West Seattle, Washington
27 Wednesday
(February photo, sent by Conrad)
That photo is from the last community cleanup that Conrad organized under and around the West Seattle Bridge last month. He tells WSB, “I got so many requests to hold another event that I’m hosting a second one – people felt such a pleasant sense of community and neighborliness at the last event,” It’s happening next Saturday afternoon (April 3rd), 1-3 pm, and you’re invited to join – here qre the basics:
Once again, we’ll meet at the cul-de-sac on SW Marginal Place. This project will focus on litter abatement, and it will have a larger focus on removing invasive and overgrown vegetation. Our work on vegetation will make the highly trafficked area safer for pedestrians and allow us to remove trash that’s currently covered in blackberries. We’ll also send people to the nearby Riverside Memorial Plaza to rake leaves.
P.S. If you’ve been participating in Jessica‘s monthly first-Saturday Alki cleanups – she’s joining this one for April, but will be back hosting Alki events in May and beyond.
(2013 WSB photo by Nick Adams – firefighter training at to-be-demolished property by Lowman Beach)
Planning to demolish a house soon? Let the Seattle Fire Department have at it first! They’re looking for to-be-demolished houses for an upcoming round of training. Here’s the announcement:
The Seattle Fire Department is actively looking for single-family dwellings scheduled for demolition to help secure live-fire training for our newest Seattle firefighters on May 3-6, 2021. We are also open to discussing the use of duplex and apartment buildings on a case-by-case basis. The project must have a demolition permit in hand, and the owner would need to allow access to the structure a week ahead of the training for set-up.
If interested, please fill out our intake form online and email it to SFD_inservicetraining@seattle.gov. Questions can also be directed to this email address.
Live-fire training is an opportunity for our new fire recruits to work with our company officers and face real fire scenarios in a controlled setting. This experience is vital to the development of new recruits, as these fires act as a final evaluation of what they have learned over the past 12 weeks of training. The training focuses on fire attack, teamwork and communication.
That short video is from the West Seattle High School students who organized the second annual Dine-Out Day for this Wednesday (March 31st). These four Admiral/Alki establishments are donating part of their proceeds to the WSHS student government that day:
Ampersand Café (2536 Alki SW)
Circa (2605 California SW)
Mission Cantina (2325 California SW)
Matchbox Food Hall (delivery only)
Be sure to mention you’re ordering in support of WSHS Dine-Out Day.
One night to go until your chance to help local kids and their families by partnering with WestSide Baby in going “Beyond the Basics.” The live online event on Thursday night is the largest WS Baby fundraiser of the year – it’s also a celebration of the organization’s work, best known in the beginning for supplying diapers to families in need, but over the years moving to add much more. You can join as early as 5 pm for a pre-func – then at 5:30 pm, it’s the main event, including a conversation between executive director Sarah Cody Roth and storyteller Mia Birdsong. You can register for free by going here. (WSB is among the event’s community co-sponsors.)
Another chance to give, if you can: A student-organized food/supply drive at West Seattle High School, with four upcoming dropoff dates:
The West Seattle High School ASB is putting on a targeted Food/ Supply Drive. The dates to drop off Food/ Supplies are every Wednesday – ending on April 7th, from 12-2 in the historical entrance of West Seattle High School, with another drop-off day on Saturday, April 3rd from 9-12 at the same location. The list of requested food/ supplies was acquired from a survey filled out by West Seattle High School families stating what items best fit their needs. You are welcome to bring any non-perishable goods or supplies that are not on the list, these are the specific items that were requested. All food/supplies donated will be given to West Seattle High School families in need, and any leftover items will be donated to the West Seattle food bank.
Rice
Cereal
Bottled water
Paper towels
Toilet paper
Clorox wipes
Hand sanitizer
Canned beans
Vitamin gummies
Pasta
Dry lentils
Broth
Washing detergentAny other non-perishable goods or supplies you would like to donate
The school is at 3000 California SW; the “historical entrance” is on the north side.
