BIZNOTE: New owner of South Delridge-based Mountain Madness hopes to take it to new heights with community events

| Delridge | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(Mountain Madness photo: New owner Lisa Thompson with previous owner Mark Gunlogson)

Though West Seattle is home to hills and not mountains, it’s also home base to a variety of businesses tied to the latter. Among them: Mountain Madness in South Delridge, which has a long history, as the announcement explains:

Mountain Madness, a global leader in guided mountain adventures, was acquired by Lisa Thompson, founder of Alpine Athletics. Thompson will lead Mountain Madness as its new President and sole owner, bringing together Alpine Athletics’ expert coaching and training with Mountain Madness’ 40+year legacy of guiding transformative climbing, trekking & skiing adventures worldwide.

With nearly 20 years in the mountains, Lisa Thompson is an accomplished climber and coach. Among her achievements are the Seven Summits and becoming the second American woman to reach the top of K2, as told in her best-selling memoir, Finding Elevation. In 2018 she founded Alpine Athletics to prepare climbers of all levels for the physical, mental, and tactical requirements of mountaineering.

Mountain Madness was founded in 1984 by legendary climber Scott Fischer and partners. Fischer is widely known for his role in the 1996 Mount Everest expedition, chronicled in Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, which brought global attention to the risks and rewards of high-altitude climbing. Under Fischer’s leadership, Mountain Madness became synonymous with bold expeditions, but most importantly, a passion for sharing the magic of the mountains.

In 1997 the company grew under the new leadership of Christine Boskoff, one of the first prominent female 8,000-meter high-altitude climbers. Her vision took guests to new uncharted, off-the-beaten-path adventures, and strengthened Fischer’s dream to guide more 8,000-meter peaks. Longtime guide Mark Gunlogson, who began guiding for Mountain Madness in 1994, took the reins in 2008, expanding the company into a globally respected adventure travel leader while honoring its founding values of exploration, education, and empowerment. To honor Mountain Madness’s legacy and ensure its future thrives, Mark will remain onboard to guide and mentor the team.

Since 2021, Alpine Athletics and Mountain Madness have partnered on unique initiatives such as fundraiser climbs and all-women’s expeditions in the Pacific Northwest. This partnership continues with an all-women’s Ama Dablam expedition. With a shared vision to inspire and empower climbers to go beyond what they thought was possible, Thompson will further this by offering a fully integrated client journey — from the first training session to summit day — and everything in between.

Mountain Madness’s headquarters is at 9249 17th SW. That’s where you’re invited to attend Ski Film Night at 6 pm Friday, February 6, with screenings, beverages, and raffle. prizes including a drawing for a rescue course. Watch for more community events (we’ll add them to our calendar as we get them).

WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: Louisa Boren STEM K-8 students and staff march in MLK’s honor

January 16, 2026 11:15 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(WSB photos by Torin Record-Sand)

Before the three-day weekend that ends with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, at least one local school honored his memory with an assembly followed by a march.

Students and staff at Louisa Boren STEM K-8 marched around their campus along the 5900 block of Delridge Way SW this morning.

They carried handmade signs with messages of peace and justice.

Some signs highlighted quotes from Dr. King.

Thanks to the STEM K-8 PTA for letting us know about this!

FOLLOWUP: Lee’s Produce reopens; celebration of life February 1 for owner Nam Suk Nasatka

January 12, 2026 2:19 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle people | White Center

(WSB photo, this morning)

On New Year’s Eve, we reported on the death of a beloved figure in the South Delridge/White Center community, Lee’s Produce owner Nam Suk Nasatka. Readers had noted the produce market has been closed at times in recent days and wondered about its status. We went over today and found it was open again; they tell us they’re going to do their best to keep it open, in her honor. Meantime, cards at the store have the time, date, and place for her Celebration of Life:

The 1-5 pm gathering on Sunday, February 1, is planned at The Cove in Normandy Park (1500 SW Shorebrook Drive). Ms. Nasatka had worked at Lee’s for more than 40 years, and after the first 10 years, became its owner. She was 75 years old.

