Harriott Balmer honored for scholarship work in Bethel
Source:
The Mountain News (Posted on May 14, 2011 by brucesmith49)
Kapowsin resident, Harriott Balmer, was honored this week by the Northwest Regional Chapter of Dollars for Scholars for her three decades of effort raising scholarship monies for college-bound students from the Bethel School District.
Harriott Balmer displays her award as the Dollars for Scholars "Regional Volunteer of the Year." Specifically, Ms. Balmer was given the “Regional Volunteer of the Year Award” in ceremonies Thursday in West Seattle. Also lauded was Bethel High School senior Patrizia Galino, who received the Dollars for Scholars Regional Award for Student Volunteer of the Year. An honor-roll student, Ms. Galino is a Philippine-native who came to Bethel in 2007 and intends to become a physician.
Ms. Balmer’s distinction goes far beyond the work of just one year, and reflects a dedicated effort to raise scholarship money for BSD grads since 1985.
At that time, Balmer, a 1963 graduate of Bethel High School, decided to commemorate her mother, Betty Fix, with a scholarship fund designed to assist young women graduating from Bethel High School who wanted to attend a four-year college.
“That was when Bethel High School was known as ‘Cow Pie High,’” she told the Mountain News, accompanied by her signatory full-throated laugh.
Her mother, “Mrs. Fix,” had taught home economics at Bethel High since 1957 and was a beloved teacher to many. As a result, the fundraising effort that started as a one-day garage sale at the Graham Safeway, grew quickly.
“By 1987, it had grown so big we decided to form BEST, the Bethel Educational Scholarship Team,” said Harriott.
1945 - (79 years)
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