Public Art Installed on WSECU Parking Garage

Above: Workers install public artwork on the Washington State Employees Credit Union parking garage on 10th and Jefferson in downtown Olympia this week. The work is by internationally known artist Christian Moeller.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

What are they? Bottle caps? Marshmallows? 

And what is that design? Hubcaps? Film reels? For some, it’s hard to tell. But back up and look at it from another angle, and you may see something different.

Whatever you see, the parking garage owned by the Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU) in downtown Olympia has received an artistic makeover.

Located across the street from the Olympia post office on 10th and Jefferson, the six story building has been “naked” for several years.

Tempered glass panels which originally surrounded the brick building to better obscure the sight of vehicles in the garage were removed after one spontaneously exploded on a hot day in August, 2013. For safety reasons, all the panels were removed.

After an investigation, it was determined that there were impurities in the glass making process.

Staff admitted in a 2013 Little Hollywood story that the garage was pretty ugly without the panels, and the city expected the credit union to get the building back to a state of being more visually appealing.

At long last, after a public process involving credit union members, staff, and neighbors, international artist Christian Moeller was chosen as the finalist to create the new exterior design.

Moeller is a professor and department chair of Design Media Arts at the University of California, Los Angeles.

According to his biography, Moeller is an artist “working with contemporary media technologies to produce innovative and intense physical events, realized from handheld objects to architectural scale installations. Over the past two decades, his body of work represented one of the original and most complex investigations of what is possible to be revealed by the intersections of cinema, computation, music and physical space.”

Above: Looking northeast, the Washington State Employee Credit Union (WSECU) parking garage as seen from the roof of the WSECU building on Union Avenue in downtown Olympia. The artwork by Christian Moeller is titled, “Buttons.”

The artwork is 42 feet tall and covers the WSECU parking structure over a surface of approximately 24,000 square feet. The “canvas” of the artwork is made of galvanized chain-link fence and mounted with the help of vertical tension cables in 12’ wide panels.

A total of 235,000 white “pixels” or disks made of injection-molded vinyl are attached to the fence. Their contrast with the darker background of holes not filled by a disk form large images.

The artwork came in large, numbered panels in rolls wrapped in plastic. Workers were seen this week mounting the rolls from the top of the garage and securing them in place.

Moeller explored and mulled over a variety of thematic concepts around the credit union’s values of community, family, and connections, explained Ann Flannigan, vice president of public relations for the Washington State Employees Credit Union. 

Flannigan provided Little Hollywood a tour of the facility on Wednesday.

“His work, titled “Buttons,” is inspired by the idea of a grandmother’s old button box, a treasure chest of disks, all with different patterns and shapes. 

“Buttons evoke connectivity, fastening, holding, and the joining of two pieces of fabric. For us, that fabric is community....I’m hopeful it will be an iconic part of the Olympia landscape. Even though it’s our garage, it belongs to the community. We wanted to make it interesting to look at and enjoy,” said Flannigan.

Above: A close up of the artwork titled, “Buttons,” by Christian Moeller at the Washington State Employees Credit Union parking garage in downtown Olympia.

Editor’s Note, May 3: Asked to clarify the information gap between the 2013 Little Hollywood story that described a different proposed art design, Ann Flannigan, vice president of public relations for WSECU, responded:  

“Our Board of Directors considered several approaches for recladding the garage during the past few years.  The “art panels” concept was going to be married with replacement tempered glass panels. Ultimately, the Board asked for additional options from our developer for their consideration, and we were presented with Moeller’s approach, which they ultimately endorsed.

“Then new artwork didn’t go through a full design review process because city staff were of the opinion that it was substantially similar to the original design intent, which was our mandate.  WSECU received approval for this latest concept when presented to the city in 2016.” 

Also, artist Christian Moeller is a professor and department chair of Design Media Arts at the University of California, Los Angeles, not Berkeley, as originally reported. 

Little Hollywood appreciates the clarifications.

