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Holiday lights | Light displays benefit variety of causes [10]
Man takes action for domestic violence victims BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@kirklandreporter.com
One Kirkland man has worked hard to collect donations for victims of domestic violence this holiday season. Bill Henkens, owner of The Game Neighborhood Grill and Bar in Kirkland, said customers have donated $600 in gift cards and surpassed their goal by fulfilling 125 wish tags. Wish tags are cards with a written wish by children or
mothers affected by domestic violence. The restaurant’s goal was to satisfy 100 wishes. But Henkens expects they will receive up to 140 donations, which will help at least 120 families on the Eastside. The wishes are not extravagant or grandiose, Henkens says, but usually basic necessities. “Sometimes the mom just wants a haircut and the kid wants new T-shirts,” Henkens said.
This is the restaurant’s third year asking for donations to give to LifeWire, formally known as the Eastside Domestic Violence Program. Henkens holds the title as the King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence 2010 Take Action Award winner. His daughter is a therapist and does teen outreach for LifeWire. But Henkens said it was Jennifer Chambers, the restaurant’s general manager, who spear-
headed the effort and it’s the customers who are making a difference. According to him, former Kirkland Mayor Santos Contreras and Councilmen Bob Sternoff and Toby Nixon have donated through his restaurant. “The holidays can be a difficult time for a parent who is not able to provide gifts for their children,” said a LifeWire bulletin. “Each wish [ more LIFEWIRE page 3 ]
Couple awakes in sinking boat
Hope for Sandy Hook: Kirkland community sets up memorial fund
BY MATT PHELPS
BY RAECHEL DAWSON
mphelps@kirklandreporter.com
Strong winds made for a rocky and nerve-racking night for many boat owners in Kirkland. But for one couple it was what they awoke to Monday morning that was the scariest of all. A couple, sleeping in their boat at the Kirkland marina, awoke to a stranger yelling for them to get off their 40-foot vessel that was sinking. “They were woken up by a jogger,” said King County Marine Patrol Sgt. Jim Kanauss. “The winds over night damaged the boats to the point that they began to take on water.” Kanauss said that the boats were moored improperly, which contributed to the sinking. One boat sank to the bottom of the shallow marina waters but the top half of the boat was still visible. The other was still floating but on its side. The couple was able to get
Bill Henkens, owner of The Game Neighborhood Grill & Bar, recently held a gift drive to benefit domestic violence victims served by Lifewire. He has also long been an advocate for the organization. RAECHEL DAWSON, Kirkland Reporter
rdawson@kirklandreporter.com
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Mike Iszley, left, awoke on his boat to the lights of rescue vehicles Monday morning, as two other boats in the Kirkland marina sank due to high winds and being moored improperly. MATT PHELPS, Kirkland Reporter off the boat on their own but did sustain minor injuries, including a laceration to the head, according to a Kirkland Fire spokesman. Both were treated at the scene. One of the boats had a large piece of the transom broken off, according to the Kirkland Firefighters’ Facebook page. “They had to get down into the water to get off the boat,” said Kanauss, who noted that it only took first responders 3-5 minutes to get to the
marina. The Kirkland Fire Department responded first to the call for a surface water rescue at 5:45 a.m. at 25 Lakeshore Plaza. In all, seven units responded to the incident. The crews found two 40-foot boats sinking independent of each other at the marina. “Both boats went sailing with the Christmas Ships last night and were moored here overnight,” said Kanauss. Mike Iszley of Seattle was
also sleeping on his boat Sunday night at the Kirkland marina after joining the Christmas Ships event. “I stayed the night and woke up to the red lights from the police and fire rescue vehicles,” said Iszley. “I was surprised my boat was the only one left floating.” Iszley said he did not know the couple in the boat that sank but that he gave the man a pair of shoes as he did not have time to grab any.
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hen Kirkland resident Joene LaBou heard the news of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shootings her heart broke just as many Americans’ hearts did. And, like many Americans, she asked what could be done – not in politics, social reform or mental health research, but out of love for her fellow neighbors, and naturally she went to Facebook and planted an idea. “I have a thought. As I read about (the tragedy) today and how difficult it would be for the children and teachers to return to that school, what if we each send a single brick to Sandy Hook?” Labou wrote on her Facebook wall. “If
everyone in the country could, they could build a new school with bricks of hope and prayer from our love and concern. Who’s with me on this? If you are, please share.” And people did. LaBou said she’s received well over 100 responses, mostly from Kirkland residents, and the number is growing. Brick by Brick was formed with the intent to send bricks with personalized messages of comfort, inspiration or love to Sandy Hook Elementary or the fire station that housed the children after the shooting. “This has gone so fast, I didn’t expect it to get so big,” Labou said. “I feel like we’re all walking around wishing there was something [ more HOPE page 3 ]
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