

PROGRESS 2026 &
Wednesday, February 25, 2026



Celebrating the past and future of our local communities




Inside Progress 2026





WECU celebrates 90 years: Starting with a shoebox and a dream
In 1935, a Bellingham middle school teacher attended a National Education Association meeting in Boston.
While there she encountered an early pioneer of credit unions and she left inspired to start one.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s many people had lost faith in traditional banks. Page 4
LSM at work since 1940: Looking forward to continued success
Formerly known as Lynden Sheet Metal, LSM was founded in 1940 by John Wynstra and Pete Douma, originally to provide metal fabrication solutions for local farms and growing communities in Whatcom County. Page 8
‘We Serve’: Celebrating 50 years of the Lynden Lions Club
This May, the Lynden Lions Club officially celebrates its 50th anniversary, a milestone representing more than just longevity. It represents five decades of service in filling the voids that keep this community whole. Page 12
Banner Bank celebrates more than just 135 years: Started as National Building Loan and Trust Association
Banner Bank was founded in 1890 as the National Building Loan and Trust Association, when it was in Walla Walla. Page 16
Van Loo’s Auto Service celebrates 60 years
Evertt Van Loo was a machinist during World War II. When he came back home to Lynden he got back to work as a mechanic. In 1966, he bought the Mobil Service Station on the corner of 3rd and Front streets. That was the start of Van Loo’s Auto Service. Page 20
WECU celebrates 90 years




WECU started out as the Bellingham Teachers Credit Union in 1936 after founder Mary Bond Lash made a trip to Boston where she met early pioneers of credit union. (Photos Courtesy Keith Mader, Director of Public Relations and Communications at WECU)
Starting with a shoebox and a dream

By Racquel Muncy Staff Reporter
LYNDEN — In 1935, Bellingham middle school teacher Mary Bond Lash attended a National Education Association meeting in Boston. While there she encountered an early pioneer of credit unions and she left inspired to start one. During the Great Depression of the 1930s many people had lost faith in traditional banks.
A year after the trip to Boston, Lash gathered 12 fellow teachers at the Roeder School Building and the Bellingham Teachers Credit Union was officially formed on June 3, 1936. The credit union started off for classroom teachers and public school administrators. Later that first year the faculty at Western Washington University became eligible.
The initial membership cost was $0.25 and a share was $5. Deposits were kept inside a shoebox and stored in a closet.
WECU President and CEO Jennifer Kutcher said these humble beginnings formed a strong foundation.

The Lynden WECU, pictured above, was opened in 2005. (Bill Helm/Lynden Tribune)
At left, Lynden Branch Manager Alisha Lockwood poses outside of the Lynden WECU building. The first Lynden location was located in Delft Square until a fire in 2008. (Racquel Muncy/Lynden Tribune)
Shoebox: WECU celebrates 90 years in business
Continued from 5
“From the very beginning, we’ve existed to serve our members — not shareholders,” she said. “That focus on our people, trust and doing the right thing has allowed us to take bold steps forward while staying grounded in our values. It’s what has carried us through 90 years and positioned us to continue making a meaningful impact.”
By 1967, membership expanded to include dependents. Not long after the credit union was able to move into its own facility on Lottie Street in Bellingham.
In 1972, Whatcom Community College employees were able to join as members. One year later Wayne Langei took over as CEO for what would soon change its name to Whatcom Educational Credit Union. At this time, nearly 40 years after its founding, WECU had grown to $1.6 million in assets, 1,683 members, two staff and one office of its very own.
Over the next decade WECU continued to grow, merge with other credit unions, open up membership and expand the scope of services.
In 1993, WECU merged with Washington Telco CU, which brought WECU to Lynden. In fact, Delft Square became WECU’s first off-site full-service branch outside of Bellingham and set a precedent for the other locations that followed. A second Lynden location was opened in 2005 and is where WECU currently resides.
The Delft Square location continued to serve as an example until a fire broke out in 2008. During the fire the branch manager Matt Berendsen, who is now the Senior Vice President of Growth, was called to the site during the fire to open the safe








