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g Olympics a golden success
MSON
was decorated in
and blue, American
and the recorded
the Olympics theme
seemed appropriate,
.Was the Reading Olym-
Ceremonies at Sand
(SHE) School.
Lad Hill students cel-
reading success on
< :
i:i i:i!!iii!i
Thursday, March 11. According to
acting principal Debbie Wing, 533
students, or 96 percent of the stu-
dent body participated in Reading
Olympics throughout the month
of February this year, and 89 per-
cent of the students received med-
als. "Congratulations to all of
you," Wing said to the assembled
children.
Reading Olympics is a way to
encourage kids to read outside of
the school day. Medals were
earned for the number of minutes
first- through sixth-grade chil-
dren read, or had someone read to
them. Each child could read si-
lently, aloud, or even along with a
taped story.
KINDERGARTNER Ryli
Robinson had both her parents
present to see her receive her sil-
voracious readers.
Kris Reed said of her 6-year-
old kindergarten son, Brandon,
"He came home from school all
excited and said, 'Morn, I'm going
to win a gold medal! How many
books do I have to read?'" He
earned his gold with 86 stories,
some he read himself, some his
mom read to him.
Melissa Shafto was proud of
€
>
i '
,OHMAN demonstrates here how she read
to achieve her Gold Medal Award in the re-
Hill Elementary Reading Olympics. Brigid
9,480 minutes outside of the school day
the month of February, more than any other
Student. (That is between five and six hours
ver medal. "It was her first award
her first-grade daughter, Emma,
who earned a gold medal. "It's a
Serving Belfair - Allyn - Grapeview - Tahuya - Mason Lake - South Shore - Victor
Thursday, March 25, 1999
Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal j
Sand Hill fields
I of anything in school. Itwasalot receive a little TLC
of fun. They put on a good show great program. My daughter
here, and it was educational, loved it. She loves to read, and it
said Shelley Robinson. gave her a good excuse to sit
Rylrs dad, Danny Robinson, down and read,' she said.
added, "It's really important for Juan Garcia's fourth-grade " to field
daughter, Susan also garnered BYRICKSTED lY' e ,lme beague, ao will be added leri:td six. But that
kids that you read to them. You gold. His observation was, ,','It's Ruth, and project is at two to three
have to build a foundation." years down the
Instead of adding up minutes, exciting. That's why I'm here. softballers will likely play a few
the kindergarten students count- NICOLE JONES was a gold more games this year thanks to a
ed the number of stories they medal reader who had four guests new product recently applied to
read or heard read. come for the ceremony: her step- five local ball fields in North Ma-
son. ; i: i
dad, Jerry Lake; grandma, Shir-
ley Sellers; sister, Teresa Lake;
and a friend, Heather Mont-
gomery. Mr. Lake said, "I love it!
I haven't heard of any other
school in Mason County doing it.
A bronze medal took 28 stories
for kindergartners, or 420 min-
utes for the older students. That
means one story, or 17 minutes
per day, all month long. There
were 97 bronze medals awarded.
Silver medals were earned by
reading 56 stories, or spending
840 minutes of time reading. That
averages 30 minutes, or two sto-
ries per day. There were 99 silver
medals given to SHE students.
THE GOLD medals were
earned by 333 students, and each
of them had read 84 stories, or
spent 1,200 minutes of February
reading outside of their school
day. That means they averaged
three stories, or 43 minutes per
day with a book in their hands.
Seven-year-old Brigid Lohman
tallied more time than anyone in
the school, with 9,480 minutes to-
tal. That is nearly six hours per
day, seven days a week. How did
she do that?
"I read everywhere I went, like
on the bus, in the car, at home,
and in the store. When my mom
was shopping, I was reading in
the cart," Brigid explained. She
likes fairy tales and dinosaurs,
she said.
She first began to read by look-
ing at street signs. When asked if
she learned how to read in kin-
dergarten, Brigid replied, "Before
that, even!"
THERE WERE over 70 par-
ents and other guests in the first
of two assemblies to honor the
It really motivates the kids."
