Parking Assignments Sept 28

Here is this weeks parking assingments. Last sunday was fairly busy but we handled it great. I look forward to seeing you all and we will have "parking donuts" this weekend. We will start bringing food for the parking team on a rotating basis. Got to keep everyone doing this through the winter! Have a good one.

Sunday September 21 parking update

This sunday was the start of the sex series and during the first service we parked over 540 cars. We parked an additional 430 for second and had a total attendance for the day of 2246. So if you voted 2250 you were correct. Thanks again for you help.

Brian

Parking Assignments: Sept 21

Here is this weeks parking assignments: Last week we parked over 800 cars during first and second service. We had 439 cars exit after second service in 20 minutes. That is a remarkable rate and thanks to everyone for thier help. It seems like a long time ago when we had 5 people at Easter and people waited 40 minutes to get out. I bet no one waited longer than 5 minutes last sunday. With the new mailing having just been sent out I expect our attendance to jump! Therefore if you can't make it please let me know and I will make other arrangements. If you have walkie talkies at home and can bring them that would be great. If most everyone has a walkie talkie it makes a huge difference. Thanks for keeping the parking team so much fun! Also, if you are volunteering please try to park in the back of the church. This saves parking spaces for those who visit for the first time. Also, if anyone is interested in helping with set up, picking up signs during second service or tear down we would love any additional help. Thanks,

Brian

In memory of Nic Madrazo

Hello Eastlake Parking Team: I put this on the blog because Nic was a good friend of Rob Williams and myself. We met Nic and his family through playing basketball at the YMCA. He was one of the nicest people that I knew. This story goes on to tell a little more about who Nic was and what was in his heart. He touched so many people's lives and died doing something that he loved doing. He is in heaven now and I thank God for the opportunity to have met a man like Nic. Life is short and the impact we have on others is what counts. You all have had an impact on me and your willingness to help out with this parking team means a ton. Thanks so much.

Brian

SEATTLE TIMES STAFF REPORTER
Jennifer Sullivan

Almost every time 1st Lt. Nicholas Madrazo opened the gates of his Marine base north of Kabul, he would be greeted by the gleeful screams of Afghan children ready to play.

Since his deployment to Afghanistan's Parwan province in March, the 25-year-old Bothell man had become a popular friend to many of the local children on the outskirts of Kabul.

With pens, paper, candy and an occasional game of soccer, Lt. Madrazo had quickly grown to be known around the area as just "Nic," his father, Joel Madrazo, said Friday.

"Nic really wanted to send a message that we should pass on the good things we are doing here," said Joel Madrazo. "We're not just soldiers but we have other jobs to do — that's trying to improve the lives of the local people."

Lt. Madrazo died Sept. 9 after a roadside bomb detonated underneath his Humvee. Along with Lt. Madrazo, two other Marines and their Afghan interpreter were killed, Joel Madrazo said.

Lt. Madrazo is survived by his parents, a brother, a sister, grandparents, aunts and cousins.

"We cry and we remember him, but we know he is with our Lord," Joel Madrazo said.

When he was a child, Nicholas Madrazo would play war games with friends. In his sophomore year at Seattle Pacific University, he announced that after college, he would join the Marines, along with some friends from Bothell High School.

After earning his business degree in 2005, Lt. Madrazo started military training and eventually was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. When he was deployed from there to Afghanistan, Lt. Madrazo regularly relayed stories to his family about rebuilding the area.

"When he got to Afghanistan, he immersed himself in the culture. His job was to go to villages and meet with tribal leaders to find out what their needs were — one was paving the surrounding of a mosque," Joel Madrazo said. "He loved working, having that kind of responsibility."

Lt. Madrazo asked his parents to send him pads of paper, pencils and lots of ballpoint pens as gifts for the children he met. He told his parents that the children were fascinated with ink pens and loved to write with them.

"He connected with kids," his father said. "He grew up around kids, his cousins and the neighborhood we live in."

Lt. Madrazo had thought about becoming a firefighter on his return home.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Sept. 20 at Westminster Chapel, 13646 N.E. 24th St., Bellevue. The service is open to the public.

Sept 14 Parking Assignments

Hey Everyone, here is this weeks parking team info. We are asking that everyone show up 10 minutes earlier for their shift because we are going to go over some of the new changes with the way we do parking. We will meet by the parking stuff and just talk about how things are expected to increase and what that will mean to everyone. First shift 8:50, Second Shift 10:20, 3rd shift 12:05. Thanks everyone and see you on sunday.

Parking Assignments; September 7th

Hey everyone. As you can tell I am ramping up the team to quite a few people per shift. We are expecting a surge in attendance now that school is back in session. We will be having people stationed in the back as well.( Rob & Steve) We will also be counting cars during each section and reporting the number each week. Rob Rees is our master statistician! Last sunday we had 402 cars come into the building between first and second service. We had 500 cars exit after second service. This job is becoming more and more intense and all your help is truly appreciated. We will be doing another video in the near future to help people understand why we are directing them to different spots. Thanks again to everyone who is on this team and how much it means to Eastlake.