West Seattle, Washington
11 Saturday
(WSB photo from 2013: ShelterBox USA’s Dave Nichols at a local demo)
Summer’s not over yet – and the benefit barbecues continue tomorrow (Saturday) at West Seattle Thriftway (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor). Tomorrow, it’s educational as well as tasty – here’s the announcement from beneficiary and spotlight nonprofit ShelterBox USA:
Saturday from 11:00 AM until 2 PM, Thriftway will be conducting a barbecue fundraiser for ShelterBox USA.
There are disasters around the world we never hear about; there is a special group of volunteer aid workers that drop their jobs and go there to provide Shelter, Warmth & Dignity.
ShelterBox is an international aid organization that is volunteer-led and often arrives on the ground at the scene of a disaster within 48-72 hours.
One of our own West Seattle residents, Dave Nichols, has spent the last 6 years responding to those disasters; to date he has deployed to 6 disasters, from The Philippines to Madagascar, working as part of a two-person team bringing shelter to those affected by disaster or conflict displacement. Dave is one of a small highly trained group of ShelterBox Volunteer Response Team (SRT) members (there are currently about 156 worldwide).
Dave will be on hand to answer questions at Thriftway from 11-2; stop by and say hi.
Since 2000, ShelterBox has provided shelter, warmth and dignity following more than 200 disasters in over 85 countries. ShelterBox instantly responds to earthquake, volcano, flood, hurricane, cyclone, tsunami or conflict by delivering boxes of aid. Each iconic green ShelterBox contains a disaster relief tent for an extended family, stove, blankets and water filtration system, among other tools for survival.
Can’t make it to tomorrow’s barbecue? Individual tax-deductible donations to ShelterBox USA can be made at shelterboxusa.org.
Still a few more days to give to the West Seattle Helpline‘s back-to-school clothing drive – we asked what’s most needed:
The Back to School Clothing Drive at C & P Coffee benefiting West Seattle Helpline is still in need of donations! Help us ensure every student starts school feeling confident and comfortable in their clothes! We are specifically looking for new clothing sizes 5-11, and husky sizes for boys. You can drop clothing donations off inside C & P Coffee Company at 5612 California Ave SW in West Seattle. Thank you!
(WSB photo from 2017 ‘A Grand Affair’)
Less than a week until ticket prices go up for “A Grand Affair,” the annual cocktail-and-casino-style-games benefit for the West Seattle Food Bank. This year, it’s back in West Seattle – at The Sanctuary at Admiral, 6:30 pm Friday, September 14th. It’s a Roaring ’20s-themed cocktail party with casino-style games, hosted wine and beer, heavy appetizers, plus local favorites such as Husky Deli ice cream (served by Jack Miller himself) and specialty cocktails from Peel & Press and The Bridge. Get your ticket(s) here before the price goes up Sunday. (Event co-sponsors include WSB.)
Some local kids are already back in school; most return after Labor Day. Here are two more ways you can help make sure they all have the supplies we need:
PENCIL ME IN FOR KIDS: Illusions Hair Design (5619 California SW; WSB sponsor) continues a “round-up” drive through the end of the month to raise money for PMIFK‘s school-supply drive! Just round up any purchase. They’re also accepting cash/check donations at the shop.
QFC DONATION DRIVE: Floral manager Teresa Hunt sends word that QFC Westwood Village is collecting supplies for Roxhill Elementary students through next Tuesday (August 28th) – drop donations off at the store’s service center. And on Sunday (August 26th), stop by 11 am-5:30 pm “for grilled-cheese sandwiches sponsored by Franz to promote the school drive.”
Two ways to help West Seattle Helpline via C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor):
BACK-TO-SCHOOL CLOTHING DONATIONS: Through the end of this month, you can drop off new clothing for kids 5-12 and/or visit the coffeehouse first to “grab a tag with specific clothing needs” you can then shop to fulfill and bring back.
PAELLA PARTY: Get your tickets fast for the annual feast – only $25 for chef-made paella during a festive night at the coffeehouse, 6-9 pm Saturday, September 8th. As explained in our calendar listing, you can get your ticket at C&P or via e-mailing candpco@candpcoffee.com ASAP!
