On April 26th, the Snoqualmie Valley community came together to celebrate and support Encompass programs for children and families at the sixth annual Inspire Breakfast, making it the most successful installment of the event to date. Nearly 250 local business, community, and government leaders were treated to a breakfast program including an awards presentation, a keynote address on Creating Beloved Community and Charlotte and Jerry Rempfer’s story on how Encompass taught them to be advocates for their son’s needs and how the community embraced them through their loss.
KING 5’s Chris Cashman once again led the morning festivities. Executive Director Nela Cumming took the stage to introduce the audience to Encompass programs and joined the honorary chairs of this years’ Inspire breakfast-Snoqualmie Mayor Katherine Ross and husband Victor Ross, an Encompass board member. They then presented four awards: the John Castle Corporate Partner of the Year Award to the Salish Lodge & Spa and DB Engineering, the Community Partner of the Year Award to the Snoqualmie Valley School District, and the Volunteer of the Year award to Melody Granillo.
Keynote speaker James Whitfield delivered a stirring keynote address on Creating Beloved Community as well as the desire and need to see everyone in the community thrive. “Beloved community is a special thing,” said Whitfield. “That is love uncorrupted by the divisions of us versus them.” He went on to add “the mission of Encompass is not just for all children to thrive; it is for ALL children. That is beloved community. You being here means that is what you want to create in the Valley.”
After James, Charlotte and Jerry Rempfer shared their personal story of grief, loss, and the creation of the Dane Rempfer Scholarship and its impact on preschool students at Encompass.
Former Encompass board member Dr. Alyssa DiRienzo said of the breakfast: “I was moved by James Whitfield’s keynote on kindness and community. The topic was timely and pushed the boundary of current thinking on what it takes to cultivate a community that wants the best for all people.”
Encompass was honored to have several local civic leaders and guests of honor in the audience: Senator Mark Mullet, Representative Lisa Callan, Representative Bill Ramos, Representative Keith Goehner, King County Councilmember Sarah Perry, King County Superior Court Judge Kristin Ballinger, Carnation Mayor Kim Lisk, Duvall Mayor Pro Tem Amy McHenry, North Bend Mayor Rob McFarland, North Bend Council Member Mary Miller, and Riverview School Board Member Carol Van Noy.
Inspire Breakfast would not have been possible without the support of local sponsors Nintendo, ABC World Movers, and Pioneer Van Lines.