West Seattle, Washington
11 Wednesday
TWO FUNDRAISERS FOR OFFICERS’ FAMILIES: It’s the 2nd of two days for the Papa John’s Pizza “profits to the Lakewood officers’ families” fundraiser – as reported here last night (with help from many commenters), the response was massive. There’s another way to enjoy yummy food and know you’re helping the officers’ families: Pasta dinner for a $10 donation at both West Seattle Merrill Gardens (WSB sponsor) locations, 5-7 tonight – details here.
ANIMALS FIRST FOUNDATION FUN @ FEEDBACK: Fundraiser tonight at the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) on behalf of Animals First Foundation – 7 pm, $10 donation gets you snacks, games, and a chance to hear from local animal advocates including West Seattle’s own Teri Ensley of Furry Faces Foundation.
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS’ HOLIDAY PARTY: No business, just celebration, says the 34th DDs’ website, capping a year in which one of their own longtime members ascended to the County Executive’s office. 6 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy. It’s a potluck, so don’t come empty-handed. P.S. Congratulations to the 34th DDs’ webmaster Bill Schrier, who’s also City of Seattle Chief Information Officer, and in that capacity has just landed on the Computerworld Top 100 list of Premier IT Leaders
For more holiday haps – the West Seattle Holidays page is chock-full (just three days till the Christmas Ship‘s big West Seattle weekend, and four days till the next Hometown Holidays Sunday in The Junction!) – and for other events, including a Stand for Children recruitment event in WS tonight, see the WSB West Seattle Events page.
They’ve helped keep thousands from going hungry — and their only reward is knowing what a difference they’ve made in all those lives. But tonight, West Seattle Food Bank volunteers got a special thanks – a dinner in their honor at The Hall at Fauntleroy. Food Bank board president Pete Spalding (honored last weekend with a West Seattle Volunteer Recognition award) says it’s important to celebrate them for “all of their hard work and dedication to helping our clients.” You can, of course, help the Food Bank even without volunteering – just go here. (PS – There are many ways to help those in need this holiday season, listed on our West Seattle Holidays page, and even if there’s not a specific holiday drive, if you’re with a nonprofit that would like to put out a specific request for ways people can help, please let us know so we can share – we often hear from people asking “what can I do to help?”.)
Kristina and Tamara both shared the news that after dark, a crowd gathered at Papa John’s in West Seattle, on the first of two days during which the chain is donating its Puget Sound profits to the families of the four murdered Lakewood Police officers, whose three-hour memorial service ended an hour ago. We are down there checking on it right now – the cameraphone photo (more pix to come) above confirms, there’s indeed a line for takeout, and we’re told a big wait for delivery too. Remember Papa John’s is doing this again tomorrow (and there are other fundraisers in West Seattle, including tomorrow night’s pasta dinner at both WS Merrill Gardens [WSB sponsor] communities – full details of all the fundraisers can be found here). ADDED 6:44 PM: The crowd inside:
7:22 PM: As some commenters are noting, and as Carrie Ann said via Facebook, it appears they’re no longer taking orders for tonight – but remember, this continues tomorrow.
It started an hour later than expected because the nearly 2,000-vehicle-long procession took extra time, but the service with tens of thousands in attendance at the Tacoma Dome is officially under way as of shortly after 2 pm. Watch it live on KING5.com. Here’s our earlier story with several West Seattle ways to help the officers’ families – today, tomorrow, this weekend and beyond. To contribute directly to the fund, go here.
Today, thousands of law-enforcement officers and other mourners will gather at the Tacoma Dome to remember the four Lakewood Police officers murdered at a Pierce County coffee shop nine days ago. If you plan to go to Pierce County to pay tribute, the info you need is all here; meantime, today, tomorrow and this weekend, there are several fundraisers through which you can help raise money for the officers’ families:
PAPA JOHN’S PIZZA, TODAY AND TOMORROW: Papa John’s stores around Puget Sound – including West Seattle – are donating the profits (what they bring in above and beyond their costs) of all sales today and tomorrow. They open at 11; you can order online here.
IVAR’S CHOWDER, TODAY: Ivar’s will donate all proceeds – that’s the total sale price – from chowder sales today, at all its locations, to the fund for the officers’ families. Closest locations to West Seattle are on the downtown waterfront (next to the fire station that’s just north of Colman Dock ferry terminal) and the Ivar’s Seafood Bar in Burien (map).
