Volunteers came in droves to help and support the printing of T-shirts memorializing fallen officers.
SEI T-Shirt Co. of Sumner, owned by Bonnie and Jayson Schafer, hosted the work party from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Food and drip coffee were donated by neighboring Brank’s BBQ restaurant and Endicott Coffee.
The event was initiated by radio pundits John Carlson and Ken Schram, hosts of the show “The Commentators” on KOMO Newsradio. The event was in response to the shooting of Officer Tim Brenton and the subsequent printing of a T-shirt that seemed to glorify the slaying.
The T-shirt, created by the lead singer of a Seattle-area hardcore rock band, displayed a picture of the man charged with shooting Brenton, Christopher Monfort, along with a police badge sitting in a pool of blood and a heading reading “Deliver us from evil.” The commenters described the shirt as “grotesque” on their radio show.
In response, Carlson and Schram hosted a contest for a T-shirt design honoring fallen police officers. The winning entry prominently features a police badge and the phrase “Delivering us from evil.”
Proceeds from shirt sales were initially to go to the Officer Brenton Memorial Fund, but after the slaying of four Lakewood officers, Brenton’s family decided they had all the donations they needed and redirected the donations to the families of the Lakewood officers.
The Schafers initially pledged to donate 400 T-shirts, but wound up pledging 1,900.
Men, women and children filled the screen-printing shop and neighboring warehouse to print, sort, fold and box the shirts.
“I can’t even get my kids to work this hard at home, so I’m glad they’re working this hard here,” volunteer Warren Ferrell said. He was attending with his three sons. “I’m here to help the family of the fallen officers and such, even if three of them have given me speeding tickets. They’re doing an important job.”
Endicott Coffee also sold espresso drinks to benefit the Lakewood officers’ fund.
SEI T-Shirt Co. is at 13701 24th St E, Unit A9. It can be reached at 877-422-5526.
