SNOHOMISH — Since their arrival in October of 2019, Bill and Erin Webster have been dedicated to the close-knit and nurturing community that is Snohomish. The Websters became the chairs of this year’s Kla Ha Ya Days festival, one of the many Snohomish events they are involved with.
Nancy Keith, manager for the Snohomish Chamber of Commerce, has known Bill and Erin for two and a half years.
“They are always the first to raise their hands to help in any way they can,” Keith said. “They lead with love.”
Besides being members of the chamber, Bill and Erin have also run fundraisers, volunteering at the local food bank to help those in need.
“We have always been involved in our community, but with COVID-19 we realized that there are going to be people who are going to need more assistance in a different way than previously,” Bill said.
To help those in the community through the pandemic, Bill and Erin opened up their backyard to host a “pay what you want” yard sale to raise money for the Snohomish Community Food Bank in 2021. According to Erin, they had over 30 tables worth of things people could buy. In total, they raised $6,000 over the garage sale weekend. They hosted the yard sale again in 2022, raising a cumulative $10,000 from both events.
“We like to be connected, to give back,” Erin said.
Bill has lived all over the country, and has always been involved in the community where he resides. It has always been something he has enjoyed. According to Bill, he has lived in places where neighbors do not even know each other, but in Snohomish there is an obvious sense of community and active participation among residents.
“I am originally from New York. I have lived in Florida, North Carolina, New Orleans, and traveled extensively. This is the best place I have ever lived,” Bill said.
Bill and Erin have also recently acquired a 20-person shuttle which they used to provide transportation services at the Snohomish Block Party, and plan to offer the service again between Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 during the tour of artists’ studios.
“Our plan with the shuttle is to be able to provide a free service for community events, busy weekends throughout the summer, and possibly expanding as the need presents itself,” Erin said. We would like to keep this as a free service for the people who use it, and plan to set up advertising opportunities on and inside the shuttle. More details to come on that soon.”
Bill and Erin live at home with their four dogs whose names are Buster, Bernice, Buford T. Justice, and Crackalacka Dingdong. Buster is a mixed breed and is the oldest of the four. Erin rescued Buster as a puppy 12 years ago.
Bernice, the English bulldog, came from Bill’s friend who breeds bulldogs.
Erin and Bill got Buford T. Justice from a friend in Eastern Washington. Buford T. Justice is a basset hound and will be two years old this Halloween.
Crackalacka Dingdong is a mix between a labrador and boxer. According to Erin, they just went to look at puppies and came home with the “sweetest dog ever.”
Bill and Erin Webster will continue to be pillars in the Snohomish community, and will always be appreciated for their generosity and their willingness to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.
Keith appreciates and admires their dedication to the community that they all call home.
“They embody the idea that love is a verb, it is action,” said Keith.
