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COUNTDOWN: Less than 3 weeks until West Seattle 5K. Special invitation for students!
April 21, 2025 9:10 am
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

The West Seattle 5K, coming up on Sunday morning, May 18, is not only West Seattle’s biggest run of the year – with more than 1,500 participants last year alone – but also a fundraiser for, and coordinated by, the West Seattle High School PTSA. They hope to encourage even more students to be part of it this year, so they’re highlighting this part of the original announcement:

Sign your student up for the annual competition among West Seattle High School students. The goal is to see which grade and club gets the most classmates to register. The winning grade gets out of Homeroom early for a special treat and cash ($250) to their grade level ASB. “We have heard from event runners that they didn’t know this event benefited the high school so we want to make sure to raise that awareness as well as get as many WSHS students involved as possible,” says Kelley O’Connor, event co-chair. Be sure to select your grade and club when registering. The winning club gets a special treat for all it’s members as well!

Registration is live now at www.westseattle5K.com and www.getmeregistered.com/WestSeattle5K

Adults are $40 (5/10 raises to $45)
Youth 19 and under are $20 (5/10 and later is $30)
West Seattle High School students are $20 (5/10 and later is $30)
West Seattle High School staff is free (need passcode and can buy shirt for $15)
Kids under 6 are free (no shirt included, but can buy for $15)

The WS5K start/finish line is on Alki Avenue near 61st SW.

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DANCE & DONATE: Madison Middle School Swing Dance and Auction ahead
April 16, 2025 9:30 am
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 |   How to help | West Seattle schools

(File photo, West Seattle Big Band)

Another spring “good time for a good cause” that you should know about – a little more than one week away at Madison Middle School (3429 45th SW)! Here’s the announcement:

The Madison PTSA Music Boosters would like to invite students, their families, and community members to a Swing Dance & Auction Fundraiser on April 25th, from 6-9 pm at Madison Middle School!

We have a lively event lined up, featuring performances by our very own Concert Band, Jazz Bands, Choir, and Orchestra, with a special performance by guest West Seattle Big Band! Tickets include a free Swing Dance lesson. Pizza and drinks available for purchase as well as an abundance of bake sale treats, thanks to our Madison parents!

Tickets are $20 presale or $25 at the door. All proceeds go to the Madison Music Boosters, which directly supports the Madison Middle School Music Department. This event is important, because it pulls in the majority of the funds that the music department needs annually for things like instrument replacement, concert accompaniment, instrument accessories, music books, sheet music, repairs, tuning, scholarships, travel costs, and more. Given how the arts continue to impact our collective human experience, our community is playing a part in supporting younger generations in taking up the torch (or instrument, as it were) to continue the rich tradition and cultural legacy of music.

An ADA-accessible entrance is on the south side of Madison Middle School, nearest to the U-shaped parking lot outside of the gym structure. Elevators will be made accessible for the event, which will be held in the Madison Commons, one level below the main floor.

Ticket link: signupgenius.com/go/60B094FA4A92BA7FA7-55669130-swing

If you already know you can’t attend and you’d like to simply donate to the Madison Music Program, please do so here: www.madisonptsa.com/madison-music-boosters

Questions? Email the Madison Music Boosters at madisonmusicboosters@gmail.com

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Center for Active Living invites you to benefit breakfast May 6
April 15, 2025 3:02 pm
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news

In the heart of The Junction, the Center for Active Living is “the center of it all,” with dozens of classes and programs every week, many open to the wider public, not just the seniors the center has long focused on serving. As with other nonprofit institutions, the center needs community support now more than ever, and you’re invited to help with that while having fun at its annual benefit breakfast, with food and music. It’s happening at 8 am Tuesday, May 6 – three weeks from today – at the Alki Masonic Center (40th/Edmunds). You can register here to be there!

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YOU CAN HELP! Special Olympics track and field meet in West Seattle needs 200+ volunteers
April 15, 2025 9:04 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Announced by Special Olympics of Washington – a big event happening here in a week and a half that needs lots of volunteers (and spectators too):

Come support and cheer on your Special Olympics WA (SOWA) athletes at their upcoming athletics competition on Saturday, April 26! Hundreds of athletes, coaches and volunteers from King County and Cascade areas will be convening at the Southwest Athletic Complex near Chief Sealth HS to participate and compete, and we need your help! Learn more about the event here and how to get involved as a volunteer here (we still are looking for 200+ hands!). Athletes will compete for a spot at SOWA’s State Spring Games at the University of Puget Sound on June 20-22. Reach out to volunteer@sowa.org or Lindsey lcornish@sowa.org to learn more!

