West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
From the WSB inbox (an update on a program we first reported 2 1/2 months ago):
Since late March, nearly fifty meals have been provided by community members for the 20 men staying at the SHARE shelter at the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene! Thank you to all those who have participated. The meal schedule is looking pretty empty these days, though. Please consider providing a breakfast or dinner this summer. Once, once in awhile, or a regular commitment—all offers are gratefully appreciated. Please see westseattlemeals.airset.com for more information and for open dates on the calendar. Folks who have questions or want to provide a meal should contact Donna Pierce with:
· the date(s) you’d like to provide a meal
· plans for delivery
· your phone number and e-mail addressThank you for your generosity and willingness to help others at a difficult time in their lives.
West Seattle-based Furry Faces Foundation usually has a few plant sales each spring and summer to raise money for its animal-rescue work — but during the first day of the F3 sale this weekend, you’ll not only find plants, you might find yourself a new pet. Teri Ensley of Furry Faces says King County Animal Services is bringing adoptable cats and dogs to the sale this Saturday, 3809 46th SW (map), 11 am-3 pm. Rain or shine; there’s a backup plan if the weather’s soggy. The sale will continue, sans animals, on Sunday, and plants will be sold both days 10 am-4 pm. (Shown at left, in case you were wondering, are the official WSB mascots for pet adoption, the cats we adopted from local shelters as adults.) P.S. One more pet note while we’re all here – we just posted two more lost pets on the WSB Pets page; maybe you can help bring them home.
FIRST CHANCE: The second of two Nia classes to raise $ for earthquake relief in China is this morning at Youngstown Arts Center, 10 am. Jill Pagano from NiaDivas says the first one on Saturday brought in more than $200!
SECOND CHANCE:
That video shows the Seattle Swing Dance Club in action when we checked them out a couple weeks back at the Masonic Hall in The Junction. That’s where they dance the first and third Sunday of each month — and that means today. As explained on the SSDC website, there’s lots going on when they get together on those Sunday afternoons/evenings — workshops, social dancing, and competition. Beginners are just as welcome as experts. This weekend they’re hosting a renowned guest instructor, Mary Ann Nunez (more on her workshops here). If you watched the video but are still trying to figure out this dance style, it’s explained here.
That photo shows the trial run last year for a lemonade stand you’ll find 10 am-4 pm today at 31st/Henderson (map), raising money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to fight childhood cancer. Also at 10 – the first of two weekend Nia classes to raise $ for earthquake relief in China. Those are two of myriad events happening in West Seattle today — full list here in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup — Delridge Day at Youngstown Arts Center and the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce Business Expo at SSCC are the biggies — two businesses are having anniversary celebrations today (Revolution Coffee in Admiral and Coastal on Alki) — and in the middle of it all, Seattle Congressman Jim McDermott is having a Town Hall meeting at the Admiral library branch at 2 pm.
Out front at that Highland Park house, you see the start of a wheelchair ramp. This weekend, volunteers hope to finish renovating the house inside and out for the person who needs it, Addie Killam, a West Seattle native who is on a long road to recovery after a freak surfing injury (original WSB coverage here). They are asking for help with what they call “the big push” — in particular, anybody with hardwood-floor-refinishing experience. Full details on what’s needed, where, and when can be found on this site detailing the ongoing project.
As you can read in our coverage of last night’s development meeting — and many other related stories — more than a few people are worried about losing what makes The Junction special. On a semi-small scale, here’s a chance to help save part of its specialness by coming to the rescue of one of its unique works of public art — another of its history-depicting murals (here’s more about all of them) — the ferry mural behind the ex-Morton’s-now-Pharmaca building. More photos and info ahead:Read More
OFF-LEASH AREA CLOSED TODAY: Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area is closed 9 am-4 pm today for maintenance work, and park steward Steve says in this post on the WPOLA Yahoo! group, “I need all the humans I can get!” to help.