"She worked really hard, read-
ing every chance she could, get-
ting this," said Dean Wells of his
gold-medal-winning stepdaughter
Amy Davies, who is in the fourth
grade. Amy's brother, Marty El-
lis, was also present for the cere-
monies.
Superintendent of schools for
North Mason, Dr. Marie Pickel,
was to join the fifth-grade class of
Mr. Scales for lunch, and read a
book to them. That classroom ac-
cumulated the most points in the
school.
Dr. Pickel indicated she had
used the Reading Olympics pro-
gram when she was principal of
Finley Elementary School in east-
ern Washington. "I thought it was
wonderful then, and 18 years lat-
er I still think it's wonderful," she
said.
FIRST-GRADE gold medalist
Regina Obiedzenski had two
guests in attendance that morn-
ing. Her mother, Gia Lee said, "I
think it's wonderful. She had so
much fun doing it!"
All 529 medal winners will be
invited to participate in Shelton's
Forest Festival Parade in June,
according to Principal Rodger De-
Britz.
release Auction a success
into creek
:!ementary students
m the schools' ninth
release program.
iday, March 19, at
nearby Sweetwa-
one by one,
salmon fry back
8.
really this part
," said third-grade
n. "Some of
Students even gave
ae prior to releasing
graders affec-
an albino salmon
"Whitey," who was one of 600
such fry released by students.
The salmon have been raised
by the students since January 5,
when officials at the George
Adams Fish Hatchery in Union
donated the fingerlings to the
school.
The school-wide salmon release
program was greeted by excep-
tionally nice weather as students
trekked down to the creek to re-
lease the fry. The program is part
of the Salmon in the Classroom
state project.
Sometimes people go to a fund-
raising auction looking for a bar-
gain. At the Boys and Girls Club
(B&G) Auction, held on Saturday,
March 13, at the Admiral Theatre
in Bremerton, there weren't any
bargain-hunters in the crowd.
In a successful live auction of
this type, the group can expect
people will pay about 90 percent
of the actual value of the items.
The B&G bids came to a whop-
ping 117 percent of the value in
the live auction portion of the eve-
ning.
Some of the reasons for this
success were items like the ador-
able golden retriever puppy,
which sold for $2,250, or 938 per-
cent of his financial value
(although it was apparent to ev-
eryone at the auction that he was
priceless).
Another item that went for far
above the declared value was
group swing dance lessons. In-
structors Steve and Lori Whybark
demonstrated their talent, then
when it was bought at auction,
doubled on their offer. So, two
bidders, along with some of their
friends, will be learning to swing
dance, and the B&G is $2,000
richer for it.
Three different bidders were
successful in purchasing the boat,
which spent time on display in
Belfair. The first two purchasers
donated it back, the third will
keep it. That boat brought $4,600
into the Boys and Girls Club coff-
ers, the highest dollar amount for
a single item.
The emcee for the evening, pro-
fessional football player Marquez
Pope, purchased an authentic Vin
Baker Coca Cola vending ma-
chine for $2,100, then donated it
for use at the B&G teen center,
which should be open in Belfair
this summer.
And on it went. Several donors
doubled their offer of items, while
others added to things up for auc-
tion, turning them into more at-
tractive packages. Some donated
purchases back to the club. The
total income for the evening was
$134,132, which means about
$109,000 in profit for the kids.
B&G board member Dr. Brian
Petersen, who solicited many
items for the fund-raiser, ex-
pressed his gratitude to all who
donated to, assisted in, or attend-
ed the event. Of the many corpo-
rate donors he said, "Their gener-
osity was incredible, and their in-
volvement added a lot to our
event."
'rim Wing, another board mem-
ber, said many people who came
to the first auction in 1998 re-
turned in '99 with a table full of
friends. Many this year have al-
ready indicated they had so much
fun they intend to do the same
again next year.
Plans are already underway for
the Boys and Girls Club "Gifts
from the Sea" auction 2000!
JONI CAGWIN holds this adorable pooch which sold for
at the Girls
AT Belfair Elementary School release 600
into the wilds last Friday, March 19.
right are: third grader David McConnell,
Brittner
According to Carl Olson, head
grounds keeper for all Mason
County fields, a product called
Turface was recently mixed into
the local clay and sand fields to
help absorb moisture, something
the area has had an abundance of
this year.