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Student volunteers needed for 3rd annual Gatewood Elementary Gator Fair
April 14, 2025 8:59 am
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 |   Gatewood | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Gatewood Elementary is getting ready for its third annual Gator Fair in May, and student volunteers are an important part of the plan, so the search is on! Here’s the announcement sent to us to share:

Volunteer opportunity for Seattle Public Schools middle- and high-school students to earn service hours:

Gatewood Elementary is hosting the 3rd annual Gatewood Gator Fair on Saturday, May 31st, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., and is looking for volunteers to set up and break down the event, run carnival games, help out at booths, etc.

The event is rain or shine and the community is invited.

Volunteer shift is 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. You will be provided a lunch break and food to eat.

Sign up at signupgenius.com/go/10C0C44AAA92AA3F8C43-56222128-gator#

Questions? GatewoodGatorFair@gmail.com

School address: 4320 SW Myrtle Street, Seattle, WA, 98136. Parking in the neighborhood

Public transportation: Rapid Ride C line stop is Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Myrtle St.

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VIDEO: ‘Reaffirming the power of storytelling’ at Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s spring gala
April 13, 2025 9:45 pm
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 |   How to help | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

(WSB photos by Oliver Hamlin)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

At a time when federal support for cultural institutions is being downsized dramatically, events like the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s spring fundraising gala this past Friday matter more than ever.

Newly promoted executive director Elizabeth Rudrud – SWSHS’s lone paid staffer – addressed the situation in her speech during the event at Salty’s on Alki: “Our theme tonight is ‘storytellers,’ so I am starting with my favorite quote from the novelist and essayist James Baldwin. He wrote: ‘American History is longer, larger, more beautiful and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said about it.’ History is written by many voices. Yet we acknowledge the renewed efforts by some to erase important stories of our past. I want you to know two things. First, this is an unoriginal idea. And second, it doesn’t work. By being here tonight, you are reaffirming the power of storytelling.” We started recording her speech just as that opening was ending:

(WSB video – apologies for the shadow problem)

Rudrud spoke of the SWSHS’s partners. One of them was represented by a guest speaker, Humanities Washington CEO Julie Ziegler, told the stark tale of getting word that the federal government was canceling almost $10 million in vital funding that already had been allocated to our state by Congress:

As Ziegler said, supporters can do more than donate to try to help – they need to “speak up,” she urged, and tell Congress to ensure that the money (which she said is reportedly being diverted to a presidentially decreed “Garden of Heroes”) goes to where it was promised.

The gala showcased some of what SWSHS’s supporters make possible – including projects working with youth. Melissa Bacon spoke about the High Point Video Club – working with East African teens, many of whom are Chief Sealth International High School students, recording oral histories of High Point residents.

They’re hoping to collect 30 of those histories over the next two years. Gala attendees also heard firsthand from one young historian, Pedro – an intern at the <strong>Log House Museum, where the historical society is headquartered – who’s working on a different history project – the history of Seattle teriyaki!

His interviewees so far have included the man basically credited with inventing Seattle teriyaki almost half a century ago, Toshi Kasahara.

And gala-goers also got intel about what’s expected to be a transformative future museum exhibit (with funding from Maritime Washington National Heritage Area), from its designer Chris Fiala Erlich:

The highlight of the evening was toward the end, when five unique experiences were auctioned off, with energy and humor provided by auctioneers and longtime SWSHS supporters Clay Eals (a former executive director of the organization) (below center) and Mike Shaughnessy:

Eals noted that he was most heartened to see the room filled with new faces as well as familiar ones.

The highest winning bid was $3,000 for the opportunity to make your own Husky Deli ice-cream flavor and then invite a crowd to the deli afterhours for a party to enjoy it. Husky proprietor Jack Miller himself was there to talk more about it and to recount some Husky history.

Another of the experiences auctioned at the gala was a guided West Duwamish Greenbelt tour with Chief Sealth descendant Ken Workman, who has served both on the Duwamish Tribe council and the SWSHS board

He had welcomed the crowd early in the evening:

The walking tour went for $1,000, which also was the winning bid for a “speakeasy pizza party” at a secret West Seattle location. Legendary nature photographer Art Wolfe donated a tour of his almost-as-legendary West Seattle garden; that went for $1,300. And historian Peder Nelson will lead a West Seattle music tour for a $700 bidder (an extra-special deal because a $75 Easy Street Records gift card is part of it). Speaking of music, West Seattle’s own The Potholes provided the evening’s soundtrack:

The gala concluded with a paddleless version of fundraisers’ traditional “raise the paddle” invitation for attendees to commit to additional donations. As co-auctioneer Shaughnessy had suggested before the auction, “this is the time to double down to keep the Historical Society and Log House Museum open.” If you weren’t at the event but would like to offer support, you’ll find a link here.

