Site founded Sept. 1, 2000. We passed 1.5 million page views on March 3, 2007
These home pages remain free of any charge. We need donations or subscriptions to continue.
Please pass on this website link to your family, relatives, friends and clients.

Skagit River Journal

of History & Folklore
Free Home Page Stories & Photos
The most in-depth, comprehensive site about the Skagit
Covers from British Columbia to Puget Sound. Counties covered: Skagit, Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Snohomish & BC. An evolving history dedicated to committing random acts of historical kindness

Noel V. Bourasaw, editor

810 Central Ave., Sedro-Woolley, Washington, 98284
Home of the Tarheel Stomp

Mortimer Cook slept here & named the town Bug

Pen Pal Hawes pays a visit

Bill Hawes was identified on screen as being a Petty Officer First Class. See the video here.

Soldier surprises son and classmates at Central Elementary By Ruth Richardson, Courier-Times Editor As Ensign Bill Hawes made his way through the hallways at Central Elementary School last Thursday, onlookers could tell he was on a mission. It could have been the desert camouflage uniform. Or that his wife, Julie, carried a certificate and American flag as they walked toward Roxanne McRae's kindergarten classroom.
With a television camera also capturing every move, the soldier ducked into the classroom and greeted his 5-year-old son, John Hawes. John looked up from his desk to where the senior Hawes was standing and said "hi, dad." About five seconds later, it sunk in that his dad was actually in the classroom.
As John ran toward his dad, his little face crumpled and tears of joy came pouring out. Hawes, who had been serving in Iraq since September 2006, surprised his son and classmates who had been sending special notes and care packages.
"It really helped bring some of the morale up," Hawes said of receiving the letters. "When you're over there, having some part of home is great." Hawes would hang the notes up and said it helped him keep up with his son's progress during his first year of school. Hawes, a 1993 Sedro-Woolley High School graduate, was stationed at the Al Asad Air Force Base in the Al Andar Province in Iraq. A 13-year Navy reservist, Hawes was activated in part because of his truck-driving skills. His .parents, Bob and Patty Hawes, also are long-time Sedro-Woolley residents. They stood outside the classroom and watched the scene unfold.
"It was terrible to see your son go off to war," Bob said. "Now I know how my mother felt during Vietnam." Hawes also has a 4-year-old daughter, Samantha. The two children stayed at their grandparents house on Wednesday night so Hawes could surprise his son at school the next day. As he ate a chocolate cupcake loaded with frosting, Hawes aid he still couldn't believe he was home.

"I'm still trying to let it sink in," he said.
After the television report of the classroom surprise aired on [KING Channel 5 on Thursday], it was picked up nationally on several morning news shows Friday [and Brian Williams's NBC Evening News Report]. The Haweses and school officials started fielding calls from various networks on Friday.
Hawes said the family had calls from Jay Leno, Larry King, Good Morning America, Today and Inside Edition on Friday. The family of four were flown to Los Angeles on Saturday and [were] provided limo service, tickets to Disneyland and hotel rooms
"I'm still in shock," Hawes said. "I'm still in shock, I was definitely not expecting anything like this." The family was scheduled to arrive back to Sedro-Woolley on Tuesday.

Return to the new-domain home page

Links for portals to subjects and towns

Newest photo features

Search entire site

You can click the donation button to contribute to the rising costs of this site. You can also subscribe to our optional Subscribers-Paid Journal magazine online, which is about to enter its seventh year with exclusive stories, in-depth research and photos that are shared with our subscribers first. You can go here to read the preview edition to see examples of our in-depth research.

Story posted April 1, 2007

See this Journal website for a timeline of local, state, national and international events for years of the pioneer period.

Did you enjoy this story? Remember, as with all our features, this story is a draft and will evolve as we discover more information and photos. This process continues until we eventually compile a book about Northwest history.

Can you help? We welcome correction and criticism.

Please report any broken links or files that do not open and we will send you the correct link. With more than 550 features, we depend on your report. Thank you.

Read about how you can order CDs that include our photo features from the first five years of our Subscribers Edition. Perfect for gifts.

You can read the history websites about our prime sponsors:

Jones and Solveig Atterberry, NorthWest Properties Aiken & Associates: . . . See our website
Please let us show you residential and commercial property in Sedro-Woolley and Skagit County 2204 Riverside Drive, Mount Vernon, Washington . . . 360 708-8935 . . . 360 708-1729

Schooner Tavern/Cocktails at 621 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, across from Hammer Square: www.schoonerwoolley.com web page . . . History of bar and building

Oliver Hammer Clothes Shop at 817 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, 82 years.

Joy's Sedro-Woolley Bakery-Cafe at 823 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, 82 years.

Check out Sedro-Woolley First section for links to all stories and reasons to shop here first
or make this your destination on your visit or vacation.

DelNagro Masonry Brick, block, stone — See our work at the new Hammer Heritage Square

Are you looking to buy or sell a historic property, business or residence?
We may be able to assist. Email us for details.

Peace and quiet at the Alpine RV Park, just north of Marblemount on Hwy 20
Park your RV or pitch a tent by the Skagit River, just a short drive from Winthrop or Sedro-Woolley

Did you find what you were seeking? We have helped many people find individual names or places, so email if you have any difficulty.

Tip: Put quotation marks around a specific name or item of two words or more, and then experiment with different combinations of the words without quote marks. We are currently researching some of the names most recently searched for — check the list here. Maybe you have searched for one of them?

Please sign our guestbook so our readers will know where you found out about us, or share something you know about the Skagit River or your memories or those of your family. Share your reactions or suggestions or comment on our Journal. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to visit our site.

View My Guestbook
Sign My Guestbook

Email us at: journal@stumpranchonline.com

Mail copies/documents to Street address: Skagit River Journal, 810 Central Ave., Sedro-Woolley, WA, 98284.