Executive Director Imelda Dulcich announced publicly Feb. 11 that she is resigning from the chamber to focus more on the clients of her public relations firm.

“I am privileged to have worked with so many wonderful members of the community in my work as executive director,” she said in a news release. “My joy has been working with the chamber board to help our members succeed by providing opportunities to build connections, increase visibility and learn through our educational events.”

Hired in 2012, Dulcich served in a part-time consultant role as the chief administrator and executive officer of the chamber. In her position, she implemented the policies of the board of directors, administered the approved budget and acted as the chamber spokeswoman.

Dulcich played a key role in raising the visibility of Newcastle businesses through social media promotion. She also spearheaded the welcomed transformation of the Newcastle Diamond Awards into a glitzy evening affair.

During her time with the chamber, Dulcich offered valuable training opportunities for members, and made the monthly luncheons a not-to-miss event with heralded guest speakers such as U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, sports radio personality Bill Swartz, King County Sheriff John Urquhart and Q13 Fox News’ David Rose.

After announcing her decision at the Feb. 11 chamber luncheon, Dulcich received a standing ovation from the attendees.

The chamber board accepted her resignation with regret, according to the news release.

“Imelda’s unique brand of social media talents and personal touch strengthened and deepened the chamber’s role within the region,” past chamber President Peter Zevenbergen said. “Imelda leverages her insight and wisdom to make profound impacts on all her work. She will be missed.”

The board started laying out a plan to find Dulcich’s replacement at its annual retreat Feb. 12.

Sara Biancofiori, current chamber president, added that Dulcich has agreed to work with the board to provide continuity and easy transfer of work for the new executive director.

“There are many exciting things happening in 2015 for our chamber. While I’m sad to see Imelda go, I know that together with our board, we will continue to build on our successes,” Biancofiori said. “Because of Imelda, the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce has seen tremendous growth of our visibility in the region, and we will continue that trend into the future.”

Chamber board welcomes new members

The chamber added three new members to its board in February.

Local photographer Jackie Steinke and Newcastle Library staff members Vicki Heck and Donna Day join Biancofiori (Coal Creek Family YMCA), Zevenbergen (Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation), Nick Sooy (Farmers Insurance), Mary VonRanker (CedarMist Healing Arts), Hayley Stowe (Regency Newcastle), David Uchida (The Golf Club at Newcastle), Travis Monen (HomeStreet Bank) and Karin Blakely (Waddell & Reed) on the board.

The city of Newcastle honored a group Feb. 26 that far too often goes unnoticed — volunteers.

Each year, volunteers devote countless hours to city events. It is volunteers that help plan summer activities, care and advocate for the city’s vast trail network and protect Newcastle’s history.

About 50 volunteers and summer event sponsor representatives gathered at The Golf Club at Newcastle Feb. 26, where they were treated to snacks, an orchestra and a personal thank you from Newcastle Mayor Steve Buri and City Manager Rob Wyman.

Volunteerism is a big part of what makes Newcastle one of the best small cities in the country. So, here’s a special shout out to some of the groups and people that willingly offer their time to better the city:

• Community Activities Commission — Diane Lewis, Linda Newing, Zaquis Ross, Russ Segner, Jim Price and Victoria Sandoval, and past members Angela Ursino and Victoria Hupf
• Planning Commission — Karin Blakely, Elizabeth Thompson, Orville McDonald, Jon Simpson, Rob Lemmon, Allen Dauterman and Thomas Magers
• Boy Scout Troops 499, 577 and 626
• Student volunteers from Hazen High, Liberty High, Maywood Middle and McKnight Middle schools
• Newcastle Trails — Garry Kampen, Peggy Price
• Newcastle Weed Warriors — Grace Stiller
• Newcastle Historical Society
• Little Rhody Park neighborhood group
• Newcastle Days car show planning committee
• Earth Day planning committee
• Newcastle Chamber of Commerce Board

The event also honored the following sponsors that contributed to city events over the summer:

• AvalonBay — Brian Fritz
• Waste Management — David Della
• Regency Newcastle — John Kotalick
• The Golf Club at Newcastle — David Uchida
• Coal Creek Family YMCA — Sara Biancofiori
• Boeing Employees Credit Union — Molly Andrews
• AT&T — Carol Tagayun
• UW/Valley Medical Center — Liz Nolan
• Animal Hospital of Newport Hills — Kent Thomazin
• HomeStreet Bank – Travis Monen
• KeyBank — Jimmy Ng
• Apple Physical Therapy — Randy Johnson

Anyone who has given his or her time to the city of Newcastle, whether it be volunteering at a summer event or helping with various trail projects, is invited.

Volunteers from Newcastle Trails, the Newcastle Historical Society, Weed Warriors, the Planning and Community Activities commissions, and local Boy Scout troops will be among those honored at the celebration.

The event is from 6:30-8 p.m. in The Golf Club at Newcastle’s Prestwick Terrace. It will start with a social, featuring free desserts and beverages, followed by a speaking program headlined by Newcastle Mayor Steve Buri.

