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SPORTS | Bear Creek, Overlake and Redmond athletes compete in the postseason. [7-8] Courtesy of Sini Fernandez
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015
Funding a friend in Nepal While Sherpa returns home to help his family and others after tragic earthquakes, co-worker starts GoFundMe page to lend a hand
Fields files to challenge Marchione in mayoral race SAMANTHA PAK
ANDY NYSTROM
spak@redmond-reporter.com
anystrom@redmond-reporter.com
Steve Fields is challenging John Marchione in the upcoming City of Redmond mayoral election. Marchione will be seeking his third term in the Nov. 3 general election. Fields, a 62-year-old Redmond resident, told the Reporter that he is choosing to run because he has seen a lot of Steve Fields changes in the city and is concerned with the use of city money and how it is being managed. He added that Redmond is starting to become too costly to live here, and if elected mayor, Fields said he wants to maintain the city’s livability as it grows. “I love Redmond,” Fields said, adding that the city has been a great place for him and his family to live. He said it would also be good to bring a new face and perspective into the picture. If elected, Fields said he wants the city government to be more effective and inclusive [ more FIELDS page 3 ]
As Danu Sherpa spoke on the other end of the phone line from Kathmandu, Nepal, his voice wavered. His emotions were taking over. On Tuesday, Sherpa said he was looking around at the city and the crippled buildings that were rocked and leveled by a pair of mammoth earthquakes in the last month. The 44-year-old City of Redmond employee paused and noted: “I was lucky to survive.” Sherpa’s voice trailed off when he mentioned that his family’s house was destroyed in one of the tremblors. His sister, his niece and two orphan children were killed and two others were injured. “For awhile, I was very devastated and depressed,” said Sherpa, who added that he’s dealing with his emotions by helping others. Sherpa returned to his home country about three weeks ago to help in the relief efforts for his large family and residents whose homes were destroyed by the quakes and are in need of shelter, water, food, clothing, blankets and more. He has helped set up tents not far from the rubble for people to try and get some much-needed rest.
A heartfelt, colorful run Participants are doused with colorful corn starch at the 5K Redmond Color Run for Heart last Saturday at Redmond Town Center. There were 275 runners/walkers and they helped raise $8,000 for the local American Heart Association. Redmond High School leadership students ran the event. Courtesy of Brianne Cassidy
City of Redmond Parks Department employee Danu Sherpa is currently in Nepal assisting his family and others after the devastating earthquakes hit the area. Here, he’s at Camp Muir on Mount Rainier in 2012. Courtesy photo It was during a visit to a government office to ask for aid when the massive 7.3-magnitude aftershock struck on May 12. Sherpa was inside the building when it partially collapsed, and the experience lingers with him each day while he attends to others’ needs. (The first quake — 7.8 magnitude — hit on April 25 and there was a 6.7-magnitude aftershock on April 26. To date, more than 8,000 people have been killed and more than 21,000 have been injured, ac-
cording to various news reports.) “It’s a very devastating situation right now. It’s hard to leave. There’s so much to do,” said Sherpa, who plans to stay in Nepal for another month or so. “I’m trying to do my best. I’m trying to get people back to a comfortable living situation before I leave.” He said people are scared as smallerscale quakes (3.5- and 4.5-magnitude) hit the city each day. [ more SHERPA page 3 ]