The Chavez family lives, works together
January 5, 2009
The Chavez family, Yasmin, Adolfo and Olga (from left), all work at the Providence Marianwood assisted living facility in Issaquah. By Greg Farrar.
Olga and Adolfo Chavez are rarely apart. Where one goes, so, too, does the other. The pattern started the day after she arrived in America from her native Guatemala.
“I remember I came to the United States on May 10, 1986, and I met Adolfo the next day,” Olga, 51, said. “We were married nine months later.”
Adolfo, a 59-year-old native of Mexico, confirmed their attachment at the hip. She left California to visit her sister-in-law here while on vacation. She liked it so much that she stayed. Read more
Cancer survivor bares her story for calendar
January 5, 2009
Pam Travis, of Issaquah, appears in the Angel Care Calendar 2009 as Miss May. By Gail Ann Watson.
One Issaquah woman is baring it all to make a point — well, almost all of it. Among carefully placed, bright-green leaves, Pam Travis, an Issaquah resident and breast cancer survivor, poses for the sixth time in this year’s Angel Care Breast Cancer Foundation’s annual calendar.
“When I first posed for it about six years ago for the first time, I brought my husband with me to make me feel more comfortable, because I was so nervous,” she said. “As the years have gone by, I’ve felt more and more comfortable.”
She is one of 11 women and one man who posed for the 2009 calendar, which raises money for the foundation. Read more
Volunteer Call
January 5, 2009
Does your nonprofit agency or civic club need volunteers? Call 392-6434, ext. 237, or e-mail newsclerk@isspress.com.
Elder and Adult Day Services in Issaquah: Monday, Thursday or Friday from 12:30–2 p.m. to help with therapeutic activities — 206-859-5721
Issaquah Special Populations Social Club: Assist with dances, movies, field trips and special events. For every three hours of volunteer service, a 30-day pass will be issued for use of the community center facilities and Julius Boehm Pool — www.ci.issaquah.wa.us Read more
Clubs
January 5, 2009
Camp Fire Family Group: 7 p.m. every other Tuesday, Clark Elementary School, 500 Second Ave. S.E., 313-1600
Eastside Camera Club: 7 p.m. Thursday, St. Madeleine Catholic Church, 4400 130th Place S.E., Bellevue, www.eastsidecameraclub.com
The Eastside Welcome Club: 10 a.m. Wednesday, 821-5857 Read more
Home for the holidays
January 5, 2009
Skyline grad, Iraq bomb engineer, finds his way back to Issaquah in time for Christmas
Kevin Thruelsen
Half a world away, Kevin Thruelsen spent 15 months clearing roadside bombs and locating caches of weapons in Iraq. Amid the searing 130-degree heat, blinding sand storms and constant threat of being blown up, he was touched by a care package from students at the elementary school he attended a decade ago.
“I can’t tell you how much of a morale booster that was,” he said of the Christmas cookies he received from Hank Klein’s Challenger Elementary School class in December 2007.
Thirteen months ago, Thruelsen, 21, witnessed the first snowfall in Baghdad in 40 years. He also saw snow while visiting his family in Klahanie last month while on holiday leave.
For a little more than a year, he traveled along the pockmarked roads leading to Abu Gharib, Sadr City and Baghdad, and up to the Diyala province near the Iranian border in search of roadside bombs and other explosives. Read more
Clubs
December 29, 2008
ArtEAST: 6:30 p.m., first Monday, Up Front Art Gallery, 48 Front St. N., www.arteast.org or 392-3191
Camp Fire Family Group: 7 p.m., every other Tuesday, Clark Elementary School, 500 Second Ave. S.E., 313-1600
Eastside Camera Club: 7 p.m., first Thursday, St. Madeleine Catholic Church, 4400 130th Pl. S.E., Bellevue, www.eastsidecameraclub.com Read more
Rowley Properties employees dig deep to help others
December 29, 2008
Every holiday season, the employees of Rowley Properties pool their funds to support one needy family. This year was no different, with the group raising more than $1,000 to help a family of five that sought shelter through the Eastside Domestic Violence Program.
“They wanted to support this organization, as it helps demonstrate that people care, the family is worthy and despite what they’ve been through, life will get getter,” said Rowley community development representative Kristi Tripple.
Rowley Properties develops and manages commercial real estate in central Issaquah, with owners Skip Rowley and his daughter, Kari Magill, having a long history of civic involvement.
This is the second year Rowley employees have worked with the Eastside Domestic Violence Program, but in previous years, they have chosen Seattle Children’s (formerly Children’s Hospital), the Issaquah Food Bank and the YWCA. The selection is by a vote of the employees in October. Read more
It’s a small Galaxie
December 22, 2008
A car reunites two families in Issaquah after 28 years
Tracy Jilek, left, give Virginia Lipke, the former owner of the Galaxie, a quick peck on the cheek. The two reunited after 28 years at the Jilek home to remember the car that brought them together. By Mary Jilek
Family spends vacation helping Nicaraguan poor
December 22, 2008
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Matt Carmody, of Issaquah, with a young boy in El Jobo who received a pair of shoes from Corner of Love as part of the Carmody family’s See Greater Things Mission to Nicaragua. Contributed
Earlier this year, Tom and Lori Carmody left their busy, comfortable lives in Issaquah to be part of the See Greater Things Mission in Nicaragua. The trip was sponsored by the nonprofit organization Corner of Love.
The Carmodys, along with their son Matt and daughter Katie, stayed in basic concrete dorms that were surrounded by lush green mountains in San Ramon, in northern Nicaragua. They were part of a team of 35 others who hailed from all over the Puget Sound area. Every day, they would catch a rickety old school bus to rural villages, where they delivered medical supplies and gave shoes to more than 200 children. Read more
Scout serves up a meal full of thanks for Eagle project
December 22, 2008
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Before lunch begins, Connor Callahan leads the volunteer group who prepared and would be serving food in a prayer of Thanksgiving. By Robin Callahan
Thanksgiving dinner is hard enough to prepare for your own family — but preparing it for 250 people is another story.
But it was a challenge that the Liberty High School community was willing to help 17-year-old Connor Callahan tackle to earn his Eagle Scout rank.
“It was a life changing experience,” he said.
There are plenty of projects Scouts can tackle to earn their Eagle Scout rank. Some recent projects by local Scouts have included creating trails and wetlands areas at schools, and holding food drives for Issaquah Valley Community Services.
Callahan’s project, to help feed people through Community Lunch, quickly turned into a full-scale community endeavor. Read more
