admission. Visit ragswearableart.org.

Seattle's St. Patrick's Day Parade winds its way for a full mile through the downtown core from the King County Administration Building to Westlake Park. Join the thousands of spectators at 12:30pm that turn out every year to usher in spring and celebrate all things Irish! Don’t forget to wear green!

Start your day off right at this fun, local event at CenturyLink Field. There will be 60 different beers and ciders available for tasting, bloody marys, an assortment of bacon brunch dishes and dueling pianos from 11am to 3pm. This is a great event for food fanatics and bacon lovers! Must be 21. Visit www.baconeggsandkegs.com.

MAR

MAR

MAR

Go Green Run 7K

Tacoma Mud Run

Anime Festival - 25-27

Peninsula High School VPO is hosting the first Go Green Run! This 7K road race starts in downtown Gig Harbor on Judson Street at 9am. Enjoy post race festivities and a reception at Skansie Brothers Park.

Support our local high school in this fun event for the whole family!

Miles of mud, intense obstacles and one fun race! Take part in this family friendly two-mile run at Swan Creek Park. The course is designed for dirt-tromping, mud-loving children and adults as well as fastidious folks who plan to puddle-jump and keep their feet dry. Race starts at 10am or 11:30am. Kids must be 5 or older.

Anime is a style of Japanese film and TV animation that you will find at this 19th annual Sakura-Con! Enjoy gaming, cosplay, cultural panels, dances, concerts, exhibits, and industry guests at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. For more information visit sakuracon.org.

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FREE NATIONAL PARK WEEK

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NEWCASTLE EARTH DAY

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PARKS APPRECIATION DAY

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STAR SEARCH FUNDRAISER

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This annual fundraiser goes a long way towards that goal with 100 percent of the proceeds going directly to benefit the students through various projects.

HOPPY EASTER! Join in the fun at the annual Easter egg hunt

By Maddie Russo The mission of PenMet Parks, “is to enhance the quality of life on the Gig Harbor peninsula by providing park and recreational opportunities for all of its citizens.” And, with the public’s participation, this park was created to provide active recreation for the community and take advantage of the site’s natural beauty!

One way in which they fulfill that mission is by hosting their Annual Spring Easter Egg Hunt; an event held on the Saturday before Easter every year! In it’s ninth year, this year’s hunt will take place on March 26 from 12 to 2pm at Sehmel Homestead Park. There, you can create memories with the whole family that will last for years to come.

This is a free event, although there is a suggested $2 donation per child. Egg hunts are divided into age groups for children up to fifth grade. The hunt runs throughout the entire event, so every child is guaranteed to find eggs and win a great prize!

Attendees can also expect a visit from the Easter Bunny and will be able to purchase a photo with him for only $3 while also enjoying other fun spring activities.

For more information, go to www.penmetparks.org.

Visit

Latitude45Mag.com

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THE DIGITAL MARKETING FRONTIER Reaching your audience online

By Colin Anderson

H FEATURE STORY

ow did we get here so fast? It doesn’t seem long ago that a mobile phone was simply one that didn’t have a cord attached to the wall, you set your schedule around the day and time your favorite TV show was on, and term paper research was done in the pages of a book inside a library. Today, everything we would ever want to know or see is at our finger tips and through DVRs and on-demand services, we dictate when to watch our favorite shows.

Initially, most people thought taking a phone call in a group of people was rude, but now when we get together our phones are out on the table and often used as an interactive piece, showing a video, photos of our family, answering a question or settling a debate. Just as with the appearance of the printing press, daily newspaper, radio broadcast and color television, leading companies see the Internet as a vital platform to reach their consumers and get their message into the home. Digital marketing is the latest trend in branding to the masses, and the

options online continue to evolve and grow.

So what is it and how does a business get started?

Let’s start with a few definitions. First, what exactly is digital marketing and what is not considered digital marketing? Traditional print, billboards, TV, and radio do not fall into the digital definition because these mediums do not provide instant data on exactly how many impressions your ad created. It’s not to say these mediums are not effective marketing platforms; it is just more difficult to track the number of direct respondents from the ad and exactly how many people saw it. Some consumers will respond to a call to action (coupon, specific offer), but ask yourself an honest question – when was the last time you walked into a business and told the person at the counter the reason you are in their store was because you saw their ad on page seven of the newspaper, heard their radio spot at 3:45 this afternoon, or saw their commercial on the morning news? It happens, but not all consumers are going to share this information and it was probably the combination of seeing multiple ads in multiple platforms that ultimately lead them to the storefront. This is called top of mind awareness and is the ultimate goal for any company of any size. The short of it is that digital marketing is a term used for a group of interactive products that target specific audiences using measurable digital technologies.

Some of these technologies include social media marketing which places display ads and content inside facebook, twitter, instagram, and other platforms as a way to connect directly with consumers who have shown interest in your products. Utilizing hashtags like #McDonaldsbreakfast allows

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companies to directly reach out to people who enjoy their goods or service, and also allows them to monitor real time feedback from consumers. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and website ranking allows businesses to be listed in a general web search.

