'I Care About Kids' Dinner Honors Jim Marsh

Lt. Governor Owen presented his "I Care about Kids" awards at the annual Strategies for Youth banquet at Emerald Downs in Auburn on June 15.  Dave and Amy Putnam, Mark and Benita Gjurasic, Jim Marsh, and Laurie Lippold were each  honored for their "outstanding commitments in helping children." Governor Chris Gregoire spoke at the event and also helped present the awards. Linda Owen stitched quilts for each of the awardees, and invited three of the Owen grandchildren on stage to assist with the quilt presentations. The event was a fundraiser for Strategies, the lieutenant governor's non-profit association that puts on assemblies for school children that teach kids about respecting each other and to appreciate diversity.

Recipient, Jim Marsh, was former USC and NBA basketball player who was also a longtime broadcaster for the Seattle SuperSonics. While working for the Sonics, Marsh established basketball camps for inner city youth and went on to be president of Washington State Mentors as an executive on loan from the Costco Corp. View Jim's story on video here.