(YMCA photo: L-R, Raymond Mann, Kathryn Mann, Allison Wherry, Josh Sutton)
Thanks to the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) for sharing the news that the legacy of a favorite Y staffer will live on, as an endowment started by his family, who presented the launch donation this week (photo above). Here’s the announcement from the Y:

An endowment fund is being established in remembrance of Aaron William Mann. Aaron was an employee and volunteer of the West Seattle YMCA and previously worked at YMCAs in Anchorage and Colorado Springs. During his more than 20 years at the Y, Aaron was a lifeguard, swimming instructor and a teacher of thousands of kids, families and members. More than anything, Aaron enjoyed teaching and being around “his kids,” and had a special gift for turning their hard work into fun. Aaron taught them swimming and water safety skills, along with life skills. Aaron’s Kids Swim Program is intended to honor his memory and continue his loving support of Y kids.

Aaron’s parents, Kathryn and Raymond Mann, are establishing the endowment fund with an initial donation of $20,000. The purpose of the fund is to “Provide scholarships to kids and families for participation in the West Seattle YMCA aquatics programs.” Scholarships will be awarded to kids and families to offset the costs of swim lessons and aquatics activities. Funds may also be use to purchase aquatics equipment, particularly to meet the needs of kids’ swim programs.

The Mann family has also pledged to match the first $10,000 of incoming donations to the fund and to actively solicit continuing donations to the fund, with a first-year goal of a $50,000 endowment. Once established, the program will be managed andadministered by the West Seattle YMCA. All donations will be tax deductible in keeping with the YMCA’s non-profit status.

Thank you to the Mann family for their generous endowment and also for helping us keep Aaron’s spirit of service alive in all of us.

Aaron Mann was just 44 when he died this past June. Contact the Y for information about donating to the new program.

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Have you seen Ella? Missing teen might be in West Seattle

November 22, 2014 5:27 pm

| 21 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Family and friends are looking for 13-year-old Ella Blalock in this area, two nights after she was last seen, and hope you can help. They say the boy she might be with has friends here, and they might have headed this way. We don’t have details of her disappearance but we know police are on the lookout too, so if you have any information about her whereabouts, call 911.

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Memorial on Monday for Army, Air Force veteran Chad Hammond

November 22, 2014 5:08 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

44-year-old Chad Hammond will be remembered at a funeral with military honors on Monday. His family is sharing this remembrance:

Chad Preston Hammond was born in Gaffney, South Carolina on October 29, 1969. He passed away on October 22, 2014 at his home in West Seattle, just a few days shy of his 45th birthday.

Chad was a retired military veteran, having spent 5 years in the Army and 14 years in the Air Force Reserves. While in the Army, Chad was based out of Fort Lewis and also spent three years overseas in Panama. He worked out of McChord AFB for his Reserve duty. He was activated several times during his time in the Reserves, including time spent supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Chad also held civilian jobs during his time in the Reserves and after his retirement.

Throughout the years, he worked a medical assistant, heavy equipment operator, and a semi-truck driver. Chad loved to do thrilling, adrenaline-pumping activities such as sky-diving, scuba diving, cliff jumping, and dirt bike & motorcycle riding. He also loved sports, and when his sons were younger, he volunteered as an umpire for West Seattle Little League Baseball. Chad was very much loved by his family and friends and is greatly missed. He is survived by his three sons Tyler, Bryce, and Jacob Hammond of West Seattle, his parents Robert and Linda Hammond of Dayton, TX, and his brothers, Kyle Hammond of Flagstaff, Arizona and Justin Hammond of Crawfordville, Florida. There will be a military funeral for Chad on Monday, November 24th at 11:00 AM at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, where he will also be laid to rest.

(WSB publishes obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

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Diver in distress rescued off Seacrest, taken to hospital

November 22, 2014 2:22 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news

(Photo by Carolyn Newman, rescuers helping diver)
If you saw the emergency response off Seacrest earlier this afternoon: A 19-year-old diver was in distress and brought to shore safely, then taken to the hospital by Seattle Fire medics.

(WSB photo)
They were gone when we got there to check it out, but police who were still there say she was alert and talking when transported.

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West Seattle holiday scene: Eastridge Church’s turkey tradition

November 22, 2014 10:25 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

Those are a few of the people who served the hundreds lining up along 39th SW this morning, giving the gifts Eastridge Church offers before Thanksgiving every year – turkeys and bags of groceries for holiday meals. This year, between their West Seattle and Issaquah campuses, Eastridge planned to give out 1,500 turkeys – that’s quite the logistical undertaking.

But it goes faster if you keep smiling.

It’s the 12th year Eastridge has given the pre-Thanksgiving gifts – no questions asked, no proof of need required.

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West Seattle whale watching: Orcas traveling past us again

November 22, 2014 8:53 am

| 20 COMMENTS

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Photo by Trileigh Tucker)
8:53 AM: Southbound orcas were seen from the Bainbridge-Seattle ferry about half an hour ago, according to a thread on the Orca Network Facebook page. That could place them off our shores now or soon. Still blustery out there, so you’ll almost certainly need binoculars (also, sounds like they’re closer to the east side of the Sound). Let us know if you see them!

9:38 AM: In comments, Gary noted them passing Alki Point, and we’ve since received Jeff Hogan (Killer Whale Tales)’s text report of a Lincoln Park-area sighting, still southbound. This time of year, they are chasing the chum salmon run – same one that has brought net fishers into view in the past few weeks – so here’s hoping they are finding the food they need for survival.

