The North Olympic Peninsula posts of the Veterans of Foreign Wars have raised more than $3,200 to donate to the families of the slain Lakewood police officers, and money is still coming in.
All of the money raised by eight posts and five auxiliaries during the bake sale, a dinner/dance, bingo and breakfast and through other donations 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 last month.
“I am really pleased with how the district here came together to raise money for this on such short notice,” said Betty Marshall, president of VFW District 14 Ladies Auxiliary, based in Sequim.
17 districts involved
The fundraisers are part of a statewide VFW Ladies Auxiliary effort, and involved the 17 districts.
The funds will be consolidated, and the total will be revealed at a statewide conference of VFWs on Jan. 13, Marshall said .
Five auxiliaries on the Peninsula — those in Port Hadlock, Brinnon, Forks, Sequim and Port Angeles — coordinated the bake sale on Dec. 18, Marshall said.
“Everything came together so well,” she said.
The posts in those five places as well as the “bachelor posts” — those without auxiliaries — in Neah Bay, Quilcene and Carlsborg organized a dinner and dance on Dec. 19, Marshall said.
“It was a lot of fun with help from many people,” Marshall said.
The $3,200 total was a solid amount to contribute to the statewide fundraiser, she said.
“We just cannot say thank you enough to all of the people who supported these efforts,” she said.
__________
Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.