Everett, Wash. Published: Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Applause
Camp Fire club helps animals at PAWS
Marysville Mystical Camp Fire USA club recently collected more than 550 pounds of pet food for the Progressive Animal Welfare Society.
The club also made 22 fleece blankets and built 13 scratching posts for cats at PAWS.
The club, with members ages 3 to 10, includes Serena Corbett, Siobahn Lawson, Aidan Whitethorne, Jensen Corbett, Lucas Salcedo, Emily Salcedo, Xander Corbett, Natalie Rupeiks, Nick Rupeiks, Brennan Whitethorne, Lydia Nelson, Ashleigh Nelson and Lauren Edgar.
Donation helps safety education program
Snohomish County Fire District 1 plans to purchase an interactive 911-call simulator for its safety education programs with a grant from State Farm's Good Neighbor Citizenship program.
The simulator helps children understand how to identify a real emergency, and allows users of all ages to practice their emergency reaction skills in a safe environment.
Using the simulator's phone, students practice dialing 911 and then participate in a question-and-answer dialogue with a realistic emergency operator.
Susie Smith, a longtime State Farm agent in Lynnwood, and Nancy Carpenter, State Farm public affairs specialist, presented the grant at the Fire District 1 board of commissioners meeting Jan. 8.
Fire District 1 offers fire and life-safety education programs for all ages, from preschoolers to senior citizens. For a list of programs, visit the department's Web site at www.firedistrict1.org.
Sultan girl reads books, wins bike
Elizabeth Jackson, daughter of Ron and Lisa Jackson of Sultan, is the owner of a new bicycle, having been chosen a winner in the Sultan-Monroe Masonic Lodge's Books for Bikes contest at the Sultan and Monroe libraries.
Elizabeth, a homeschooled student, had her name entered in the contest each time she finished reading a book during December.
The lodge runs the contest in an effort to promote literacy and encourage children to read, a spokesman said.
Red Cross volunteers serve in Reno, Nev.
American Red Cross disaster relief volunteers from the Snohomish County Chapter recently served in the Reno area in response to flooding that caused 3,500 people to evacuate their homes.
Joining other Red Cross volunteers in Nevada were Hunter MacKay of Bothell, a Red Cross client casework supervisor; Steven Place of Everett, a transportation specialist; and Steve Taylor of Gold Bar, also a transportation supervisor.
Terrace food bank helps 430 children
Elf House, run by Concern for Neighbors Food Bank in Mountlake Terrace, recently served 430 children during the holiday season.
Pam Martinez, volunteer fundraiser for the food bank, said many people and companies donated to the effort to provide books and toys to the children.
Concern for Neighbors Food Bank is located at 4700 228th St. SW, Mountlake Terrace.
St. Vincent honors Totem Falls students
The St. Vincent de Paul organization at St. Michael's Catholic Church of Snohomish plans to award a special certificate to students at Totem Falls Elementary School.
In December, Totem Falls students, parents and faculty collected and donated three pickup loads of food for St. Vincent de Paul, which then distributed the food.
Students from the Snohomish school have contributed a similar amount to St. Vincent de Paul each December for about the past 10 years, a St. Vincent de Paul spokesman said.
Citizenship and compassion are being taught at Totem Falls, according to a spokesman.
School donates sale proceeds to victims
St. Mary Magdalen School in Everett recently offered a Gifts from the Heart toy and book sale to help benefit victims of flooding in the Chehalis area.
The 430-member student body and their parents brought enough new and used toys and books to fill more than 10 sale tables in the school's large multi-purpose room.
Through the purchases and donations, the students raised $2,920 to add to their previous donations of $8,440 in cash, $875 grocery store gift certificates and more than 3,000 pounds of clothes, toys and household items.
Students at St. Mary Magdalen are encouraged to give of their time to the local and global community as part of the school's mission statement, according to a spokeswoman.
Firefighter to help orphaned family
Coming to the aid of citizens is all in a day's work for firefighter Brad Cheek of Snohomish County Fire District 1. But this time, instead of pulling a hose line to put out a fire, he will be pulling rope -- 10 miles of it if he meets his goal -- to raise money for a family of five girls who lost both their parents to cancer.
Cheek is collecting donations for each mile of rope he pulls on an endless rope exercise machine that firefighters use for fitness training. His goal is to pull 10 miles of rope at medium resistance, a task he estimates will take two to three hours.
