It’s the kickoff, or perhaps the roll-off, to the heart of the helping-for-the-holidays season in West Seattle: The Beer Church Turkey Bowl, a festive fundraiser/foodraiser for the West Seattle Food Bank, which had its 12th annual edition tonight. Above, organizers Kendall Jones and Kim Sharpe Jones (also of the Washington Beer Blog), West Seattleites whose brainchild has just kept growing over the years, as have the donations. Tonight, they even introduced the Beer Church’s own Pale Ale (release party next Tuesday), made with the help of White Center’s Big Al Brewing. Local bars/breweries traditionally participate in the Turkey Bowl – including West 5 in The Junction, whose proprietor Dave Montoure is pictured below with West Seattle breast-cancer-fighting activist Tracy Dart:
According to Sarah via Twitter, Montoure’s team and Elliott Bay Brewery took the trophies again this year (here’s our coverage of their wins last year; all of this year’s brewery/pub participants were listed on the Beer Church Facebook page.). But the real winners, of course, are the people who rely on the West Seattle Food Bank – Kim just reported via FB that the donations totaled more than a ton!
Even if you weren’t part of tonight’s event, you can help the WS Food Bank with an online donation (go here), and/or by donating turkeys and/or pies for this week’s distributions (details here).
Our morning weather report carried a photo and information from JayDee about whitecaps and the north winds. This afternoon, once the tide rose, those winds brought these spectacular scenes. Thanks to David Hutchinson for the top photo and this next one:
As for the latest forecast – here’s the link – the “s” word only makes a cameo; the National Weather Service also has a “special weather statement” in effect regarding the even-chillier temperatures on the way. 9:40 PM UPDATE: Cliff Mass has published his latest forecast within the past half-hour. Seattle snow? His answer: No.6:01 AM UPDATE: Overnight, the NWS lifted the “special weather statement” – the lows don’t look to be heading quite so low. 6:27 AM UPDATE: Paul in Sunrise Heights reported a little light snow as of a little while ago – not seeing it here in Upper Fauntleroy, though.
(Photos courtesy Bil Hood)
Congratulations to the Seattle Lutheran High School soccer team – they have won the state 2B/1B title, beating Napavine this afternoon in Sumner, 1-0. ADDED 4:32 PM: Photos courtesy of SLHS’s Bil Hood – including this one of longtime coach Jeff Norton with the trophy:
We talked with Coach Norton last month after his 200th career victory. He was the SLHS boys’ coach when that team (the girls’ team is the school’s only soccer team now) won the state championship in 1991. For SLHS athletics overall, this is the second state title this year – they took the 2B baseball championship in May (WSB coverage here).
ADDED 6:57 PM: More photos – courtesy of Bike Hugger, a West Seattle-based blog about bike culture; Angela Wissmar, the publisher’s daughter, played in the game:
(Photo courtesy Annette Herrick/Fitness for Vitality)
Since the weather’s not expected to get too serious before tomorrow night, things are looking good for the last of this season’s Fitness for Vitality (WSB sponsor) 5K walk/runs along Alki. Organizer Annette Herrick says anywhere from 100 to 200 runners have turned out for her two previous runs this fall and this marks three years of having 5Ks on Alki. The route starts at the bathhouse and heads north to the anchor at Anchor Park, where the walkers and runners then turn around and head back. Annette says the typical turnout has grown to more than 100, from 15 or so when she started presenting these run/walks in 2007. She’s been a lifelong runner and created the series to fill in the gaps between the big events around the city during the year. Some of the regular participants have even spun off a social group of sorts. Tomorrow’s run starts at 9 am, with prizes for top finishers, and proceeds helping buy shoes for foster kids. Register online now for $25 or at the bathhouse tomorrow (registration is open 8 to 8:45 am) for $30.
Holiday bazaar/arts-crafts sale/open house season continues, as noted in our quick preview – and Schmitz Park Elementary is a big one to visit today, benefiting theSchmitz Park PTA. More warm hats for the cold weather ahead are part of what sale co-chair Anne Weglin, is selling (with her daughters assisting nearby, close to treats including $3 chocolate pretzels). She pointed out that the fourth-graders are raising money for an environmental campout – here’s Emma Kasameyer with mom Karen Kasameyer:
Their fundraising wares include Re-Usies, the increasingly famous reusable snack/sandwich bags invented by West Seattle moms (from nearby Lafayette Elementary). And don’t miss the raffle bags in the hallway – vendors donated items for those; raffle proceeds also benefit the PTA. The bazaar’s on till 3 today in the Schmitz Park cafetorium, 5000 SW Spokane. (P.S. Late addition to the list of all bazaars/open houses/etc. – JF Henry in The Junction is having one today/tomorrow too – we’ve added that to the list on the West Seattle Holidays page.)
Last year, Eastridge Church‘s turkey giveaway in West Seattle was over in about half an hour – this year, with double the turkeys (1,000 this time), they still had plenty left, and no line, when we stopped by less than an hour ago. (video added) We talked with Eastridge Pastor Steve Jamison about the giveaway:
He said they’ll be there as long as it takes to give them all away (the turkeys come with some other groceries, too) – across from West Seattle Bowl, 39th/Oregon.
