West Seattle, Washington
21 Wednesday
(WSB photo, June)
That’s Chloe Bolduc, who we told you about in our coverage of local amateur-radio operators’ – aka hams – Field Day at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) on Puget Ridge back in June. She was working on a project to communicate with the International Space Station. Tomorrow’s the big day – and you’re invited, though it’s happening off-peninsula, at the Pacific Science Center downtown (200 2nd Ave. N.) The West Seattle Amateur Radio Club will be there setting up equipment in advance of the doors to the event venue opening at 10:15 am (the Science Center opens at 10). Before the contact window, event participants will be giving short presentations on emergency communications and on the ISS; then a video introduction is planned for astronaut Dr. Jeanette J. Epps, who’s been aboard the ISS as a flight engineer since March and is an amateur-operator herself. The contact is scheduled for 11:15-11:25 am, with a Q&A panel to follow. If you can’t make it to the Pacific Science Center (which charges an admission fee), the event also will be livestreamed – here and here – and amateur-radio operators can listen in, during the 10-minute contact window, at 145.800MHz.
Three updates to share:
SHIPSHIP: If you haven’t been to Jefferson Square lately, you might not know that what used to be The UPS Store is still in operation, with a different name. Here’s what they want you to know:
We are thrilled to announce that The UPS Store has transitioned to an independent shipping store under the new name ShipShip! While our name has changed, our commitment remains the same. We’re still locally owned and operated, with the same friendly staff you know and trust.
As part of their transition celebration, they’re offering BOGO on mailbox services – 3-, 6-, and 12-month plans.
HOMESTREET BANK: You have two more weeks to get into the West Seattle branch (41st/Alaska; WSB sponsor) to see their latest local-organization showcase, for West Seattle Food Bank. Earlier this summer, they showcased Menashe and Sons Jewelers for two months, and Jack Menashe returned (below, with HomeStreet’s Sharon Lingbloom and Andrew Tento) to draw a winner for a gift certificate:
Enter the new HomeStreet drawing when you visit and see what WSFB is offering for a donated prize!
EX-SWINERY OWNERS: Kim promised updates after The Swinery closed, and sent this:
Hello, dear friends and customers. We miss you all so much. I want to give you an update. We are now happily settled in, and working at Elliott Bay Brewery on California Ave. We’ve always loved their food, and their staff are so much fun. We are learning a lot of new things and having an amazing time. Please stop by for a bite, delicious beer and a hug.
(Got a biznote? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thanks!)
Congratulations to a West Seattleite just announced as a scholarship honoree by the Seattle chapter of AAUW – here’s the announcement they asked us to share with you:
Hannah Kelly, a resident of West Seattle, has been awarded a $7,000 scholarship by AAUW Seattle. She is a senior at Western Washington University majoring in psychology with a minor in disability studies. Hannah aspires to work as an occupational therapist for children with special needs. She says that occupational therapy bridges her love of psychology with teaching practical skills. For several years in high school she was a mentor with Athletes for Kids, where she worked with special-needs children. In college she serves on the support staff for Western’s Disability Access Center.
Each year AAUW Seattle offers up to three scholarships to full-time undergraduate students who attend a public WA college/university and show evidence of financial need. Applicants must have graduated from a high school in King County. AAUW Seattle Branch is one of over 1,000 local affiliate branches of the national AAUW organization. AAUW Seattle’s mission is “to advance gender equity through research, education, and advocacy.”
To learn more about AAUW Seattle, visit aauw-seattle.org. To learn more about our scholarships, visit aauw-seattle.org/what-we-do/college-scholarships.
It’s the next-best thing to being an Olympic Games runner – getting a chance to run the same course! A West Seattle couple will head to Paris soon to do exactly that. Shannon Chappon tells the story of what’s ahead for her and Huy Son:
I thought it would be fun to share that my husband and I will be running the Paris Marathon course in a few weeks in a never-before experience for non-elite runners.
The Paris Olympic Marathon course will be open for a select number of runners in between the elite men and women. The men run in the morning of August 10th and the Marathon Pour Tous will be later that day at 9 pm. The women run the following morning. There is also a 10K. More details about the Marathon Pour Tous can be found here.