and load up duffle bags of money to be taken to the other Lynden location.
The early 2000s continued to be a busy time as WECU continued to open branches all around the county, from Everson to Ferndale to Barkley to Blaine.
June 17, 2002 was a big day for WECU as membership expanded to include anyone who lives, works, worships or goes to school within the state or was an alumni of Western Washington University.
In 2014 Kutcher became the new CEO and President of WECU. Soon after, the credit union launched a new brand and continued to pave the way for improvements. These improvements included everything from a new online and mobile banking experience to pre-qualifications.
Ninety years later, WECU has grown from 12 members to more than 170,000 members and $3.3 billion in assets.
Kutcher said this growth and evolution has been driven by listening to what members want.
“Our members shape WECU,” she said. “We continuously adapt our technology, products, services and delivery channels to meet changing needs — because our ‘why’ has always remained the same: to be future-ready while making a meaningful difference in the lives of our members and the communities they call home.”
She went on to say that making a tangible difference to people is what she is most proud of, from helping someone buy their first home to navigating a financially challenging time.
“We’re also proud of how our employees consistently show up with care and commitment,” Kutcher said. “That collective impact, built over 90 years, is what we’re most proud of.”
With nearly a century in the rearview mirror, she said she hopes continued growth, thoughtful innovation and an even greater impact continues to define the next 90 years of WECU.
“Growth allows us to serve even more people and deepen our connection to the communities we call home,” she said.
During the next period of growth, Kutcher said she hopes that WECU never loses sight of why it exists. In 90 years, she hopes people continue to think about the “trusted relationships, thoughtful products and the way we consistently showed up when it mattered most,” she said.
“Above all, we hope they say WECU made a lasting difference in the financial well-being of our members and had an impact on the communities we serve.”

years after starting as a few
to more than



Ninety
dollars in a shoebox stored in a closet, WECU has grown from 12 members
170,000 members and $3.3 billion in assets. (Photos Courtesy Keith Mader, Director of Public Relations and Communications at WECU)
LSM in business since 1940

Formerly Lynden Sheet Metal, LSM celebrates 86 years in business this year. Pictured are owners Ken Keck, Bobbi Kreider and Phil VanderVeen. (Bill Helm/Lynden Tribune)
Formerly Lynden Sheet Metal, company looks forward to continued success
By Bill Helm Editor
LYNDEN — How did Lynden Sheet Metal celebrate 85 years in business last year? They changed their name.
Actually, there’s more to it than that.
Lynden Sheet Metal underwent a rebrand and is now known as LSM Heating, Plumbing, Electric. President and CFO Bobbi Kreider said recently that LSM’s executive leadership decided to rebrand because while its common knowledge who Lynden Sheet Metal is and does, the company “had just as many people confused that Lynden Sheet Metal does heating plumbing and electrical.”
“Since those services are our bread and butter, we decided to change the name so people who didn’t know us would know what we do,” she said. “We chose to
do LSM as that is the initials for Lynden Sheet Metal and our logo for the last 50-plus years on our building and vehicles has been LSM,” Kreider said. “So it keeps the uniformity of still seeing the same vehicles and signage.”
Since John Wynstra and Pete Douma started the company in 1940, LSM has been in the heating business. Kreider said LSM “built an oil furnace and a wood furnace in-house for many years.”
LSM was founded in 1940 by John Wynstra and Pete Douma, originally to provide metal fabrication solutions for local farms and growing communities in Whatcom County. From day one, LSM has been in the heating business, Kreider said.
LSM “built an oil furnace and a wood furnace in-house for many years,” she said.
“Some are actually still in homes working to this day,” Kreider said. “We added plumbing in
2009 and electrical in 2020.”
In those early decades, innovation and practical craftsmanship were the standard, LSM states at its website, lyndensheetmetal.com.
“The company became known for building dependable heating solutions, including wood-burning furnaces and efficient oil furnaces that earned trust throughout the region.”
Key milestones in LSM’s story include the following:
• Local family ownership continues as new leadership purchases the company in 1977.
• The company moves to 837 Evergreen St., Lynden in 1998, where it remains today.
• Expansion into plumbing in 2008 through the purchase of Alpha Plumbing.
• Bobbi and Cory Kreider bought LSM in 2010 from Bobbi’s parents, Bob and Rose Crabtree.
• Electrical service is added
2020. This helps LSM cover an entire home.
“We believe in doing a good job and a fair price,” Kreider said. “We would love to say we are perfect every time, but the truth is no one is perfect all the time so it matters how you handle those times if they don’t.”
Which is why LSM stands behind the work they do. Maybe that’s one reason the company has been in business for now 86 years.
“We make every effort to make it right,” Kreider said. “We have great employees. Whether employee or customer you are part of our family and we mean that. People know they can trust us.”
Kreider explained that one of the biggest compliments customers make to LSM is when they call and say “Hey, you did such a great job with our heating system, by any chance do you do [such-and-such job] or could you
recommend someone you trust who can?”
Kreider is a Whatcom County native. Attended Nooksack Valley Schools. Lived in Lynden for 15 years, now the family is in Blaine. Wanted to be a lawyer or an accountant. Went the accounting route.
“Being a family business, I grew up in it,” she said. Started work at LSM as office manager and bookkeeper back in 1996. At the time she also owned Clean Water Services in Lynden, which she sold the year before she bought LSM from her folks in 2010.
About a decade ago, Phil and Stephanie VanderVeen and Ken and Joell Keck bought into LSM, which Kreider said means the business “is secured for the next generation.” Kenneth Keck, in his role as vice president and CEO,