(AFTERNOON UPDATE: A “special weather statement” now covers our area – scroll down)
Thanks to JayDee for sharing that Alki overview, photographed this morning – he calls attention to “the white caps and white stratus blowing from the north. The stratus has that reversed-incline that is the opposite of the surface wind direction — winds aloft are still from the south, which stretches the clouds northward.” Bottom line, he notes, it’s clear “the outflow from the Fraser is coming.” That’s the cold air from Canada that forecasters have been warning us about. Still no special warnings/alerts for our area, and the National Weather Service‘s latest map shows even the ones for other parts of Western Washington have largely been canceled. But popular online forecaster Cliff Mass wrote late last night about “uncertainty” – the cold seems certain, chances of snow, not so much. And the current NWS forecast for the city says it could dip into the upper 20s tonight. So focus on the freeze, make sure your pipes are ready, etc. (here’s lots of advice from Take Winter By Storm). We’ll be here 24/7 as always, to report/share weather, road, bus, school information as needed. 4:32 PM UPDATE: From David Rosen ofSlickPix Photography, waves crashing over the Alki Beach seawall this afternoon:
The NWS now has a “special weather statement” covering the area – including the chance of snow – though it’s projecting that it’s not likely north of Tacoma; here’s the latest.
From the WSB West Seattle Holidays page – big day for bazaars, open houses, craft sales! 10 am-3 pm at Schmitz Park Elementary (5000 SW Spokane), 10 am-5 pm at Northwest Art and Frame (4525 California SW), 10 am-2 pm atJunction TrueValue (4747 44th SW), 11 am-4 pm at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW), noon-4 pm at CAPERS (4525 California SW), and the Blithe Bazaar in Arbor Heights (3817 SW 105th), 4-8 pm. Details on all of them can be found in the very first section of the Holidays page.
TURKEY GIVEAWAY THIS MORNING: At 9 am today, Eastridge Christian Assembly starts giving away 1,000 turkeys at each of its two locations – including West Seattle, at 39th/Oregon (map). This is double what the church has given away in recent years, and it’s on the honor system – they don’t require proof you’re in need.
BEER CHURCH TURKEY BOWL TONIGHT: Right across the street at West Seattle Bowl, tonight’s one of the biggest — maybe even the biggest! — local food-drive events of the holiday season, the Beer Church Turkey Bowl. The alleys have been sold out since shortly after they were offered up for sale, but you are invited to stop by and watch, cheer the bowlers, and bring food (and/or money!) donations to add to what’s being amassed for the West Seattle Food Bank. It all starts at 5:30 pm (also 39th/Oregon).
SHOPPING? BUY EXTRA FOR DONATING TO THE FOOD BANKS: There are many places you’ll find dropoff barrels for the food banks that serve this area (West Seattle FB and White Center FB), but for holiday-specific donations, you are invited to stop by each one on Monday. WC is at 10829 8th SW and open 8-5 Monday – they have all the turkeys they need, but would appreciate donations of the fixings that go with holiday dinners; they also would appreciate volunteer help next week at the times listed here, as they are expecting almost 1,000 families for holiday food distribution. WS is at 35th/Morgan and open 9-7 Monday, saying they can use frozen turkeys 12 pounds or less, and store-bought boxed pies. (We’ll publish updates if we find out about any changed or extended donation hours.)
FREE THANKSGIVING DINNER IN FAUNTLEROY – GOING AND/OR GIVING: Once again this year, Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering (WSB sponsor) is presenting a free Thanksgiving feast at The Hall at Fauntleroy, noon-3 pm Thursday. Everyone is welcome. If you would like to help, whether you are sharing in the meal or not, they say they have all the volunteers they need, but can always use pies or cookies for dessert. The Hall is in the old Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, 9131 Fauntleroy SW.
Our cameraphone photo shows the end of the student demonstration along California SW Friday morning by West Seattle High School, where an upcoming schedule change has sparked some controversy. We first heard of it in this article from the new edition of the student newspaper The Chinook; then we got a text about the protest, which was ending just as we arrived. After reading and republishing (with permission) the schedule-change story, we sought out further comment from the union whose action was described as having sparked the change, Operating Engineers Local 609. Their business manager, David Westberg, returned our call Friday afternoon – here’s what he told us:
One of The Junction’s newest stores, Suite Arrangements – first previewed here in August – has good news after less than two months in business: It’s already profitable, according to information e-mailed by proprietor Geoffrey Abdian. He also shared a photo of the 100th person to consign furniture with his store, Mary Leatherman(right), a volunteer coordinator at across-the-street ArtsWest, quoting her as calling Suite Arrangements “the perfect location to consign items that no longer fit the décor of my home.” With Mary and 99+ others already signed on (there’s even an online catalog), Abdian says, he’s been able to start making good on his commitment (mentioned in our August story) to donate 5 percent of profits to the West Seattle Food Bank, whose executive director Fran Yeatts got the first check on Tuesday. “It’s not much yet,” Abdian said, “and the store hasn’t begun to repay the loans taken to open, but it’s a good start. And, we want to thank West Seattle for embracing the recycling of fine furnishings, and for helping to feed those most in need.” He quotes Yeatts as saying, “I hope other businesses, and individuals, in our community will likewise allocate a portion of their own good fortune to the benefit of those most in need.” (Donation info for the WS Food Bank is online at westseattlefoodbank.org; we’ll have a story later this morning about additional ways to get, and give, food help this weekend.)
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He also shared a photo of the 100th person to consign furniture with his store, Mary Leatherman (right), a volunteer coordinator at across-the-street
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