For the past year or so Huy and I tracked our running and attempted to win an entry through the weekly challenges provided by the Marathon Pour Tous. None of those challenges gained us an entry, but we continued to run and rack up points which eventually earned us a chance in the lottery. I gained an entry in late January and so we decided to go to Paris. Huy planned to watch me on the course but a few weeks later he also gained an entry.
Never in my life would I have imagined that we would be able to experience something like this! I have been running since I was little and just love the feeling of going wherever my feet can take me. I would go down to Alki and push against the wind when I was in my early teens. I ran track at Kennedy Catholic and then ran for fun in college at the University of Washington. Huy started running later in life when a friend invited him to run Beat the Blerch. He discovered the joy of running and a few years later qualified for Boston. I watched him run Boston 2022 and decided that I would like to try and qualify as well. A year later I qualified and ran Boston 2023. We have been chipping away at the 6 Marathon Majors, having run Boston, New York, Chicago and Berlin. We still have Tokyo and London but we are in no rush. Running has provided us with such amazing opportunities to see the world and make new friends wherever we go. Some of our adventures are on my Instagram (@chappons).
I am a West Seattle native and Huy’s first apartment in Seattle was on Alki. We moved back to West Seattle a few years ago. My dad also grew up on Alki and attended West Seattle High School. I absolutely love West Seattle and we can both be found running Lincoln Park to Beach Drive and onward to Alki.
We wish them bonne chance!
(WSB photo)
That’s the newest signal-box portrait painted by West Seattle artist Desmond Hansen. It’s at California and Hanford [map]; a reader tipped us about it today. It’s a tribute to Earl Robinson (1910-1991), an accomplished composer who spent his early and late life in West Seattle. His life was chronicled by West Seattle filmmaker, storyteller, and educator B.J. Bullert in a televised documentary, “Earl Robinson: Ballad of an American,” after his death in 1991 in a car crash on Admiral Way.
Earl Robinson Ballad of an American from BJ Bullert on Vimeo.
You can also thank Bullert for the new portrait, as well as Hansen – it’s the result of her winning bid at this year’s Southwest Seattle Historical Society auction (as we noted in our report on that event). After her $1,200 bid scored the right to commission a box by Hansen (his donation for the auction), she said she was envisioning Earl Robinson. She was there today as Hansen worked on the box:
(Photo by Ken Workman)
The location is doubly relevant – Mr. Robinson attended West Seattle High School, around the corner, and, Bullert says, lived at 41st and Manning, blocks away, a few years before his death. Some of his better-known songs, she says, are “Joe Hill” – “Joan Baez sang ‘Joe Hill’ as did many on picket lines. Frank Sinatra sang ‘The House I Live In,’ and Paul Robeson sang ‘Ballad for Americans.’ Three Dog Night made ‘Black and White’ a hit. Lots more. One of his last songs was ‘Message from a New Address’ about death. It’s in the film.” In addition to watching her film, you can learn more about Earl Robinson from this HistoryLink essay.
10:21 PM UPDATE: Marlene’s family confirms she is now safe at home.
Earlier:Read More
The report and photo are from Center For Active Living executive director Amy Lee Derenthal:
We were the fortunate recipients of a $18,400 gift from Impact West Seattle and we’re so very thankful for their support of the work we are doing in the community for people 50+. This funding will help pay for the 40+ programs and services we have happening in our building each week. Here’s our new website showing the programming they are supporting: wscenter.org.
Impact West Seattle is a coalition of women in West Seattle who use our collective giving and action to make an impact on the social, economic and environmental issues facing our region. They are always looking for more women to join, and they also meet here at The Center on a quarterly basis. We have a longtime relationship with these women, who are supporting so many of our local non-profits.
A huge THANK YOU to Impact West Seattle for this funding!
You can find out more about Impact West Seattle here. And you can donate to the Center For Active Living any time here.
12:11 AM: Police are investigating what’s reported as a collision near Westwood Village involving a driver hitting a pedestrian in the 25th/Barton vicinity in the past half-hour, then leaving the scene. The initial description of the vehicle was only “black sedan.” The pedestrian is reported to have a serious leg injury.
12:18 AM: Dispatch has been told they’re taking the victim to Harborview Medical Center.