"We've had great success using
Turface at several fields in
Shelton," says Olson. "We should
have most of the North Mason
fields at Sand Hill ready by
month's end."
Olson was introduced to the
kitty-litter type of absorbent by
Bob Christopherson, the head
grounds keeper at Cheney Stadi-
um in Tacoma. "All pro stadiums
now use Turface," said Olson. The
beauty of the product is that it
won't compact when wet, but
rather acts as a cushioned absorb-
ent instead.
Turface bills itself as "...no
substitute for conditioning fields
have a lot less game rainouts."
Though pricey at $300 per ton,
the product is well worth it. Olson
says that after the initial mixture
of Turface to Sand Hill fields, a
smaller amount will then be add-
ed in future years. The fields will
be much easier to maintain, says
Olson.
Mike Byrne, Mason County Di-
rector of Tourism and Recreation,
says that emphasis will indeed be
given to the five North Mason
ball fields. "Our top priority this
year and next is Sand Hill," says
Byrne. In addition to applying
lurface to each field, dug out
roofs will also be added by the
end of March. "We have a volun-
teer group already in place to get
this project done," insists Byrne.
According to Byrne, 63 percent
of the county's $82,000 budget for
field maintenance and upkeep is
destined for North Mason fields.
He says that eventually, lights
CARL OLSON APPLIES
Turface to the Sand Hill
ball fields. The absorbent
additive could reduce rain
outs by as much as 50 per-
cent.
Belfair couple offers
gift of life to child
By LINDA THOMSON
Two-year-old Kyle Carter got
impatient with all the emotional
adults and bright camera lights,
and finally went after his birth-
day gifts, stepping right in the
cake to get to them. It was not
only his birthday, but a big-deal
media event held on Wednesday,
March 17, in Silverdale, for his
parents to meet the parents who
donated their daughter's liver he
had received by transplant in Au-
gust 1997.
Kelly and Julie Gardner, of
Belfair, have a big family. Julie
has six kids by a previous mar-
riage, and Kelly has one.
Together, they had only one
child: Kelli Anne, born March 5,
1996. Her birth was exciting for
her father to watch, and he even
assisted a bit. "She was awesome!
She was a beautiful baby," said
her dad. Their only concern at the
hospital was when Kelli Anne
was chilled, they placed her un-
der a heat lamp, rather than in
her mother's arms.
SHE WAS EMBRACED and
spoiled by the whole family once
they got her home, and was a
very healthy little girl.
All that ended in a horrific car
wreck out-of-state in August,
1997. Kelli Anne was just 17
months old when she died.
Her parents were approached
about donating her organs. There
was nothing to consider or ago-
nize over, since both parents had
previously committed to be organ
donors themselves. In fact, Julie's
father had received a new heart
by transplant on Valentine's Day
in 1996.
It seemed right and natural for
the Gardners to give whatever
useful parts there were of Kelli
Anne's body for others in need.
The gift of life was extended to
three recipients.
THE FAMILY WENT about
their own recovery from the acci-
dent, and grieved the loss of their
precious child.
In South Carolina, Tara and
Greg Carter had their first child
in March, 1997. Labor was an all-
day affair, according to Greg. By
the next day, little Kyle showed
signs of being jaundiced, and had
a sporadic heart beat. When he
was four days old, he was admit-
ted to the neonatal intensive care
unit, and they went home without
him.
Baby pictures show a happy,
underweight little boy with yel-
low coloring. He was placed on a
list for a liver
due to lack of development of the
bile ducts in his liver.
Then, Kyle's family got word
that a liver was available from a
little girl who had died in a car
wreck. They felt badly for the
other family, but were so grateful
that this would be a chance for
their son to recover. "He'd had
surgery at two weeks of age,
which only bought him a little
time," said Kyle's dad. "He was
born with a death sentence, and
the transplant healed him."
TWO MONTHS LATER, a
note came to the Gardners in Bel-
fair saying, "Thank you for saving
our son's life." It had passed
through the screening process at
the Donor Alliance to remove any
identifying information, but was
from the parents of the little boy
who had received Kelli Anne's liv-
er.
