Thirty years ago today, on October 1st, State Farm agent Char Schulz opened her first State Farm insurance office in Des Moines.  A few years later, she moved to her current location in the light grey house on the corner of 7th and 222nd.

Char says of working in her State Farm Insurance Agency: “I love working with my customers. I enjoy doing reviews to help them manage their risks of everyday life.”

Many of her customers started with Char when she began as an agent nearly 30 years ago. They now have kids and grandkids who have turned to Char to help with their insurance needs. Her State Farm agency handles all aspects of the insurance business, including:

• Homeowners
• Life
• Business
• Flood
• Health, which includes:
  • Temporary Health Insurance
  • Long-Term Care
  • Disability
  • Hospital Income

Helping Char celebrate this special day, are her new associates AJ Minerich and Niki Guilford.

Niki started with Char “to help her out for a few days”. That was on June 18. She knew after a few hours, this is where she belonged. She was formerly a State Farm agent in Idaho. Looking for a change of scenery, Niki loaded her sports-loving daughter, Averie, into the car and ended up in Des Moines.

Before she became a State Farm agent, Niki was a teacher. She taught gymnastics to little kids, and ballet, jazz and hip-hop to bigger kids. She claims to not do hip-hop anymore, but does miss the little kids.

As a self described ‘people pleaser’, Niki loves working with customers. You’ve got to be compassionate, have patience and an understanding of people.

The second addition to Chars’ new team, is, well, sort of a record breaker. He is the first guy to work in Chars’ office in 30 years. His name’s AJ.

AJ is also a licensed experienced State Farm agent, moving over from Puyallup just a few months ago. Sort of a quiet guy, AJ says he loves working with Char and Niki, and like Char and Niki, loves the people. He also loves lunching on a bench down at the marina. “Des Moines is a nice, close community that has a small town feeling,” adds AJ.

When he’s not working in Des Moines, AJ’s a weekend server at Outback in his home town of Tacoma.

“I trust both of them a lot,” said Char.

So, if you happen to be in Char’s neighborhood today, stop by 22206 7^th Ave. and say happy anniversary, or call with your well wishes 206-878-2520.

The Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce (of which we’re proud members) is holding its 20th Anniversary Gala Party on Saturday, Oct. 17th at the Seattle Airport Marriott.

The evening will include dinner, a silent auction, music by members of the Northwest Symphony Orchestra, dancing, and a program highlighting the Chamber’s 20 years of service. The Chamber will honor loyal and dedicated members who have been part of the Chamber since its inception.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce 20th Anniversary Gala

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 17th beginning at 6pm

WHERE: Seattle Airport Marriott, located at 3201 South 170th Street in SeaTac.

INFO: Reception and Silent Auction begins at 6pm and Dinner and the Program at 7pm, followed by dancing.

The Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce will celebrate 20 years of serving the business community on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at the Seattle Airport Marriott. 

Since 1989, the mission of the Southwest King County Chamber has been to be a leader in the business communities it serves – Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila and Des Moines. The Chamber provides business advocacy, outreach and networking opportunities.

Cost is $75 per person or $600 for a table of eight. Gala/festive attire. At this time Baker Commodities is a Platinum Sponsor. The Chamber is seeking auction items and sponsors of various levels for this event.

REGISTRATION: Register online here.

SPONSORSHIP: You can sponsor this great event and get some excellent, targeted publicity – just download this PDF here.

PROCUREMENT: The Chamber is still seeking items to put up for bid – you can donate by completing an for auction procurement form here (PDF).

COST: $75 per person or $600 for a table of 8

RSVP: For more information, contact the Chamber at (206) 575-1633 or email staff@swkcc.org.

Here’s a slideshow of Photos taken by Waterland Blog Contributor Carmen Scott of Saturday’s big 50th Birthday/Waterland Parade:

Click to View Carmen Scott’s Photo Slideshow

And here’s a photo by Gene Achziger of our “float” entry, which was basically our Mini Cooper Blogmobile on the back of a flatbed tow truck courtesy Airport Towing (that’s Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer giving his best “parade wave”):

Be sure to check The Waterland Blog Monday (July 20th) for our first-hand account of what it was like actually being in the parade!

