Grand opening of Hazel Allen Burnett Hall at WVC at Omak May 1

Media Contact: Evelyn Morgan-Rallios, assistant to the vice president of instruction-Omak, 509.422.7806, or, Libby Siebens, community relations executive director, 509.682.6436 (Mon.-Thurs.)

April 22, 2015

 

The community is invited to the grand opening of Hazel Allen Burnett Hall on Friday, May 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. on the Wenatchee Valley College at Omak campus.

The grand opening will include a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m., with speeches by WVC President Dr. Jim Richardson, WVC at Omak Foundation President Chris Johnson and the family of Hazel Allen Burnett. Tours of the building will be given between 1:30 and 4 p.m. Appetizers from the Breadline Café will also be available, sponsored by the WVC at Omak Foundation.

A portrait of Christine Quintasket, also known as Mourning Dove, by artist Georgia Tongel will be displayed in the hall. Mourning Dove was an author, and she was active in Native American politics and served as adviser to tribal leaders.

The building houses three classrooms and multiple faculty offices, and it can host large community events.

The hall is named for long-time Okanogan County resident Hazel Allen Burnett. Burnett was born in the Pine Creek area and graduated from Omak High School in 1943. She lived in Oregon and California for a time before returning to Omak. She began working for the Okanogan Community Action Council in 1967 as fiscal officer and secretary, and retired in 1981 as executive director. Burnett also served as chair of the Omak Hospital Board. She was instrumental in the establishment of the WVC at Omak campus; as one of its founding board members, she earned the Emeritus Award in 1996 for her service.

Burnett's daughter Nancy Phillips said that her mother contributed not only monetary donations to the college, but her time and student assistance as well, and she even taught a class when she was 86. She was especially proud of the nursing program, and often provided financial assistance to students in the program.