It became important to Julie to
let the parents know who Kelli
Anne was. So, she wrote them
back, sending a copy of the eulo-
gy, and some photos.
And so began a correspondence
which turned into a friendship.
And a year later, the parents on
the receiving end had lengthy dis-
cussions with the Donor Alliance
about their desire to reveal their
names, address, and phone num-
ber to their friends who had
saved their son's life.
And so, on Kyle's second birth-
day, just 1 1/2 weeks after Kelli
Anne would have turned 3, the
Carters met the Gardners face-to-
face. In anticipation of that mo-
ment, Julie said, "It's like Kelli
Anne has a little brother, and we
get to meet him!"
"LOSING A CHILD is the
worst thing that can happen to
you," Julie said. But the family
has been able to take comfort in
knowing that "some part of her
lives on in another child. If not fbr
organ donation, all that grief
would be for nothing."
The Carters spent a week in
Belfair, and the Gardners were
able to share in the joy of this
healthy little boy named Kyle.
"You can almost see part of my
little girl in his eyes," said Julie.
'You can't help but love him."
The two families enjoyed boat-
ing, crabbing, skiing, shopping,
cooking, eating and attending
church together. "We wore Kyle
out," Julie said. "For one half-day,
we let him just sleep in and do
nothing. We've taken him to din-
ner with Kelli Anne's godparents,
and to visit her great-grandpar-
ents. That probably just made
their year, they were so tickled!"
Kyle's mother Tara said, "Oh,
it's been so great! I get to share
my son with them. It was very ap-
propriate to share my child on his
birthday. This will be a lifelong
bond."
GREG AGREED, saying, "He
is part of them."
The Gardners are already
planning a trip to see this new
part of their family in South Car-
olina this coming summer.
JULIE AND KELLY Gardner, of Belfair, hosted Greg
and Tara Carter, of South Carolina, recently, along with
their son Kyle. Two-year-old Kyle had just shown off the
scar on his belly where he had received a liver trans-
plant in 1997. The Gardners donated the organ follow-
ing their death in a car crash.
g Olympics a golden success
MSON
was decorated in
and blue, American
and the recorded
the Olympics theme
seemed appropriate,
.Was the Reading Olym-
Ceremonies at Sand
(SHE) School.
Lad Hill students cel-
reading success on
< :
i:i i:i!!iii!i
Thursday, March 11. According to
acting principal Debbie Wing, 533
students, or 96 percent of the stu-
dent body participated in Reading
Olympics throughout the month
of February this year, and 89 per-
cent of the students received med-
als. "Congratulations to all of
you," Wing said to the assembled
children.
Reading Olympics is a way to
encourage kids to read outside of
the school day. Medals were
earned for the number of minutes
first- through sixth-grade chil-
dren read, or had someone read to
them. Each child could read si-
lently, aloud, or even along with a
taped story.
KINDERGARTNER Ryli
Robinson had both her parents
present to see her receive her sil-
voracious readers.
Kris Reed said of her 6-year-
old kindergarten son, Brandon,
"He came home from school all
excited and said, 'Morn, I'm going
to win a gold medal! How many
books do I have to read?'" He
earned his gold with 86 stories,
some he read himself, some his
mom read to him.
Melissa Shafto was proud of
€
>
i '
,OHMAN demonstrates here how she read
to achieve her Gold Medal Award in the re-
Hill Elementary Reading Olympics. Brigid
9,480 minutes outside of the school day
the month of February, more than any other
Student. (That is between five and six hours
ver medal. "It was her first award
her first-grade daughter, Emma,
who earned a gold medal. "It's a
Serving Belfair - Allyn - Grapeview - Tahuya - Mason Lake - South Shore - Victor
Thursday, March 25, 1999
Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal j
Sand Hill fields
I of anything in school. Itwasalot receive a little TLC
of fun. They put on a good show great program. My daughter
here, and it was educational, loved it. She loves to read, and it
said Shelley Robinson. gave her a good excuse to sit
Rylrs dad, Danny Robinson, down and read,' she said.
