There’s the latest example of plans for summer getting under way well before the end of winter – that’s a preliminary sketch for this year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float, which represents WS in parades all over the region and of course appears in the big WS parade too. As previously reported here, this year’s theme is Luna Park, celebrating West Seattle’s historic amusement park. The sketch was shared with WSB by Danette Carufel of the Hi-Yu Committee, who also says:

Hi-Yu is still looking for a place to hold work parties (painting, cutting, gluing) to help build the float. If you know of an empty work space or garage that could be used please contact us through the Hi-Yu website. Once a location is found we will schedule work parties and hope that the community would like to join us in building the float. If any clubs, organizations or anyone looking for community service hours would like to join us at a work party please (also) contact us.

We’ve got one more sketch to show you, plus Danette has a few words of thanks regarding a recent Hi-Yu event:

Danette also wanted to share these acknowledgments for the recent Hi-Yu fundraising Valentine’s Tea at the Homestead (we had a few photos here):

West Seattle Hi-Yu would like to thank the following individuals and businesses for helping to make the Valentines Tea and Silent Auction, which was held on February 9th, 2008, at the Alki Homestead Restaurant, a great success:

Aaron’s Bicycle Repair, Alki Bakery, Alki Homestead Restaurant, Ama Ama Oyster Bar & Grill, Angelina’s Trattoria, Avalon Glass, Bakery Nouveau, Barefoot Books, Bison Creek Pizza – Mike Rasmussen, Blue Willow Catering & Luncheonette, Cactus Restaurant, Caper’s, Carol Vincent, Clementine – Linda Walsh, Clip-n-Seal, Coastal Surf Boutique, Coffee to a Tea with Sugar, Colleen Gants, Cupcake Royal, Curious Kidstuff, Dream Dinners, Elegant Nails, El Gaucho, Elliott Bay Brewery & Pub, Fauntleroy Massage, Forsythe Studio, FAVAJ Designs – Francesca Annis, Funky Jane’s, Garlic Jim’s, Glasshouse Studio, Gourmondo Catering, Great Harvest Bread Company, HB Radke and the Jet City Swingers, Hope Lutheran Church, Hotwire Coffee, Incentives by Design-Marci French, Inner & Outer Beauty, Jay & Joanne Murray – Murray’s Studio, Kathleen Walsh, Kathy’s Studio of Dance, Keili Geller, Keller Williams Seattle Metro, West, Luna Park Café, Maharaja of India, Mattress Depot, Menashe & Sons Jewelers, Me and Thy Family Hair Salon, Mike Palmquist, Moxie Papergoods & Gifts, Natural Flow Massage, Nextpages, LLC, Northwest Art & Frame, Pamela Greb – Arbonne, Patricia Hahler—Cookie Lee, Pegasus Pizza, Rick Steves’ Travel Store, Russell’s Jewelers, Salon Fauntleroy, Seattle Fish Co, Shirley Enebrad, Sparks Chiropractic Health Center, Stages Photography, Starbucks Morgan St., Swee Swee Paperie, Sugar Rush Baking Company, Terjung’s Studio Gifts, The Original Bakery, The Studio – Fine Art Classes – Cindy Linkon, Tillicum Village-Carrie Hewitt, Tina Schafer, Tully’s, Tuxedo and Tennis Shoes Catering, Twelfth Night Productions, Villa Heidelberg, westseattle.com, West Seattle Golf Course, West Seattle Thriftway, White Crane Spa –Nancy Ishii, Acupuncturist, White Crane Spa – David Crabtree, LMP.

Last but not least, we couldn’t have done it without the West Seattle Hi Yu Valentines Tea committee members, their friends and families. Thanks for your time and effort.