West Seattle, Washington
19 Tuesday
(2013 West Seattle 5K photo by Tracy Brigham)
This Sunday brings the West Seattle 5K walk/run along Alki, and race director Jeff Mensing, last call for volunteer help – a few more people would be appreciated!
We are very much in need of volunteers to help with the West Seattle 5K Run/Walk on May 22nd during the race, especially because one adult is needed at every intersection of the route. If you can volunteer, shifts starting from 7:45 and 8:30 until 11:30 AM, we would be very grateful! If you are interested or available, please email wshs5kvolunteers@gmail.com with your name and availability.
P.S. Tonight is your last chance to register online – if you miss the deadline but still want to sign up, you can do that Saturday noon-6 pm at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) or starting at 8 am on Sunday.
(WSFB’s Fran Yeatts with Nucor’s Walter Reese)
Thanks to Judi Yazzolino from the West Seattle Food Bank for the photo and report on its big event last weekend:
The West Seattle Food Bank has honored Nucor Steel for being such a strong partner in helping end hunger in our community for so many years: On Saturday, May 14th, the West Seattle Food Bank held their biggest fundraiser of the year, the 9th Annual Instruments of Change, at the Seattle Design Center.
The first Instrument of Change Award was presented to Nucor and their employees, who since 2003 have raised more than $200,000 for the food bank through their holiday funds and food drive. An integral part of Nucor’s culture is working with the community. Giving back is their nature. Walter Reese, Controller of Nucor was present to accept the award.
The West Seattle Food Bank would like to thank their sponsors, donors, and guests for supporting and helping to raise $131,200! This will allow them to continue to provide nutritious and healthy food, baby supplies, pet food and books to all of our neighbors in need.
You can help out WSFB any time – just go here.
(WSB photo from 2015 West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade)
West Seattle’s only 4th of July parade – the Kids’ Parade through North Admiral streets – is a joyful way to start the holiday for hundreds of local families and the increasing numbers of spectators who watch along the way. It’s been a community-organized tradition for more than 20 years. While it’s free to participate and observe, it’s not free to stage, with costs including permits and insurance. This year, organizers are asking you to help cover the costs, via crowdfunding. The parade’s new coordinator, Emily Williams, has set up an IndieGogo page for contributions, with this year’s parade coming up fast. Every little bit will help.
Updates on this year’s West Seattle Bee Festival – one of spring’s first big events, now just nine days away, on Saturday, May 21st:
*A live band will lead the Kids and Pets Costume Parade, starting at 11 am, and will play until 12:30 pm, after which, festival organizers say, a “mix of world music” will take over.
*Woodland Park Zoo is bringing its “Up Close” pollinator program exhibit: “It will include a slideshow of unusual pollinators and illustrate ‘the sneaky ways (ninja!) plants attract their preferred pollinators. There’s a fascinating science to it!’ That quote is from Sherry Lankston, one of the Zoo staff, who will be there. The Zoo program will be held inside Neighborhood House’s High Point Center from 11:30 to 1:30. They are also bringing two of their live ‘Animal Ambassadors’ to the festival: A Jungle Nymph and a Leopard Gecko! These are pollinators from other countries.”
*Full Tilt Ice Cream has recently joined the “enclave” of food trucks, along with Patty Pan Grill and Wicked Pies. Lanham will be blocked off between SW Graham St and Sylvan Way SW for the Vendor and Information Fair. Food trucks will be on the south end of the block.
(WSB will be at the Vendor/Information Fair, covering the festival live.)
Now, here’s how YOU can help this ever-bigger festival:
*More volunteers are needed – several to help with the Honey Run at 10 am, to “make sure the runners stay on the course and hand out water. We can also use more help with set-up, tear-down, and clean-up. And, we can use some awesome friendly West Seattle people to help staff our information tables and perhaps help out in other ways. Those who’d like to help can email us at westseattlebeefestival@gmail.com.” A meeting for prospective volunteers is planned next Tuesday night near the festival site.
The Taste of West Seattle – your chance to sample dozens of local establishments in ONE place, while helping the West Seattle Helpline – is less than three weeks away. But your chance to get ticket(s) is likely to end much sooner – last time we checked with Helpline executive director Chris Langeler, the number left was down in the double digits. General Admission tickets are $65, and while there’s no limit on food tastes, each GA admission comes with three “drink taste” tickets, with more available for purchase ($2 each, three for $5, unlimited for $20) when you get to The Taste. But you won’t get in without a ticket, so guarantee yours now by going here and support the work of the Westside Award-winning Nonprofit of the Year, 6 pm May 26th at The Hall at Fauntleroy!
