{"id":3375,"date":"2022-03-04T08:55:11","date_gmt":"2022-03-04T16:55:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.piercecountywa.gov\/executive\/?p=3375"},"modified":"2023-06-26T13:26:54","modified_gmt":"2023-06-26T20:26:54","slug":"a-ray-of-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.piercecountywa.gov\/executive\/2022\/03\/04\/a-ray-of-hope\/","title":{"rendered":"A ray of hope"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Let\u2019s face it.\u00a0 It\u2019s been a hard week.\u00a0 Like many of you, I have been closely watching the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine.\u00a0 Certainly, Putin vastly underestimated the spirit of independence of the Ukrainian people.\u00a0 Sadly, he is not backing down, and we are seeing the war escalate \u2013 with civilians now in the crosshairs.<\/p>\n

At some level, it feels like we are reliving the Nazi invasions of their neighbors in 1939 as we hear about the brutality that is happening. It\u2019s difficult to watch the latest developments without feeling helpless and depressed. I expect you feel some of this, too, and I want to remind you that we provide the Employee Assistance Program<\/a><\/span> to help you work through difficult times.<\/p>\n

However, I had one of my favorite and inspiring events of year happen this week – the 2022 Daffodil Festival Court came to the County-City Building.<\/p>\n

Every year we invite the princesses to stop by the Council and Executive offices, to both congratulate and thank them.\u00a0 I first became associated with these amazing young women who serve our community as Daffodil Princesses when I was a Puyallup School Board member in 2002.\u00a0 My connection to them continued when I served in the State House and Senate and the Pierce County legislators would host them in the Capitol.\u00a0 It was always slightly awkward in Olympia.\u00a0 The Apple Blossom Festival Court would be honored \u2013 all three of them.\u00a0 And then the Daffodil princesses would arrive \u2013 all 23 of them in their bright yellow dresses!\u00a0 I was so proud of highlighting to the entire state these young leaders from Pierce County!<\/p>\n

But now as the County Executive, I get the chance to talk with them, hear their future plans, and answer their insightful questions about the County, public service and leadership.
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You can\u2019t help but be captivated by the leadership qualities and sense of community these young women demonstrate. They are leaders in their respective high schools today, and I know they will be leaders in our community in the future!<\/p>\n

The theme of the 2022 Daffodil Festival is \u201cHope Rises\u201d and the princesses certainly gave me hope!\u00a0 The 89th<\/sup> Daffodil Parade<\/a><\/span> will be April 9th<\/sup> in Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, and Orting.\u00a0 I hope you can reconnect with this celebration of Spring in our community.<\/p>\n

Another uplifting \u201creconnection\u201d happened this week. I attended one of my first \u201cin-person\u201d community fundraising events in two years.\u00a0 A couple hundred masked people gathered for the annual Tacoma-Pierce County Habitat for Humanity \u201cChanging Lives\u201d luncheon at the Bicentennial Pavilion.<\/p>\n

It was both very good and a little odd to interact with each other as we\u2019ve largely forgotten how to socialize and participate in these types of events. Do we shake hands, again? Or even hug?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve never attended it, the Habitat luncheon is guaranteed to elicit strong emotions as you hear the powerful stories of people whose lives have been transformed by a stable, secure place to live \u2013 built by their community.<\/p>\n

In the videos below you can learn more about Reena, a woman who has lived in her Habitat home for 10 years.\u00a0 In the video she looks back at what the last decade in her home has taught her and meant to her sons.<\/p>\n

Cierra and her adorable daughter are about to move into their \u201cforever\u201d home. The joy and pride they exude in their video, and the messages the \u2018builders\u201d left for them on the wall studs, were just the encouragement I needed.\u00a0 I appreciated seeing their happiness, and I\u2019m sure you will, too.<\/p>\n