Today 3 Rivers Community Foundation (3RCF) delivered more than $30,000 raised by the Valerie McCain Memorial Fund to the Union Gospel Mission for its capital campaign to build a new women and children’s shelter in Kennewick.
The fund was established in honor of former Bechtel Senior Vice President Valerie McCain, who passed away in March of this year at age 53. She led the Department of Energy’s Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant project for Bechtel for four years after a distinguished career with the company. Friends and colleagues from across the United States contributed to the fund in her memory. McCain’s family asked that the Union Gospel Mission receive the funds given her strong beliefs and passion for helping those in need, in particular families. “We are humbled to have been selected to receive this gift and in honor of such an incredible woman and leader,” said Director Andrew Porter. “The new facility is gravely needed to ensure that women and their children can be together in a safe shelter as they recover and rebuild their lives.” The mission has raised $1.5 million for its $9.5 million capital campaign to build a new facility in Kennewick. The current space used for women and children in Pasco can’t accommodate the growing need, is over 100 years old, lacks private space for meeting with counselors, and is in an area with higher crime rates not safe for children. The new women and children’s building will include apartments for women with children; classrooms for programs and training; indoor and outdoor safe play space for children; and office space for counseling. Contributions to the capital campaign can be made online. “We are grateful for the Foundation’s support in establishing this fund in honor of my mom,” said Natalie McCain. “The donation to the Union Gospel Mission will ensure that her legacy of compassion, grit, and generosity lives on. Our family has been overwhelmed with the impact she had on so many in the Tri-Cities community and around the world at other Bechtel offices and projects.” McCain joined Bechtel in 1990, starting as an environmental scientist and cost engineer, and managed projects such as the Uranium Processing Facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the modernization of a 60-year-old aluminum smelter in Canada. McCain joined WTP in October 2018 and led the team of 2,250 employees in completing all construction for the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste facility; transitioning to commissioning and ramping up the commissioning workforce; shifting to a 24/7 operational culture; and nearing heatup of the melter, which occurred in June. About the Organizations The Mission provides support for basic physical needs (food, shelter, showers, clothes) to men, women and children experiencing a crisis; addresses the underlying causes of homelessness and poverty while establishing healthy patterns of living; and supports residents as they transition back into society and establish themselves in the workplace. 3RCF creates opportunities for perpetual charitable giving in Benton and Franklin counties to support nonprofits now and in the future. Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction and project management partner to industry and government. The company celebrated its 125th anniversary this year. It has been a member of the Tri-Cities community for nearly 40 years, and is designing, building, and commissioning WTP for DOE.
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After an extensive search, the Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC) and Energy Forward Alliance (EFA) Executive Committee selected Sean V. O’Brien as the Executive Director. O’Brien is the former Executive Director of the Congressional Western Caucus and previously served as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for Congressman Dan Newhouse (WA-04). Most recently he served as the Eastern Washington Director for Washington Policy Center.
