FALL HOME & GARDEN PREVIEW
FORUM FEATURES SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES
A supplement of the Ferndale Record newspaper.
Eighteen speak about priorities heading into elections.
Ferndale’s Audrey Holdridge scored two second-half goals.
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NEWS, A2
SPORTS, B1
Golden Eagles, Lions draw 2-2
SEPTEMBER 27, 2023
SINCE 1885
FERNDALE, WASHINGTON • $1.50
Being resources for Ferndale families District liaisons team up to care for everyone By Taras McCurdie Staff Reporter
Catalina Boyle, Kim Bunch and Patricia Curtis, from left, in the Family Resource Center at Mountain View Learning Center in Ferndale. Working for the Ferndale School District, Boyle, Bunch and Curtis help families and their children get through the school year. Regarding the layout of the resource center, Bunch said having couches, snacks and other amenities helps create a warm and inviting area for families. (Taras McCurdie/Ferndale Record)
WCSO arrests Bellingham man for numerous sex crimes WHATCOM — In February 2023, detectives with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office took over an investigation of historical sexual assaults involving minors. Through the investigation, probable cause was established to arrest 31-year-old Brian Drake of Bellingham, WCSO reported in a Sept. 21 news release. WCSO charged Drake for the following crimes: • Three counts of first-degree rape of a child • Second-degree rape of a child • First-degree attempted rape of a child • Second-degree attempted rape of a child • Seven counts of first-degree child molestation • Third-degree rape of a child • Second-degree rape • Third-degree attempted rape of a child • Three counts of indecent liberties • Second-degree child molestation • Second-degree assault with sexual motivation • First-degree incest • Voyeurism • Intimidating a witness The investigation found the abuse took place from 2002–2009 and involved minors Drake knew, WCSO reported. On Sept. 19, WCSO Detectives contacted Drake at his residence. He agreed to provide an interview during which he admitted to sexually assaulting the minors. Drake was booked into the Whatcom County Jail without incident. Bail was set at a $350K appearance bond.
FERNDALE — Located at Mountain View School on 5780 Hendrickson Ave., the Family Resource Center (FRC) operates as the trunk of the Ferndale School District tree, branching its services out to the community, school and its families and students. When you walk through the doors of the FRC, you’ll find a smiling group of family liaisons sitting at their desks, ready to provide basic needs such as food, hygiene and school supplies, connections for clothing, housing, medical, dental and vision assistance and many other facets of your everyday life. Spanish-speaking liaisons Catalina Boyle and Patricia Curtis and homeless and foster care liaison Kim Bunch are just a few members of the Ferndale School District team.
Working for the Bellingham School District for more than 15 years both as an accounting technician and family liaison as well as volunteering with Flan, a before-and-after school program for elementary and middle schoolers to learn Spanish, Curtis joined the Ferndale district in fall 2022 right when the FRC was being launched. “It’s something I like to do. And this opportunity came, and I took it right away,” Curtis said. “The main reason was to work with the families and serve the community. … How can I help the community that I feel I identify with so much, which is the Spanish families. That was very close to my heart. “I like people. I think I read them well,” Curtis continued. “I’m not black and white, like, ‘OK. This is the appointment, and it’s done and goodbye.’ I like to talk with them. … I am an immigrant too. … I had to learn the language, and so I understand where they come from. And I think that helps a lot, [that] experience in life.” Born and raised in Mexico, Boyle See Liaisons on A6
Home-to-table alive and well in Custer
5 Elements Harvest, owned and operated by Michael and Deborah DeGolyer of Custer, is one of about 30 vendors each week at the Lynden Farmers Market. (Bill Helm/Ferndale Record)
Michael and Deborah DeGolyer grow, sell organic produce through their 5 Elements Harvest By Bill Helm Editor
CUSTER — Each week at the Lynden Farmers market, 5 Elements Harvest is one of the vendors you’ll see selling a healthy variety of produce. Between farming, serving on the market’s board of directors, selling to restaurants and a brewery, as well as through a friend’s community-supported agriculture (also known as CSA or cropsharing), vending at one farmers market
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is enough for Michael and Deborah DeGolyer of Custer. So how is it that the DeGolyers grow six distinctly different types of Asian pears. To most people, there’s only one kind of Asian pear — the kind they can get at the grocery store. This season alone, 5 Elements Harvest has also grown strawberries, blueberries, sweet cherries, three varieties of plums, peaches, seven varieties of apples (mostly cooking and heritage apples), four varieties of table grapes, and kiwi berries. “When we have enough apricots and figs we also will sell some of those, as we did last year,” Michael DeGolyer said. “When supply is limited, we keep those off the market, as we did this year.” That’s just the fruit. For vegetables this year, the DeGolyers have grown garlic, cucumbers, hot and sweet peppers, tomaSee Home-to-table on A3
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