LSM: Former Lynden Sheet Metal looks forward to continued success
Continued from 9
said he grew up with a plan to become a police officer.
“After a brief period of experience in the field, I decided that it was not the profession I desired as a lifelong career,” he said.
Initially, LSM hired Keck as a welder and fabricator in the fabrication shop. This was when the company “employed just over 30 people.”
“From the onset, I was motivated to grow within the company and pursue a leadership role,” he said. “Throughout the process, Cory provided mentorship and guidance as I often joked with him that one day I would work him out of his role.”
Born in Arizona, Phoenix to be exact, Keck and his family moved to Whatcom County when he was a young lad. A graduate of Nooksack Valley High School, Keck and his wife settled in Lynden in 2007 and have since raised their family here.
As vice president and COO, Phil VanderVeen grew up wanting to become a heavy machinery operator — just like his father.
“I used to ride with in excavators and dump truck and anything else that he drove,” VanderVeen said. “The summer I turned 18 I had a chance to be a loader operator for several weeks and it was great for those few weeks but I realized it was not something I wanted for the rest of my life.”
With no other plans, VanderVeen and his father bumped into Bob Crabtree at Fairway Cafe one Saturday morning. A few weeks later he accepted a warehouse/stock/clean up position at LSM. Which he said led to training as a new construction HVAC installer.








Jeremiah Finkbonner and Tyler Hionis are two of the 90plus employees who serve their community through LSM. LSM Heating Plumbing Electric offers 24/7 service and is open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. weekdays. Call LSM for more information at 360-354-3991 or visit LyndenSheetMetal. com. (Photo courtesy LSM)

“After that I found my passion for refrigeration,” he said. “I love commercial HVAC and refrigeration. It is so cool.”
VanderVeen was a commercial service tech for about 12 years, then moved into refrigeration and HVAC estimating, then into management, then he became one of LSM’s owners.
“I hope you’re sitting down because this gets pretty intense,” VanderVeen said. “I was born and raised in Whatcom County and haven’t lived anywhere else.”
LSM Heating Plumbing Electric offers heating and cooling services, gas fireplaces, water heaters, plumbing, electrical work, whole-home generators and commercial refrigeration. The company’s 90plus employees handle kitchen hoods and exhaust systems, restaurant equipment repair, refrigerated trailer rentals, custom sheet-metal fabrication, custom handrails, stairs, awnings, countertops, welding and both residential and commercial new construction and retrofit services.
LSM Heating Plumbing Electric offers 24/7 service and is open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. weekdays. Located at 837 Evergreen, near the intersection of the Guide Meridian and Main Street in Lynden, call LSM for more information at 360-354-3991 or visit LyndenSheetMetal.com.

