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City replaces stolen plaque

By Avani Nadkarni/of The Herald

More than a year ago, a large bronze plaque commemorating Whitworth University founder George F. Whitworth was stolen from the outside of the Ryan House.

Last week, it was finally replaced. The new plaque looks just like the old one, but it has one major difference: It’s worth a lot less.

“We suspect (the original plaque) was stolen for the value of the metal,” Sumner Human Resources and Risk Manager Steve Zamberlin said. “With the economy now and back when it was taken, people were stealing copper and other metals for money. It was well-secured ... somebody really had to work to get it off of there.”

The sign is especially important to Ryan House and the Sumner Historical Society because Whitworth University was founded in Sumner. It was established as Sumner Academy by Whitworth in 1883, then incorporated seven years later as Whitworth College. In 1899, the college moved to Tacoma, then to its current home in Spokane and changed to Whitworth University in 2006.

Realizing the plaque’s importance, Zamberlin got to work researching replacement options and enlisted Sumner-based Artistic Solutions to help find the perfect material for the new plaque.

“It was very important to keep (the company) local here in Sumner,” Zamberlin said. “We knew they’d understand the importance.”

Artistic Solutions employees got right to work to figure out a solution.

“I put the idea out to my vendors,” Artistic Solutions owner Terry Flippin said.

Zamberlin and Flippin agreed on a laser-engraved plastic, which Flippin said he had used previously for dedication plaques on park benches.

“It has an almost identical look to the bronze plaque,” Zamberlin said.

Another plus: The savings in cost.

Zamberlin ventured that it would have cost the city a couple thousand dollars to replace to original bronze plaque. The plastic one cost $333.

“Replacement costs were pretty minimal,” Flippin said. “Plus, since it’s outdoors, it’s durable and it looks awesome.”

The city of Sumner was so happy with Flippin and his employees that they’ve asked Artistic Solutions tot help them replace a plaque that was stolen from a bridge, as well.

“We love the challenges of coming up with these creative (solutions),” Flippin said. “It’s very exciting to come up with something that really flies.”

And the city — and Ryan House curator Vicki Connor — thinks the new plaque will fly. Zamberlin presented the plaque to a delighted Connor at the Nov. 16 Sumner City Council meeting.

“This is beautiful,” Connor said, accepting the plaque.

Zamberlin joked that the sign looked so similar to the original, potential thieves may get confused.

“It looks so good we’ll have to put a sign next to it that says ‘This is plastic,’” he said. “They might want to steal it again!”

Reach Sumner Reporter Avani Nadkarni at 253-841-2481 ext 314 or by e-mail at avani.nadkarni@puyallupherald.com.