Disclaimer: I absolutely cannot vouch for the authenticity of the request below or the character of those who made it. Anyone jumping forward to play Good Samaritan does so at his or her own risk. CTH
I spoke with Cindy Lucarelli, executive director of the Cedar Cove Association, about how things are shaping up for Cedar Cove Days, a celebration of the work of local author Debbie Macomber, who based her Cedar Cove series on Port Orchard. The four-day event, starting Aug. 26, will feature bus tours of the real-life locations mentioned in the books, teas with and without Debbie, a gala cruise to Kiana Lodge and more. I’ll be writing about what it took for Port Orchard to “become” Cedar Cove for a story to run Sunday in the Kitsap Sun. I also had a nice chat with Debbie Macomber herself today.
Cindy tells me there will be visitors from 37 states and a couple of foreign countries (if you count Canada as foreign), as well as an expected 9,000 or so regional visitors over the four days. Many of the notes accompanying requests for tickets to reserved events are touching tributes to the loyalty of Debbie Macombers fans, which brings me to the topic of this blog post.
Cindy & Co. on Aug. 18 received an e-mail from one Adam B. Martin, who says he’s a 22-year-old Chicago resident whose mother is an avid fan. The family wasn’t well off when he was growing up, and Mom is now living on disability due to having been diagnosed with cancer. Her birthday is Aug. 25, and so young Adam had reserved and paid for (Cindy verified this) his mother to attend several reserved events during Cedar Cove Days. He also bought her an airline ticket. Alas, he said, he has not been able to find any place for her to stay.
“Everywhere that I have tried is booked up solid,” Adam wrote. “And since my mom is having a great deal of trouble walking these days, I really wanted her to be close to the event. Is there anything you can suggest to help me with this surprise for her? … I haven’t told my Mom about this trip yet. I wanted everything to be very special for her, because she is very special to me.”
Disclaimer Part II: You know, folks, we could be totally getting played here.
Anyway, I have the guy’s e-mail. If you want to look into his request, e-mail me at chenry@kitsapsun.com.
Here’s another Cedar Cove request, this one from Debbie herself. Seems there are a few more characters needed to fill out the cast of Cedar Cove folks who will be appearing at events throughout the festival. Debbie was off to scope our South Kitsap Fire & Rescue for a firefighter to play the part of Mack. I suspect she’ll have no trouble there. But she’s having trouble finding a couple of 20-somethings to portray Ian and Cecelia, the Navy couple who lost a baby. And the are a few other parts to be filled, mostly by people in their 20s or 30s. There is a considerable time commitment Aug. 20 through 30. If you think you can help, sing out, and I’ll forward your contact information to Debbie. She’d need to hear from you no later that tomorrow afternoon.
E-mail me at chenry@kitsapsun.com. And remember, “Wherever you are, Debbie takes you home.”
BTW, a number of activities during Cedar Cove Days are free — a character parade, a sock hop, waterfront church service, to name a few — but if you haven’t yet signed up for the bus tours, teas or the cruise, know that most everything is already sold out.
I hope he finds a place for her. What a nice thing for him to do for his mom.
I was hoping the same thing. I imagine someone could host her for a few days in their home. That’s an option. I don’t have availability, but maybe someone does.
Hi Chris thanks for running this…Adam actually contacted the Chamber first and I forwarded it to Cindy/Cedar Cove Days. I have sent Adam a couple of lodging possiblities which the Chamber has been made aware of…but none are in town and none for the price (little or nothing) he was looking for. There is not a lot Cedar Cove Association or the Chamber can do or have the time to do in a situation like this …so again I appreciate your putting it out there and maybe a reader responding
thanks!
Coreen PO Chamber
I have done a little research. I called Adam, and he is indeed from Chicago. The tickets were purchased recently. His mother now knows about the trip. She has some mobility (does not use a wheel chair or walker) and can climb stairs. A google search of his mother’s name got a hit in a volunteer newsletter in Detroit, where she is from. So far, the story checks.