For a second year, WestSide Baby has to skip its big in-person spring gathering, so it’s inviting you to show support for local kids and their families at an online event. “Beyond the Basics” is happening Thursday night (March 25) at 5:30 pm. We’re co-sponsoring the event, and sharing the announcement:
Meeting the basic needs of children is more than just the diaper or car seat that we distribute. These items represent dignity, freedom, and joy for the child, and their entire family. For 20 years, you have come alongside WestSide Baby to work collectively in support of the belief that every child deserves to have their most basic needs met.
And yet, we know we are only meeting a fraction of the growing need. In order to achieve our bold vision where each child is a happy, healthy, and resilient member of our community, we must go Beyond the Basics. Will you be part of this journey with us?
Our program will include a conversation with Mia Birdsong, a pathfinder, community curator, and storyteller who steadily engages the leadership and wisdom of people experiencing injustice to chart new visions of American life.
At the event, we will talk about her book, her podcast, and shifting the narrative on how we address poverty, specifically in relation to the importance of WestSide Baby’s vision to ensure every child has their basic needs met.
You can register to attend the event – free (donations are optional) – by going here.
(New in the area? WestSide Baby is West Seattle-founded and White Center-headquartered, assisting thousands of local families every year – partly via addressing diaper need, which WS Baby says is higher than ever before.)
(Stone Cottage, circa 1940s)
Two years after we first reported on local preservationists’ hopes of saving the “Stone Cottage,” they’ve reached the first milestone – announcing today that it will be saved and moved before its longtime site is redeveloped:
We are excited to announce the Stone Cottage will be saved! Over 360 donors have contributed more than $66,000, which is enough to save and move the Stone Cottage from its current site and into secure storage a mile south of its 1123 Harbor Ave SW location. The “First Mile” of its journey will occur in the middle of the night once city permits are issued, most likely on a weekend in April. House-moving expert Nickel Bros is waiting for permits before they set the move date.
For Nickel Bros, house moving is an elaborate and inexact process. It involves science, skill and dollies that look like 747 landing gear. Save the Stone Cottage team member Jeff McCord worked for Nickel Bros for many years and narrates the steps that may be involved when the Stone Cottage is moved off its site and travels down Harbor Avenue. Read, see photos and watch videos here:
The First Mile — “An Insider’s Story about How to Move a House”
We are all looking forward to the First Mile of the journey this Spring. The Save the Stone Cottage team will celebrate the First Mile move and continue to raise funds with an online auction featuring once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. During the First Mile Auction, fans of the Stone Cottage have the opportunity to bid on fun packages that epitomize moving the Stone Cottage, as well as have the ability to support the First Mile move by making a ‘Buy The Mile’ per-foot donation for the haul route. The ‘First Mile’ Auction will occur in advance of the house move, so be sure to check our website for updates.
Save The Stone Cottage LLC will continue to work hard to raise $110,000 in donations to execute the plan to rescue, relocate and restore the Stone Cottage. Donations are being accepted through the website savethestonecottage.org and a GoFundMe charity account. The Southwest Seattle Historical Society, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, is serving as the fiscal sponsor of the Save the Stone Cottage Project. We appreciate its steadfast participation.
Save The Stone Cottage launched the crowdfunding campaign in December. The house, covered in stones carted to the site from Alki Beach, is ~90 years old.
12:33 PM: Just a few minutes into his donation drive for Books for Africa, Bryson Albers had already received hundreds of donated books! Bryson is an eighth-grader at Hope Lutheran School, and the lot on the east side of the church/school is where he and helpers are receiving dropped-off donations until 3 pm today. Before you bring books – and the other items they’re collecting – please carefully read our preview explaining what is and isn’t being accepted. You can enter the lot from the alley off westbound SW Oregon, just east of 42nd. (If the showers return, don’t worry – they’re in a covered area of the lot.)
9:39 PM: We just received a wrap-up with words of thanks from Bryson:
To all who donated – thank you so much! I collected 2000+ books which will go to less fortunate people in Africa and exceeded my goal & expectations. The books you have donated will be life-changing to so many lives of African people in numerous ways.
Even before the West Seattle Bridge closure, it was clear WSB readers are deeply interested in transportation – it’s a top topic in our most-read, most-discussed stories. So if you’re among those for whom it’s a topic of major interest, here’s a chance to take your interest to the next level – join the West Seattle Transportation Coalition board. Here’s the announcement we received:
The West Seattle Transportation Coalition invites volunteers to join our board.