Marketing Manager Lauren Ebert is pictured on a job with Jeremiah Finkbonner and Tyler Hionis. LSM Heating Plumbing Electric offers heating and cooling services, gas fireplaces, water heaters, plumbing, electrical work, whole-home generators and commercial refrigeration. The company’s employees handle kitchen hoods and exhaust systems, restaurant equipment repair, refrigerated trailer rentals, custom sheet-metal fabrication, custom handrails, stairs, awnings, countertops, welding and both residential and commercial new construction and retrofit services.

Celebrating Over 40 Years!

Lynden Service Center strives for repeat customers with their prompt, friendly, professional services. Owners Jim Meenk and Rob Meyer keep the most advanced diagnostic equipment available in their facility. Their team is ASE certified and able to work on any issues you may have with your vehicles.
Jim and Rob would also like to extend their services to new members of our community.
You'll be more than satisfied when you bring your vehicle in for your factory recommended services.

Left to right: Jim Meenk, Dave Kruse, Andrew Mouw, Matt Warner, Dave Foster, Rob Meyer
(Photo courtesy LSM)
A half-century of ‘We Serve’

a milestone representing more than just longevity. It represents five decades of service in filling the voids that keep this community whole. (Courtesy of
The Lynden Lions Club in 1977 on Front St. in Lynden. This May, the Lynden Lions Club officially celebrates its 50th anniversary,
Galen Laird)
Celebrating 50 years of the Lynden Lions Club
By Zen Hill Sports Reporter
LYNDEN — In a town where the name Lions usually evokes images of high school football rivalries and green-and-gold jerseys, there is another pride of Lions that has spent the last half-century doing the quiet, heavy lifting of community service in Lynden.
This May, the Lynden Lions Club officially celebrates its 50th anniversary, a milestone representing more than just longevity. It represents five decades of service in filling the voids that keep this community whole.
“What’s most important is how the community supported us for 50 years,” said current President Galen Laird. Laird, who has been a member for 47 years and has served as president seven different times, is the living memory of the club’s impact.
Since its charter in 1976, the Lynden Lions Club has operated under a simple, global motto: “We Serve.” But in Lynden, service is more than a slogan. It’s a tangible, blue-collar effort to provide what the government, schools, and churches might miss.
“We look for a need that’s not being taken care of,” said Laird. “There was a void there, and we filled it.”
That philosophy is most evident in the club’s work with Lions Camp Horizon.
Located on the site of the former Blaine Air Force Station, the camp serves as a sanctuary for mentally and physically disabled individuals ranging from eight to 80 years old.
See Lynden Lions on 14



