As a Program Manager at the Angle Lake Family Resource Center, I would like to honor a local family during National Family Week, Nov 21-27. As noted by President Obama, "During National Family Week, we celebrate the resilient spirit of America's families and their role in building vibrant communities and a strong Nation."

No matter who you are, no matter where you come from, we are all part of a family. For better or worse, we are somebody's mother, daughter, son...Many of us "choose" to create new families, whether traditional or untraditional, we bond together.

As Erma Bombeck said, "We're a strange little band of characters trudging through life, sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together."

This is family.

This year the Angle Lake Family Resource Center would like to celebrate the "Family Blandon" for their strong family example and contribution to community. Alvaro & Reina Blandon have been married 3 years and have a son Abdiel who is 19 month old.

Alvaro is from the country of Colombia. He has been a citizen of the United States for many years. He owns his own minor repair and service business (www.handymanservicewa.com), is a pastor in Proyeccion de Alcance Intl (www.iglesiacristianapai.com), and has a weekly Christian radio program.

Reina is a nurturing mother and caring wife. She helps out at the AL Family Resource Center facilitating a Play and Learn group for moms with young children.

As a family they like to take walks, go fishing, and spend time enjoying the parks in the Seattle area. On Sundays, after Alvaro serves as pastor, they eat out at a nice restaurant together. The family lives the values of respect and kindness and is strengthened daily through prayer and love.

We salute them for their commitment to family and celebrate them as one of many families providing a strong foundation for our community and country.

Claudia Dickinson, Program Manager
Angle Lake Family Resource Center
SeaTac