Newcastle relies on volunteers to support its summer events lineup and keep its trail system, one of the community’s most significant commodities, in top condition.

The city will also honor summer event financial sponsors such as The Golf Club at Newcastle, Waste Management, Regency Newcastle, the Coal Creek Family YMCA and more, at the Feb. 26 celebration.

Want to get involved in your city? Contact Newcastle’s community activities liaison Wendy Kirchner at wendyk@ci.newcastle.wa.us or 649-4444, ext. 142.

They’re not unlike the ones Regency Newcastle resident Roy Alldritt flew as a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II.

In fact, Alldritt, a fighter pilot, was there June 6, 1944, among the 13,000 aircraft supporting the invasion that experts call the beginning of the end of World War II.

“I got in on the invasion and there was just a lot of action,” he recalled. “You just didn’t have any relaxation or anything.”

During World War II (1939-1945), the Battle of Normandy, which lasted from June to August 1944, resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control.

Codenamed Operation Overlord, the battle began June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, when some 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region, according to History.com.

Alldritt will likely join other community members at the park, where at about 12:20 p.m.*, the planes will fly over, offering spectators a close look at the collection. The flight time is vague, because the planes are expected to visit at least 30 cities.

Following the flyover, Regency Newcastle, a premier independent and assisted living community, will host a light reception with snacks at the park shelter for any attendees.

What Alldritt remembers most about D-Day was the waiting, he said. He remembers staying fit and working on flight skills while they stood by for the call to action.

“We had to sit back and get ready for the invasion,” he said. “We didn’t really know what to expect. We hadn’t done anything like that.”

Regency Newcastle resident Max Pope “just missed” participating in World War II, but the Army veteran had a special connection to D-Day after a Normandy visit.

Pope was stationed in Europe in 1954, 10 years after the invasion. Just before he was set to return home, he made a special trip to Normandy, where he toured Omaha Beach and paid tribute to those lost.

Even 10 years after D-Day, the beach was still littered with landing crafts and destroyers parked in the surf, Pope said. He still keeps the pictures he took from that visit.

“Can you imagine coming in, people just throwing lead at you like crazy, and you’ve got to get up to get to the enemy and there’s nothing to hide behind?” Pope asked. “It’s amazing we didn’t lose more casualties than we did.”

As he stood on the bluff overlooking the beach, he said he could only imagine what it must’ve looked like as more than 150,000 troops advanced.

“As a German soldier, you must’ve just been scared spitless,” he said with a smile.

Pope will probably be among those at Lake Boren Park to watch the planes, he said, because it’s important to always remember the sacrifices made during D-Day.

“It’s necessary to keep these things in mind as to what happened, why it happened and why it’s important,” he said.

*Note: The flight time listed here is different from the one listed in the June 6 paper, since the flyover time was still fluid at press time. The correct time, according to the city, is the 12:20 p.m. listed here.

Paul Reynolds

Sara Biancofiori

The announcement was made at the chamber’s Feb. 12 luncheon. Chamber Vice President Sara Biancofiori will take over the role of president. Biancofiori is the Coal Creek Family YMCA’s associate executive director.

Former chamber president Angela Wingate will fill the vacant vice president position.

Milt Swanson

The Newcastle Historical Society announced that founding member and local legend Milt Swanson died Jan. 20.

Swanson, who was born and raised in Newcastle, spent all of his 95 years living in the same area, 90 of which were in the same company house that still stands at the edge of town near the Cougar Mountain trailhead.

He knew more about the city’s vast coal-mining history than anyone, because he actually lived it. He worked in the mines as his father and grandfather did before him.

“He will be missed by many who knew and loved him, but his legacy will live on in all the artifacts and stories he has so generously given to the Newcastle Historical Society,” society member Vickie Baima Olson wrote in an email.

Swanson moved to the Regency Newcastle assisted living facility in December after he fell at his home. He fell again Jan. 14 and was taken to Overlake Hospital, where a hematoma developed and he lapsed into a coma, Olson said.

“At the Regency, he continued to share his vast knowledge of the history and geology of Newcastle, while continuing to read and learn,” Olson said.

Swanson was 95. Learn more about Swanson’s remarkable life in this Newcastle News feature from 2012: newcastle-news.com/2012/08/02/a-coal-mining-life.

Newcastle News invites you to share your memories of Swanson below in the comments.

It seemed like a no brainer, he said, to simply buy a drink for a person who put his or her life on the line to protect this country’s freedom.

Years later, the Regency Newcastle USO Happy Hour is still going strong, bringing nearly 100 veterans and supportive community members together to celebrate the sacrifices made by the men and women of the armed services.

“We started it as a local way to say thank you,” Jensen said. “What we didn’t realize was how appreciative the veterans would be of this very simple recognition.”

The fifth annual event is set to take place May 20 at The Golf Club at Newcastle in partnership with Regency Newcastle.

Each veteran will receive two free drinks as a small token of appreciation.

“People have asked, ‘How do you know if they are a vet or not?’ and we say, ‘It’s on the honor system.’ That’s never an issue with these guys,” Jensen said.

