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WWW.VALLEYRECORD.COM Snoqualmie Valley Record • March 25, 2015 • 11 Best of 2015 Snoqualmie Valley A supplement to the Snoqualmie Valley Record Look inside to see your voting results!
Transcript
Page 1: SVR Special Pages - Best of the Valley 2015

WWW.VALLEYRECORD.COM Snoqualmie Valley Record • March 25, 2015 • 11

Best of2015

Snoqualmie Valley

A supplement to the Snoqualmie Valley Record

Look inside to see

your voting results!

Page 2: SVR Special Pages - Best of the Valley 2015

WWW.VALLEYRECORD.COM12 • March 25, 2015 • Snoqualmie Valley Record

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FIND ALL YOUR PROJECTNEEDS AT ACE

• Nursery & Garden Center• Lawn & Landscape• Paint & Sundries• Sporting Goods• Pet Supplies• Hardware• Much More!

Hardware

North Bend Ace Hardware330 Main Ave. S. in Mt. Si Village

425-888-1242

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Nursery & Garden CenterLawn & Landscape

Thank you for voting

for us!

Snoqualmie ValleyBEST OF 2015

Best Home-based Business:

Heritage Gifts Denise Atkinson’s Heritage Gifts jewelry studio is a

space where genealogical magic happens. “I am a genealogist and went to the University of

Washington for the genealogy and family-history pro-gram twice,” Atkinson began. “Genealogy and my heri-tage are really important to me because I grew up with my grandparents and my great grandparents and all their stories.”

Atkinson, a Chicago native who said her heart has always been in Seattle, started her business with 40 pieces of clay jewelry and, once she sold them all, started work-ing with other materials. She crafts traditional and state-ment pieces, sometimes made from up-cycled materials like spoons and forks found at yard sales, on Craigslist or through trades. Customers also directly bring her senti-

mental silverware to turn into jewelry for their children, a true testament to the “Heritage” in the store’s name.

“The old saying in Chicago was, ‘Use everything but the squeal,’ because my grandparents were from the old stockyard neighborhood and they never wasted any-thing. So, I try to come up with different ideas for how to use every piece.”

Atkinson works at Two Rivers School and the Si View Community Center, but she said she started her jewelry business roughly four years ago as part of her five-year plan to try to build a jewelry business while easing into retirement. She said what she hopes people take away from her pieces are simply nostalgia and quality.

“I think people like it when they see it, it brings them back just a little bit,” she stated. “It makes them feel like home, or when they were a kid.”

Atkinson sells her pieces at farmers markets and local businesses like the Black Dog Cafe. She said she’s received a lot of support as a businesswoman and has been invited to be an Artisans for Action at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup this year.

“There’s lots of entrepreneurship (in the Valley),” she stated, mentioning photographer Mary Miller and The Healing Garden Massage Therapy owner Heather Ryan. “I see the community going towards and artsy kind of feel.”

Best Park: Si View Metro Parks

Si View Park and Community Center was again our read-ers’ choice for the Best Park in the Valley. The 76-year-old facility is a hub for many community events, including the Festival at Mount Si, or Alpine Days, if you prefer, so we asked what makes Si View so special.

“If you or your family have been a long-time Snoqualmie Valley resident, then Si View is typically associated with a positive memory in your life,” said Si View recreation program supervisor Minna Rudd. “Time and time again, residents stop by our office sharing childhood memories of swim lessons, basketball games and community celebra-tions, activities they experienced in their youth and are now eager to share with their grandchildren!”

It doesn’t hurt that, as a special purpose district, Si View and its staff are entirely focused on providing great parks, both in service and in facilities, to the public.

“We are thrilled to see our community grow and thrive, and both our staff and elected officials are committed to enhancing the quality of the community’s life through rec-reation programs,” said Rudd.

Allyce Andrew / Staff Photo

Heritage Gifts owner Denise Atkinson is surrounded by her crafting materials insider her North Bend studio.

File Photo

A mom gives her son a push on the zipline at Si View Park.

Page 3: SVR Special Pages - Best of the Valley 2015

WWW.VALLEYRECORD.COM Snoqualmie Valley Record • March 25, 2015 • 13

b i r c h e s h a b i t a t

Open everyday 425-292-9390, Birches 202 North Bend Way

“Thank you”dance from us to you!