(WSB photo, September 2016)
We’re only three weeks from the first day of 2018-2019 classes at Seattle Public Schools. (Yes, we know, some independent schools start even sooner!) Again this year, West Seattle Elementary in High Point welcomes community members to a unique first-day-of-school event. Here’s the announcement we received today:
The community is invited to attend the third annual Be There Rally at West Seattle Elementary on Wednesday, September 5th, from 7:00 am to 8:00 am. The school, in partnership with Seattle Housing Authority/High Point, is rolling out the red carpet and asking community leaders, school supporters, family, and friends to line up to cheer, clap, and high-five students as they enter into the new school year.
School leaders are calling for 100 men and women to line the red carpet, dressed for success and ready to lead by example and cheer on High Point youth. Research shows that children whose family and community take an active role in their educational lives earn better grades, score higher on tests, enjoy school more and are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college.
Your presence at the school on the first day will support efforts to build valuable partnerships with families and members of the community to support student learning and positive academic outcomes.
Questions? Want to RSVP? Contact Hanna Ory at hsory@seattleschools.org or 206-252-9450. WSE is at 6760 34th SW.
How much of a problem do alcohol and other drugs pose to youth in our community? A local group asks that question each year, and has just released this year’s survey:
The Southwest Seattle Youth Alliance, a school and community coalition formed to address the high rates of youth substance use in Southwest Seattle, would like your help in learning more about community concerns related to drugs and alcohol. The coalition will use these surveys to guide their work in selecting effective prevention programs and services for youth and the community. Please take a few minutes to complete this anonymous survey.
The survey starts here in English, and here in Spanish. The SWSYA says, “The data from these surveys will be used to implement evidence-based prevention programs in middle and high schools in the community.”
Meet Pearl and Jam. David Hutchinson – who photographed them Sunday – reports that Jam was Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network‘s “first new harbor seal pup of the 2018 season,” resting with mom Pearl “on a rock just offshore from one of our local beaches. … If you see them at any of our West Seattle beaches, please keep back, keep people and pets away, and call the Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-SEAL (7325).” Meantime, he shared this announcement:
SEAL SITTERS’ LAST TRAINING OF THE YEAR – AUGUST 25TH
Seal Sitters is a member of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. We are responsible for responding to any marine mammal on West Seattle beaches from Brace Point through the Duwamish River including Harbor Island.
All new volunteers are required to take a 2-hour training session. Our last training of 2018 will be held in the front meeting room at the Alki UCC, 6115 SW Hinds (MAP), on Saturday, August 25th from 10 AM – Noon. This will be followed by a short Q&A opportunity. Topics covered will include: The Marine Mammal Protection Act, life in a harbor seal rookery, what is Seal Sitters’ role in NOAA’s network, information on the most common marine mammals in our local waters, your role as a volunteer in a challenging urban environment. Also discussed will be volunteer opportunities as a hotline operator, first responder, and scheduler.
IF YOU DON’T LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE – While all the different groups operating in Puget Sound are part of NOAA’s Network, each group functions separately and provides its own training. Our training would only qualify you to volunteer within the area mentioned above.
If you plan on attending, an RSVP is required. Please include in your email the full names of everyone who will be attending. If any of these are minors, include their ages. A parent or guardian must accompany all minors to the training and when they are on the beach. Seating is limited, so be sure to register early to reserve your place.
To RSVP: SealSitters.Outreach@msn.com
The day got busy early, so no highlight list, but if you haven’t checked our calendar, two events of note are still to come:
DEMONSTRATION – Hate-Free Delridge plans a show of support for immigrants and refugees by sign-waving on the Delridge/Oregon overpass, 5:30-7 pm, and all are welcome to join. Details in our calendar listing.
DINNER: No need to cook tonight – you can support the West Seattle High School football program at a barbecue dinner that starts at 6 pm at the West Seattle Eagles (4425 California SW). Entertainment and silent auction too. Cost and menu are in our calendar listing.
From Friends of the Delridge Triangle and the South Delridge Community Group:
Saturday, 8/11 marked another successful cleanup at the Delridge Triangle! We hit an all-time record of volunteers coming as far as Admiral to show their community spirit by pitching in at Delridge Way SW/18th Ave SW/SW Barton St, as well as surrounding blocks.
