Healing Through Furniture

Bill and Joelene Lemke are amazing people. Despite enduring the loss of their only child Brian two years ago when he was only 17, Bill and Joelene have turned that tragedy into a unique non-profit service for Pierce County residents.
When Brian, a Junior at Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor, passed away from Leukemia in November of 2007 the entire community embraced this wonderful couple and rallied around them in their loss. Brian was an outstanding young man, so full of life and love. It seemed incomprehensible that he was gone.
But so quickly did the Lemkes turn their grief into something positive in Brian's memory. A unique non-profit to "furnish hope to those in need".
Bill Lemke had spent 30 years in the home furnishing industry, working with stores in the Pacific Northwest. The idea was his to match furniture donations, new and used, with victims of domestic abuse, people suffering loss from fire and natural disasters, foster home and especially families coming from transitional housing who are trying to rebuild their lives.
The Northwest Furniture Bank was born (www.nwfurniturebank.org)
This organization believes that no person should have to sleep on the floor in a country as wealthy as the USA. And their goal has been embraced by thousands of people who are donating and volunteering including many local sponsors such as IKEA, Old Cannery, Sleep Country USA, Harkness Furniture, ReclinerLand, Selden's Home Furnishings, Emerald Home Furnishings, KMPS, Cole Sreen Printing.
As the organization grows so does the need. Now the Northwest Furniture Bank is embarking on a unique fund raising event idea. CHAIR AFFAIR is a unique event featuring local artists who have created artistic chairs and other pieces of furniture to be auctioned off to raise funds for the NW Furniture Bank. On March 4th at the Tacoma Art Museum, CHAIR AFFAIR will be a party all about chairs!
Several Gig Harbor artists are involved including Maggie Walters whose chair is pictured here (additonal photos here are artist Judy Gilbert and artist Sanne Beavin). Maggie has created a beautiful chair inspired by Mt. Rainier, one of her favorite spots on earth.
Maggie's husband Dan and Bill Lemke, along with Brian, were hiking and climbing buddies for many years. Maggie's nephew Matt Van den Heuvel is also the operations manager of the NW Furniture Bank, so the family ties are strong. Because Maggie is an artist, its seemed a perfect fit for Maggie to become involved in the NW Furniture Banks first annual CHAIR AFFAIR. If the chair fits...and it did!
CHAIR AFFAIR still has tickets available for the March 4th event. Want to join the fun? It's a great cause and a special event for a special organization, family and community/faith based organization, filling many needs for many people.
Learn more and get tickets at www.chairaffair.org
I'll see you there!