SNOHOMISH — Bruce Karr was on his feet Saturday, soaking in the morning sun as a group of teenagers washed cars on the side of Bickford Avenue.
Karr, founder of The Farm Ministries in Snohomish, was recently diagnosed with liver cancer. He has spent most of the past month in bed.
But Saturday gave him reason to smile.
Several teens who volunteer at The Farm organized a car wash to help pay for Karr’s upcoming medical bills. He’s getting ready to begin chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
They raised about $1,100 during the car wash.
“I’m pretty impressed,” Karr said. “I’m not used to people giving back to me. I really appreciate this.”
The Farm Ministries provides many services, including toy drives for children in low- income families, work programs for at-risk youth and drug counseling. Also, The Farm is often the site of school parties and events.
Austin Daniel, Karr’s grandson, had the idea for the car wash. Daniel, 17, organized the event with help from friends Samantha Smith, 18, and Stefan St. Marie, 17.
All three teens were among more than a dozen volunteers who washed cars Saturday at Precision Collision in north Snohomish. By the time the car wash began at 10:30 a.m., three cars were already lined up waiting.
The support means a lot for the family, Daniel said.
“It makes us all feel more supported to get everything going, to keep everything up,” he said. “It makes you feel like you’re not so alone.”
At times, the lineup of cars filled up nearly the whole parking lot. Daniel and St. Marie washed cars, while Smith was one of a handful of teens who stood along Bickford Avenue, waving in potential customers.
Smith, who started participating in Bible studies at The Farm about a year ago, is a barista at a coffee stand along Bickford. Several of her customers stopped by the car wash when they saw her, as did friends and former teachers who drove by, Smith said.
“It’s nice living in a small town when it comes to stuff like this,” said Smith, who lives in Snohomish.
Karr has made a big difference in Smith’s life, she said. In addition to allowing her Bible study group to use his garage, he also helped her drum up money needed to attend college in England starting this fall.
“He’s never judgemental, he just opens up his door to everyone,” Smith said. “He’s impacted my life a lot.”
St. Marie, of Clearview, started volunteering at The Farm about a year ago. He used to perform in plays at The Farm when he was younger, he said.
Karr has made a difference in the lives of many people young and old, St. Marie said. Sometimes, Karr allows people who are undergoing drug counseling to sit in on the teens’ Bible study sessions. The experience is often profound, St. Marie said.
“It’s easy to do this for him,” he said. “He’s done so much for us.”
Jane Melnyk, 49, of Snohomish stopped by for a car wash when she noticed one of her daughter’s friends was volunteering. She appreciates all Karr has done for the community through his work on The Farm.
“I think it’s a very nice cause for somebody who needs help,” Melnyk said.
Karr couldn’t stay at the car wash for long. But he was moved by the short time he could spend there.
As he prepares to battle his cancer, he’s not turning his back on his life’s work.
“The biggest thing for me is for people to keep The Farm Ministries going,” Karr said.
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
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