The passage of the Enumclaw School District’s capital bond means that our facilities will finally be on par with the surrounding districts’ buildings. But the real value will be the improved learning and teaching environment, giving teachers and students the core facility and resource components they need to prepare for college, career and life.

It means the students will earn even more state titles – in academics, as well as athletics. It means that the costly ongoing repairs and maintenance on worn-out buildings will be eliminated. It means elementary students will move out of substandard portable classrooms that were only intended to be an interim capacity solution. It means more dollars for our local economy: with the enhanced athletic facilities, the district will now be able to host postseason, multi-day events which will bring in out-of-town families who will spend money here.

I wish to give particular thanks to the voters who voted for passage, even though they don’t have children attending school. Something very unusual happened the day of the bond election: a thank-you letter to voters was published by The Courier-Herald, written by the committee that campaigned for the bond passage. I have never seen a district that thanked voters before the outcome of the election was determined. Such a letter is reserved for the times bonds and levies pass, not fail. This shows the character of those people who live and work in our community. Their gratitude and appreciation is a reflection of the strong foundation built by our citizens over the past eight generations.

Ours is a community that all others only dream they could be. Never been prouder.

Tom Redman

Enumclaw