PORT ANGELES — A small army of volunteers armed with snow shovels gathered to clear snow from the home of a retired Port Angeles coach as he recovers from surgery.
At times bumping elbows, about 20 people — some of whom had been coached by Lee Sinnes and others who have coached alongside him — worked together to remove snow from Sinnes’ roof, driveway and pool cover Tuesday.
“Isn’t that incredible?” Sandy Sinnes said Wednesday. “My husband and I were just overwhelmed.”
Lee Sinnes, who has coached boys and girls basketball in the Port Angeles School District for many years, had a heart attack Jan. 25 and then had a triple bypass surgery earlier this month.
Sandy Sinnes, a nurse who sees patients with diabetes in Port Angeles and Seattle, said he has been “upbeat” and that his recovery at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle has been going well.
Sandy Sinnes said she has been thankful to friends who have been frequently checking on her home while they were away.
But as Lee Sinnes — who is expected to be discharged today — continued his recovery in Seattle several snowstorms hit, stacking several inches of snow on their Port Angeles home.
Greg Olekas, who organized a work party to clear snow from a long time Port Angeles coach’s home, clears snow from his driveway Tuesday. About 20 people showed up to help. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)
With the threat of rain that could weigh down the snow, Sandy Sinnes said she became concerned about their flat carports and their pool, so she reached out to a friend.
That friend, Greg Olekas, then organized a work party of about 20 people to clear their home of snow. He said he just wanted to make sure Lee and Sandy Sinnes didn’t have anything to worry about while they are away.
He said his phone started blowing up as soon as he put out the call for help.
“It’s heartwarming to see the amount of community support that came out today,” Olekas said. “I’m glad that people answered the call when I put the blast on Facebook last night and everybody showed up and it’s done.”
That led to a crew meeting at the house Tuesday, turning five hours of work into an effort that took less than an hour, he said. While a handful of people cleared the roof and others were clearing snow behind house and around the pool, Olekas used a mini skid steer to plow snow from the driveway.
Laura Knowles clears snow at the home of a longtime Port Angeles coach while he recoveres from surgery in Seattle Tuesday. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)
Olekas said he has known Lee and Sandy Sinnes for many years and described them as family.
“Lee and Sandy got a lot of friends in this town,” Olekas said. “Everybody that’s here probably one time or another has either been taught by him or has been coached by him.
“Either one of them would give you the shirt off their back and I just wanted to do the same thing.”
Among those who helped was Mike Knowles, who said he’s been talking to Lee Sinnes every day since the surgery.
“With the snow and everything nobody can really get there to visit, so he’s looking forward to getting home,” Knowles said. “Health-wise, he’s doing great. He’s really bouncing back.”
Knowles, also a retired basketball coach, has known Lee Sinnes for 32 years, he said. At Port Angeles High School, they coached both boys and girls basketball together before retiring in recent years.
Greg Olekas, who organized a work party to clear snow from a long time Port Angeles coach’s home, clears snow from his roof Tuesday. About 20 people showed up to help. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)
Knowles said he was not surprised so many people were willing to help out, a testament to how many lives Sinnes has impacted.
“He has a great following of people,” Knowles said. “He’s touch a lot of hearts and a lot of people. They wanted to make sure they could give back to him what he has given them.”
Sandy Sinnes said it was difficult to find words to describe how grateful she and her husband of nearly 50 years are that so many people helped out.
“This wouldn’t happen in Seattle,” she said. “We’re so lucky we live in a small town. Everybody bands together and helps.”
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.
