North Olympic Peninsula posts of the Veterans of Foreign War are coordinating two fundraisers for the families of four Lakewood police officers killed Nov. 29.
All of the money raised by eight posts and three auxiliary posts during a bake sale Dec. 18 and a dinner/dance Dec. 19 will go to the families of Sgt. Mark Renninger, 39, and Officers Ronald Owens, 37, Tina Griswold, 40 — who was born in Port Angeles and raised in Shelton — and Greg Richards, 42.
The officers were shot to death in a Parkland coffee shop southwest of Tacoma.
Donations and other help for the events are sought.
“We aren’t holding anything back for anything,” said Betty Marshall, president of VFW District 14 Ladies Auxiliary, based in Sequim. “We are aiming to raise as much as we can.
“We know that things are hard, but I think that people will come to our aid for something like this, and I know that anything we do will be greatly appreciated.”
The fundraisers are part of a statewide VFW Ladies Auxiliary effort.
Marshall said that funds from the 17 districts in the state will be consolidated and donated to the officers’ families.
“With all the funds from all 17 districts, I hope it will be a sizable amount,” she said.
Sale, dinner/dance
The bake sale will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Clallam County Veterans Center, 261 S. Francis St., Port Angeles.
Five auxiliaries on the Peninsula — those in Port Hadlock, Brinnon, Forks, Sequim and Port Angeles — are coordinating the sale, Marshall said.
“They will be bringing baked goods, and we’ll have Christmas baskets that will also be up for sale,” she said.
The posts in those five places as well as the “bachelor posts” — those without auxiliaries — in Neah Bay, Quilcene and Carlsborg are organizing a dinner and dance on Dec. 19, Marshall said.
The event will be held at the Sequim Veterans of Foreign Wars post, 169 E. Washington St.
The time hasn’t been nailed down, and the group is still working on gathering the food and band.
“It will be a really fun time, but we are still working on all of the details,” Marshall said.
Seeking donations
The groups are still seeking help and donations for all events.
“For both of these events we want to try and get as much as possible donated — that includes food, entertainment, locations and everything else — so that we can make sure even more money goes toward the families of those officers,” Marshall said.
“With situations like this, it breaks your heart and we want to do all we can to help.”
To donate or for more information about the bake sale, phone Venay Money at 360-681-7085.
For more information about the dinner/dance, phone the Sequim VFW at 360-683-9546.
For more information about both, phone Marshall at 360-683-3049.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.