BIZNOTE: Pipe break temporarily closes 2 Fingers Social

January 10, 2026 5:09 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

The latest West Seattle business temporarily shut down by a pipe break is 2 Fingers Social. The bar’s proprietors first posted on social media that they were closed by “flooding,” then updated with the discovery of a “broken pipe 20 feet down” that they expect will keep them “closed for a while.” They elaborated, “It’s a huge project. They have to dig a 10 x 10 by 20ft deep hole in the sidewalk/street to fix it; also the flood damage fixes on the inside need to be completed.” They’ve raised some money via donations so far but say they’re getting bids for the “huge project.” Their building at 9211 Delridge Way SW – as we noted when 2FS opened in 2017 – had previously been home to businesses including a payday-loan operation and a medical-marijuana dispensary. (Thanks to Ian for the tip on 2FS’s woes.)

PawsVIP: New West Seattle business, new WSB sponsor

January 9, 2026 11:39 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Pets | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

PawsVIP recently moved into 9064 Delridge Way SW and is a new WSB sponsor, which means they get to tell you about what they do:

What We Do:

PawsVIP is a locally owned dog day care and boarding facility. We’ve been running our first location near SeaTac since 2019, and West Seattle (9064 Delridge Way SW) is our second home.

Our Services:

At our West Seattle location, we offer day care, overnight boarding, and exit baths for pups heading home after a day of play.

Our Tukwila location has all of that plus full grooming and airport layover services for families moving or traveling with their pets.

Both locations have a 24/7 vet on call.

What Makes PawsVIP Different:

We’re a locally owned business. We’re all pet lovers. We’ve been doing this since 2019. We’ve learned what works, what doesn’t, and how to build a team that genuinely cares. We’ve focused on building a place where people want to stay, because your dog deserves to see familiar faces, not strangers every week.

We provide top quality care for your pet. We remember their habits, preferences, and their playmates. We want them to have fun and be taken care of while you’re away.

We also do our best to provide top quality service for pet parents. We’re communicative and transparent. We work to provide seamless experiences and accommodate your schedule by operating 5am to 9pm, seven days a week.

We’re structured and safety-focused. Kenneled facility, play groups organized by size and temperament, trained staff, 24/7 vet access. We don’t cut corners.

We know transparency matters. We post photos and videos daily because pet parents shouldn’t have to wonder what’s happening with their dog. Check out our Instagram and you’ll see real dogs having real fun.

Our Team:

Everyone on our team is a pet owner. We go home to dogs, cats, you name it. This isn’t just a job for us.

All staff go through background checks before hiring. From there, we train on dog handling, dog behavior, and animal safety. We take the time to do it right because we know the care your dog gets comes down to who’s actually with them.

We’ve tried to build a place where people want to stick around, learn, and grow. When staff are happy and invested, the dogs feel it.

Meet the team: pawsvip.com/team

Soft Opening Offer:

$9.99 day care through January 15, 2026. Trust is earned, and we want people to come see the space and meet us before committing.

Contact PawsVIP:

Email: petcare@pawsvip.com
Phone: 425-230-0344
Book online: pawsvip.com/west-seattle

We thank PawsVIP for choosing to advertise their business by sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB. Interested in joining our sponsor team? Please email WSBadvertising@wsbsales.com for information – thank you!

BIZNOTE: ‘It’s just pizza’ – says proprietor of Pizza Ritual, settling on days/hours

January 6, 2026 9:29 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

(Photo courtesy StarChefs)

In addition to West Seattle’s sit-down pizza restaurants, the local commissary kitchens host takeout-only pizzerias, including Pizza Ritual, which has been making appearances since summer at KBM (5608 Delridge Way SW). Proprietor Matt Gorman emailed us to say that “starting this week, Pizza Ritual will be offering online pre-ordering/pick-up as well as walk-up ordering on Fridays and Saturdays from 5–8pm at the KBM Kitchen walk-up window.: He explains Pizza Ritual as having …

… a focus on Northwest grains, seasonal farm produce, and locally made cheeses & meats. The dough is central to the process — each batch is hand-mixed, naturally leavened using only flour, water, and salt, and left to ferment at ambient temperatures (never seeing refrigeration of any kind). This approach preserves elements of centuries-old Neapolitan pizza-making traditions while using ingredients rooted in Washington and Oregon. (My) maternal family traces back to Campania and Calabria, and Pizza Ritual is also a way of honoring that Italian heritage through craft and technique.