For more information about the design review process and building history, Little Hollywood wrote a story, “WSECU Proposes Garage Art Wall Installation,” on December 13, 2013, at http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2013/12/wsecu-proposes-garage-art-wall.html

City May Take Olympia Wedding Venue Operator to Court

Above: The City of Olympia is pursuing the option of taking Olympia wedding and event venue operator Bart Zier to court to obtain an injunction that would prohibit his continued, unlawful commercial use of property in downtown Olympia. Tacoma Rail clearly uses the tracks in front of the venue along Deschutes Parkway. Photo taken November 4, 2015.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The City of Olympia is actively pursuing the option of taking Olympia wedding and event venue operator Bart Zier to court to obtain an injunction that would prohibit his unlawful commercial use of property in downtown Olympia.

In a letter written in late October, city staff informed Zier and his mother, Donna Zier, who owns the properties at 915 and 1007 Deschutes Parkway, that they had violated the terms of the temporary permit issued to them so that they could carry out several August and September weddings.

The Zier's have continued to flagrantly violate federal and state laws and city codes and zoning ordinances in the course of operating their wedding and event venue, Grande Terrace on Capitol Lake, within a residential area.

In a telephone interview this week with City of Olympia attorney Mark Barber, Barber told Little Hollywood that no new fines have been imposed as a result of the most recent violations. The city has tried to work with Bart Zier on voluntary compliance, however, that is not working, and is now exploring the option of taking him to court.

Barber described how Zier has steadfastly refused to cooperate with the city, which included the options of voluntary compliance and dispute resolution without attorneys.

“….As you know, the city was trying to work with Mr. Zier to see if he could bring himself into compliance.  After his request for a conditional use permit went to the wayside, it put the city in a difficult position,” said Barber.

The “difficult position” was potential liability, and the city issued Zier a temporary use permit to hold the summer weddings that Zier was unwilling to cancel.

In 2014, Zier and his family actively marketed the property as a wedding venue, provided tours, signed contracts, and took large sums of money from families expecting to have their weddings there in 2015. Unbeknownst to the families, Zier did not have a permit to operate.

“These are not small events. They involve large groups of people…a physical facility, parking, food preparation, sanitary concerns, and public health issues. These become much different in a commercial setting. In addition, we have a number of unpermitted construction and archaeological issues.”

“The code violations don’t seem to be subsiding or resolving. By and large, this is a residential area, and the railroad hasn’t given up its tracks. It’s like pounding a square peg in a round hole. There’s not a lot of alternatives if someone is not going to play by the rules….”

The city will most likely make its decision by December 1, said Barber. He said the city is soliciting the assistance and support of the county, tribes, and other involved entities.

“If we could work with the others, that would be the best alternative. If we can’t, we’ll go it alone to seek an enforcement mechanism,” said Barber.

As of this writing, the venue is still marketing itself with an active website and Facebook page.

Above: This smart gentleman looked for a train before crossing the tracks with his date as they arrive for a wedding at Grande Terrace. Tacoma Rail actively uses the railroad tracks along Deschutes Parkway. During weddings and events, guests routinely park along Deschutes Parkway and the parking lot at Marathon Park, which is owned by the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services. At times, hundreds of guests cross the road to reach the venue. As parking nearest the driveway becomes scarce, guests walk from various access points along the railroad to reach the venue, as these guests did this summer. 

For more information, pictures, and stories about Grande Terrace, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search engine.

Crazy Faith Pastor Ben Charles Fined For Using Downtown Parking Lot; Hearing Today

Above: Crazy Faith Outreach pastor Ben Charles, right, meets with his wife, Denise, and his attorney, David Roland, before his civil infraction hearing this morning at the Lee Creighton Justice Center in Olympia. Charles was cited and fined on June 19 in violation of a city code for using a downtown parking lot without a permit to serve food to street people.

