By Marcie Miller
Herald Writer
EVERETT — It looked like any American Fourth of July celebration.
A long line of people dressed in red, white and blue waited to heap their plates with barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs, potato salad, chips and cookies. A huge U.S. flag hung between two cranes flapped in the breeze.
"But this is not a celebration, by any means," Shirley Gray of Everett said.
Gray and hundreds of others attended the somewhat somber barbecue Thursday at Rinker Materials in Everett to show their support for police and firefighters in New York.
Money raised will go to funds for the widows and children of New York firefighters and police. Hundreds of police and firefighters died during rescue efforts after the World Trade Center was attacked by terrorists last week.
Rinker Materials, an international corporation, has donated $250,000 for relief efforts, but this fund-raiser allowed the local community to be involved as well.
The five-hour barbecue and raffle raised $25,000, and people were donating generously for their lunch.
"This is the most expensive hamburger I’ve ever bought — but it’s worth it," said Keith Hall, past Elks leader. He had tossed a $50 bill into the clear plastic donation box, already awash in large bills.
Wally Davenport, Ready Mix operations manager for Rinker, praised the local business and service community for their support in hosting the barbecue on short notice. He started planning the event last Thursday.
"So many people have helped," he said.
More than 30 organizations were listed as sponsors. Members of the Elks and Sertoma (Service to Mankind) flipped burgers and dished out potato salad. Rinker employees directed traffic, took money and did what they could.
"They were working overtime to pull it off," Davenport said.
Everyone seems connected in some way to the Sept. 11 tragedy, and this gathering was no exception.
Darlene Daniels wore a jacket that seemed to be made from an American flag. Purchased four years ago, she usually wears it only on the Fourth of July.
"I’ll be wearing it a lot until my daughter comes home," she said.
Her daughter, 18-year-old Amanda Wilson, is an airman recruit on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vincent. The aircraft carrier was just deployed to the front, Daniels said.
"Wherever that is," she added.
Lt. Del Divers of the Lake Stevens Fire Department was one of the many firefighters at the barbecue. They were in Everett for a training session in rescuing people from trenches.
Divers said his wife, Linda, is an administrator at the fire station and knows many of the New York firefighters. She spent Sept. 11 and the days that followed sending out e-mails to New York fire districts and hoping for good news back.
Divers said the support for local firefighters has been overwhelming, with a steady stream of people bringing flowers, cookies and sympathy cards to the station.
"It’s nice to come here and give back that support," he said.
You can call Herald Writer Marcie Miller at 425-339-3292
or send e-mail to mmiller@heraldnet.com.
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