Jefferson Awards: 121 people who make a difference

They are the 121 people nominated this year for the Jefferson Awards in Washington state. The awards honor the work of individuals in service to others and are sponsored by the Seattle P-I and The Boeing Co.

Five of the nominees will be recognized as Jefferson Award medallion recipients at a CityClub luncheon and profiled in the P-I next Friday. One of the winners will represent the state at a national awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., in June.

A

Benjamin J. Alling, Coulee Dam -- He served for 20 years as volunteer firefighter/EMT fire chief for Coulee Dam, and then 10 years as the community's ambulance director. He also served on the Coulee Dam Council. For 30 years, Alling has used his welding talents to provide volunteer services to a variety of his fellow citizens.

Shelly Ament, Sequim -- A wildlife biologist for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, she has spent 24 years protecting wildlife through her professional, educational and volunteer activities. Her accomplishments include protecting the habitat and monitoring the breeding productivity of bald eagles. Ament has devoted thousands of volunteer hours to public education, public forums and data collection to support and protect wildlife.

Loretta Bonnier Anawalt, Pullman -- Her love of the environment is the driving force to raise the water quality of the south fork of the Palouse River. She is a founding member of the Pullman Civic Trust. Projects she helped organize include the Bill Chipman Trail, Pullman Civic Trust Bulb Sale, the Edward Sheriff Curtis Exhibit, the Pullman River Park, the Pullman Greenway, College Hill -- A Better Tomorrow for Pullman and the Pullman Downtown Riverwalk.

Stan Anderson, Coupeville -- He is a dentist who for 40 years has dedicated his time to volunteer firefighting and training. He has been involved in every position at Central Whidbey Fire and Rescue except chief. He co-founded an innovative program that provides firefighters with annual 150-hour international certification training. Anderson was a reserve deputy for the Sheriff's Office, has been involved with Boy Scouts and is a former member of the Coupeville Town Council.

Jameelah Ayedun, Kent -- The Microsoft Katrina Relief Effort was personal for Ayedun, whose family lives in the South in an area not overly familiar with technology. Ayedun and her co-workers decided to start Project C, an effort to raise money for Katrina Relief and the Red Cross. The effort raised more than $13 million.

B

Laura Jane Bailey, Seattle -- She is president of the United Friends Group Homes in Seattle and spends at least part of each day visiting elderly, homebound and hospitalized individuals. She has served as president of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, a moderator of the Northwest Region of the Christian Church, board member of the Council on Christian Unity, board member of the National Benevolent Association, member of the Administrative Committee of the Christian Church and many other organizations.

Dick and June Barkett, Bellevue-- These two are extremely generous people. For example, when Steve Owens' young son moved from North Carolina to be with Steve, they gave the boy money to buy much-needed school clothes. June volunteers for Meals on Wheels, takes elderly people to doctors' appointments, grocery stores and drug stores and volunteers at a local hospital.

Joanne Benham, Spokane -- For 20 years, she has served as director of the Spokane Regional Youth Department, where she is responsible for the successes of the Chase Youth Commission and the Teen Advisory Council. Her work helped lead Spokane to the recognition by America's Promise as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People in 2005.

John Blackwell, Lake Stevens -- He served on the Lake Stevens Planning Commission from 1985 until 1993, when he was elected to the City Council. Blackwell has also volunteered for the USO at Sea-Tac, the Lake Stevens Food Bank and the American Red Cross, traveling to Florida and Louisiana to help after hurricanes hit those areas.

Harold Gene Booker, Seattle -- A retiree from Boeing, where he was first a chemical engineer and later a lawyer, he has been helping people as a volunteer since he moved to Seattle in 1955. He served nearly 20 years as a commissioner of the King County Housing Authority and currently serves on the board of Wesley Homes Foundation, which raises money to care for the elderly in Wesley Homes who can't afford to stay there without that assistance. He also volunteers for the King County Bar Association's Volunteer Attorneys for People with AIDS.

Chuck and Leila Booth, Auburn -- After 36 years of service to public education, Chuck served eight years as the mayor of Auburn, helping to develop programs such as the Late Night program, Reaching Out Fair, KidsDay, Auburn Youth Council, AmeriCorps volunteers in schools, neighborhood grants for schools and the Cities and Schools Forum. Leila also worked in public education, and then joined the Auburn Noon Lions and the Valley Kiwanis, serving as a Kiwanis president.

Mark Boyar, Seattle -- As a private citizen, he has taken it upon himself to save a beautiful part of the Mountains to Sound Greenway -- the Middle Fork Valley of the Snoqualmie River -- from people who used it for target practice, trashed it with everything from meth lab equipment to couches and made it unsafe for the public to access. For 15 years, Boyar has worked with many varied groups to achieve a peaceful solution to the problems that have plagued a wild stretch of river.

Celeste Brady, Issaquah --She used her expertise as a high school teacher of English as a Second Language in Renton to improve communication with workers at Emerald Downs. Brady also volunteers as a dance teacher at Hazen High School, bringing the rich culture of Mexico to the students. She is also currently involved in bringing a lecture series to the school to serve the Hispanic students and their parents.

C

Ernie Chatters, Seattle -- For 21 years he has been coaching children's basketball teams at the Green Lake Community Center. He teaches children respect for their teammates and self-discipline. As the first African American connected to basketball at the Green Lake Community Center, Chatters played a major role in integrating the center.