10:01 AM: SFD tells us the pedestrian is a woman in her mid-30s and that she was in stable condition when transported.
ADDED WEDNESDAY: Here’s the SPD summary:
At 2347 hours, a witness called 911 Dispatch (CARE) to report a vehicle vs pedestrian collision in the 2500 block SW Barton St. Officers arrived in the area and located the victim lying in the roadway with obvious injuries. The witness stated he observed the victim crawling across the roadway when a dark colored sedan struck her and continued without stopping. SFD arrived and treated the victim who was transported to HMC.
West Seattle’s Scout Troop 284 has been home to more than 115 Eagle Scouts over the decades – and now you can add Jack Revello to the list of those who have earned that rank! The photo was sent by proud mom Jeannie Revello – that’s Assistant Scoutmaster James Kim shaking Jack’s hand. Jeannie explains that Jack “created a giant playground chessboard at Gatewood Elementary for his Eagle Project.”
Another reader report about neighborhood solidarity – this one is a postscript to Pride Month. Last year we reported on Michael Mattinger and his family launching Seattle Pride Night Out block parties. Michael sent a report and photos after a second successful year:
My husband Bradley and I (Michael and Bradley Mattinger) recently hosted our 2nd annual Pride Night Out block party, and I wanted to share the wonderful success we achieved last week. You wrote about it last year which inspired even more West Seattle blocks to participate. Despite some initial concerns over the weather last Thursday and other events happening simultaneously (i.e. the debate), our neighborhood came together to create a truly magical evening.
We were delighted to see a fantastic turnout, with neighbors old and new joining us in the festivities. The event featured a variety of activities, including a talented face painter, toddler bounce house, the local YMCA came out and engaged with arts & crafts, and an abundance of delicious desserts and wine.
The highlight of the night was undoubtedly the performance by local drag queen Dolly Madison, who dazzled everyone with her charisma and talent. Dolly typically performs every Saturday at Lumberyard in White Center.
The overwhelming support and participation from our community made Pride Night Out a resounding success, and we are already brimming with ideas for next year’s celebration. It was a beautiful demonstration of the unity, diversity, and vibrancy that makes our neighborhood so special.
If your block wants to start making plans for next year, Michael tells us, “The tradition is to celebrate the Thursday before Seattle Pride Weekend and we’ll continue that tradition next year – which will be June 26, 2025.”
As we celebrate our nation today, one thing to consider is that a nation is really a collection of neighborhoods. A few in West Seattle have sent us stories of recent celebrations in their neighborhoods – this one is from Monika:
What makes a great neighborhood?
Neighbor Marie celebrated her 99th birthday this past Saturday – here on Rutan PL SW, where she’s lived since the 1950s. Over so many decades, she helped shape an entire neighborhood – in all of the BEST of ways!
(Photo by James Sprague)
A humble brag about our neighborhood on the shortest street in Seattle. We show up. We rise to the occasion. Kudos to our neighbor Karen Arthur White, who organized a festive celebration for Marie’s big day. Karen simply asked that neighbors show up at Marie’s with big hearts – and roses – at 2:00 pm. We all filed in, each bearing best wishes and presenting our roses. Her adult children had prepared refreshments. Then, twenty-six people sang “Happy Birthday” and touched in with one another and the “birthday girl.” It was beautiful. Simply beautiful.
The birthday girl didn’t want to be in the photo, so the people you see are the neighbors and relatives who gathered to celebrate.
More than a year after Steve Daschle left Southwest Youth and Family Services (as reported here) after more than 30 years as executive director, the Delridge-based nonprofit has announced a new leader who is no stranger to the organization:
Southwest Youth and Family Services (SWYFS) is delighted to announce the appointment of Essence Russ as the new Executive Director. Essence succeeds Steve Daschle, who retired in 2023 after more than three decades of dedicated leadership.
Essence Russ brings over a decade of experience in management positions within the nonprofit sector. She currently serves as a Director for TAF@Saghalie, a school district where 80.1% of the student body is non-white, and 30.4% are multilingual learners. At TAF@Saghalie, Essence has been instrumental in maintaining programs and recruiting and training a dedicated staff team. She firmly believes in the core value that every student is capable of learning and succeeding, and she works to ensure that families are seen, heard, and valued as partners in their student’s education.
