Just a day and a half away from the 12th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – 9 am-3 pm this Saturday, all over the peninsula, with more than 320 sales on the map (explore the clickable and/or printable versions here).

Again this year, we have two sites not only interested in accepting post-sale leftovers, but also in specific types of items you would care to shop for and donate – books and clothing, and both are benefits for schools.

First, Alki Elementary‘s clothing drive (they signed up for a spot on the map, too – #269, 3010 59th SW):

Alki Elementary is partnering with Clothes for the Cause for a Clothing Drive Fundraiser.

Donations will benefit Alki Elementary to purchase Emergency Preparedness Kits and supplies for the students of Alki. The Clothes for the Cause trailer will be at Alki Elementary School, Saturday, May 14th – Friday, May 20th. Bring the bags to us at your convenience.

Want curbside pickup? Text your address to 206-660-8524 and have your bags on the curb by 8 AM Sunday.

What Do We Take?
• All household textiles
• ALL clothes – lightly used, or any condition! If in a condition that cannot be reused, it will be recycled!
• Shoes – in any condition
• Towels
• Gloves & Hats
• Sheets
• Blankets, quilts and bedspreads
• Drapes
• Purses & Belts

THANK YOU! Alki Elementary PTA

Also benefiting schools again this year – a book drive coordinated by John Potratz, with dropoff spots:

One of the easiest ways to motivate students to read and learn is to have books with topics that kids are excited about reading and learning from! Your donated books will make a difference! Over the past three years, West Seattle schools received more than 4,000 books for motivating and exciting students as an important part of education. We will donate religious-theme books to religious schools in West Seattle, and elderly books to Providence. We don’t want violent or sexual-themed books.

West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day is a tremendous source of books, and we are asking people who have left-over books from their yard sale this May 14th, as well as anyone who has excess books, to please donate your books to West Seattle schools.

You can drop off books at any of these locations through May 22nd:

West Seattle schools (Monday thru Friday only):

a. Denny International Middle School, 2601 SW Kenyon St, 252-9000. Drop off at the front desk, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM

b. Sanislo Elementary, 1812 SW Myrtle St, 952-8320. Drop off at the front desk from 7:30am to 4:00pm.

West Seattle Businesses:

a. We will have a truck marked with a large sign “Donate Books to West Seattle Schools” in the West Seattle Junction near the Northwest Center truck from 2 to 6 PM on May 14th only.

Note: We will have 40 coupons good for up to 4 free Bowling Games at Roxbury Lanes for anyone who donates 20 or more hardcover books.

b. Roxbury Bowling Lanes, 2823 SW Roxbury, 206-935-7400, from 11 AM to 7 PM. … Note: Roxbury Lanes, as part of its support for the Seattle community, will give a certificate good for 4 free bowling games for any book donation over 20 hardcover books.

c. Hotwire Online Coffeehouse – 4410 California Avenue SW … Note: Hotwire Coffee, as part of its support for the West Seattle community, will give a certificate good for $1 off any purchase at Hotwire to the first 25 people who drop off 10 or more books.

Finally, we want to thank Denny Principal Jeff Clark, Denny Librarian Jeff Treistman, Sanislo Librarian Craig Seasholes and Sealth Librarian Katie Hubert for their efforts to distribute books to their students. For further info, call Mr. Potratz at 932-3007.

You don’t have to participate in any of this to enjoy West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – just get out there and meet your neighbors! – but over the years, it’s become a great day of giving too, so we’re happy to share the news about drives like these (as well as the benefit sales we featured last night). A few more previews to come …