How do we manage travel while the bridge is closed, handle COVID-19 budget cuts, and build Sound Transit 3? The high bridge repair/replace decision has been made, but big questions and challenges are still ahead of us. And they’ll have long-lasting effects on our community.
Serving on the WSTC board will give you the chance to influence these decisions, and converse directly with elected officials and agencies about issues, big and small, that affect our peninsula. It’s always an exciting time for West Seattle transportation!
Come join us. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to learn more about transportation in our region. A diversity of opinions is welcome and we’d love to broaden our board to include members from neighborhoods and constituencies whose voices are not always represented.
Visit us at westseattletc.org and join us at our next monthly meeting on March 25 from 6:30-8:30 pm, whether you wish to run for a board position or not. Move the people!
In its nearly eight years of existence, the WSTC has had board members spanning an age range from high school to retired, so don’t rule yourself out, whatever your age or background!
P.S. Here’s a fact sheet about the WSTC.
Outside Alki UCC on Sunday, it’s the next in a series of food/clothing donation drives. Here’s their announcement of how you can help, as so many have already:
11:00 am to 3:00 pm Sunday
Front courtyard at 6115 SW HindsLast month we had another terrific response from our West Seattle neighbors, who brought bags and boxes and cases of food, toilet paper, men’s clothing and socks! While ALL nonperishable food donations are welcome, following is some wisdom shared by a food bank volunteer:
• Boxed milk is a treasure.
• Canned foods should be pop-top OR donate a can opener.
• Cooking oil is a luxury and much appreciated.
• Spices, salt and pepper are a real gift.
• Tuna and crackers make a good lunch.
• Don’t forget the jelly for PB&J’s.
Essential supplies are also needed:
• Toilet Paper
• Diapers/Similac Formula/Baby Wipes
• Can Openers
• Personal hygiene items
• Hand Sanitizer
Food and supplies are distributed through the White Center Food Bank.
Donations of Men’s Casual/Work Clothes are also being taken, as well as NEW socks — the clothing item most requested by our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
Hope Lutheran School eighth-grader Bryson Albers is asking for your help this Sunday afternoon, in a donation drive for Books for Africa. Here’s the announcement Bryson sent:
Ever since I was young, I have loved reading! It has inspired much creativity in me and taught me many concepts that I otherwise would have not known. Did you know that Africa has a ‘book famine’? I am working toward changing that. I want to collect at least 300 books to send to ‘Books for Africa’- so that I can help bring this same creativity and passion to young people in Africa. Unfortunately, many young people in Africa do not have access to books but ‘Books for Africa’ aims to fix this. Books for Africa have already delivered 50,000,000 books to people in Africa (across 38 countries) and hope to deliver 50,000,000 more. I am looking for book donations of (one, two, or many!) that meet Books for Africa’s requirements (see below). Books can be new, gently used, and Textbooks or Library books are welcome as well. You can come to my book drive which will be going from 12:00-3:00 on Sunday, March 21st. You could also donate money directly to the Books for Africa website. In order to keep track of the money, it would be good if you donated it in honor of me so I know how much is donated.
Books For Africa accepts:
popular fiction and nonfiction reading books (soft and hard cover).
books that are 15 years old or newer.
primary, secondary, and college textbooks (soft and hard cover) published in the last 15 years.
reference books published in the last 10 years, except encyclopedia sets.
medical, nursing, and IT books published in the last 10 years.
some Bibles or religious books, please place them in a box separate from other donations and mark the box as “Religious texts.” Bibles are sent only when requested by African recipients.
School/office supplies—paper, pencils, pens, wall charts, maps, etc.Books For Africa does NOT accept:
Encyclopedia sets
Magazines or journals of any kind, including academic journals.
Home decorating or wedding books.
Cookbooks.
Ethnocentric books, such as the biography of Abraham Lincoln or the history of Ohio.
Foreign language books except for French books. French novels and dictionaries are welcome.
American history or civics.
Music books for K–12.
Murder mysteries or anything with “kill,” “die,” “murder,” etc. in the title.