The Lynden Lions Club recently helped restore the Dutch windmill in the Heritage Museum. (Courtesy of Galen Laird)
Lynden Lions: Celebrating a half-century
Continued from 13
The Lions have ensured that this camp is a place to experience the joy of summer camp in a safe space.
The club is there for the community when disaster strikes. When historic flooding devastated the Nooksack Valley, the Lions were there to serve. They established the Blessing Corner. Originally a physical hub in Sumas stocked with furniture and cleaning supplies, the project has evolved into a mobile van that rotates weekly between Sumas, Everson, and Lynden.
“We were very grateful that we had the privilege to do it,” Laird said about the Blessing Corner. “We’re servicing those people affected by the floods and we’re really big into that.”
At the corner, Laird has the nickname “The Toilet Paper King.” Recognizing that basic necessities are often the first things to run out and the last to be donated.
Behind these efforts is a blend of Lynden’s old guard and its new leaders. While charter president Ivan Buma still remains
a member 50 years later, the club has evolved significantly since its inception as an all-male businessman’s group. In 1987, Lions International opened its doors to women, a move Laird says “greatly enhanced” the local chapter.
Nancy Boies is a testament to that evolution. Boies joined in 2007 looking for a way to connect with her new home in Lynden and served as the club’s treasurer for a decade.
“I’ve always found that if I’m not volunteering, I don’t feel the same with my life,” Boies said. “I find it rewarding.”
The club funds these endeavors through various fundraisers. If you’ve parked a car at the Northwest Washington Fair, you’ve likely interacted with a Lion. For 40 years, they’ve also hosted the Model Railroad Show every October.
Perhaps their most visible contribution is the American Flag project. For 38 years, the club has maintained 323 flags for 172 local businesses, placing them on the streets during holidays to create the patriotic landscape Lynden is known for.




Every second and fourth Thursday, the Lynden Lions Club meets at the Lynden United Methodist Church. (Zen Hill/Lynden Tribune)
Beyond the flags, the club’s fingerprints are everywhere in town.
They restored the Dutch windmill in the Heritage Museum, gifted 16 cement park benches to the city and have spent over 20 years ensuring every third grader in the Lynden school district receives their own dictionary.
“Part of that project too was how much we enjoyed going into the classroom and meeting with the kids and telling them all the things that are in that little dictionary,” Boies said. ‘“I think [the Lions Club] is a wonderful organization.”
The club will celebrate its 50th anniversary celebration on May 28th at the Lynden Heritage Museum, which is a private event for members and guests. There are challenges ahead for the club in an era where younger members struggle to find time to join.
But as they look back on a half-century of service, their impact is undeniable. The Lynden Lions have become the town’s quiet infrastructure of kindness.
For 50 years, they’ve filled the voids and in doing so, they haven’t just served Lynden, they’ve helped define it.
-- Contact Zen Hill at sports@lyndentribune.com



The Lynden Lions Club recently utilized their Blessing Corner to aid those affected by flooding in North Whatcom County. The van donates basic necessities like laundry detergent and toilet paper to homes in need. (Courtesy of Galen Laird)
Banner Bank celebrates more than just 135 years

Banner Bank, pictured recently, was founded in 1890 as the National Building Loan and Trust Association, when it was in Walla Walla. In 2001, it was renamed Banner Bank. In 2025, Banner Bank was recognized for the fifth time by J.D. Power as the highest rated bank in the Northwest region in the Retail Banking Satisfaction Study. (Bill Helm/Lynden Tribune)
Longtime company started as National Building Loan and Trust Association
By Racquel Muncy Staff Reporter
LYNDEN — A lot has happened in the past 135 years. As a nation, we’ve made it through two pandemics, several recessions and a depression.
We’ve witnessed the first man on the moon, two world wars and the invention of planes allowing humanity to fly. In 1898, the United States acquired Puerto Rico, Philippines, Guam and Hawaii.
Before all of that was the founding of Banner Bank in 1890, which was initially named the National Building Loan and Trust Association, when it was in Walla Walla.
In 1934, amidst the Great Depression, the name was changed to First Federal Savings and Loan to better align with the evolution of banking.
Much later, in 1995, the company became publicly traded and a few years later in 2001 the name was changed to Banner Bank.
While the evolution was slow, the bank has seen tremendous growth since the
turn of the century. In 2002, they expanded across the mountains into Western Washington.
The Lynden branch was opened in January 2005. Now the business finds itself serving Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California.
Not only has Banner Bank lasted well over half a century, it has the accolades to prove that it has lasted due to customer satisfaction.
In 2025, Banner Bank was recognized for the fifth time by J.D. Power as the highest rated bank in the Northwest region in the Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, according to a 2025 news release.
“It is an incredible honor to receive this recognition by J.D. Power because it is based on the opinions of our clients,” said Mark Grescovich, President and CEO of Banner Bank, in the news release. “We believe the study results further affirm we continue to deliver outstanding service and value to our clients — all thanks to our exceptional team.”
See Banner Bank on 18