The cleanup was a joint effort between the South Delridge Community Group (SDCG) and Friends Of The Delridge Triangle (FDT). Burger Boss Drive In kindly sponsored the event with free meal vouchers for all participants.
This is one step of a greater project in the works to redevelop the Triangle into a safe and usable community space where the neighborhood can socialize and play. The Friends of the Delridge Triangle was recently awarded $41k through the Neighborhood Matching Fund to start a community engagement process for a Phase 1 redesign of the space. The redesign phase will run start September and run through Spring 2019. The community is invited to have their voices heard and participate in the project.
To learn more about the ongoing community work and receive notifications for upcoming clean ups in South Delridge, contact the South Delridge Community Group @:
sdelridgecommunitygroup@gmail.com or visit our website.To receive project updates and information how get involved with the Delridge Triangle redesign project contact Friends Of The Delridge Triangle @: delridgetriangle@gmail.com or visit our website.
Love the West Seattle Farmers’ Market? It doesn’t just spontaneously happen every Sunday … it, and counterparts around the city, are run by the Neighborhood Farmers’ Markets, whose annual fundraiser is coming up. WS market manager Sam Kielty asked us to extend the invitation to you to get tickets for “An Incredible Feast,” 5-8 pm September 23rd at the Center for Urban Horticulture (3541 NE 41st). The food and beverages come from local farmers, chefs, breweries, and wineries – see some of them listed here. “Incredible Feast” proceeds also support the farmers via the Good Farmer Fund. You can get your ticket(s) here.
11:13 AM: Whatever else you’re doing today – until 3 pm, if you’re anywhere near 36th and Dakota, stop by and help Gwen and Muriel raise money for the Humane Society for the sixth year! Every year they have a benefit bake sale, while also accepting cash and item donations, such as pet food. Here’s a map. (Thanks for the photo!)
4:20 PM: From Gwen’s mom Andrea:
Thanks to everyone who came out and supported Muriel and Gwen’s bake sale! Despite the weather, they collected $350 to donate to the Seattle Humane Society! They appreciate the support!
(WSB photo: WestSide Baby’s diaper-drive bus at West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade afterparty)
If you contributed diapers and/or dollars to WestSide Baby‘s “Stuff the Bus” drive this summer, here’s how it all turned out:
Together, we collected over 311,000 diapers (& counting)!
Over 70 individuals, businesses and community groups hosted diaper drives this summer. We want to give a shout-out to our top diaper drivers:
Top Individual: Angela Wallis with 17,001 diapers!
Top Business: HomeStreet Bank with 3,361 diapers!
Top School: St Joseph School with 18,439 diapers!
Top Daycare: Alki Beach Academy/La Maison Alki with 11,038 diapers!In 2017, we gave out 1.4 million diapers, and this year, we anticipate the need will grow. Your time, donations, and diapers are appreciated and meaningful. For families who receive items from WestSide Baby, a simple bundle of diapers means precious and limited resources can go toward other necessary costs, such as food or medical care.
WS Baby also reminds you that it’s a beneficiary of the West Seattle Beer and Music Festival, coming up August 24th-26th – tickets are available here. (WSB is a co-sponsor.)
(File photo)
From Kim Barnes on behalf of Friends of the Delridge Triangle:
I’m pleased to announce The Delridge Triangle has been awarded the Neighborhood Matching Fund Grant!
We now have the opportunity to have a voice on how we want to best use this much needed and cherished space for the South Delridge community.
A big thank you to everyone that has participated to date to get us to this next stage in redeveloping the space.
Next steps on the project timeline:
August
– Friends of the Delridge Triangle (FDT) committee leaders will attend the City’s grant recipient workshop.
– Fiscal Sponsor to be selected.September
– FDT committee to draft and publish scope with call for RFQs from interested Landscape Architects.
– FDT committee starts process of review of RFQs and selection of the vendor.Want to join the FDT steering committee?
The steering committee is always open to community members that are interested and dedicated to supporting this project through to completion. Get in touch – email DelridgeTriangle@gmail.com to set up a short conversation about the role and see if it might work for you.