The dropoff donation drive will be Sunday (March 21st), noon-3 pm, in the Hope Lutheran parking lot, alley entrance off SW Oregon just east of 42nd SW.
Here’s a seasonal way you can help with the Delridge Grocery Cooperative‘s ongoing work to ramp up into their store space: In addition to ongoing weekly produce boxes, they’re selling the “Spring Thing,” a basket full of “Pacific Northwest foodie delights” and a $5 discount coupon from West Seattle Nursery,” all in a cute reusable metal tub. It’s $48 and on sale online through March 31 for pickup/delivery April 3rd. See the full list of what’s in the Spring Thing, and how to order yours, by going here. Says DGC Produce Box Team member Agen Schmitz, “Our DGC team has a lot of fun putting together these baskets and bags and tubs, and we love introducing our customers to new PNW-based products and connecting them with other West Seattle businesses. But these basket bundles are also key to helping us pay our ongoing expenses while we work behind the scenes to move forward with opening the Co-op as a full store.”
Though the pandemic brought concerts to a halt, it couldn’t stop the music – and veteran West Seattle musician Scott Adams has been working on an album throughout it all. He’s recruited some talented friends – including others from West Seattle – and a prominent producer. Now he’s crowdfunding to get the record made – and he’s most of the way there, but looking for one last boost. He tells the story in this video:
His Kickstarter page is here. (You can hear some of his past work here.)
If you haven’t yet gotten your Girl Scout Cookies this year – you are almost out of time! This is the last week, local leaders point out. So one more reminder – you have three ways to buy cookies this year, as explained by the Girl Scouts of Western Washington website:
1. Cookie Connector – Free Delivery
Use our Cookie Connector tool to get FREE, contact-less delivery! Enter your zip code to get cookies delivered to your door by a local Girl Scout and their trusted adult.2. Ask a Girl Scout – Delivery or Shipping
Support a Girl Scout in your life by buying cookies from them directly. Don’t know any Girl Scouts? Ask your personal or social media network – Girl Scouts are advertising their digital storefronts online.3. Door Hangers – Delivery or Shipping
Local Girl Scouts are distributing physical order forms. Look for Girl Scout Cookie door hangers in your area and follow the instructions to place your order.
See the cookie varieties here.
We invited local Scouts/troops to share their direct links for cookie buyers – here’s who we heard from (each page has info on what the Scouts plan to do with their earnings, as well as a chance to buy cookies to donate if you don’t want them for yourself):
Troop 41169, raising money to paint a mural in The Junction – here’s their link
Troop 41169 member Akemi‘s link
Troop 44448 member Ava‘s link
Brownie troop 41534’s link
Troop 41534 member Sylvie‘s link
Troop 41843 member Asa’s link
Troop 43136 member the link for Olivia‘s link
Troop 43151 member Emma‘s link
Even with campuses mostly closed, schools have continued to be hubs of support for students and families, and local PTAs and PTSAs have continued their vital role in that. So we’ve been featuring PTA/PTSA fundraisers throughout the year. The next one has just launched – a weeklong online auction for the Gatewood Elementary PTA starting today, leading up to an online event Friday night. Here’s the announcement:
Gatewood in Color – Community Celebration + School Auction
All of West Seattle is Invited! Join us and help support a local elementary school!Starting Monday, March 15, join us for the Gatewood School Community Celebration + School Auction – Coming to You in Color! This year’s auction will be held virtually, with our Silent Auction open all this week and a Live Streaming event starting at 6:00 pm on Friday, March 19! Tell your friends, family and neighbors! All are welcome to bid and participate in this community celebration and fundraiser!
HOW IT WORKS:
You can bid on any of our amazing silent auction items. Items will be released today, Tuesday (3/16), and Wednesday (3/17). Most items will close before our livestream auction begins, with some Super Silent Items left up for the live stream.
Links available at gatewoodpta.org/auction-2021HOW TO GET READY:
Preview and bid on Silent Auction items at Gatewood2021.ggo.bid
Set your dinner plans for Friday night by ordering from West 5! Treat yourself to dinner the night of the big event! Gatewood parents are delivering [locally] from West 5 the night of the auction! Pre-order no later than noon, Wed March 17th and your order will be delivered Friday, March 19th in time to tune into our live stream!
