Another Fourth of July has passed, and what a fourth it was! The day was perfect. We started with the 5K fun run, which had more than 600 registered runners and walkers, and ended with a speculator fireworks display. But what a parade! We had the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team back, and the Ixtapa horses. I think they doubled in size this year, and were outstanding.

Then we had the Washington Fallen Heroes Banners; there are no words to describe the emotion this brought out. As someone said, “it was bittersweet.” It was amazing to watch everyone stand and applaud our soldiers, and was a reminder on why we are celebrating our independence.

There are many people to thank. I would like to start by saying thank you to our community and the city. We need them to be supportive of this event for us to put this event on. To the new restaurant, Carnation Cafe, thank you so much for allowing us to have the 3-on-3 basketball tournament in your parking lot.

Thank you to our sponsors: Clean Scapes; BTP; RC Zeigler Company; Puget Sound Energy; Rainbow Federal; Benjamin Asphalt; Physio Care; Duvall Fitness; Tolt Laundry; Carnation Storage; Blue Heron Golf Course; Safeway of Duvall; Swiftwater Community Organization; Carnation Chamber of Commerce; Ixtapa; Timber,;Pete’s Club Grill; Sandy’s Espresso; Otak; Lazy K’s; Sno-Valley Senior Center; Snoqualmie Brewing Company; Late Boomers; Redline; Ogden, Wallace and Murphy law firm; Hopelink; Cascade Community Theatre; Custom Concrete; EF Printing; the City of Carnation; King County Parks and King County Police.

The Carnation Fourth of July Celebration is put on by its own non-profit organization and is made up of all volunteers: Nicole Pitts, 5K; Amy and Monty Hammontree, Just Moo It; Sydney Lisk, vendors; Collienne Becker, facilities; Alan Sinsel, county parks; Denise Crutchfield, Web designer and beer garden; Joshua Bushman and Bill Fletcher, volunteer coordinators; Brian Pattinson and Miles Denison, sound and staging; Dan Pflugrath, CERT; Theresa Tenney, secretary; Suzanne Maxon, treasurer; Ken Carter, city of Carnation; Scott Allen, police; and myself, chair, parade and evening entertainment.

Next year we will be losing some wonderful people who have done an outstanding job volunteering. Suzanne and Collienne, after five years on the committee, will be stepping away. They have both been huge assets to the committee in many ways and will be missed. If you are interested in being on the committee as a facility volunteer or treasure or just helping out, contact me at kimlisk@comcast.net or (425) 333-4855.

Kim Lisk

Carnation