John Coney, Seattle -- In 2005, he served as president of the Uptown Alliance, a Queen Anne community group that focuses on quality-of-life issues in the Uptown neighborhood. As president, he arranged for monthly forums on issues of interest to his neighbors, including crime and homelessness, parks, the Seattle Monorail Project and the Southwest Airlines proposal for Boeing Field. Last year, Coney chaired the Queen Anne/Magnolia District Council and Seattle's City Neighborhood Council. (Editor's Note: Coney's name was misspelled in the original version of this story.)

David Corner, Tacoma -- On a visit to Ghana eight years ago, he noticed that much of what people there lacked we have in abundance. That prompted him to form The Gathering Project, a non-profit organization whose mission is to donate household items, student supplies, technology, medical supplies and equipment to countries whose people need these resources.

Mike Crawford, Sedro-Woolley -- Over the years, he has served in a wide variety of positions, including Skagit County port commissioner, Mount Vernon Kiwanis president and Skagit Valley College board of directors. His many community service awards include the Service Above Self-Rotary International Award 2005.

D

Tracey Di Ramio, Newcastle -- She is a volunteer for the Lake Heights Family YMCA, serving as a basketball, baseball and soccer coach. She also volunteers as a den mother for a Cub Scout group. For the past six years, Di Ramio has volunteered for the YMCA Partners with Youth Campaign, raising money to help support youth and senior programs.

B. Timothy Dolby, Tumwater -- The dentist was the primary force behind a drive to establish a dental clinic in Olympia's Union Gospel Mission. The clinic is free and sees low-income patients with no insurance or means to pay for dental care.

Rick Duchaine and Charles Hodge, Mercer Island -- Three years ago, they organized at their own expense an annual weeklong tennis camp in Rainier Valley and the Central Area. At the camp, children are exposed to a brief motivational talk whose message is that they can be successful through hard work and determination. Duchaine and Hodge also serve, respectively, on the pastor-staff advisory board and as the lay leader for the Mercer Island United Methodist Church.

Neil Duncan, Mei Fu Hong, Michael Kokernak and Daniele Rubcic, Seattle -- These four work at the Seattle Animal Shelter, keeping dogs, cats, birds and other small creatures in clean and warm kennels with fresh food and bedding. They wash all of the laundry and dishes, give shots and medications -- all of this before the doors open to the public. They also educate the public about the importance of spaying and neutering and on how to be a guardian to animals. (Editor's Note: Kokernak's name was misspelled in the original version of this story.)

Russ Dyer, Vancouver -- In 2001, his young daughter Alexa died of a malignant brain tumor. Before she died, Dyer and his wife established a fund to support children with a terminal illness and their families. To raise money, he established a weight-loss program in which people pledge to lose pounds and have their friends sponsor their weight loss. The program has raised $50,000 to date, with a long-term goal of $1 million.

E

Henry Eisenhardt, Seattle -- In 1987, he decided to start a program that exposed schoolchildren to chess. Eisenhardt and his volunteer group provided the chess equipment and the instructors to teach the children. The program now reaches 1,400 students at 40 schools.

Dave Eldridge, Stanwood -- He has served as president of the Stanwood Historical Society since 1987. His accomplishments include raising money to build a new museum and rehabilitate an old hall to create a campus known as the Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center. He gives tours of the museum, the town and cemeteries, and educates schoolchildren on the area's history.

Lloyd Evans, Covington -- After retiring a decade or so ago, he met someone at World Relief who asked for help finding furniture for the apartment of an eight-member Kurdish family moving to Seattle. Since that time, Evans has spent 40 hours a week resettling refugees, finding donated furniture and household items for them and just being a friend. World Relief estimates that Evans has collected and/or delivered used furniture worth more than $200,000 to nearly 1,000 families.

F

Doris Feragen, Seattle -- She has been a volunteer at Providence Mount St. Vincent (The Mount) for the past 28 years, providing free mending and alterations for the residents of The Mount and starting The Sewing Ladies with other volunteers she recruited. She donates hundreds of hours a year, and her group runs a shop that sells their handmade items, with all proceeds benefiting the Providence Mount St. Vincent Foundation.

John Edward Forster, Union -- He started the Port Orchard Chamber Military Affairs committee in June 2002 and within nine days the committee adopted the USS Camden. His work included arranging a pen pal program with schools and senior groups to send holiday letters and cards to the Camden. Forster also arranged a partnership between Kitsap Community Resources and the chamber to start a local National Guard Relief Fund.

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William Ganley, Battle Ground -- He has a long history as a Clark County Fire Department volunteer and city of Battle Ground government participant. He serves on the Battle Ground City Council and numerous transportation improvement boards and committees. He coaches high school football and track and organizes activities to support high school athletics and clubs.

Mary Garrison, Winlock -- The president of the South Lewis County Chamber was instrumental in persuading Cardinal Glass to open a new plant later this year in Winlock, which will employ about 240 people. She also worked tirelessly to make sure that Rockmann Development's plans to build 200 new homes in Winlock become a reality. She also has been working with another developer who has a vision for developing the Interstate 5 corridor. Because of her efforts, there is a new excitement and positive energy on the streets of Winlock.