You can also learn more about SWSHS and the museum – a historic building in its own right – by visiting noon-4 pm Fridays and Saturdays (61st/Stevens), and/or signing up for one of the popular Alki walking tours they’re offering again this spring/summer.

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WEST SEATTLE SCENE: Rock Walk in The Junction, to raise money for Summer Fest music
April 11, 2025 5:46 pm
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 |   Fun stuff to do | How to help | West Seattle news

That’s the scene inside Jet City Labs, one of the two epicenters for tonight’s Rock Walk – check-in spot as well as a place you can still get a ticket if you didn’t buy one in advance for the sip-and-stroll event raising money to maximize music at West Seattle Summer Fest. At the door of JCL (4547 California SW), say hi to a man who knows a thing or two about music, proprietor Derek Moon:

His venue also is hosting one of tonight’s beverage providers, Offset Ciderworks. While briefly in The Junction, we also stopped in at another participating venue, Easy Street Records, where you’ll find Brennan and Paige from Sleight of Hand Cellars on the café stage:

Easy Street is gearing up for a huge day tomorrow – open at 7 am Saturday for Record Store Day. But in the meantime, if you’re not already on the Rock Walk, go get a ticket at Jet City or at John L. Scott (4445 California SW), and enjoy your 12 choices from among 30+ adult-beverage providers at 30 venues – listed here – and know you’re giving a lift to Summer Fest, now just three months away! Rock Walk is on until 9 tonight.

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YOU CAN HELP: Puget Park weekend work party
April 11, 2025 8:59 am
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(File photo – trail in Puget Park)

If your Saturday isn’t all booked up … volunteer slots remain for a work party at Puget Park, 9 am-noon tomorrow (Saturday, April 12). From the invitation:

Excited to host you all at Puget Park for a little park volunteer fun. Appreciate you all coming out. We will be re-constructing a bit of trail and removing some invasive blackberries. All ages OK.

What to Bring
Gloves, water, snack & proper attire (may get muddy). I have gloves if needed and plenty of tools. Also please note there is no bathroom on site.

Where to Meet
19th Ave SW & SW Dawson

If you can go, please register here ASAP!

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FRIDAY PREVIEW: Waiting till last minute to decide about Rock Walk?
April 10, 2025 11:11 pm
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 |   Fun stuff to do | How to help | West Seattle news | WS beverages

Friday’s the night that you can sip, stroll, and help the West Seattle Junction Association raise money to raise the bar on West Seattle Summer Fest music. And the weather looks fairly promising for the first-ever Rock Walk, described by WSJA as “a night of different tastes from wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries – with all proceeds supporting live music at Summer Fest.” If you didn’t already buy tickets, online sales are closed BUT WSJA tells us you can still get in on it – buy your ticket at one of the check-in locations:

Jet City Labs – 4547 California Ave SW
John L. Scott Realty – 4445 California Ave SW

Rock Walk (and last-minute in-person ticketing) starts at 5 pm Friday. (Summer Fest is just three months away, BTW, July 11-13!).

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YOU CAN HELP: April showers bring May flowers – in fundraising bouquets!
April 8, 2025 4:49 pm
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Photo by Jerry Simmons)

Some flowers are blooming and more are on the way! Here’s word of a citywide flower fundraiser for PTA/PTSA equity funds including West Seattle – and if you participate, there are pickup dates/places in West Seattle:

The SESEC (Southeast Seattle Education Coalition) Mother’s Day Flower Sale is open until May 2nd. Our West Seattle pickup locations are Gatewood Elementary, May 10th, from 10 am-12 pm, and Alki Elementary @ Schmitz Park from 1 pm-3 pm

This is the only fundraiser to do as a whole city, to support all 3 public school equity funds.

HOW IT WORKS

This year’s flower sale features an updated giving model.

By choosing one of the three Equity Funds that comprise 46 member schools, $20 of your checkout total will be donated.
The donation will be divided in half, with one portion going directly to the selected Equity Fund and the other portion being added to a Title 1 pool.

SESEC will then redistribute the pooled funds among the Equity Funds based on their Title 1 school count. The three Equity Funds will subsequently allocate their distributions to their member schools according to their own unique equity models.

FLOWERS

We’re pleased to announce that our commitment to supporting farmers with living wages remains strong. $30 per bouquet goes to the farmers. Friendly Johnson-Vang, the founder of this flower sale initiative launched in 2020, has partnered with the PNW BIPOC Farmland Trust, an organization led by BIPOC farmers to hold farmland and support services for BIPOC farmers. The remaining $10 from each bouquet sale will cover administrative costs associated with running the flower sale.

