Bellevue Farmers Market Connects Farmers with the Community

On Thursday, May 17, the Bellevue Farmers Market had its lively opening for the 2013 season. More than 20 local farms and vendors presented their farm-fresh food products.

The Bellevue Farmers Market is a non-profit organization that aims to provide a platform for local farmers in Washington State to sell their homegrown food directly to consumers in the Bellevue community. Every year it arrives at this season, and the community gets to experience not only the festivity, but also learn about local farms.

"The education of Bellevue Farmers Market lies in food health and the importance of farmers," Mary Beth, Assistant to the Manager of the Bellevue Farmers Market said.

Vendors in the market displayed various agricultural products grown from their farms: vegetables, fruits, flowers, and so on. There were also homemade pizzas, candies and ice-creams that attracted quite a few lines of customers.

Peter Brogi, owner of Pete's Perfect Toffee, has come to the Bellevue Farmers Market to vend his homemade candy for an eighth year. "Coming to the Bellevue Farmers Market means that as a business, I've survived. It's nice coming back every year to meet our established customers and get to know some new customers," Peter said.

Many vendors expressed their gratitude to this event for supporting their businesses.

"It helps a lot to support our crew. We provide jobs for 35 people at the farm. This event brings income to them," said Dominic Distefano, vendor from Willie Green's Organic Farm, which has come to the Bellevue Farmers Market for a second year.

Customers at the festivity also expressed their support to the farms that brought their fresh food to the event.

Patricia Moorhead, a customer with a bag of organic pears she bought from one of the organic farms  said:"I pay more for food than for anything else and I like to support farmers."

Customers are welcome to the Thursday markets every week from 3 to 7 p.m., starting May 16 until Oct 10 at Bellevue Presbyterian Church. The Saturday Markets will open June 8 through Nov 23.

For more information, visit www.bellevuefarmersmarket.org. 

BC Personalized Child Care

By Ning Liu

   

The Bellevue Club Child Care Center provides members with a supervised and warm environment for their children while they enjoy recreational activities or dining at the Club. “It became a second home to their children,” BC Recreational Director Katie Barth said.  

The center has all kinds of age-appropriate toys for children from one to six years old: trains, dinosaurs, baby dolls, Legos, etc. “We get to know what each child likes, and we try to have something for everyone,” BC Child Care Supervisor Amy Bailey said. 

Amy Bailey

Every Child Care staff member has been chosen carefully and is experienced in taking care of young children. “It’s the convenience of knowing the familiarity,” Amy said. Some members came to the Bellevue Club as children and now they are bringing their children to the Child Care Center.

 
In terms of childcare costs, “we are low,” Katie said. Care is only $8 an hour for children younger than three and $7 for children three to six years of age.  

Also, the Child Care Center recently had a refresh. Old furniture was turned over and replaced, and the paint was refreshed, using toxin-free materials with no smell. “The new paint color is bright and fresh. It looks happy, cheerful and people seem excited about it,” Amy said.

For more information about the Bellevue Club Child Care Center, read the childcare brochure here.

To read more about Amy Bailey, read her REFLECTIONS' Employee Spotlight!

BCST Player Featured in Sports Illustrated

By Ning Liu

Photo Courtesy Ed Kim.

Ed Kim, a member of Bellevue Club Swimming Team, was featured in the "Sports Illustrated" column, Faces in the Crowd, for the March 25 issue.

Faces in the Crowd is a department that honors remarkable amateur athletes across the nation. Ed caught the sports media’s attention with his brilliant record as a talented and incredibly fast swimmer.

According to the article, Ed finished 50-yard freestyle with a time of 20.11, the 100 butterfly in 48.00, and has won a title each of the six times he’s entered a state championship race.  

His participation at the 2012 Olympic Trials also demonstrated the young swimmer's great potential to become a world-class athlete, in part due to the professional training he received with the BCST.


See the "Sports Illustrated" article here.