 

By Janine Unsoeld

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The City of Olympia came prepared for battle this morning at a civil infraction hearing against Crazy Faith Outreach pastor Ben Charles.

Charles was cited on June 19 by the City of Olympia and the Olympia Police Department for using a downtown parking lot without a permit. Crazy Faith was using the lot to feed street people, an activity they have done for about four years. The city owned lot in question is on the corner of Washington and State streets, located across from the Intercity Transit station.

Charles was fined $103. The citation was not given to Charles directly, but mailed to a reservation address. Charles is a member of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.

The city was represented by attorney Jeffrey Myers with assistance by deputy city attorney Darren Nienaber. Presenting multiple exhibits over the objections of Charles’ attorney, Myers worked to illustrate that the city has informed Charles and Crazy Faith Outreach that they are in violation of city code OMC 10.16.140, as passed by the Olympia city council in December 2013. The city stated that it has offered alternative locations for Crazy Faith to conduct its mission of feeding street people.

The city ordinance states, in part, that lots may only be used for parking, unless an activity is authorized by a city issued permit, lease or unless the activity is conducted by the city. Crazy Faith uses the parking lot for its service to feed those who come on Thursday and Saturday evenings.

Charles is being represented by former Olympia based Freedom Foundation constitutional rights attorney David Roland, who is now with the Freedom of Missouri.  Roland requested that the case be dismissed, challenged the amount fined, and found inconsistencies in Officer Paul Lower’s report.

Given 20 minutes notice, Municipal Judge Christopher Coker presided over the case, replacing Judge Scott Ahlf, after Ahlf revealed a possible conflict of interest.

The non-traffic civil infraction hearing often felt like a criminal trial, and lasted one and a half hours.

While Myers produced maps, email exchanges, and letters, Roland raised multiple objections that the city was trying to call into question matters that were beyond the scope of the citation. At one point, after Myers asked Charles if he had a permit through the state department of health, and whether or not he believed in the Bible, even Judge Coker asked where Meyers was going in his line of questioning. 

Roland also pointed out inconsistencies in Olympia Police Department Lieutenant Paul Lower’s report. Lower, who has been with the department for about 18 years, is assigned to walking patrols and specialty operations with a focus on downtown.

Although Lower checked the box on the citation indicating that he had checked Charles’ identification, Lt. Lower testified on the stand that in fact he did not check Charles’ identification on that evening, but had on a prior occasion.

In his report, Lower wrote that, “he (Charles) arrived with a large white van…from this van he and other members of his group unloaded large tents and multiple tables and merchandise….” Roland questioned the use of the word “merchandise,”  and Lower admitted that he didn’t know what word to use, but the “merchandise” was in fact food, and there was no buying or selling observed.

Lower also said that he had spoken with City Manager Steve Hall and city attorneys prior to issuing the citation, and that Hall and city attorneys knew that he was going to issue a citation that evening.

Crazy Faith Continues Its Mission
 

Crazy Faith has continued to serve food and beverages to street people since the citation was issued.

“It gets busy toward the end of each month,” said Charles outside the courtroom before the hearing.

“A lot of folks are now telling me that their hours, if they work, are being cut to 25 hours a week. We’re feeding 4,400 servings of food per month. There’s still a great need. Not only is the physical food a benefit, but I believe we are providing emotional and spiritual support as well.”

Crazy Faith supporters Amy and Shea Renecker joined Charles and his wife Denise before the hearing. They said they have been helping serve food with Crazy Faith for almost a year. They said that Papa John's Pizza on the Westside has been especially generous in providing food.

“It’s a service that’s desperately needed in our community – we bring our daughter down and she serves the drinks,” said Shea Renecker.

“The Crazy Faith feed is a safe place, a neutral area. We’re feeding people. It’s a peaceful gathering where people get fellowship. If you need to pray for something, come….” The Reneckers dispute reports that the feeds have posed any problem to downtown businesses.

