Dan O'Donnell: The man behind the Flea Market (my first published article!!)

Bellingham real estate agent Dan O’Donnell explains what motivated him to open the Bellingham Flea Market and what he’d like to see this community of artists become.

     Guitar music mingles with the buzz of voices as Dan O’Donnell strolls by an antique sewing machine and a shiny red tricycle. He stops to chat with vendors, a smile stretched across his bearded face. His dog, Frog, stands at his heels wearing a shirt that reads “official greeter.”
     O’Donnell’s Bellingham Flea Market is a place where you can buy and sell used and hand-made items, listen to live music, enjoy local art, connect with the community and see a beagle-mix wearing a T-shirt.
     “I think we are helping out the artists and the community in general by just making something fun, which is what the Flea Market really is,” O’Donnell says. “It’s something fun to do. Plus it helps people make money.”
     Sharon Taylor, a vendor at the market, sees it as a place for the community to gather. She says O’Donnell is always trying to help vendors succeed in any way he can.
     This isn’t the only place O’Donnell where promotes success. About three years ago, he founded Positive Atmosphere, an online social network providing a forum to promote and discuss personal development.
     “Our mission statement is ‘connecting positive people to inspire and empower,’” he says.  “We’re community around that [concept].”
      O’Donnell, 30, has always seen himself as an entrepreneur and a source of new ideas. As a kid he would offer to ride his bike to the store to buy candy for friends who were willing to pay a 25-cent markup.
     It was this enthusiasm for commerce, creativity and fun that led him to create the Flea Market.
     On May 1, 2010, he signed the lease for the old Tube Time space on Cornwall Avenue. Fifteen days later, the doors were open.
     On the first weekend, about 25 vendors occupied the front half of the building. Now the market is crowded with vendors selling an eclectic range of items such as tools, hand-made jewelry, plants, used books, toys, clothes and art.
     “We’re an event. We’re a weekend thing,” O’Donnell says. “That is what people get excited about. The shoppers, they are like ‘Yeah I didn’t need anything, but I just know it’s different every time and I always see something weird.’”
     “In business that’s one of the most important things: You have to be different no matter what you do,” O’Donnell says about his success. “There is just no flea market around, so you just got to make people aware that it’s here. You don’t really even have to sell the benefits of it; it’s just something new instead of being the second farmers market or 30th furniture store.”
     Each vendor at the Flea Market pays O’Donnell $26 a day to set up their booth during the weekends. Spaces are given on a first-come, first-serve basis. O’Donnell sells his own items at the market as well as selling items for other people and consigning to vendors.
     “It’s totally wheeler-dealer style in here,” he says.
     In the center of the front room, Joelle Grinspan sits amidst her display of scarves, necklaces, purses and other boutique-type items. Grinspan says O’Donnell is very fair to all the vendors and a great person to report to as head of the Flea Market.
     “I guess he is kinda my boss,” she says. “But it doesn’t really seem like it because it’s just so laid back here.”
     On the first Friday of every month, people gather at the Flea Market to drink wine, chat with artists and enjoy local musicians during the Downtown Bellingham Art Walk.
     “Artists are just looking for a place like this to get out there,” O’Donnell says. Many artists don’t have a venue to show their work; the Flea Market provides that for them.
     “This is a cool place to showcase great local artists,” says Ed Burton, a blues guitarist who plays at the market. He says there aren’t many places for up-and-coming artists to play and that O’Donnell is helping to support and boost the music community.
     O’Donnell has been a part of the Whatcom County community since he was born. He says he learned his good work ethic and discipline from his elementary school teachers at Assumption Catholic School and his football coaches at Squalicum High School. After attending Western Washington University for a few quarters, he started working in real estate, in which he has continued for the past ten years.
     One of his passions is traveling. “I need a lot of stimulation and variety,” he says. “I get really bored if I’m doing the same thing and there is nothing more interesting than travel.”
     One idea O’Donnell has for the growth of the Flea Market is to create an outdoor food court when the weather gets warmer.
     “This place will be packed,” he says. “I think we are at least as fun as the Farmers Market. If they can get that packed, I think we can get that packed or more. I don’t see any reason why we couldn’t.”
     Speculating about the future, O’Donnell says the Flea Market is a high priority in his life but he doesn’t want to be “the man behind the desk getting old and gray.”
     “Between this and Positive Atmosphere,” he says, “I want to be able to live and travel like crazy.”
     He views the Flea Market as a fun place that promotes a positive attitude in the community and he wants to be a part of it as long as he is in Bellingham.
     “I would like for this market to be in this town, whether it’s in this place or someplace bigger, for decades. Good markets last for a long time. I think it’s cool for the community.”