Tune In at 6:00 pm on Friday, March 19 at https://www.gatewoodpta.org/auction-2021 and get ready to make this the best fundraising year, yet!HOW YOU CAN HELP:
*Want to do more? Come visit our shop and take a look at our merch! Order your 2021 Auction Gator Pins and screen printed art prints now! Order from our shop link and 100% of the money goes to the Gatewood 2021 Auction for the Gatewood PTA.
Another reminder so you can get ready this weekend – next weekend starts with the FREE recycling/shredding event presented by the West Seattle Junction Association and WS Chamber of Commerce, 9 am-noon Saturday, March 20th. Different location this year so there’s lots of room to distance – the expansive north parking lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor). Guidelines for what the event will and won’t take:
ACCEPTED ITEMS INCLUDE:
Styrofoam
Household batteries
Fluorescent tubes and bulbs
Small electronics
Paper for shredding (limit 4 boxes) – you CAN bring confidential documentsNOT-ACCEPTED ITEMS INCLUDE:
Automotive waste
Furniture
Broken household goods
Construction waste
Latex paint
Large appliances
Garbage or yard waste
Hazardous waste
Car seats
Non-recyclable or non-reusable items
Commercial loads
NO clothing/linens (due to capacity)
NO household goods (due to capacity)
Masking/distancing protocol and other info is on the WSJA’s preview page.
P.S. The sponsoring nonprofits run on volunteer power, and a couple spots remain for peoplr to help the event go smoothly. Sign up here!
We often feature school-related fundraisers. Today, one with a twist: West Seattle High School students are asking you to join them in supporting a nonprofit. WSHS senior Lexi Reifel explains: “In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’ve teamed up with a local non-profit organization, Dress for Success Seattle … Women have been the hardest-hit employment group with the onset of Covid; that’s why now more than ever it’s critical we help our local unemployed and underemployed women!” Here’s the announcement:
Join the WSHS Feminist Club in supporting and amplifying Dress for Success Seattle, the local affiliate of the global non-profit that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, development tools, and professional attire to thrive in work and in life.
WSHS Feminist Club is raising awareness of Dress for Success Seattle’s programs, and raising funds. We’ve set the goal to raise $2,000 in the month of March for Women’s History Month, investing in DFS Seattle’s always-FREE programs in service to women achieving financial stability, please donate here to continue the vital work of empowering women in the Seattle community.
All proceeds net expenses will be held in trust by Seattle Public Schools until disbursed to Dress for Success Seattle, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization
(January photo by Mark Jaroslaw)
From the “in case you wondered too” file: We received a question about what’s up with the Stone Cottage, the little old stone-studded bungalow awaiting its move off the to-be-redeveloped corner parcel at 1123 Harbor SW. So we asked Save the Stone Cottage, whose Jeff McCord tells WSB there’s no official date yet for the move, but they’re expecting news “soon.” The crowdfunding campaign continues, too – they’re about 55 percent of the way to the $110,000 goal for the first phase of moving and storing the Stone Cottage while a permanent new home is found.
West Seattle’s own South Seattle College Co-op Preschools are presenting a four-concert kids’ music series this spring – no charge but if you can donate, that’ll help support scholarship funds for West Seattle families in need.
The Spring Virtual Music Funfest has concerts planned March 20 (Squirrel Butter), March 27 (Bruce & Bonnie), April 10 (Gabrielle Macrea), and April 24 (Eli Rosenblatt), all at 10 am – here’s the flyer.
If you’re not familiar with the schools, the announcement explains:
The SSC Co-Op Preschools have been serving West Seattle and beyond for over 75 years. We’ve always been committed to making early childhood education accessible to anyone in our community. In the past, money for scholarships has been raised through in-person fundraising efforts (such as concerts and movie nights). Clearly, these aren’t possible due to COVID-19.
COVID-19 also means that more families in our community need help than ever before. We want to be able to provide West Seattle families with affordable early childhood education, community support, and parent education, regardless of their current financial situation.
So, the Parent Advisory Committee organized the online concert series! To get tickets, with or without a donation, go to tinyurl.com/SSCMusicFest, select one of the event names, and then follow the “Tickets” link.