The grant, to cover the redesign process, is for $41,000; fundraising and volunteer time is required for the “match.” The rendered design is expected to be ready next spring, in late April/early May.
(WSB photo, April 2018)
The Mosquito Fleet mural on the east side of the city-landmark Campbell Building is next up for restoration in the finally launched project to restore all of West Seattle’s historic murals; it’ll be restored by muralist Bob Henry, who recently brought the Morgan Junction mural back to life. While the campaign to save all the Murals of West Seattle has a good start to the necessary funding – thanks to Adah Rhodes Cruzen‘s gift and to the West Seattle Garden Tour, among others – community contributions are requested, too, and that fundraising campaign has officially launched. This video tells the story:
(Video by This Is It Video Production)
More backstory on the murals and the restoration campaign – plus your options for contributing – can be found here.
Even if you’re not going to the Pearl Jam Home Shows next week, you can support the band-led fundraising campaign to help with homelessness. We have heard from one West Seattle business that’s joining the campaign – longtime WSB sponsor Dream Dinners-West Seattle:
Dream Dinners, West Seattle is proud to band together with Pearl Jam and our community to alleviate homelessness.
We are committing $10 of each session sale on August 7 and August 8 to support #thehomeshows. Eat, drink and fight homelessness in King County.
Select a date and dinners for:
Tuesday, August 7th at 6:29 PM, or
Wednesday, August 8th at 6:30 PM
Password: dinnerAssemble 3 medium family-size (2 to 4 servings) dinners for $34.95.
Select 3 of the following dinners:
Terracotta Chicken with Pita and Hummus
Savory Grilled Chicken with Sesame, Honey Butter
Kentucky Pork Chops with Bacon Ranch Green Beans
Limoncello Shrimp with Coconut Rice
Buffalo Chicken Cavatappi
Snag your spot by following one of those links above and placing your order. Haven’t been to Dream Dinners before? Here’s how it works.
P.S. Other Seattle-area food-and-drink businesses donating part of their proceeds next Wednesday are listed here.
At West Seattle Thriftway (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor), Michele Grasso is leading another benefit barbecue right now – on most summer Saturdays, the store cooks and serves a barbecue lunch to raise money for a local nonprofit. Today it’s the Humane Society, and you can stop by until mid-afternoon.
The store has more community-supporting excitement ahead Tuesday night: Catering a Night Out party in Sunrise Heights for the winner of a contest held to raise awareness of the annual community-building block party night. Over the past two months, customers used punch cards – one punch for every $20 spent shopping – to get contest entries. Michele says more than 400 cards were entered by the time they made the drawing. The winner, Julie Robinson-Jasper, gets Thriftway catering for the 20+ people expected at her Night Out block party Tuesday (August 7th) in Sunrise Heights. The store’s announcement quotes her as saying she’s turning it into a fundraiser: “Now since nobody has to bring food or drinks, I’m going to ask them to bring money and we’ll donate it to the West Seattle Food Bank.”
(Image provided by Seattle Audubon: White-Winged Scoter photographed by Doug Schurman)
We know the WSB readership includes many bird lovers. Seattle Audubon hopes some might be able to help with this:
Are seabirds in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca increasing or decreasing in numbers? Which species are changing their range? Help us find out.
The Puget Sound Seabird Survey (PSSS) is a community and citizen-science project managed by Seattle Audubon that empowers volunteer birdwatchers to gather valuable data on wintering seabird populations across the southern Salish Sea.
This season we will be expanding the project, yet again, this time north to the Canadian border and the San Juan Islands. We received funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program through the Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife to add 15-30 new survey sites, develop an oil spill plan and train volunteers on how to react to a spill.
You can contribute to vital seabird science by joining the twelfth season of this exciting project. We are now recruiting enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers to help us monitor the status of our local wintering seabirds. Training on survey methodology will be provided on Tuesday, 17th September at Lincoln Park, with other trainings taking place at 8 additional locations later in September and early October.
The first seabird survey of the season will take place on October 6th, 2018. Volunteers should ideally be able to identify Puget Sound’s seabird species and be available on the first Saturday of each month, October through April, to conduct a 30-minute survey. But, if determining between Lesser and Greater Scaup is a challenge, we’ll team you up with more knowledgeable surveyors. To help us determine each volunteer’s seabird identification skill level, please take this short, fun seabird ID quiz.