THREE EQUITY FUNDS

CANSSPA: Central and North Seattle Schools PTA Alliance has16 member schools, 50% Title 1: Adams, Bailey Gatzert, James Baldwin, John Rogers, Leschi, Licton Springs K-8, Lowell, Loyal Heights, McDonald, Olympic Hills, Sacajawea, Salmon Bay K-8, Stevens, Viewlands, Wedgwood, West Woodland.

SESSFA: SE Seattle Schools Fundraising Alliance has 17 member schools, 94% Title 1: Aki Kurose MS, Beacon Hill, Dearborn Park, Dunlap, Emerson, Graham Hill, Hawthorne, Kimball, John Muir, Maple, Mercer MS, MLK Jr, Orca K-8, Rainier View, Rising Star, South Shore K-8, Wing Luke.

WSPSEF: West Seattle Public School Equity Fund has 13 member schools, 38% Title 1: Alki, Arbor Heights, Concord, Gatewood, Genesee Hill, Highland Park, Lafayette, Pathfinder K-8, Roxhill, Sanislo, West Seattle, Louisa Boren STEM K-8, Fairmount Park.

Here is the website to order flowers – again, May 2 is the ordering deadline, May 10 (the day before Mother’s Day) is the pickup date.

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HAPPENING NOW: Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s online auction open to all, days ahead of gala
April 7, 2025 2:43 pm
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 |   How to help | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society launched its online auction today, and you don’t have to have a ticket for Friday’s gala to bid in this! Though the in-person auction will have some unique items/experiences, you’ll find cool stuff up for online bidding right now – here’s the announcement:

Bid to support local history! The Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s online auction is open now through Thursday, April 10.

The annual online auction is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year and brings in critical revenue for the historical society and museum to provide free museum admission and free public programming year round.

This year’s auction features vacations and staycations (once again you can bid on a three-day stay at the Lodge at Erik’s Ranch and Retreats outside Yellowstone National Park in Paradise Valley, a nonprofit vacation rental that provides employment opportunities for adults with autism living in rural areas, gift cards to local services and businesses, local art, and one-of-a-kind West Seattle experiences including coffee with local historians, guided tours of Schmitz Preserve Park, season tickets to WS Football Clubs, dinner for two at Il Nido, and much, much more.

This year’s live auction, held during Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s annual Spring Gala, includes priceless experiences. Select items only available in person include creating your own Husky Deli Ice Cream flavor; a private guided tour of the West Duwamish Greenbelt with Ken Workman, descendant of Chief Sealth; a private music tour of West Seattle music history (in a classic car); a private speakeasy/karaoke/pizza party; and a private wine tasting for six at photographer and conservationist Art Wolfe’s private garden.

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society owns and operates the Log House Museum at Alki Beach, cares for a unique collection of artifacts, provides free museum admission and public programming (like Alki History Walking Tours and Words, Writers, Southwest Stories), and relies on grants and contributions to keep its doors open. This year, the historical society is raising funds for its multi-year interpretive planning initiative supported by Maritime Washington National Heritage Area, which will result in a permanent, interactive exhibition that will transform how people experience the Log House Museum.

Organizations like the historical society are also reliant on support from partners like Humanities Washington, and others, who are experiencing direct cuts in federal funding and uncertain futures. Humanities Washington supports the historical society’s long running speaker series and allows the organization to bring in speakers on diverse topics, including last month’s talk on Black Women Civil Rights Workers in Washington State.

Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s annual Spring Gala will be held at Salty’s on Alki next Friday, April 11 from 6-8:30 pm. The event will also feature music from local band The Potholes, delicious food from Salty’s, and dessert from Bakery Nouveau.

Special guests include exhibit designer and contractor Chris Fiala Erlich, partners at Seattle Housing Authority whose youth Video Club is helping the historical society capture oral histories of High Point, and a high school intern who is researching Seattle Teriyaki for an upcoming pop-up exhibit at the museum.

The online auction closes at 8 pm on Thursday, April 10. Information and registration for both events is at loghousemuseum.org

WSB is media sponsor for this year’s auction.

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HELPING: Two major local nonprofits showcased at HomeStreet Bank’s West Seattle branch
April 5, 2025 9:45 pm
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 |   How to help | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Every month, HomeStreet Bank‘s West Seattle branch (4022 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor) showcases a local business or nonprofit, and offers visitors the chance to enter a drawing related to the showcase subject. This past month, it was the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, looking ahead to next Friday night’s fundraiser Story Tellers: A Peninsula and Its People. On Thursday, SWSHS’s Elizabeth Rudrud visited the branch to join employee Gus for the monthly drawing – the winner got a free ticket to the Friday gala. For everybody else – tickets are still available, and get you a great night at Salty’s on Alki, with the chance to bid on some amazing offerings – and even if you absolutely can’t go, you’ll be able to bid in the online auction starting Monday.