Bill Gendron, Friday Harbor -- He's the founder and volunteer director of Homes for Islanders, a non-profit corporation dedicated to affordable housing in San Juan County through self-help housing projects. He has spent hundreds of hours counseling families, writing grants, organizing projects and moving the non-profit forward.

Dallas Gigrich, Lake Forest Park -- He owns and runs Tanks by Dallas, an oil tank decommissioning company. He delivers the donated oil from decommissioned tanks to needy families to heat their homes. He not only donates his time, but also provides transportation and staffing for this project. During the past 10 years, Gigrich has delivered more than 100,000 gallons of donated oil per year and currently provides heating oil for 180 families.

Barbara Gilles, Seattle -- She is director of educational innovation at the Stuart C. Dodd Institute for Social Innovations in Seattle, an organization that designs and develops scientific think tanks suited to the emerging civilization of the 21st century. She taught for many years in Washington and in Africa, Asia and Europe.

Jane B. Gray, Colville -- Forty-one years ago this long-time resident of Colville co-founded the Mount Carmel Hospital Auxiliary, where she continues to work as a volunteer in various capacities, including serving as scheduler for the auxiliary's 81 members. Gray helps orchestrate an annual hospital fund-raiser. Gray is a member and former leader of a support group at the Colville Public Library known as The Colville Improvement Club.

Mary Griffith, Sequim -- A registered nurse for 32 years in a variety of settings, she founded the Dungeness Valley Health and Wellness Clinic in 2001. She recruited volunteers to assist in the clinic's incorporation process, helped secure funding for the clinic and persuaded medical professionals to volunteer services. From the clinic's founding through the end of 2005, it has had more than over 2,800 patient visits.

Lisa Griffith, Marysville -- She founded Children's Cancer Lifeline, Giving From the Heart, a non-profit organization that helps families with children who have cancer. Griffith's work includes delivering clothing, furnishings and diapers to families in town for treatment. She also works as a family advocate, assisting those who have been close to eviction.

H

Tim Hagan, Seattle -- This hearing specialist has run the A Plus Hearing office in West Seattle for 14 years. If a customer has trouble affording a hearing aid, he finds a way to make sure the customer gets one. Hagan goes to nursing homes, assisted living facilities and private homes to help people who cannot come to his office, and he does not charge for these visits.

Tinka Hall, Bainbridge Island -- She has been instrumental in helping to ensure the vitality and continuity of three public institutions she holds dear: the Bainbridge Island Public Library, the Helpline House and the Bloedel Reserve. Hall is a leading member of The Friends of the Library, serves on the board of directors of Helpline House, and volunteers as a docent for the Bloedel Reserve.

Millie Hamilton, Lakewood -- She has had a positive influence on countless third-graders over the course of her long teaching career. She has spent years as a Brownie and Girl Scout troop leader, building memories of campouts, crafts and community service projects. She also volunteered thousands of hours in the Lakewood Library.

Pat Hamman, Redmond -- He has served almost a decade as Redmond's volunteer city chaplain, spending countless hours supporting and counseling the city's police officers, firefighters and other personnel. This past year, he created the Everyone Pass It On Campaign, which involves a one-hour presentation and discussion about personal disaster preparedness and includes a video, practical handouts and a call to action.

Melinda (Mindy) Hardwick, Lake Stevens -- She taught English and social studies for eight years. When a school's curriculum didn't include classes in writing, she conducted classes after school and offered tutoring for students who wanted to progress further. Last fall, she organized and sponsored the first Young Authors' Writing Contest in Lake Stevens, and she started a 12-step alcoholics group meeting oriented around writing that has continued for nearly 10 years.

Marilyn Hash, Enumclaw -- For more than 10 years, she has led the Citizen's Auxiliary in association with the Enumclaw Police Department. She coordinates the Cops 4 Kids Program, which raises money, collects donations of toys and arranges for the wrapping and delivery of Christmas gifts to hundreds of needy families on the Enumclaw Plateau. She and has helped raise thousands of dollars for cancer research and participates in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life fund-raising walks.

Kenneth Hickman, La Center -- He is an active past president in the La Center Lions and is involved in every activity and function sponsored by that organization. Hickman is a charter member of the La Center Historical Society. He helps with the Christmas tree lighting and toy collection and donations.

Colleen Holman, Sultan -- This officer with the Sultan Police Department helped start C.A.R.E., a school resources program for less-fortunate children in Sultan. She spends much most of her off-duty time soliciting donations of school supplies, athletic shoes and equipment, formal wear and corsages for the school prom, and grants for school-sponsored field trips.

I-J

Dale Jenkins, Airway Heights -- The pastor of Airway Heights Baptist Church was instrumental in getting Airway Heights named as a Project City 2005 with World Changers. As a result, about 110 student volunteers from across the United States spent a week of their summer vacation in Airway Heights helping repair low-income housing projects.

Larry Jenkins, Lacey -- A school bus driver, he founded the non-profit Thurston Group of Washington State, which hosts an annual Students of Color Recruiting Weekend and coordinates a yearly tour of historical black colleges for Northwest students. Jenkins has helped more than 390 students enroll in college and assisted students in securing nearly $6 million in academic and specialty scholarships. He recently started a program called Books on Buses, and has the elementary students on his bus read while he drives them to and from school.

Glenn Johnson, Pullman -- He is a professor at Washington State University and the mayor of Pullman. He has served as president of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce, on the Pullman Regional Hospital Board of Commissioners and as chaplain for the hospital. He co-chaired the Citizen Committee for Public Safety to help pass a bond measure for a new Pullman police station, chaired the Proposition One Committee for the extension into downtown of the Bill Chipman Trail Trial and has been a reader to Pullman's youths at the public library and local schools.

K

Mike Kanter, Tacoma -- He took on the coordination of Lakewood's National Night Out Against Crime, a program that had languished for lack of attention. The result: More than 2,000 citizens now participate in this event. Kanter also is the Lakewood representative on the Pierce County Citizens Corps Council (for disaster preparedness) and the Pierce County Neighborhood Emergency Team.

James Kelly, Seattle -- He is president and chief executive of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle. This past year, Kelly selflessly volunteered his support and assistance to evacuees coming to Washington after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He freely offered the services of his organization and reminded the state of its responsibilities to care for those relocating here.

Kalman Klass, Seattle -- This dentist dedicates his free time volunteering for the SmileMobile, a mobile dental van that travels statewide, providing dental care to children who have no or limited access to services. Recently, Klass helped traveled to Arlington where he served 112 low-income children. He volunteers on committees that help organizations such as the National Foundation for the Handicapped Donated Dental Services Program and DDS with a Heart Day. One afternoon a week Klass opens his private practice to the treatment of low-income patients at no charge.

Thomas Kobayashi, Seattle -- An 89-year-old American of Japanese ancestry, he has been continuously and tirelessly volunteering with The Society of St. Vincent de Paul since 1936 -- meaning he's been doing this for more than 69 years. Even when he and his family were sent to an internment camp in Idaho during World War II, Kobayashi continued to remain active in the society.

Gary Kohlwes, Seattle -- He has served the Renton community as school superintendent and helped pass an $89.6 million construction and technology bond. He also supported Renton Technical College and helped it become an important force in the community. Kohlwes helped create the Renton Community Foundation, which secured $1.5 million in community contributions for the new Ikea Performing Arts Center. He also has been president of the board at Valley Medical Center.

L

Machot Lat, Everett -- Born in Sudan, he became, at age 8, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, a group of orphaned refugees forced from their villages by war to trek hundreds of miles through African wilderness to refugee camps in neighboring countries. Now 24, Lat formed the Southern Sudanese Community of Washington, which helps southern Sudanese refugees and immigrants here become self-sufficient by offering K-12 tutoring, family and job assistance and orientation to American life. He has been accepted as a full-time engineering student at the University of Washington and became the sole caretaker of two nephews and a niece whose parents were killed in Sudan.

Nick and Rose Loveless, Roy -- They spend their retirement running the Roy Fish Food Bank through the Roy Community Church. Under their direction, the food bank has tripled its capacity to feed rural families in need, serving up to 700 people a month.

Kim Loan Lundgreen, Seattle -- Born and raised in Vietnam, she came to the United States in 1975. For the past 10 years, Lundgreen has volunteered at the food bank she helped establish and has visited the elderly to help them with prescriptions and personal needs. Her other volunteer efforts include teaching English as a Second Language and citizenship at the Asian Counseling and Referral Service for the Elderly and donating her time to the Vietnamese Senior Association and Volunteers of America.

M

Marcia Mansfield, North Bonneville -- When North Bonneville organized Seniors Inc., she became a charter member and served as executive secretary for many years. Her duties have included planning weekly programs, promoting the organization to the local newspaper, fund raising, leading a daily seniors' exercise program and delivering meals to those who could not leave home. Mansfield also organized an annual defensive driving course for seniors -- now in its 13th year.

Dale Mar, Auburn -- He is a longtime teacher at Brooklake Christian School. Each year, as a volunteer, Mar writes and produces for a school Christmas program an original play. The play helps students become aware of an important community need and gives the audience a chance to respond to that need. Those helped by Mar's plays include battered women and their children, the abandoned elderly, orphans and orphanages, youths at risk and children still suffering the effects of Chernobyl.

Bob Martin, Davenport -- For 22 years, he volunteered as an ambulance EMT. He serves as the volunteer assistant chief for the fire departments of both the city of Davenport and Lincoln County District No. 5. He also is the volunteer trainer for the Davenport High School football team and is an active member of the school's athletic booster club. Martin's other community activities include serving as past president of the Davenport Lions Club and on the board of the Lincoln County Fair.

Moses Martinez, Tacoma -- Sgt. Moses Martinez had just returned from Iraq and was at the Tacoma Mall in November when a shooting rampage started. With bullets flying, Martinez shielded two small children who had been separated from their father. Once they were safely outside, Martinez re-entered the mall, pulled a victim to safety and administered medical attention before constructing a makeshift stretcher out of a folding table and taking the victim out the back door.

Lori Matsukawa, Seattle -- Most know her from KING/5 television, but Matsukawa is rooted in community service. Her activities include co-chairing a committee to build a Japanese cultural and community center in Seattle, serving on the Association Board of the YMCA of Greater Seattle and organizing the Student Broadcast Project for UNITY.