P.S. Organizers have been serving up food-and-drink participants’ names in little bites but we’ve noticed the ones revealed so far include WSB sponsors Metropolitan Market (also the presenting sponsor this year), Salty’s on Alki, and Dream Dinners.
(Photo by Dina Lydia Johnson)
The folks at Highland Park Improvement Club want to make sure you know that, post-“eyebrow” trouble, their building is back in business again – they just hosted the monthly Corner Bar on Friday night and have another big event on the way:
The awnings are gone, the building is safe, and we are back in business! Movie Night, Corner Bar, Highland Park Uncorked, and all classes and events are on! More than ever, we need your support to help make this neighborhood gathering place better.
Highland Park Uncorked is Saturday, May 21. Tastings from 8 local wineries, raffle, silent auction featuring local artists – register here.
(Sponsors for HP Uncorked include WSB.) HPIC is at 12th SW/SW Holden.
(Photo by Robin Lindsey)
Tayler and Ana, graduates of the UW’s Environmental Science Program, are Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network volunteers, and that means they’re helping wildlife all over our area. Want to join them? Here’s your next chance:
Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network will be holding our “Spring New Volunteer Training Session” on Monday evening, May 23rd, from 6:30 – 8:30 pm.
For more information and to RSVP (required to attend), please visit the volunteer page of our website. We encourage children to join and become stewards of Puget Sound’s fragile marine ecosystem.
As an authorized agent of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Seal Sitters MMSN responds to reports of all marine mammals along the shoreline of West Seattle, from Brace Point through the Duwamish River.
Join Seal Sitters, a very active network, and make a difference for wildlife!
(WSB photo from 2014 West Seattle 5K)
If you’re not walking, running, or rolling in the West Seattle 5K along Alki on May 22nd – can you help make it a success? From race director Jeff Mensing:
We are very much in need of volunteers to help with the West Seattle 5K Run/Walk on May 22nd during the race, especially because one adult is needed at every intersection of the route. If you can volunteer on Sunday, May 22th, shifts starting from 7:45 and 8:30 until 11:30 AM, we would be very grateful! If you are interested or available, please email wshs5kvolunteers@gmail.com with your name and availability.
The WS5K (co-sponsored by WSB again this year, and every year from its inception in 2009!) benefits West Seattle High School via its PTA.
Big changes this year for the Highland Park Improvement Club‘s annual wine-tasting fundraiser, Highland Park Uncorked, coming up Saturday, May 21st:
Registration is now open for our 8th Annual Highland Park Uncorked! We are so excited to be planning this event, with a few changes that will be sure to impress you!
Register now, as we’re sure to sell out.
A few noteworthy changes & new events:
*We now provide the wine for you! We’re working with 8 local wineries to bring you some amazing wines to try! So leave your bottles at home, the wine is on us…
*Everyone gets a commemorative glass to take home! Because you are our valued guest and supporting our community, we think you all deserve one.
*Silent art auction! With so many amazing talented artists in our very own neighborhood, we will be highlighting them with a new silent auction, in addition to our regular raffle. Our club is deeply rooted in this community, and it’s a perfect opportunity for us to share some of our local talents with you all.
*Wine Roulette! Test your luck by spinning our wheel and pulling a wrapped wine bottle from our ‘wine cellar,’ ranging from high-end bottles, worthy of sharing with the boss, to barely guest-worthy, but still drinkable. No matter what, you walk away with a bottle, the club gets a donation, and it’s a great opportunity to win a top-quality bottle of wine for a cheap price.
So register now! As a reminder, we book out in tables of 10. So book an entire table, or we’ll put smaller groups together so you can cozy up to some new friends.
(WSB is among the co-sponsors of HP Uncorked again this year.)
In case you hadn’t heard, or forgot, the annual GiveBIG donation drive for hundreds of nonprofits was extended through today because of technical glitches with the Seattle Foundation’s new donation software. So this is one last reminder – you have until midnight TONIGHT to give to participating organizations who will then be eligible for added “stretch” dollars. As usual, we made a list of local participants and their special donation links for the event – you’ll find it here.
(UPDATE: Due to technical trouble with the Seattle Foundation’s new site earlier, GiveBIG is extended until midnight Wednesday night)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 4:56 AM: Until midnight tonight, your donation(s) to local nonprofits can go further during the Seattle Foundation‘s annual GiveBIG event.