added, "It's really important for Juan Garcia's fourth-grade " to field
daughter, Susan also garnered BYRICKSTED lY' e ,lme beague, ao will be added leri:td six. But that
kids that you read to them. You gold. His observation was, ,','It's Ruth, and project is at two to three
have to build a foundation." years down the
Instead of adding up minutes, exciting. That's why I'm here. softballers will likely play a few
the kindergarten students count- NICOLE JONES was a gold more games this year thanks to a
ed the number of stories they medal reader who had four guests new product recently applied to
read or heard read. come for the ceremony: her step- five local ball fields in North Ma-
son. ; i: i
dad, Jerry Lake; grandma, Shir-
ley Sellers; sister, Teresa Lake;
and a friend, Heather Mont-
gomery. Mr. Lake said, "I love it!
I haven't heard of any other
school in Mason County doing it.
A bronze medal took 28 stories
for kindergartners, or 420 min-
utes for the older students. That
means one story, or 17 minutes
per day, all month long. There
were 97 bronze medals awarded.
Silver medals were earned by
reading 56 stories, or spending
840 minutes of time reading. That
averages 30 minutes, or two sto-
ries per day. There were 99 silver
medals given to SHE students.
THE GOLD medals were
earned by 333 students, and each
of them had read 84 stories, or
spent 1,200 minutes of February
reading outside of their school
day. That means they averaged
three stories, or 43 minutes per
day with a book in their hands.
Seven-year-old Brigid Lohman
tallied more time than anyone in
the school, with 9,480 minutes to-
tal. That is nearly six hours per
day, seven days a week. How did
she do that?
"I read everywhere I went, like
on the bus, in the car, at home,
and in the store. When my mom
was shopping, I was reading in
the cart," Brigid explained. She
likes fairy tales and dinosaurs,
she said.
She first began to read by look-
ing at street signs. When asked if
she learned how to read in kin-
dergarten, Brigid replied, "Before
that, even!"
THERE WERE over 70 par-
ents and other guests in the first
of two assemblies to honor the
It really motivates the kids."
"She worked really hard, read-
ing every chance she could, get-
ting this," said Dean Wells of his
gold-medal-winning stepdaughter
Amy Davies, who is in the fourth
grade. Amy's brother, Marty El-
lis, was also present for the cere-
monies.
Superintendent of schools for
North Mason, Dr. Marie Pickel,
was to join the fifth-grade class of
Mr. Scales for lunch, and read a
book to them. That classroom ac-
cumulated the most points in the
school.
Dr. Pickel indicated she had
used the Reading Olympics pro-
gram when she was principal of
Finley Elementary School in east-
ern Washington. "I thought it was
wonderful then, and 18 years lat-
er I still think it's wonderful," she
said.
FIRST-GRADE gold medalist
Regina Obiedzenski had two
guests in attendance that morn-
ing. Her mother, Gia Lee said, "I
think it's wonderful. She had so
much fun doing it!"
All 529 medal winners will be
invited to participate in Shelton's
Forest Festival Parade in June,
according to Principal Rodger De-
Britz.
release Auction a success
into creek
:!ementary students
m the schools' ninth
release program.
iday, March 19, at
nearby Sweetwa-
one by one,
salmon fry back
8.
really this part
," said third-grade
n. "Some of
Students even gave
ae prior to releasing
graders affec-
an albino salmon
"Whitey," who was one of 600
such fry released by students.
The salmon have been raised
by the students since January 5,
when officials at the George
Adams Fish Hatchery in Union
donated the fingerlings to the
school.
The school-wide salmon release
program was greeted by excep-
tionally nice weather as students
trekked down to the creek to re-
lease the fry. The program is part
of the Salmon in the Classroom
state project.
Sometimes people go to a fund-
raising auction looking for a bar-
gain. At the Boys and Girls Club
(B&G) Auction, held on Saturday,
March 13, at the Admiral Theatre
in Bremerton, there weren't any
bargain-hunters in the crowd.
In a successful live auction of
this type, the group can expect
people will pay about 90 percent
of the actual value of the items.
The B&G bids came to a whop-
ping 117 percent of the value in
the live auction portion of the eve-
ning.