Before her tenure at TAF@Saghalie, Essence served as Program Manager of Statewide Initiatives for the College Success Foundation. In this role, she supported the WCAN (Washington College Access Network Team) as well as the Passport to Careers contract through WSAC (Washington Student Achievement Council). She supported alumni of foster care in finding success in their post-secondary endeavors. Her mission was to create a just and equitable society through education.
Essence’s career in the nonprofit sector has included several leadership positions in Seattle. Most notably, she served as Director of the Family Resource Center for SWYFS from 2017 to 2020. During her time at SWYFS, Essence learned about different cultures, supported families, and established lasting community partnerships.
“Essence’s deep commitment to equity, education, and community makes her the perfect fit for leading SWYFS into the future,” said August Rowe, Acting Executive Director. “We are excited to welcome her back to the SWYFS family and look forward to the innovative leadership she will bring to our organization.”
The new executive director starts in two weeks, on July 15. If you’re not familiar with SWYFS, its website explains the services it offers – including behavioral health, education, and family support.
Tonight, three notes about helping – one way you can do it, two ways others did it earlier this week:
FOOD DRIVE: Admiral Church‘s summer food drive starts tomorrow (Sunday, June 9):
This June, we are launching our annual Summer Food Drive. Our mission is to combat hunger, and we can’t do it alone. We’re teaming up with both our local community and the White Center Food Bank. This initiative not only provides immediate relief to those in need, but also fosters a sense of unity and shared responsibility in our community. So join us this summer, and let’s fight hunger together! Please contact Susan Oatis to learn more: susanoatis1@gmail.com
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: At Pigeon Point Park, dozens of volunteers joined the Green Seattle Partnership, DNDA and others at a mega-work party this past Wednesday to commemorate World Environment Day.
This site is part of the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Seattle’s largest contiguous forest. Art was incorporated into Wednesday’s activities:
DNDA has many other volunteering opportunities coming up as part of its work to synergize art, nature, and community – check out the calendar here.
CENTENNIAL TLC FOR THE MOUNT: Providence Mount St. Vincent sent this photo from a Day of Service there on Friday involving volunteers from both Deloitte and Providence:
The Mount says more than 70 volunteers participated, working around the grounds on “shared spaces, gardens, and residential rooms”; this was part of The Mount’s centennial celebration and Deloitte’s “Impact Day.”
Big news from West Seattle’s Troop 284, sent by Eric Linxweiler:
In 2025, Troop 284 will celebrate 110 storied years of helping boys and, since 2018, girls, grow to be strong and confident men and women! Over 109 years our troop had presented the prestigious Eagle award to 115 scouts. This past month, we have the honor of recognizing our newest Eagles, including our first female Eagle Scouts. Congratulations to Lauren, Owen, and Heidi!
Owen is pictured with Scoutmaster Dan Vornbrock, who also congratulates Heidi, along with Scoutmaster Laura Kincaid.
Lauren is also a member of Troop 678 on Mercer Island.
Special note: as 3rd-generation Eagle Scouts, both Lauren and Heidi were pinned with their grandfather’s Eagle Medals!
Troop 284 says those 109 years of history make it the oldest troop in Seattle! If you have membership questions, bsatroop284westseattle@gmail.com is their email address.
Story and photos/video by Tracy Record and Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
No matter how busy you are, set time aside to celebrate your hard work and success.
That advice was offered by the guest speaker at today’s Westside Awards breakfast, at which West Seattle Chamber of Commerce members and other attendees did exactly that – celebrating the four award recipients the Chamber had announced three weeks ago.