The event will feature a special guest speaker in Col. Robert P. Dickerson, the commander of the 3,300-person 16th Combat Aviation Brigade.

A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, Dickerson played football for the Black Knights. He served as a professor of military science at Tulane University and recently completed a senior fellowship at Harvard University. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal, and a veteran of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, as well as Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“The event is an opportunity for the military people to be in the same room and re-engage across generations, and it’s also a chance for people who have never been in the military to see real people that have been there,” Jensen said.

Veterans are asked to RSVP for the event by emailing Jensen at john@jensenroofing.com with name and military branch. As each veteran confirms his or her attendance, Jensen posts a photo and summary of where, when and which branch of the military each attendee served to the Newcastle USO Happy Hour Facebook page.

“Our ability to be unaware of the sacrifice of the veterans is because of the sacrifice of our veterans,” Jensen said. “It’s just so easy to forget all that they do for us. They’re a special group.”

If you go

• Regency Newcastle USO Happy Hour
• 4-6 p.m. May 20
• The Golf Club at Newcastle
• 15500 Six Penny Lane
• RSVP by emailing john@jensenroofing.com.

On the web

Learn more about the Regency Newcastle USO Happy Hour by liking the event Facebook page at on.fb.me/YhPnuH.

The fourth annual USO Happy Hour event, which takes place from 4-6 p.m. May 21 in the Wooly Toad at The Golf Club at Newcastle, is open to anyone who has served in the military or civilians who would like to thank someone who has served.

“There’s never a complaint about this thing,” event organizer John Jensen said. “There’s always nothing but appreciation.”

Veterans are encouraged to RSVP either on the event’s USO Happy Hour for Veterans Facebook page or by contacting Jensen at JensenRoofing@msn.com or 206-241-5774 to ensure their drink ticket.

Each veteran will receive a “red, white or brew” ticket good for a glass of red wine, white wine or beer.

The event has grown from 45 attendees in its inaugural year in 2009 to more than 100 guests last year.

“There’s a warmth and appreciation in the room that’s hard to explain unless you’re there,” he said.

Jensen said he, like most people, has a tie to someone who has served in the armed forces. During World War II, Jensen’s uncle, Maj. Don W. McCoy, was shot down as he piloted a B-24 Liberator near Kassel, Germany. He was only 22 at the time.

“I can’t imagine the tumult in that household,” he said. “You have two parents losing a son. You have a young girl losing a brother.”

The Newcastle event celebrates the contributions of men and women in the military from WWII to those serving in Afghanistan today, Jensen said.

Social media has contributed to telling each of the veterans’ stories. As each veteran RSVPs to the event on Facebook, Jensen posts a photo and summary of where, when and which branch of the military each attendee served.

“As more people join in, by the time we get to the event, some people that have never met have a connection,” he said. “They look forward to meeting one another.”

The event features several speakers each year, who highlight the sacrifices made by area residents and their families, Jensen said, but the event is also a way to get people together just to chat and share their experiences.

The happy hour also offers community support for the golf club’s annual USOPSA Red, White and Blue Golf Classic at the golf club, Jensen said. More than 300 golfers, spectators, celebrities, and military service men and women will participate in the May 22 tournament.

The tournament features an 18-gun salute from U.S. Marine Corps members, a Korean War-era MASH unit and an aircraft flyover.

“I think it’s easy for us to forget that there are a lot of young men and young women living in wartime while we’re over here living in peace,” Jensen said. “The goal of this is to show the different face to the military. It’s a lot different than what people think it is.”

The National Association of Rehabilitation Providers and Agencies awards Regency Newcastle with its annual innovation award.

To receive the award, the facility needed to be a NARA member, demonstrate new practices with tangible outcomes — such as customer satisfaction — and serve as a model to other rehab businesses.

NARA recognized Regency Newcastle in June for its exercise and physical therapy classes, which it offers through its partnership with Renton-base Summit Pacific Rehabilitation’s outpatient services.

Regency Newcastle is a subsidiary of Regency Pacific, which operates retirement communities on the West Coast.

Regency Pacific CEO Bart Beddoe presented the award to Regency Newcastle General Manager John Kotalik, Marketing Director Kathy Kappler, Activity and Fitness Director Shawna McGovern, Summit Pacific Outpatient Services Physical Therapy Director Kim Bailey and Summit Pacific Vice President of Outpatient Services Kelly Cooney.

“It’s a real plus for this building,” Kappler said. “A lot of people become a lot stronger because of Shawna and them.”

McGovern said she wanted to thank the residents and her colleagues at Regency Newcastle.

“I feel blessed every day coming to a job that I enjoy. It’s a big honor,” she said, adding that the residents are all like her parents. “Without all of them, my job wouldn’t be possible.”

Included in physical therapy are activities that help residents who want to become more independent. Bailey helps those who want to be able to do things such as walk to the grocery store on their own, and she provides safety training for those who want to take part in other outdoor activities.

Bailey said she is proud to work at Regency Newcastle.

“We’re one big family,” she said.