Willing Hands Create a Strong Birch Bay Chamber

New Years Eve, with the Ring of Fire and Hope, and New Years Day, with the Polar Bear Plunge, are among the best times in Birch Bay, despite weather that is predictably rainy, windy and cold.

Thursday evening was clear enough for the flares to be seen burning around the bay, from Point Whitehorn in the south to Birch Point in the north, with concentrations at Birch Bay Village, Cottonwood and the Central Reach by the big condos. Each year more flares burn – by 2020 we can expect an honored celebration with many folks coming from around Whatcom County and Lower BC. Reservations for lodging and parties will be required weeks in advance.

The Ring was conceived by Mike Kent, who provides free flares to participants. Fifty years from now, will the ceremonies honor him for initiating a Northwest institution?

While many can agree with the meaning of the Ring of Hope, the Plunge has several meanings – from courageous daring to wild insanity. However, few would deny it is a popular spectacle.

Registration – free of charge – was scheduled for 9:30, in advance of the 12 o'clock plunge. People started showing up at the Chamber's Visitor Information Center half an hour early. More than 300 people registered. No one knows how many more didn't bother. Red 2010 t-shirts sold out at $15 and most of the blue leftovers from last year sold at two for $5.00.

At last year's events, Lisa Guthrie, president of the Chamber, carried most of the load. When asked by the board to serve another year, Lisa, who is busy as Director of Development for Homestead Northwest, said she would need more help from all board members. In essence, she invoked the late John Heywood, English playwright and poet (1497-1580), who said, “Many hands make light work.” And all hands turned out:

  Marty Stauffer, Vice President, Oltman Insurance

  Molly Ernst, Secretary, The Northern Light newspaper

  Janell Kortlever, Treasurer, Neighborhood Mortgage

  Bob Moffatt, Visitor Information Center Coordinator, Birch Bay Village Realty

  Patty White, Director, Tide Catcher Resort

  Ruth Lauman, Director, NW Cascades.com

  Chandra Dunn, Director, Birch Bay Preserve, TT/NACO

  Mike Kent, Director, Windemere Real Estate

Star of the day was Dunn, who served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the costume award ceremony. Pictured at the far right in this photo, she joyfully awards prizes to the winners of Birch Bay's Polar Bear Plunge, New Years Day, 2010.

Applause for all hands!                                  

[For more details and photographs, see www.birchbaychamber.com.]

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