As the Feb. 11, 2025, Yelm educational and program operations (EP&O) levy special election rapidly approaches, local pro-levy groups have begun to increase efforts in support of the measure — including Yelm Community Schools 1st Coalition. Their collective effort includes hosting a series of forum events prior to the election.
Support groups have hosted four separate forums throughout different YCS schools as of Monday, Dec. 30, Jesse Kellems, volunteer and event coordinator with YCS 1st Coalition, said. Four more forum sessions are scheduled, including at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, at McKenna Elementary; 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16, at Mill Pond Elementary; 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at Fort Stevens Elementary; and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at Yelm Middle School.
“These forums have been providing a lot of different information, which I think is really awesome. They’re doing this for everybody,” Kellems said. “They’re very transparent, they’re very informative and they’re answering everybody’s questions.”
Kellems said attendance at the events has been great thus far. He added that despite group volunteers feeling a sense of urgency to get the upcoming levy passed, he does feel positive about it.
“I’m feeling pretty optimistic about it. I feel like these forums have been positive,” Kellems said. “There’s definitely been some harder questions being asked, but I feel that the administration has been very good about their answers and willingness to stay after and talk to people.”
YCS 1st Coalition previously hosted a fundraising kickoff event on Wednesday, Nov. 20, where it raised $45,640 toward levy support. Kellems noted the event was highly successful, and the organization is going to follow up with another kickoff style event after the new year.
“We’re trying to be involved in any community event that we can in order to gain more volunteers. On Jan. 10, we’ll be doing another kickoff type of event. We’ll be rounding up people, holding signs, putting up signs, doing some door knocking and phone calling — reaching out to their neighbors or whatever they can do to help us,” Kellems said. “We started kicking off a little bit before the holidays, but this is going to be the big push now.”
