By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News
The Father Patrick Twohy Community Garden became a place of reflection, gratitude, and celebration on Wednesday, June 24, as community members gathered at the Tulalip Health Clinic to honor Father Patrick Twohy and Dale Jones for their decades of friendship, service, and dedication to the Tulalip community.
Held in the garden that bears Father Pat’s name, the afternoon celebration brought together family members, friends, tribal leaders, and healthcare staff to recognize two men whose lives have been defined by compassion, humility, and service. Through prayers, songs, gifts, and shared memories, attendees reflected on the lasting impact both have had on generations of Tulalip families.
Tulalip Health System Administrator Dr. Gary Ferguson welcomed attendees by recognizing the generations of leaders who helped shape the clinic’s mission and the healing work that continues today.
“I realize I stand on the shoulders of leadership, of legends here, as we look at the healing work that the clinic has been doing for many, many years,” Ferguson said.
Before the ceremony’s centerpiece, Tulalip Health Clinic Diabetes Care and Prevention Coordinator Veronica Leahy shared the history behind a tradition that began 10 years ago. She explained that Dale Jones honored Father Pat by washing his feet as a gesture of respect and gratitude for his years of service to the Tulalip community. Wanting to continue that tradition, Dale requested that the ceremony take place again during this year’s recognition.
Leahy explained that this year’s ceremony also gave Father Pat the opportunity to wash Dale’s feet, symbolizing the mutual respect, humility, and enduring friendship the two men have shared over the years.
Following the foot-washing ceremony, both men were presented with handcrafted moccasins. Father Pat’s moccasins featured the words “Love Medicine” and the Medicine Wheel Garden, honoring his connection to the garden and the message of healing he has shared with the community. Dale’s moccasins were inscribed with the words “Basketball is Life,” recognizing his lifelong passion for the game and the many young people he has encouraged through athletics.
For Father Pat, the greatest honor was not the ceremony itself, but the friendships he has built with the Tulalip people over nearly four decades.
“I feel greatly honored to be in the presence of my friends and brothers and sisters in the Tulalip Tribe,” Father Pat said. “To me, there’s no greater honor than friendship and lasting friendships of love and respect, selfless love and giving. Ever since I first came to Tulalip, around 1986, I’ve appreciated the Tribe’s direction and the work they do for the young and everyone. It’s a hopeful time for tribes and the Northwest, and it’s wonderful to live long enough to see it all come to fruition. The power for good is enormous. People need what the tribes teach because, a lot of times, we’re lost.”