SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Follow up: Amazing kid reacts to health department fundraising fine
Aug 13, 2012, 12:03 PM | Updated: 4:45 pm
He could be spending the summer playing video games or hanging out with his friends like most kids. But 12-year-old Justin Peterson is clearly unlike most kids.
The Chewalah middle school student has raised more than $25,000 dollars for World War II Veterans. But as we told you Friday, he’s facing a hefty fine for his good deeds.
“I was disappointed and sad because I was trying to raise money for Honor Flight. I don’t like it” he tells Dori Monson in an interview.
There’s plenty to like about Justin. He’s worked tirelessly to raise money to send the vets to Washington, DC. He tells Dori his fundraising efforts have included nacho and burger feeds, letter writing, speeches and bracelet sales.
“I feel it’s a need that people should know about it that our veterans should be honored and get a chance to go back to DC,” he says. “They didn’t really get thanked for what they did back then. This is a way that we can thank them and it’s important people can know about them.”
Justin says his original goal was to raise $600 to send one vet to Washington and it’s snowballed since.
But a health inspector recently fined him $170 for not having the proper permit at a recent burger feed fundraiser.
The head of the Tri County Health District defended the inspector, telling Dori she was only following policy.
“It’s not about Justin or Justin’s cause, which is a great cause. I’m a veteran myself – actually I’m a retired veteran,” Administrator Dave Windom told Dori in an interview Friday. “It’s not about his cause, it’s about food safety.”
So Justin was cited for the permit fee of $45, another $25 for a late fee, and a $100 fine for operating without a permit.
The Health District won’t be forgiving Justin’s fine, but board members have agreed to pay them off using their own money.
“I really appreciate everyone’s support and I appreciate the people paying up and doing that. It was nice of them, but still I don’t know why,” Justin says about the fine.
Josh Kerns/MyNorthwest.com
