West Seattle, Washington
31 Saturday
If you aren’t steeped in soccer match-day traditions, this is a great time to learn, as West Seattle Junction FC starts its first-ever season. Above, our video shows supporters approaching Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex to conclude their March to the Match, which started about half a mile away at The Westy. Those arriving at the stadium found a banner emblazoned with West Seattle neighborhood names:
Inside the stadium, a chance to buy merch:
Community businesses there included WSB sponsor Lake Washington Physical Therapy-West Seattle:
On the field, the players walked onto the field with youth accompanying them:
But first, a huddle with head coach Erik Oman:
In the stands, even before the match, a sense of fun:
So what about the soccer? you ask. The match, against Capital FC from Salem, Oregon, ended in a draw, 2-2. The match was streamed, and archived on YouTube – watch the first half here, second half here. Junction FC’s two goals were by Jacen Stein and Mani Diop. Next home match: Friday (May 24), 7 pm, vs. Lane United FC (also from Oregon); tickets are available online.
We have word tonight of another team of local middle-schoolers who won a citywide championship this weekend. Lilyanna, a member of the Pathfinder K-8 Ultimate team, sent the report and photo:
I am an 8th grader at Pathfinder K-8, I am on the Ultimate Frisbee team and we won the championship on Saturday! We won 11-4 and our season ended 7-1. My team and I can’t believe that we made it that far. We went to Spring Reign and completed against so many amazing teams. We won 3/6 games we played. It was an amazing experience and we all had so much fun!
The reason for this email is I want our team to be recognized. I have one of the most amazing and talented teams that I’ve ever been on. As a 8th grader leaving Pathfinder and going off to High School, it makes me really happy that I got to experience this. I love Ultimate so much, but what I love most is the people on my team and at my school. We have amazing coaches! Coach Jonah and Coach John. They’ve taught not only me but our team how to work together and build the community that we have now. Thank you so much, Pathfinder, for the amazing opportunity to be a part of the team.
The leaving 8th graders on the team are
Anna
Willa
Taylor
Salem
Ronan
Elias
Milo
Ian
Will
Lilyanna says they beat Eckstein MS in the title game, played at Magnuson Park.
In the midday Sunday sunshine, Alki UCC offered visitors the chance to create art with a message – the message someone has tried to obliterate by damaging and/or stealing banners hanging over its entry five times. As noted in our first story about this, they also collaborated with an artist to design a new banner:
The banner will soon hang with what’s out front now at the building Alki UCC shares with Kol HaNeshamah:
The individual art pages created by visitors today were theirs to either take home or leave behind as contributions to another art work, possibly a collage.
(This and next photo sent by Michelle Edwards)
Thanks for the photos! First, we learned from Michelle Edwards and Jim Edwards (who you might know from the West Seattle Big Band and/or West Seattle Grand Parade) that the West Seattle High School (above) and Chief Sealth International High School (below) Marching Bands are in Victoria, B.C. today – performing outside the Parliament buildings as part of Victoria Day weekend festivities.
Shortly after receiving those photos, West Seattle photographer Holli Margell sent images of both bands in the Port Townsend Rhody Festival parade on Saturday:
(This and next photo sent by Holli Margell)
The trip’s not over yet – tomorrow brings the Victoria Day parade, also featuring other student bands from around the region (including the UW). Holli tells us the parade will be streamed on YouTube here, starting at 9 am Monday.
12:57 PM: Seattle Fire says the gas has been shut off at the scene of a leak in the 5200 block of 45th SW [vicinity map]. SFD describes it as a residential line and says the home and others nearby have been evacuated as a precaution. Many of the responding units have been cleared to leave.
1:12 PM: More SFD units are leaving, but the scene won’t fully clear until Puget Sound Energy (the gas utility for our area) arrives.
1:26 PM: All SFD units have left.
Two reader reports:
BURGLAR TAKES E-BIKE: From Ryan:
At around 12:30 pm (Saturday), a man in a black True Religion hoodie broke into our outdoor storage shed and stole my e-bike. He actually first spent about 15 minutes in a port-a-potty on our property, presumably waiting to see if we were home. After that he forced his way into our storage shed, knocking over nearly everything and making a ton of noise, grabbed my bike, and rode off.
The e-bike is a VanMoof S3 and is pretty distinctive [stock photo], and it’s possible it was making noises, setting off an alarm, or even locking itself after it was ridden away.
Any information is welcome, and in general we just want the community to keep an eye out for the guy. The temporary SPD case number is T00001564.
Ryan says this happened in the Alki area.
DUMPED, POSSIBLY STOLEN KIDS’ BIKE: Dylan found this bike near Roxbury Safeway:
If it’s yours, contact us and we’ll connect you.
