Reporter ISSAQUAH | SAMMAMISH
Friday, April 4, 2014
www.issaquahreporter.com
Wine Time
Popular walk returns tonight in downtown Above: A sign at the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank directs donors where to bring supplies. Right: Eastside Fire & Rescue firefighter Jim Smith pushes a cart Tuesday that’s loaded with equipment while other firefighters pack more. Below: The Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank readies a truck March 26 with food and other necessities for the mudslide victims.
A HELPING HAND
ED PINGUL, Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter.
Issaquah, Sammamish step up to aid Oso mudslide victims BY CRAIG GROSHART ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
Cori Walters knew she had to do something to help the victims of the Oso mudslide. As executive director of the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank, she knows first-hand how a disaster can impact a community. But she admits she wasn’t prepared for the advice of her husband, Chas. “Maybe we need to take a truck,” he said. “Spread the word and see if the community will help us.” Did it ever. The food bank posted a call for help on its Facebook page at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 26. By noon the next day, what seemed like an impossible goal turned into the delivery of a massive amount of aid to residents and rescuers. Not only did the Issaquah and Sammamish communities fill a 30-foot truck, but
COURTESTY PHOTO, Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank.
also four pickups and a car with everything from food, to toiletries to shovels and picks. “There were tons of volunteers,” Cori said. “The community just wanted to help.” The food bank first got a donation of dehydrated food from an emergency preparedness program. Home Depot pitched
in shovels and boxes while Front Street Market brought over needed pallets. The food bank itself dipped into its large supply of such things as green beans and toiletries. Then the Sammamish Rotary Club brought in $650 worth of groceries from Costco. Local individuals and families headed
to stores to buy needed items. Members of Eastside Fire and Rescue arrived to help organize and load the truck. When the convoy arrived in Darrington, a group of 20 to 30 volunteers quickly assembled to unload the trucks. For many, the supplies had a real impact. Chas told Cori he never received so many hugs from men who were in tears. The Issaquah-Sammamish effort didn’t end there. This week firefighters with Eastside Fire & Rescue delivered another van – this one loaded with tools and other equipment. Also delivered was about $10,000 in cash and a like amount in gas cards. It all was collected in a 24-hour period according to Dave McDaniel, Battalion Chief for EFR, with part of the total coming from the firefighters’ benevolent fund. McDaniel added that the SEE HELPING, 2
Wine and walking will be back in downtown Issaquah on Friday evening, April 4, as part of the third annual Downtown Issaquah Association Wine Walk series. The walk includes live music, art happenings, some snacks and local boutique wines poured in various tasting locations up and down Front Street. Front Street shops and restaurants are open to the general public during Wine Walk and all ages are welcome. Those tasting wine are encouraged to bring their own glass to help reduce waste. Wineries include: Animale, Armstrong Family Winery, Belmonte Cellars, Dubindil Winery, Elsom Cellars, Goose Ridge Estate Winery, Kyra Wines, Masquerade Wine Company, Michael Florentino Cellars, and Stomani Cellars The wine walk venues include ArtByFire Glass Blowing Studio, Illuminate, artEAST Art Center, First Stage, Fischer Meats, CoHo Computers, U Swirl, Chicago Pastrami, Eastside Family and Cosmetic Dentistry. A variety of live music performances will be featured. Tickets are available online at www.downtownissaquah. com/wine-walk. Cost is $30 day of the event. The price includes 10 one-ounce drink tokens. People must be 21 or over to purchase wine-tasting tickets. Check in starts at 6 p.m. at the Hailstone Feed store (the historic Shell Station), 232 Front St. Maps of tasting locations, plastic wine glass, tokens and wristband are provided.