In the meantime, feel free to subscribe to our RSS Feed or get the blog via email.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: To see Photos from the 2009 50th Birthday/Waterland Parade, click here. To read our firsthand account and see photos of what it was like for us to be in the parade (then hang out with the Seafair Pirates, click here.]

by Pat Nardo

The best laid plans of mice and…Murphy’s Law.

Your parade, Des Moines, has progressed to a level of substance with a flow of applications, invitations and additional support and help from in and out of the community. No matter how well intentioned or how good the scheduling of events may be, things can and ultimately will go wrong. We are working to avoid “glitches” along the way and anticipate changes to content and timing for this enormous task.

We don’t have a movie-like ability to predict “coming attractions” but it would be nice to be able to share our excitement with our friends and spectators as to what to expect on July 18th. The 50th anniversary of the Des Moines Parade will have many elements. At the beginning and to open this event, we will have the Junior Parade, followed immediately by the now famous, Rainier High School Band. They have always been a treasured part of our parades back in Waterland days and this year will be no exception. Our parade directors, Anna and BJ Bjorneby, will follow behind The Rainier Band in a shiny white Mercedes and should draw a well-earned applause from those of you who know these valued members of our Des Moines. They have and continue to give both of their time and, yes, money to this event.

The Junior Parade element will be “on the march” at 5:30pm under the watchful eyes of Dave and Jeanie Markwell, who also have invested much of their time to cultivating these young community leaders to develop into the solid citizens that they will become. Our route begins at 227th and Marine View Drive and, as in the past, will end at 216th. You can expect to see our Mayor, Bob Sheckler, some council members and other honorees. Watch for the Seafair Pirates, a hydro escorted by Seafair Commodores along with the Seafair Clowns to lighten your spirits. Many of our VIPs will be appearing in vintage or classic cars and there will also be a few cars interspersed within the parade as well.

Early on in our parade, you will see the food bank volunteers and you are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item; little to ask for such a grand parade and worthy cause.

Alan Secord, in charge of the Seafair Marshals, will see to it that all runs smoothly from beginning to end and we thank him for his time and value his efforts as a selfless volunteer. This applies to all of our Seafair personnel, for whom we are profoundly grateful.

At this writing, it is planned to have our reviewing stand near the Bill’s Barber Shop and it will be decorated by the Emerald City Balloon Company. In addition, an archway of balloons is planned as an entry way for the parade participants. Much has been said about the parade here, its beginning and passage, but what about the ending?

Now I sit back and think…”If anything can go wrong?”

Not if we can help it!

On Wednesday, June 17th, life-sized free-standing photo cutouts depicting some of Des Moines’ most important and influential citizens will be peppered around town to help celebrate the city’s official 50th birthday (Des Moines officially incorporated on June 17, 1959).

The photo project is part of an Open House & Historical display which will also include artifacts, vignettes of life in the area in the 1950s, and videos commemorating local history.

Photo cutouts will feature local citizens, from Herman “Daddy” Draper and his wife Annie “Mother” Draper who adopted scores of orphaned children and started one of the only self-supporting children’s homes in history, to Rilda Martin Moses, who became the city’s first kindergarten teacher in 1918, to Jobby Neal, who operated the Des Moines-Seattle Stage Company – a bus line that ran between Des Moines and Seattle at a time when roads were primitive at best.

These and more stories will be shared at the event, which is part of a summer-long series of 50th birthday events. The Open House and Historical Display will take place on June 17th at the Odd Fellows Hall in Des Moines from 3-8 p.m. Mayor Bob Sheckler and other noted guests will be present and the museum, located above the open house, will also be open to visitors.

Some of Des Moines most famous citizens include:

HERMAN “DADDY” DRAPER
Herman “Daddy” Draper and his wife, Annie “Mother” Draper are two of Des Moines’ most inspiring and heartening examples of dedicated service to children, society and humanity. They established the Des Moines Children’s Industrial Home and Training School in 1908, and for nearly twenty years, took in and taught music and trades to hundreds of orphaned, homeless or abandoned children. They founded and operated the Children’s Home with the purpose to give love and a sense of belonging to their adopted children, and to give them the tools and skills that would help sustain them as adults and productive members of the community.