Beth McCaw, Seattle -- She is a champion for the YWCA Dress for Success Seattle program, dedicating her time to improving the quality of life for women and families in our region. McCaw has been with this program since its inception in 1998 and was instrumental in developing the partnership with the YWCA when the program's future was in doubt.

Therese (Terry) McGourty, Marysville -- She has headed a successful giving program at Landau Associates, where she's worked for nearly 20 years. McGourty manages both the firm's corporate contributions and its matching contribution program, which recently included generous contributions to help victims of the tsunami in South Asia, Hurricane Katrina and local hunger (through Northwest Harvest). McGourty has been involved in raising money for many other charities over the years, including the American Cancer Society.

Karl McKenzie, Metaline -- He has served Metaline and Metaline Falls as a part-time peace officer while holding permanent employment in the Pend Oreille Mines and raising his children. As county commissioner and manager of LaFarge Cement Co., he developed initiatives that brought recognition and improved livelihoods, prestige and civic awareness to his community. When the LaFarge plant closed, McKenzie led the efforts to negate any environmental damage. He also has guided efforts to establish the Selkirk Heritage Byway and link it with other historical preservation efforts.

Alice Mendoza, Bainbridge Island --Fourteen years ago, she and her third-grade students started the "Kids Can Make a Difference" calendar to raise money for the Bainbridge Ometepe Sister Island Association, a group that helps poor residents on the Nicaragua island of Ometepe. Her students have built classrooms, libraries, health clinics and playgrounds. Mendoza also spends much of her time helping her students outside of the classroom, recently taking her only African American student to the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration in Seattle because the student's father was too ill to go.

Susan Michaels and Mark Steinway, Sultan -- They co-founded Pasado's Safe Haven, which has done extraordinary things for the protection and treatment of animals. This includes orchestrating the passage of two cruelty laws, providing a safe haven for "throw-away" animals, rescuing abused animals, neutering and caring for thousands of animals with the organization's mobile van and actively pursuing investigations of animal cruelty.

Michelle Montague, Olalla -- She and her husband have adopted seven children who range in age from 5 to 14. All came from difficult backgrounds, and most have learning disabilities. Despite the challenges, she has created a family environment in which each child contributes to the smooth running of the family unit and receives large quantities of love, comfort, security and devotion.

Ardis Morrow, Poulsbo -- She has been a volunteer member of Poulsbo's Civil Service Commission for three years. She also is an original member of the city's Ad-hoc Committee on Public Transportation, which is responsible for determining public opinion on the perceived need, desire and type of transportation system to be proposed for the state Route 305 corridor. She was instrumental in creating transitional housing in North Kitsap County for battered women and their children through her support of the YWCA-ALIVE program.

Frances Murphy, Edmonds -- She has spent more than 40 years working to preserve open space and protect the environment in Snohomish County. Her elementary school classes raised coho salmon each year, releasing the new fingerlings into local streams. When the project grew too large for the classroom, she obtained funding to construct a small fish hatchery on Lund's Creek. With the city of Edmonds, she founded the Brackett's Landing Foundation to protect Edmonds' beaches, designating them as marine sanctuaries. Murphy also organized the cleanup of the Unocal site, started the Edmonds Citizens Awareness Committee and formed the Friends of Lund's Gulch organization.

N

Stephen and Diana Narramore, Seattle -- They run the Sip and Ship in Ballard. After the recent hurricanes in the South, they offered free shipping for hurricane relief for the whole month of September. As a result, their small shop handled tons of donated goods. The Narramores and their staff wrapped and packaged hundreds of contributions, helped donors unload cars and lift heavy containers and organized hurricane relief boxes in huge stacks.

O

Dan C. Olson, Union Gap -- He served on the Union Gap Park Board and the Union Gap Planning Commission before being elected mayor. While mayor, he and others founded the Union Gap Youth Foundation, which has served 4,000 to 5,000 youths over the past 10 years by allowing them to learn team sports such as football, basketball and baseball. Olson is a member of the Union Gap Council. He also has served on the School Levy Committee and the Sunrise Rotary Club of Yakima.

Andrew Owen, Bremerton -- For his Eagle Scout project, he coordinated the installation of an underground sprinkler system on an open space adjacent to the Warren Avenue Bridge, state Route 303. Thanks to the new sprinkler system, trees planted as part of Owen's project will succeed. Andrew met, planned and coordinated with a number of Bremerton city agencies as well Kitsap Trees, city of Tacoma Public Works-TARGO Team and the state Transportation Department.

P

Eileen Paterno, Puyallup -- In addition to being director of the All Saints Food Bank, she is involved with Mi Casa, a low-income housing program, and participates in the Phoenix Housing Program, which supports families as they transition into permanent housing. Paterno also coordinates the school district and community holiday food drive through the Elks, a program that helps hundreds of families with food and holiday gifts.

Bill Peckham, Seattle -- Although he has had chronic kidney disease for 20 years, that hasn't stopped him from making an incredible difference in the lives of people who live with kidney failure on dialysis. Peckham created the concept of Kidney Expo, a trade show-like event to encourage people with kidney problems and the community to learn more about their health in a fun, interactive environment. He has served as president of Northwest Kidney Centers' Patient's Association for four years, been a trustee of NKC for six years and is now vice chairman of the organization's board, the first patient in that role. He also has raised thousands of dollars for NKC programs.

