Four honored for making a difference

Valerie Vanderport, Carole Clark, Jan Jorgensen and Nan Sarb were recognized as Neighborhood Champions through the Bank of America Minor League Champion program July 3, when they threw the first pitch at the Everett AquaSox game.

The program honors teachers, police officers, firefighters and health-care workers demonstrating high standards and making a difference in the community.

Clark, an Everett Clinic nurse, leads an organization that helps children in Belarus. She arranges for families in the area to host the children and travels to Belarus to screen children who will be candidates for medical care in the United States. Clark, who brought 20 children from Belarus to celebrate with her, also teaches at the YMCA.

Jorgensen, who retired recently as spokeswoman for the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, has devoted time to assisting grieving families that have been touched by tragedy.

Sarb, an Everett Clinic nurse, has led Community Yarn Creations. The volunteer group has made thousands of items, including caps for cancer patients, hats for Navy sailors, dishcloths for Housing Hope residents and shawls for hospice patients. Sarb herself is a cancer survivor.

Vanderport, a Jackson Elementary School teacher, has served on Mukilteo School District curriculum committees to improve instruction in the areas of reading and math. She is a PTA volunteer and Sunday school teacher, and she has been involved with the Girl Scouts for six years.

Dear members of the Community Yarn Creations, I would like to thank all of you from the very bottom of my heart, on behalf of the Family Literacy moms at Edmonds Community College. The small things you made with love were really huge when they were received. I was honored to distribute your Mother’s Day gifts to the women in class today. The students were delighted to know that the bath gloves & scrunches, as well as the soap, were made just for them! I explained that these were gifts from women in their communities who support them as they continue their education and build better lives for themselves and their children. I said it doesn’t matter that they don’t know who you all are, what matters is that they know that you are there, behind the curtain of anonymity, cheering them on. Two of these students are single parents with no family support; others struggle with family who do not support their efforts to better their lives. A few are healing from the trauma of divorce and domestic violence. All of them feel like they have a very long way to go. Your recognition and simple “small things done with love” made a difference in their outlook as well as their day. Thank you again, and whether or not you are all mothers, may you all have a very loving Mother’s Day.
Sincerely,
Merritt Hicks

Community Yarn Creations was mentioned by:
• Americorps
• The Enterprise Newspaper
• Edmonds Community College