If you’ve donated on GiveBIG day in the past – this is important: This year, they’ve changed how it works, if you want to help multiple organizations/groups – instead of going to multiple individual special donation pages, just go here and add as many recipients and donations as you want, and the total payment will be a single transaction.
But you CAN go to individual pages – the GiveBIG-specific donation links (not the same links as years past) for the locally helping/locally based organizations on the official list are below. If we’re missing anyone in WS/WC, please e-mail editor@westseattleblog.com and we’ll add.
· Alki United Church of Christ
· Arts Corps
· ArtsWest
· Association of Latino Professionals For America
· Blue Earth Alliance
· Camp Fire Central Puget Sound
· Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association
· Denny-Sealth Performing Arts
· Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/Technical Advisory Group
· Duwamish Rowing Club
· Duwamish Tribal Services
· Empower Mentoring Program
· Environmental Coalition of South Seattle
· Explorer West Middle School
· Fauntleroy Children’s Center
· FEEST
· Free2Luv
· Friends of All-City Band
· Friends of the Animals Foundation
· Furry Faces Foundation
· Gender Diversity
· Highland Park Elementary PTA
· Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence
· Holy Rosary Parish School
· Irish Reels Film Festival
· Killer Whale Tales
· King County Library System Foundation
· Kol HaNeshamah
· Legal Counsel for Youth and Children
· Navos
· Northwest Center
· Opera On Tap Seattle
· Our Lady of Guadalupe School
· Plumbers Without Borders
· Pongo Publishing
· Providence Mount St. Vincent Foundation
· Reel Grrls
· SafeFutures Youth Center
· Seattle Adaptive Sports
· Seattle Glee Clubs
· Seattle Green Spaces Coalition
· Seattle People of Color Salon
· Seniors Creating Art
· Shine Bright
· South Seattle College Foundation
· Southwest Seattle Historical Society
· Southwest Youth and Family Services
· STAGEright
· STEM K-8 PTA
· Technology Access Foundation
· The Cabiri
· The Kenney Foundation
· The Mission to Seafarers – Seattle
· The Nature Consortium
· The Phffft Company
· the Service Board
· The Village of Hope
· The Whale Trail
· Totem Star
· Transitional Resources
· Twelfth Night Productions
· Vivace Chamber Players
· West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network (link takes you to Seattle Neighborhood Group; write WSBWCN in the comments)
· West Seattle Community Orchestras
· West Seattle Food Bank
· West Seattle Helpline
· WestSide Baby
· Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation
· Wheelchairs for Nigeria
· Whit Press
· White Center Community Development Association
· White Center Emergency Food Association [WC Food Bank]
· YES Foundation of White Center
· YMCA of Greater Seattle [then write in West Seattle to designate for local Y]
· Young Shakespeare Workshop
Again, you can also go here and start entering organizations’ names – if they’re part of GiveBIG, they’ll show up in the dropdown, and if you want to donate to more than one, just use the button on the form to keep adding.
P.S. At least one special event locally as part of GiveBIG – you can support the White Center Food Bank (which is in the GiveBIG system as the White Center Emergency Food Association) via Dine Out For Hunger, with four popular WC spots donating part of today’s proceeds – info here.
ADDED 4:26 PM: GiveBIG has now extended until midnight Wednesday night, after tech trouble with the Seattle Foundation’s new website led to slowness and crashing. Meantime, we’re adding a few more local nonprofits who’ve let us know they belong on our list.
(2013 WSB photo)
The path under the west end of the West Seattle Bridge needs some TLC, so Swedish Automotive (WSB sponsor) is organizing another cleanup. Our photo is from one led by Swedish proprietor Dave Winters in fall 2013. They’re hoping you’ll be interested in helping out next Saturday, 9 am-noon, along the path from the bus stop to Chelan Café. This time, the city will provide all the equipment, so all you have to bring is yourself – and please RSVP to say you’re planning to help – call 206-938-8685 or e-mail swedishautomotive@msn.com.
Northwest Hope and Healing presents Style '16 Fashion Show Benefit from Captive Eye Media on Vimeo.
Lots of West Seattle involvement again this year with the annual fashion show raising money to help breast- and gynecologic-cancer patients via Northwest Hope and Healing. For starters, NWHH’s executive director Kristina Dahl is from WS (as is NWHH’s founder Christine Smith), as is videographer Edgar Riebe, whose Captive Eye Media created the highlight video above. From Kristina:
Style ’16 was a smashing success this year, and we are so grateful to this community! Local boutiques Carmilia’s, Coastal Surf Boutique and West Seattle Runner (as well as other area boutiques) showcased fabulous fashions, and Ola Salon & Spa glammed up our inspirational models. The female models were all cancer survivors (several of whom are from West Seattle), some of whom are currently in treatment, and this year we were joined by the Bellevue Fire Department to model the men’s clothing (and they were a big hit!).