WOW! BEST STOREBEST GIFTS

BEST OWNERS

We are very grateful for each & every vote of confidence you gave us.

The beauty of this valley is surpassed only by the beauty

of the people within it

Open everyday 425-292-9390, Birches 202 North Bend Way

“Thank you”dance from us to you!

Open everyday 425-292-9390, Birches 202 North Bend Way

We are very grateful for each & every vote of confidence you gave us.

The beauty of this valley is surpassed only by the beauty

of the people within it

WOW! BEST RETAILER& BEST UNIQUE GIFTS

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(425) 888-2301234 E. North Bend Way • North Bend

Check out our new Expanded Menu

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Thanks For Voting Us‘Best Burger in the Valley’

since 2004!

Serving goodfast food since 1951

www.thenurseryatmountsi.com42328 SE 108th St. North Bend

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COME SEE US SOON!Plants-Pottery-Gifts-Events

425-831-2274

Thanks for voting for us in the

Best of the Valley!Bring in this ad for a

Free pak of veggies or flowers!

1% Listing Fees - 100% Full Service! Buyer Bonuses

Why Pay More?

Tonya EliasonReal Estate Professional

Specializing in the Snoqualmie Valley425.831.5721

231 Bendigo Blvd • North Bend [email protected]

www.TonyaEliason.com

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Thank you for voting us #1 Hair Salon in Snoqualmie Valley!

7984 Falls Ave. SE • Snoqualmie • 425.888.4888

We appreciate your support and business!

Best Pizza: Frankie’s

Pizza Valley monuments are pretty

obvious: Mount Si, a roving elk herd, the Snoqualmie Falls – but when talking to residents about Frankie’s Pizza, it’s hard not to group it with local landmarks.

Frankie’s Pizza opened in 1988 and is currently owned by Jim and Frankie Westlake and Chris Garcia, who started working there in 1989.

“(We) work hard,” said Garcia of North Bend. “We have great people who work for us and it’s a fun business to be in. It has its challenges at times, but so does everything.”

Frankie’s Pizza serves tra-ditional and gourmet pizzas, ranging from cheese to elab-orate pesto pies. What start-ed as a Valley staple eventu-

ally spread to Issaquah, Maple Valley, Enumclaw and Bonney Lake.

When asked why Frankie’s has a special place in the hearts of Valley locals, Garcia attributes the love to quality service.

“We try to make quality pizza and offer good service and just try our best,” Garcia continued. “We’re not perfect. If we mess up, we just try to make it right with people and work hard.”

Although serving a quality product is an obvious, essential quality for an award-winning

business, most attribute Frankie’s fame to sheer community service and generosity. Frankie’s Pizza sponsors two $500 scholarships for Mount Si High School gradu-ates annually and donates to so many events that Garcia can't list them all.

“I think that we do a pretty good job of giving back,” he said. “We do a ton of donations, scholar-ships, community volunteer work — we’re pretty active in the com-munity and I couldn’t even tell you how many things we sponsor.”

North Bend’s manager Heidi

Ayres has worked in the ser-vice industry for 10 years; she’s a Bainbridge Island native, but spent years traveling before she and her husband decided to move to the Valley.

“He’s honestly one of the best bosses I’ve ever had,” Ayres said of Garcia. She also praised his co-owners. “They really care about the community, which is nice because, with all of the traveling I’ve done, I haven’t had the chance to get to know a community. So, it's like we actually have a place here, we feel like we have roots.”

Allyce Andrew/Staff Photo

Left: Frankie’s Pizza’s North Bend store manager Heidi Ayres preps for a busy Friday night on March 20. Above: A pizza-box still life at Frankie’s Pizza in North Bend.