“Sean is an engaging and innovative leader with a deep understanding of the energy arena and our challenges moving ahead with the clean energy transformation,” remarked Bob Schuetz, CEO, Energy Northwest. “Sean’s long-standing relationships with regional community leaders and officials make him a natural choice for this influential role to help the Tri-Cities be recognized as an energy leader,” commented Paula Linnen, EFA Executive Committee Member. In August, it was announced that TRIDEC formed the Energy Forward Alliance (EFA) to achieve a clean energy vision to transform Mid-Columbia communities, lead the region’s clean energy future, and inspire those far and wide to participate in a sustainable future. EFA will focus on the transition to a reliable and resilient clean energy future in the Mid-Columbia region and will build on the Tri-Cities’ legacy of energy leadership, seeking to capitalize on the community’s passion and commitment toward a new energy future. “The expertise and leadership that Sean will bring to this new role will continue the Tri-Cities legacy of helping solve the nation’s most important and impactful challenges,” stated Karl Dye, CEO, TRIDEC. “The need now is for a sustainable future – to not only leave our children and grandchildren with a safe place to raise their own families, but to capture the jobs and economic benefits that embracing a clean energy future will bring to the region. We are excited for Sean to join our TRIDEC team and look forward to him building upon EFA’s mission.” Led by TRIDEC, EFA includes foundational efforts from local businesses, universities, and community leaders and looks forward to working with a broad array of regional partners and collaborators to invent, innovate, and inspire the new energy future. The vision of the Energy Forward Alliance is to deliver a model that inspires communities to participate in a sustainable clean energy future. EFA will accomplish this by utilizing the region’s clean energy leadership, skills, and knowledge to leverage existing technologies as well as development and deployment of new technologies. More information on the Energy Forward Alliance can be found at www.energyFWD.org. About Sean V. O’Brien: Sean V. O’Brien is the former Executive Director of the Congressional Western Caucus, a coalition of more than 80 Members of Congress whose mission is to represent the voices of rural communities from across the country in Washington, D.C. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for Congressman Dan Newhouse (WA-04), where he served as the lead staffer in handling the Congressman’s energy, forestry, and natural resources portfolios. He has specialized in issues including the Hanford nuclear site, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, hydropower, and nuclear energy. Most recently, he served as Eastern Washington Director for Washington Policy Center, a non-partisan free market think tank. O’Brien is a Visiting Fellow with the Mountain States Policy Center. He recently completed the Civic Renewal Fellowship with the American Enterprise Institute where he focused on the rebuilding of civil discourse in institutions and local communities. He studied Political Science at Gonzaga University and is a graduate of AgForestry Leadership Class 43 and the Global Leaders Program at the Slade Gorton International Policy Center. Prosser Memorial Health is excited to welcome Ashley Kristofzski to the Prosser Women’s Health Center team as a certified nurse midwife. Ashley received her BA in Human Development from the University of California, and an MSN from Pacific Lutheran University and Frontier Nursing University. She holds several medical certifications, including Basic Life Support, Inpatient Obstetrics, and Advanced Fetal Monitoring.
Ashley has been with Prosser Memorial Health for a few years as a Labor & Delivery nurse. Now as a midwife, she will be providing care that covers the lifespan of women, from adolescence to menopause. The ability to help women and provide a wider range of care is what drew Ashley to midwifery. Though midwives have a special focus on pregnancy and birthing care, Ashley has found it rewarding to be able to help women through other issues, like family planning, birth control, and teenagers entering adulthood. Ashley will be joining midwives Bailey Padilla and Becky Morris as PMH looks to embrace and invest in midwifery services to provide more options to our patients. With two young children of her own, Ashley and her husband can often be found on the soccer field or just enjoying time with their kids. PMH is proud to have Ashley begin her journey as a midwife with us! To learn more about Ashley and the services she will be providing, or to schedule an appointment, call the Prosser Women’s Health Center at 509.786.0031 or visit us online at prosserhealth.org. Gesa, a community-focused credit union, today announced the recipients of its 2023 Local Heroes Grant Program, which provides grant funds to organizations that support Local Heroes within the community. This year Gesa awarded more than $410,000 in grants to 42 organizations across Washington state. The top awarded organizations received upwards of $50,000 to support their specific needs.