This can be done both by a paid service and organically, the latter being much more difficult. If you want to be the first business listed on a google search of “Used furniture Seattle,” the search engine will guarantee your spot for a price. The more the search term is used and the broader it is, the higher the price. “Used furniture Seattle” will cost you much more than “Used Sealy Queen Mattress Seattle.” Hiring a professional SEO company will also help with your rankings as a good company stay on top of the algorithms each search engine uses to rank sites for relevance.

Getting your company exposure organically is difficult but can be accomplished with some devotion. Search engines used to be keyword focused, meaning the number of times “Used furniture Seattle” appeared on your site would determine your page rank.

Today, the ranking system is based on the frequency of updates to the site and if it is optimized for mobile phones. This is why when searching for a small business website, you will often see that business's Facebook page ranked above their homepage. This is often because they are far more active on their social media sites and perhaps have not updated their business webpage in months or sometimes years. Businesses can tie social media feeds into their

The platform that Living Local 360 utilizes gives us access to over 90 million email addresses. We then break these down into the city or area the client wants to target.

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homepage, update photos and include blogs or articles and various other content which will all help increase the ranking organically.

Email marketing is a way to reach a large number of consumers with the same message without the costs of printing and postage in traditional direct mail marketing. Traditional direct mail allows you to choose specific postal routes that have a general income level and household demographics, but email marketing can get much more specific. The platform that Living Local 360 utilizes gives us access to over 90 million email addresses. We then break these down into the city or area the client wants to target. From there we can narrow the field even further based on income level, gender, size of family, interests, college education level and many more categories. Data from an email campaign will show you exactly how many inboxes the message was delivered to, how many opened the email, and how many interacted with an offer inside the email. This gives you a real-time cost analysis on what it costs per impression (person seeing your message) and lead (person accepting your offer or showing interest). These platforms also contain physical addresses so you can narrow down direct mail follow-up pieces and send those only to consumers who have shown interest in your product, saving you money and knowing you are targeting only warm and hot leads.

A more recent trend that you’ve probably noticed is retargeted IP advertising. For example, you go to amazon.com to look for a new digital camera. You leave the site without purchasing an item and go next to cnn.com or espn.com and low and behold, there’s a side banner ad with the products you were just looking at. This is also common on social media sites if you have been discussing products through posts. Retailers are able to follow your web visit history using your IP address. New websites are now formatted with a blank ad space that companies can purchase and use the information they have gathered on your interests and retarget an ad tailored specifically to your search. This will become more and more popular with small business as they will be able to effectively buy space on some of the most popular national websites without having to fork over a huge amount of money to the site itself and reach consumers not in your target area.

Much like other mediums, there is a balance between reaching your consumer effectively and overwhelming them with ads to the point of discontent with your brand. If you sat down to watch the evening news and got five minutes of news content followed by twelve minutes of commercials, would you pay any attention to that or would you change the channel?

The same applies to radio. Stations need to make money through advertisers, but they also need consumers to consume the media around which the advertisers have spent their money. With all the new opportunities seemingly appearing every month with digital, it will be easy for companies to over saturate and frustrate potential customers.

But as with other mediums, digital will

eventually balance out the right amount of ads per experience. One unique way to accomplish this is through digital content marketing. Digital content marketing starts with really rich content that people actually care about – including killer images. Then it’s delivering that content when and where your customers want it in hopes they like it and tell all their friends and followers.

Building trust in your brand is key to growth, and a referral of your product or service from a trusted friend or family member is the golden ticket of marketing.

Making sure readers can see the article on a device that they use every day, especially the one attached to their hip, is vital. But above all, don’t overwhelm people with your sales pitch. Keep it simple and teach them something so they consider you a valuable resource not just a company pushing product.

The unique thing about marketing through digital channels is that it goes way beyond

messaging. Given all the ways brands can connect with consumers online, whether in social environments, via mobile apps, paid media or blogs, each interaction leaves an impression of your brand. So in many respects, digital is marketing.

So how does one get started in the digital world? If you have a homepage for your business, you’ve already started. If you don’t, it’s really about time! Typically local business websites don’t have to go into great length. Your company’s contact information and location, a little background on the company, and the products and services you offer give people what they need to know. Your professional website gives an impression that you are a legitimate business. Many consumers, including middle aged men and women, are interacting more and more with social media. Have your page include fun content, “friends only” offers, events you’re hosting, sales, or partnerships with the community

you support. Again, the frequency of posting will help your social media sites and feeds remain relevant; stagnant pages will disappear from most consumers' news feeds. Most businesses can handle these platforms without being overwhelmed, but if you’re ready to take the next step in reaching your digital audience it’s best to seek out a professional company whose expertise is in this field. You wouldn’t have your plumber fix your computer and the same applies to your marketing efforts – find an expert you can trust.

Digital marketing is another platform to get your brand and message in front of your audience. The great advantages to digital is the ability to track exactly how many times that message is being seen and make adjustments to not only where the message is seen but perhaps the message itself. Your digital ad might not be performing as you had hoped, but if you make the change from a 1-800 number to a local number on the ad, you will be able to track and see if it’s the message that needed changing, not the medium.