Since its start, Pizza Ritual has been rooted in community and accessibility. Pizza’s history as an everyday food for the working class is central to (my) philosophy: despite the high-quality sourcing, the goal is to keep pricing approachable and the menu welcoming to everyone in the neighborhood. (I have) collaborated with local chefs and producers including Janet Becerra of Pancita, Mutsuko Soma of Kamonegi/Hannyatou, Aash Farms, and has held regular pop-ups at beloved community spots such as Molly’s Bottle Shop, Bait Shop, Hildegard Ferments & Botanicals, & Darby Winery. At the end of the day, it’s just pizza — meant to be fun, shared, and part of the neighborhood it feeds.

He’ll be taking online orders at pizzaritual.com.

Also on Delridge Way: Work to start on turnaround at 22nd SW

December 4, 2025 3:36 pm

| 17 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Last June, after months of controversy over City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s espousal of removing a centerline curb on Delridge Way, he and Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the curb would stay and three other projects would be done instead. The biggest of those projects is about to start:

SDOT says work could start as soon as this Friday (December 5) on the 22nd/Delridge turnaround. From the flyer it’s sent to nearby residents:

New Turnaround at Delridge Way SW and 22nd Ave SW

As soon as Friday, December 5, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will start construction at Delridge Way SW and 22nd Ave SW in the Delridge neighborhood at the request of City Councilmember Rob Saka pursuant to a budget investment passed by the Full Council. We will reconfigure the triangle at Delridge Way SW and 22nd Ave SW by building a 24-foot wide turnaround on the north side of the triangle connecting the two streets (see map). This will improve circulation for people driving in this part of the Delridge neighborhood. Please note this project will remove the existing informal parking in this triangle and add landscaping within the triangle area south of the street segment.

The other two projects involve signage; together, all three cost $500,000, according to SDOT, a quarter of what the original plan was budgeted for.

You asked, so we asked: About the orange mesh along Delridge slope

December 4, 2025 1:17 pm

| 19 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Environment | West Seattle news

A reader asked what’s going on with that Delridge greenspace, east of the Southwest Precinct and the businesses north of the precinct [vicinity map]. We recalled development plans nearby, years ago, but that’s not what this is for. The land is SDOT property, so we took the question to that department. Turns out it’s for an environmental project that got a little publicity more than two years ago; we tried to get details at the time but our inquiries hit a dead end, and eventually fell off our list (aside from a mention at a meeting last year). In response to our new inquiry, SDOT spokesperson Mariam Ali replied:

the vegetation work you’re seeing is part of the Delridge Native Forest Garden project. SDOT and our partners are restoring these parcels to improve habitat, support tree canopy growth, and create more welcoming community green spaces in the neighborhood.

We recently completed planting and established a path to support ongoing stewardship and future volunteer events. Our first volunteer planting event with the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association took place on November 22.

More information about the City’s broader forest restoration and tree-planting investments can be found here:
Delridge Native Forest Garden Project – Transportation | seattle.gov

The project website has this map:

The timeline for work here, also as noted on the project page, runs until 2028. The funding is $900,000 of a $13 million federal grant, according to this 2023 news release (when we, as mentioned above, tried to get more details). We asked SDOT about the tribes involved in the program; they say it involves the Muckleshoot Tribe because they’re federally recognized.

STOP: 26th SW and SW Genesee now all-way stop after SDOT sign installation

November 25, 2025 2:02 pm

| 28 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Thanks for the tip and photos! A reader reports that the intersection of 26th SW and SW Genesee is now an all-way stop, after SDOT installed signs on Genesee today:

This comes five-plus years after a community controversy over a different plan to calm traffic at that intersection: In 2020, SDOT announced a sudden plan for “diverters” at this intersection and 26th/Brandon; after neighborhood pushback, they shelved the idea in March 2021, and that’s the last time the word “diverters” appears in our archives. 26th SW is a greenway through the area.