Page 4: SVR Special Pages - Best of the Valley 2015

WWW.VALLEYRECORD.COM14 • March 25, 2015 • Snoqualmie Valley Record

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425.888.15419010 BOALCH AVE SE • SNOQUALMIE

www.mtsigolf.com

Thanks for voting us Best Golf Course 2014

MOUNT SI GOLF COURSE

Snoqualmie ValleyBEST OF 2015

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uhaul.comuhaul.com

www.snoqualmieridgestorage.com

CONGRATULATIONS MT. SI DEBATE TEAMS2015 Washington State Speech and Debate

First Place and Second Place Trophy WinnersSweepstakes Trophy Winners for most wins in the season

(Left to right Dana Korssjoen, Ruary Thompson - SECOND PLACEKevin Pusich, Ryan Hartman - FIRST PLACE TROPHY)

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142 Main Ave. N. • North Bend425.888.0867

We are honored by your support!Thank you for Voting

BUSINESS

Financial ServicesWinner: Sno Falls Credit Union Finalists: Opus bank; Jeff Warren, State Farm Insurance Agent

HandymanWinner: Ty Olson-Ty’s Handyman Service Finalists: Troy Hallamore; Mr. K’s Construction Inc

Hardware/ Home & GardenWinner: North Bend ACE Hardware Finalists: Carmichael’s True Value; The Nursery at Mount Si

Home Cleaning ServicesWinner: The Cleaning Authority Finalists: Louise Wall-Northwest Premium Services; TIE - Alana Clark and Atomic Cleaning

Home-based BusinessWinner: Denise Atkinson, Heritage Gifts Finalists: Mary Miller Photography; Mr. Milo’s

InsuranceWinner: Hauglie Insurance Agency, Inc. Finalists: Jeff Warren, State Farm Insurance Agent; Ken Rustad, State Farm

Real Estate AgencyWinner: John L Scott Finalists: The Cascade Team; Re/Max Integrity

Real Estate AgentWinner: Tessa Wyrsch, John L Scott Finalists: Don Bleha, RE/MAX Integrity; David Cook, Cook RE

RetailerWinner: Birches Habitat Finalists: North Bend ACE Hardware; Selah Gifts

StorageWinner: Cascade Heated Self Storage Finalists: Ole Cedar Mill Mini Storage; Snoqualmie Ridge Storage

Tax ServicesWinner: Brown and Sterling, Attorneys at Law Finalists: Krona & Krona, CPAs; H&R Block

Unique GiftsWinner: Birches Habitat Finalists: Selah Gifts; Down to Earth Flowers + Gifts

FAVORITES

Children’s ActivityWinner: Si View Metro Parks Finalists: IGNITE Dance & Yoga; Kidz Bounce

GolfWinner: Mount Si Golf Course Finalists: Cascade Golf; TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge

Organization to JoinWinner: Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce Finalists: Snoqualmie Valley Relay for Life; Sallal Grange

Place for Family Outing Winner: Rattlesnake Lake Finalists: North Bend Farmers Market; Cedar River Watershed Education Center

FOOD/ ENTERTAINMENT

Bar Winner: North Bend Bar & Grill Finalists: The Pour House; Snoqualmie Falls Brewery

Brunch Winner: North Bend Bar & Grill Finalists: Mount Si Golf Course; Salish Lodge and Spa

Coffee Winner: Huxdotter Specialty Coffee Finalists: Pioneer Coffee Roasting Company; Wanted Espresso

Dessert Winner: George’s Bakery Finalists: Scott’s Dairy Freeze; The Swirl

HamburgerWinner: Scott’s Dairy Freeze Finalists: North Bend Bar & Grill; Herfy’s Burger & BBQ

Happy HourWinner: North Bend Bar & Grill Finalists: The Attic at Salish Lodge and Spa; The Pour House

International CuisineWinner: Got Rice Finalists: TIE - Trapper’s Sushi and Yum Yang; Gianfranco Ristorante Italiano

Live Music Winner: Boxley’s Place Finalists: The Black Dog; Raging River Cafe

Pizza Winner: Frankie’s Pizza Finalists: Papa Murphy’s Pizza; Uncle Si’s Pizza

RestaurantWinner: North Bend Bar & Grill Finalists: Woodman Lodge Steakhouse and Saloon; Boxley’s Place

Romantic PlaceWinner: The Attic at Salish Lodge and Spa Finalists: Gianfranco Ristorante Italiano; Salish Dining Room

Best ofSnoqualmie Valley

Page 5: SVR Special Pages - Best of the Valley 2015

WWW.VALLEYRECORD.COM Snoqualmie Valley Record • March 25, 2015 • 15

THANK YOU for supporting the Valley!