“We have contact with the Olympia Police Department all the time. They walk on through just to see if everything is o.k. There’s never been an arrest at one of our feeds. We’re being part of the solution to downtown crime. The Harlequin Theater manager even says there’s less crime on the nights we’re here….” said Renecker.

After the hearing, attorney David Roland said that he suspects the city is using Charles as a test case, and that the city hasn’t taken further action against Charles because it wants to see what their next step should be.

“I find it appalling that (the city) wants to reserve this space for a 'better class' citizen. Not everyone can afford cars. The city can’t condition a constitutional right to gather as long as they are peaceful and that’s the definition of what Crazy Faith has been doing – they are doing this for a laudable purpose.”

Judge Coker said he would issue a decision in the case in about a week.

For more information about Ben Charles and the mission of Crazy Faith Outreach, go to www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and use the search button for past stories.

WSECU Proposes Garage Art Wall Installation

Above: The Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU) parking garage as seen from the parking lot of its former credit union site on Union Street. The proposed art would be placed on the southeast corner of the building, seen here on the far right.

By Janine Unsoeld
www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

A subcommittee of the City of Olympia’s Design Review Board heard a proposal on Thursday night by Washington State Employee Credit Union (WSECU) staff to create an “art wall” on the southeast corner of WSECU’s parking garage at 410 10^th Avenue SE in downtown Olympia.

WSECU has also submitted a building permit application to the city to replace the tempered glass panels with laminated glass panels. Like the previous panels, the glass will be angled to reflect light in different ways.

While the application does not require design review, the board expressed interest and welcomed the presentation. City of Olympia planner Catherine McCoy explained the project to Design Review subcommittee members Darrell Hoppe, David Goularte, and Joseph LaValle.

Mike Sanders, Vice President of Facilities for WSECU and John Thomas of NBBJ, a Seattle architectural firm, gave presentations.

The intent of the art wall is to display “relevant, local, and community-inspired art” in a variety of formats including three-dimensional artwork. Some artwork could look similar to the images wrapped around transit buses, for example, using opaque, weather resistant material.

Artwork would be mounted to perforated, stainless steel panels with a bolted connection allowing a wide range of flexibility for assorted materials and mounting configurations. It is anticipated that some three-dimensional artwork such as lightweight objects or ceramic tile panels could be used in addition to two-dimensional artwork. Lighting will be provided for nighttime illumination.

The applicant says that no advertisement or signage of any kind is anticipated or intended for the garage.
 

Building History and Recent Flaws

As project manager for WSECU’s corporate buildings, Sanders said WSECU tried to design a building that was more than a parking garage, and feels the glass panels add that design component, blending into the community.

Located across the street from the Olympia post office on 10^th and Jefferson, the block was rezoned in 2006 from urban residential to downtown business to build the $18 million six-story garage. Nearby neighbors were not thrilled with the project at the time, as it appears out of scale with downtown residential housing in the area. The city's Planning Commission at the time made no recommendation to the city council on the project due to a split vote.

A selling point WSECU used at the time of the proposed rezone of the block was that they would consider the garage to be available for neighborhood residents and community use, however, this has yet to occur. Built in 2009, the private, gated garage contains 469 stalls.

The City of Olympia arts, parks and recreation is not involved in the application, and there is no city or state mandate for WSECU to do this project, says Stephanie Johnson, the city’s program manager for the department. In order to learn more about best practices of public art processes, however, Sanders sought Johnson’s professional opinion about the project and various artistic options of what could be done with the space.

Explosion of Glass

Tempered glass panels originally surrounded the brick building to better obscure the sight of vehicles in the garage. Those panels were recently entirely removed when it was discovered that they were secured to the building with faulty components. 

On August 17, one of the glass panels spontaneously exploded, said Sanders.

“After an investigation, it was determined that there were impurities in the glass making process….There are various opinions about what causes glass to explode….The tempered glass was under great tension….and when I say exploded, I mean it exploded with such force that there was glass found above it, outside, and rained glass onto the sidewalk.” There were no injuries.