Gordon Pfister, Renton -- For 47 years, the Seattle schoolteacher has volunteered teaching classes in first aid and CPR to the public. He also volunteers with, among others, the National Parks Service.

Jim Phillips, Walla Walla -- Two years ago, this long-time volunteer of Habitat for Humanity in Walla Walla became the chapter's president. Since then, he has significantly broadened the organization, both in terms of volunteers and local building activities. Phillips also volunteers with the local Home Builders Association and at his church. In November, he was elected to the Walla Walla City Council.

Q

Mariana Quarnstrom, Seattle -- Her community activities include the South Seattle Crime Prevention Council, the South Precinct Advisory Council, Citizen Police Academy, Community Policing Action Council, African-American Community Advisory Council to the Chief of Police, Holly Park Merchants, Rainier Beach Merchants and Community Safety Initiative. She has worked with businesses to make physical improvements on a property in the heart of Columbia City that significantly reduced illegal activities.

R

Tom Rancourt, Chewelah -- On New Year's Eve, a parked vehicle in downtown Chewelah caught fire while its driver was sleeping. Tom, who was walking in the area, came upon the burning car. He rushed to it, discovered the person in the driver's seat and pulled that person to safety. The driver suffered no injuries.

Leo Rhodes, Seattle -- He is a member of the Pima Indian Nation, the Chief Seattle Club and the Seattle Housing and Resource Effort. For SHARE, Rhodes speaks publicly about the need for Tent City as a safe alternative to the streets for the homeless. His presence at Tent City has greatly contributed to its success.

Karen Ridlon, Issaquah -- She founded Eastside Baby Corner, a non-profit organization that collects items used by children from birth to age 12 and distributes them to service providers who work with families in need. These providers, which now number more than 160, include shelters, food banks, public health nurses and social workers. Eastside Baby Corner operates with low overhead; in 2004, it gave away $4 million in goods using less than $170,000 in donations. Items donated to the center are never sold, but are given away free to families in need.

Carmen Rizzardi, Burien -- She has been a volunteer at Bailey-Boushay House for the past four years, faithfully offering her presence and compassion to its residents on a weekly basis. In addition to offering companionship and emotional support, Rizzardi provides residents with transportation to medical appointments. Her positive influence has extended to her teenage daughter, who is now a volunteer there, too.

Mary Robinson, Kent -- She has had 27 foster children, and she has been involved in Brownies, Cub Scouts and Sunshine Girls. She has helped many elderly and infirm people, taking them to doctors appointments, moving in for a period of time with them to care for them and making her home available to people from other parts of the state that need medical care in Robinson's area.

Vuthy Roeun, Seattle -- After learning of a severe lack of medical and fire aid in Cambodia, Roeun co-founded Outreach Emergency Services Program. Roeun recruited paramedics, EMTs, nurses and firefighters, and gathered donations of medical supplies, fire trucks and ambulances, coordinating with a shipping company to have the supplies shipped to Cambodia. In 2002, the program traveled to Cambodia, teaching Cambodian students about fire suppression, first responders and first aid. Roeun continues to travel to Cambodia two weeks every year to recruit and educate on fire safety and first aid.

Jeremy Rothbaum, Bainbridge Island -- He works part-time as an elementary school teacher on Bainbridge Island. He volunteers the rest of his time producing night concerts for every grade level at the school. Rothbaum also writes and produces musicals for children in order to best showcase their talent. Rothbaum ensures that all students take a special part, giving a child who stutters a chance to narrate, for example, and another with behavior problems a chance to be responsible.

Ronald Russo, Tacoma -- He has been a member of the Kiwanis Club of Fircrest for 38 years and club president several times. Through the Kiwanis Club he participates in a variety of community activities. These include Terrific Kids, Park Appreciation Day, Thanksgiving Baskets, Christmas Baskets and Fircrest Tree Lighting. Russo wanted Fircrest to have its own pavilion for city events and family celebrations. So, he pitched the idea to the Fircrest Kiwanis and went door to door to help raise money for the project, which became a reality in 1989 and is called the Ron Russo Fircrest Pavilion.

S

Rita Selin, Seattle -- She has helped organize one of the first food banks in Seattle, been involved in Habitat for Humanity, served on an interdenominational task force for homelessness, raised five children, been a foster parent for hard-to-place teens, served as a community council member in the Fremont and Phinney neighborhoods and as president of the board of the local MS chapter. For the past 10 years or more, Selin has had MS.

Ellen Sime, Mount Vernon -- In 1998, she started Wrap Them in Love, a non-profit organization created to help needy children of the world. It does this by collecting donated quilts and distributing them to children, so they can be wrapped in the love of a quilt. Since it was founded, Wrap Them in Love has provided more than 6,000 children with a quilt. The organization also collects shoe boxes full of gifts to give to people on reservations in South Dakota and Montana.

Bob Simon, Seattle -- As a board member for Northwest Harvest, he persuaded a client to donate 1 million pounds of fish, secured free transportation and fuel and arranged for the delivery of fish to food relief organizations throughout the United States. Simon has also served on the board of Temple Beth Am, helping to reorganize and conduct a successful capital campaign, and served on the boards of the Jewish Family Services, the Rose of Lima and N.O.E.L. House.

