Firefighters for Kids gets boost from Boeing
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 7 months AGO
The Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce presents Firefighters for Kids with a donation from Boeing and the Association of Washington Business. From left: Chamber Director Debbie Doran-Martinez, Firefighters for Kids president Mike Miner, Moses Lake Deputy Fire Chief Chris Callahan and Boeing Fire Local I-66 President Casey Yeager.
Joel Martin/Columbia Basin Herald
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | December 4, 2023 1:20 AM
MOSES LAKE — Some families in the Columbia Basin will have a merrier Christmas, courtesy of The Association of Washington Business, Boeing and local firefighters.
Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce directors dropped by Moses Lake Fire Station 1 on Thursday to present Moses Lake Firefighter Mike Miner, president and founder of Firefighters for Kids, with a “Santa Box” that included a $5,000 donation. The goodies came through a donation by the Boeing Company to the AWB’s Holiday Kids’ Tree Project, which raises money for families in rural communities, said Chamber Director Debbie Doran-Martinez.
Boeing specified that its contribution be used in the Columbia Basin because of its close ties to the Moses Lake community, she added.
Miner started Firefighters for Kids in 2015 in Spokane, and brought it to Moses Lake when he was hired here in 2017, he said. The group collects donations from the local community as well, both online and through a donation box set up at the fire station.
Miner said local schools are helping find families who can use a little help.
“I have several counselors within the schools here in Moses Lake, and they're giving me a list of five kids (per school) right now,” Miner said. “I'm going to call them and then start adding kids to our list that we can help out for Christmas, and then I'll also contact schools that I haven't contacted throughout Grant County as well.”
The help Firefighters for Kids gives goes beyond individual children, he explained.
“Let's say you're a counselor, right?” Miner said. “And then you give me five kids that are from your school? Well, we help that whole family. So it's not just five kids; we're looking at 20, 30 kids, and then we're going to add more.”
Each family will get three to five gifts per child, Miner said, as well as brand-new clothes, food, diapers and other necessities.
Firefighters for Kids still operates in Spokane as well as the Tri-Cities and other places.
“We helped just under 600 kids last year, several hundred of them in Grant County,” Miner said.
Donations can be dropped off at Moses Lake Fire Station 1 at 701 E. Third Ave. or online at www.ffs4kids.org.
Joel Martin may be reached via email at jmartin@columbiabasinherald.com.
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
DMLA debuts new digs, merch
MOSES LAKE — The Downtown Moses Lake Association has a new home, and it comes with sunshine. “The old location was kind of dark, and it didn’t have any windows,” said DMLA Event Specialist Sarah Page. “And now we have six beautiful, big windows.” This year, the DMLA has moved from the back hallway of the Desert Plaza Building at West Third Avenue and South Alder Street to its home at 205 S. Division St., the same location that housed the DMLA’s business incubator, the Obra Project. That incubator, which was designed to grow small businesses, proved successful enough to be retired, Page said. “A lot of their businesses flourished and have been able to get their own spots,” Page said.
Remembering Chief Fuhr
Local law enforcement leader passes, leaving a legacy of service, kindness and community.
MOSES LAKE — Kevin Fuhr, it’s generally agreed, was a force of nature. “Man, that guy just kept moving,” said Moses Lake Police Chief David Sands, who succeeded Fuhr as chief in 2023. “I know there were times he probably relaxed, but by and large, he was always on the go.”
Library story time keeps children engaged with books, songs and crafts
MOSES LAKE — Books are meant to be read, and children’s books are meant to be read aloud. And at the Moses Lake Public Library, that’s what happens. “We have our regular preschool story time on Tuesdays from 10:30 to 11:30,” said children’s librarian Zach Walker. “We … have sensory story time the second and fourth Fridays of the month. On the third Friday of every third month, we have the fire department come by to do a story time as well as a demonstration of their gear and equipment. That one is always very popular. I think the quietest one was like 30 (children).”