There are five survey sites in the West Seattle area that we need volunteers for, 10 sites in the Seattle area that require more volunteers, and numerous other sites around Puget Sound with spaces.
Learn more at www.seabirdsurvey.org and email Toby Ross, Science Manager tobyr@seattleaudubon.org to take part.
(July 29th photo by Barry J. White)
After we reported on the West Seattle Little League 12-year-old All-Stars’ state championship and impending trip to the regionals, WSB readers asked if they needed community contributions. As it turns out, yes! From WSLL’s Kathy Powers:
West Seattle Little League will be 1 of 6 teams competing in the Northwest Regional Tournament in San Bernardino, CA for a berth to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA later in August. The first game will be against Idaho, on Sunday, Aug 5th. It can be viewed online via ESPN+. The full schedule can be found here.
To help support the team’s journey, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help offset the cost of travel for the team and families. If you are interested in supporting them, you can do so here.
Great job boys and Go Westside!!
11:29 AM: Two WSB commenters mentioned that family and friends of Michael Abay, stabbed to death in South Delridge a little over a week ago, planned a car-wash fundraiser near the scene at 16th SW and SW Cambridge. And now a texter has sent word that it’s under way and that Mr. Abay’s family was setting up a benefit barbecue there too. “I happened to stumble on them as they were setting up. I gave the day’s first donation and they gave me a big hug. Don’t know why it brought me to tears!” said the texter. No arrest reported in the case yet. (Photo from Abay family’s GoFundMe page)
2:04 PM: Another texter says the car wash will continue until 4 pm and sent this photo:
That’s the trailer for “Secret Life of Pets,” which will be onscreen Saturday night for West Seattle Outdoor Movies‘ week two. The movie’s free as always but if you can – BRING DIAPERS! WestSide Baby is the spotlight nonprofit this week, and it’s the last major event in WS Baby’s Stuff the Bus Diaper Drive, which still needs thousands more diapers to reach this year’s goal.
You also need to bring your own chair/blanket to the WSOM site outside the West Seattle YMCA (3622 SW Snoqualmie; WSB sponsor) BUT if you want to have dinner at the movies this week, you don’t have to bring your own, because the Macho Burgers food truck will be there (as well as the Y’s concession stand). You’re welcome to come stake out your spot as early as 6:30 pm; the movie starts at dusk.
1:35 PM: Bubbles! Kids’ activities! Ice cream! Live music! Until 3 pm, you are welcome to enjoy the Stuff the Bus Diaper Drive Bash at WestSide Baby‘s expansive HQ at 10002 14th SW. Or … just drive/ride/walk up on 14th to drop off diapers!
The band Whole Bolivian Army – which you might remember from Verity Credit Union (WSB sponsor)’s West Seattle grand opening a week ago – is here too (as is Verity):
3:05 PM: The party is officially over but not the diaper drive! WS Baby needs them year-round as do the clients of their community partners – such as the White Center Food Bank, which also serves part of White Center:
In that photo, at left and right, WS Baby executive director Nancy Woodland and public-affairs manager Toni Sarge, and at left and right center respectively, WCFB’s development director Carmen Smith and new executive director Marélle Habenicht. Also at the party, WS Baby supporters including Kirk Keppler of Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) in Westwood Village:
With Kirk is son Evan. Meantime, the party fun included tricycle races:
That’s Zoe on the trike. Visitors also got to tour the WS Baby facility:
WS Baby serves thousands of local kids in need, with more than diapers. Here’s how to help.
WestSide Baby‘s biggest weekend of its summer Stuff the Bus diaper-donation drive is on!
(Photos courtesy WestSide Baby)
Those are kids at Alki Beach Academy, where WS Baby picked up 11,083 donated diapers today!
The bus also stopped at Fauntleroy Children’s Center. You’ll see it tomorrow in the West Seattle Grand Parade, and on Sunday at WS Baby HQ in White Center, where you are invited to the Stuff the Bus bash, fun for everyone (bring diapers!) noon-3 pm, 10002 14th SW.
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