Each year, the Chamber invites community nominations for the four categories – Business of the Year, Emerging Business of the Year, Not-for-Profit of the Year, and Westsider of the Year – before choosing winners. All winners were at this morning’s celebration at The Hall at Fauntleroy – here’s what they had to say:
Business of the Year – Alki Beach Academy
10 years after founding their still-growing child-care business in North Delridge, Julieann Donohue and James Donohue said the award was “very unexpected, given some of the issues we’re dealing with right now” (a reference to the possibility they’ll have to move because of light-rail routing). They talked about Alki Beach Academy’s inclusion of special-needs kids, rooted in their decision to start the business because their own child, living with autism, was having challenges in a traditional school setting. Here’s everything they told the attendees:
Emerging Business of the Year – Southpaw Barber Shop
Co-proprietors Tommy Andrade and Jeff Chou accepted the award, and Andrade noted that the shop will celebrate its first anniversary this weekend. He explained he had left a tech career to answer the call to be a barber and help the community – “service first, community first” is the business philosophy. Here’s his speech:
Not-for-Profit of the Year – A Cleaner Alki
Erik Bell, who founded the growing organization that leads cleanups far beyond Alki, told his story of starting with cleanups while taking walks with his brother and broadening into a communitywide organization – with an invitation to anyone and everyone to get involved. Here’s everything he said:
Westsider of the Year – Madison Middle School teacher Mike Kreiger
This is a “community champion” type of award; Kreiger is a teacher and coach at Madison, involved with programs including eighth-graders mentoring newly arrived sixth-graders. Here’s his brief and energetic speech of gratitude:
Chamber executive director Rachel Porter, presiding over the first Westside Awards since she started the job nine months ago, congratulated all the winners and nominees for “dedication and excellence that makes West Seattle tick”:
Before the presentations, emcee Brian Callanan sat down for a conversation with guest speaker Fred Rivera, executive vice president of the Seattle Mariners.
Their far-ranging conversation included a discussion of inspiring your workforce by taking time to celebrate – for example, Rivera said, the Mariners have “First Place Fridays” – every Friday that the team is in first place, they celebrate with treats. Other advice included being aware of how people are using your product; the M’s, for example, are aware more and more people are seeing games in small chunks rather than the full three hours. Here’s their entire conversation:
Kreiger’s words bear repeating – they apply to all ages, even if you’re not an educator or parent: “No one remembers what you taught them, but they remember how you made them feel.” It’s likely that most on hand felt inspired, to say the least, as they headed out into the morning shortly thereafter.
All the past Westside Awards winners are listed here.
(WSB photos)
In the midday Sunday sunshine, Alki UCC offered visitors the chance to create art with a message – the message someone has tried to obliterate by damaging and/or stealing banners hanging over its entry five times. As noted in our first story about this, they also collaborated with an artist to design a new banner:
The banner will soon hang with what’s out front now at the building Alki UCC shares with Kol HaNeshamah:
The individual art pages created by visitors today were theirs to either take home or leave behind as contributions to another art work, possibly a collage.
2:45 PM: Next time you travel along Roxbury, you’ll notice a much brighter fence at the Community School of West Seattle, thanks to volunteers working there as one of dozens of places citywide getting people-powered help as part of the One Seattle Day of Service today:
Thanks to CSWS for sharing photos! We also have one from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, whose Adopt-A-Street cleanup was centered on California SW between Admiral and The Junction
The city says thousands of people signed up for more than 130 events involving 100+ organizations.
9:04 PM: We have photos from another of those organization, Kiwanis Club of West Seattle:
Thanks to Denis Sapiro from the Kiwanis Club for sending the photos.
Thanks to Michael for the photo and report:
Admiral Pub’s pinball team (named the Admiraballs) won the Seattle Monday Night Pinball league championship last night after 14 weeks of play.
Michael says 34 teams of 10 players per team competed in the league, and that the championships were held at Add-a-Ball in Fremont. “Our team had the number-one seed going into playoffs so every game up until the finals was played at the Admiral Pub.”
(Added: WSB photo, center’s executive director Amy Lee Derenthal and board president Dawn Schaper)
8:50 AM: We are at Alki Masonic Center in The Junction, where what was the Senior Center of West Seattle has just concluded its annual fundraising breakfast with the “big reveal” of its new name: The Center for Active Living. They’ll be celebrating all day at the center (California/Oregon). More on the event, and what’s next, later!
ADDED 12:24 PM: The new name is meant to showcase “the vibrancy” of the center as a “welcome and inclusive place for everyone.” And the center is growing – more than 1,300 members, double what it was pre-pandemic (despite a nearly 50 percent drop during the pandemic peak) – the youngest 27, the oldest 102.
