Marysville Globe, December 21, 2013

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GLOBE THE MARYSVILLE

SPORTS:

RUSSELL WILSON What makes him so good? Page 14

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2013  WWW.MARYSVILLEGLOBE.COM  75¢

Holiday toy store serves those in need BY KIRK BOXLEITNER

kboxleitner@marysvilleglobe.com

SPORTS: M-P,

MG swimmers hit the pool against Shorecrest. Page 12

MARYSVILLE — The holiday toy store that was started to serve clients of the Marysville Community Food Bank has expanded to serve a broader base of shoppers in the community, but its number of customers this year seems to be holding steady from last year’s total, according to Bonnie Ramsey, who’s long cochaired the toy store with fellow veteran volunteer Sue Kendall. “It’s not just the Marysville Community Food Bank,” Ramsey said on Dec. 18, the first of two days during which the toy store served Kirk Boxleitner/Staff Photo registered clients this year, with crews averaging roughMarysville holiday toy store volunteer Christina Leslie examines a girls’ tea set during distribu- ly 20 volunteers an hour, tions to needy families on Dec. 18.

out of a total of as many as three dozen volunteers. “Allen Creek Community Church’s Seeds of Grace food bank has also started referring their clients to our toy store. We’ve registered families through churches and even school counselors. It’s not a bunch of miscellaneous toy stores scattered throughout the community anymore. We’re all working together now, and becoming one home.” Ramsey estimated that the toy store would provide toys for about 1,100 children, “pretty much the same as last year,” and thanked the host of organizations whose support has remained constant throughout the years, including Zumiez, which SEE TOYS, PAGE 13

Families welcome home Nimitz SPORTS: Lakewood

girls defeat Tigers for first win. Page 12

INDEX CLASSIFIED ADS 19-22 LEGAL NOTICES

11

OPINION

4

SPORTS

12

WORSHIP

16

Vol. 120, No. 25

FRONT BANNER 932111

932111

BY KIRK BOXLEITNER kboxleitner@marysvilleglobe.com

EVERETT — Marysville’s Laikyn Drake was one week old when her daddy finally came home. Laikyn’s mom, Ashley Drake, arrived at Naval Station Everett on the morning of Dec. 16 with her other daughter, 5-year-old Riley, in tow, as they waited to greet Ashley’s husband, Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Drake, with the return of the USS Nimitz from its extended deployment. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier had left Everett on March 30 for what was originally planned as a six-month deployment, which turned into nine months when the Nimitz and its strike group were called upon to remain in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility in response to what the U.S. Navy deemed a tense international situation. This left local moms like Ashley Drake holding the fort without their husbands for a bit longer than they’d expected. “The Navy family is a great support system,”

said Ashley Drake, who’s been married to Ryan for six years, with Ryan serving in the fleet for nearly two of those years. “I was also able to lean on my friends and family back home in Oklahoma. I came back to the area in August, because I thought he’d be back by October. It was sad for us when we heard that he’d be staying out for a while longer, but we knew we could handle it.” Drake acknowledged that raising their 5-yearold daughter on her own in the meantime has been her biggest challenge, “since she didn’t understand why Daddy had to be so far away for so long,” but the two parents had already planned to stay at home, order takeout and simply spend their first day back together as a family. “It’s just good to be home,” said Ryan Drake, who apologized to his daughter Riley for not being able to pick her up and hug her right away, since he was still loaded down by carrying his bags. Although Riley had a few tearful moments SEE NIMITZ, PAGE 2

Kirk Boxleitner/Staff Photo

Marysville’s Ashley Drake holds her one-week-old daughter Laikyn, as they wait for Laikyn’s daddy Ryan to return with the USS Nimitz on Dec. 16.


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