Breakfast, comedy fundraisers set for dog groomer displaced by Sifton Market fire

Feb. 07--Family members are organizing a breakfast and a comedy show as fundraisers for one of the businesses affected by last month's fire at the Sifton Market, which killed a Vancouver woman and heavily damaged three businesses.

The four-unit retail complex included Sue Picchione's Best Friends Dog Grooming. The fire destroyed her equipment and killed two store cats and seven birds.

Richard Hassler, who's organizing the events, said Picchione, his mother, does not have insurance to cover the loss.

An online fundraiser through GoFundMe, under the page Best Friends Dog Grooming, has raised about $7,000 since the fire, and Hassler said his mother is close to signing a lease on a new location in Orchards, but that still likely won't cut it.

"By the time she buys new grooming supplies and remodels the new place, she's probably going to need close to double that," Hassler said.

Working with the owner of Charlie's Sports Bar and Hooligans, he's organizing two fundraisers -- a breakfast and a comedy show -- both on Sunday.

Hooligans, at 8220 N.E. Van Plaza Drive in Vancouver, will serve a pancake, egg and sausage breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. for $10 at the door.

From 6 to 9:30 p.m., Charlie's Sports Bar and Grill, 3315 N.E. 112th Ave. in Vancouver, will present comedians Susan "Cupcake" Jones and Benjie Wright. Donations will be accepted at the door. More information about the event is online at Facebook, under Best Friends Comedy Fundraiser.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the breakfast and donations at the show will go to helping his mom, Hassler said.

The Jan. 15 fire at the retail center at 13412 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd. also damaged a gas station convenience store, a barber shop and pet supply store housed there.

Officials said the fire originated in the convenience store, where firefighters recovered the body of Amy Marie Hooser, 47, of Vancouver. Officials determined she died of smoke inhalation and homicidal blunt force head injuries.

On Jan. 20, officers arrested Mitchell Heng, a frequent customer at the convenience store, in connection with the fire and Hooser's death.

Heng, 21, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree arson and first-degree robbery earlier this month, and is being held on $2 million bail. His trial was set for March 13, although that will likely change.

The Clark County Fire Marshal's Office estimated that the fire did roughly $570,000 in damage to the structure and another $425,000 to its contents.

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