Community Clicks
Tom Schaafsma reads a book to two young boys at an orphanage in Colima, Mexico during a Rotary service trip. Photo provided by Tom Schaafsma
Lending a helping hand is something Tom Schaafsma, the 2009 Sequim Citizen of the Year, is grateful he has the ability to do each and every day.
“Like most of us, I reached a point in my life where I asked questions like ‘why am I here?’ and ‘is there any purpose to my being here?,’’’ Schaafsma said.
“For me, in large measure the answer to that question was to be of service to others.
“Needless to say, service to others can take a multitude of different forms other than what I do as illustrated by the widely varying contributions of the other nominees and former award recipients.”
Schaafsma was named 2009 Sequim Citizen of the Year during a special Sequim-Dungeness Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Feb. 23.
He was recognized for his service to the Sequim School District, Sequim Sunrise Rotary, Olympic Theatre Arts, Dungeness Schoolhouse, Olympic Discovery Trail, Sequim Sunrise Senior Christmas Dinner, Special Needs Advocacy Parents and Sequim Food Bank.
He has lent his carpentry skills for projects including building fences at the Community Organic Gardens of Sequim and has constructed bridges, arbors and kiosks at the Carrie Blake Park friendship garden.
Internationally, Schaafsma has been actively involved in ShelterBox, an international emergency aid organization.
As one of only five U.S. Rotary members to be chosen for training for the U.S. Disaster Relief Training Team, Schaafsma has volunteered his time to travel to other countries to help rebuild the lives of those devastated by natural disasters.
In fact, he recently helped raise record-breaking donations for ShelterBox USA.
In addition, Schaafsma and his wife, Jacque, have opened their home throughout the years to host several Rotary exchange students.
A few days after the Citizen of the Year Award ceremony, Schaafsma said he is still in shock that he was selected for the honor.
“I am still pinching myself,” he said laughing.
“I am deeply humbled to be selected, especially considering there were two other outstanding nominees.”
The other nominees for the 2009 Citizen of the Year Award — Joe Borden, chairman of the Sequim Irrigation Festival, and Cynthia Martin, founder of Parenting Matters and First Teacher resource center for families — were given Sequim Community Service Awards.
Schaafsma said he is in awe of some of the accomplishments of former Citizen of the Year Award recipients.
The chamber presented its first Citizen of the Year Award in 1968.
“I am truly honored to be in the company of so many wonderful people,” he said.
“Life has been good to me, I consider myself very lucky and am thrilled that I have been able to find a few ways to give back to the community and help others.”
Schaafsma has traveled to Peru, Honduras and Mexico with ShelterBox USA to help people through natural disasters.
He recently returned from a trip to Colombia to help his son, Torin, build a playground.
Schaafsma may travel to Haiti soon to help the country recover from a catastrophic 7.0-magnitude earthquake that occurred Jan. 12.
Schaafsma moved to Sequim from Alaska in 1984.
“Sequim had a reputation in Alaska for being a great place to visit, so we vacationed here in 1993 and decided to move here the following year,” he said.
“It seemed like a great place to raise a family, and it was.”
The Schaafsmas have four grown children — Micah, Ryan, Torin and Leanne.
How did his children react to the Citizen of the Year news?
“My wife sent a text message to them right after it was announced — one son is in California, one son is in Colombia, our other son works at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, and our daughter is in grad school in Seattle,” Schaafsma said.
“They were pretty excited but also teased me a little. My oldest son’s comment was, “Don’t let it go to your head, Dad.’”
Schaafsma said friends and neighbors have been congratulating him since the award was announced.
“I have received some very warm phone calls and some good-natured razzing from friends,” he said.
“At the end of the day, I am still just me. I am so grateful to be recognized and plan to continue to be of service to others.”
Community Service Award recipients
Cynthia Martin
Dr. Cynthia Martin was presented a Sequim Community Service Award for her involvement and dedication to a number of organizations committed to early childhood enrichment including the Parenting Matters Foundation, Prevention Works Community Coalition, the PW Parenting Education Committee, the Olympic Peninsula Kitsap Early Learning Coalition, United Way and the Clallam County Literary Council.
As an advocate for early childhood education, Martin pioneered the First Teacher Program to reach out to parents of preschool children — a program that now reaches more than 12,000 families monthly.
Her knack for bringing people and organizations together resulted in the construction of a playground for young children near Sequim Community School.
“It is an honor to be recognized and to have the community recognize the importance of early childhood development,” Martin said.
Martin moved to Sequim from California about 20 years ago with the intention of retiring.
Plans changed when she went on a tour of the Sequim School District and learned they were looking for someone to manage a preschool program.
“My background was in clinical psychology, although I didn’t have a preschool background I volunteered,” Martin said.
“And I have been working very hard ever since.”
Martin thanked the community for their support throughout the years.
“The first years of a child’s life are so critical,” she said.
“We know that if a child starts school behind, they will stay behind. This community recognizes how important it is to support its young children and that is a great thing.”
Joe Borden
Joe Borden was given a Sequim Community Service Award for his service and commitment to the Irrigation Festival, the Patriot Guard Riders and the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Borden has volunteered for the Irrigation Festival for more than 14 years and has been chairman of the all-volunteer event for the past six years.
Now entering its 115th year, Borden serves as an active, hands-on chairman leading hundreds of volunteers to keep the community-wide event a vibrant, growing festival.
“It feels wonderful to be honored, but I couldn’t do what I do without the dedicated festival volunteers,” Borden said. “I am just the guy at the top.”
Although retired from his retail career, Borden remains committed to local businesses through his dedication as a member of several chamber committees and a visitor information center volunteer.
“If I am going to do something, I am going to do it all the way,” Borden said.
“Now that I am retired, I have more time to volunteer at the visitor center, which I love to do because I can share just how wonderful Sequim is with people visiting the area.”
Borden, who is originally from Atlantic City, New Jersey, moved to Sequim following a military career that required him to live in several cities.
“I found my home when I moved to Sequim, and so far I haven’t found a thing about the city that I dislike,” he said. “I love the water, the mountains and the great people who live here.”
As a 22-year veteran, member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and a member of the Patriot Guard Riders, Borden joins fellow motorcycle riders to attend services and serve as honor guards for the nation’s fallen heroes.