Published on the Bellingham Business Journal website
January 27, 2011
http://bbjtoday.com/blog/dan-odonnell-man-flea-market/9972First written November 24, 2010 in News Writing Class

Make Your Own Luck

     My eyelids felt heavy as I fought to look outside my bedroom window.  Drops of rain ran down the windowpane and gray mist pressed up against the glass.
    I speculate that some Bellingham residents looked outside this morning and instantly decided it was going to be a bad day because of the dark and rainy sky.  They may have even blamed the weather on bad luck.
     But from the moment I looked outside I decided otherwise.
     "Have a good day," my roommate said as she rushed out the door.  "Oh, I will!" I thought to myself.  "I will have a great day filled with good luck."
     Before I left for school at 8:45 a.m., I had slept past my alarm, burnt my bacon and dropped my toothbrush behind the toilet. 
     As I unlocked my bike from our stairs I noticed a hole in the plastic grocery bag I had wrapped around the seat in an attempt to keep it dry.  My bike seat was damp.  It didn't faze me.  My jeans would dry by the end of my first class, no big deal.
     I took the shortcut through the woods.  Mud puddles sprayed my back as my wheels rolled over the dirt path carpeted with yellow leaves and tree roots.  The raindrops felt like pin pricks on my face as I squinted to see where I was riding. 
     "I love fall weather," I thought to myself as I locked up my bike and ran into the bathroom to clean the mud off my jacket.
     I made it to class on the first floor of the Communications Facility on time.
     After class I trudged up the stairs to the rhythm of dozens of wet shoes squeaking on the cement floor and visited Carol Brach's office.
     Since I do not yet have a Western grade-point average I cannot be in the school system as a pre-major so I was concerned about getting the classes I wanted for next quarter.
     "Let me check my list," Brach said as she scrolled down the list of names on her computer screen.  "You are in for the reporting class!"
     That was lucky.
     Relieved, I hurried out of her office and almost ran into Professor Pilgrim.  "How are you doing?"  I asked as we walked out into the hall.
     "I am doing very well," he said.  "Just trying to prepare for class."
     "Well, good luck!" I replied.
     On my quest to find a computer lab, I walked around the puddles on the red bricks outside as I contemplated the idea of luck.
     A while ago I read about this idea that if you see yourself as being lucky it is possible to have a good day even in the worst circumstances.  If you think positively and look for good luck you will find it.  If you are negative and look for bad luck you will find that as well. 
     I have been trying to test that idea.
     I walked up three flights of wet stairs without falling on my face.  That was lucky.
     When I walked into the computer lab I heard the clatter of fingers on keyboards and saw heads hovering above every computer screen.  Just as I was about to leave someone got up and left.  That was lucky.
     On a typical day, when you burn your breakfast, trip over your own feet or show up late to class soaked with rain, you can still find luck in the little things.

Written for News Writing Class
October 12, 2010

Intercoms to Imporve Safety in Buildings

     Western will be installing an emergency notification intercom system in all academic buildings including the Viking Union, Wade King Recreation Center and most resident halls. The Campus Safety Voice Annunciation System will be fully installed by the end of this month and is in the process of being tested, said Tim Wynn, director of facilities management.