Some of the reasons for this
success were items like the ador-
able golden retriever puppy,
which sold for $2,250, or 938 per-
cent of his financial value
(although it was apparent to ev-
eryone at the auction that he was
priceless).
Another item that went for far
above the declared value was
group swing dance lessons. In-
structors Steve and Lori Whybark
demonstrated their talent, then
when it was bought at auction,
doubled on their offer. So, two
bidders, along with some of their
friends, will be learning to swing
dance, and the B&G is $2,000
richer for it.
Three different bidders were
successful in purchasing the boat,
which spent time on display in
Belfair. The first two purchasers
donated it back, the third will
keep it. That boat brought $4,600
into the Boys and Girls Club coff-
ers, the highest dollar amount for
a single item.
The emcee for the evening, pro-
fessional football player Marquez
Pope, purchased an authentic Vin
Baker Coca Cola vending ma-
chine for $2,100, then donated it
for use at the B&G teen center,
which should be open in Belfair
this summer.
And on it went. Several donors
doubled their offer of items, while
others added to things up for auc-
tion, turning them into more at-
tractive packages. Some donated
purchases back to the club. The
total income for the evening was
$134,132, which means about
$109,000 in profit for the kids.
B&G board member Dr. Brian
Petersen, who solicited many
items for the fund-raiser, ex-
pressed his gratitude to all who
donated to, assisted in, or attend-
ed the event. Of the many corpo-
rate donors he said, "Their gener-
osity was incredible, and their in-
volvement added a lot to our
event."
'rim Wing, another board mem-
ber, said many people who came
to the first auction in 1998 re-
turned in '99 with a table full of
friends. Many this year have al-
ready indicated they had so much
fun they intend to do the same
again next year.
Plans are already underway for
the Boys and Girls Club "Gifts
from the Sea" auction 2000!
JONI CAGWIN holds this adorable pooch which sold for
at the Girls
AT Belfair Elementary School release 600
into the wilds last Friday, March 19.
right are: third grader David McConnell,
Brittner
According to Carl Olson, head
grounds keeper for all Mason
County fields, a product called
Turface was recently mixed into
the local clay and sand fields to
help absorb moisture, something
the area has had an abundance of
this year.
"We've had great success using
Turface at several fields in
Shelton," says Olson. "We should
have most of the North Mason
fields at Sand Hill ready by
month's end."
Olson was introduced to the
kitty-litter type of absorbent by
Bob Christopherson, the head
grounds keeper at Cheney Stadi-
um in Tacoma. "All pro stadiums
now use Turface," said Olson. The
beauty of the product is that it
won't compact when wet, but
rather acts as a cushioned absorb-
ent instead.
Turface bills itself as "...no
substitute for conditioning fields
have a lot less game rainouts."
Though pricey at $300 per ton,
the product is well worth it. Olson
says that after the initial mixture
of Turface to Sand Hill fields, a
smaller amount will then be add-
ed in future years. The fields will
be much easier to maintain, says
Olson.
Mike Byrne, Mason County Di-
rector of Tourism and Recreation,
says that emphasis will indeed be
given to the five North Mason
ball fields. "Our top priority this
year and next is Sand Hill," says
Byrne. In addition to applying
lurface to each field, dug out
roofs will also be added by the
end of March. "We have a volun-
teer group already in place to get
this project done," insists Byrne.
According to Byrne, 63 percent
of the county's $82,000 budget for
field maintenance and upkeep is
destined for North Mason fields.
He says that eventually, lights
CARL OLSON APPLIES
Turface to the Sand Hill
ball fields. The absorbent
additive could reduce rain
outs by as much as 50 per-
cent.
Belfair couple offers
gift of life to child
By LINDA THOMSON
Two-year-old Kyle Carter got
impatient with all the emotional
adults and bright camera lights,
and finally went after his birth-
day gifts, stepping right in the
cake to get to them. It was not
only his birthday, but a big-deal
media event held on Wednesday,
March 17, in Silverdale, for his
parents to meet the parents who
donated their daughter's liver he
had received by transplant in Au-
gust 1997.
Kelly and Julie Gardner, of
Belfair, have a big family. Julie
has six kids by a previous mar-
riage, and Kelly has one.