We are tied to our phones and tablets, and it doesn’t look like that will be ending anytime soon. Reaching customers on the devices that are in front of their face from the time their alarm goes off in the morning to the last status updated before bed is paramount in staying competitive in the digital age. Savvy marketers are already looking for what’s coming next. Nothing will remain as it is as technology continues to expand. The digital world is here and your consumer is living in it all day. Time to go say hello!

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It may surprise you to know that those in the teen years rank among the most spiritually active demographic in America. This is good news! At an age where children are hungry for truth and direction, two-thirds of teens say they prefer to attend or belong to a church that teaches things relevant to their daily lives rather than those that teach the background and history of the particular faith.

LOCAL FLARE

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AN UNEXPECTED GIFT Campus Christian Fellowship offers hope to others

By Megan Olson Photos courtesy Cameron Harris We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:7

T

he extraordinary beauty of life is that we don’t really know how our story will unravel before our eyes.

Each day is just a chapter of a great and mysterious novel. We make our methodical move to the right and life brings us a sharp and unexpected turn to the left. If we knew the outcome of our path, we would become crippled with fear. In our paralysis, we wouldn’t be able to hear God’s whisper nor feel His comfort when He speaks “Do not be afraid.” If we knew of our impending tragedies and grief, we would never take the step to go outside. There would be no splendor of watching the sun slip past the horizon or the feeling of a summer’s wind as it caresses the face and tangles the hair. We’d flee from the tenderness of love’s kiss and the sweetness enveloped in the breath of new life. It is in our brokenness where God seeks us and sheds light so that we may be used to fulfill His purpose.

God has this unique and perfect way of bringing strangers together in the most unexpected of ways. He brings the unimaginable to life and molds it into something magnificent. Sometimes, His work is so mystifying and inexplicable that there is no other way to explain the circumstance other than to attribute it to

Him. In November, Idaho resident Connie Welch didn’t know that her life was about to change. She took that step outside of her door; unaware of how God was going to use her. She set out on her 450 mile journey to attend her mother’s 95th birthday at the Mount Baker Care Center in Bellingham, Washington.

"God opens doors so that the right people can step in at His precise and perfect moment. " On the day of her mother’s birthday, there was an accident where Connie fell and broke her pelvis. In a moment’s notice, she literally became a broken vessel. She was hundreds of miles from home and was unable to return to Idaho until she had sufficiently healed. It was determined that the best place for her recovery was with her mother at the Mount Baker Care Facility.

There isn’t an in-house chaplain for this

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assisted living facility. Connie had been searching for someone to visit her mother, but to no avail. She didn’t know that her mother was only weeks away from passing. During her time at Mount Baker, she began to notice the subtleties of God’s presence at the facility despite the lack of a chaplain. As the nurse intern with the cross earrings entered Connie’s room, a conversation was ignited.

Bellingham has been referenced as the “hidden gem of the Pacific Northwest” and is nestled 80 miles north of Seattle. It also is home to Western Washington University that offers 160 academic programs to 15,000 students. Of those 15,000 students, Lindsey had entered Connie’s room on that day. When Connie asked her about her cross earrings, Lindsey told her of how she had given her life over to Christ and that she belongs to the Campus Christian Fellowship at WWU. Lindsey had been serving the elderly with the Fellowship and developed a huge heart for geriatric patients.

When Connie told her nurse with the pretty cross earrings about not being able to find a chaplain, Lindsey knew exactly where to turn. Lindsey’s pastor, Cameron Harris, had already established student teams with the Campus Christian Fellowship for the purpose of serving the elderly in

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With the Lenten season upon us, there are many opportunities in and around Gig Harbor to get involved with ministry activities throughout our community.

With approximately 30 Christian churches in our community that range from traditional to contemporary, there is something for everyone. It’s the perfect time to explore what you can do to make a spiritual difference in the lives of others! Contact a local church to find out more about ways to give back to the community during this season of hope.

Bellingham. Cameron asserts “We are called to serve the widows, orphans and the elderly.”

It wasn’t long until Cameron would come to visit Connie and to pray for her ailing mother. God opens doors so that the right people can step in at His precise and perfect moment. While visiting Connie and

her mother at Mount Baker Care Facility, there literally was an open door to the office of the Social Work Director. This instance facilitated a dialogue and an opportunity for the Campus Christian Fellowship to begin serving at Mount Baker. It was a combination of an unfortunate accident and a simple conversation that would lead to a much grander scheme; broken vessels with a willingness to be used by God. In December, Campus Christian Fellowship was able to bring a choir to sing at Mount Baker. The Fellowship is in the final stages of protocol before they will be able to consistently serve at Mount Baker Care Facility.

We are the child playing in the sand at the beach; all we see before us is our bucket of water. Sometimes, our view is so limited and we are unable to grasp the bigger picture. We are unable to see the entire ocean in the background. After Connie returned home to Idaho, her beloved mother passed days later. Despite the unfortunate fall, Connie was given the most elusive and precious gift of all. The gift of time. There is no way to measure the value of time with a beloved person before they pass from this life to the next. How many of us have lost someone only to think “I wish I had more time.”

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