AUTO ● HOME ● LIFE ● BUSINESS ● FLOOD

1276683

w w w . f a r m e r s a g e n t . c o m / k h a u g l i e w w w . f a r m e r s a g e n t . c o m / k h a u g l i e w w w . f a r m e r s a g e n t . c o m / k h a u g l i e

T h e H a u g l i e I n s u r a n c e A g e n c y h a s o v e r 1 8 5 y e a r s o f c o m b i n e d e x p e r i e n c e h e l p i n g f a m i l i e s a n d b u s i n e s s e s p l a n a n d p r o t e c t t h e i r f u t u r e .

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Fall City Branch 33410 SE Redmond-Fall City Rd

(425) 222-5881

Snoqualmie Branch 8150 Railroad Ave SE, Ste D

(425) 888-0016

Duvall Branch 15315 First Ave NE, Ste 215

(425) 788-9176

SERVING THE SNOQUALMIE VALLEY FOR 30 YEARS

h e l p i n g f a m i l i e s a n d b u s i n e s s e s p l a n a n d p r o t e c t t h e i r f u t u r e .

“Thank you for your votes in the ‘Best of the Valley’ and 17 years

of Loyal Support!” ~ The NBBG crew

888-1243145 E North Bend Way • North Bend

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North Bend Chevrolet

Thank you for voting for us in the Best of the Valley!

106 Main Ave N. • North Bend

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425.888.0781CHEVYOUTLET.COM

Snoqualmie ValleyBEST OF 2015

FIND NEW ROADS

Reader’s choice awards: winners and finalists

HEALTH

Chiropractic Winner: Straight Chiropractic Finalists: Brad Kaasa; Alpine Chiropractic

Dentist Winner: Kelly GarwoodFinalists: Kerry Bailey, Alpine Dental Care; Dr. Browning

Doctor Winner: Dr. Maurice Doerfler Finalists: Mark Kasper; Dr. Dean Steele

Fitness Venue Winner: Mt Si Sports + Fitness Finalists: Snoqualmie Valley YMCA; Si View Metro Parks

Licensed Massage TherapistWinner: Heather Ryan, Healing Garden Massage Finalists: Aimee Bahr LMP, Edge PT & Rehab; Nicole Braithwaite

Physical TherapyWinner: Peak Sports/John Zanas Finalists: Edge Physical Therapy; North Bend Physical Therapy

LIVING

Best Local Farm Winner: The Nursery at Mount Si Finalists: Remlinger Farms; Bybee-Nims Farms

Best ParkWinner: Si View Park Finalists: Centennial Fields; EJ Roberts

Favorite EventWinner: Festival at Mount Si Finalists: North Bend Block Party; Snoqualmie Railroad Days

Place of WorshipWinner: Snoqualmie Valley Alliance Church Finalists: Our Lady of Sorrows; Cascade Covenant

Place to WorkWinner: Sno Falls Credit Union Finalists: TIE - Edge Physical Therapy & Rehab and Frankie’s Pizza; Si View Metro Parks

PreschoolWinner: North Bend Montessori, Inc. Finalists: Spark-IGNITE Dance and Yoga; Rooster Valley Farm School

PEOPLE

City Councilor or MayorWinner: Ken Hearing, North Bend Mayor Finalists: Matt Larson, Snoqualmie Mayor; David Cook, North Bend Councilman

City EmployeeWinner: Gina Estep, North Bend Finalists: Mark Pray, North Bend; Steve McCulley, Snoqualmie

Community VolunteerWinner: Bev Jorgensen Finalists: Nels Melgaard; Danny Kolke

FirefighterWinner: Bob Venera, North Bend Finalists: Brian Busby, Snoqualmie; Darby Summers, Snoqualmie

CashierWinner: Roger Cleven, QFC North BendFinalists: Richard Sparks, QFC; Liaqat Ahmed Sheikh, Safeway

Local Non-ProfitWinner: Encompass Northwest Finalists: Snoqualmie Food Bank; Boxley Music Fund

Police OfficerWinner: Sean Absher, SnoqualmieFinalists: Steve Mculley; Kim Stonebraker

Store OwnerWinner: Chris Garcia, Frankie’s Pizza Finalists: Wendy Thomas, Carmichael’s; Nancy Wray, Birches Habitat