Meantime, this month’s showcase at HomeStreet West Seattle features another organization with a fundraising gala coming up soon, the West Seattle Food Bank – they’ve just extended earlybird pricing for their May 3 event Nourish & Flourish until next Friday. Visit the display at HomeStreet any time this month, and in the meantime, get your Nourish & Flourish ticket(s) by going here.

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COUNTDOWN: One week until first-ever Rock Walk in the West Seattle Junction!
April 4, 2025 12:33 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fun stuff to do | How to help | West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

We are now just a little over three months until West Seattle Summer Fest fills The Junction with three days of music, shopping, food, and fun. And we’re only one week away from a new fun(draiser) to support Summer Fest music – the first-ever Rock Walk. Next Friday, April 11, the West Seattle Junction Association invites you to Rock Walk — ICYMI last month, here’s the full announcement:

You told us last year — one of the best things about Summer Fest is the music! And guess what? We heard you loud and clear. This year, we’re turning up the volume with an exciting new event: Rock Walk, a fundraiser to enhance the music programming at Summer Fest 2025!

As costs continue to rise and summer weekends fill up with community festivals, we want to ensure West Seattle Summer Fest stays on your calendar as a must-attend event. That’s why we’re bringing you Rock Walk — a night of different tastes from wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries – with all proceeds supporting live music at Summer Fest.

What is Rock Walk?
Located in the heart of West Seattle Junction, Rock Walk is a dynamic tasting event featuring wine, cider, beer, and spirits.

-30 businesses will serve as sip stops
-32 beverage providers (yes, two locations will have double the options!)
-12 tasting choices per person
-Exclusive perks: Your ticket includes a tasting glass, a tote bag for bottle purchases, a map of all locations, and—of course—our undying gratitude for supporting live music at Summer Fest!

Event Details
📅 Date: Friday, April 11th
🕔 Time: 5:00 – 9:00 PM
📍 Check-in Locations:
Jet City Labs – 4547 California Ave SW
John L. Scott Realty – 4445 California Ave SW

Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure yours here: Rock Walk Tickets

Go to The Junction’s website to see the Rock Walk beverage providers and pouring locations.

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WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: Lafayette Elementary PTA invites you to ‘One Short Night in the Emerald City’
April 4, 2025 9:00 am
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

The Lafayette Elementary PTA‘s big fundraising event is coming up later this month, and you’re invited!


\There’s no place like Lafayette!

Follow the yellow brick road to the Brockey Center at South Seattle College on Saturday, April 26th and join us as we enjoy One Short Night In The Emerald City. This year’s auction and gala brings together Lafayette families and community members to support the PTA’s mission of fostering academic success while enriching the student experience and building a strong West Seattle community.

The event proceeds will help our PTA provide funds for vital components of the school and help ensure the school is equitable for all students. We strive to ensure all students and teachers have the support and materials needed to thrive! Our PTA provides crucial support for school programs including classroom tutors, the Garden program, instrumental music, physical education, art, and field-trip scholarships.

Prepare to be dancing through life at this special event! Our event will be a celebration of all things Emerald City, complete with a live auction, plated dinner, wine, cocktails, and a fun post-event party featuring live karaoke and music by Rock Bot. In addition to our live auction, Lafayette’s silent auction will run the week leading up to this can’t-miss event. Stay tuned to see all of the local goodies that have been graciously donated by local businesses and supporters.

You’ll be positively emerald with jealousy if you miss out on this special night, so purchase your ticket for the live auction and gala here.

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COUNTDOWN: Month and a half until West Seattle 5K!
April 3, 2025 6:47 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | How to help | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from 2024 West Seattle 5K)

The first big 5K of this year’s spring/summer season is a month and a half away – the West Seattle 5K, presented by and benefiting the West Seattle High School PTSA, on Sunday, May 18, along Alki. WSB is once again among the race sponsors, and organizers have a big new announcement:

We are thrilled to welcome Proliance South Seattle Otolaryngology and Proliance Southwest Seattle Orthopedics as presenting sponsors. As two prominent Proliance Surgeons care centers, their generous support makes this event possible and directly benefits the West Seattle High School community.

The West Seattle 5k is the ultimate community spring event, with students, families, and our entire community taking part to help fund our local schools. Proliance South Seattle Otolaryngology and Proliance Southwest Seattle Orthopedics joining as presenting sponsors exemplifies how our community steps up to support our students.

Both care centers have proudly served West Seattle and the Southside for decades, providing expert surgical care without the need to cross the bridge.

“We love West Seattle; this is our home,” says Dr. Peter Maurice, an ENT specialist whose youngest son attends West Seattle High School.

“My family has been running in the West Seattle 5K for years,” adds Dr. Brian Jones, an orthopedic surgeon whose two daughters also attend West Seattle High School. “We’re happy to support this event and our school!”

