The Mill Creek-based Walkers For Knockers, a team of eight planning to participate in the 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk, have organized two fundraising events to help the cause.

Walkers Genine Wood, Bo Bowen, Michelle Vanderway, Heather Bruno, Laura Williams, Susan Brooks, Carol Hedly and Christine Manney, along with organizer Timi Weathers, are hosting a “Pink Ribbon Shopping Extravaganza” on June 23 in Mill Creek and a “Bunco Bash” Aug. 4 in Snohomish.

With a fundraising goal of $20,000 for breast cancer research, the group decided to host a shopping event and planned on eight vendors for their Pink Ribbon Shopping Extravaganza.

Now the group will play host to 27 vendors of jewelry, clothing, cookware and home decorating items. The group has had equal success with its Bunco Bash, which went from 24 players to 120.

“This has been a really great experience for all of us. People walk up and tell us their stories of surviving cancer, losing loved ones and just wanting to help in some way,” Weathers said.

“The excitement from business owners and others wanting to be involved in our two little fundraisers was more then we could have ever imagined. Just when some of us were skeptical about society today, this has given us a new outlook. It’s also taught our kids that one person can really make a difference.”

The Pink Ribbon Shopping Extravaganza is set for noon to 7 p.m. June 23 at the Tri-Way Grange, corner of 35th Avenue SE and Seattle Hill Road in Mill Creek. The Bunco Bash is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 4 in the Historic Waltz Building in downtown Snohomish.

The Walkers for Knockers Web site is www.webspawner.com/ users/wsulaura/index.html.

County’s United Way wins national honors

United Way of Snohomish County recently was recognized by the national United Way organization for its customer relationship management and its Parent Place Web site.

The local United Way was a finalist among 170 entries from United Way organizations nationally. Snohomish County was the only United Way to be a finalist in two areas.

United Way’s customer relationship management program was created to help companies meet their philanthropic goals. The Parent Place Web site lists more than 1,000 local resources for parents.

United Way has served Snohomish County for 66 years. To find out more, including how to volunteer, go online to www.uwsc.org.

Bothell girls earn Camp Fire award

Abbie Ryan and Rebeccah Treser, Bothell-area residents and juniors at Jackson High School in Mill Creek, are the Camp Fire USA Snohomish County Council’s 2007 WoHeLo Award recipients.

The WoHeLo Award is Camp Fire’s highest youth achievement, similar to that of the Boy Scout Eagle award or the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Abbie has been a member of Camp Fire for 12 years, working her way through Starflight, Adventure, Discovery and Horizon levels.

She was active in Teens in Action, has been a junior camp counselor, a Camp Killoqua counselor trainee, chairman of the Area 4 Council meeting, a club aide, an apprentice leader and board of directors member.

At Jackson, Abbie competed as a DECA member and served in other capacities with the business-learning club. She also volunteered with the Alderwood Manor Heritage Association, for which she planned and executed a volunteer luncheon, created historical displays, coordinated a membership drive and provided press releases and advertising for the group’s attic sale.

Rebeccah has been a Camp Fire member for 11 years and was active in Starflight, Adventure, Discovery and Horizon clubs. She has been an Area 4 Council leader, a junior counselor, counselor trainee and club recruiter.

Rebeccah volunteers with the Friends of Mill Creek Library, where she is active in book drives and sales and helping library patrons. She also cares for her family’s farm animals and is active in her church, taking on many organizational duties.

25 finish emergency response training

South Snohomish County residents were among a group of 25 who graduated recently from the Community Emergency Response Team program offered by the Emergency Services Coordinating Agency in Brier.

The CERT students received 24 hours of classroom instruction over an eight-week period. The course covered fire safety, urban search and rescue, disaster medical operations, disaster psychology and terrorism.

Jamie Gravelle, the CERT program manager, was happy with the graduating students.

“Every class is filled with outstanding people,” she explained, “but this one was a little unusual in the diversity in ages and backgrounds. We had Boy Scouts and senior citizens, nurses, dog trainers, chemists and everyone in-between.”

For information about Emergency Services Coordinating Agency programs, contact Gravelle at 425-776-3722 or jamie@esca1.com.

New officers to lead Assistance League

Assistance League of Everett recently elected new officers to guide the organization through the next fiscal year.

Arva Dell Job, longtime resident of Everett and Lake Stevens, was elected president. Job is a retired registered nurse from Providence Hospital.

Other officers are Wendy Taylor, president-elect, of Marysville; Jill Hammond, vice-president in charge of philanthropic projects, of Marysville; Ilene Hack, vice-president in charge of membership, of Camano Island; Sharon Proctor, recording secretary, of Arlington; and treasurer Carol Pope of Snohomish.

Assistance League of Everett is an all-volunteer organization whose philanthropic projects have served children, teens and adults in Snohomish County since 1965.

One of the organization’s best known programs, Operation School Bell, provides free clothing to children from low-income families in 14 Snohomish County school districts.

Camp Fire groups make hats for kids

Camp Fire USA clubs from the Snohomish, Lake Stevens and Monroe recently made more than 75 hats to donate to Children’s hospital for kids who have lost their hair following medical treatments.

The clubs involved were Snohomish Panther Cubs, Falcons, Sultan Little Bears, Sunshine Babes, Rainbow Stars, Blue Comets, Co-Fri-Lo Family Club, the Kittens and the Doggie Dodgers.

Club members making hats included Owen Kaestner, Myra Figueroa, Erin Langley, Lilia Perez, Robin Wright, Allison Hoeth, Frances Ingram-Bate, Megan Hoeth, Emily Roberts, Madison Banfield, Jordan McGruder, Laura Bennison, Megan Roderick, Jessica Box ,Samantha Sceeles, Melissa Christoferson, Natalie St. Marie, Hallie Madole, Brittany Villesvik , Jenna Alleman, Natalie Lang, Katie Barber, Julianna LePoideven, Courtney Barton, Emma McNeil, Hanna Berntson, Rowan North, Samantha Chapman, Claire Ott, Makenna Chapman, Gwen Patterson, Elizabeth Johnson, Noelle Stolle, Riley Avena, Sydney Kies, Samantha Avena, Anthony Kreide, Sara Camerer, Cheyenne Kreide, Sonia Carlson, Aidan Long Hailey Donley, Ilyana Long, Sara Donley, Crissy Piland, Kayleigh Johnson, Katie Piland, Emily Kies, Jonathan Prous, Josie Kies, Kylie Prouse, Melody Kies, Lisa Campfield, Abigail Nielsen, Emma Chonzena, Milynda Phillips, Danielle Ford, Anissa Spoelstra, Jessica Hill, Kaylee Spoelstra, Lauren Hill, Randee Zerger and Alexandra Leyde.