From left, Arlington Masons Jerry Gault, Ed Wall, Mike Ashley, Harley Robb, Bob Shultz, George Fischer, Ken Shotwell, Lloyd McPherson, Tim Teague, Warren Schoeben and Howard Christianson honor their Outstanding Citizen of the Year Vicki Adams, center, who is joined by her two grown children at left, John Adams and Malynda McCarter, at the Masonic Lodge Friday, April 20.

ARLINGTON — After giving birth to two children, Vicki and Tim Adams decided to adopt two disabled boys. Sean and Jimmy brought the Arlington couple along on a journey of service to the Arlington community over the past 20 years.
Now those years of service have been honored as the Arlington Masons Lodge No. 129 has named Vicki Adams the Howard A. Christianson Outstanding Citizen of the Year Friday, April 20.
Vicki first worked to establish a home for disabled adults and then she realized the need for employment and other social services for that community of citizens. Adams has been on the board of Village Community Services 15 years with nine of those years as president.
She was nominated for the award to Howard A. Christianson by his daughter, Christy Christianson.
“Dad was asking around for suggestions and I asked him to consider Vicki,” Christianson said.
“I told him about her long-time dedication to Village Community Services and other community organizations,” she said. During the award ceremony, Christianson shared her personal experiences with Vicki, dating back to the mid-1970s.
“When I was coordinating a Japanese student exchange, she hosted a student every year,” Christianson said. “Together we learned how to shoot a gun, we pierced our ears together and when we were both running day cares, we would recommend problem children to each other.”
Christianson and another friend, Deb Cooper, are members of the Motorcycle Divas with Adams.
“Every year we take a trip on our bikes to Seaside. We’ve got our tattoos together and we have enjoyed tea and scones dressed in our leathers,” Cooper said.
Vicki and her husband, Tim Adams, are long-time motorcycle riders, and Tim founded the north Snohomish County A.B.A.T.E. group, American Bikers Against Totalitarian Effects and launched the Arlington Motorcycle Show. Indeed, Tim was off biking the night of the award presentation and offered his comments by a letter which was read by their daughter, Malynda McCarter, a registered nurse working with dying children.
“Dad conveniently bailed,” she laughed. But it’s nothing new and different for the daughter of Vicki and Tim. Malynda noted the nature of being the daughter of Vicki Adams.
“You often get roped into doing Vicki things,” she laughed.
“When I offered to read his letter, I figured it would be short,” she said as she waved a page full of text in the air.
She read, “This woman deserves this honor.”
He recalled her evolution from 1968 when they were students at Arlington High School.
“She was shy and quiet then. She’s less quiet and less shy now.”
Everyone who knows Vicki Adams laughed.
Their son, John Adams, a detective with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, also spoke on behalf of his mother.
“Everything she does is because she cares about the people,” he said.
“I feel very lucky to have her as my mom and the Arlington community is lucky to have her, too,” he added.
A member of the Masons also had a personal tale to relate. Tim Teague remembered the guidance he received from Vicki and Tim in a marriage counseling session.
“They showed me that my problems are nothing compared to others,” Teague said.
Vicki and Tim had spent a good share of their life defying the stereotypes of bikers.
Tim is a licensed minister and together they have offered a clean-and-sober hog roast at their north county home each summer as well as monthly dances.
From all the contributors at the shindig, there was one common theme.
“If you are her friend, you have to do what she says,” Christianson said.
“To know this Vicki is to know every worthwhile cause in town,” Cooper said.
“From equestrians for the disabled to hormone-charged teenagers, Vicki is there,”
“Vicki has a willing spirit and a generous heart,” Cooper said.
Yet another project of Vicki’s is a musical group, Voices of the Village, which provided entertainment for the evening. The music ensemble is part of the VCS effort to provide social and creative outlets for its clients. With the help of Jon Dalgarn, the Voices of the Village have sold 1,000 copies of their first CD.
“They’ve played at the Tulip Festival and at the country club. They are stars,” Vicki Adams said, noting that music is in the ears of the beholder.
Her next project is to establish a music academy for the disabled.
“Vicki is the kind of Christian that you learn about in Sunday school,” said Mayor Margaret Larson, who knew Vicki while she was growing up as a Melum.
“Adopting two disabled children is not a challenge that most of us would sign up for,” Larson said.
“I love Arlington,” Adams said. “And I’m passionate about my family and my friends,” she said as she acknowledged all five grandchildren who were in the audience.
- The Arlington Times