Reporter ISSAQUAH | SAMMAMISH
Friday, April 20, 2012
www.issaquahreporter.com
School bond passes 70 percent of voters say ‘yes’ BY CELESTE GRACEY CGRACEY@ISSAQUAH-REPORTER.COM
Kelly Bolen and Doug Madden stand with the two newest additions to Equine Escapes, Issabelle and Bubba. The couple has 13 horses on their Plateau ranch. PHOTO AND ILLUSTRATION BY KEVIN ENDEJAN, Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter
FROM THE ASHES
Issaquah-based Equine Escapes thrives two years after devastating barn fire BY KEVIN ENDEJAN KENDEJAN@ISSAQUAHREPORTER.COM
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“This is something that we’re very passionate about. It’s been a dream of mine forever.”
he memories still haunt Doug Madden and Kelly Bolen — sometimes feeling like it was just yesterday a 3-alarm fire destroyed their Snoqualmie barn and took the lives of two of their beloved horses. But, nearly two years after the - Kelly Bolen tragedy, there is also a sense they trail rides, children’s camps and parties. couldn’t be farther away from the Their new property, located off Issaquahhard times. Fall City Road just north of Klahanie, fea-
“It’s amazing when something like that happens,” said Bolen, of the May 1, 2010 fire. “You don’t automatically go into the grieving process, you go into, ‘OK, what do I need to do to make sure who is left is taken care of.’” The couple has since moved to Issaquah where the last 14 months they’ve operated Equine Escapes — a business started four years ago in Snoqualmie focused on horse
tures close to 20 acres and includes a 3-acre lake stocked with trout. “I can’t believe we found this place,” Bolen said. “When you go down the hill, it’s like you’re in your own sanctuary.” Along with a land upgrade, the couple has added to their family of horses. Left with eight after the fire, they now have 13 — with the two most recent additions Bubba and
Isabelle joining the herd last week. “In this economy, it’s nice to find a good horse that needs a good home,” Madden said. While trail rides are a focus, not all of the Equine Escape horses are used for riding. Bolen, who has raised horses since she was a girl and has been involved in horse rescue, puts a heavy emphasis on letting the 1,200-pound animals decide what they want to do. “You go to some places that do trail rides and the horses are head down, nose to butt, it’s almost like they don’t have any more will or spirit,” she said. “We don’t believe in that. We honor and respect the horse.” Bolen said there’s no other interaction quite like the one between humans and horses. “They can sense your emotion, they can sense your energy, they can even sense your intention and they see us for who we are,” she said. “There’s a saying that you can never lie to a horse because they see you, not the mask or the facade we put on for everybody SEE EQUINE, 7
The Issaquah, Renton and Sammamish communities secured the second phase of Liberty High School’s renovation in a landslide vote Tuesday. Without the bond, the school would have been left half-baked with two performing arts centers and out of date science rooms. “It really speaks to the priorities of the community,” said Issaquah School District Board President Chad Magendanz. While the ISD has had a positive history with recent bonds, the support shown tuesday overwhelmed board members. Since the economic downturn, few districts in the state have had much success at the polls, said Magendanz. “I was cautiously optimistic,” he said. “I don’t think anyone would have anticipated that we would have gotten such a high approval.” Tuesday night’s first count showed that 70 percent of voters supported the bond. The district needed a supermajority vote, 60 percent, to win. Mercer Island’s bond failed and Renton’s was barely succeeding at 60.28 percent Wednesday. SEE SCHOOL BOND, 2
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