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Kiwanis celebrates four decades of making eggciting memories BY TJ MARTINELL tmartinell@kirklandreporter.com
H
olding an Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday in Western Washington without at least one year ruined by bad weather is no small thing. Kirkland Kiwanis has found a way to do it more often than not during four decades at Peter Kirk Park. One of the largest egg
hunts in the city, the club members put out around 15,000 chocolate eggs in three different age sections, which are found within minutes by children and their sometime equally zealous parents. Ron Olsen, a Kiwanis member of 12 years and past president, said that despite the unpredictability of spring weather, they had never had the outdoor event turn sour. “It has gone well every single year regardless of the
weather,” he said, describing the event as a “colorful frenzy.” “The kids always seem to go home happy.” John Hurney, who has been a member since the 1980s, said the number of kids has definitely grown over the years. Though he said a decrease in the number of egg hunts in the area may have something to do with it, he also cited their ideal location at Peter Kirk Park in downtown and the work by
Kiwanis to ensure the event runs smoothly. One way they have done that, he said, is by fine-tuning the time at which they put out the chocolate eggs. On sunny Easters, if they are put out too early they can melt. “The best optimal situation is mild but not too hot,” he said. “The timing is delicate.” Typically, he said they tend to place the eggs just minutes before the hunt actually
starts. Despite going on for four decades, Olsen said the egg hunt itself has not changed much, though one addition came after Hurney and Kiwanis Secretary Matt Gregory created the Builders Club at Kirkland Middle School, which is sponsored through Kiwanis. For the egg hunt, the students in the club dress up in bunny costumes, though former members now [ more EASTER page 2 ]
This photo was taken during the 2009 egg hunt. REPORTER FILE PHOTO
Annual Mother’s Day Half Marathon to use Cross Kirkland Corridor BY TJ MARTINELL tmartinell@kirklandreporter.com
The annual Eastside Subaru Mother’s Day Half Marathon and 5K set for May 10 at Juanita Beach Park will mark the first major event on the Cross Kirkland Corridor (CKC) since its completion and ribbon cutting in late January. For the marathon’s planners, the CKC will allow runners to enjoy a flatter, more scenic section of the course, while the city is using the race to work out guidelines for future use in other events. The race, which starts and ends at Juanita Beach Park, will involve 5.5 miles on the CKC, starting at Northeast 28th Place near Interstate 520 and ending where the trail meets 112th Street. Kirkland City Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator Kari Page, who plans to participate in the race herself, said that they intend to keep the CKC open to the public whenever an event uses the trail in order to prevent potential conflicts. “It’s the public’s corridor, and we want it to remain that way,” she said. “I think one of our main focuses on any event is to remain open for people who want
to walk and bike and do whatever on the corridor as well.” Ever since the CKC opened, Page said they have received multiple inquiries about possibly using it, and they expect more in the future. “I think we are bracing ourselves for that,” she said. In the meantime, she said they plan to have a website for the CKC up and running, as well as created a template for its use. One policy they have decided is to limit the number of events per month to just two. Others, she said, such as the number of participants allowed in events on the trail, will be decided based on how well it handles the estimated 2,000 marathon runners. Regardless, they expect it to be a better experience for runners. “We hope it’s ideal,” she said. “We’ve laid down some pretty good guidelines that will make it safe and fun for all.” The marathon planners saw the CKC as a great way to improve the course experience as well reduce the number of hills in the race, according to Director of Marketing Garett Slettebak at Pro-Motions Inc. [ more CKC page 8 ]
Hopping for joy
Kangs win two state titles
The Lake Washington High School dance and drill team won two Class 3A State Drill and Dance Championships on March 27 during the state competition at the Yakima Sun Dome. The Kangs took first place in the Pom competition with a score of 270.8. Lake Washington beat out second place Capital with a score of 264.6, Hazen (254.3), Mercer Island (244.5) and Lakes (240.9). The team took first in Pom last year as well. The Kangs also took home the state title in the Military competition with a score of 273, edging Capital once again but this time by just 2.5 points. Interlake placed third and Bellevue finished fourth overall. The Kangs finished third in Military last year. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO, Ann Allan
Kameha’s Coffee closes after brewing family feud BY TJ MARTINELL tmartinell@kirklandreporter.com
Kameha’s Coffee in Juanita has shut down after police were called to a domestic disturbance in late February involving the family running the business. Officers arrived to the coffee shop on the 11400
block of 98th Ave NE the morning of Feb. 20 at around 8:30 a.m. after a 26-year-old woman reported her 49-year-old mother had gotten into a physical confrontation with her 30-year-old sister and was threatening to “beat the crap out of the kids.”
When police arrived they found the 26-yearold woman’s husband, her 30-year-old sister, as well as her 24-year-old brother outside the coffee shop. They reported their mother was still inside the shop. Officers entered through the front door, to which the
mother demanded, “How the hell did you get in here?” The mother told officers that her children were “ganging up” on her and trying to orchestrate a hostile takeover of the business due to the fact that while her husband [ more FEUD page 3 ]