Citizen and Junior Citizen of
the year named

LS Chamber of Commerce announces winners BY PAM STEVENS | EDITOR After receiving several nominations from people all over the city, the Lake Stevens Chamber of Commerce has selected Sylvia Irvine as Citizen of the Year and Anthony Smith as the Junior Citizen of the Year.

Irvine has lived in Lake Stevens for the past 42 years after she came to America as a little girl in 1964. She attended Mt. Pilchuck Elementary and graduated from the Pink Palace in 1973.

Sylvia and her husband Don have five children and have raised over 60 foster children in their home over the past 20 years.

Irvine also started Sunshine Generation, a children’s singing and performing group.

One of her favorite pastimes is taking her many foster children to Disneyland and helping them experience “the happiest place on earth”.
This past year has been a tough one for the Irvine family, especially Sylvia, who lost her mother and learned that her sister was diagnosed with cancer. Her family nominated her in hopes of cheering her up.

“I nominated my mom because she is a wonderful person. I was trying to cheer her up and it worked,” her daughter Brienne Irvine said.
Irvine was extremely surprised and deeply honored.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen foster parents chosen,” she said.

Sylvia was in the Aquafest Parade along with her foster daughter, Kyla Cooper who is a Miss Aquafest runner-up this year.

The family was so excited they planned a huge get together to celebrate before the parade.

“We’re having a huge barbeque for the whole family and then we’re going to watch mom in the parade, we’re all very excited,” Brienne said.
Anthony Smith, the 2007 Junior Citizen of the Year, just graduated from Lake Stevens High School in June. He is on his way to study bio-medical engineering at Washington State University in the fall and was amazed to find out he had won the award.

“I was quite surprised – I didn’t even know I had been nominated,” Smith said.

Smith has been actively involved through his participation on the track team, tennis team and band and was elected to the offices of President of the Key Club, Vice-President of his Junior Class and Vice-President of the Associated Student Body.

He also focuses much of his time in organizations involving children such as the March of Dimes, the Boys & Girls Club, Providence Medical Center and New Hope Community Church band. He has even gone to Mexico to help build houses for needy families.

Smith’s passion for helping children in need comes from his early start in life. He was born prematurely weighing in at only 1 pound 4 ounces and was only 10 inches long.

“Because I was born prematurely, I could have been a special needs child, so I wanted to give back to them,” Smith said.

His love for kids with special needs is evident by the work he continues to do today.

“They deserve love as well. My job is to give them love and support and help them with everyday activities,” Smith said.

Anthony was also in the Grand Parade at Aquafest.
Sylvia and Anthony will be honored at the Lake Stevens Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Monday, August 13 at 11:30 a.m. For reservations please contact the Chamber of Commerce at 425-334-0433 or info@lschamber.org.

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