In an effort to determine existing conditions of the glass before its removal, a 3D laser scan of the building was made. Recently, the public saw huge swaths of blue X’s marking each panel which was needed for that effort. Scaffolding was then put into place and the glass panels were removed.
 

Above: A sample image from a page of the Washington State Employee Credit Union's application to the City of Olympia for garage art wall installation. 

Building Art Proposal

Sanders admitted the garage is pretty ugly right now, so WSECU staff wondered what they could do to “fix the building.” He says WSECU tries to be community-minded, so, staff discussed art projects, such as photography and sculptures.

While many details are in the conceptual stage, a metal, perforated mesh, ¼ inch thick, will cover a space 13 ½ ft. wide x 39 ft. on 10th Avenue, and 23 ft. x 39 ft. on the Jefferson Street side. It will be designed to look attractive whether art is placed on it or not.

Sanders said that while WSECU does not yet have an art program in place, they have experience with the annual calendar featuring photography from around the state. He anticipates staff will use the same kind of deliberation in art for the garage as it does for the calendar, and will voluntarily stay away from controversial pieces. They anticipate changing the art once a quarter or a couple times a year.

City staff and Design Review subcommittee board members asked questions about illumination, weight, wind, earthquake, and pedestrian right of way issues. They also expressed full confidence that WSECU will not violate Olympia’s municipal code regarding signage.

"Subtle illumination will be used to define the artwork but not make it look like a billboard," said Sanders. He said they will use low profile, LED lighting that will blend into the building.

Also, credit to chosen artists will not be displayed or printed on the actual art, but be placed on a small kiosk nearby, under the art, similar to art sculptures currently on display around the city, and through their publication and website. 

Board members asked to see the final ideas when WSECU was ready with more information. Sanders said he hopes to have the metal mesh and glass installed by March or April of 2014.

In a letter received today in response to an inquiry from this reporter, Sharon Whitehead, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer says, in part, "You are certainly right in that art is subjective and yes, we realize that there may be some level of risk inherent in placing visuals on the building for others to view and evaluate. We also believe it can be a great gift to the community to increase the visual appeal of the neighborhood."

According to its website, WSECU is a non-profit, community credit union open to everyone, not just state employees. It was founded by a small group of Washington State employees in 1957. WSECU is overseen by nine volunteer board of directors. To contact the board of directors, write: boardofdirectors@wsecu.org or by mail: Board of Directors, PO BOX WSECU, Olympia, WA 98507.

For more information about the proposal and to see sample designs, go to:http://olympiawa.gov/city-government/advisory-committees/design-review-board/2012%20Design%20Review%20Board%20Agendas or contact Catherine McCoy, lead planner, City of Olympia, (360) 570-3776 or cmccoy@ci.olympia.wa.us and refer to WSECU Art Installation Case Number: 13-3544.

 

Above: The southeast corner of WSECU's parking garage is on the left, as seen from the Olympia United States Post Office on Jefferson Street.

 

Olympia City Council Passes Parking Ordinance: Hurts Food Program for Homeless

Above: Ben Charles, second from left, hands out "snack packs" on 4th Avenue outside city hall and listens to someone before tonight's city council meeting.

 

By Janine Unsoeld
www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The City of Olympia tonight passed a parking ordinance that negatively impacts the work of a passionate group, Crazy Faith Ministries, that serves hot food and drinks to the homeless.

The ordinance cleans up city parking lot regulations, stating, in part, that lots may only be used for parking, unless an activity is authorized by a city issued permit, lease or unless the activity is conducted by the city.

Crazy Faith uses a public parking lot for its service to feed the homeless two evenings a week. 

Councilmember Karen Rogers voted against the ordinance, and Councilmembers Jeannine Roe and Steve Langer were absent.

During public comment tonight, about 17 people testified against the ordinance, many of whom spoke to council last week.