A 28-room Hiatt Hotel at South 220th and 6th Avenue South was purchased and transformed into the original Children’s Home. The Des Moines Children’s Industrial Home was one of the only self-supporting children’s homes in history. The Draper “family” supported itself with a variety of enterprises, including the “Jolly Entertainers” made up of children from the home who played instruments and sang, touring as many as 38 states and parts of Canada, as well as holding concerts in a barn next to the home, which had been adapted into an “Opera House.” They also ran a printing press, published a monthly newsletter, and operated a campground on the site of Des Moines Beach Park.

ANNIE “MOTHER” DRAPER
Annie “Mother” Draper and her husband Herman “Daddy” are two of Des Moines’ most inspiring and heartening examples of dedicated service to children, society and humanity. They established the Des Moines Children’s Industrial Home and Training School in 1908, and for nearly twenty years, took in and taught music and trades to hundreds of homeless, orphaned or abandoned children. They founded and operated the Children’s Home with the purpose to give love and a sense of belonging to their adopted children, and to give them the tools and skills that would help sustain them as adults and productive members of the community. The children attended local public schools, in addition to the education they received at the Children’s Home.

A 28-room Hiatt Hotel at South 220th and 6th Avenue South was purchased and transformed into the original Children’s Home. The Des Moines Children’s Industrial Home was one of the only self-supporting children’s homes in history. The Draper “family” supported itself with a variety of enterprises, including the “Jolly Entertainers” made up of children from the home who played instruments and sang, touring as many as 38 states and parts of Canada, as well as holding concerts in a barn next to the home, which had been converted into an “Opera House.” They also ran a printing press, published a monthly newsletter, and operated a campground on the site of Des Moines Beach Park.

NATHAN E. MUNGER
Civil War veteran, Nathan E. Munger was an early resident of the Zenith neighborhood in Des Moines. The Munger family grew flowers to sell on the 5 acre property they owned. Captain Commons, another civil war veteran, lived across the street from Nathan and it was said that the two men continued to fight the war for as long as they lived, by moving the boundary road marker continuously. Each man insisted the other had his fence too far out in the road. Nathan and his wife Clara were members of the Des Moines Grange No. 471.

MYRTLE JONES ELSEY
Myrtle Jones Elsey was an enterprising resident of early Des Moines who operated the town’s first beauty shop. Her original business was in her father-in-laws’ house, on 6th Avenue between South 222nd and South 223rd streets. Myrtle and her husband, Everett Elsey later built a new house with a shop in front at 11th Avenue South and South 220th Street. As a young woman in 1909, Myrtle was on the Des Moines Woman’s Basketball Team with her sister, Margaret Elsey and friend, Rilda Martin Moses. Mrytle Jones Elsey’s husband, Everett was the grandson of one of Des Moines’ early settlers, David S. Elsey who homesteaded and farmed 40 acres in Sunnydale. Everett’s father, John C. Elsey operated a sawmill in Des Moines, and platted and sold the remaining parts of the town site of Des Moines in 1896. Everett was the half-brother of Rilda Martin Moses.

GAHAIL CASE
Gahail Case was one of four children in the family of Rollin A. Case Sr., a former representative of the territorial legislature from Asotin, who moved to Des Moines in 1896 and became a popular real estate agent who helped popularize the area. Gahail and his family lived on the property, which is now occupied by the Des Moines Yacht Club, where his father also had his real estate business. Gahail and his brother Rollin Jr. were members of the Des Moines Baseball Team in the early 1900′s playing many successful seasons, competing throughout the region.

“JOBBY” NEAL
“Jobby” Neal was one of the entrepreneurial Neal brothers, from Nova Scotia, Canada who moved to the Des Moines area around 1913. He and his brothers helped start the Des Moines Rural Telephone Company, and also operated The Des Moines-Seattle Stage Company – a bus line that ran between Des Moines and Seattle at a time when roads were primitive at best. In 1915, the Neal brothers bought an unfinished sawmill on the beach in front of Des Moines Creek and finished it as a Dance Hall, called Neal’s Pavilion. They operated it until the Swedish Covenant Church bought it in 1932. Jobby’s brother Melward was the first local resident to serve in the Sate of Washington Legislature. Mel was instrumental in helping get the Des Moines Field House built between 1939-1940.

AGNES MARSHALL
From 1947 to 1963, Agnes Marshall served as the Head Librarian for the City of Des Moines. She was the Head Librarian when the city was incorporated. The library got its start at Grist’s General Store, when citizens would borrow books discarded from the Seattle Public Library. They were told if they returned the books, more would be obtained. Eventually the library made its home at the Des Moines School, until it burned down in 1925. By the time Agnes became Head Librarian, it had been moved into a small room at the Des Moines Field House that held 9,594 books! Agnes and her husband made their home and raised their family on Marine View Drive. Their original home still stands and is occupied by an assortment of small businesses.