TeacherWinner: Sally Rankin-Gabel/North Bend Montessori Finalists: Katie Bergerson, SPARK/Ignite; TIE - Kim Sales, Mount Si High School, and Tricia Benson/Jen Ward, Rooster Valley Farm School

SERVICES

Auto ServicesWinner: Chaplin’s North Bend Chevrolet Finalists: North Bend Automotive; Model Garage

Hair SalonWinner: Bella Vita Spa & Salon Finalists: TIE - Delphinium Salon, Hair Ink; Destiny by Design

Law FirmWinner: Brown and Sterling, Attorneys at Law Finalists: Pearson Law Firm; Law Office of David Speikers

NailsWinner: North Bend NailsFinalists: Nice Nails; Tip Top Nails

Pet GroomingWinner: Mt Si Pet Salon (ACE)Finalists: U-Dirty Dog!; Pet Place Market

PhotographerWinner: Mary J. Miller Photography Finalists: TIE - Christy Trotto Photography, Joy Baumsgard, Photography by Joy; Brenda Huckle, Genuine Image

Senior Health CareWinner: Sno-Valley Senior Center Finalists: Red Oak Residence; Mount Si Transitional Health Center

Service StationWinner: Wyrsch’s Shell Finalists: Safeway Gas; Chaplins North Bend

VeterinarianWinner: North Bend Animal Clinic Finalists: Dr. Mike Treuting; Snoqualme Ridge Veterinary Hospital

Page 6: SVR Special Pages - Best of the Valley 2015

WWW.VALLEYRECORD.COM16 • March 25, 2015 • Snoqualmie Valley Record72

7580

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We are accepting patients of

all ages

Dr. Brian Mayer DDS

425.888.2703www.rivertreedental.com38700 SE River StreetSnoqualmie

RiverTree Dental Care

Cosmetic and Preventative Dental Care

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Regist #TYSHAH945NA mail: [email protected]

Ty OlsonHome: 425-888-1289

Cell: 425-417-7697

Locally Owned

NO JOB TOO SMALL!!!Trim • Carpentry

Dry Wall • PaintingTile • Home Repairs

Remodels • Etc.

Ty’s Handyman Service

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“VOTED BEST HANDYMAN 2015”

Contact Us Today and Experience The Cleaning Authority Difference.

425-292-9643 SnoqualmieValley.TheCleaningAuthority.com

Life’s Too Short...To Clean Your Own Home!

“Like” us on Facebook and receive $25 oFF your initiaL cLean!

Offer valid for new customers only. Existing customers can call for special incentives. Only valid in participating areas. Not valid with any other offer.

Contact Us Today and Experience The Cleaning Authority Difference.

425-292-9643 SnoqualmieValley.TheCleaningAuthority.com

Life’s Too Short...To Clean Your Own Home!

“Like” us on Facebook and receive $25 oFF your initiaL cLean!

Offer valid for new customers only. Existing customers can call for special incentives. Only valid in participating areas. Not valid with any other offer.

Thank You for voting us Best House Cleaning Service since 2012

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Contact Us Today and ExperienceThe Cleaning Authority Difference.

425-292-9643 SnoqualmieValley.TheCleaningAuthority.com

Snoqualmie ValleyBEST OF 2015

NOW HIRING: to apply please call 425-292-9643

or go to http://www.workenders.com/

Application-Cleaning-Authority-NorthBend.htm

Best Farm: The Nursery

at Mount Si

Nels Melgaard said the Nursery at Mount Si started from a simple sign, planted 17 years ago: “Plant Sale, 1 Mile.”

Melgaard’s nursery has arguably the best view of the mountain from a North Bend businesses’ doorstep, but he said that wasn’t planned because, frankly, neither was his award-win-ning business.

In search of land, Melgaard and his wife, Anne, a school teacher, moved here from Maple Valley in the early 1980s. They began Fortune Farms, an organic produce farm, and transitioned into orna-mentals and away from farmers markets around the time their second child was born.

“Even years before when I started the nursery,” Melgaard began, “when I moved out here, I had about three trailer-loads of pots in my front yard of things I dug from my other property, so people were stopping, right as we moved in (and asking), ‘Are you starting a nursery or something?’ It wasn’t even really on my radar.

“I was working con-struction at the time and selling real estate and then I met some people who had a small, organic vegetable farm and I got some greenhouses... it just evolved. I never set out with a business plan… it just happened.”

