Auburn School District No. 408
915 4th Street Northeast, Auburn, WA  98002

 05/22/02

NEWS RELEASE
Ilalko Elementary Honors Firefighters

 Ilalko Elementary School will be presenting a musical program with third grader students, "Salute to our Heroes,” to honor five branches of firefighters on Thursday, May 30 at 7 pm in the Auburn Riverside Theater (ART).  Pacific mayor, Howard Erickson, and Auburn mayor, Pete Lewis, will present awards to firefighters from both cities and to Wildland firefighters from the Department of Natural Resources in Enumclaw, the Seattle Boat Patrol, and trained volunteers.  Alex Charoni, a lieutenant in the Federal Way Fire Department, will perform a song titled, “The Fireman’s Prayer,” one that he has performed in New York and London to help the widows and orphans of the events of September 11.  Mike Howard, a parent of an Ilalko third grader, will play the bagpipes to lead the dignitaries.  Smokey the Bear and Sparky the Dog will perform one number with the students and then there will be one final salute.  Ilalko Elementary School music teacher, Steve Christiansen, developed the entire program including song writing.  In the summer break, Mr. Christiansen works with firefighting crews in his home state of Montana.

For more information, contact Ilalko Elementary School principal Terry Cheshire at (253) 931-4748.