May 20, 2026
ISSUE 21
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May-kers Two American Bison Calves Born Days Apart Market Offers at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Handmade Shopping, N Food Trucks in Nearby Orting Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
for the first time,” said McCloskey. “Guests will love watching them follow their mothers through the prairie and stay close by their sides.” Bison once roamed the Great Plains in vast numbers. Tens of millions lived across North America until their population declined to fewer than 1,000 by the early 1900s due to overhunting and habitat loss. Thanks to decades of conservation work by organizations including the American Bison Society, the species has made a remarkable recovery.
Northwest Trek’s bison legacy began in 1971 when six bison were transferred from the National Bison Range in Montana. By the time the park opened to the public on July 17, 1975, the herd was already established. With these newest arrivals, Northwest Trek is now home to 20 bison. “Each calf born here is an important reminder of the role accredited zoos and wildlife parks play in conservation,” said McCloskey. “It’s exciting for both our team and our guests to watch this next generation grow.”
ESD Adopts Cardiac Response Plan
All five schools in the Eatonville School District have a plan in place to respond to cardiac arrest emergencies on campus and athletic facilities Submitted
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n estimated 23,000 children under the age of 18 experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital each year[1] and about 40% of these events are sports-related[2]. Immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) can double or even triple someone’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association, devoted to changing the future to a world of healthier lives for all, and the Eatonville School District have collaborated on a yearlong project to build a cardiac emergency response plan for each of the five schools in the district. The work was supported by Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital through a donation of American Heart Association CPR in Schools®
with First Aid Training Kits to expand CPR education. A cardiac emergency response plan is a written document that establishes the specific steps to take to prevent death from cardiac arrest in any setting – be it a school, community organization, workplace or sports facility. It outlines who is assigned to the Cardiac Emergency Response Team, confirms key staff are trained in CPR, and ensures AEDs are placed, charged and always available. Further, it requires communication with local emergency medical services, the execution of practice drills and an annual review of the plan. “Cardiac arrest can strike anyone, anywhere, and it’s immediate,” said Chris Anderson, M.D., pediatric electrophysiologist at Mary Bridge Children’s Cardiology. “Having a plan in place to enable school faculty, staff and students to quickly, and correctly, respond to a cardiac emergency increases the chance of a good outcome.” Schools in the Eatonville
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
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new local weekend outing is coming to Orting this month with the launch of the first May-kers Market, a monthly market hosted by The Mercantile. The market will take place May 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 112 Washington Ave. S. in Orting. The event will feature handmade vendors, local makers and food trucks, offering a nearby shopping trip for residents looking for something different without driving into Tacoma or Olympia. For shoppers, the appeal is simple: locally made goods, small businesses and a relaxed market atmosphere. Visitors can expect a mix of handmade items, gifts, décor, crafts, specialty products and food options. It is the kind of event where people can browse at their own pace, pick up something unique and talk directly with the person who made it. The market is also an easy way to make a full outing out of a Saturday. Visitors can stop by the vendor booths, grab lunch from a food truck, walk through downtown Orting and support nearby businesses along the way. With the event running from late morning through the afternoon, shoppers can come early for first pick of vendor items or stop by later for a slower browse. Handmade markets are especially useful for finding gifts that feel more personal than something ordered online. Seasonal décor, home goods, jewelry, art, candles, treats, accessories and small-batch products often make good options for birthdays, graduations, teacher gifts, housewarming presents or a simple weekend splurge. The May-kers Market also gives shoppers a chance to support independent vendors directly. For many small makers, local markets are an important way to build a customer base, test new products and connect with people face-to-face. For visitors, that means the shopping experience can feel more personal than a typical store trip. Organizers recently reopened vendor applications after a few cancellations left additional spaces available, along with one food truck spot. Applications will close once the remaining spaces are filled. The May-kers Market is intended to be the first in a new monthly market series, giving shoppers another reason to visit downtown Orting throughout the season. For anyone looking for a low-key spring outing close to home, the market offers handmade goods, food and a chance to support local makers in one stop.
KATIE G. COTTERILL/NORTHWEST TREK WILDLIFE PARK
Staff Report
orthwest Trek Wildlife Park welcomed two American bison calves in less than a week, marking an exciting start to spring in the wildlife park’s 435-acre Free-Roaming Area. The first calf, a male named Torrent, was born to mother Rainy on May 8 during Mother’s Day weekend. A second calf, whose sex and name have yet to be determined, was born to mother Cloudy on May 13. Both calves are thriving alongside the park’s bison herd. Keepers had been closely monitoring the expectant mothers, who were nearing the end of the typical 285-day gestation period. In keeping with natural bison behavior, both Rainy and Cloudy temporarily separated themselves from the herd to give birth and spend quiet time bonding with their newborns before rejoining the group. “Rainy and Cloudy have both been calm, attentive and very protective mothers,” said McCloskey. “We’ve seen the calves nursing regularly and growing stronger and more confident every day.” Guests can spot the calves alongside the rest of the herd on Discovery Tram Tours, Wild Drives and Keeper Adventure Tours. Their rusty-orange coats and wobbly but increasingly steady legs make them easy to spot among the larger, darker adults as they explore the grasslands close to their mothers’ sides. Newborn bison calves typically weigh between 40 and 50 pounds at birth. “There’s something really special about seeing young calves experiencing the world
AHA Staff Cruiser Pete and South Pierce Fire School District have participated in the American Heart Association’s school programs, the Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge, for over three decades. Part of the program includes HandsOnly CPR education. When the school district learned about the opportunity to further readiness through a cardiac emergency response plan, they signed up and got to work. The American Heart Association provided a template plan and worked alongside each school to ensure they obtained the necessary elements of the plan. The project is now
complete and was celebrated at Eatonville Community Day on Friday, May 1. “Our schools are a community hub,” said Jay Brower, superintendent of Eatonville School District. “It’s important to us that whether you are on campus for a football game, attending a school play or at a community meeting, you know you are safe. We have a plan for earthquakes, extreme weather events and now also cardiac arrest. Our goal is to have every student and staff member ready to respond in the event of an emergency and to then prepare our community members to respond as well.”