WEEK AHEAD: West Seattle light rail ‘visioning forum’ Monday

November 23, 2025 6:21 pm

| 12 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Sound Transit | West Seattle news

(Sound Transit map of West Seattle extension as currently planned)

Just one major West Seattle meeting planned in the three days before the four-day holiday weekend: Tomorrow is the rescheduled date for the “visioning forum” planned to look at where the West Seattle light-rail project is now and what might happen next, as Sound Transit revisits its long-range plans in the face of swollen potential price tags. County and city elected officials, Sound Transit executives, and transit advocates are among the pre-announced panelists and presenters; most of the public communication for this has come from the office of our area’s County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, who told us that there will be time for attendee Q/A and comments. The event is set to start at 5:30 pm Monday (November 24), at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW)

West Seattle Tool Library gets ‘ReThink Waste’ grant

November 19, 2025 3:58 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Environment | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy SPU/WM: Tool Library’s Sean Isom and WM’s Anna Seweryniak)

Every Wednesday, as featured in our Event Calendar and daily highlight lists, the West Seattle Tool Library hosts a Fix-It event, to which you can bring a tool and get help fixing it so you don’t have to toss it. That’s why Seattle Public Utilities and Waste Management just gave the Tool Library a $1,000 “ReThink Waste” grant, one of five small grants just announced for Seattle organizations that have projects/programs “to reduce waste or create new pathways for sustainability.” That’s not all the Tool Library offers; it’s been open for 15 years, as a community resource, on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW). And if you want to check out the next Fix-It event, that starts tonight at 5:30 pm!

UPDATE: Car crash = one-hour power outage for 4,400+ customers

November 17, 2025 11:58 am

| 47 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news

11:58 AM: Some have lost power and a car crash is likely to blame – a driver is reported to have hit a utility pole by the Southwest Precinct at Delridge and Webster.

12:01 PM: More than 4,400 customers are out per the Seattle City Light outage map.

12:12 PM: Some traffic signals are in the outage zone, so remember that when those go dark, it’s an all-ways stop. Meantime, a commenter says Chief Sealth IHS and Denny MS are aut of power because of this. … Police say they’re blocking SW Webster between Delridge and the precinct gate; at one point they described the car as having ended up “almost vertical” against the pole (we’re on our way to look).

(Added: Photo uploaded in comments below by ‘WS Resident’)

12:21 PM: A texter says West Seattle Elementary is out too.

12:56 PM: Just got back and the map – and texters – say the outage is over. City Light and a tow truck had already arrived at the crash site on the northwest corner of Delridge/Webster when we went by.

SALMON SEASON: Big volunteer turnout for Longfellow Creek cleanup. Here’s what they saw

November 16, 2025 4:54 pm

| Comments Off on SALMON SEASON: Big volunteer turnout for Longfellow Creek cleanup. Here’s what they saw

| Delridge | Environment | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy Puget Soundkeeper)

By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Nearly 60 volunteers gathered Saturday at Dragonfly Pavilion for a salmon-season Longfellow Creek cleanup event hosted by Puget Soundkeeper and Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. The event was a way for community members to become stewards of their environment, said Tanya Balaji, a Stewardship and Education Manager with Puget Soundkeeper.

Balaji, who has a background in oceanography and biology, has been working with Puget Soundkeeper for just over a year, and says it’s been a great experience. Volunteers were signing up through Friday night, even during the downpour, and according to Balaji, there were surprisingly few cancellations.

(WSB photos from here down)

The cleanup had two goals. First, to help clean up the waterway and surrounding area ahead of winter. “Restoration work helps nurture a better habitat,” Balaji said. It is also a chance to highlight the yearly Salmon Survey, involving a rotating group of volunteers who check on Longfellow Creek every day of spawning season, counting live and dead salmon. (We’re expecting the total seasonal count to be made public on Monday.)

During the event, volunteers were encouraged to stop by and chat with the survey teams, to learn more about vital conservation efforts. In addition to keeping track of the population, the survey teams are on the lookout for Urban Runoff Mortality Syndrome (URMS), a sometimes devastating condition caused by chemical runoff from car tires. URMS is specifically dangerous to coho salmon, and Puget Soundkeeper’s teams are monitoring it as a key step toward protecting waterways.

A team of four survey members, including Puget Soundkeeper volunteer Tallie, found two salmon, a male and a female, just before noon Saturday. After wading into the creek and retrieving the fish, survey members perform a quick necropsy on the salmon.

