Kudos are once again going to the stars behind the scenes.
The Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce announced this week the nomination of four finalists — five citizens in all, with one nomination a Sequim couple — for its 2015 Citizen of the Year award.
They include Vern Fosket, Sequim High School band director; Judy Lange, board member/group leader at the Shipley Center; Tim and Branette Richards, volunteers for various groups; and Louie Rychlik, volunteer for Sequim Museum and Arts and for other community projects.
A committee of past recipients selected the finalists.
The chamber hosts its 2015 Citizen of the Year Award luncheon at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, at Sunland Golf & Country Club, 109 Hilltop Drive. Cost is $20 for lunch (coffee/tea only is available for $3).
RSVP for the lunch by Feb. 19 to office@sequimchamber.com or call 683-6197.
Vern Fosket
Vern Fosket is being nominated for his dedication to Sequim High School as a band instructor and the role model he has been to students for over 18 years. He teaches music instruction at many levels and goes beyond his regular duties to have children take part in community events as well as all participation in festivals and concerts and performances all over the state, including travel to the Heritage Festival in Anaheim, Calif.
He was inducted in the Washington Music Educators Hall of Fame in 2014.
“Music has made a huge change in my life and I want to instill the love of music in my students, as it is something that will last them a lifetime,” Fosket said.
Judy Lange
Judy Lange is being nominated for leading several groups of knitting, crochet and fiber arts at the Shipley Center.
Lange also is the past two-term board member of the Shipley Center and heads up the efforts of the Shipley Center craft store. In addition to her dedicated service, she has provided lessons in knitting and crocheting to groups of children, including the Boys & Girls Club.
With the many volunteer groups she works with, like Stitches and the Shipley Center, Lange works to ensure materials and volunteers are available to create thousands of items that add to the quality of lives of those in need, such as hats and blankets for NICU babies, homeless veterans, cancer patients, memory care residents and for First Step and Sequim Community Aid.
Lange said being nominated is quite an honor.
“I’ve been down at the senior center for 17 years and I rode in the (Irrigation Festival) parade and done a lot of different things,” she said.
“This is probably the biggest honor that people think enough of you to nominate you.”
Whatever the outcome, Lange said she hopes it creates more awareness for the Shipley Center.
Tim and Branette Richards
The Richards were nominated for their high standards of integrity, community service, good citizenship and contributions to serve and unite the Sequim community. Tim Richards volunteers with the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office as the lead chaplain and both have served on the My Choices board, a nonprofit pregnancy care center for Clallam County.
Tim Richards said he was surprised by the selection.
“It’s nice we were nominated,” he said. “It’s certainly not something I was expecting.”
Tim Richards was recently hired as head pastor at Dungeness Community Church.
Louie Rychlik
Rychlik is being nominated for his dedication of time, talent, experience as well as personal funding of anything that helps the community, as well as his never-ending effort to make life better for others.
“I want to give back to the community that supported my business, Louie’s Well Drilling, for over 40 years.” His involvement stems from constructing a BMX track in Clallam County, sponsoring Music in the Park, ongoing dedication to the Dungeness Schoolhouse through continued care and the elevator installation as well as his work and dedication to the Sequim Museum and Arts.
Rychlik said his service is simply to help the community.
“I’m not expecting anything out of it,” he said. “I just like to help people out.”
But if he received the award, Rychlik noted, “it’d be an honor to win.”
