Once Staci Adman started volunteering in the Kenmore community, she couldn’t stop. There’s the Arts of Kenmore, St. Edward State Park playground project, Northshore Fire Station Public Art Committee and much more.
“It just kind of snowballed — you get involved in things,” she said. “I’ve gotten good at juggling whatever the biggest priorities are.”
On Feb. 1, the 12-year Kenmore resident received the Kenmore Heritage Society’s 11th annual McMaster Heritage Award for outstanding volunteerism and service to the community, according to the organization’s invitation to the event at the Kenmore Community Club. President Elmer Skold presented the award to Adman, the youngest recipient at age 45. She is the third woman to earn the award along with Priscilla Droge and Jo Ann Evans; Les “Bud” Eaton won last year’s award and Ralph Swanson was the first honoree in 2002.
“It was very humbling. I look at the list, and say, ‘Oh my, no way!’” Adman said of the other award-winners. “It’s a huge honor to be added to the ranks of those guys.”
Adman credits Dick and Eleanor Taylor — both possessing “youthful spirit,” she said — for motivating and encouraging her to get involved in the community. She met the couple in 2003 while serving on the Kenmore Citizens for Good Governance Ad Hoc Committee, which worked to recruit people to run for elected government positions. Dick Taylor — Kenmore’s second mayor — received the McMaster Award in 2010.
“I love the sense of community and connecting with people,” said Adman, who added that she’s a shy person, but has broken out of her shell by becoming involved in the Kenmore scene.
“She is a tremendous community resource. If Staci decides to help with a project, you can be sure you have a collaborative, enthusiastic and productive team member,” said Dave Maehren, 2009 McMaster honoree. “Staci learned volunteerism at an early age, took the volunteers mission to heart and has continued to help others in a wide variety of efforts. If each of us did just 10 percent of what Staci has done, what a wonderful place this would be.”
By becoming involved with community matters, she’s “not sitting back and complaining about things not being done.” She also served on the Kenmore Downtown Task Force and hopes the city will soon develop a Main Street-like area.
One of Adman’s favorite activities was working with Lockwood Elementary students to provide art for the St. Edward State Park playground in 2003. The children decorated cement eggs with objects like glass, keys and buttons, and they drew pictures of salmon that were placed onto plastic lumber and attached to fencing.
“It was exciting to show the children that they could contribute to something that was going to be there for a long time,” said Adman, who’s also proud to be part of the Arts of Kenmore, which will host its 14th annual juried show June 20-24 at Bastyr University.
Always the artist, Adman does flamework with glass to form beads and sculptures in her home studio. For work, she sews components for a child-development study at the University of Washington, among other tasks.
Adman is married to Eric, a commissioner with the King County Fire Protection District No. 16. They have two children, Nick, 19, a UW student, and Ben, 16, an Inglemoor High student.