Tallie said they’re searching for three key features. First, whether or not the tail is still present. Because survey teams work on different days, they mark salmon they’ve already recorded by severing the end of the tail. If the salmon still has a tail, they check for an adipose fin, a small fin located on the back of the fish. Salmon grown in hatcheries have this fin removed, which allows the team to determine which salmon are wild, and which trace to hatcheries.

Finally, and in a show that drew a crowd of volunteers, they check each salmon to see if it’s spawned. Here’s Tallie, holding up a small female salmon to cheering from the crowd, as she revealed that it did manage to spawn.

“I didn’t think I would like it at first,” said Tallie, who’s been volunteering for two years, “but it’s kinda cool to see.” Overall, she says the season has been good, though Saturday was an outlier, with no living salmon spotted by noon.

Beyond keeping the environment clean, events at Longfellow Creek also help keep younger people active in their communities, said Mark Dorsey, who attended Saturday with a group of students from Unleash the Brilliance. Founded in 2008 by Mark’s brother Terrell, Unleash the Brilliance is a nonprofit that aims to help youth stay engaged with their education, especially youth facing challenges that may result in reckless behavior, said Dorsey.

He says it’s been incredibly rewarding to see younger people get involved in stewarding their environment. “Before, you’d see kids just standing around on their phones,” Dorsey said, “But now they’re competing to see who can pick up the most trash, or plant the most trees. They’re all competing to see who can do better.”

For more information, to donate, or to volunteer with Puget Soundkeeper, check their website here. For more information about Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, go here.

READER REPORT: Crosswalk added at Delridge Way SW and SW Alaska

October 30, 2025 3:56 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

The photo and report from Delridge Way SW and SW Alaska were sent by Shane:

Wanted to write as I didn’t see it mentioned on the road work today … it looks like the city (finally) put in an official crosswalk by the Delridge Playfield. It’s just paint and a couple signs but it’s still much clearer to cars that this is an official crosswalk now and hopefully is a step toward real pedestrian safety improvements along this road!

(The median was already there, but without crosswalk markings.) Customary reminder – this corner and others were/are crosswalks even without paint.

WEDNESDAY: Create your own costume with upcycling at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center

October 28, 2025 6:27 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Delridge | Halloween | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Haven’t finalized your Halloween costume yet? Make – or decorate – one at a Youngstown Cultural Arts Center workshop tomorrow (Wednesday, October 29)! Claire from DNDA sent word of the fun – and sustainable! – event:

This Wednesday, October 29th from 5 pm – 7 pm, DNDA’s ArtPlus team will be hosting a free community workshop called “Space-2-Craft” at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. We will be providing demos on making costumes from upcycled materials (such as cardboard, paper, etc.), as well as providing a space for creatives of all skill-levels to access the materials and collaboration they need to fix or finish their own costumes. We have an Eventbrite page to sign up through, with more information, here.

We’re excited to bring people together around sustainable creativity — turning recycled materials into bold, community-made costumes while showcasing the ongoing opportunities at Youngstown and DNDA.

Haven’t been to Youngstown? It’s at 4408 Delridge Way SW.

SEEING SALMON: More Longfellow Creek sightings

October 28, 2025 1:58 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news | Wildlife

More salmon sightings in Longfellow Creek! Thanks to Manuel Valdes for the photos above and below:

Steve Pumphrey reports sightings too – “6 or 7 good-sized fish” – and sent this photo of a Great Blue Heron pondering some fishing on the creek:

The footbridge south of West Seattle Health Club (28th SW and SWYancy) is a popular viewing spot.

P.S. At Fauntleroy Creek, salmon-watch volunteers are still awaiting the first arrivals, hampered somewhat by downed trees that city crews need to clear.

WEST SEATTLE SCENE: Mariner Moose’s post-postseason visit to Ounces

October 22, 2025 7:31 pm

| Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE SCENE: Mariner Moose’s post-postseason visit to Ounces

| Delridge | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(WSB photos)

Two days after the Mariners‘ postseason ended one win short of a World Series trip, their mascot was in West Seattle tonight spreading consolation cheer. The Mariner Moose visited Ounces, whose proprietor Laurel Trujillo explained, “I figured everyone needs that extra high-five and hug right now.” That’s Laurel, above, with son Asher, 7.