Thousands of runners and spectators from all corners of the Puget Sound and beyond have participated in this 5K in the past 15 years. In 2024, we had 1,570 participants, a 27% increase over the previous year and we raised over $42,000 for West Seattle High School PTSA! Participants are drawn to the event by the family fun, the gorgeous scenery, a flat and fast course starting and finishing at the Alki Beach House, and all the amenities that Alki Beach has to offer. Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in many categories.

Coming back for a third year is a friendly competition among West Seattle High School students. The goal is to see which grade and/or club gets the most classmates to register. The winning grade or club gets out of Homeroom early for a special treat and cash ($250) to their grade level ASB. “We have heard from event runners that they didn’t know this event benefited the high school so we want to make sure to raise that awareness as well as get as many high schoolers involved as possible,” says Kelley O’Connor, event co-chair. Be sure to select your grade and club when registering.

“As you know, Seattle Public Schools is facing an enormous budget shortfall and limited funding for the programs we know our students need,” says WSHS PTSA president Holly Rikhof. “The WSHS PTSA is dedicated to funding the academic and classroom support we have long taken for granted at West Seattle High School. Until 2023, our students benefited from a levy that funded a robust tutoring program, including school-day, after-school, and Saturday tutoring. This year, we have been able, through your generous donations, to fund a monthly staffed Saturday Study Hall that benefits an average of 100 students each session, classroom supply needs and student-led initiatives.”

There are buttons on the registration page to donate to the 5k if you’d rather sleep in that morning or don’t wish to run/walk. This is our community neighborhood high school and we hope residents will feel generous in supporting the school and local students. This is a fun way to directly give back!

Registration is live now at westseattle5K.com and www.getmeregistered.com/WestSeattle5K

The WS5K starts and finishes on Alki Avenue near 61st SW; see our coverage from last year here.

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WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: Highland Park Elementary’s ‘Give and Take’ sale Saturday – got stuff to give?
April 2, 2025 5:40 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Highland Park | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(WSB photo, HPE’s 2024 Give and Take Sale)

Got stuff to recycle to someone else, but not planning a sale? The Highland Park Elementary PTA could use your help! This Saturday is their “Give and Take Rummage Sale” – here’s the announcement sent to us to share:

Give and Take Rummage Sale April 5th
8-10 am Donations are accepted, then begin rummaging at 9 am
Everything is FREE. Monetary Donations are accepted in support of the PTA.
Highland Park Elementary School Northside blacktop
1012 SW Trenton

Our take what you want and give what you can event is Saturday. This event truly supports our community. Families who truly need basic clothing, shoes and housewares can get what they need. Donate your gently used books, garden starts, sports and outdoor equipment, kitchenware, kids and adult clothing and toys. NO large furniture. We will accept donated items from 8 am-10 am on 4/5 at the Highland Park Elementary blacktop playground on the north side of the school. All items will be free and donations accepted. All items left at the end of the day will go to local charities, Westside Baby and Mary’s Place. What they will not accept will go to Goodwill and Salvation Army, etc.

Any questions please see the PTA website

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Local community cleanup group A Cleaner Alki losing grant, looking for alternatives
April 2, 2025 11:56 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Story by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Photos courtesy of Erik Bell

In recent years, any West Seattleite has likely seen the handiwork of local community cleanup group A Cleaner Alki, and its leader Erik Bell. 

The group has always been fueled by community help, but right now, it needs your support more than ever because it will be unexpectedly losing some crucial grant funding. More on that below.

ACA, founded by Bell in 2021, is a truly grassroots effort that has grown into a cleanup powerhouse: In 2024 alone, it held 289 organized events involving 4,700 volunteer hours, resulting in more than 36 tons of trash being removed from our community.

Their daily “Block Drops” also removed 7,800 pounds of trash with the help of thousands of volunteer hours, including helpers of all ages:

Recent cleanups have included Roxhill Park, Duwamish Head Greenspace and downtown White Center, and upcoming cleanups include 1st Ave Bridge, Lincoln Park, the Othello neighborhood, and Schmitz Park (pictured below, from a past cleanup): 

Last week, Bell made a plea on social media to let his supporters know that he had recently been informed that the group would not be awarded an extension of a two-year $60,000 Dept. of Ecology Grant which has been a major piece of their funding. While disappointing, Bell is actively moving ahead with the group’s mission, and is looking for the community’s help with individual donations (you can give here via the Seattle Parks Foundation) as well as hearing your ideas for connections/suggestions for securing larger chunks of funding. See below for more details, from Bell:

A Cleaner Alki was established in July 2021 to invite neighbors out to help clean up our local community. We started with simple weekend cleanups on Alki Beach, but as the group quickly grew we were soon looking for other opportunities off the beach. Over the next year and a half we started cleaning up at local schools, parks, residential areas, business junctions and abandoned encampments. We joined Seattle Public Utilities Adopt A Street program who started supplying us gear and picking up our piles. 
 
