Throughout 2021 the Sunday Olympian Looking Back feature portrayed events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project. Barbara O’Neill, pictured in the 2001 cityscape, was a commanding presence in our area for many years. While operating a soul food restaurant on Fourth Avenue, she instituted a practice of providing free holiday meals for those in need. The tradition continued after her death, with the annual Barb’s Family and Friends program, led by her children and numerous volunteers and supporters.
Photograph Courtesy the City of Olympia
Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2021