Much of the crowd there tonight for The Moose’s ~45-minute visit was from Asher’s school, Fairmount Park Elementary, whose PTA is getting part of the proceeds from tonight’s beverage/food sales.

By the way, the “pumpkin patch photo booth” in which Laurel, Asher, and The Moose are shown, above, is open for drop-in pics (sorry, no Moose) through month’s end. Ounces is in North Delridge at 3809 Delridge Way SW.

P.S. Mariners’ opening day next year: March 26, 2026.

HPAC skipping October meeting, focusing on Highland Park Way hill project next time

October 21, 2025 2:50 pm

| 15 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Highland Park | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

The fourth Wednesday of the month – tomorrow – usually would be HPAC meeting night, but the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge is skipping this month:

We hope everyone has been making the most of this beautiful autumn season. HPAC’s October gathering won’t be taking place as originally scheduled. However, we’re hoping to reconvene in November or December for a special session where we’ll dive into the revised design for the Highland Park Way SW hill project with SDOT.

SDOT announced last March that it was proceeding with the project to replace a downhill driving lane with biking/walking/rolling infrastructure

WEST SEATTLE SCENE: Student-organized Fall Fest at Boren STEM K-8

October 9, 2025 3:13 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(WSB photos by Anne Higuera)

A day of big fun at Louisa Boren STEM K-8 in Delridge is just wrapping up. We stopped by for photos after Paula from the Boren STEM PTA told us about it – the older students organize and run it for the younger students to visit:

She explained, “Fall Fest is a fun celebration of fall and community complete with games and food! It is also an opportunity for our oldest students to give back to their community and inspire our younger students.”

It’s also educational: They told us, for example, that the organizers ran the activities like businesses and were keeping data on participation to analyze, to see what might be worth bringing back at next year’s Fall Fest!

The fair was open for five hours during the school day.

P.S. As mentioned in our morning traffic roundup, no classes tomorrow at STEM and other Seattle Public Schools.

VIDEO: Celebrating art, nature, and neighborhood at Destination Delridge

October 6, 2025 3:08 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Delridge | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

In these chaotic times, nonprofits are relied on more than ever. DNDA (Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association) serves the community in three realms – art, nature, neighborhood – and gathered supporters to celebrate at the Destination Delridge benefit on Friday night.

While Destination Delridge, held at DNDA’s Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, included some classic fundraiser elements – dinner, dessert dash, “raise the paddle” contributions – the program included a unique feature: A panel discussion, with District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka, entrepreneur Feaven Berhe of Delridge café Hagosa’s House, and real-estate investor Jaebediah Gardner of GardnerGrowth. We were there to record it:

They talked about resilience, community support, and how to build generational wealth – Berhe had direct experience, opening her café – named after her grandmother – in a building her parents bought 15 years ago; Saka talked about working on city policies like the anti-displacement initiative; Gardner talked about project providing more than 200 units of housing, both affordable and market rate. Saka – a Delridge resident – noted, “We need more than just Delridge to show up for Delridge – we need the rest of West Seattle to show up.”

DNDA board president Shannon Woodard, who moderated the discussion, noted that’s the embodiment of the event title – “let’s make Delridge a destination!” All talked about the power of partnerships and collaboration; Gardner urged bravery – “Don’t think about what’s going to hold you back, that’s not resilience; on the other side of fear, that’s where something great is going to happen.”

Attendees also heard from DNDA executive director Mesha Florentino, who talked about the mission of DNDA, now in its second quarter-century:

Throughout the event, attendees also heard others speak about the work DNDA is doing, from creating and maintaining affordable housing (did you know Youngstown has lofts where artists live as well as work?) to restoring West Seattle greenspaces with the help of hundreds of volunteers every year, and more.

Art was part of the night’s giving, too. Emcee/auctioneer Tiernan Madorno introduced artist Jonarra Swanson, who created a painting during the event, auctioned for $1,500:

That’s not the only painting that was auctioned – there was a surprise offering from a young attendee named Camila, who attends Youngstown art classes; her painting went for $250. Camila happens to be the about-to-turn-6 daughter of King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, who was in attendance and presented DNDA with a county check for almost $5,000 (with Camila’s help):

The night concluded with a dance party. (added) The event raised more than $64,000, for a campaign with a $100,000 goal. You can support DNDA’s work any time by going here.