(WSB photos/video unless otherwise credited)
9:35 AM: The race is on! More than 1,500 runners and walkers (plus a few dogs) are on Alki and Harbor Avenues right now for the 2024 West Seattle 5K, coordinated by and benefiting the West Seattle High School PTSA.
The streets will reopen to vehicles when the course is cleared. (Added) Here’s our traditional video of everyone leaving the starting line:
10:25 AM: Most of the participants have crossed the finish line.
Here are the top three male and female finishers, from a printout provided by race organizers:
Male Open Winners
Evan Williams, 37, bib 9142, 16:26
Mason Murison, 16, bib 818, 17:15
Victor Ordaz, 34, bib 5278, 17:28Female Open Winners
Beau Sitzmann, 11, bib 1114, 18:50
Kristi Williams, 40, bib 9145, 19:16
Ena Sparling, 12, bib 1139, 19:19
ADDED 5 PM: Lots of kids in the West Seattle 5K. Not just evident in results – but also sights like these:
Just before the start, the runners and walkers heard words of thanks from WSHS principal Brian Vance:
Then, the WSHS Cross Country Chant:
(Video courtesy West Seattle 5K)
WSHS Cheer Team members were there for support:
Along with lots of volunteer power, the event relies on sponsor support too. We’ve been the media sponsor every year since the start. We noticed some WSB sponsors there too – Neighborhood Naturopathic and Primary Care:
The West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCA:
Kevin Broveleit from West Seattle Realty was there to run:
And the true heroes of the day – the race organizers, who just sent this wrapup:
Thanks to all of you, today’s West Seattle 5k was a great success! A big “thank you” to all of our volunteers and sponsors, and the runners and walkers who participated! We had almost 1,200 participants last year and previous years averaged 850-1,000 so this is quite a jump.
We raised over $42,000 for the West Seattle High School PTSA, which funds much needed programs for students, teachers and staff! The PTSA covers educational programming like Saturday School, teacher mini-grants, and more!
With more participants comes some justifiable increases in expenses, but one cost that really jumped was with the City for parking enforcement officers to staff the intersections. This is a delicate balance. Last year adult volunteers staffed the intersections but this year, the permit called for PEO’s which equated to 3x the permit fee last year.
Fortunately our increase in participants makes that permit bill a lot easier to cover. But if were to ever go back to 1,000 runners or less the bill would be a significant obstacle. We feel this is important to mention as most of our costs have barely changed in the last 10+ years and wish to be transparent about the money we raise for the high school.Yours Truly, 2024 Race Co-Directors – Kelley O’Connor, Amy Huey, and Athena Frederick
Volunteers to recognize:
Nicole Ott for help in securing sponsors and all the logistics that come with that.
Amy Doll for coordinating the supplies, kids, teachers and staff!
Erik Bell at Bell Fortina for all our graphics needs including shirt design, posters, banner, yard signs and event photography.
Brian Chung for stepping in as a new additional event photographer.
Renee Phelps and all the NHS students from West Seattle High School for putting out signage, stuffing bags and working the event!
WSHS PTSA Board members – especially Holly and Victoria!!
Owen Reese for coordinating our volunteers. And thank you to the 70+ volunteers who work the event!
Heather Hsu for taking on our Non-Profit Row. We so appreciate you tackling this much needed addition to the event
Lori Sherick and Chris O’Claire and the WSHS 5k student-led committee
Alki businesses and residents – thanks for sharing this special beach for the morning so we could hold this fundraiser to make our local West Seattle High School the best it can be for our students and teachers!
This was the second WS5K since the pandemic hiatus, and 15th anniversary of the first one in 2009.
Family and friends are remembering Bill Styrk and sharing this remembrance with the community:
Bill Styrk was born on September 23, 1934, on the family farm in Kearsarge, Michigan. The Styrk family later moved to Butte, Montana, where his father worked in the copper mines. Both Kearsarge and Butte were referred to as “Little Finn Towns” due to their high populations of Finnish people. The family finally settled in West Seattle, where Bill and his brother Wally learned to speak English. They attended Cooper Elementary and West Seattle High School. Bill recalled his childhood neighborhood as a tight-knit community where folks had little money, but an abundance of fun, and friendships that lasted a lifetime.
Post High School, Bill joined the Army and served in Germany. After completing his service he returned to West Seattle and became a longshoreman on the Seattle waterfront, often working side-by-side with his brother Wally and his father Karl.
Bill had lifelong fondness for animals. As a boy he routinely saved part of his dinner for the stray dogs in his neighborhood. As an adult Bill rescued a kitten who followed him everywhere for 17 years. He described his beloved St. Bernard dog as a beautiful and faithful companion. Bill was also captivated by Eagles, and collected wood carvings of these majestic birds.
