Thank you

A community

coming together

Our partners from the Macerich Company who own the Kitsap Mall provided us with some funds to winterize the Clear Creek Trail. That inspired us to hold a couple community work days for a winter cleanup. Recently, we joined our mall friends as they worked to spruce up the section of trail they have adopted. We had a volunteer weekend to work on other sections of the trail. What a weekend — 81 hard chargers showed up!

Randy Peterson, our Mr. Trail, had a long list of things that needed to be done. We figured that would keep us busy for the next few months. Inspired by the challenge, our amazing Volunteer Coordinator, Petty Officer Number One Zee Zamora, turned to and rallied a huge community response spearheaded by the Navy and U.S. Marines from seven commands including the Naval Base Kitsap First Class Petty Officers Association led by Petty Officer Angel Anton. Sgt. Maj. Brent Cook, MA3 Egardo Huertas and MA3 Rachel Venezuela of the Bangor Security Battalion, landed in force with 15 Navy/Marine champions. Other individuals, the Hatcher, Smith and Krulak families, and a charming, but committed group of Heather Price’s Girl Scout Daisy Troop 3059 members pitched in to clean up. Annie Lavalsit and 11 of her Alternative to Detention kids also came to tackle blackberries and Scotch broom. Ron Ross hauled off three huge loads of cuttings and Randy Peterson filled his cute red truck three times taking trash to the dump.

Mary Zabinski, Karen Best, Nadean Ross, Betty Fabry and Claudia Hunt brought huge kettles of marvelous hearty soup and treats for a festive after-action feed to top off the day. It was a great community effort. I’m sure you will see the difference as you walk the trail.

It is a wonderful thing when the community pulls together like this. We love having you join us.

To our Navy/Marine friends Bravo Zulu, and to all thanks a million.

TEX LEWIS

Clear Creek Task Force