Gesa’s Local Heroes Grant Program provides grants to organizations in the state of Washington that support any of the Gesa’s outlined Local Heroes categories, including firefighters, law enforcement, educators, healthcare workers, and veterans. This year’s recipients were selected by the credit union’s Gesa Community Foundation selection committee. “We view Local Heroes as those that step forward to make our communities better. We need these organizations, and the remarkable dedication demonstrated by this year’s applicants is inspiring,” said Richard Waddle, Executive Vice President of Gesa Credit Union. “We are honored to provide grants to support these Local Heroes and deeply appreciate the invaluable work they do to strengthen our communities and shape a brighter future.” Of the 42 organizations recognized through the Local Heroes Grant Program this year, 17 grants were awarded to educators. Another seven grants were given to organizations supporting healthcare workers. Firefighter and law enforcement departments and organizations were provided a total of 12 grants, six for each Local Heroes group. Another six grants were committed to supporting veteran organizations across the state. A complete list of this year’s program recipients can be found below. Educators
Healthcare Workers
Firefighters
Law Enforcement
Veterans
With every swipe of a Local Heroes co-branded Gesa Visa® Debit Card, Gesa members earn funds designated for grants in that card’s Local Heroes category. Funds accumulate over the course of a year and are disbursed annually by the Gesa Community Foundation. For more information about Gesa’s Local Heroes Grant Program, including eligibility requirements, visit https://www.gesa.com/category/local-heroes/. Tis the Season! The much-loved Yakima Holiday Lighted Parade is back and better than ever. We invite you to help fill the hearts of all ages with the spirit of the holidays. The 24th Annual Yakima Holiday Lighted Parade is scheduled on Sunday, December 3rd, at 6 p.m. This year's Holiday Parade is sponsored by Santa’s elves at Yakima Federal Savings and Loan.
The parade will begin at the Salvation Army, located at the corner of 6th Ave. and Yakima Ave., and proceed down Yakima Ave to 3rd St. where it will join the annual tree lighting ceremony at Millennium Plaza. Judging will take place in the parade staging area from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The entire community is invited to join the parade. Participation is free, but participants are asked to preregister at YakimaParades.com. Participants and spectators are encouraged to wear festive clothing, but are asked not to dress as Santa Claus as SANTA will be making his official arrival known at the end of the parade. Deadline for entry is Midnight, Friday December 1st, 2023. Those with questions about the parade may e-mail them to: [email protected]. Walk-up participants are allowed, but preregistration is strongly encouraged. Yakima Federal Savings and Loan is pleased to announce the donation of the land known as Veterans Park to American Legion Post 73 of Sunnyside on Veterans Day, Saturday, November 11, 2023.
The park, which is located between the bank’s Sunnyside branch at S. 8th Street and Edison Avenue and Jerry Taylor Veterans Plaza, has long been a common-use park owned by Yakima Federal. The donation officially makes it the property of the Sunnyside Veterans group. The land has been appraised at $108,700. At the handover ceremony, Leanne Antonio, President and CEO of Yakima Federal Savings and Loan, commented: “With the donation of this land, Yakima Federal is pleased that what has been known as Veterans Park now truly belongs to the Veterans of American Legion Post 73 in Sunnyside.” “The donation by Yakima Federal Savings & Loan of Veterans Park to Post 73 is a great addition to the Jerry Taylor Veterans Plaza,” remarked Greg Schlieve, Commander of American Legion Post 73. “We will now be able to use a narrow strip of ground alongside the sidewalk to install an Information Booth where visitors can find where a plaque’s been engraved at the Veterans Plaza. With 720 plaques already engraved, we needed a place to set up an Information Booth, and the park will work beautifully for this purpose. We can’t tell you how happy we are to have it. Thank you.” The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veteran’s organization focusing on service to veterans, service members, and communities. Today, membership stands at nearly 2 million in more than 13,000 posts worldwide. Yakima Federal Savings and Loan is Washington State chartered Mutual Savings Bank with 130 employees and over 1.9 billion dollars in assets. Yakima Federal serves more than 55,000 customers with products focusing on checking, savings and home loans. Yakima Federal is open to everyone residing in Washington and Oregon and is a member of the FDIC. Learn more at yakimafed.com. Tri-Cities Chaplaincy is thrilled to invite the community to a special Veterans Day Flag Raising Event on Thursday, November 9, from 1:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m. The event will take place at 1480 Fowler St., Richland, WA, and aims to honor and connect with local veteran community members, organizations, and the dedicated Tri-Cities Chaplaincy staff and volunteers.