Bill enjoyed retirement, and could often be found at Alki Beach enjoying the sun with a large group of friends. He traveled the US in his motorhome, and spent time in Mexico and Costa Rica. Bill was an avid collector of cars, his favorites being Mercedes and vintage trucks. Bill believed in treating every person he encountered with respect, and helped countless people on their journeys to sobriety.
Bill spent the last 20 years of his life in a beautiful home he built in Laughlin Nevada. He developed strong relationships with his outstanding neighbors. As a lifelong poker player, Bill spent many hours in the casinos of Laughlin and Las Vegas. For 20 years he had a daily routine of getting up at 2 AM and walking 5 miles to avoid the hot desert sun.
In his final weeks Bill experienced the value of good friends, as neighbors provided the help that made it possible for him to remain at home. He also spoke extensively on the importance of family. His brother Wally’s adult children, Pam Crim, Greg Styrk, Lynne Styrk-Crockett, Karen Williams and their families, are his closest relatives. Bill developed a strong bond with his great nieces Mariah and Hannah Crockett. Their visits to Laughlin were spent practicing the Finnish language, organizing the Styrk family genealogy,and putting a smile on Uncle Bill’s face. The VA of Nevada came to the home and had a touching ceremony for Bill, honoring his service to our country. Home Hospice provided outstanding medical care and fellowship.
In his final days Bill reiterated several times that he’d had a wonderful life. He had good friends, and had done everything he wanted to do. He shared many stories and memories. In person and with “Face Time,” Bill was able to see and speak with everyone he wished. During a visit with his nieces and nephew, Bill stopped and said: “In this VERY moment my life is absolutely perfect!”
At the age of 89, Bill died on May 2nd, 2024, just 4 months after the death of his brother Wally. Like Wally, he was surrounded by loving family. Bill was preceded in death by his parents Karl and Ellen Styrk and his brother Wally. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
No services are planned.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Biggest event of the day will temporarily take over Alki and Harbor Avenues this morning:
WEST SEATTLE 5K: Organizers say it’s bigger than ever this year – more than 1,300 people signed up – and if you’re not one of them, you can still register starting at 8:30 am near Alki Bathhouse (60th/Alki). The course heads east/northeast from there, to Anchor/Luna Park and back, and Harbor/Alki Avenues will be closed to vehicle traffic approximately 8 am-11 am as a result. The WS5K is a fundraiser for the programs supported by the West Seattle High School PTSA, which coordinates the event too; community co-sponsors include WSB.
Here’s what else you should know about today/tonight, including highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
HIGH POINT LIBRARY CLOSED: The branch at 3411 SW Raymond is closed Sundays through at least early June as part of a schedule shuffle as the system deals with staffing shortages.
MINI-POLAR PLUNGE: 9 am every Sunday, you’re welcome to join a group plunge into Puget Sound off Alki – meet at Statue of Liberty Plaza (61st/Alki).
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meets at 9 am Sundays at rotating locations – today it’s Highland Park Corner (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: The market is open today, 10 am-2 pm as usual, on California SW between SW Alaska and SW Oregon, offering spring vegetables, flowers, fruit, and plants, plus baked goods, cheese, fish, meat, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages (from cider to kombucha to beer/wine), nuts, candy, more! Here’s today’s vendor list.
WHILE YOU’RE IN THE JUNCTION: Fashion pop-up by Jayma at Swan Dive (4537 California SW), 10 am-2 pm.
GRIEF WALK: Join Listening to Grief for this free walk at Constellation Park (63rd/Beach Drive) at 10 am – details in our calendar listing.
KINDIE WEST CONCERT SERIES: Next performance in this family-music series at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW), 10:30 today, Paul Chiyokten Wagner – get tickets here.
COMMUNITY ART EVENT: As previewed and explained here, Alki UCC and Kol HaNeshamah invite community participation in an art event responding to repeated vandalism and theft of banners outside their building. All are welcome. If you’re going – or even if you aren’t – consider bringing donations for this month’s Alki UCC collection drive – this story mentions what’s most needed this month. (6115 SW Hinds)
POGGIE TAVERN TURNS 90: The dive bar at 4717 California SW plans festivities all weekend. Open noon-2 am.
JUNCTION FC’S DEBUT: All supporters are invited to join the 1 pm March to the Match from The Westy (7908 35th SW), for the new club’s debut in a 2 pm match vs. Capital FC at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle). Match tickets still available.
AUTHOR EVENT: Meet Jenny Gwinn McGlothern at Inner Alchemy (3043 California SW), 1-3 pm.
CLASSIC NOVELS (AND MOVIES) BOOK CLUB: Monthly gathering at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 3 pm. This month: “Discussion of Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky, trans. Sandra Smith.”
LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Your weekend can conclude with music by the Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8-10 pm.
Are you planning something that should be on our community event calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the basics – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
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