All money raised will go to the Josephine Brower Fund at Washington Mutual Bank to benefit the children of Josephine and Greg Brower. Cheek was friends with Greg, who died of cancer in 2002, and Josephine, who died of cancer last summer. The Josephine Brower Fund was set up to benefit their five daughters, four of whom are still living at home in the Tri Cities area of Eastern Washington. The eldest is married, the others are in high school or college.
The money raised will go to the girls' college funds, Cheek said.
Cheek will be doing his rope-pull beginning about 10 a.m. on Monday at the Mariner Fire Station. Firefighters in Fire District 1 train on the machines as part of their fitness program.
The endless rope machine was designed specifically for firefighter training and works muscles firefighters use in their daily work -- pulling hose off the engine, lifting hoses and ladders overhead and carrying emergency medicine kits and equipment on aid calls.
Donations to support Cheek's effort can made to the Josephine Brower Fund at any Washington Mutual Bank or hand-delivered or mailed to Brad Cheek in care of Snohomish County Fire District 1, 12425 Meridian Ave. S., Everett, WA 98208. Checks should be made payable to the Josephine Brower Fund.
Supporters can also come to the Mariner Fire Station (next to the Mariner High School stadium), 12310 Meridian Ave., Everett, to make donations and cheer on Cheek on Monday as he completes his rope pull event.
Stillaguamish Tribe makes donations
The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians recently donated $159,250 to local charities and nonprofit organizations, with contributions going to:
Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation, $2,000, scholarships; Stillaguamish Senior Center, $20,000, new truck for food delivery; Darrington Cooperative Preschool, $1,000, operating expenses; Salmon Defense, $2,000, natural resources efforts; Arlington High School Booster Club, $6,000, graduation night expenses; Silvana Community Fair, $3,500, new office; Penn Cove Water Festival, $2,500, expenses.
Assistance League of Everett, $1,000, Operation School Bell; Open Door Theater, $2,000, community arts programs; Concrete Shaker Church, $2,000, meals, toys, and gifts for children; Village Community Services, $10,000, to help people with disabilities to obtain long-term employment; North Snohomish Young Life, $5,000, youth programs; Squaxin Museum, $2,000, veterans' memorial; Gonzaga University Pow-Wow, $1,000, expenses; Covenant House, $2,000, to help troubled youth.
American Indian Genocide Museum, $1,000, visual arts and education; East County Senior Center, $10,000, operating expenses; Ken Baxter Senior and Community Center of Marysville, $9,000, new equipment; Senior Center of Lake Stevens, $5,000, operating expenses; Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling, $10,000, education, awareness and outreach programs.
Imagine Children's Museum, $15,000, early childhood fire and life safety exhibit; Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation, $5,000, operating expenses; Arlington Boys & Girls Club, $10,000, 14th annual dinner auction to support youth programs; Arlington Kid's Kloset, $5,000, clothing and school supplies; Cascade Valley Hospital, $5,000, expansion expenses; Marysville North County YMCA, $10,000, youth campaign; Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound, $7,250, cold-case programs; and Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society, $5,000, records consolidation and expenses.
The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians currently is accepting donation requests from nonprofit organizations. The next application deadline is in June.
For more information, call 360-652-7362, ext. 284, or write to Alvina Wolf, P.O. Box 277, Arlington, WA 98223.
Students to perform at Alderwood mall
A talent showcase to benefit the Lynnwood Rotary Club's scholarship fund for students in the performing arts is set for 7 p.m. Jan. 31 in the Terraces Food Court at Alderwood mall, 3000 184th St. SW, Lynnwood.
The evening includes refreshments and scholarship presentations.
The students performing for the benefit program were chosen through audition.
Student showcase performers include Kelsey Dunlap, harpist; Laura Hoover, vocalist; Caleb Tizon, violinist; Sara Alkhedairy, vocalist; Rachel Park, harpist; and Michelle Herman, performance artist.
Groups set to perform include The Bucketmen, members of the Steve Roy Drums Music School in Lynnwood; The Perfect Blend Quintet, a jazz quintet featuring Dylan Alrud-Faltisco, Brent Henderson, Joel Jewett, Diana Rypkema and Robby Seager; the Devon Yesberger Trio, featuring Devon Yesberger, Andrew Jacobson and Nolan Woodle; and the Kontagious Performing Company, a hip hop dance group.
The student showcase is a partnership between the Lynnwood Arts Commission, the Lynnwood Rotary and Alderwood mall.
For more information ,contact Marianne Johnson, Lynnwood Parks and Recreation, at 425-744-6459 or e-mail mjohnson@ci.lynnwood.wa.us.
