Help West Seattle kids stay safe: Take an online survey now
At this past week’s Delridge District Council meeting attendees heard a moving presentation about the Southwest Healthy Youth Partnership — which needs more people power to help keep local kids out of trouble with alcohol and other drugs, not just to keep them safe for now, but also to reduce their chances of lifelong problems – the sooner you start drinking, the more likely you are to struggle with alcohol abuse as an adult. Since knowledge is power, as the saying goes, one simple way to help — if you’re a West Seattle parent — is to complete a new survey – and you can do it online. Here’s how Renae Gaines, a local leader in this fight, explains it:
The Southwest Healthy Youth Partnership is interested in getting feedback from community members about the attitudes and perceptions of underage youth using alcohol and/or other drugs. We realize that you are a valuable source of information and the information will help the coalition to address alcohol and drug use in the community.
In late November, a survey will be sent out to 1233 community members to gather information on attitudes, knowledge and perceptions around this issue. The coalition will use the community information to develop community strategies and solutions. The survey data is important for understanding the issue surrounding underage use of alcohol and other drugs in the community and we strongly encourage community members to participate. The community members were selected randomly and will receive a survey via the United Stated States Postal Service which will include a postage paid return envelope. Or you can have the option of completing this on-line survey:
www.surveymonkey.com/WestSeattleParentSurvey . If you are a West Seattle parent and you haven’t received the survey via US mail or completed it through Madison Middle School, please take it online.
The results of the survey will be distributed throughout the community after the data analysis and community members will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the results.
If you have questions about the community survey and/or information about the coalition, please contact the SPF-SIG Community Coordinator, Renaé T. Gaines: (206) 396-2945 or her e-mail: rtgaines@seattleschools.org
Another way for you to join forces with the Southwest Healthy Youth Partnership is to attend the next meeting, coming up Tuesday night — 6-8 pm, Southwest Library branch; here’s a map. (All the group’s meetings through next May are listed now on the WSB Events calendar.)
Happening now: Eastridge turkey giveaway
That’s barely half the line as of about 20 minutes ago stretching southward on 39th toward Fauntleroy Way from Eastridge Christian Assembly, which is again this year giving away hundreds of turkeys (along with other groceries). As Eastridge’s website puts it, they’re doing this “to bless families who need a little extra help for Thanksgiving.” They are giving away 500 each at their West Seattle and Issaquah campuses, till noon or till they run out. (If you’d like to extend holiday help to local families in need, you can do it any time through online $ donations to the West Seattle [click here] and White Center [click here] Food Banks.)
Trim your tree while helping Hi-Yu: Ornaments on sale!
Those are three of the four glass ornaments that West Seattle Hi-Yu is selling in its annual holiday-time fundraiser – designed and hand-blown by Glass Eye Studio, $25 each, proceeds supporting Hi-Yu (including all the fun summer events Hi-Yu presents, and the float its volunteers create this year to represent West Seattle in parades near and far). You can buy them from any Hi-Yu member, or be on the lookout for ornament-sellers around West Seattle — this Sunday, you will find them at the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle booth on the east side of the West Seattle Farmers’ Market (10 am-2 pm) and you’ll also find Queen Zoe and Princess Elyse from the Hi-Yu Junior Court selling ornaments Sunday, 11 am-2 pm, at West Seattle Thriftway in Morgan Junction. Another big event coming up where you’ll be able to buy them: The Kiwanis Club’s big Pancake Breakfast (which itself sounds like a great deal — all the pancakes and ham you can eat, 7 am-11 am December 6th at the Masonic Hall [map], $6 adults/$3 kids 12 and under; Santa’ll be there too – here’s the flyer). The Hi-Yu ornaments are available through Christmas — if they don’t sell out sooner!
Update: Local food banks get more help (and still need more!)