The Lynden branch of Banner Bank sports a small staff of four, from left, Zahireen Knudsen, Jeanette Sharp, Marcy Poortinga and Amber Weinmann. (Racquel Muncy/Lynden Tribune)
Banner Bank: Community oriented focus on customer service
Continued from 17
Also in 2025, Banner Bank was named one of the 100 Best Banks in America for the ninth consecutive year by Forbes, according to another news release.
“This Forbes accolade is especially meaningful because it is largely based on our financial health and strength, and it comes on the heels of considerable economic headwinds over the past two years,” Grescovich said in the news release. “Continuing to be a source of capital to our clients and community through all economic cycles is possible because of the hard work and dedication of our entire team.”
Rounding out the year was accolades from Newsweek, which named Banner Bank as one of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies of 2025. It also made the list in 2024 and 2023.
“For 135 years we’ve taken a relationship approach to banking, and trust is the foundation of every strong relationship, so it’s the ultimate compliment when our clients and others say they trust us,” Grescov-
ich said in a news release. “Being included on this list further affirms that we have earned and maintained the trust of our stakeholders, which is always our goal.”
While Banner Bank stands out as a whole, there is something special about the Lynden branch.
Vice President and Lynden Branch Manager Jeanette Sharp has been with the company for 15 years after moving over from Horizon when it failed. She said she chose Banner Bank because of its stability and representation for customer service and satisfaction.
“That’s why I came to Banner,” she said. “We do what we can to help our clients.”
She said she enjoys that when someone calls the bank they speak with a real person, they interact with someone else from the community. If a problem arises that lasts multiple days, the customer doesn’t have to explain the issue over and over and over again to new people.
“It’s that personal touch,” she said.
The satisfaction goes beyond customers. Sharp hasn’t had an open position for

11 of those 15 years, showing the culture of the bank is somewhere that not only people want to bank with, but employees want to stay.
When asked why employee turnover is so low, Sharp pointed to the community the branch is in.
“I think Lynden is what makes it so special,” she said. “The community allows us to be involved ... that’s why we like to work here, too.”
Sharp and her team take part in many community events, from sponsoring and/ or volunteering with the Farmers Day Parade, Deming Log Show, Lighted Christmas Parade and other community events to working with Christian Hope Association, which is the umbrella organization for the food bank and women’s shelter.
Each year a bank-wide food drive is held and the Lynden branch most recently raised $700 and 137 items for the Project Hope Food Bank.
-- Contact Racquel Muncy at racquel@ lyndentribune.com.

Also in 2025, Banner Bank was named one of the 100 Best Banks in America for the ninth consecutive year by Forbes. (Racquel Muncy/ Lynden Tribune)









































































Van Loo’s Auto Service celebrates 60 years

Over the decades Van Loo’s Auto Service has created a strong following of pleased customers that have stuck with the shop for generations of drivers. (Racquel Muncy/Lynden Tribune)
Generations of honesty and good customer service
By Racquel Muncy Staff Reporter
LYNDEN — Mechanics runs in the blood of the Van Loo’s, at least for the past three generations. Grandpa Evertt Van Loo was a machinist during World War II and when he came back home to Lynden he got back to work as a mechanic. In 1966, he decided to open up his own mechanic shop and purchased the Mobil Service Station on the corner of 3rd and Front streets. That was the start of Van Loo’s Auto Service.
In 1972, Evertt’s son Jack was asked to help out one summer after graduating from college in 1972.
In 1977, the original station had been outgrown, so Evertt bought the old Modern Auto Body building only two blocks away on Liberty Street where the business could continue to grow and thrive. The business remains at the same location, although it may look a little different.
As the business grew, Jay DeGroot was hired as a mechanic and eventually bought out part of the business alongside Jack when Evertt decided to retire in 1983. DeGroot stayed on until 1999 and when he retired another one of Evertt’s sons, Roy, took over the share. Roy had spent 16 years in the automotive parts business.
See Van Loo on 22