Before the vote, Councilmember Rogers asked City Manager Steve Hall to give a summary of communication between the city and Crazy Faith Ministries. Hall said that he and city building manager Tom Hill have identified some possible alternative properties, then took everyone by surprise by suggesting that a person in the audience who testified, John Forespring, act as an intermediary between the city and Crazy Faith Ministries.

John Forespring, a local insurance agent in business for 45 years, is a member of the Cowlitz Tribe. In his testimony, he urged better communication between the city and Crazy Faith.

“The main issue is where are they (Crazy Faith) going to do this (service)….I would like to see the city communicate with these people…let’s do what’s right.”

During a council break after the vote, Hall came out to the lobby and apologized to Ben Charles of Crazy Faith Ministries and Forespring for taking them each off guard. Handing them his card, Hall said he hoped there could be some communication.

After Hall left, Charles said to this reporter, “I’m not hard to get a hold of….The challenge is, they refuse to put in writing the process and the location and that makes me apprehensive. I’ve asked multiple times, but have received nothing in writing. I think the lack of trust and lack of follow through - I’ll be honest - does have something to do with communication, and sitting down….I haven’t heard of any alternative locations.

"Not feeding is not an option – should the city not offer a viable location without delay…then we will have to continue feeding where we are at. I dare say they will have to fine us and arrest us. Passing this was a mistake…it saddens me.”

Indeed, Crazy Faith Ministries is not hard to get a hold of.  Today, I contacted Charles by email to ask a few questions and received a detailed response within two hours.

In the email, I asked, in part, what contact he has had to date with the city. Charles responded:

“City manager Steve Hall finally sent me an email last night, the first since October 10. He stated he was not able to get ahold of me via phone - probably because my last email to him stated that email is the form of communication we will use from now on so there is a written form of what is being stated as well as for our response…. Even at last Tuesday night’s city council meeting I told him he would need to email me and yet he still says he tried to call. So I did respond to them to send me what they would like to talk about and as of right now, 1:00 pm on Wednesday, December 10^th, there is still nothing from Steve Hall in response. When I see Steve Hall tonight I will bless him but he can email their suggestions to me so I can have the time to make sure about their wording.” 

Crazy Faith Ministries Serves Hundreds

Crazy Faith Ministries chose the specific location near the transit station on purpose:  Charles says that two years ago, he asked street people themselves where they would like Crazy Faith to set up and asked where the worst drug deals went down.

"They responded, 'behind the 4th Ave Tav,' so that's where we decided to set up. Street people say the crime situation in that area is better now," said Charles. 

A graduate of North Thurston High School, Cheyanne French, 19, of Lacey, spoke tonight to city council. She said in an interview earlier tonight that she’s been volunteering with Crazy Faith since August, and was homeless for a few months when she was eight years old in Olympia.

“I like it. I like the feel of helping and seeing people’s happy faces because they’re able to eat something warm.” Her best friend, Kayla Butterfield, 18, agreed.

Butterfield’s mother, Heather Swedburg, also stood nearby. Swedburg said she got involved last August when she heard that Little Caesar’s Hope of Love truck donated 200 pizzas to Crazy Faith.

Asked why she helps out, she responded, “Why not? People need help – everyone has been there where they need help…."

Before the council meeting, Charles gathered a group of supporters around him, prayed, and gave them some advice, “We love our street family where they’re at – we’re not doing anything different now than we were doing before – we’re handing out snack packs, loving people, right where they’re at….Speak from your heart, out of love. That’s how we want to leave things on the table. We’re setting forth to spread God’s Word to the hurting….”

Above: Warm hats, gloves, coats and blankets were free for the taking on Thursday night while Crazy Faith Ministries served hot food and drinks in downtown Olympia across from Intercity Transit on State and Washington Street.

Thursday Night – On The Other Side of the Table

At Washington and State Streets, dinner is served by Crazy Faith Ministries on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. They plan to be there on Christmas Day also. 

