| 05/10/03 Bellevue Square Law Enforcement Memorial/Appreciation Day |
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| News - 2003 Archive | |||
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The 5th Annual Bellevue Square Law Enforcement Memorial/Appreciation Day was held on Saturday, 05/10/03. Survivors and friends helped make the event a success by staffing both the COPS and WSLEM tables. We had a special group of volunteers giving up part of their Saturday -- Kelly Pearson, Brenda Donner, Troy Meyers and Mark Edmondson, Cheryl Varner with her future step-daughter Laura, Nancy Webb and her friend Karie Kamil, Sheri Brown Smith and her daughter Sierra, and Kit Ford and Carol Jones. Gary Felt designed a sobering oversized poster of law enforcement personnel killed in the line of duty since Washington gained its statehood, 262 names in chronological order of EOW. Survivors contributed photos of ‘their’ officers, to help put faces to some names. The poster, situated near the stairs by the information booth at Bel Square, caused many passersby to stop and actually look at it, not just glance at it and scurry off. Thank you to Billie Saunders, Gary Felt, Rhea Marshall, and Lisa Hansell Harkcom for submitting photos. COPS volunteers distributed blue ribbons, WSLEM license plate ‘intent to purchase’ forms, and candy! We also monitored the plexiglass mockup of the proposed memorial in Olympia, and encouraged people to browse through the COPS scrapbook. We sold WSLEM teddy bears and pins, and mentioned the WSLEM website, www.wslem.com. We informed interested parties about the COPS mission, explained the purpose behind the giant license plate on exhibit, and played 2 videos. The enthusiasm of the COPS volunteers was a major reason, we’re convinced, that KING5 TV and 710KIRO radio stopped by. Cheryl Varner had an impressive COPS interview on TV, while Frank Kampsen spoke on radio about WSLEM. Mark Edmondson shot several great photos with his digital camera, and they can be viewed on the COPS website, www.wastatecops.org. Cheryl Varner is the daughter of Deputy Sheriff Robert William Varner Jr., Navajo County Arizona Sheriff's Department, EOW 01/02/89. Troy Meyers is the son of Officer Thomas R. Meyers, Kansas City Missouri Police Department, EOW 01/14/98. Brenda Donner is the daughter of Patrolman Clifton Thomas Miller, Rossford Ohio Police Department, EOW 05/14/66. Kelly Pearson is the daughter of Patrolman Donald Martin Burke, Hoquiam Police Department, EOW 04/16/80. Kit Ford and Carol Jones are sisters-in-law of Trooper Steven Lee Frink, Washington State Patrol, EOW 03/22/93. Sheri Brown Smith is the sister, and Sierra the niece, of Deputy Mark William Brown, King County Sheriff's Department, EOW 02/27/99. Billie Saunders is the surviving spouse of Trooper James E. Saunders, Washington State Patrol, EOW 10/07/99. Rhea Marshall survives her husband, Patrol Officer Michael W. Marshall, Omak Police Department, 03/26/98. Lisa Hansell Harkcom survives Trooper Clifford R. Hansell, Washington State Patrol, EOW 07/22/87. Nancy Webb is the surviving spouse of Dennis Frank Webb of the San Fernando California Police Department, EOW. 12/24/80. Thanks to all the COPS volunteers for making the 5th Annual Bellevue Square Law Enforcement Memorial/Appreciation Day successful!
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