Memberships alone won’t sustain the center, as more members – and visitors – means more users for its services. So this morning’s goal was $50,000, “to make sure this community has everything it needs to support people as they age,” explained emcee Ryan Sheaffer. In our clip below, you’ll hear from him as well as some of the event speakers – one of the center’s 150+ volunteers, Joe Lamy; executive director Amy Lee Derenthal; and supporter John Bennett:
The “big reveal” itself was announced from the stage at the end of the program, as was the artist chosen for the new mural that will grace the center’s exterior, as well as the team overhauling the center website.
Then the members in attendance got to go home with a goodie bag featuring the center’s new logo/name:
Assisting in the morning’s fundraising was Nucor Steel, which pledged to match donations up to $15,000:
Besides the new name, Derenthal said they’re expecting to grow beyond the 40 classes and activities they already offer each week (and the lineup is already varied, she reminded everyone, with recent offerings such as Cannabis 101 and Pickleball Injury Prevention) in addition to their café (open for lunch!) and Stop & Shop thrift store. The newly renamed Center for Active Living promises to be “a place where our community can gather, learn and thrive.”
WHAT’S NEXT: Signage with the new name was expected to go up today. It’ll be a “few months” before we see the work of selected muralist Brady Black joining it.
(WSB file photo, Senior Center’s north side)
The Senior Center of West Seattle has been working on a new name, as noted when we shared their call for mural artists back in March. Now they have it – and they’re about to reveal it, at this Tuesday’s annual fundraising breakfast. The event is sold out, but the center plans to publish the new name online Tuesday morning too (and we’ll have it here). You’re also invited to visit the center on Tuesday (and beyond) to find out more – and the nonprofit’s update on all this includes:
There’s also still time to support the Senior Center’s annual fundraising campaign. The nonprofit’s goal is to raise $50,000 between now and the end of May to fund the essential services they provide in our community—like meals, classes, lectures, support groups, counseling, digital navigation, and more.
You can help with that by going here. P.S. We’re expecting to hear an update about the mural Tuesday, too.
Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Westside Awards – here’s the announcement sent by the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce:
The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce presents the annual Westside Awards, honoring three local businesses and one individual who demonstrates results-oriented leadership, a cornerstone of a thriving economic region.
2024 Westside Award Winners are:
• Westside Business of the Year: Alki Beach Academy
• Westside Emerging Business of the Year: Southpaw Barbershop
• Westside Not for Profit of the Year: A Cleaner Alki
• Westsider of the Year: Mike Kreiger, Teacher and Coach, Madison Middle SchoolAward winners and all nominees will be recognized at the Annual Westside Awards Breakfast on Wednesday, May 22, 7:30 am-9 am, at The Hall at Fauntleroy.
At the Awards Breakfast, Fred Rivera, Executive Vice President, Corporate Secretary, and General Counsel of the Seattle Mariners, will lead a keynote fireside chat moderated by Brian Callanan, Loop the ‘Lupe, discussing how dedication and collaboration are pivotal in shaping operations within the Mariners organization, from celebrating successes to integrating new members into a culture focused on teamwork and recognizing individual contributions.
Early Bird Pricing for tickets is $55 per person through May 3rd, and $65 per person May 4th onward. Get your tickets at https://loom.ly/PJNQ0qU or wschamber.com.
Below are this year’s Westside Award nominees (from community suggestions solicited earlier this year), also from the Chamber’s announcement:
Not a bad Sunday morning for a swim in the Sound – 50-degree water, 50-degree air, and an infinite degree of generosity from those who took the plunge. This happened to be – as previewed here last weekend – the “Plunge for Patterson,” on behalf of a local boy living with EB, organized by his friends Jill and Eddie Vedder:
As explained in the event announcement, this is “part of a national campaign to raise money to treat and cure Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a family of painful and life-threatening rare genetic disorders that affect the body’s largest organ: the skin. The Vedders serve as global fundraisers and ambassadors sharing the mission of curing and treating EB with the world,” as co-founders of the EB Research Partnership, which Jill Vedder chairs. This morning she thanked the crowd, and Patterson had a few words too:
Then it was time to plunge:
EBRP’s goal is to cure EB by 2030. The Vedders co-founded the nonprofit in 2010.
Even if you weren’t at Alki to plunge this morning, you can support the cause by donating here.
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