Tonight we’re at the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council‘s monthly meeting, chaired by Pete Spalding of Pigeon Point, who also leads the West Seattle Food Bank board – he has mentioned the success of last weekend’s various fundraisers for WSFB (including the Beer Church, CoolMom.org, and Rocksport events) in tandem with the relentless ongoing increase in demand for WSFB help. We have a few more to mention: This Saturday, 8 pm-midnight at Kenyon Hall, a community dance with Rick Berinato and the Paperback Riders will benefit WSFB ($20 donation suggested). Also, we’ve received word that the 18th annual food drive at Java Bean Coffeehouse on Avalon is under way, continuing through this Sunday; bring nonperishable foods to drop off – preferably “Thanksgiving-type food,” according to the flyer (which you can see here) – the food’s going to Northwest Harvest, which supplies various area food banks. One more note: We have been reporting on partner site White Center Now about the multi-ton potato donation that’s just arrived at the White Center Food Bank; see today’s video coverage here – here’s a photo of WCFB executive director Rick Jump, Blaine Hirai from the donating farm (Hirai Farms in the Moses Lake area), and 11th District State Rep. Bob Hasegawa (whose district includes part of White Center) with some of the potato sacks:
You can donate $ online to both local food banks, any time – WSFB’s site is here; WCFB’s site is here. ADDED 9:30 PM: Celeste e-mailed us (thank you!) to say that Jefferson Square Safeway is still promoting “buy a turkey for $5 to donate to the West Seattle Food Bank,” so check that out when you grocery-shop.
Junction update: Stop ‘n’ Shop reopens Saturday
The remodeling work at Stop ‘n’ Shop on the ground floor of the Senior Center of West Seattle was supposed to be done in time for a grand reopening last Saturday – but it took a little longer than planned, so this Saturday is now the plan (just in time for it to be part of your Junction holiday shopping plans!). The Christmas items in the photo above are in the window now, and will be waiting when the shop reopens. Here’s the word from Cindy Gwinn:
The newly remodeled Stop and Shop will open its doors this Saturday at 10 AM. We would like to invite you all to join us. The new hours are 10 am to 4 pm, 7 days a week.
We are also receiving donations. We are looking for clean, working items. If you have large furniture you can not deliver, we can pick it up. West Seattle only, please. Please call Cindy Gwinn at 206 915-5595 for pickup time.
All donations can be left in the back of the store, or by the front door after 4pm or you can always come by during open hours.
Thank you West Seattle, for all your support
Speaking of seniors – thanks to the seniors’ group at Alki Community Center that invited us to come talk to/with them this morning – anyone who has the outdated opinion that the Internet’s mostly just for “young” people should meet folks like them (we were thrilled to learn that just about everyone in the room was familiar with WSB!) – and of course, you can be “young” at any age, anyway (heaven knows, your WSB co-publishers have more than a few years in the rear-view mirror).
Follow-ups: 3 ways to help = 3 West Seattle success stories!
From Abby Suplizio with West Seattle CoolMom.org, via e-mail: The first-ever CoolMom Toy Swap/Sale at Camp Long on Saturday had an “amazing turnout,” according to Abby (WSB photo at left from our Saturday “happening now” report), and she adds: “The end of the day numbers were that we raised $475 (enough for 600 meals) specifically for the West Seattle Food Bank. We sold $2,000 worth of toys (initial estimate) AND dropped off nearly 25 boxes of toys to WestSide Baby. Nancy (Woodland, of WestSide Baby) was overjoyed that so many families were going to get Christmas this year! We all felt really good at the end of the day!” (More about CoolMom at coolmom.org)
From KSJ and the Beer Church via a comment on last night’s Turkey Bowl report (which included the food-donation photo at right): “We made just over $3,000 and while we didn’t have a scale big enough to weigh the food we filled a van. Thanks to everyone who came and bowled, particularly our local pubs and breweries: Georgetown Brewing, Big Al’s Brewing, Elliott Bay Brewing, Rogue Issaquah Brewhouse, Dog and Pony, West5, and Beveridge Place.” (More about Beer Church at beerchurch.com)
And a few days ago, we got a results report on last weekend’s cat adopt-a-thon at Southwest Community Center. Via e-mail from Megan with the Seattle Animal Shelter “Fabulous Felines” team e-mailed: “13 kitties, including two adults and one special needs cat, found their forever homes.” According to another message we received, that included the two whose photos were at the top of our “happening now” report that day.
SIDE NOTE: Whenever there’s an event (like the 3 above) lasting more than a couple hours, we try our best to get there to take pix and post “happening now” coverage, after sharing advance word via regular WSB features such as the Events calendar, the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, and (seasonally) the Holiday Happenings list. But we also welcome you to send photos during your event (and pix/success stories afterward) – cameraphone photos are often usable too – editor@westseattleblog.com (you can also share via Flickr – where we’ve set up a West Seattle Blog group – Twitter and/or Facebook — all our current contact info is on this page). Thanks!