JUNCTION DEVELOPMENT DESIGN REVIEW TONIGHT: 6:30 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room, the California/42nd/Alaska development (presentation previewed and linked here yesterday).
SCHOOLS SHOW OFF ART/MUSIC TALENT: Lafayette Elementary has an Art Walk 6-9 pm at the school and in nearby businesses’ windows; Pathfinder K-8 has its first all-school art show 6:30-8 pm; the West Seattle High School Spring Concert is at 7:30 pm.
More new events added daily (now stretching to next spring!) on the WSB Events page.
Next weekend, West Seattle’s “NiaDivas” plan two special classes at Youngstown Arts Center with all proceeds going to China earthquake relief. Their announcement includes the latest sobering numbers from Northwest-based MercyCorps: More than 62,500 deaths, more than 32,000 people missing, more than 430,000 homes destroyed. Read more about Nia at the NiaDivas’ website; the hour-long classes are at 10 am each day next Saturday-Sunday at Youngstown Arts Center, $14 donation, with 100% going to MercyCorps’ relief work in China. (Right after the Saturday class, you can segue into the Delridge Day events that will be happening at Youngstown 11 am-4 pm that day.)
We mentioned last week that one of the agenda items at the monthly meeting of the West Seattle Community Safety Partnership (previous report here) was an update on the proposal to rename the group. Some have wondered if its current name is a clear-enough reflection of the group’s mission; once upon a time, it was the West Seattle Anti-Crime Council. We thought we’d share the potential new names here to see what you think:Read More
A new feature is in the works for Cottage Grove Park in Delridge — a playground where the littlest of children can safely play. Organizers now have three options, and they’re hoping you will help them choose – just one of the ways you can help – read on to see the options and find out more:Read More
That photo is courtesy of Aviva with Community Harvest of West Seattle, which held its first container-vegetable-growing class at White Center Food Bank (which serves part of southern West Seattle) on Wednesday. Aviva sent us this report, including something you can do to help future classes like this:
Participants learned that with a sunny deck or patio, fresh vegetables could be grown and harvested our their back doors. Lettuce Link and West Seattle’s Backyard Greenhouse provided starts ranging from common leaf lettuce to exotic raddichio. Containers and soil were donated by individuals and local businesses (West Seattle Nursery, Junction True Value). We hope that this class improves access to the 5-a-day and increases self-reliance in obtaining healthy foods. We hope to continue this program and are soliciting donations of pots (1-5 gallon) – plastic or other lightweight material. For more info: info@gleanit.org
And as we mentioned Wednesday night, a big effort to improve local access to not only healthy food but more fitness options is under way in the form of the King County Food and Fitness Initiative, with Delridge/White Center as an area of emphasis. Wednesday night’s update came with a brainstorming session at the monthly Delridge District Council meeting; read on for the latest:Read More
Several major items on the agenda tonight as the Delridge District Council — representatives of neighborhood groups and other organizations in eastern West Seattle — gathered at the Southwest Precinct for its monthly meeting. We’re breaking them up into a few separate reports, starting tonight with two items — a Seattle City Light rep’s revelations about street lights (what to do about them and what it means when one flickers), and more details about what’s coming up during the gala Delridge Day festival later this month, including a new free “Art Lending Library” to be introduced that day:Read More
It’s in the Delridge/White Center area. Read more here to see if you can help. (That link, by the way, goes to a post on a new blog set up by Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association executive director Derek Birnie to share info on upcoming events and volunteer opportunities in the greater Delridge area; you can browse it any time at delridge.blogspot.com.)
That’s a recent photo of Longfellow Creek Garden, the small organic garden/farm that is taking shape in North Delridge (first reported here last month). Zach Zink wrote us a while back inviting people to come help with getting LCG in shape, and got quite a response. Now he’s asking for help with a new challenge for this nonprofit operation: “We are in need of a certified plumber to install a few pieces of equipment so we can have an irrigation faucet at the Garden. Our budget is pretty low this year, and getting water installed is going to run us between 500 and 700 dollars. Saving on labor would help us out to the tune of 200 dollars!” If you can help or know someone who might be able to, e-mail Zach at zach@growingwashington.org.
