Author Archives: Liz Ellis

Proud to help Pierce County Auditor’s Office during November election

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Engage Northwest is helping the Pierce County Auditor’s Office with communications and social media during the November 2016 General Election. This election will be the largest (in terms of candidates, issues and registered voters) in Pierce County’s history! Follow along on the Pierce County Auditor’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

If you’re a Pierce County voter, download the free mobile app — Civic Pierce County. You can check your voter registration, find drop box and voter center locations, find out which elected offices you can run for, and more. Engage!

Explore Sehmel Homestead Park, Sept. 10

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Explore Sehmel Homestead Park and learn about its history and nature at a free event on Sept. 10 at 11 a.m. PenMet Parks and the Washington Native Plant Society will lead a guided walk through the park’s trails.

For more information, see Sehmel Homestead Park’s Facebook event or a News Tribune article.

Photo of walking tour at Sehmel Homestead Park

Learning about the meadow at Sehmel Homestead Park in Gig Harbor

If you can’t attend this event, please visit another time and explore the park’s natural areas!

Update: Over 40 people attended the walking tour and learned about family life on the homestead, plants and trees along the trail and ways to get involved in the park. Thank you for participating! Here are some tour pictures.

Disclaimer: Engage Northwest is a communications consultant with the Great Peninsula Conservancy on a similar project at Sehmel Homestead Park.

Celebrate National Park Service’s 100th birthday with free admission to parks

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To celebrate its 100th birthday, the National Park Service will offer free admission to all national parks from August 25 – 28. Many parks will feature special activities and ranger-led walks. Visitors are encouraged to share pictures with hashtags #NPS100 and #FindYourPark.

An astronaut — Jeff Williams — shares this unusual view of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound from space:

Which are your favorite parks to explore? What do you like to do in our national parks?

For more information

Apply for the Jane’s Fellowship program to develop leadership skills and help Pierce County communities

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If you are a grassroots leader in Pierce County and would like to develop leadership skills and build a stronger community, consider applying for the Jane’s Fellowship Program with The Russell Family Foundation. Up to 13 people will be selected for the next program, which runs from January 2017 – March 2018. Participants receive free training, a $6,000 stipend and a supportive peer network.

Applications are due October 3, 2016 and are available on The Russell Family Foundation’s website. To learn more, attend a public information session — several sessions will be held in August and September. Check out this video to hear what some Jane’s Fellows think about the program. Good luck!

Celebrate Tacoma’s waterfront and clean water at Maritime Fest

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Celebrate Tacoma’s waterfront and 10 years of a clean Commencement Bay at Maritime Fest , July 16-17 at Thea’s Park. This free event features boat tours, boat building, music, art and more.

Ten years ago, Tacoma successfully cleaned up the contaminated Thea Foss Waterway. This cleanup marks the first time that a Superfund site on a body of water was restored. According to Bill Baarsma, Tacoma’s mayor from 2003-09, this environmental cleanup is the most significant event in Tacoma’s history.

To celebrate this cleanup, a parade of kayaks, stand-up paddlers, dragon boats and others will paddle on the Foss Waterway from Waterway Park to Thea’s Park. Paddlers will assemble at 10 a.m. and start at 11 a.m. After the parade, several key speakers will honor the importance of this waterway to Tacoma. Please see the City of Tacoma’s press release on the clean water celebration.

Photo of sailing on the Foss Waterway

Sailing with Sea Scouts at Maritime Fest

At the Foss Waterway Seaport, special exhibits will be on display with free admission during Maritime Fest. The Port of Tacoma will give free, guided boat tours on July 17 — this is always a popular activity. Sea Scouts also will take visitors sailing.

For more information: