In just over two weeks, the All West headquarters in Burlington, WA, will be opening its doors to the Select Sires Board of Directors as they have their summer meeting in the Pacific Northwest. It’s quite an honor to host members from all over the country, but even more so this year as we celebrate 75 years of “How the All West was Won!”
Visitors to this part of the U.S. usually fall into two different categories – those that are amazed by the beauty and return home to talk about the views, the seafood and the “laidback vibe.” Then there are those that are amazed by all of that, and never leave!
While not “on the way to somewhere” like a lot of places in the U.S., the state of Washington is certainly a unique one:
* it’s the only state to be named after a president
* it has five major volcanoes as part of the Cascade Range; Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier, Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens
* Washington produces more apples than any other state in the union
* Milk production in the state is the second largest commodity behind apples
* Washington has more glaciers than the other 47 contiguous states combined
* Everett, WA, is the site of the world’s largest building, Boeing’s final assembly plant
* Puget Sound’s many islands are served by the largest ferry fleet in the United States
* The forests of the Olympic Peninsula are among the rainiest places in the world and the only rainforests (such as the Hoh Rain Forest) in the continental United States
The founding fathers of All West realized the vast potential of Washington State with it’s ideal climate for dairy cattle and close proximity to major ports to export agricultural products. Built on the hard work and cooperation on many smaller co-operative members, today’s All West represents the pioneering spirits of those early founders as well as the innovative and cutting-edge thinkers of today’s west coast dairy industry.
The employees of All West share in that innovative and hard-working spirit, and are more than excited to welcome both the Select Sires Board and the All West Board for a week of meetings in early July. As part of the preparations, we’ve been sprucing up around the office….a perfect excuse to do all those little things that never seem to get done on a regular basis…until company comes!
Here’s a look at what’s been happening over the past few weeks.
Putting the extra touches on that green grass and flower arrangements are the crew from Corny’s Lawn & Landscape. Getting the outside “spit-shine clean” is Dan Curtin with the pressure washer!
- L: You can’t come to the Pacific Northwest and not enjoy a salmon barbeque! Maynard Axelson holds up part of “the catch” that will be grilled by our infamous, in-house chef Patrick Brown. C: All these lists!! Meeting coordinator Jamie Peth double & triple checks arrangements. R: Move ‘em out! Alan Yost and Paul Brown move some tanks around to make space in the warehouse.
For those who will be traveling to Burlington next week, we hope your travels are safe and enjoyable. We look forward to renewing old friendships and making new ones, and opening the doors to an amazing place Where the All West was originally won!”
(blog posts will appear on the website from Communications Manager Karen Knutsen)
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