Good turnout last night for the monthly West Seattle Community Safety Partnership meeting at the Southwest Precinct — including folks who took advantage of the opportunity to directly ask local police leadership about issues in their neighborhood (one attendee was looking for followup on a burglary at his house; the Community Police Team is putting him in touch with detectives). We already reported one update from the meeting last night; here’s what else was discussed, including the briefing on “casing”:Read More
“WALK WITH US TO CURE LUPUS”: Hundreds of people will walk a 5K route on Alki this morning to raise money to fight lupus. Registration starts @ 9, the walk @ 10. Teams are walking as well as individuals; check out the team list here.
PLANT SALE FOR FURRY FACES FOUNDATION: Second day of this animal-rescue group’s big annual two-day sale – we dropped by for this photo on day one:
The sale’s 10 am-4 pm at 3809 46th SW (map).
SPINNING TO FIGHT LEUKEMIA: West Seattleites Kerry Murphy and Megan Jasper will be spinning — riding bicycle-training equipment — 11:30 am-4:30 pm today in front of West 5, raising $ for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and getting ready for one of its Team in Training triathlons next month. (Kerry’s raising $ online here; Megan’s raising $ online here.)
ENTREPRENEURS: Want to help young people strategize small for-profit businesses in Alki this summer? Come to a meeting @ the Homestead (61st south of Alki Ave) at 11:30 today. (Previous coverage here.)
BE A “MASTER OF DISASTER”: The neighborhood-readiness campaign around West Seattle continues today with an event for Fairmount-area residents, noon-2 pm on the southeast side of the Providence Mount St. Vincent parking lot. (Previous coverage, including a map, here.)
SHOPPING AT THE FARMERS’ MARKET? We always post the weekly fresh sheet, so here’s today’s edition:Read More
A month and a half after we first told you about the bizarre surfing injury that left West Seattle native Addie Killam disabled (original WSB report here) — we have two updates: First, Addie is undergoing rehab in a western Colorado hospital and could return to West Seattle sometime next month. Second – work parties are happening today, tomorrow, and Sunday, as well as later this month, to get a West Seattle house wheelchair-accessible for Addie’s homecoming. Full details — including when help is needed, where it’s needed, who to call if you can help, plus a link for a donation fund — are all on this website that’s just been set up.
A little more than a month is left before Fauntleroy Community Services Agency needs to make an official deal with Seattle Public Schools as part of the first round of negotiations to buy the 92-year-old Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, which the district is putting up for sale as “surplus property.” Meantime, landmark status is being pursued – we heard last night from Alison Swing, who is working on the landmark-nomination documentation and asking to hear from anyone who can help her with this type of information:
I’m just looking for testimonies on behalf of the community on significant impacts the school has had on the local community, whether socially, economically, politically, and any other information on the significance of the school as a historic landmark for the community.
If you have anything to say along those lines, please e-mail Alison at aswing@u.washington.edu as soon as you can.
Thursday-night highlights from the frequently updated WSB Events page:
“TASTE OF WEST SEATTLE”: Tonight at The Hall @ Fauntleroy, it’s the annual Taste of West Seattle benefiting West Seattle Helpline. On the menu: dishes from restaurants around West Seattle. 6-8:30 pm; check with Helpline (website here) for ticket availability.
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ STRATEGIC PLAN: The district’s working on one and asking for your help. A round of public meetings is part of the process, and there’s one tonight in the West Seattle High School Commons, 7 pm.
ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: Tonight’s ACC agenda (7 pm, Alki Community Center) includes two hot topics — the forthcoming proposal to change the city’s rules for multifamily developments (as previewed in WSB coverage here) and the 59th/Stevens development proposal across from Alki Elementary (that proposal also will be the subject of its own meeting a week from tonight).