It was 28 degrees last Thursday night when I volunteered for Crazy Faith Ministries and served about 100 people who needed food. Not as many as usual were present due to the extreme cold. I admit I originally intended to go down and speak with organizers and some folks about their circumstances, but there was no time to talk.

Appropriately, I was instead voluntarily pressed into service because there was a need, so I handed out apples and oranges, while my girlfriend served coffee and hot chocolate. One and a half hours later, my plastic gloved fingers were numb and my hips hurt, frozen in place.

Getting there before the organizers, we witnessed two vans chock full of supplies driving into the parking lot across from Intercity Transit on Washington and State Street, behind Bayside Quilting.

With military precision, organizers jumped out and volunteers, standing by, proceeded to quickly set up two white tents with wind flaps to enclose the space of three parking lot stalls. Next came several tables, hot food and drinks, and several bags full of warm hats, gloves, coats and blankets. Empty black trash bags were tied to the tents to use as trash receptacles.

After a few short words from Ben Charles, a Lower Elwha Klallam tribal member, dinner was served.

Michelle asked each person what they would like to eat: chili with meat, pizza, biscuits and ham gravy, or chicken fettuccine. At first it was a choice, but early on, when someone asked for everything, everyone asked for everything, and everyone got everything. Then some came back for seconds.

There were single male adults, single women, a woman with a little girl, teenagers, and seemingly unaccompanied children.  A little blond girl about 9 years old boldly asked for food while her mom hung back. The mom explained that her daughter wanted to ask for herself.

While my offering of apples and oranges was not popular at first, when I suggested to a child that he take some for later, he did, and others followed suit.

When a little boy, about aged 9, asked for four of everything, I gawked as he took one of everything back to the car where his mom and siblings stayed warm. I just about lost it, and looked over at my girlfriend. She was too busy to notice. She was serving straight hot coffee, hot chocolate with coffee, or water.  

Ed Mills, of Lacey, and his daughter came to help also. Mills says it was his first time helping out, and brought 10 large pizzas from Little Caesar’s in Lacey. When he bought five, employees spontaneously matched his five with five free pizzas. The pizzas were very popular, and were the first food to run out.

Despite the intense cold, people lingered around the table, the light, and each other.

The Mission of Crazy Faith Ministries

Denise and Ben Charles of Olympia have three children ages 13, 9, and 7 and started their ministry in January 2011, after Ben Charles resigned from his job as a traveling speaker for finances.

A blog article by Denise Charles in March 2011 explains, “The Bible says that "He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." ~John 14:6. We are madly in Love with Jesus and we believe that with Him, all things are possible! And we mean literally everything, and that is why we are called "Crazy Faith!”

A stay-at-home mom, Denise Charles said tonight, “We live on faith. It’s been an incredible testament to prayer. We’ve sacrificed….Building relationships is transformational, and that’s what will change our city – our street family is every bit a part of our community as they are,” she said, referring to the city council and staff.

She added that Saturdays are difficult for their street family.  “We especially see a lot of youth on Saturdays – there’s a gap there, no resources for them….” She said she appreciates everyone who has donated food, saying that Costco donated turkeys on Thanksgiving. “People pull together…."

When I shared my thoughts with Ben Charles in an email today about my experience last Thursday night, Charles wrote back:

“The Olympian editorial today catered to hide the things the city is really trying to do. And that is sad….Yes, lots of new faces each and every week. That again is sad. We do see a lot of the same people often. Lots of children at different times. The young man you saw that night, I know the mother very well. We help keep an eye on the kiddos when they are there as well. Many parents with children will come and know we love our Street Family and their children so they spend extra time with us…..I also have hundreds of adopted street sons and daughters I see regularly. Not just at the feeds but when we stop by to check on them.” 

Crazy Faith Ministries appreciates donations of warm clothes, socks, gloves, blankets, food being made/bought, and servers.