Surplus transit vans benefit Island County
Published 12:01 am Friday, April 1, 2011
This van giveaway program made Island County workers weep one year.
Martha Rose, executive director of Island Transit, says she knows how appreciative folks are who receive surplus rigs through the Community Service Surplus Vehicle Program.
One group of parents received a van to take s
everely disabled children on outings. When they came to pick up the van, they brought along the excited kids.
“We were all crying,” Rose says. “It’s been a great program.”
The program enables Island Transit to award surplus transit vehicles to eligible nonprofit organizations and agencies every two or three years.
To learn about the program, a meeting is planned at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Race Road Fire Hall, 1164 Race Road in Coupeville. It can be helpful to attend the preapplication workshop, Rose says.
Ask questions about the application process, selection criteria, vehicle maintenance, mileage and upkeep. Several of the vans will be available for viewing at the workshop.
Applications must be postmarked no later than May 6.
For more information, contact Executive Assistant Meg Heppner at heppner@islandtransit.org or 360-678-7771.
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Dorthy Ottaway of Marysville continues to make good on a commitment.
She began supporting Sarvey Wildlife Center in Arlington several years ago, and she’s at it again. Ottaway, a self-described little mountain kid, loves every type of critter, except bees, she says.
Her “Sweet on Sarvey” fundraiser is planned for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Safeway, 3532 172nd St. NE in Arlington and at IGA, 115 N. Granite Ave. in Granite Falls.
Pick up a list of needs to shop for and donate to Sarvey if you wish.
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There is a new rescued horse, Baylee, at People Helping Horses in Arlington.
Gretchen Salstrom, founder and executive director, says Baylee was kept in a dusty round pen without food or water for three months.
“She and two other horses only kept themselves alive by whatever stray blades of grass they could dig up,” Salstrom says. “At least these three horses survived.”
The deck is definitely stacked against innocent animals like Baylee, she says.
Before the horse was starved, Baylee had a rough life. She was injured shortly after birth and later fell down a hole and was rescued with a crane.
“These accidents, then the miserable treatment by her previous owner, left Baylee scarred and partially lame,” Salstrom says. “But her spirit, and her temperament, are amazing.”
Salstrom hopes to find the horse a loving home.
For more information about People Helping Horses, or to make a donation to help 40 horses on site, visit http://peoplehelping horses.org/.
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An annual spring event called “Garden Affair” is planned for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Stanwood Camano Fairgrounds, 6431 Pioneer Highway in Stanwood.
For more information, visit www.gardenaffair.info or call 425-238-5424.
Proceeds benefit the Stanwood Camano Food Bank. There will be more than 50 vendors, including folks from specialty nurseries, offering shrubs, grasses, annuals, perennials, greenhouses, soaps, garden art, everything for the garden and then some.
Also planned is gourmet food for sale, hourly raffles and, oddly enough, a car show.
Admission is free, but please bring four nonperishable food items to donate.
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Reader request: Please let me know about your least favorite spring cleaning chore for an upcoming column. And if you know of a high school student who was asked to the prom in an unusual way, please let him or her know I am writing a column on that topic, too.
Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451; oharran@heraldnet.com.