(Photo by Matt Browning)
Thanks to the incredible support of our community, the event raised an astounding, record breaking $205,000 to support women undergoing breast or gynecologic cancer treatment at Swedish Cancer Institute who need help with groceries, rent, utilities, and more, and we couldn’t be happier that NW Hope & Healing is growing so that we can help more women than ever in 2016.
NWHH’s next big fundraiser is the Alki Beach 5K on August 28th. Meantime, Kristina adds, “The need for our grants has risen dramatically, and we are determined to rise up and meet that need. Anyone wanting to get involved is welcome to contact me at kristina@nwhopeandhealing.org.” Find out more about NWHH via this video, also produced by Captive Eye Media.
“Enjoy a day in The Junction and feel good about spending local” – that’s what the West Seattle Junction Association is hoping you’re doing today, during its Day of Giving, with participating businesses donating 10 percent of their proceeds to the nonprofits of their choice. Above, Sierra demonstrated her enthusiasm outside her workplace VAIN West Seattle (4513 California), which has chosen the Senior Center of West Seattle as its beneficiary; below, Wallflower Custom Framing (4735 42nd SW) proprietor Courtney Sievertson, who’s chosen to help the animal advocates of Pasado’s Safe Haven:
Menashe & Sons Jewelers (4532 California SW) is supporting the West Seattle Food Bank – that’s Josh Menashe smiling below:
And at Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW), Art with Heart is today’s beneficiary – represented in the shop by Lisa:
VAIN, Wallflower Custom Framing, Menashe & Sons Jewelers, and Click! Design That Fits are all WSB sponsors, as are three other participants – Emerald Water Anglers (4502 42nd SW, benefiting the Wild Steelhead Coalition), and, both helping the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW) and Thunder Road Guitars (4736 California SW).
In all, more than 30 businesses are participating – see the full list, and their chosen beneficiaries, here, and get out to The Junction before 6 pm if you’re not already there!
Thursday is the annual Dining Out for Life fundraiser, with more than 100 restaurants around Seattle donating part of their proceeds to Lifelong, supporting its Chicken Soup Brigade, which provides food to people living with HIV and other chronic illnesses. Here’s who’s participating in West Seattle/White Center, and during which daypart(s) on Thursday, according to the regional list:
Noble Barton (9635 16th SW), donating 30 percent all day/night
El Chupacabra at Alki (2620 Alki SW), donating 30 percent at lunchtime
Buddha Ruksa (3520 SW Genesee), donating 30 percent at dinnertime
Locöl Barley and Vine (7902 35th SW), donating 30 percent at dinnertime/late-night
If you’re going to be outside WS/WC on Thursday and still want to support Dining Out for Life, search other neighborhoods here.
With Earth Day coming up, we have word of several community cleanups around West Seattle. Rather than lumping them together, we’re going to spotlight each one, starting with this one announced by the North Delridge Neighborhood Council:
The North Delridge Neighborhood Council long ago became the Adopt-a-Street owner of northern Delridge Way for purposes of once-a-quarter (or so) trash pick up.
We are calling on neighborhood volunteers to join us Saturday, April 23rd to help spruce up Delridge Way sidewalks and stairways.
Trash bags, gloves, pickers and other supplies are provided. You are also welcome to pick up trash bags and use them to pick up trash on your own street instead. You will just need to let me know where your full bags are located so I can coordinate pick up by the city.
This is a great family activity and you can participate for as little or as much time as you have to spare.
For those interested, we will be meeting a half hour early at Uptown Espresso for a neighborhood coffee social (and donut holes!) prior to heading out.
Date: Saturday, April 23
Time: 9:30 – coffee social; 10:00 – head out for trash pickup
Location: Meet at Uptown Espresso [Delridge] by 10:00 am
If you would like to help pick up trash at a different time or location, I am happy to deliver bags and supplies to you. Email Contact@ndnc.org if you’d like to arrange picking up bags with (beautification chair Kirsten Smith.
Thanks for participating in your community!
More announcements to come! Having a cleanup but not sure whether you’ve sent us word of it? editor@westseattleblog.com soon as you can – thanks!