Join us as we commemorate the selfless service of our veterans with a meaningful and symbolic flag-raising ceremony. See the American Legion Flag Raising Ceremony thanks to Post 34 of Kennewick-Pasco, led by Captain Chris Trucker and esteemed community veterans. This ceremony will serve as a tribute to those who have served and continue to serve our nation. “Following the flag-raising ceremony, all attendees are invited to the We Honor Veteran Reception & Networking, a fantastic opportunity to engage with local veterans, share stories, and connect with fellow community members,” said Laurie Jackson, Tri-Cities Chaplaincy CEO. “Tri-Cities Chaplaincy is committed to fostering a supportive and appreciative atmosphere for our veterans and their families through our We Honor Veterans program.” Event Details: Date: Thursday, November 9, 2023 Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Location: 1480 Fowler St., Richland, WA For those interested in attending or with any questions, RSVP or contact Jose Mendoza at [email protected]. Your presence at this event is a gesture of gratitude and support for our veterans and their invaluable service to our nation. Tri-Cities Chaplaincy looks forward to coming together with the community to pay homage to our veterans this Veterans Day. Please join us for a day of reflection, camaraderie, and appreciation. It was announced at tonight’s City Council meeting that Mayor Bill McKay had resigned from City Council effective, November 7. The full content of his resignation letter is as follows: November 7, 2023 Mr. McKay was elected to the Council At Large Position 4 (all Wards) in 2018 and was elected as Mayor in 2022.
The Mayor Pro Tem is the administrative lead for the Council in the absence of the mayor. The first council meeting in January would be the normal timeframe for Council to select the next two-year term for both the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem positions. In order to fill the now open Council vacancy until an election is held, notice of the vacancy and the procedures for applying for the position will be forthcoming. The City of Kennewick has a Council-Manager form of government. The City Manager is appointed by the City Council as the chief executive officer of the City and is responsible to the Council for the proper administration of all City business. The Council is comprised of seven Council members, one of whom is appointed by its members to serve as Mayor for two years. Though Chair of the Council and the presiding member at weekly Council meetings, the Mayor has an equal vote with other Council members. Council members are elected by the citizens of Kennewick to serve a four-year term. Council members are part-time elected officials who exercise the legislative power of the City and determine matters of policy. If you will be displaying a Christmas tree at your business either before or after Thanksgiving, we have a community opportunity for you. Bringing community together is what we are all about at Elijah Family Homes, a local Non-Profit serving families recovering from addiction in Benton and Franklin County.
We will be delivering Christmas tags with a child’s age, a need and a want the week of November 20th. Giving yourself, employees, or customers an opportunity to fulfill a child’s wish. All you must do is offer the opportunity by supplying your space. Once they take the gift tag, the details to complete it will be on the back. Please consider partnering with Elijah Family Homes and bring joy to a local child. Reach out to Angela Dryden by November 20th at [email protected] or call 509-943-6610 ext. 110. We will add you to the delivery and answer any questions you have. Gesa, a community-focused credit union, recently expanded its commercial banking product line with five new specialty deposit products created to address the diverse needs of its commercial members across Washington, Oregon, Idaho. Today’s launch is designed to provide businesses and government agencies more choices to serve their commercial banking needs.
Gesa will service these new specialty deposit accounts by their dedicated Commercial Banking team and Commercial Banking Contact Center. The new products join Gesa’s diverse portfolio of business deposits products, treasury management services, and commercial loan offerings. They are specifically designed to assist businesses such as law firms, real estate agencies, property management companies, and government agencies. They include the following:
“Over the last 15 years, Gesa has been fortunate enough to create long-lasting relationships with businesses of all sizes across the Northwest,” said Don Miller, President and CEO of Gesa Credit Union. “We understand that there are unique needs and challenges that small and mid-sized businesses face, and today’s product launch is designed to address that. At Gesa, we believe that with the right tools and resources, we can help businesses and government agencies with their commercial banking needs.” To learn more about Gesa and its commercial banking product offerings, visit https://www.gesa.com/ or call our dedicated Commercial Banking Contact Center at (833) 322-1893. |
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