Sequim Irrigation Festival

Each year the Grand Marshal is selected by the Irrigation Festival Committee as someone who has made significant contributions to the community.

The Grand Marshall for the 2011 Irrigation Festival is Emily Westcott, known by many in the area for her tireless efforts on behalf of the community.

Emily was born in Tacoma where she grew up, attended school and lived for 23 years. After graduating from Washington State with a degree in physical education, Emily moved to Olympia and took a job teaching P.E. and Health in Centralia at Maple Lane, a State Correctional School. She worked there for 10 years, while simultaneously studying for and receiving a Masters degree in counseling from Oregon State in 1970.

In 1979, Emily moved to the Olympic Peninsula to take a job as Vice-Principal at Port Angeles High School. At the time, she thought P.A. was “at the end of the world” and it took her a couple of years to get used to the small town atmosphere after living in Olympia. Emily lived in Port Angeles for about six months and then moved to Sequim where she has lived ever since. After marrying Ken Whitney, Emily left P.A. H.S. for a short while before returning to work teaching at Choice, an alternative school. She worked there from 1987 until her retirement in 1998.

Emily’s husband, Ken, owned the Red Ranch Motel and Restaurant and after their divorce in 1991, Emily ran the restaurant from 1993 through 2003. For about five years of that time, she was working at the restaurant in the mornings, travelling to P.A. to teach, and then returning to Sequim to work at the restaurant.

In 1995, Emily started visiting friends on Orcas Island but it was a long 5 hour trip each way. One day, she took a chartered flight and arrived in 25 minutes. She thought “I can do this” and signed up for ground school at Wright Bros. Aviation, becoming a licensed pilot in August, 1996. She has been flying ever since and regularly donates flights for local charities to auction off for fund raising.

Although she is “retired” from the school system, Emily is busier than most people with full time jobs. In addition to many community activities, she works as a substitute teacher and especially enjoys working at Sequim H.S.

Emily started working with the Chamber of Commerce in 1993 and served on Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce board for many years. One of the projects for which she is well known is organizing colorful flower baskets and containers on and around Washington Street. Emily said that when she was at the Red Ranch, there was a vacant, weed filled lot across the street and she organized a group to get it cleaned up and beautified. From there, they moved down the street, little by little, spreading the flower baskets along the street. In 1997, she began getting sponsorships for the baskets ($100 per basket) and raises about $12,000 per year for 130+ baskets, barrels and mini-gardens. The flowers and baskets themselves come from Sequim High School students who grow the flowers from seed. Emily is also responsible for Christmas decorations at the Bank of America Park at Washington and Sequim Avenue and at other locations throughout town.

Emily is obviously a woman who gets things done and knows how to get people working toward a common goal. She admitted that if someone stops to chat with her as she is putting up decorations or flowers, they’ll get put to work.

For the past 17 years, Emily has worked with the Irrigation Festival, using her considerable persuasive abilities to tackle fundraising and get sponsors for the various Festival events.

Emily lights up when she talks about her current involvement with the Sequim Museum and Arts Center (MAC). She got involved on the board after being asked by Bob McCrory and has been President for the past two years. Some of her recent accomplishments include working on behalf of MAC as it has remodeled its exhibit space on Cedar Street, starting a field day (outdoor themed history exhibit), and initiating a large yard sale/swap meet to raise funds.

Emily said that what she loves about Sequim is the small town atmosphere and the fact that in this “little pond” she can get to know so many people. Because Sequim has that small town feel, she can take pride in knowing that her efforts can make a big difference to the community. “It’s fun doing things to make Sequim a better place”, she said. Emily describes Sequim as a “very charitable community that gives until it bleeds.”

Since Emily arrived in Sequim in 1979, there have obviously been changes, but she sees most of the changes in a positive light. The downtown is more attractive, the Boys and Girls Club has been a positive addition that has had an impact on many children and families, and there are more cultural offerings at places like MAC and the Olympic Theater Arts.

Emily was named Citizen of the year in 2004. She said she had been nominated for about 10 years and was beginning to feel like Susan Lucci before she was finally selected.

Emily said she was very surprised and pleased to be selected as Grand Marshall for the 116^th Irrigation Festival. “I thought you had to live here longer”, she said. She is very excited and looking forward to participating in Festival Events.

So, as you drive through town and appreciate the colorful flower baskets or marvel at the holiday decorations, think of Emily Westcott and if you stop to say hi to her, be prepared to lend her a hand.