By Brian Beckley The Courier-Herald

In a city like Bonney Lake, known for its large, lakefront houses, shopping centers and desirable demographics, it is easy to forget that the homeless exist.

But each year, volunteers on behalf of the Tacoma/Pierce County Homeless Coalition fan out across the county to try and get as accurate a count as possible of the homeless population, including those in Bonney Lake.

Mike Rutkosky of unincorporated Pierce County and Robin Clarke of Puyallup recently set out after an afternoon training session to try and find the homeless around Bonney Lake.

They were armed with surveys, water, clothing and personal supplies, but were warned not to go into woods or camps, where many of the homeless in this area live.

&#8220We're going to be searching all over the place,” Rutkosky said as the count got under way, adding that they would be checking behind stores, plazas, garbage bins, and other places the homeless are often found.

Rutkosky said it was precisely the notion that homeless people don't live in Bonney Lake that prompted him to volunteer for the count.

&#8220We always hear about the homeless,” he said, &#8220but I guess the average person doesn't see it, particularly in East Pierce County.”

For Clarke, who has a friend who is homeless, the reason hit closer to home.

&#8220I don't think you ever know when you might be homeless,” Clarke said.

Out searching for several hours, the pair only located one homeless person during the count, &#8220Warren,” 64, who has been homeless for 28 years.

Warren once served in the U.S. Army and says he lives in the woods by choice, preferring the peace and quiet. He gets assistance from the government by way of direct deposit and has family in the valley, for nights when it gets too cold.

Rae Anne Giron, a community service planner for Pierce County and lead for the count, said it is necessary to get an idea of the services most needed in the community, but she recognizes it is not a true number of a population that often migrant.

&#8220This is not an accurate count,” Giron said. &#8220There are some folks who don't want to be found.”

The homeless count also serves to help county agencies plan for future services, demonstrate the community's needs when applying for additional resources, and comply with reporting requirements.

While all of the numbers from the count are still coming in, Giron said the 2006 numbers revealed 1,398 individuals, including 210 families, living without homes in Pierce County.

According to Bonney Lake Food Bank Director Melvain Donyes, at least seven regulars at the food bank are homeless, with &#8220quite a few” who come in from time to time.

Donyes said the people he serves often live in the woods around the city, places the counters were told to stay away from for their safety.

According to Carol Wells-Reed of the Lions 4 Kids House, a community clothing bank serving the underserved population of the Sumner School District, 120 children have been identified as homeless. Wells-Reed said she was unsure of the breakdown between Sumner and Bonney Lake but said workers at the Sumner Family Center started the year with 80 children identified as homeless, but expect to end it with 250.

&#8220Some live with family members, some live in cars or tents or wherever they can find a place to be,” Wells-Reed said. &#8220They are, unfortunately, an invisible population.”

Rutkosky said though he and Clarke only found one person, they would be better prepared for next year because of advice from the people who serve the homeless population.

&#8220Maybe next year when we go back out we'll know the places to hit,” he said.

Perhaps the most important part of the count, however, is the ability to raise community awareness about the plight of their homeless in their community, one of the things that drew Clarke to the count.

&#8220To maybe make a difference in somebody's life,” she said. &#8220To maybe make our government more aware of how bad it is.”

&#8220If there were an easy fix, I think we would have fixed it,” echoed Donyes. &#8220Knowing there are folk in that place is a good place to start.”

Brian Beckley can be reached at bbeckley@courierherald.com.