While working at Boeing, Tom and Christy Lee contributed to the Boeing Employee Community Fund, a fund that supports a wide variety of charitable causes in the community. Through this, the Lees saw the impact charitable giving can make in helping people in need. Thus, when they retired, they continued donating to a number of causes, including the Homage Senior Services’ Meals on Wheels program, the Marysville Community Food Bank and an international ministry — of which Tom says, “We buy goats for the ladies in Africa.”

Still, Tom and Christy felt they could do more and came up with the idea of paying off the lunch debts of students at Kellogg Marsh Elementary School, the school their son attended as a child. When they went to the district office to inquire, however, they were surprised to find that the debt for that school was only $259. They then asked how much it would cost to pay off the lunch debt for the whole Marysville School District and were told the total debt was $5,495 for 262 kids in 10 schools. Tom and Christy decided to donate that amount, and felt good knowing that the debt was gone for these kids. Thanks to the Lee’s initiative and generosity, families in the district who were struggling to pay off their children’s lunch debt would have one less worry.

A few years ago, Tom learned that his kidneys were failing and he would need to start dialysis. He fell ill just as he and Christy were getting ready to depart on a long-awaited dream trip to Hawaii. Instead of heading away, they needed to focus on getting Tom healthy enough to qualify for a transplant. Today, Tom is still dialyzing but feeling better and determined to have that great vacation. Meanwhile, he and Christy continue to make a difference in the community by helping others in need.

“I just love the way it makes me feel,” Tom says about donating. “It feels so good and we’re fortunate to be able to help.”

Thank you, Tom and Christy, for the incredible support you have shown this community!

When a young Michael Lynch found a dusty ukulele that his sister brought back from Hawaii years earlier and began to teach himself, little did he know what a life-changing moment that was to become. Ukulele Mike has now taught the instrument to thousands of people around the globe.

Michael Lynch, known around the world as Ukulele Mike.

As a teacher in the Seattle school district and local private schools, Mike brought the magic of the ukulele to countless school-age children throughout his career. Thanks to his online instruction videos, Mike also has an international following. He now receives videos back from accomplished students in Korea, Japan, New Zealand and around Southeast Asia. They all respond back with different variations of his catchphrase “happy strumming,” which is how he ends each lesson.

Mike started dialysis almost two years ago, but he is still able to write, produce and share his music around the world. He admits his most productive days are his off days, but he’s never allowed his illness to stop him. He’s currently planning a second ukulele cruise, where he and his wife, Collene, teach ukulele to passengers for four or five days at sea, on their way from California to Hawaii. Mike also currently works with musical instrument builder Oscar Schmidt Co., and has developed the Mike Lynch Tenor Ukulele, complete with his signature on the headstock and available for purchase online.

Visit www.allthingsukulele.com to learn more about Ukulele Mike.