A community member gifted us a van for our work which allowed us to get more tools and accommodate more helpers.
 
In 2023 we applied for funding from the Washington State Dept. of Ecology and were awarded a 2 year $60,000 Public Participation Grant. That amazing opportunity let us amplify our workload and we started offering 4-5 cleanups a week as well as putting Block Drop stations up around the community for self-led cleanups.
 
In the past two years we’ve onboarded with Seattle Parks Foundation, who acts as our fiscal sponsor, and allows us to go after grants and donations through their nonprofit status. We’ve also partnered weekly with Seattle Parks & Rec gardeners, SDOT Street End gardeners and Forest Stewards to help the city with their work loads around West Seattle, removing invasives and replacing them with native plants. We likewise added “Sprucing” cleanups to our offerings which clear overgrown public infrastructure, removing hazards and line of sight issues for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists for a safer community.
 
In 2024, ACA held 289 organized events with the help of 4,700 hours of volunteer time which collected over 36 tons of trash out of our community. Our Block Drops, which get put out daily, also removed 7,800 pounds of trash out of our community with the help of thousands of volunteer hours.
 
ACA’s success is powered by the amazing neighbors who come out and give of themselves in our cleanup work daily. In fact, the fellowship we are creating is the most important part of our mission, and the cleanups are simply byproducts of these developing friendships.
 
Although the grant has been an amazing catalyst to get to where we’re at—we weren’t awarded it for this upcoming biennium, so we’ll need to figure out other funding means to keep our momentum going.
 
If any neighbors know of grants or foundations that align with our community building work, we would love to seek out those connections and continue our growth—and potentially become a model for this type of group for any neighborhood. For those who value this work and would like to help out on an individual level, we offer tax-deductible donations through Seattle Parks Foundation at https://www.classy.org/give/563765
 
Follow us on our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/acleaneralki, on Instagram @a.cleaner.alki or on our website at byandby.org
 
We post new opportunities every weekend for the upcoming week and would love to have more neighbors involved! Thank you for your love over these past four years West Seattle, we look forward to many more and to continue to improve this place we all call home! 

Your support means that Bell’s group can continue their efforts on a wide variety of projects, including greenspace cleanups:

…and even the occasional broken-dock cleanup on the shore:

Bell encourages neighbors to connect with him via social media or at erik.belltribe@gmail.com or 206-852-9552, as well as the group’s website. And again, you can donate to the cause here via the Seattle Parks Foundation. 

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COUNTDOWN: Clock ticking to get early-bird discount for West Seattle Food Bank ‘Nourish & Flourish’ gala
April 1, 2025 7:11 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fun stuff to do | How to help | West Seattle news

Nonprofits like the West Seattle Food Bank need your help more than ever these days so they can “Nourish and Flourish.” That’s the theme of WSFB’s gala this year, on May 3, and you have just a few days left to get tickets at the early-bird discount rate – here’s the WSFB’s reminder:

The West Seattle Food Bank is excited to remind the community that early bird pricing for our signature event, Nourish & Flourish, is available through Friday, April 4th. This annual evening of celebration and generosity supports vital food, housing, and community programs serving thousands of our neighbors.

Nourish & Flourish, on May 3rd, 2025, is more than a gala — it’s a chance for our community to come together and ensure that everyone has access to nourishing food, housing and essential resources. The event will feature an elegant dinner, inspiring stories, thrilling auction, and the always-exciting Changemaker Award!

Early-bird ticket pricing ends at midnight on Friday, April 4th. After that, standard ticket pricing will apply. ($125 Early Bird, rising to $150 regular)

Reserve your tickets now and help us continue to nourish our community and help families flourish.

WSB is media sponsor for the WSFB gala again this year.

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YOU CAN HELP: Lions Club plans cleanup this weekend at Veterans’ Park
April 1, 2025 5:17 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | How to help | West Seattle news

14 years ago, that small triangle of land where Delridge, 16th SW, and SW Roxbury meet was re-dedicated as Veterans’ Park (here’s our partner site White Center Now‘s coverage from 2011). But it’s fallen into disrepair, with tagging and trash. The Lions Club of West Seattle plans a cleanup event this Sunday – 10 am April 6 – and Lions leader Jimie Martin says they’re hoping you can help out. She’s furious that something meant in honor of those who have served is now defaced, and hoping the cleanup will be a start toward remedying that.