Jason (left) and Jeff Van Loo have mechanics in their blood, as the family-owned business has thrived for 60 years. It was first started in 1966 by their grandpa Evertt Van Loo. (Racquel Muncy/Lynden Tribune)
Van Loo: Generations of honesty and good customer service
Continued from 21
The brothers saw the business continue to grow and change as new technology became available. In 2008 the shop was remodeled into a state-of-the-art automotive repair facility. The transformation united two previously adjoining buildings, which allowed for a new front entrance and three-bay wing.
That one summer turned into many, many more for Jack as he was only bought out a few years ago by his son Jason. Jack retired in 2021. Jason then roped his brother Jeff into taking over Roy’s portion in 2024 and now once again a pair of Van Loo brothers are running the shop.
“We grew up working here in the summers,” Jason said, adding that he never once thought about taking over the family business.
However, after years of working with his dad, things began to fall into place.
“I started thinking about it a little more,” Jason said.
He knew he would need a partner, so he
asked his brother Jeff if he would be interested.
Jeff said he, too, never had plans to come back and run the family business and instead has his background in accounting. However, when Jason called, he answered.
“I thought it would be great to work with my brother,” Jeff said.
Over the decades Van Loo’s Auto Service has created a strong following of pleased customers that have stuck with the shop for generations of drivers.
“We still have customers from when my grandpa owned it,” Jeff said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the majority of small businesses fail within 10 years. To last six times that shows generational passion, commitment and a strong customer base.
Jason points to the history of honesty, fairness and top tier customer service that the shop has become known for, no matter which Van Loo was in charge. No matter who the customer ends up dealing with, they can count on being treated fairly.

In 1977, the original station had been outgrown, so Evertt bought the old Modern Auto Body building only two blocks away on Liberty Street where the business could continue to grow and thrive. (Racquel Muncy/Lynden Tribune)
The brothers employ three full-time technicians who care about the customers just as much as they do.
Van Loo’s does a wide variety of maintenance and repair services, from oil changes and fluid flushes to engine mechanical repairs and tune-ups. (Racquel Muncy/Lynen Tribune)

“People come here on their worst days and we try to do everything we can for them,” he said. “We do good, clean work.”
That customer service shows in their verified customer reviews; many of which list customer respect, great staff and honest, good service.
One review goes as far as to say “I hate it, because there is nothing to complain about!”
While the attitudes haven’t changed over the years, the technology has and Jason said they are constantly undergoing new training to be best prepared to help with the needs of whomever may walk through their doors. Along with new trainings, Jeff said they have also updated their systems. These upgrades include digital inspections, text communication, online payments and online scheduling through their website.
The brothers also employ three full-time technicians who care about the customers just as much as they do.
Van Loo’s does a wide variety of maintenance and repair services, from oil changes and fluid flushes to engine mechanical repairs and tuneups.
More about Van Loo’s Auto Service can be found at vanloosautoservice.com. Or call 360-3544277. Van Loo’s is at 205 Liberty St., Lynden. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
-- Contact Racquel Muncy at racquel@lyndentribune.com












HI, NEIGHBOR
It is Spring time again - which means the o cial beginning of summer (YAY), and the start of our Spring Sale (YAY)!
For a limited time, you can get a pair of glasses, including single-vision lenses, for $99.
Save an extra $50 on any two pairs purchased. What's not to like?
Drop by your local team and find your perfect pairs.
For us 40 somethings, Progressive lenses, with Fr!day frame, clip on sunglasses $199.
Terms and conditions: This limited time o er consists of a $50 discount that is deducted from our o er. Price complete with standard 1.5 single-vision lenses (or 1.6 for rimless range) , Fr!day Frames with clip (when available) with scratch resistant coating. 2 pair o er must be the same prescription. Price for other lens types may di er. Extra options available at an additional charge.