Sierra LaMar: Anatomy of a Search Day 91

Car wash baby!!! Last Saturday the Sierra Search Center better resembled the Sierra social center. We had 70 search volunteers sign up to find Sierra. They ate a good nutritious breakfast and set out in the rapidly warming day to see if they could finally crack this case. For all intents and purposes, it was shaping up as another routine day in the search for the missing teenage girl whose pretty, smiling face looks back at us from virtually every telephone pole and storefront window in Morgan Hill.

The car wash began at 10 a.m. under the supervision of Sandina and Cassie, two teenage search-center regulars. Plenty of kids showed up to help, and Sierra’s dad Steve brought soap, sponges and towels. Cars began arriving right on time so the kids broke up into teams: two teams washing and two teams drying.

The amazing kitchen ladies distributed some donated ice cream bars to the kids washing cars, but many declined and worked through the increasing heat. We even had to force some of the kids to take a break for lunch.

Danny Domingo and Peggy Chou, Violet and Marlene LaMar joined in to help out. While they were no match for speed, their efficiency and good humor put them right in the groove. Returning searchers put their cars in line before debriefing. By the time the last car passed through the lot at around 3 p.m. more than 100 had been washed and $1,300 had been raised.

As this was going on a monster birthday card was being distributed among the volunteers. Longtime volunteer and search team briefing ace Roger Nelson was about to have a birthday party and he didn’t have a clue. When the cake and card were presented to him with a barely recognizable rendition of happy birthday he had the most bewildered look on his face, but accepted his surprise with grace and good humor. Then he ate two pieces of cake.

Finally, Danny and Peggy posted their unification project on a rare blank space on one of the auditorium walls. Volunteers who had only met in passing could finally put a name to the face. They were also able to learn why we had been brought together for this higher calling. The unification project will continue to grow until we find Sierra. Collectively, I like to think of the auditorium walls as the walls of wonder, because in the face of harsh reality they scream a message of hope and redemption.

Next week we continue our team building . On Saturday, July 14, KlaasKids will provide this valuable free service in the Search Center auditorium between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

We have been providing print-a-thons throughout the country since 1994. Thus far we have fingerprinted and photographed more than 1,000,000 without ever charging a family for the service or data basing any personal or private information.

Because we use the most sophisticated equipment we can capture viable fingerprints on children as young as 4-months old. We are hoping that the community turns out in large numbers because this valuable service provides a comprehensive suite of child safety tools at no cost. It will also give everybody an opportunity to see the walls of wonder for themselves.