West Seattleite “on the run” to raise $ to fight blood cancers
While freshening up the Blogs page overnight — its centerpiece is an automated digest delivering the newest posts from 100 blog writers around West Seattle — we added a few sites, including 13 in 12. This time, it’s not one we happened onto during, oh, say, a Google Blog Search (our usual means of discovering West Seattleites in the “blogosphere”) — we got a note from the author’s wife. Rachael e-mailed us to say, in part:
I’m not sure if this is WSB news-worthy, but I think it’s a pretty cool thing my husband is doing. He has participated in the Big Climb fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for 3 years, but recently our good friend was diagnosed, so he’s taking it one step (or many steps depending on how you look at it) further with this new challenge (13 races of marathon distance or more in 12 weeks).
Rachael’s husband, Nic, already keeps a personal blog — so 13 in 12 is an addition, and it just launched, including a list of the 13 events he plans to participate in, starting with one in Gig Harbor the day after Thanksgiving. Not only can you follow his progress along the way to achieving “13 in 12,” you can also make a donation (all money goes to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) from a link on the page (which also has a postal-mail address if you’d rather send $ that way). Good luck, Nic!
More ways to help: A giving kind of day – and night
Thanks to JenV for adding a comment to our previous post, pointing out that you can donate a turkey to the West Seattle Food Bank today by buying it for just $5 at Jefferson Square Safeway. Two other food drive/fundraiser events for WSFB are happening tonight in the general Junction vicinity — the Beer Church‘s annual Turkey Bowl, starting at 5:30 pm at West Seattle Bowl (the TB lanes are full but you’re welcome to drop by, bring food and/or money for WSFB, and hang out) — and at 8 pm, a live-music benefit, Serve It Up, at Rocksport, with the toplines as follows:
Features Fall from Grace, To the Glorious Lonely, Memphis Radio Kings, Down with People, Something Vital and unplugged sets from Owen Wright, Martin Chandler, Tom Gunn and Dudley Taft. Door goes to Food Bank. $10.00 cover. Bins to donate non-perishable foods as well as raffles for prizes!
It’s the ultimate multitasking — having fun while doing good. P.S. If you can’t join in any of the above, you can still help the two food banks that serve West Seattle, right now without even leaving your computer/tucking away your iPhone/whatever — donate $ to WSFB by going here; donate $ to White Center Food Bank by going here.
2 ways for “swapping” to be part of your holiday shopping
That photo is courtesy of Abby Suplizio, a West Seattle leader of CoolMom.org, whose members and volunteers have sorted donations and are ready for the first CoolMom Holiday Toy Swap ‘n’ Sale – 9 am-1 pm this Saturday at the Camp Long Lodge. Beneficiaries also include WestSide Baby and West Seattle Food Bank, which will get the proceeds from paper turkeys (cut out from used cereal boxes! CoolMom notes) sold for $2 to $20. According to a CoolMom reminder: “We have gotten some great items – bikes, trikes, and push toys; puzzles & games; barbies; baby gear, music, art, and other developmental activities; lots of brand names and much much more.” (Note that the “swap” aspect of it happened in advance – those who donated to the sale, as mentioned in this WSB preview, got a $5 sale credit for each bag of toys donated.)
SECOND SWAP: Sustainable West Seattle has just announced that on December 8th, everyone’s welcome to its first “Money Free Shopping Spree” gathering – a potluck and a gift swap. The SWS announcement says, “Items to be swapped are handmade crafts (candle, soap, ornament, handmade paper, art, cards…) or food (jam, preserves, chutney, beer, cookies…) or services (bike tune, garden consultation, weeding, dinner for two, babysitting, cooking lesson, home energy consultation …” This event also is at the Camp Long Lodge, 6-9 pm 12/8.
