The #1 happening this week
When Nancy died last year (3/30/21) and I notified folks at Central Washington University there were numerous individuals that offered support. Not unexpectedly (because of previous donations), the College of the Sciences Dean, and Director of Development, responded and inquired if I wanted to honor Nancy with a donation to CWU. I replied but said I’d get to that toward the end of summer. In September, I contacted Megan Walsh of the Geography Department (she leads the department’s scholarship activities, and is a friend and neighbor) and asked her to set up a meeting. The image above is the heading of the document we signed this week.
Some details: This is now a permanent endowment honoring Nancy, but my name is on it because I’m the one that had to sign the donation document. I used the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from Nancy’s IRA that I inherited. I’ve worked with the CWU Foundation and the Geography scholarship committee since September to get the wording right, and then with Vanguard to pass the money to CWU via a non-taxable charitable contribution. That had to wait until 2022 rolled around. If you are retired and have an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) you will know about RMDs. If you are not retired and have an IRA, you will learn about RMDs when you retire. Otherwise, ignore the above.
For the past 10 years, Nancy had been giving a scholarship or two as “current use funds.” The University takes the money and passes it on in the same year to the recipient chosen by the Geography Department. An “endowed scholarship fund” works differently. The University invests the money, and a few years later when there is sufficient earned income a scholarship will be available. The core funds, and some of the earnings, remains to grow. To not have this delay, I am continuing the sort of award that has been given. This year there will be $3,000 available for current use. I suppose this will be distributed as three $1,000 awards. The Geography scholarship committee may decide something else if circumstances warrant.
I’ve set this up with the University Foundation with the intent of growing 
the fund for several years while also providing the current use funds.
There is a concept called “a black swan event” [an extremely negative event] and I told my College of the Sciences contact that my plan assumes such an event does not happen.
At home on the Naneum Fan:
Well, our big snow was in early January and most of it was still here at the beginning of the week. I got very tired of a month of cold and fog. Despite what the groundhog claims, this week is better, and it is warming slowly so there is less chance of EBRG flooding.
The city and county are passing out sandbags & sand, I guess.
I shoveled much of the snow out from between the house and the big brown shed. Had it melted rapidly it can seep into the house – once the 2-car garage.
Safe now forever, because within a week the construction crew will begin to tear the roof off and replace it with one that slopes away in the other direction. The metal for the roof was delivered in December. The trusses were delivered Tuesday. I got a call about 7:58 a.m. – I wasn’t aware of the delivery until the truck was 2 miles away. I took photos of the unloading but I’m having trouble making the iPhone do what I want. I was already outside when the call came and did not think to run for the camera – that I do know how to use. I did get a photo onto the computer, as seen below.
These are extended (cantilevered) half-trusses. The extension on the right will be over the passage way {left side, below] so only a little snow will blow into that space. The near edge will be on top; that is, the roof part. The next photo is the front of the Big Brown Shed (BBS). The roof and front will all be removed and the structure will be open – like a large car-port. The orange line shows how the new roof will slant, and carry rain and snow away from the narrow passage on the left side.
This will correct a number of poor decisions by the prior owner, the builder, and the county folks that allowed this.
One of a 2-building combination in the – more snow – upper county had to be demolished in January after snow slid into the passageway and destroying a wall. An inspector insisted the building could not be saved and it was pushed over. 
Almost all of the land-fill destination stuff has been removed. Cameron and Phyllis helped sort and load again Friday. The truck is full, although the load is somewhat less dense than last week. Likely there will be about 1,700 pounds and a $100 dollar tip fee. There are a few pass-on things, and tools and such that remain.
Another thing that got done this week is that 3 years of back taxes got submitted to the IRS. I started this process in the summer. Had to find someone to agree to work on it, then wait for them to fit it in, and get it done. I think I have all the papers now for the 2021 tax year. I promised to bring those to the office real soon. The issue now is how long the IRS will take to process all this. How can I complain? I’m 3 years late on the one they no longer accept digitally. I got a letter on Dec 24th warning me to send the stuff the next day or maybe lose my return. Their timing was wonderful.
About 3 weeks ago several eagles were in trees a few miles south, where there are cattle. Calving was not in progress and a day later the eagles were gone. Yesterday there were two calves with that herd. The eagles will be back to clean the birthing grounds. This is one of the first signs of spring on the Naneum Fan.
Best to y’all!
John