If you can spare an hour any evening this week – or some time the mornings of March 14th or 20th – West Seattle Little League needs your help, to prepare Bar-S Playfield on Alki Point. Here’s the request:
We need your help at Bar-S to get the fields ready for the season. WSLL is 100% volunteer-run and field maintenance is where we currently have the most need. The fields have not been used since 2019 and need a lot of work. Grab your mask, rakes, weed pullers, weed pullers, and old clothes. Volunteers with trucks are also appreciated to help move dirt. Grab the whole family and come on down and help WSLL get kids back on the field.
This entire upcoming week we invite you to come down for just one hour between 5:15 – 6:15 to help get the grass out of the infield. We will also have other group sessions from 9 am to noon on March 14th and March 20th. If you can volunteer during another time, reach out to Andrew at fields@westseattlelittleleague.com and let him know how you can help. Inclement weather changes.
Bar-S is at 64th and Admiral (map).
We’re continuing to feature school-group fundraisers – and tonight we have an unusual one, involving a scavenger hunt (and more)! Here’s how the Genesee Hill Elementary PTA explains it:
We have a cool way to do fundraising for a unique kind of year at Genesee Hill and invite the community to join in!
To state the obvious, school looks very different for everyone this year. What hasn’t changed is the need for the Genesee Hill PTA to partner with the Genesee Hill Administration to ensure the necessary programs are in place for all of our kids to be successful. Fundraising allows us to be flexible and “fill the gaps” on services that are unfortunately not covered by the school district or the State of Washington.
To make it a bit more fun – we have added some fun twists.
YARD SIGNS! With a minimum of a $50 donation, you will receive a yard sign delivered to your doorstep. There is a spot for you to be creative and create something fun for kids to find. Draw, paint, attach something – the sky is the limit! Once done, put the sign out in your yard for the scavenger hunt.
RAFFLE! We are hosting three raffle drawings throughout the campaign. We are incredibly grateful for the strong support we received from so many local businesses and are happy to feature them here.
SCAVENGER HUNT! All of the yard signs are numbered and Genesee Hill kids are invited to find as many as they can then enter their own raffle drawing. Click here for more details.
Join us in helping to support all kids to succeed in our school!
You can donate to the Genesee Hill PTA by going here.
If you can give blood, Bloodworks Northwest wants you to know that it has extra capacity for upcoming West Seattle donation dates, starting this Friday. Here’s the update:
Bloodworks Northwest has openings for our upcoming March and April West Seattle pop-ups! We will accept blood donations at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon St) on: March 5, 6, 12, 13 & Apr 9, 10, 16 & 17.
Please sign up here. As these slots fill, please check back for cancellations and/or our soon-to-be-scheduled May West Seattle pop-up.
Your donation could put you in the driver’s seat! When you donate blood with Bloodworks between now and March 17, you will automatically be entered for a chance to win a car! The lucky winner will have their choice among 9 pre-selected new vehicles from Haselwood Auto Group. More info at www.bloodworksnw.org/winacar
Or, be in the running to win one of two Dyson V11 vacuums when you donate blood between March 18 – April 4!
Masks are required at all donation sites. Walk-ins, guests or anyone under 16 years of age are (unfortunately) not permitted. Have questions or need help booking an appointment? Please call 800-398-7888 or e-mail schedule@bloodworksnw.org
Giving blood during the pandemic is a safe and essential action. For more info on how Bloodworks is keeping donors and staff safe, by abiding by all CDC, FDA and WA State Department of Health guidelines please visit: https://www.bloodworksnw.org/about/news/coronavirus
If you’re planning on planting this spring – whether in a yard or in containers – here’s a way to help a local school group along the way. From Friends of Roxhill Elementary:
Spring Flower Fundraiser for Friends of Roxhill Elementary
We are partnering with Flower Power Fundraising to sell flower bulbs, kitchen garden herbs, sprouts, seeds and more to bring some joy to your home garden or window sill this spring.
Check out our fundraising website: friendsofroxhill.fpfundraising.com
Order deadline is May 15, 2021
Email friendsofroxhill@gmail.com with any questions
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