Rychlik is pick for Citizen of Year

Published 10:06 am Wednesday, February 24, 2016

On four yellow pieces of notebook paper, Louie Rychlik had penned his acceptance speech. It featured one sentence: “I don’t walk on water.”

Clearly, he is a man who prefers action to words.

On Feb. 23, the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce honored Rychlik, the longtime businessman and volunteer, with its 2015 Citizen of the Year award.

Owner of Louie’s Well Drilling of Port Angeles, Rychlik gained kudos from the organization thanks to his philanthropic and volunteer endeavors throughout the community. He aided the Sequim Museum and Arts’ addition of an elevator at the Dungeness Schoolhouse, the City of Sequim’s Music in the Park series, local Sequim festivals, construction of a BMX track and various other community efforts.

It’s the Veterans Monument that Rychlik said is his favorite. Featuring a cavalcade of flags and inscribed tiles recognizing veterans of all U.S military branches, the monument is at 544 N. Sequim-Dungeness Way across from Sequim High School campus.

“That’s special,” Rychlik said. “I thought, ‘I have to do more for the veterans.’”

“He’s the one person we think about when we need something done; he doesn’t stop giving for any reason,” says Judy Reandeau Stipe, the volunteer Sequim Museum and Arts executive director who nominated Rychlik.

“He has no expectation for anything,” Stipe said. “He’s just absolutely amazing.”

Rychlik, who serves as treasurer for Sequim Museum and Arts, was quick to deflect praise to his helpers, particularly John Dickinson and Dan Smith.

“If we didn’t have them, we wouldn’t have the museum or the Veterans Monument,” Rychlik said. “I just call them and they’re with me.”

A committee of past recipients selected the finalists that include: Rychlik; Vern Fosket, Sequim High School band director; Judy Lange, board member/group leader at the Shipley Center, and Tim and Branette Richards, volunteers for various groups.

Finalists honored

Fosket was nominated for his dedication to projects beyond his role as high school band instructor at SHS, serving as a role model and event organizer for various concerts, parades and events in and outside the community for the past 18 years. He was inducted in the Washington Music Educators Hall of Fame in 2014. Don Baron, parent of an SHS band student, nominated Fosket.

One of the finalists for the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Citizen of the Year award included Vern Fosket, pictured with wife Lynn (left) and Mary Budke, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula.

Lange was being nominated for leading several groups of knitting, crochet and fiber arts at the Shipley Center. She also is the past two-term board member of the Shipley Center and heads up the efforts of the Shipley Center craft store. She participates in groups that create hats and blankets for sick infants, homeless veterans, cancer patients, memory care residents and for First Step and Sequim Community Aid. Lange also provides lessons in knitting and crocheting to groups of children.

One of the finalists for the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Citizen of the Year award included Judy Lange.

Michelle Rhodes, Development and Program Director at the Shipley Center, nominated Lange for the honor. “She’s been an important volunteer for 20 years now,” Rhodes said of Lange. “She works hard and never seeks recognition.”

Two of the other finalists for the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Citizen of the Year award included Branette and Tim Richards.

Melissa Murray nominated the Richards, noting the couple’s volunteerism with local faith groups and projects including My Choices — a nonprofit pregnancy care center for Clallam County — and The Faith Puzzle series.

“They are shining a bright light in this community,” Murray said.

Sequim’s Citizens of the Year

1968 — Peter Black

1969 — Carl Klint

1970 — Virginia Keeting

1971 — Virginia Peterson

1972 — Tom Groat

1973 — None

1974 — Katie & Bill Merrill

1975 — Jerry Angiuli

1976 — Chuck Southern, Howard Wood, Lorna McInnes

1977 — Nellie Tetrude

1978 — Marcia Welch

1979 — Ruby Trotter

1980 — Iris Marshall

1981 — Howard Herrett

1982 — Guy Shephard

1983 — Don, Vivian Swanson

1984 — Bill & Shirley Keeler

1985 — Ed, Marcia Beggs

1986 — Ruby Mantle

1987 — Jeff Shold

1988 — Annette Kuss

1989 — Jim Haynes

1990 — Bill & Judy Rowland

1991 — Nina Fatherson

1992 — Bud Knapp

1993 — Paul Higgins

1994 — Rand Thomas

1995 — Rochelle McHugh

1996 — Esther Nelson

1997 — Annette Hansen

1998 — Jim, Cathy Carl

1999 — Bill Fatherson

2000 — Robert Clark

2001 — Don Knapp

2002 — Gil Oldenkamp

2003 — John Beitzel

2004 — Emily Westcott

2005 — Lee Lawrence

2006 — Bob, Elaine Caldwell

2007 — Stephen Rosales

2008 — Walt, Sherry Schubert

2009 — Tom Schaafsma

2010 — Jim Pickett

2011 — Dick Hughes

2012 — Kevin Kennedy

2013 — Gary Smith

2014 — Cliff Vining

2015 — Louie Rychlik