The prospect of getting up at 4:45 a.m. is never appealing to me. Going out and standing in the rain, taking photos in the wee morning hours of a dark downtown Kirkland is an even worse idea.
But covering the walk that was organized by family and friends of Bill Petter, who passed away last week, was a pleasant surprise.
I have to be honest, I was a bit skeptical when my editor gave me the assignment, wondering to myself “would there be more than a handful of people out to walk in the rain at 6 a.m.?” I realized, by the story I had written on Petter’s passing less than a week earlier, that he was a special and giving individual.
Petter helped establish Petter Court, two low-income four-plex housing developments with Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing. Petter had such an impact on the organization that they established an annual award in his honor – the Bill Petter Homeless Advocate Award.
Petter also raised nearly $150,000 for the March of Dimes March for Babies during the past 12 years. This year he was in the process of raising $40,000 for the March of Dimes. He also served on the City of Kirkland’s Civil Service Commission and was a very active member of the Kirkland Kiwanis. By all accounts he was also one of the friendliest people in Kirkland.
The walk traced the route that Petter would take each and every morning from the heart of downtown, down Lake Washington Boulevard and back, waving to morning commuters.
When I arrived at 5:30 a.m., I was stunned to see about 40 people huddled in the drizzle outside Sur Le Table with coffee in hand and two TV stations there to cover the event. As I stood there and slowly watched the crowd grow larger and larger it seemed like everyone and their dog, literally, in Kirkland had showed up.
The actual start of the walk got pushed back to 6:30 a.m. to accommodate the TV news crews. More than 150 people walked with signs and white gloves down the boulevard. The rain held off for the most part but the cold and wind was surely enough to keep some away.
But all of them walked with smiles and waves to remember a family member, friend, volunteer and activist. Bill Petter was not a politician, celebrity or victim, as many of these types of events commemorate. He was an ordinary Kirkland resident and business owner who chose to use his life and spare time to help others in an extraordinary way. The event should remind us all that one person can have a big impact on many, many lives.
I was glad to be there to share the event with the greater community, even at 5:30 a.m. I felt privileged to help everyone in the community say thank you to Bill Petter.
To commemorate Petter’s life, a memorial is set for Petter that will be held on his birthday at 2 p.m. April 21 at the Northshore Baptist Church, 10301 N.E. 145th St., Bothell.
