Braving the brutal cold, the Skyline Key Club and the Sammamish Kiwanis put on a fundraising concert for the the Eastside Baby Corner recently, raising $748.46 and a carload of supplies.
Two Bellevue women were arrested Dec. 9 in connection with a marriage scam and plot to steal money from an elderly Issaquah man with dementia after they took him from the adult family home he lives in.
Goodfellas Sandwich Shop in Bellevue are doing their part to make sure this Christmas is an enjoyable time for everyone, especially those who might not wake up to a pile of gifts under their Christmas tree.
Issaquah School District Superintendent Steve Rasmussen approved new school district boundaries Dec. 9 in a letter issued to the community.
The City of Sammamish Council last night voted 7 – 0 to approve Phase 1A of the East Lake Sammamish Parkway Project.
By KATIE REGAN
Sammamish Reporter
The women at Pine Lake Covenant Church in Sammamish gave up a holiday tradition this year in favor of starting one for those in need.
For more than 10 years, the church has been hosting a Christmas lunch for women parishioners to gather and relax, but on Saturday Dec. 13, that same lunch was dedicated to women in transitional housing and homeless shelters as the Spirit of Christmas Luncheon.
“We were having a meeting two years ago, talking about outreach and what that meant, and I just felt that we were missing something,” said Tiffany LaMonte, event coordinator and church member.
After attending a similar lunch held by Proverbs 31:20 Ministries, a Bothell-based group that helps homeless women and families throughout Snohomish and King Counties, LaMonte said Pine Lake Covenant Church found its inspiration for what exactly outreach was.
“I just felt like this is what we were called to do, that this was the direction we were supposed to go,” she said.
LaMonte applied for two available grants from the North Pacific Conference, a regional conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, and received both to fund the Spirit of Christmas Luncheon.
That funding paid for a catered lunch, transportation, and children’s activities, among other things.
Church members brought the lunch to life though, by volunteering to serve food, watch children, decorate and donate their time, and in some cases, their family china.
“We just want these women to feel reached out to, and to feel loved,” LaMonte said. “We want them to know they’re not alone in the community.”
Approximately 45 women and their children from 65 shelters across the Eastside attended the luncheon. The church had three buses on loan from Bellevue Christian High School to pick them up, along with a score of churchgoers who volunteered their cars.
Volunteers set up for the event the day before, decorating each table with holiday-themed settings, and placing small Christmas trees around the room.
Tawni Van Wageningen, a church member who donated her grandmother’s china, volunteered to be a table captain for the lunch, which meant she was available to fetch anything needed, and to facilitate conversation among guests.
“It’s just such a fun idea,” she said. “And really special to me. If it wasn’t for my neighbor inviting me to these lunches, I wouldn’t be a Christian. So a little lunch can really impact your life.”
More than 100 volunteers offered their services at the luncheon. Each table had a captain, and about 20 men acted as servers.
“We’ll take care of it all,” LaMonte said. “We don’t want these women to have to lift anything, except maybe a fork.”
Other volunteers watched the 50 children in the church’s gym, where they played in a Bouncy House, received balloon animals and had their faces painted.
The church also sponsored a Christmas store where children chose gifts for their mothers. Members donated brand new items such as perfume and purses, and each child picked out and wrapped something to give as a gift.
“Kids love to receive gifts, but they really love to give them,” LaMonte said. “To go in there and pick out something that makes Mom feel special is great.”
One of her favorite moments from the lunch happened in the Christmas store. A young boy was looking at a bottle of perfume to give to his mother, but then put it back and told her he had no money.
“To hear that was just such a gift, because he didn’t need any,” LaMonte said. “He was so happy to be able to give her this.”
Overall, the lunch was a huge success, and LaMonte said it’s something the church plans to continue in the future.
Sharon Anderson, pastor of adult ministries at the church, echoed that sentiment and said that a long term goal of the church would be to form partnerships with the shelters so that outreach programs like the luncheon can become more frequent.
“It’s just a peaceful, relaxing time, where (the women) can realize that the community loves them, and they’re not alone,” she said. “We want to continue this as a long term commitment to them.”
About 88 students and community members gathered at Issaquah High School Saturday morning Dec. 13 to participate in the first-ever December Dash, a 5K run and walk benefitting the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank.
It’s easy to imagine, when walking through the front door and into the living room of the Jones family, what Santa’s workshop might be like this time of year.
Donna S. Belin, who’s been an advocate for youthful crime victims and youthful offenders in east King County for 30 years, has announced that she’ll retire as director of the Young Adult Court Mentor Program and Project Smart Turn on Dec. 31.
Events, Libraries/books, public meetings, volunteers needed and more
Dirt flew through the air, followed quickly by chuckles.
Residents and their friends gathered last week to enjoy the lighting of the Issaquah Christmas tree in downtown Issaquah. Santa…
The Puget Sound Marine Corp League and the Myrtle Lodge masons will be holding a Toys for Tots toy drive Dec. 15 to 17 at Myrtle Lodge, 57 W. Sunset Way in Issaquah.
Three pieces of commercial land in Issaquah that have been sitting unused may soon be revamped: Albertsons at 5530 E. Lake Sammamish Parkway; the ampm at 800 Front St. N.; and the site where Skippers used to sit at 670 Front St. N.
DUI arrest, embezzlement, collision, thefts, license citations, vandalism, domestic dispute, drug possession, vehicle prowl
A Sammamish couple touring India found themselves caught in the terror attacks in Mumbai. Carol Ross and her husband, Michael Rainwater, were part of a group of Eastside artists studying and exploring in North and West India. Their trip began Nov. 3.
At the Dec. 4 Planning Policy Commission meeting, the public was given a first look at design possibilities for the Central Issaquah Plan.
Jessica Ramquist has made an enemy.
She moved to Issaquah just over a month ago, and lives in “the perfect home” on Northeast Crescent Drive. She loves the charm and atmosphere of the community, and is thrilled about the bus stop located right outside of her home. Because she uses a wheelchair, Ramquist said the proximity is extremely helpful.
For most people, getting to the doctor’s office or the grocery store doesn’t take a second thought.