     When complete, it will give Western the ability to send messages to students, staff and faculty immediately during any emergency situation. The intercoms are an addition to the already existing fire alarms. 
      The project was scheduled to be finished this month, but it will be pushed back to February or March until the testing is completed, said Project Manager Jeff Maurer.  Most of the preliminary testing took place during winter break.
      Students may hear some announcements over the intercoms during additional weekend testing, Maurer said.  They will do their best to inform students about these tests before they happen.
     “Before we had this in place, there was absolutely no reliable way we could get a message out quickly,” Wynn said. “We have text and e-mail notifications, but that takes minutes to engage and in many cases, we do not have minutes.”
     Construction began on July 14, but the design for the project started in September 2009, he said. 
     “There has always been a need for an emergency alert system like this,” Wynn said. “But the Virginia Tech incident really galvanized our planning and our request (for funding).” 
     The state gave Western $750,000 to install the system in every academic building.  The VU and the rec center each provided $13,000 for their own construction costs.  Resident housing also paid for their budget of $160,000 from capital funding.
     “This project has gone very well with regards to the budget,” Wynn said.  “When you are dealing with so many buildings you always have a couple glitches with regards to infrastructure. Fortunately those have been minimal, and we have been able to keep within the budget.”
     Campus Dispatch, University Communications and the president’s office are the only three places on campus with the capability to broadcast live messages or pre-recorded messages to campus.
     Mills Electric, the general contractor assigned to the project, sub-contracted with Performance Systems and Siemens to program and install the system.  Most of the alarms were fixed with amber lights that will flash to inform the hearing-impaired of an emergency.
     “As we upgrade fire alarms in the future, we will plan on doing full coverage with the ambers, but due to budgets, (the number we installed) was all we could afford,” Maurer said.  “(Western’s) Environmental Health and Safety Department and the police are going to have to come up with a training program to let people know what to do (when an intercom message comes through), particularly for the hearing-impaired community.”
     Gayle Shipley, director of environmental health and safety, said her department promotes emergency preparedness.
     “One thing that certainly is clear is that people need to be prepared and need to have their own plans in order to be resilient if there is a problem,” she said.
      Once everything is installed and ready, Wynn said he hopes to train the student population and staff to respond appropriately to the emergency system and ensure everyone is aware of its existence.
     “The importance of preparedness cannot be underestimated,” Shipley said.

---

The Western Front
January 14, 2011
http://westernfrontonline.net/news/12964-intercoms-improve-safety-in-buildings

Ticket to the World

     Ireland. Italy. Germany.  Spain.  These are a few of the countries' stamps in my blue passport.  I applied for the passport in 2005 when my family planned a trip to Guatemala.  That first internation trip infected me with the travel bug.  My passport became my gateway to endless travel possibilities.

     A couple years after going to Guatemala, I traveled around Italy by train with two of my girlfreinds.  With my passport in hand I was able to explore the beautiful vineyards of quiet villages, the busy streets of Rome and the breathtaking majesty of the Sistine Chapel.  It was the only personal belonging that I needed in order to jump on a train and be transported to my next European adventure.

     Our last train ride in Italy, before we moved on to France, was an overnight trip from Rome to Florence.  I was excited to ride in a sleeper car rather than in coach.  The trip would be comfortable and restful.  We boarded the train and sat patiently for someone to assist us in pulling out our bunks.  As more passengers boarded, an elderly French couple joined our car.  They smiled and began talking to us.  We politely explained we did not speak French, signaling to our U.S. passports and talking in English.  The old woman responded with a huge smile.  Without hesitation, she continued to tell us what was either a series of jokes or her life story.  

    An English speaking attendant arrived to check our tickets and passports.  She informed us that she would hold our passports for the remainder of the trip.  That made me nervous.  But the French couple handed their passports over without question; so we did the same.  The attendant assured us she would return our documents by 4:30 a.m., 30 minutes before our stop.  We unfolded the three tiers of bunks on each side of the car and tried to settle in for the ride.  The beds were so close together that we were nearly sleeping in the same bed as the French couple.
 
      Finally, a knock came at our door.  Groggily I accepted the pile of passports from the train attendant.  As we prepared to leave our car I checked the pile of documents to see if everything was accounted for.  That's when I realized my passport was gone.  With only five minutes until our stop, I raced around the train searching for someone to help.  No one I spoke to understood English.  My mind was racing.  What had happened to my passport?  Was it stolen?  Lost?  I kept a calm appearance but in my head I was wishing my trip to France a frantic farewell. 