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LIFTOFF! West Seattle High School’s Rocketry Club looking for a boost
March 31, 2025 8:06 pm
|    Comments Off on LIFTOFF! West Seattle High School’s Rocketry Club looking for a boost
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Photos courtesy WSHS Rocketry Club)

We love hearing from, and about, clubs, teams, and other student achievers at local schools. There’s always something someone new – this is the first time we’ve heard from a Rocketry Club! Here’s the message they asked us to share with you:

We are West Seattle High School’s Rocketry Club! We compete in rocketry competitions, where we have to design, build, and fly our own rockets to a set altitude and get down without breaking our payload of two eggs. Our club is working to break accessibility barriers to STEM in the school and create a welcoming environment for students to learn, make mistakes, and have fun. As a competitive club, our goal is to build a team of students — and a rocket — to win The American Rocketry Challenge, a nationwide competition for student rocketeers! Our club is often found late at night after school trying to fix a problem, having fun, and building rockets. We are unique in our competition, being one of very few schools to have an active controlled airbrake that eliminates randomness from our launches.

While this airbrake is very cool, it is also very costly, and our club needs more funds in order to sustain our rate of development. With the competition deadline soon approaching, we are seeking donations to our club for us to buy more parts for our rockets. Currently our team has spent over $1,700 out of pocket, and we need the help of the community in order to get the resources needed to be one of the top 100 teams that make it to finals this year. Any amount of money would be greatly appreciated! These donations would go to buying more rocket motors, spare electronics, and extra rocket parts. Thank you for supporting the West Seattle High School Rocketry Club!
schoolpay.com/pay/for/Rocketry-Club–Donations/S2NkHt

Updates on our club can be found on Instagram at wshsrocketry!

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YOU CAN HELP: Online auction opens soon, in-person event ticket sales end tomorrow for Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School fundraiser
March 31, 2025 9:14 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

School fundraiser season continues, and Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School has both an online auction all this week and a Saturday gala for which ticket sales end tomorrow:

Do you have an itch to shop but don’t want to leave the house? Look no further! Holy Family Bilingual School’s Online Auction kicks off April 2nd-6th and we have something for everyone! From tickets to your favorite sporting events, gift cards to support local businesses 🛒, to summer gear and much more!

All proceeds will go toward the development of our **After School Club Program** for our Falcons, with additional funds benefiting scholarships and enrichment opportunities.

Want to celebrate with us in style? 🎉 Don’t miss out on our **Gala Party**! Dress up in your best Brazilian Carnival attire, enjoy delicious food, drinks, and dance the night away!

**Tickets are on sale now – but hurry, they close on Tuesday, April 1st at 1 PM!** Click this link to grab yours!

Your support helps us soar—**Thank you for supporting our Falcons!**

This flyer has more information.

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YOU CAN HELP: Seller spots open for West Seattle Eagles’ cancer-fighting fundraiser sale
March 30, 2025 5:37 pm
|    Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP: Seller spots open for West Seattle Eagles’ cancer-fighting fundraiser sale
 |   Gardening | How to help | West Seattle news

Spring is the start of outdoor sale season, and the West Seattle Eagles have one for your calendar, especially if you’re interested in being a seller. Here’s the announcement:

Plant and Craft Sale – April 26, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the West Seattle Eagles Club. Join us for a plant, art and craft sale in the south parking lot, accompanied by a BBQ selling hamburgers and hot dogs from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

We welcome friends or associates of members to participate in the sale. You do not need to be a West Seattle Eagles member. Spots are available for $15 each; please provide your own plant rack or table. Proceeds from the spots will benefit Fred Hutch Cancer Center.

This event is the perfect opportunity to sell plants, pots, and/or garden art from your garden. It’s also an ideal venue for artists, crafters, and anyone who enjoys making unique garden creations. If you are interested in participating, please contact Sue Irvin at irvdiamonds@comcast.net.

The Eagles’ HQ is next to the post office, at 44xx California SW in The Junction.

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WEEKEND PREVIEW: WSHS Baseball Boosters invite you to dine and bid
March 28, 2025 8:07 pm
|    Comments Off on WEEKEND PREVIEW: WSHS Baseball Boosters invite you to dine and bid
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Boosters of West Seattle High School‘s state-champion baseball team invite you to join them for a dinner and auction Saturday night – and you can bid even if you can’t be there! Here’s the announcement

Come out and support the WSHS Baseball Team by purchasing your auction tickets for the 2025 Grand Slam Social & Fundraiser!

Entry: $40 (Players and kids 12 & under FREE!)

Your support helps fund uniforms, equipment, and program essentials—let’s rally together for WSHS Baseball!

Can’t make the auction? You can still bid online or make a donation to support the team! Every contribution helps!

Scan the QR code or go to WSHS Baseball Grand Slam Social & Fundraiser.

The event starts at 6 pm tomorrow (Saturday, March 29) at Alki Masonic Center (40th/Edmunds).

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