WHEREAS, Sequim, Washington, located in Clallam County, is the Lavender Capital of North America®; and
     WHEREAS, The Sequim Lavender Festival® has been successfully sponsored by the Sequim Lavender Growers Association for the past 15 years; and
     WHEREAS, The mission of Sequim Lavender Growers Association is to promote the Sequim-Dungeness Valley as the premier lavender growing region; and
     WHEREAS, The Sequim Lavender Growers Association supports sustainable, profitable agriculture in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley by promoting research, education, and market development; and builds a sense of community through individual and collaborative actions; and
     WHEREAS, The Sequim Lavender Growers Association is solely produced and managed by the member-growers; and
     WHEREAS, The Sequim Lavender Festival will expand its production to include activities and regional attractions for the modern family and visitors of all ages; and
     WHEREAS, The Sequim Lavender Festival has focused the attention of visitors to the fields of lavender, lavender farms, and the many lavender products produced in the Sequim Valley and neighboring community; and
     WHEREAS, Lavender grown in Sequim, Washington has become an agriculture-focused tourism industry in and of itself, which contributes to both state and local economies by attracting tourists from around the globe;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate commend and support the Sequim Lavender Festival and the Sequim Lavender Growers Association for their work in enhancing the economy of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley and creating a vibrant tourist attraction on the Olympic Peninsula.