Sarab Singh, Kent -- As a young boy, he was discouraged from poetry by his family. However, 20 years later, he is now hoping to cultivate and encourage young readers and writers in the Puget Sound area by publishing Aasra Punjabi English Magazine, the first of its kind in this area. He is hoping to get young readers to contribute, write and pursue their talent.

Ada Snyder, Seattle -- For the past eight years, she has volunteered in the kindergarten class at Olympic View Elementary School, which Snyder herself attended when it was a one-room school. Described by the kindergarten teacher as a "warm blanket around my shoulders," Snyder has helped hundreds of children get a successful start in school. In 1999, the school started the "Ada Snyder Volunteer Award."

Dwight Stevens, Shoreline -- He started the English as a Second Language TalkTimes program at the Mountlake Terrace Public Library. He began the program with a few people from his church association, but the program grew with Korean, Spanish, Russian and Chinese immigrants. Stevens has been running this program for three years and, in addition to helping hundreds of new English language speakers, he has helped these people, through improved communication, feel more comfortable leaving their homes, shopping and becoming a part of their neighborhood.

Steve Stockwell, Bremerton -- What started as a heartfelt gesture to help a grieving father turned into the Washington State Patrol Tissue Donor Program, thanks to this detective. He identified a lack of process for donations from victims of traffic fatalities who don't receive treatment at health care facilities. Stockwell contacted the Northwest Tissue Center, identified and engaged the needed partners, started a pilot program for donations and turned it into a statewide program, all within a year's time. Stockwell is now working with donation agencies and 911 centers in the state to expand the program.

Mark Sussman, Bellevue -- He is one of several volunteers who has been instrumental in updating and improving the city of Bellevue's Emergency Operations Center's Resource Database Project. This project involved updating critical information about the acquisition of resources that potentially would be needed in the event of a major natural or human-caused disaster. Sussman organized a group, most of them retired Boeing managers, who have created a database that could be used for resource acquisition by the EOC. Completing the first phase of this project in 2005, Mark logged well over 1,000 hours of volunteer time.

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Brigitte Tennis, Redmond -- She is the founder and head teacher at Stella Schola Middle School in Redmond. Her integrated curriculum allows students to learn from the past in order to build a strong foundation. 2005 WASL scores show Stella Schola as one of the top schools in the state. In addition, the school's mentor program has taught the students the importance of cooperation, care and citizenship.

Betty Tisdale, Seattle -- She founded H.A.L.O. (Helping and Loving Orphans) in 2000 but before that, she was referred to as "Angel of Saigon" for her tireless work saving orphans of An Lac in Saigon during the Vietnam War. She has established orphanages in Mexico, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Colombia. She still raises money to provide milk, building repairs and sewing machines that enable the natives to make a living. She also established the Dooley Kit, which contains living essentials for children.

Robert Toigo, Sammamish -- He has served as a volunteer within the Little League Baseball and Softball organization for 37 years. He has spent countless hours as a volunteer umpire and coach. Currently, Toigo is assistant district administrator for District 9 Little League Baseball and Softball. He also serves on the West Region Little League Tournament Committee, has raised more than $75,000 hosting the Annual West Region Golf Tournament.

Donald Tomaso, Tukwila -- While in high school, he became a volunteer firefighter and was a major contributor to the volunteer firefighter program's success. He also became one of the community's first EMTs and continues to work in that position for the city. Tomaso has spent countless hours at schools educating students on fire safety. He has also coached basketball, football, soccer and baseball programs.

Paul Tomlinson, Kenmore -- He is the acting life coach supervisor for the Congregations for the Homeless, a single men's shelter. Tomlinson has spent many hours creating a "Life Coaching" program for the shelter residents, helping them with their goals of housing and employment.

Carol Triplett, Camano Island -- She has spent years preserving the natural habitat in Island County through the Friends of Camano Island Parks, which she helped form in 1993. This group promotes the acquisition of new parks and works to protect habitat and forested lands in Island Country. Recently the group renovated the Camano Island State Park Amphitheater, site of summer educational programs. The National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat Program has recognized the 400 households registered in the Friends of Camano Island Parks, making them an official Backyard Wildlife Habitat Community.

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Toni Van Twisk Nelson, Morton -- She is director of services for White Pass Coalition, which provides a variety of services in Morton, including domestic violence and sexual assault counseling and assistance, mental health counseling and children's protective services. As the coalition's leader, Nelson writes and prepares protection orders for victims, and assists in representing them in court. She is on call 24/7 and responds to law enforcements calls for assistance, advocacy and other needed support such as child placement, clothing, bathing, shelter, counseling or just plain hugging.

The Rev. Ron Vignec, Tacoma -- In 1985, he founded the Salishan/Eastside Lutheran Mission. "Pastor Ron" played the key role in revitalizing the Salishan neighborhood in east Tacoma. Salishan is the largest federal housing project on the West Coast. It once was awash in violence, drugs, prostitution and ethnic tensions, but his hard work has helped drop every measurable crime statistic in Salishan by more than half.

