After historic flooding wiped out ballfields, a golf center and a Christmas farm, a grassroots fundraiser got an unexpected boost from a Mariner legend and his wife.
SNOHOMISH, Wash. — When floodwaters tore through Snohomish earlier this month, they didn’t just leave damaged streets behind. They shut down the places that knit the town together — baseball diamonds where kids play, soccer fields that are used by local teams, a golf center families rely on and even a holiday farm forced to close in the middle of the Christmas season.
In the days that followed, Bobby Kubacki, who runs the local group SnoHo Happy Hours, began hearing from neighbors asking the same question: how could they help?
Within 72 hours, the answer had taken shape at Haywire Brewing. Kubacki partnered with the brewery to host a pop-up fundraiser just days before Christmas. The turnout surprised even the organizers, as hundreds streamed through the doors, turning a regular night out into a full-scale community drive.
Haywire Brewing donated $2 from every beer sold, food vendors kicked back portions of their sales and local businesses supplied raffle prizes. QR-code donation stations were placed throughout the space, allowing guests to give on the spot.
By the end of the night, the total had climbed past $12,000 — all earmarked for Snohomish County Little League, Snohomish United, the Snohomish Valley Golf Center and Hidden Meadows, a Christmas farm that had to shut down because of the flooding.
For Shannon Butler of Haywire Brewing, the fundraiser captured the spirit of the town.
“I think we all just take care of each other,” Butler said.
Then came the call no one expected.
Edgar Martínez, the longtime Seattle Mariners star and Hall of Famer, had seen news coverage of the fundraiser. Along with his wife, Holli, they decided to match the full $12,000.
“I didn’t have any words besides just thankful,” Kubacki said.
In a statement to KING 5, Edgar and Holli Martínez said the fundraiser had struck a chord.
“Although we couldn’t attend the fundraiser, seeing it in the news was truly inspiring,” they wrote. “The way Snohomish residents and local businesses have shown up for one another after the flood is a powerful reminder of the strength that comes from supporting the community together.”
With the match, the effort now sits just shy of $30,000, and organizers say donations are still coming in.
“To see this amount of support is just remarkable,” Kubacki said.
For Butler, the moment only reinforced what she already knew about Snohomish.
“Snohomish is just a special place,” she said. “If you haven’t been here, you should come and check it out.”
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