Story and photos by Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

After a summer hiatus, the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network reconvened last night at the SW Precinct for their monthly meeting. Led by co-founder Karen Berge, the meeting focused heavily on Emergency Preparedness, as so many community events have this month, and a city rep was on hand to provide information about accessing matching fund grants to promote the issue.

First however, Karen had a big announcement: WSBWCN has been awarded a $4,000 grant from the Bill Wright Technology Matching Fund to help develop on online tool that will help neighborhoods find their Block Watch captains, and will help captains communicate with each other. Says Karen about the award: “We’re doing back flips over here!”

City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Project Manager Garry Owens (photo at right, with Karen) was invited to discuss the city’s matching fund grants that are available to community groups undertaking projects focusing on community involvement.

The two types of matching grants are Small and Simple (SAS), which can go up to $20,000, and Small Sparks, which totals $1,000 per award. The purpose of bringing these grants to the attention of the Block Watch Captains was, as Garry Owens said, “Because you are the first line of defense in an emergency. You are the people who know your neighbors, and (the neighbors) need to have people they know and trust.” Grants can be used toward creating emergency preparedness awareness events, creating emergency kits, or teaching first aid.

Owens added that with West Seattle’s emphasis on preparedness (such as creating community hubs and running drills) that this community is already “ahead of the curve” in emergency planning. He said to the Block Watch Captains, “You know if your community is ready or not. Emergency preparedness starts with you, but it doesn’t end with you.”

The deadline to apply for this round of SAS grants is Monday, October 17 at 5 pm. Information can be found online at webgrants.seattle.gov. Garry Owens (206.684.0718) and Laurie Ames (206.684,0320), both Project Managers with the Department of Neighborhoods, are both available to assist with grant applications.

Karen Berge noted that the Block Watch Captains also received a $1,000 Small Sparks grant from the City to hold a Block Watch Captain Appreciation Day sometime in October.

At the end of the meeting, options for dealing with nuisance homes were discussed. Kelly McKinney from Seattle Neighborhood Group was present and noted that her group often assists with this issue. If you are dealing with this in your neighborhood, contact Kelly at Kelly@sngi.org or at 206.323.7084.

If you are interested in becoming a Block Watch Captain, or have questions about the network, visit their website at wsblockwatchnet.wordpress.com or contact Karen Berge at wsblockwatchnet@gmail.com.

Meetings are every 4th Tuesday of the month, from 6:30-8pm at the SW Precinct on Delridge.