Betty Sehlke, a member of the Silvana Community Association, asked if we knew how to help a friend and neighbor who were being fined for not clearing his property of debris.
I met this gentleman and found him to be like so many from his era. He was full of stories of yesteryear and seemingly happy with his life despite having diabetes and pain in his feet from calluses.
I was asked what my mom would do? My reply was, everything she could. So with that in mind, a plan was derived, old markers were called in, containers were put in place and the clean up has now begun.
Though he realizes his situation, Mr. Deming is reluctant to part with what keeps him active. Everything that the neighborhood sees has a special meaning to him because he knows its use and purpose. With every purchase there was a reason but over time and at some point his projects didnt get done but the collecting continued.
In memory of my mom, Lee Tatum, who was very active in the Silvana/Stanwood community, I would like to thank Waste Management, Skagit River Steel and Honey Bucket for their generous donation and also Betty Sehlke for bringing Mr. Demings dilemma to our attention and for allowing everyone to use her facilities.
A special thank you to the Navy men and women from Everett who volunteered in this massive clean up. I applaud all of you for your hard work and braving all the elements that made this so challenging.
Kudos to Bob Sandvic for hauling away loads of wood scrap and the awesome job he did with his backhoe. He certainly makes this clean up easier for all the volunteers.
Last, for all the organization, direction and seeing that Mr. Deming gets through the transformation, a heart-felt thank you to Jerry Barbour. Your and Bobs kindness and relentless efforts to see this through to the end are commendable.
Donna Marsalis
Camano Island