Friday, May 14, 2010 • Northwest Navigator > WHIDBEY EDITION www.NorthwestNavigator.coM Page 7

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SHE’S A MOTHER, SISTER AND DAUGHTER,WITH ALL THE BENEFITS OF BEING IN OUR FAMILY.

By Terese ToenniesFleet and Family Readiness Marketing

Amy Conner was selected as the NAS Whidbey Island Youth Activities Center’s Youth of the Year, May 6.

Conner has been a mem-ber of NAS Whidbey Island’s Youth Programs for nine years and involved in nearly every program the Youth Center offers. She’s helped to plan the center’s dances and other activities.

In addition to her involve-ment at the center, Conner

volunteers with her church and in the community. She has been a Relay for Life participant for 13 years; is involved with Big Brothers, Big Sisters; campaigned for State Representative Barbara Bailey and has traveled on mission trips to Nashville and an Arizona Navajo Reservation.

The Youth Center and the San Diego Boys and Girls Club, where she spent her summers, has been her sup-port system throughout dif-ficult times.

“Amy is positive, outgo-ing and helpful, and those are the qualities that make a huge impact, both on the center, as well as on the staff and students associated with it. She’s an inspiration to a lot of the teens here,” said Melissa Haley, Teen Program manager.

Amy’s parents divorced when she was three years old. Custody arrangements allowed her to only see her father during the summer.

“During school, it was really rough for me to be

away from my father, but the Youth Center was there to cheer me up and stay connected,” said Conner. “My dad was in the Navy and deployed like so many of the kids’ parents at the Youth Center. After he retired from the Navy, he became a truck driver and I saw him even less. My friends at the Youth Center understood the pain of an absent parent, and the staff helped me deal with my feelings.”

Her father passed away

in San Diego when Conner was 12. The years follow-ing his death were difficult and filled with negative peer pressure.

“I was being pulled into bad influences; a lot of my friends were drinking and doing drugs,” said Conner. “I started going to the [cen-ter] more often and I real-ized that I could get away from the wrong crowd. I am learning how to be in charge of my life and be an inspiration to my peers and younger children.”

Conner’s spirit nabs ‘Youth of the Year’

Terese Toennies

Amy Conner, NAS Whidbey Island Youth Center’s Youth of the Year, accepted the award alongside her mother, Karen Conner, May 6.

TICKETS ON SALE AT ITTAT THE CONVERGENCE ZONE:

(360) 257-2432Sounders FC vs. San Jose Military Appreciation Day May 22 at noon; $18 (reg. $33) and $22 (reg. $38); on sale until May 12Fiddler on the Roof at the Paramount Theatre May 29 at 2 p.m.; $84 (reg. $90) all ages; on sale until May 17 at 2 p.m.Sounders FC vs. Boca Juniors May 26 at 7:30 p.m.; bleachers $18 (reg. $26), section 120 $20 (reg. $32), section 335 $38 (reg. $53) ages 3 and up; on sale until May 17 at 2 p.m.Menopause the Musical at Edmonds Center for the Arts June 10 at 8 p.m.; $49 (reg. $52.50); or at the Pantages Theatre, Tacoma June 12 at 7:30 p.m.; $49 (reg. $53.50); on sale until May 17 at 2 p.m.Kooza by Cirque du Soleil at Marymoor Park in Redmond July 9 at 4 p.m.; $59 adult (reg. $93), $43 child 2-12 (reg. $68), $53 seniors 65+ (reg. $85); on sale until May 21 at 2 p.m. Mariners vs. Royals Military Appreciation Day August 6; pre-game festivities at 6:30 p.m., game time at 7:10 p.m.; $15 (reg. $34) view reserved; $34.00 (reg. $47) field level; $41 (reg. $55) terrace club for ages 3 and up; on sale until July 28 at noon for hard copy and August 4 at noon for will-call; free T-shirts given away at gameEndurocross at Comcast Arena, Everett Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m.; $18 (reg. $28) for ages 2 and up; on sale until Aug. 26 at 2 p.m.Active and Retired U.S. Military may purchase 4-Day Walt Disney World Armed Forces Salute tickets for themselves and for up to five (5) family members and/or friends. Tickets must be ordered through ITT at the Convergence Zone and can take up to 10 working days to come in. Can be purchased through July 31, 2010 and used through Sept. 30. Prices are for ages 3 and up. 4 Day (no hopping) $99 (reg. $239.63); 4 Day Park Hopper $122 (reg. $295.01); 4 Day Water Park and More $122 (reg. $295.01); 4 Day Hopper/Water Parks & More $147 (reg. $350.40); all tickets are non-refundable.

Got health benefits questions?Federal civilian employees are invited to meet with representatives from participating healthcare car-riers Aetna, Blue Cross-Blue Shield, Group Health, GEHA, KPS and Mail Handlers, May 20, at the Of-ficers’ Club, Tuscan Room, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Contact Kathy Vass at (360) 257-2979 for more information.