About Us

A Tribute to Delma Tayer: A Legacy of Art and Education

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude and admiration for Delma Tayer, Co-Founder and valued member Yakima and Selah Neighbors’ Network. Delma’s contribution to both the artistic and educational communities is immeasurable, and her legacy will continue to inspire for years to come.

Delma’s remarkable career spanned over 25 years at Yakima Valley College, beginning in 1963. She passionately taught English, Art History, and Humanities, and served as the Dean of Arts and Sciences. Her love for art was not only evident in the classroom but also in her unwavering dedication to cultivating creativity and intellectual curiosity in her students.

Delma retired in 1990, at which point she transitioned to a full-time artist. While her formal training was rooted in abstract expressionism, Delma was never confined to any one style. Her work spanned a variety of mediums—oil, acrylic, watercolor, and even handmade rice paper, which she purchased herself during a trip to Japan with her son.

Delma’s impact on both education and the arts is enduring, and her spirit will remain in the artwork she so generously shared. We will miss you, Delma, but we are thankful for the beauty and inspiration you leave behind.

April 12, 1924 – March 22, 2025

Art generously donated by Delma Tayer

A Welcoming Network

We are a local volunteer-based nonprofit organization that empowers members to continue living at home.

Our Mission

Improve the experience of aging by creating friendships and services that support independence and connection to the communtity.

Our Vision

To build and sustain a community where neighbors engage with and support one another through the transitions of aging.

Our Values

Inclusiveness – We accept members and volunteers regardless of their age, gender, sexual orientation, race, financial status, or spiritual beliefs and treat every person with respect, dignity and kindness.

Accountability – We work to provide a safe environment for our members and volunteers. We operate responsibly, recognize the limitations of our mission, and hold ourselves accountable as we carry it out. We work with individuals and organizations in our community to strengthen our Network and reduce duplicated efforts.

Compassion and Connection – We embrace each person, regardless of their current situation or past, knowing that everyone deserves understanding and patience. We believe in building a Network where our members may find meaningful relationships. We consider ourselves a community of giving and receiving and strive to provide ways in which people may contribute and connect.

Openness – We value diverse backgrounds and ideas, and we carefully consider them to find new ways to benefit our members and volunteers.

Appreciation – We are grateful to our community. Without the dedication of our volunteers, members, and supporters, we would not be able to fulfill our mission. We depend on local donors and appreciate their support as a measure of their respect for the Village concept and our work in carrying it out. We appreciate our volunteers, train them well, and listen to their needs and suggestions.

Model

Yakima & Selah Neighbors’ Network is a member of the Village to Village Network, a national organization that helps villages by providing expert guidance, resources, and support. If you live outside the greater Yakima and Selah areas, please visit www.vtnetwork.org to find a village near you.

Board of Directors and Staff

Becky Johnson, Board President

Becky has been a lifelong resident of the Yakima/Selah area. She is married to Ron, a retired City of Yakima Firefighter, and has two adult daughters and two grandsons. She retired from the Washington State Department of Ecology having worked with the superior court judge on the recently completed Yakima Basin Adjudication. Becky served as Board Secretary, 2019-2023.

Barb Heinzen, Board Vice-President

Barb is a retired Physical Therapist with a passion for helping folks achieve their highest level of function. She has been with YSNN since the beginning and is now the Board Vice-President and co-chairs the Membership and Volunteer Committee. Barb strongly believes in the mission and vision of YSNN and that the challenges of aging are best met within a forward-looking supportive community. Barb is married to her husband Joel and has three grown children and four young grandchildren. Her hobbies include hiking, golfing and quilting.

Susie Lattomus, Board Secretary

Susie is a retired (2014) RN, BSN. Her first career is in Natural Resource management, mostly with the US Forest Service. She also spent several years in the fruit industry. She had her mother living with her for 17 years, so she could observe firsthand the needs and decline of an elderly person. For fun, she enjoys hiking and outdoor activities, music concerts, friends, and eating.

Janet Doty, Board Treasurer

Janet was a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) for over 25 years with a regional accounting firm in Yakima and was the accountant for her family orchard for several years. Janet is married to Doug and has two grown children. She is a Deacon at Grace of Christ Church. In her spare time, Janet enjoys hiking, golf, jigsaw puzzles, and playing with their two dogs.

Chrissy Schott, Program Manager

Chrissy graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle during the dynamic Seattle music scene of the early 90s, embarking on an exciting career. Over time, she shifted focus and discovered a deep fulfillment in serving older adults, which became one of the most meaningful and rewarding transitions of her life. After 25 years in Seattle, Chrissy returned to her hometown of Yakima. During this time, she had the privilege of being close to both of her parents, who both passed away in 2024. Outside of her professional life, Chrissy enjoys the company of her two dogs and two cats. She also finds joy in walking, swimming, and singing with the Yakima Symphony Choir.

Mary Lou Rozdilsky, Board Member at Large

Mary Lou retired as Dean of Arts and Sciences from Yakima Valley Community College in 2006. She served on the Larson Gallery Guild Board where she organized the Tour of Artists’ Homes and Studios for several years and later was a docent for the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy and helped with butterfly-tagging. She loves her Yakima neighborhood and the Central Washington landscape – as a gardener, hiker and an artist—she appreciates the generous support the community has given our Neighbors’ Network. Mary Lou served as YSNN Board president from 2018-2023.

Jeff Honeycutt, Board Member at Large

Jeff is a retired federal employee, with most of his 32 years spent serving as a community resource manager for several VA medical centers across the country. Originally from Seattle, he and his wife, Rise’, moved to Yakima in late 2020. Jeff found YSNN in search of volunteer opportunities and is excited to have become a new Board member. In addition to his volunteer work, Jeff enjoys hiking, golf, music, and community theater.

Caroline Calvillo, Board Member at Large

Caroline joined Yakima Selah Neighbors’ Network Friday walking group in 2020 during the pandemic and became a volunteer in 2022. Caroline and her husband learned firsthand about the challenges of aging elders while providing care for her parents in their home through long illnesses. Caroline embraces continuous learning and loves to connect her reading about cultures, history and other countries to her travels.

Inga Wiehl

Inga passed away with her family by her side in Yakima on June 26, 2024. She will be missed. YSNN Board 2018-2024

Inga received a scholarship from the University of Washington. She left home in Copenhagen and arrived in Seattle where she completed her Master’s degree in the course of a year. With a renewal of her scholarship, she went on to study for her PhD in Comparative Literature and received her doctorate after completing her dissertation. Arriving in this country without her family has taught her to rely on her friends and, she hopes, to be a friend herself. She brings that experience to the Neighbors’ Network.

John Putney

February 9, 1940 – December 10, 2020

YSNN Board 2018-2020

In the summer of 1961, a 21-year-old John Putney traveled abroad for the first time in his life, prompted by his mother to work at a refugee camp in Berlin, where large numbers of people landed after fleeing communist East Germany. Little did Putney know he was about to witness history. That summer, he watched firsthand as the East German government laid the foundation for what became the Berlin Wall, a symbol of the Cold War and the barrier that split the city for almost three decades, disrupting and changing millions of lives, including Putney’s. In 1989, he went back again, this time to witness the fall of the infamous Berlin Wall. This week marks the 25th anniversary of when the first pieces came tumbling down and reunified a city and nation. The wall’s legacy, Putney said, helped shape his life much in the way it shaped Berlin. Putney taught German and social studies for more than three decades, mostly at Eisenhower and Davis high schools. But it all started with his mother’s suggestion that he help a people in crisis. “It was really the first time I’d been out of the country. What a start,” he said