CHILDREN FROM THE DES MOINES CHILDREN’S INDUSTRIAL HOME & TRANING SCHOOL
The children who spent their youth at the Des Moines Children’s Home, were adopted by Herman “Daddy” Draper and his wife Annie “Mother” Draper. The Drapers began taking in abandoned, orphaned or homeless children in the late 1800′s in Michigan, and brought their “original” children with them when they decided to start their Children’s Home in Washington State. They taught the children instrumental and vocal music, as well as a variety of trades, such as running a printing press, publishing a monthly newsletter and learning to sew and knit. The Children’s Home was said to be the first and only self-supporting children’s home in history. By performing both band and orchestral music with the “Jolly Entertainers” the children helped pay for the expenses of the Home, and put rural Des Moines on the map. In a barn that had been converted into an “opera house”, they gave musical and dramatic performances. They also toured in a large bus and became regional entertainment favorites. In their last tour, the Jolly Entertainers toured 38 states and parts of Canada. The children also attended the local public school, and with the dedication of the Drapers, went on to become contributing members of the community and society.  The Children’s Home was located in what was originally a 28-room Hiatt Hotel at South 220th and 6th Avenue South.

PASTOR FRITZ HJELM
Reverend Hjelm (pronounced “yelm”) served as pastor of the Covenant Church Camp from about 1931 to 1939. The Covenant Beach Church Camp, was located at what is now known as Des Moines Beach Park. Reverend Hjelm was in charge of the Young People’s evening fireside services in front of the fireplace in the Auxiliary Hall in 1934 and was one of the speakers at the new Covenant Bible Camp’s first Annual Conference in 1932 – giving both lectures and sermons. In 1937, he was President of the North Pacific Missionary Conference, and presided as the platform chairman at the annual conference. Pastor Hjelm was also an editor for the Tabernacel Klockan, a noteworthy and widely read church newspaper, initially published in Swedish.

RILAD MARTIN MOSES
Rilda Martin came to Washington State from Wisconsin with her parents in 1904. She was a popular resident who served as president of her 1911 graduating class in Des Moines. After attending and graduating from Bellingham Normal School (now Western Washington University), she taught school in Neah Bay. In 1918, she married Otto Moses and soon after, moved back to Des Moines where she became Des Moines’ first kindergarten teacher. She taught classes in the basement of the Des Moines United Methodist Church until 1966, instructing over 1,200 children in her years as teacher. Rilda was a very active citizen who made her home, raised her family, worked, socialized and prayed in Des Moines, until her death in 1988, at the age of 95. She was one of our true pioneers.

The Des Moines Waterfront Farmers Market is in need of a flatbed truck, or tractor with a wagon or something similar for their 50th anniversary parade entry on July 18th.

If anyone has access and wishes to be part of the market for the week, please email market@dmfm.org or call Debra at 206-592-1423!

EDITOR’S NOTE: To see photos from Des Moines’ 50th Birthday & Waterland Parade (on 7/18/09), click here. To read our firsthand account of being in the parade, then hanging out with the Seafair Pirates, click here.]

by Janet Grella

It’s official – Des Moines’ Waterland Parade has become a Seafair Sanctioned Community Event!

This means that the Seafair Marshals will be on hand to help with the organization of the parade. It also means parade favorites the Seafair Pirates, the Seafair Clowns and the Keystone Cops will be in our very own Waterland Parade, which will be held Saturday, July 18th.

It will start with a Junior Parade at 5:30pm, where kids 14 and under can participate. They will be followed by a truck from the Des Moines Food Bank to collect food donations.

The Grand Parade will start promptly at 6pm with floats, drill teams and bands. Local businesses and organizations are encouraged to participate.

The parade is part of a summer of outdoor fun scheduled by the city to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Des Moines. And who better to run the parade than parade veterans Anna and BJ Bjorneby. Anna was the parade organizer three times in the 80s.

As co-chairs along with “volunteer extraordinaire” Fran Woodward, Anna and BJ are now seeking sponsors at any level, as well as volunteers and participants.