Ken Viles, La Center -- He is a Korean War veteran who spent two years as a prisoner of war. He is an active member of the La Center Lions and is involved in every activity and function sponsored by that organization. He is a charter member of the La Center Historical Society who worked to get the society established legally and financially. Viles helped redesign a used float that the city acquired, working tirelessly to get it torn apart and rebuilt so it could appropriately represent the city in parades.

Patricia Voge, Rosalia -- A former high school teacher and librarian, she gives more books away to children than she sells from her store, Pat's Books. Consistently helping her community when funding is not available, she donated 4 tons of bark for the community playground, gave the Friends of the Library the remaining funding needed to finish the new Rosalia Library and donated the remaining money to ensure that the town's 100-year-old clock could be repaired.

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Jean Watley, Tacoma -- She is dean of instruction and student support at Bates Technical College, where she created a job readiness program that serves nearly 600 students a year with a staff of 25-plus employees. She founded and helped run the Northwest Dispatch, a Tacoma newspaper that for 20 years reported on the city's Hilltop community. She founded several Toastmasters clubs, five of them at the McNeil Island Penitentiary, organized what has become an annual Tacoma parade and ethnic feast and served as the moderator for 50 Presbyterian churches in the Olympia Presbytery.

Steve White, Castle Rock -- He is chaplain for the Kelso Police Department and provides chaplain services for two neighboring police departments. According to Kelso's chief of police, White's positive influence on the department can't be overemphasized. He has helped officers through the daily frustrations and stress of modern law enforcement, served as a resource for officers and citizens dealing with traumatic incidents and supported several officers in the aftermath of officer-involved shootings. After Hurricane Katrina, White traveled to the disaster area and was a volunteer chaplain to several small police agencies there.

Ross Walter Wigney, Kirkland -- He and his wife founded an industrial cleaning business that has county and state contracts to clean up meth lab sites after authorities raid them. They also created Meth 411, a one-hour presentation that educates people on the dangers of methamphetamine and provides tools that can be used to help prevent its spread. To date, the Wigneys have made more than 300 presentations to secondary, middle and elementary school students, public safety professionals and government and private organizations.

Nancy Wilson Chang, Edmonds -- She's with the Edmonds Home School Resource Center and knows how to make math fun. In between math lessons, Chang doles out lessons on life, optimism and opportunity. Dubbed by one student "the most amazing math teacher ever," she helps students through laughter and tears. She is a true mentor.

Debbie Winskill, Tacoma -- For the past 13 years she has volunteered at Bates Technical College, where she heads the school's General Advisory Committee, which provides policy and leadership for the nearly 500 advisory committee members of the college's technical programs. Winskill has served for 16 years on the Tacoma School Board and led the board as president five times. She also has served on the Tacoma-Pierce County Safe Streets Board, the University of Puget Sound's Women's League and the Second City Chamber Series Board. She and her husband have helped provide foster care for 24 children.

John (Jack) Wood, Coupeville -- He volunteers with the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisor HelpLine Program, educating consumers on insurance, health care and prescription drug access, and avoiding fraud. Last April, Wood stepped into the role of volunteer coordinator at Senior Services of Island County when budget constraints threatened the discontinuation of HelpLine program with that organization.

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Marlin and Laura Yoder, Medical Lake -- They founded the Household of Faith, a discipleship house for men, in 2005. The purpose of this Spokane organization is to create a clean, safe environment for men in transition. To date, about 65 former inmates have entered Household of Faith, and the success rate in their transition from lockup to working, productive members of society is close to 75 percent. Additionally, as a general contractor Yoder hires as many of the men as possible to provide job training and experience.

Vada Ziegler, Algona --At 93 years old, she is retiring this year as executive director of the Algona/Pacific Food Pantry. Besides helping organize the pantry in 1993, she has been instrumental in its growth. It now serves up to 600 households a month. Between 1999 and December 2005, the pantry distributed 811,294 pounds of food in the community.

James and Donna Zimmerman, Kirkland -- The dentist and his wife are longtime supporters of Seattle's Union Gospel Mission. Realizing the need for dental treatment in the community the mission serves, the couple worked with the mission in 1995 to found a dental clinic. He also volunteers once a week at the 1,500-square-foot facility, which includes three fully equipped dental stations, X-ray equipment and a waiting area.

THE JUDGES

Five people will be selected from this nomination list to receive Jefferson Award medallions honoring their contributions to community service. They will be profiled in the Seattle P-I next Friday, the day they are recognized at a CityClub luncheon. That luncheon will be from noon to 1:45 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1113 Sixth Ave., Seattle. The public is invited. The cost is $45. Call CityClub at 206-682-7395 or e-mail cityclub@seattlecityclub.org for tickets and information.

The awards, sponsored this year by the P-I and The Boeing Co., have honored community involvement in Washington state since 1977. The program was founded in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Sen. Robert Taft Jr. and Sam Beard to recognize the special dedication, sacrifices and significant accomplishments of individuals in service to the American people. The awards also strive to motivate new leaders in public service.

This year's Jefferson Award judges are:

Dr. Tom Hansen, president and chief executive officer of Children's Hospital.

Wally Walker, president and chief executive of the Seattle Sonics and Storm.

Betty Spieth, a representative of CityClub and owner of a Bellevue public relations firm.

Dr. Mildred Ollee, president of Seattle Central Community College.

Katherine Barnett, human resources manager of the Seattle P-I.

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