      I returned to my friends, having had no luck finding help.  As I sat down in defeat, the English-speaking conductor passed by our door.  I sprung up and caught her in the hall, quickly explaining my dilemma.  She checked the pile of passports in her hand.  There it was: my passport had been shoved between the pages of another book.  Relief flooded over me.  My travel plans were not ruined.  I was not stranded in Italy and my adventure could continue.  I was going to France. 


Written for News Writing Class
September 30,2010

Family Grateful for Red Cross Support (first article in school paper)

      Three feet of water from Race Horse Creek covered the main level of the Boyd family home. The road leading to their house in Deming, Wash. was a swiftly flowing river that would not allow them to escape.

     On Dec. 13, Jim and Kim Boyd and their two sons, ages 17 and 21, were evacuated by helicopter. The family later contacted the Red Cross for help. 

     Two weeks earlier, on Dec. 2, the Boyd family donated to the Red Cross at the 13th Annual Real Heroes Celebration, the program’s biggest fundraiser of the

year.

     The water receded from the house on Dec. 15, but the Boyds’ road is still flooded. The family is living in their friends’ living room while they wait for insurance information to process so they can repair the house.

     Marinda Peugh, financial development director for the Mount Baker Chapter, said the Boyd family didn’t know much about the organization before the fundraiser. They attended because their 17-year-old son had  been nominated for a Youth Hero award for his volunteer work with Animals as Natural Therapy.

      “It’s incredible that a family who gave a generous donation to the Red Cross at the Real Heroes Dinner needed us just two weeks later,” Peugh said.

     When she donated, Kim Boyd never expected to be in need of Red Cross assistance.

     Race Horse Creek began to overflow and reached the Boyd house a half a mile away on Dec. 12.

     “We tried to walk out early in the day,” Boyd said. “But the water down the road was too swift.”

     That night, the family contacted search and rescue but it was too dark to attempt a rescue.

     “[It] was fine — we weren’t dying or anything,” she said. “On the 13th the helicopter came to take us out.”

     Once rescued, the Boyds called the Red Cross. They were provided with blankets and a card to purchase food and clothing. A volunteer caseworker from the organization contacted them for counseling. Kim Boyd said the people at the Red Cross were very kind and understanding.

     “When you are not expecting a disaster it throws you for a loop and some help is nice,” she said. “It was really touching how people came together like that.”

     Friends offered the Boyds a place to stay and a car to drive. The family was grateful for all the help.

     “The whole purpose of the Red Cross is the community helping each other,” Peugh said. “It’s really neighbors helping neighbors. You donate but you never expect that it will be you that will need the help. This is just the perfect example of you never know when something could happen and we’ll be there.”

     Kim Boyd said the flood was a major hiccup in their lives but she realizes there are many people in worse situations. She said she is thankful her family is safe. They are lucky nothing worse happened, she said.

     Receiving help from the Red Cross made Kim Boyd more aware of the impact the organization has on the community. “You know they are there, but when you have been affected and ask for assistance it puts things into perspective,” she said.

     Kim Boyd said it is important to volunteer, as she has witnessed through the examples of her son and the people at the Red Cross making a difference in the community. She intends to volunteer in the future and plans on giving to the Red Cross again.

     “We are an organization that has to raise 100 percent of the funds needed to provide emergency services to our community,” Peugh said. “We are 98 percent volunteer-driven, so it is very important to have people volunteering and donating money.”

     For students who want to get involved, Western has a Red Cross Club that works closely with the Mount Baker Chapter to help the community and bring together like-minded students.

     “I would love to see more people volunteering,” said club president Ariella Angell. “I know a lot of people do, but I feel like a lot of people are busy with their own lives and don’t realize how much of a difference they can make with just a small thing.”

To learn more about how to get

involved with the Red Cross, visit

mtbredcross.org or check out the Western

Red Cross Club Facebook page. The

Western Red Cross Club meets

 The Western Front
January 1, 2011

http://westernfrontonline.net/pdf/Winter2011/1.11.11online.pdf
http://www.mtbredcross.org/index.php?nShow=183