We would like to thank and acknowledge the tremendous support of the greater Sammamish area for stepping up to support the recent “Nightmare at Beaver Lake” community event, which raised significant funding for local and international charitable projects.

We are most appreciative of this newspaper’s coverage and support for this community-wide event that has included more than 800 volunteers from organizers Sammamish Rotary and Scare Productions to schools, community organizations, businesses and individuals.

Overall, 10,000 attendees experienced the haunt during its nine-night run at Sammamish’s Beaver Lake Park and pavilion.

Hundreds of middle school and high school students and their parents volunteered to act, do make-up, provide security and cook for the volunteers. The Issaquah Senior Center provided vans and drivers. The police Explorers, Eastside Fire & Rescue and SARGe ham radio operators supported the safety of the show. The Renaissance School of Art and Reasoning offered concessions, and the City of Sammamish Parks Department made one of our city’s most beautiful parks available.

In addition to funds raised through ticket sales, business sponsorships and the gifts of products and services (meals, construction materials and labor), a total 2,475 pounds of canned and packaged foods was donated to benefit the Eastside Domestic Violence Program.

Because of the overwhelming community and financial support from our sponsors, all net proceeds from this fifth annual “Nightmare at Beaver Lake” will benefit community and international service projects including scholarships for high school students, locals families in need, food banks, contributions to charitable organizations, computers for students in Uganda, wells in Ethiopia, Rotary International’s efforts to rid the world of polio and more.

More than $160,000 in charitable donations was contributed by the Rotary Club of Sammamish during the past year, and more than 8,900 volunteer hours were served by club members and area residents in support of numerous Rotary projects and fundraising events.

Top “Nightmare” business sponsors included the following: Abella Homes, Ace Hardware, ADT Security Services, Arbor Montessori Schools, Bellevue Paint, Big-D Construction, Coddington Construction, Charter Bank, Costco, Crystal Springs, Issaquah Valley Senior Center, Prime Electric, Puget Sound Energy, Rough Cut Sheds, Super 8 Motel, Sylvan Forest Products, Umpqua Bank and Unexpected Productions

Without a caring and committed community, this event would not be possible. We thank everyone for being involved and helping Sammamish produce our area’s largest family-friendly, fun event.

We welcome area residents to join us in planning and working on our 2009 “Nightmare” project. Please post your interest on our Web site: www.sammamishrotary.org.

-Lisa Kennedy, President

Rotary Club of Sammamish

-Becky McKibben, President

Scare Productions