Larry Germain, ARNP, has assumed the coordination of the Chronic Healthcare Clinic at the Dungeness Valley Health & Wellness Clinic in Sequim. The clinic is staffed by volunteer physicians and health providers who see uninsured or underinsured patients on a first-come, first-served basis on Monday and Thursday from 5-9 p.m. at 923 N. Sequim Ave., until Sept. 18 when it will reopen at 777 N. Fifth Ave. on the west side of the building.

The new program will allow the clinic’s patients who are diagnosed on their first visits to have a chronic condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure to make an appointment and be seen by the same provider, assuring consistent care and following of their conditions.

Germain was one of the first providers to serve at the Volunteers in Medicine in the Olympics clinic in Port Angeles. He obtained his ARNP certification at the University of Nevada.

First Federal’s September Business Education Seminar will focus on innovative banking products and services including Cash Management and Remote Deposit Capture (RDC) as small businesses seek lower costs, later deadlines, faster availability and increased time savings. Attendees will have the opportunity to view an RDC demonstration and try out First Federal’s Cash Management product. Commercial loan officers will be on hand to answer questions on business financing. The Sept. 16 seminar takes place at Sequim Village Marketplace branch, 1201 W. Washington St. All seminars begin at 6 p.m. and are free 90-minute sessions open to the public. A light meal and beverage is provided. Space is limited, call First Federal at 800-800-1577 to make a reservation.

Mike Flynn has been selected as employee of the quarter for Peninsula Community Mental Health Center. Flynn began his employment with PCMHC in October 2000 and provides chemical dependency crisis intervention services to individuals with alcohol and drug addictions. He retired as an Air Force officer with masters’ degrees in counseling and public administration. He founded Olympic Personal Growth Center in 1993 and he is a certified chemical dependency counselor and domestic violence counselor. Flynn was nominated as Employee of the Quarter by his peers for being committed to doing his best for the clients he serves, for the genuine care and compassion he has for his clients, his positive attitude and for maintaining constant professionalism.

Brian Kuh has been selected for the position of commercial loan officer for First Federal. He will serve the greater Sequim market area from the Sequim Avenue branch at 333 N. Sequim Ave. Kuh previously served as First Federal’s product development manager. He will handle all aspects of commercial lending from commercial real estate development projects to small-business lines of credit. He can be reached at 582-2504 for his office location or by cell phone at 477-2381.

First Federal’s first gift from its newly created Community Dividend Program will go to the Northwest Maritime Center at Point Hudson in Port Townsend. The $225,000 gift will support construction of the two-building site, currently under construction and slated for completion in the summer of 2009.

The 26,600 square feet of classrooms, conference space, boat-building shops and a chandlery are meant to serve as a regional center for maritime heritage and education. The project is the culmination of efforts made by a variety of entities: the city of Port Townsend, state and federal government; nonprofit entities; businesses and individuals.

In recognition of the gift, the commons area, approximately 20,000 square feet adjacent to the shoreline and dock, will be called the First Federal Commons. It provides views of Port Townsend Bay, Point Hudson marina and the surrounding Cascade and Olympic mountains.

The centerpiece of the First Federal Commons will be the Compass Rose, composed of 1,500 pavers of different colors and sizes.

For more information about First Federal’s Community Dividend program, visit www.doinggoodfeelsgood.com. To learn more about the Northwest Maritime Center, visit www.nwmaritime.org.

The staff of the Dungeness Valley Health & Wellness Clinic will be moving to its new location at 777 N. Fifth Ave. on Sept. 12. Consequently, the clinic will be closed Monday, Sept. 15, and will open in the new location on Sept. 18. Watch for a full story in the Sept. 17 edition of the Sequim Gazette.

The Quality Inn in Sequim has been shortlisted for two national awards that will be given in October. Nancy Schade has been nominated for the General Manager of the Year, while the hotel itself has been shortlisted for the APEX Eco-friendly Award.

The hotel was nominated for the Eco-friendly Award because of the measures the hotel has been taking to help the environment.

News of the two nominations arrived shortly before Schade and Damian Humphreys, the hotel’s marketing manager, learned that the hotel had jumped to No. 6 out of 791 Quality(r) brand hotels worldwide. "We were at No. 10 earlier this year but were determined to get even higher," says Humphreys. "We want to be No. 1, but more importantly, we want to continue delivering on our promise to provide a great hotel for Sequim."