Wanted: West Seattle puppy-raisers and puppy-sitters
OK, who could resist a face like that? We told you earlier this year about the new local group raising guide-dog puppies to help blind people, and Sue Bonney e-mailed WSB tonight to say they are “looking for people in the community that may be interested in raising or puppy sitting these special puppies.” (She also provided the photo you see above.) More details: “Adult and youth volunteers train future guide dogs who enhance the mobility of people who are visually impaired. These adorable Labrador puppies and their volunteer raisers can be seen all over the county. The rewards of volunteering are enormous. Join our Puppy Raising Program. No prior experience is necessary.” For more info, you can call Sue at 206/330-7999 or e-mail her: seedogs@mail.com
Seattle Lutheran reaches out to help troops: You can help too
We first read about it on the Seattle Lutheran High School website this morning – students working on a tight deadline to put together care packages for troops, after finding out that an SLHS (civilian) mom was heading for Kuwait with deploying troops:
When we sent a note seeking more info, turned out Bil Hood at SLHS was already rustling up those photos and more information — and he subsequently sent us this article by Kayla, SLHS senior and Key Club vice president:
As Miss Sacha Mann, a Math Teacher and Key Club faculty advisor at Seattle Lutheran High School, was counting money for UNICEF, Mr. Adair Hinds, Head of Seattle Lutheran, approached her with a great opportunity for the school.
A parent of one of the sophomores, who works in the airline industry, will be taking 400 soldiers to Kuwait, and Miss Mann was asked that Key Club put together packages of items that would be donated by students and their families. “I was impressed with the overwhelming generosity and involvement by our students and their families to bring in the donations and write thoughtful cards in such short notice,” said Miss Mann, referring to the very short 2-day timeline the school was given. Key Club not only packaged these gift bags, but also supplied cellophane bags and granola bars for the packages.
The student body helped write thank-you notes to the soldiers and signed a banner that reads, “Seattle Lutheran High School supports our troops.” (top photo) Some students wrote short stories and jokes as well as thank you notes on their cards. “It feels good to know that we’re making a difference in a soldier’s life!” said senior Emily Meyer, Key Club president, as she was writing a thank-you card.
With a very short deadline from Tuesday to Thursday, the school was able to put together more than 350 packages. In an effort to continue to support our troops, we have a Soldier’s Angels Club that is sponsoring 2 Marines who have been deployed to Iraq, and anyone interested in donating items for the care packages can bring them to the school office with a note for the Soldier’s Angels Club. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Seattle Lutheran High School is on Genesee between 41st and 42nd; here’s a map.
Urgent call for help: Need veterans for Alki school assembly
Alki Elementary is having a Veterans Day assembly on Monday (no school Tuesday) and we just heard from Diane Fields, who is trying to find veterans to be part of the assembly. You’d have to be available in time to get to the school by 2 pm Monday. If you can do it – or if you have a question first – please e-mail or call Diane ASAP, dianefields47@comcast.net or 206/954-1505.
Yes you can … get involved with your neighborhood group
Ready to act on that call to action? Get involved with your nearest neighborhood council/association (we have a list in the right sidebar, for those that have webpages). First chance, 6:30 tonight, Delridge Library: Monthly meeting of the North Delridge Neighborhood Council. (And this Saturday, they could use your help too – it’s the periodic Adopt-A-Street cleanup for North Delridge; meet at Delridge Community Center, 10 am.) Next chance – 6:30 pm tomorrow night, the Fairmount Community Association (their turf is just south of the Triangle area, to around Providence Mount St. Vincent — aka “The Mount” — and vicinity), meeting at The Mount’s chapel with Triangle development updates on the agenda (reps from Harbor Properties and BlueStar are expected) and more. ADDED 4:09 PM: Another group with a meeting tomorrow is hoping you’ll come join in – this is out of the WSB inbox:
“We would like to remind the community of our meeting tomorrow 6-8 pm at Hiawatha
Community Center. Please come and share your ideas and explore the possibilities to make California Place Park a space for all to enjoy! Families are welcome! We will have a table with activities for the kids and light snacks as well. Hope to see you there!”
Ann Limbaugh and Manuela Slye
Project co-chairs
Friends and Neighbors of North Admiral
More on that meeting in this WSB report.
