About 100 invited guests turned out for a surprise party at Queen Anne Lutheran Church, 2400 Eight Ave. W. to honor Pat Sobeck, longtime Executive Director of the Queen Anne Helpline, who will retire from her post July 31.
The event featured a dinner buffet donated by Metropolitan Market.
A half-dozen people gave personal testimonials in Pat’s honor from the floor. Elvis impersonator Ken Boynton made an appearance and crooned a heartfelt and humorous twist on “My Way” — lyrics tailored to the occasion — to the beaming guest of honor, who sat at a table with her husband Don and family members.
Pat then got up and joined Elvis for a customized rendition of “Don’t Be Cruel.”
Master of ceremony duties were handled by Craig Wilson, Charley Shore and Hossein Soleymani who, along with Pat’s sister Donna Hegstrom, led a volunteer committee in organizing the event.
When it was Pat’s turn to speak, she noted, “It’s pretty overwhelming.” Among those she thanked was Dick Rhodes, the late owner of Queen Anne Thriftway, now Metropolitan Market, who was a key player in founding the Helpline and who was instrumental in hiring Pat as Executive Director. She also spoke of the Helpline’s “wonderful clients.”
July 31, 2012, will be Pat Sobeck Day for the state of Washington.
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