The nursery sources its plants almost exclusively from mom-and-pop grow-ers in Oregon, what he described as the “mecca” of commercial, wholesale nurseries. Melgaard said they’re a grower-direct nursery, which means they take rooted cuttings and repot them. People can also bring their own pots and wish lists and they’ll make specialized displays.

He’s quick to note that working in a nursery isn’t spending your days smell-ing the roses. Melgaard said they make 90 percent of their income from March to June and described a typical work day as a high-mainte-nance retail environment.

People “think it’s kind of

passive and you just get to tip-toe through the tulips, but it’s ball-busting, con-stant work… You’re fight-ing the elements all the time. North Bend’s very unforgiving at times and we get stuck in the wet and rain.”

When asked why he thinks the Valley has been so receptive to the nurs-ery, he said it’s thanks to his knowledgeable staff, although he said the sup-port of his wife’s stable

income during the eco-nomic downturn kept his business from going under.

He also organizes sum-mer concerts and evening events to keep the commu-nity engaged.

“(The nursery’s) kind of a minor institution, I guess,” he stated. “We’ve got a great customer base, but it’s a tough business… We’re the upper-Valley plant place, and we don’t take that for granted.”

Allyce Andrew/Staff Photo

Staff at North Bend Animal Clinic are voted the Best Veterinarian for the second year in a row in the annual Best of the Valley voting. Pictured from left are Jeninne Nelson, Natasha Montgomery, KC Knudson and Terry Botulinski.

Top: Allyce Andrew/Staff Photos

Right: Courtesy Photo

Top: The Nursery at Mount Si founder Nels Melgaard stands inside of his green-house among a plethora of perennials. Right: Nursery staff work on the grounds.

Best Vet: North Bend Animal Clinic

Best Community Volunteers: Bev, Nels, DannyThese people don’t need last names any more. The dedicated locals who consistently make the list for readers’ choice of Best Community Volunteer have become household names. There’s Bev Jorgenson, a North Bend resident and chairperson for the Valley’s Relay for Life event. “I want to be a volunteer, that’s my passion,” she said. “I want to help. If I could afford to just be a volunteer and not do anything else, then I would devote my life to that.” And there’s Nels Melgaard, who you’ve already read about as owner of the Best Farm in the Valley, The Nursery at Mount Si. Melgaard wears many hats in the community, including business owner, Grange board member and wrestling coach, although he’s had to limit his activities for health reasons. He doesn’t deny very many requests. “If my name is synonymous with The Nursery at Mount Si, well the Nursery doesn’t say no often to any organization that wants to do something,” he said. And there’s Danny Kolke, creator of the acclaimed Boxley’s Place, Boxley Music Fund, and two of the Valley’s newest big events, the North Bend Jazz and Blues Walks. It all centers on music for Kolke, a professional musician himself. He created the Boxley Music Fund to support live music events, and his restaurant hosts student performances every week, in addition to live music every night. He said he started the club almost six years ago, because there weren’t many jazz clubs that kids could go to. “Our goal with the music fund is to support the community,” he said.

Page 7: SVR Special Pages - Best of the Valley 2015

WWW.VALLEYRECORD.COM Snoqualmie Valley Record • March 25, 2015 • 17

249 Main Ave South • North Bend(Across from Ace Hardware & Huxdotter Coffee)

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www.frankies-pizza.com

425.888.4477

Thank you for voting for Frankie’s Best Pizza for the last 12 years.

Snoqualmie ValleyBEST OF 2015

249 Main Ave South • North Bend(Across from Ace Hardware & Huxdotter Coffee)

1277

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www.frankies-pizza.com

425.888.4477

Thank you for voting us BEST PLACE TO WORK.

We are grateful to our employees who make it a great place to work!

Snoqualmie ValleyBEST OF 2015

Celebrating 26 Years in the Valley!

Experience Excellence in Massage TherapyOpen 7 days a week

Swedish Relaxation Massage Deep Tissue Massage ~ Sports Massage

Hot Stone Massage ~ Pregnancy Massage Myofascial Release ~ Massage Cupping

Auto Accident Claims Accepted (PIP)

Voted Best in The Valley since 2009

Thank you for your continued support! Heather Ryan, LMPLicense #MA00024159

Martina Kowalke, LMPLicense #MA60110624

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License #MA60250150

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Best Firefighter: Bob Venera

Bob Venera, longtime firefighter in North Bend and recently transferred to Issaquah, was top of the list in the votes for firefighters in the 2015 Best of the Valley reader survey.

