Fifty-six scouts of Granite Falls Cub Scout Pack 28 and Boy Scout Troop 28 and their parents showed up in the snow Dec. 3 to spread gravel and remove potholes from the parking lot at the Granite Falls Community Center-Boys &Girls Club.
The Scouts use an upstairs room in the building, and they wanted to do a service project that would express their appreciation for the use of the space. Webelos leader Pam Burley worked with City Hall on the project and secured the help of Councilman Tom Fitzgerald and Glen’s Rentals, which donated a tractor and two hours of time.
Leader Esther Cassel contacted the owner of Menzel Lake Gravel, who didn’t have the size gravel needed, but purchased it from Iron Mountain Quarry.
The Scouts, parents and other volunteers spent two hours removing potholes, grading, raking and picking up garbage to improve the community center parking lot.
Edmonds students help the homeless
Philanthropy is nothing new to the children at Sherwood Elementary School in Edmonds. This past year, they put on a spaghetti feed and raised $7,000 for tsunami victims, and they are looking for other ways to help.
When special education teacher Jan Maxson told students about Holiday Stockings for Homeless Children, a charity she co-founded with her family before moving to the Northwest, they jumped in.
Upon hearing there were 2,000 homeless children who needed something to celebrate over the holidays, the student council voted unanimously to collect everything they could to bring a little bit of the holiday to kids who need it the most.
Holiday Stockings (www.holidaystockings.org) is a foundation of volunteers where 100 percent of donations goes directly to help homeless children.
The Sherwood students are working to produce enough stocking stuffers for all the children in the 41 shelters that Holiday Stockings works with each year.
Volunteers get a list of children from shelters in Bremerton, Everett, Lynnwood, Seattle and Tacoma, then they gather donations to fill the stockings with toys, books, candy and personal items tailored to wish lists given by the shelters.
In addition to donations collected by students, the families of Sherwood students plan to contribute special items, including hair bows, Lego sets, special books and baby rattles.
To date, Holiday Stockings has delivered more than 15,000 handmade holiday stockings to children.
Banquet honors Snohomish police
The staff of the Snohomish Police Department attended their first awards banquet Dec. 2.
Certificates of recognition and letters of commendation presented during the evening included Nan McGuire, civilian employee of the year; George Perillo, supervisor of the year; and Charles Frati, officer of the year.
Also attending were City Councilman Doug Thorndike and his wife, Jane; Councilman Larry Countryman and his wife, Sandy; Councilwoman Melody Clemans; incoming Councilman Randy Hamlin and his wife, Beth; and city manager Larry Bauman.
Lynnwood chief promotes officers
Lynnwood Police Chief Steve Jensen has appointed Cmdr. Paul Watkins as the department’s new chief deputy, commanding the bureau of field operations, and Sgt. Chuck Steichen as the department’s new commander in charge of the patrol division.
Also, officers Frank Axtman and Wayne Davis were promoted to sergeants and will supervise the patrol and traffic squads.
The Lynnwood City Council on Nov. 28 approved the addition of a new sergeant position to enhance supervision of the police department’s traffic section.
Consistent with the promotions, the following organizational reassignments will be implemented: Karen Manser, from bureau of field operations to bureau of investigations and services; Paul Watkins, from patrol division to bureau of field operations; Chuck Steichen, from traffic section to patrol division; Francis Axtman, from traffic section to patrol division administration; Rodney Cohnheim, from patrol division to special operations section; Wayne Davis, from traffic section police officer to traffic section sergeant of police; Sean Doty, from criminal investigation to division patrol division; Patrick Fagan, from special operations section to patrol division; Jon Grabinski, from patrol division to criminal investigation division; David Harris, from patrol division to traffic section; Chuck Freeman, from patrol division to traffic section.
Foundation supports fire service efforts
The Fire 1 Foundation raised more than $21,000 for community service projects at its annual holiday harvest dinner and auction in November.
The foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by employees of Fire District 1 to support service projects served by the fire department. Funds raised at the auction will be used for the following projects in 2006:
* Public access defibrillation programs.
* Good Neighbor Fund, which provides the means for firefighters to help citizens in need – be it groceries for a single mom, gas for a stranded motorist or some other need they observe in the course of doing their jobs.
* Taxi voucher program, which gives free taxi rides for patients transported to the hospital who don’t have any other way to get home.
* Community service programs, including support for the Volunteers of America food banks, Snohomish County Chapter of the American Red Cross, Support 7 and Christmas House.
* Scholarships for firefighters and fire service technology students.
“The auction far exceeded our goals. We’re thankful to all the individuals and businesses that made this event a success. The money we raised will go a long way toward helping us help others in the community we serve in the coming year,” said Leslie Hynes, foundation president.
The foundation is already making plans for next year’s auction. To make a donation, become a sponsor or volunteer with the Fire 1 Foundation, contact Hynes at 425-551-1243.
Fire District 1 is the largest provider of fire and emergency medical services in south Snohomish County, serving approximately 150,000 residents in the neighborhoods of Silver Firs, Eastmont, Mariner, Lake Serene, Picnic Point, Martha Lake, Lake Stickney, Norma Beach, Hilltop, Pioneer Trails and the cities of Mountlake Terrace and Brier.
Christmas House honors volunteers
Christmas House recently honored special volunteers who made significant contributions of time and resources during the year.
Jeff and Michelle Torgerson were named co-volunteers of the year for their combined efforts creating a computerized check-in procedure and ongoing effort to acquire used coats.
Marillen Bouck was also named a co-volunteer of the year for her outstanding contribution in year-round gift procurement and recruiting volunteers through her church group.
Deb Harvey was honored as director of the year. Harvey coordinated all volunteers and was also instrumental in the new computerized check-in procedure.
David Wolf and David May also received certificates of appreciation in recognition of their major contributions during the year.
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