A big job for little kids: Invitation to Wednesday event
That’s the West Duwamish Greenbelt trailhead at 14th SW/SW Holly (map), where toddlers, preschoolers, and the grownups caring for them are invited to meet at 10 am Wednesday for a child-friendly tree-planting event. Lisa Corbin from the Nature Consortium elaborates:
Join us for a toddler and preschool age-friendly tree planting in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Seattle’s largest remaining forest. We will plant (and name!) tree saplings in an area recently cleared of invasive blackberries, discover other hidden treasures of this amazing natural wonder, and hear about the history and the future of the forest from Mark (buphalo) Tomkiewicz, Forest Restoration Director for Nature Consortium. We provide tools (for adults) and will be accommodating of the little ones! Feel free to bring kid-sized shovels. Dress for the weather, and wear appropriate footwear (some parts of the trail are muddy) Extreme rain cancels. Be ready for inspiration! Call 206/923-0853 or e-mail Lisa@naturec.org to reserve your spot. RSVP today!
Lisa says the tree-planting should run from 10 am-noon.
Happening today/tonight: Catsino, Skeleton Theatre, more
Reminder that just ’cause Halloween’s over, the fun isn’t. Right now, till 6 pm, Furry Faces Foundation invites you to go play casino-style recreational games at Beveridge Place Pub, which has been transformed into Catsino for the occasion (animal-advocacy fundraising). And Skeleton Theatre (see our clip in this Halloween roundup from last night) has encore performances tonight between 6 and 9 pm. Plus – live theater, anyone? “Black Gold” is at ArtsWest, 7:30 tonight, 3 pm tomorrow – here’s a production photo by Matt Durham, followed by a plot synopsis:
“Black Gold,” which is in its world-premiere run at AW, is described as: “What happens when an African-American man in Detroit buys an oil rig on eBay and discovers oil right under his own backyard? Will the poor get rich or will the rich just get richer? Six actors play over 80 roles in this fast-paced, political satire of class, race and government-gone-berserk.” Many more entertainment opportunities for today/tonight/tomorrow on our West Seattle Weekend Lineup list.
Senior Center updates: Next Rainbow Bingo set; store help needed
If you weren’t already aware of this – the Senior Center of West Seattle is lots livelier than the senior centers of yesteryear. Take a look at that photo shared by Cindy Gwinn – that’s the sold-out crowd that jammed the SC for Halloween Rainbow Bingo a week ago. Cindy tells us the next bingo session will be in February – we’ll let you know when the date is finalized. Meantime, we’ve mentioned before that the Stop ‘n’ Shop store on the center’s ground floor is closed for remodeling; a grand reopening party is planned for November 15th, and before then, Cindy says: “We are looking for helpers! We need people to help assemble shelving this coming weekend, the 8th and 9th of November. We are also looking for volunteers to work in the store. Anyone that can help or that would like to volunteer, please call 206 915-5595.”
Helping hands: Needing yours; celebrating theirs
YOUR HELPING HANDS NEEDED: 10 am Saturday (11/1), you can pitch in to help JuNO make The Junction a cleaner place — the group’s periodic Adopt-A-Street Cleanup time is here. Meet in front of 4527 41st SW (map) to, as JuNO president Erica Karlovits puts it, “pick up supplies, find a partner, and start cleaning up our hood.” Usually some free treats, too. (JuNO’s next meeting is coming up 11/11, 6:30 pm.)
Now to some folks whose handiwork helps fight hunger:
(Left to right, Providence Mount St. Vincent residents Sandy Rose, Chuck Dambrosio, Lynn Cappiello, Dorothy Smith)
That photo is courtesy Cynthia Flash of Flash Media Services, who tells the tale:
Earlier this month, Providence Mount St. Vincent resident Chuck Dambrosio decided he wanted to do something to help others. So he proposed that he and some of the other residents on his floor at the West Seattle long-term care facility make sandwiches for the homeless. The residents voted on it and agreed! Providence Mount St. Vincent’s dietary department provided the supplies and eight residents participated with lots of love and laughter. They were proud of the fact that they could make 32 sandwiches in just one hour. Activities director Eileen McCloskey took the 32 sandwiches to the Union Gospel Mission on 2nd Avenue in downtown Seattle and was greeted by very gracious and appreciative volunteers who seemed moved by the fact that the seniors at the Mount were thinking of them. The seniors had so much fun they plan to make sandwiches for the homeless every month.
That’s one of the beaver ponds in the Delridge Natural Area, across from the temporary home of Chief Sealth High School (
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