On Excel, she is able to keep track of invoices, create graphs and complete financial reports.
She said the skills she learned also helped her apply for an emergency COVID-19 grant for her business, Liliâs Green Cleaning Services, which she started last fall.
Mendez is one of 16 who graduated Dec. 5 from the free computer course offered to Spanish speakers. Classes were held in a bilingual format for six Saturdays this fall, and included basic and advanced levels. Â Honestly, I was very afraid at the beginning, Mendez said through an interpreter. I thought it was very complex, and I felt to some extent a bit embarrassed of making mistakes and not doing as well as others. I was kind of intimidated. But honestly it was extremely easy. IÂ didnât realize how much I was learning.
BOW â In 2011, Harley and Susan Soltes purchased Bow Hill Blueberries and set out to rejuvenate the 73-year-old farmâs heirloom blueberry crops through organic farming and to make the small farm sustainable again.
Nine years later, the Soltes family accomplished its goals and decided it was time to pass on the 5-acre farm to new owners.
The family announced last week the sale of Bow Hill Blueberries to brother and sister duo Ezra Ranz and Audrey Matheson and their spouses Emma Ranz and Andrew Matheson.
âWe wanted a young family who had the energy to work on what we did, but even go further with it,â Susan Soltes said. âThereâs a lot of opportunity here.â
Dozens of food boxes were distributed Friday to Latino and indigenous Latino families in Skagit County as part of a project supporting food access and area farmers.
It was the continuation of a project earlier this fall aimed at connecting Latino-owned farms with Latino and indigenous Latino farmworkers in need.
About 670 pounds of produce, including fruits, vegetables, and herbs, were purchased from Regino Farms, Cabrera Farms, Silva Family Farm and Lopez Family Farm for the project.
The project was organized by the Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC) and Catholic Community Services (CCS) Farmworker Center, both in Mount Vernon.
âIt was a huge hit last time, and people were asking when there was going to be more,â said Alex Perez, project manager at NABC. âThe families and staff loved the experience and said there was still a huge need.â