This note from Sonja at Washington Reading Corps, a branch of Solid Ground, is not only a request for help, but also a heads-up about some door-to-door activity you may see tonight or tomorrow (if you haven’t already):
We are currently looking for businesses and neighborhoods in the West Seattle area to participate in a food drive on *Friday, May 16th, from 10-2pm*. The food donations are being distributed to *Solid Ground’s* *Hunger Action Center. *Household items that are gathered will be placed at our transitional houses and shelters, such as *The Bethlehem House, Family Shelter, and JourneyHome*.
Our service project will include a minimum of two members from our team setting up a table outside of local West Seattle businesses with pamphlets regarding Solid Ground and our purpose. We will encourage the purchase of household goods (such as cleaning products, toiletries, and non-perishable foods) and non-perishable foods for donations.
We will also have a crew collecting donations from households in the Delridge, Admiral and Junction neighborhoods. We will be distributing flyers door-to-door within the next 24 hours to inform the community of how they can assist those in need within their community by leaving donations for us on Friday, May 16th.
Sonja’s contact info is: 206-788-7484 or sonjaspinarski@gmail.com
Received this from Alki-area businessperson Tom Lin:
A group of local high-school students asked me to help them develop a viable summer business project. They have come up with a few propositions so far. Among them:
1. Shaved Ice (snowcone) at Alki.
2. Paid Parking at Alki during busy sunny days.
3. Alki Dog Walking Service
4. Car WashingThey are looking for help with all aspects of business development. If you have any suggestions or experience in the above fields,
please call Lucas at 206-226-9964 or send me an e=mail, Thomas Lin, at alkihomestead@yahoo.com.There will be a meeting for all interested parties at Alki Homestead Restaurant 11:30AM Sunday May 18. If you are over age 16 and are interested in starting your own business, you are welcome to join the group.
This is a project for the youth to start a business venture that is profit driven. If you have a creative mind, please come and join
us. However, all the advisors are volunteers.Please RSVP if you are interested in this project: alkihomestead@yahoo.com
Don’t let the tarp fool you — underneath it you’ll find part of the area’s “smallest certified organic garden,” which stretches across two plots, and into a greenhouse, on a site along SW Avalon (map).
This is part of Transitional Resources, whose invitation to visit in advance of their “Garden Party” this Saturday provided us with another one of those “been in West Seattle 17 years but had NO IDEA this was here” moments. Growing food and herbs at this site is a sideline for an organization that provides residential and drop-in services for more than 100 people every month who are working on having productive lives while dealing with mental illness. (Read more about TR here.) It saves taxpayers big bucks — the cost for someone to live and work here is a fraction of state or hospital institutionalization — but operates on a shoestring. (As TR’s Karyn Mikkelsen explains, “Without TR, clients would have fewer options and more would remain incarcerated, hospitalized or homeless, all at a high expense to society in loss of creativity and productivity, not to mention the huge financial expense of incarceration and hospitalization. The average annual cost of providing outpatient case management services to a client is $4,657. One year in the hospital or jail costs $146,000.”) To raise awareness and $, they’re inviting community members to come spend the day helping in the garden — and enjoying food prepared by a well-known local chef — read on:Read More
FOOD DRIVE AT YOUR HOUSE/APT/CONDO/ETC.: Please put out a bag of nonperishable food by your mailbox or mail slot this morning – it’s the big day for the annual Stamp Out Hunger letter carriers’ food drive.
SPRUCEUP #1: All volunteers welcome as Pathfinder K-8 families and staff, with help from Seattle Works, brighten up their campus, with painting and landscaping projects and more, 10 am-2 pm, drop by and join in.
SPRUCEUP #2: Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s quarterly Adopt-a-Street cleanup is today; you can join in by meeting the group outside Metropolitan Market for free coffee/snacks at 9 am. (Plenty of time to shop the West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day sales after this wraps up @ noon!)
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