It’s not a new spot for the 20-year veteran of North Bend’s Station 87. He was a winner in 2011, as well.

Venera grew up in the Valley, graduating from Mount Si High School in 1981, and watching the community change dramatically over the years.

“A few big (changes) stand out,” Venera wrote in an e-mail message to the Record. “Going from mainly volunteer — it was just my dad (Jerry Venera, a firefighter for 10 years and eventually the North Bend Fire Chief ) and Tom Needham as the paid crew — to career personnel, starting of the paramedic unit to today having two paramedics. North Bend and the Upper Snoqualmie Valley are so lucky to have a medic unit stationed there. And (building) the new fire station.”

He’s also seen a few big incidents, such as the explosion in North Bend last spring, and the Nov. 24, 2011, apartment fire that injured two people and dis-placed dozens of residents for the holidays. He received one of Eastside Fire & Rescue’s first-ever awards, a life-saving award, for his actions at that fire.

“I just happened to be driving past and saw Snoqualmie Fire (the North Bend engine was on a separate CPR call on I-90) just arriving, so I stopped to help them. Once the fire was knocked down, I was getting ready to leave, when a KCP officer ran around the corner and said a women was having a heart attack. So we went back there and started CPR and we revived her.”

He had a few role models in his career, including Scott Foster and Ken Alm, both firefighters who retired earlier this year. “Combined they had somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 years in the fire service,” Venera wrote.

“Scott was a longtime volunteer with Snoqualmie, a fire dispatcher and then a paid firefighter. Ken was originally hired by my dad with the North Bend Fire Department. He finished his career as a lieutenant with Eastside Fire and served a long time at the station on the North end of the Pine Lake Plateau.”

Asked what one thing he would like everyone to know about fire prevention and safety, he had a ready answer.

“Hands down smoke detectors save lives. That’s an easy one.”

Carol Ladwig/File Photo

Venera, third from right, tours the fire station in 2013, with other crew members, from left, Nick Parker, Bud Backer, John Baxter, Larry DeGroen, Venera, Craig Hooper, and Cody Ramstad.

Page 8: SVR Special Pages - Best of the Valley 2015

WWW.VALLEYRECORD.COM18 • March 25, 2015 • Snoqualmie Valley Record

Thank You!To the corporations, businesses, and organizations whose sponsorship made the

SVSF Small Hands to Big Plans fundraising luncheon a tremendous success!

Aahar an Indian Eatery • Bobbi Harrison Real Estate • Brown & Sterling, PS

Carmichael’s True Value Hardware • Chaplin’s North Bend Chevrolet

Chief Kanim Middle School PTSA • D Square Energy Systems • Fall City Elementary School PTSA

Frankie’s Pizza • Newport Hills Chevron • Puget Western, Inc. • Scott’s Dairy Freeze

Snoqualmie Ridge ROA • Snoqualmie Valley Kids Dentist • Snoqualmie Valley YMCA

SnoRidge Crossfit • The Cleaning Authority • The Discovery Preschool

Cascade View Elementary School PTSA • D.A. Davidson & Co.Hutteball & Oremus Architecture Inc. • Imagination Station

Mount Si High School PTSA • My Cakes LLC • Nadia Real Estate Smart with Art • Sno Falls Credit Union

Snoqualmie Valley Eyecare • The Ridge Supermarket Thomas L. Macy Real Estate

ABC World Movers, Inc. • Chartwells • Claffey’s PaintingJohn Day Homes, Inc. • Kirby M. Nelson, DDS, PS • Les Schwab

Livengood, Fitzgerald & Alskog, PLLC • Mike Nakamura PhotographyNAC Architecture • Overlake Medical Center

Pacific Learning Academy • Sigillo Cellars Snoqualmie Valley Hospital • Snoqualmie Valley Record

SnoValley Star • Summit Real Estate Group

Microsoft CorporationBirches Habitat/The Barnes Family FoundationFront Row Graphics • Hudson Bay Insulation

Nintendo of America, Inc.

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