Interested in joining the fun? Call Anna at 206-571-5568 or 824-1400; or Fran at 253-303-1098.

The Waterland Blog will be participating in this event that is uniquely part of the the Waterland Community. We’re working on exactly what we plan to do in the parade, so if you have any ideas on what grown men and women and our young intern can do to amuse the crowd click here.

We encourage everyone to participate through sponsorship, volunteering or joining the parade!

There still is time to get your tickets for Des Moines’ black-tie birthday gala – but you’d better hurry – the Black Tie Dinner Gala and Auction that kicks off a year of celebrating 50 years as a city is this Saturday, March 21st.

The evening gala – with a silent basket auction, no-host bar, dinner and dancing, and some ring-a-ding-ding entertainment featuring Frank Sinatra vocal stylings by Joey Jewell – will be in the dining room of the Highline Community College Student Union Building, located at 2400 S. 240th Street.

The basket auction and cocktail hour begin at 6pm with dinner at 7pm.

Tickets are $75 per person and a table for eight is $560, and can be purchased at the Des Moines Field House, 1000 S. 220th St.

For information, call 206-870-6527.

The gala is sponsored by the city and Puget Sound Energy – the 50th Anniversary celebration’s major corporate sponsor.

Major 50th anniversary events during the year will also include:

• The official birthday celebration on June 17
• Fireworks Over Des Moines on July 4, preceded by a concert by Junior Cadillac
• An Anniversary Summer Festival on July 18 with a Seafair-sanctioned Grand Parade, car and boat shows, cultural activities, a sock hop and barbecue, children’s activities, a teen dance, and the Des Moines Waterfront Farmers Market.

The 12th largest city in King County, Des Moines incorporated on June 17, 1959. This community of almost 30,000 residents is inviting residents of neighboring South King County cities and beyond to discover Des Moines and experience the historic downtown Marina District during the 50th anniversary celebration.

More information is available at the 50th Anniversary Website: www.desmoines50th.com

Des Moines launches its celebration of 50 years as an incorporated city with a black-tie gala on Saturday, March 21st in the Student Union Building dining room at Highline Community College, 2400 S. 240th Street.

The black-tie gala – sponsored by the City of Des Moines and Puget Sound Energy – includes a silent basket auction, no-host bar, dinner and dancing, with entertainment featuring Frank Sinatra vocal stylings by Joey Jewell.

Tickets are $75 per person, and a table of eight is $560. Seating is limited to 280.

Tickets are on sale at the Des Moines Field House, 1000 S. 220th Street. Proceeds will help fund additional 50th anniversary events.

The second major event is the city’s official birthday party on June 17 – the actual date of incorporation in 1959 – at Des Moines’ historic Odd Fellows Hall, 728 S. 225th Street. This event, free to the public, will include an open house, historic displays and talks, and a community birthday cake, as well as a time capsule and a hot-air balloon.

Fireworks Over Des Moines, the city’s traditional Fourth of July celebration at the Marina and Beach Park, will feature a spectacular pyrotechnic display that also commemorates 50 years as a city – preceded as the sun sets behind the rugged Olympic Mountains with a concert by Junior Cadillac, food and patriotic fun for all ages.

Prior to these holiday activities will be the Des Moines Waterfront Farmers Market. A “Waterland City” 50th Birthday Festival on July 18 will energize the Des Moines Marina with a grand parade downtown with Moby Duck and the Seafair Pirates, and the Marina entertainment stages, sidewalk cafes, and an evening sock hop in addition to the Farmers Market, plus activities just for kids.

A number of additional local events that take place annually will include the city’s birthday theme – making 2009 a great year for those who live nearby to discover this undiscovered jewel in their own backyard – and will be announced soon.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Des Moines’ 50th Birthday Black Tie Gala featuring Dinner, Entertainment, Dancing and Silent Auction

WHEN: Saturday, March 21st

WHERE: Highline Community College Student Union Building dining room

COST: $75 per person, or a table of 8 for just $560 (that equals just $70 per ticket). All proceeds fund the 50th Birthday Celebration.

TICKETS: Available at the Parks & Recreation Office, Corky Cellars, downtown WaMu branch or from Birthday Steering Committee Members.

More info at http://www.desmoines50th.com/

VIDEO: Here’s a sneak peek, ring-a-ding-ding video of Joey Jewell