2 other West Seattle Saturday scenes

| Seen around town | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

First: While out checking on the Seacrest diver rescue (see report below this one) and West Seattle bridge accident (second report below this one), we also drove along Alki and happened onto this amazing scene: Dozens of people crossing over to the beach at Pepperdock (first photo) around 2 pm, carrying red balloons, which after what looked like a moment of reflection (second photo), they released (third photo). Since we were in our car, we couldn’t ask who or what it was for – please post a comment if you know. 10:20 PM UPDATE: Finally found confirmation; a memorial gathering for a young woman who died.

Second: West Seattle’s Rainbow Girls braved the blusteriness at midday to collect Christmas trees outside the Masonic Hall in The Junction for the treecycling fundraiser we mentioned here on WSB. If you missed it, our other treecycling info is here.

Michelle January 5, 2008 (5:53 pm)

Don’t know what the event was, but this seems like a good place to ask this question: are ballon releases like this harmful to birds or other aspects of the environment? I’ve heard both sides of the story, but don’t have a good sense for the facts. Thanks!

WSB January 5, 2008 (7:57 pm)

Found some interesting info such as this. Latex balloons are biodegradable; that’s definitely what we saw these folks holding.

Blob Lableaux January 5, 2008 (8:17 pm)

I noticed that the website referenced in the previous comment was “sponsored” by the balloon industry. It also references the need to never use string which the photos appear to indicate was used in this release. A little more digging and I came up with several other websites citing the potential dangers of balloon releases. . . . http://www.ukrivers.net/balloon_fact.html and http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/balloons.htm all of the other articles that said balloons pose no threat to the environment appeared to have been written by someone in the balloon industry. I obviously have a little extra time on my hands because this issue concerns me in no way whatsoever. Balloons are pretty and if a seagull happens to choke on one I will not shed a tear. . . . .

WSB January 5, 2008 (8:42 pm)

Blob, actually, we saw NO evidence of string. I really don’t want to see these people, whoever they were, bashed for this – interesting side issue and heaven knows almost everything online can erupt into an interesting side issue, but I suspect they did everything possible to make sure it was environmentally sound; everyone was clutching a balloon by hand. It was really a moving sight and maybe that doesn’t translate so well to stills. I’m still looking everywhere possible for any online evidence of a memorial service or anniversary today that might have been what this was all about. Hollering a question out the car window just wasn’t appropriate at the moment.

flipjack January 5, 2008 (9:03 pm)

Funeral for a clown?

Bob January 5, 2008 (9:42 pm)

Today is the anniversary of the January 5, 1995 Pang Warehouse fire, in which four Seattle firefighters died. A sad tale all around.

If it’s not that, I don’t know what else it would be.

Steph January 5, 2008 (10:04 pm)

Maybe it was a bunch of disappointed Redskin fans?

Stephanie January 5, 2008 (10:19 pm)

How many ballons? Perhaps 99 red ballons? :)

chas redmond January 5, 2008 (10:19 pm)

this link (still haven’t figured this angle out, how to embed links) “http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/worldconce/11961918542.htm” takes you to a Reuters page which describes a World AIDS day demonstration of releasing red balloons and is datelined Seattle. Maybe there’s a link – World AIDS Day is December 1, so obviously today’s parade is way off in time. There’s also a Red Balloon company, local to CapHill and Denny Triangle which caused a stir back in November before Thanksgiving – one of their schticks is to deliver a message in a Red Balloon. Curiouser and curiouser…

WSB January 5, 2008 (10:21 pm)

OK, *just* found it in Google Blogsearch – a 20-year-old named Jenna died, and it was a memorial to her, after a gathering at the Alki Community Center. Link is here.

KatherineL January 6, 2008 (1:34 am)

WSB, I don’t think that pointing out environmental dangers is bashing. The article linked above says that it takes six months in cold water for even latex balloons without string to degrade. Marine animals eat them thinking they’re food. The balloons can get stuck in the pyloric valve and the animals starve to death. Slowly. We’re all sorry, very sorry, for these people’s grief. However, going out and killing a bunch of wild creatures isn’t an appropriate “celebration of a life.” This kind of practice needs to be discouraged, and this is a good forum for that discussion.

WSB January 6, 2008 (3:40 am)

Chas – you can code links in posts just like coding ’em anywhere else in html – carat, a, space, href equals open quote http colon website close quote close carat linked word(s) carat slash a close carat, if that makes sense.

GenHillOne January 6, 2008 (9:18 am)

I agree with you KatherineL. It is in theory a lovely gesture, and I do not want to trivialize the loss, but the balloons are a terrible idea, and right at the water’s edge to boot.

Blob Lableaux January 6, 2008 (10:37 am)

Sorry I mentioned it. As I said earlier, I don’t really care about a couple of balloons released. No bashing here. . . . . I do understand, however, that there are a lot of people that are far more passionate about things like that than I am. Should have kept my pie hole shut. . . . . I feel very sorry for Jenna and her family and friends. This is no time for anyone to make an issue about a few balloons.

Sorry, comment time is over.