Together, they had only one
child: Kelli Anne, born March 5,
1996. Her birth was exciting for
her father to watch, and he even
assisted a bit. "She was awesome!
She was a beautiful baby," said
her dad. Their only concern at the
hospital was when Kelli Anne
was chilled, they placed her un-
der a heat lamp, rather than in
her mother's arms.
SHE WAS EMBRACED and
spoiled by the whole family once
they got her home, and was a
very healthy little girl.
All that ended in a horrific car
wreck out-of-state in August,
1997. Kelli Anne was just 17
months old when she died.
Her parents were approached
about donating her organs. There
was nothing to consider or ago-
nize over, since both parents had
previously committed to be organ
donors themselves. In fact, Julie's
father had received a new heart
by transplant on Valentine's Day
in 1996.
It seemed right and natural for
the Gardners to give whatever
useful parts there were of Kelli
Anne's body for others in need.
The gift of life was extended to
three recipients.
THE FAMILY WENT about
their own recovery from the acci-
dent, and grieved the loss of their
precious child.
In South Carolina, Tara and
Greg Carter had their first child
in March, 1997. Labor was an all-
day affair, according to Greg. By
the next day, little Kyle showed
signs of being jaundiced, and had
a sporadic heart beat. When he
was four days old, he was admit-
ted to the neonatal intensive care
unit, and they went home without
him.
Baby pictures show a happy,
underweight little boy with yel-
low coloring. He was placed on a
list for a liver
due to lack of development of the
bile ducts in his liver.
Then, Kyle's family got word
that a liver was available from a
little girl who had died in a car
wreck. They felt badly for the
other family, but were so grateful
that this would be a chance for
their son to recover. "He'd had
surgery at two weeks of age,
which only bought him a little
time," said Kyle's dad. "He was
born with a death sentence, and
the transplant healed him."
TWO MONTHS LATER, a
note came to the Gardners in Bel-
fair saying, "Thank you for saving
our son's life." It had passed
through the screening process at
the Donor Alliance to remove any
identifying information, but was
from the parents of the little boy
who had received Kelli Anne's liv-
er.
It became important to Julie to
let the parents know who Kelli
Anne was. So, she wrote them
back, sending a copy of the eulo-
gy, and some photos.
And so began a correspondence
which turned into a friendship.
And a year later, the parents on
the receiving end had lengthy dis-
cussions with the Donor Alliance
about their desire to reveal their
names, address, and phone num-
ber to their friends who had
saved their son's life.
And so, on Kyle's second birth-
day, just 1 1/2 weeks after Kelli
Anne would have turned 3, the
Carters met the Gardners face-to-
face. In anticipation of that mo-
ment, Julie said, "It's like Kelli
Anne has a little brother, and we
get to meet him!"
"LOSING A CHILD is the
worst thing that can happen to
you," Julie said. But the family
has been able to take comfort in
knowing that "some part of her
lives on in another child. If not fbr
organ donation, all that grief
would be for nothing."
The Carters spent a week in
Belfair, and the Gardners were
able to share in the joy of this
healthy little boy named Kyle.
"You can almost see part of my
little girl in his eyes," said Julie.
'You can't help but love him."
The two families enjoyed boat-
ing, crabbing, skiing, shopping,
cooking, eating and attending
church together. "We wore Kyle
out," Julie said. "For one half-day,
we let him just sleep in and do
nothing. We've taken him to din-
ner with Kelli Anne's godparents,
and to visit her great-grandpar-
ents. That probably just made
their year, they were so tickled!"
Kyle's mother Tara said, "Oh,
it's been so great! I get to share
my son with them. It was very ap-
propriate to share my child on his
birthday. This will be a lifelong
bond."
GREG AGREED, saying, "He
is part of them."
The Gardners are already
planning a trip to see this new
part of their family in South Car-
olina this coming summer.
JULIE AND KELLY Gardner, of Belfair, hosted Greg
and Tara Carter, of South Carolina, recently, along with
their son Kyle. Two-year-old Kyle had just shown off the
scar on his belly where he had received a liver trans-
plant in 1997. The Gardners donated the organ follow-
ing their death in a car crash.