(2015 photo by Ron Creel – that long greenbelt in the middle of the photo, west of the river, is the West Duwamish Greenbelt)
Lots happening in West Seattle tomorrow, but nothing bigger than the spring edition of Duwamish Alive!, the twice-yearly mega-work party to help the Duwamish River and its watershed. As already previewed here, the multi-site restoration/cleanup party has a big 9:30 am kickoff at Greg Davis Park in North Delridge. From 10 am-2 pm, hundreds of volunteers will help out at sites from West Seattle to Tukwila. Not too late to sign up here. We’re told one of the West Seattle sites most in need of some more helping hands is Pigeon Point Park (next to Pathfinder K-8 School), where you can help the West Seattle-headquartered Nature Consortium continue restoring part of the West Duwamish Greenbelt. You can go directly here to let them know you’ll help there!
This summer’s big events are getting closer – and the Alki Art Fair (co-sponsored this year by WSB) has a request right now:
Did you know that the Alki Art Fair includes a silent auction?
Want to promote your business/product while also helping us raise money?
Please consider a donation. Past auctions have included lots of original artwork, gift certificates for local health+beauty services/ restaurants/ shops/ performances and more, and fun items for home and garden use.
Please email info@alkiartfair.org if you can help.
The fair is set for July 23-24 along the Alki Beach Park promenade.
(WSB photo from Duwamish Alive! in 2014)
Discussion of recent news stories has included a lot of concern for our area’s greenspaces. If you share that concern, here’s a simple way to take action: Be part of Duwamish Alive! next Saturday (April 16th). Choose one of the sites on this list – in and near West Seattle – and sign up. One special focus here is along Longfellow Creek – more details in the announcement you can read in full after the jump:
Read More
Something new in The Junction this month: A “Day of Giving” on April 30th.
Participating shops and restaurants will give 10 percent of their proceeds to nonprofits of their choice that day. From the West Seattle Junction Association:
Giving back has always been a part of what it means to be West Seattle. Our deep neighborhood pride comes through in everything we do and exemplifies the spirit of “neighbors helping neighbors.”
In The Junction, our local businesses are proud to give back throughout the year to the many deserving causes in our neighborhood and beyond. Within The Junction business community, there is a profound sense that it’s the right thing to do and that by supporting our local nonprofits we can strengthen our neighborhood and thrive.
In the spirit of that commitment, The Junction businesses are teaming up with their favorite nonprofits for a fun day of shopping and eating to benefit many important causes. On April 30th, each participating business will be donating 10% of their sales to the nonprofit of their choice. Stop by your favorite Junction retailers and restaurants to lend your support and make a difference through your purchases. It’s an easy and fun way to show your community spirit and just how much you care!
You can see the early list of participants, and their chosen recipients, by going to this page on The Junction’s website.
Tomorrow, you can help four animal-advocacy groups in one place at one fun event: Catsino, 2-6 pm Sunday at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW). Just-for-fun game tables are always the main attraction, but you will find more than casino-style games – for example, organizer Teri Ensley from Furry Faces Foundation tells us, one table will feature Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) dealing the famous Kickstarter-launched game Exploding Kittens. And at the silent auction, here are some of the items you can bid for:
· West 5: One year Mac ‘n’ Cheese Certificate
· West City Kitchen: $50 Gift Certificate
· Two T-shirts from Mariners Spring Training
· Fairmont Olympic Hotel: Afternoon Tea for Two
· Autographed Sounders Mini-soccer ball (super cool)!
· Bad Ass Barbecue
Ticket info and other details can be found here.
Hour and a half remaining in this year’s Kiwanis Club of West Seattle donation drive to help the West Seattle Food Bank fight hunger – and you have two places to donate: West Seattle Thriftway (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan; WSB sponsor), where we found (from left, above) Sig, Johnny (from the Chief Sealth IHS Key Club), and Denis; and the Junction QFC (42nd/Alaska). If you’re going grocery-shopping while there, they can tell you the specific items that are most needed.
Just getting this on your radar for Saturday, if you’ll be out and about and able to donate – it’s the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle‘s annual donation drive for the West Seattle Food Bank. Volunteers and collection bins will be at West Seattle Thriftway (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor) and Junction QFC (42nd/Alaska). If you catch them as you go into the stores, you can get specific wish lists for the WSFB’s Home Delivery and Mobile Food Bank programs, which “deliver nutritious food to the homes of the homebound elderly and disabled neighbors unable to access the food bank.” And if you shop at Thriftway, give them your receipts, too, because the store will donate back 1 percent to WSFB. The drive is set for 9 am-2 pm this Saturday (April 2nd).
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