The 2022 Progress Edition is collection of stories and photos showcasing the positive impact individuals and organizations made in North Central Washington.
Community Impact Award Winners
The Wenatchee World's 2022 Community Impact Awards honor those who made a difference in a year like no other. Meet them below.
2022 Community Connection Award: Norma Gallegos | Stepping up with Hand in Hand Immigration Services
WENATCHEE — In 2010, immigration officials asked Norma Gallegos for help reaching immigrants who qualified for citizenship. Twelve years later, she’s shepherded a few thousand through naturalization.
EAST WENATCHEE — Just months from retirement, 2021 tested Eastmont Superintendent Garn Christensen like no other time.
WENATCHEE — Nurses, medical assistants and respiratory therapists at Central Washington Hospital, the largest hospital in North Central Washington, have been working tirelessly to keep people alive through the worst of COVID-19. And now they're working into their third year of the pandemic.
Randy Lewis remembers helping his grandmother sort through her collection of Swarovski crystal beads as a child. When she asked which was his favorite, Lewis held up a type of iridescent bead, called Aurora Borealis, that reflected a variety of colors.Â
WENATCHEE — Jenny Rojanasthien is the executive director of the NCWTech Alliance, a nonprofit that in 2021 successfully rebranded to be more inclusive of the six counties they serve.Â
Explore the people, organizations and traditions that keep Wenatchee moving forward
For the 2022 Progress Edition, The Wenatchee World reflected on the past year. Who persevered? Who showed innovation? Whose stories will be remembered?
WENATCHEE — Mary Big Bull-Lewis always felt like something was missing, but it wasn’t until her 30s that she started digging into how to change that.
Sydnee Gonzalez
World Staff Writer
Teresa Bendito-Zepeda is a Wenatchee native and a co-founder of non-profit Parque Padrinos. In 2020, she also founded her own business, Teresita's Consulting, to provide services like interpretation and translation to local organizations, including Confluence Health.
Sydnee Gonzalez
World Staff Writer
WENATCHEE — When the pandemic came to Wenatchee, Laurie Flarity-White saw a need and looked for a cupboard-sized solution. She found one.
WENATCHEE — Linda Haglund has deep roots in the Wenatchee Valley. Local businesses are what Haglund sees as the heart of Wenatchee’s community, which is why she has been working for over a decade to support those businesses.
CHELAN — Larry Hibbard doesn’t spend as much time with his wife as he used to; someone a little older has been keeping him out late — her name is Valentina, a 100-year-old self-playing instrument.
WENATCHEE — Nothing like having a warm hat on a cold day. Thanks to Aїda Bound, a lot more people in the local area have those warm hats through her Hat Project.
Ian Dunn
World staff writer
WENATCHEE — Nurses, medical assistants and respiratory therapists at Central Washington Hospital, the largest hospital in North Central Washington, have been working tirelessly to keep people alive through the worst of COVID-19. And now they're working into their third year of the pandemic.
Oscar Rodriguez
World staff writer
WENATCHEE — A stroll around the Wenatchee Valley College campus will reveal a variety of colorful murals by students in Marlin Peterson’s mural painting class.
Ian Dunn
World staff writer
Wenatchee Valley College Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA) director Karina Vega-Villa began her work helping the community doing community outreach for Lewis and Clark Elementary School, where her son was choiced in for the dual language program.
Jordan Gonzalez
Community Manager
WENATCHEE — Dr. Peter Rutherford is the CEO of North Central Washington's largest medical provider, Confluence Health. Confluence Health has been a key part of the region's COVID-19 response in its care of the sickest COVID-19 patients at Central Washington Hospital along with its testing an…
Oscar Rodriguez
World staff writer
2022 Community Connection Award: Norma Gallegos | Stepping up with Hand in Hand Immigration Services
WENATCHEE — In 2010, immigration officials asked Norma Gallegos for help reaching immigrants who qualified for citizenship. Twelve years later, she’s shepherded a few thousand through naturalization.
Pete O'Cain
Reporter
WENATCHEE — Jenny Rojanasthien is the executive director of the NCWTech Alliance, a nonprofit that in 2021 successfully rebranded to be more inclusive of the six counties they serve.Â
Jordan Gonzalez
Community Manager
WENATCHEE — When announcing plans for the valley’s first charter school in 2018, few could have predicted Pinnacles Prep opening would be amid a pandemic.
Mitchell Roland
World staff writer
Randy Lewis remembers helping his grandmother sort through her collection of Swarovski crystal beads as a child. When she asked which was his favorite, Lewis held up a type of iridescent bead, called Aurora Borealis, that reflected a variety of colors.Â
Sydnee Gonzalez
World Staff Writer
WENATCHEE — "You take over any organization in the middle of crisis let alone the worst pandemic we've had in about 100 years there's always something new every day to learn," said Luke Davies.
Oscar Rodriguez
World staff writer
EAST WENATCHEE — Just months from retirement, 2021 tested Eastmont Superintendent Garn Christensen like no other time.
Mitchell Roland
World staff writer