(Photo by Paul B)
2:27 PM: See comments for the orcas’ travels since then. Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail has just posted on Facebook that they’ve turned back northbound and could be passing south West Seattle shores again by 3 pm if they continue their current path. We’ve also added photos from earlier.

3:37 PM: Donna just called – the whales are visible from Lincoln Park, with the blows visible from this side, and she’s off to the South Alki area in about 10 minutes – look for a pod of people watching from shore (she brings excellent binoculars).

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West Seattle Saturday: Holiday open houses; donation drives; more

November 22, 2014 6:39 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Long B. Nguyen: Luna/Anchor Park, Don Armeni, & Hamilton Viewpoint all visible)
The weekend before Thanksgiving is the full-on kickoff for the holidays, and today’s slate of highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar won’t disappoint:

TURKEY GIVEAWAY: From 9 am until supplies run out, Eastridge Church is again giving away turkeys and bags of groceries to anyone who shows up – no proof of need required. (39th/Oregon)

SOUTHEAST ASIAN EDUCATION SUMMIT: 9 am-4 pm at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), presented by Southeast Asian/American Access in Education – free to attend; details in our calendar listing. (6000 16th SW)

LONGFELLOW CREEK SALMON WALK: 10 am, meet Puget Soundkeeper Alliance stewards at Dragonfly Pavilion to embark on an exploration of Longfellow Creek, learning about its salmon, as previewed in this WSB report. (28th/Dakota)

J.F. HENRY OPEN HOUSE, DAY 1: 10 am-6 pm, first day of the big Holiday Open House at J.F. Henry Cooking and Dining (WSB sponsor) in The Junction. Deals, demonstrations, treats, more – see who and what will be there and when, by going here. (4445 California SW)

JUNCTION TRUE VALUE OPEN HOUSE: 10 am-2 pm, the big holiday open house at Junction True Value (WSB sponsor)! Refreshments, gifts, prizes. Coupon for ornaments, good Saturday/Sunday. Bring nonperishable food donations for the West Seattle Food Bank! (4747 44th SW)

GREAT BIG BAZAAR: 10 am-3 pm, first day of the Great Big Bazaar at Peace Lutheran Church in Gatewood – details in our calendar listing. (39th/Thistle)

NORTHWEST ART & FRAME OPEN HOUSE: 10 am-5:30 pm, including demonstrations, refreshments, specials. (4733 California SW)

WHITE CENTER FOOD BANK HOLIDAY FOOD DONATIONS:11 am-2 pm, drop off turkeys (or cash) at the WC Food Bank‘s headquarters. (10829 8th SW)

CLOTHING-DONATION DROPOFFS AT VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: Again this year, West Seattle’s Vietnamese Cultural Center is going to spend Thanksgiving helping homeless people, and they’d love to have your help, via donations of clothing/socks/etc. You can drop the items off today (and/or tomorrow), 11 am-5 pm, at the center. (2236 SW Orchard)

FREE LUNCH AT WSPC: Hungry? Chilly? Just need some good company? Noon-1:30 pm, you’re welcome to come have lunch, free, at West Side Presbyterian Church. (3601 California SW)

KITTY HARBOR ‘PRE-BLACK FRIDAY DOORBUSTERS‘: Noon-5 pm, pre-holiday cat/kitten adoption specials at Kitty Harbor, as detailed here. (3422 Harbor SW)

WEST SEATTLE FOOD BANK TURKEY DRIVE: 1-4 pm, drop off turkeys (or cash) at the WS Food Bank‘s headquarters. (35th/Morgan)

TEA WITH GEORGIE: She’s a comic, a musician, a writer, a rabblerouser … Don’t miss the chance to spend the afternoon in the company of West Seattle’s one-of-a-kind Georgie Bright Kunkel, 3 pm at Kenyon Hall. (7904 35th SW)

ARTS & CRAFTS SALE PLUS CRECHE EXHIBIT: 3-5 pm, first of two days at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church‘s newly expanded annual event – handmade holiday items for sale, plus a chance to see an exhibit of creches. (California/Hanford)

BEER CHURCH’S TURKEY BOWL: 5:30 pm at West Seattle Bowl. The lanes are sold out but you are invited to come down, cheer the Beer Church and its bowlers, have a brew, buy a raffle ticket, and most importantly, bring food (and/or money!) for the West Seattle Food Bank, which gets a big boost from this every year – and this is the 16th annual edition! (39th/Oregon)

WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS’ GALA: As previewed here earlier this week, tonight is the night to celebrate with the West Seattle Community Orchestras at Highland Park Improvement Club, and help them support student music! Doors open at 6; we’re told there’s still room. (12th/Holden)

FLOURISH BEAUTY SHOPPING EVENT & DONATION DRIVE: 6-9 pm, with local vendors plus raffle/donation drive for West Seattle Helpline – details in our calendar listing. (Fauntleroy/Raymond)

THE BURNZ AT EASY STREET: 7 pm, free all-ages in-store concert with Seattle’s own The Burnz at Easy Street Records in The Junction. (California/Alaska)

‘DOGFIGHT,’ FINAL NIGHT: 7:30 pm, closing night for the musical “Dogfight” at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) in The Junction. (4711 California SW)

SOUTHWEST TEEN LIFE CENTER LATE-NIGHT THANKSGIVING: 8 pm, ages 13-19 get to celebrate early with a full Thanksgiving dinner at Southwest TLC. (2801 SW Thistle)

ALL THAT, BUT STILL … there’s more! Go directly to our calendar to see for yourself.

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