PASTA DINNER AT MERRILL GARDENS’ WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITIES TOMORROW: 5-7 pm Wednesday, Merrill Gardens at Admiral Heights (2326 California SW) & West Seattle (4611 35th SW) — both WSB sponsors — will host a Pasta Dinner to raise money for the families of the fallen police officers – minimum donation $10/person, and all the money received will go to the fund for the families.
SCOUTS COLLECTING DONATIONS ON SATURDAY: West Seattle Tiger Scouts plan to have a table at the Holy Rosary School Christmas Tree Lot this Saturday (December 12) from 9 am-5 pm to collect donations for the fund to help the officers’ families. Den leader Stan Debiec says, “We are also hoping to have a “giant card” available for people to sign. If we can muster up the card and people sign it, we will then get a group of us scout parents and scouts to drive it down to the Lakewood Police Department and present it to them.”
WEST SEATTLE-BASED SPORE DONATING PART OF PROCEEDS: Last but not least, we heard from Lily at Spore, a West Seattle-based company with a distinct niche – doorbell buttons. Some come with blue lights. Per Lily: “Until the end of January, we will donate 25 percent of each order from customers who purchase any of our products and use the code BLUE at checkout to officer memorial funds. We will also ship the order for free. Although our blue products were our inspiration, customers do not have to order a blue colored product to use the code.”
The volunteers of Scholastic Journey await you at C&P Coffee till 7 pm – ornaments on that tree are for sale, as are baked goods and other crafts, to raise money for their work, which helps educate Third World kids. (Some of the ornaments were made in a drop-in workshop just a few days ago!) Right now they’re helping kids in Bali. You can find out more about their work by stopping in, as well as taking the opportunity to support it. Meantime, about half a mile north of C&P … the bonfires are going and the stage is set …
The Junction Tree Lighting is coming up within the hour. That’s the tree at left, and the tent with the stage, which this year is on the north side of the Farmers’ Market lot, instead of the west side. If you don’t see this before 5:20 or so you can probably still get there in time for the actual lighting – if you can’t make it, check our Twitter feed at twitter.com/westseattleblog for photos as it happens.
First – you’ve no doubt heard by now about the Papa John’s Pizza fundraiser, in which the company says it will donate its regional profits from orders next Tuesday/Wednesday to the families of the four Lakewood Police officers killed last Sunday. We just confirmed that the Papa John’s in West Seattle is participating. Meantime, another dining fundraiser has just been announced by Merrill Gardens (WSB sponsor), which has two West Seattle locations, where all proceeds from this event will go to the officers’ families:
Wednesday, December 9, 5-7 pm, Merrill Gardens at Admiral Heights & West Seattle will host a Pasta Dinner with all the fixings to raise money for the families of the fallen police officers in Western Washington. The dinner will be available for a minimum $10 donation. All money collected will be donated to the fund for the families.
Residents and team members at each of the 22 Washington State Merrill Gardens retirement communities will host this fundraiser that is open to family, friends and the general public. All food and beverages will be donated by Merrill Gardens.
Where: Merrill Gardens at Admiral Heights
2326 California Ave. SW, (206) 938-3964Merrill Gardens at West Seattle
4611 35th Ave. SW, (206) 932-5480
(Thanks to Gary Jones for sharing his photo of this morning’s full-moon moonset over the Olympics)
ORNAMENTS FOR EDUCATION: From the WSB West Seattle Holidays page (keep checking it, we’re adding new events daily!) – Join Scholastic Journey at a drop-in workshop, noon-5 pm downstairs at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (map), to help make ornaments for an upcoming fundraiser to help get school supplies and uniforms for kids in developing countries. “Drop in for a few minutes or a few hours!” says Krista Livingston (krista@scholasticjourney.org), who adds that it’s free to participate.
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEETING/POTLUCK: NDNC is forming new committees on public safety, outreach, beautification, streets/pedestrian, transportation, land use/economic development, and hopes to see a good turnout of North Delridge neighbors tonight for a potluck meeting to talk about those issues and how to make a difference, 6:30 at Delridge Library (map) – bring something to share if you can. “We need YOU to help us make a difference!” says board member Holli Margell.
HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE HOLIDAY POTLUCK: You’re invited to come help HPAC trim the tree at the historic Highland Park Improvement Club building (where the group always meets) and enjoy a holiday potluck – 7 pm, 1116 SW Holden (map).
FAIRMOUNT PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS MEETING: Reminder that tonight’s your chance to have a say in how this Parks and Green Spaces Levy-funded project will improve the playground at Fairmount Playfield. 6:30 pm, High Point Library (map) – here’s our previous preview.
Also tonight — “Plaid Tidings” opens at ArtsWest – more on that coming up! Check our Events calendar and Holidays page (which also has ongoing lists, like tree lots and giving opportunities) for lots more of what’s happening around West Seattle.
From Liz at the West Seattle Junction Association: They’re looking for donations totaling about a quarter-cord of “clean-burning wood like cedar” for bonfires at Saturday night’s Hometown Holidays Tree Lighting in The Junction. They’d be happy to get multiple small donations totaling a quarter-cord, or if anyone can donate the entire amount, that’s great too. They need it by 2 pm Saturday. Please call the WSJA office at 206-935-0904 or e-mail Liz@wsjunction.org. (The tree lighting is in the Farmers’ Market parking lot at 5 pm Saturday, emceed by Marty Riemer, featuring music by the Endolyne Children’s Choir.)
If you’re with a group that can use student volunteers, here’s a chance to find them:
Chief Sealth High School will be hosting a Service Learning Fair for non-profit organizations that offer Service Learning opportunities to high school youth, 14-21 years of age, on Monday, December 7, 9:00 – 11:00 AM. (Service Learning is volunteer work with learning and reflection.) Non-profit organizations that want to participate are invited to contact Chris Syrjala, Career Specialist, Chief Sealth High School cmsyrjala@seattleschools.org, 252-8635 by Thursday, December 3.
Note the barrel in the foreground of our shot from Santa’s House in Westwood Village – it’s not just a place for the little ones to share their holiday wishes, it’s also a place for you to help make somebody else’s holiday dreams come true – Santa photos are free with a nonperishable food donation; there’s also a diaper drive for WestSide Baby, and giving trees large and small:
Noon-4 pm, Saturdays and Sundays till Christmas, you’ll find Santa in his own storefront on the Westwood Village breezeway across from 24 Hour Fitness. (Santa photo opportunities start in The Junction next weekend; info on that, and lots more holiday happenings, abounds here.)
The gate swung open at noon, though the final touches are still in progress, for the Holy Rosary School Christmas Tree Lot behind Admiral Safeway (map). Through December 20th, it’s open 9 am-9 pm Saturdays and Sundays, 3 pm-9 pm Mondays-Fridays. Holy Rosary’s official announcement notes, “As in years past, 15% of the proceeds support local charities including the West Seattle Food Bank, West Seattle Helpline and Hickman House of West Seattle.” For your full range of options, we’ve listed all the local treesellers we know of on the WSB West Seattle Holidays page, plus a link to U-Cut tree info (outside the area), which came up in the WSB Forums. Plus lots of new listings for other holiday events – tree lightings, Santa, Hometown Holidays in The Junction (co-sponsored by WSB), concerts, plays, bazaars, more – have been added too. (Click “Holidays” in the tabs atop any WSB page, any time.)
First, one more pre-Thanksgiving food bank pitch. The West Seattle Food Bank is open till 3 pm today – one more hour – the White Center Food Bank (which serves part of southern WS too) is (THIS IS AN UPDATE) open till 7 pm. You’ve probably seen our pitches to help make sure your neighbors have a happy holiday. Here’s one we received from Rob:
Just wanted to let you know that I spoke to Audrey at the WC Food Bank last night and she said they still need large turkeys, dinner rolls and cranberry sauce. When I dropped off some cranberry sauce this morning they told me that had run out of it altogether.
I didn’t even know there was a WC Food Bank until I read your post mentioning the need for the turkeys and such. A bit embarrassing to say that since I live only about 25 blocks from it, but my point is that I didn’t know and your post made me aware of it. Here’s hoping it opens more people’s eyes.
The WC Food Bank is at 10829 8th SW; directions here. The WS Food Bank is at the southeast corner of 35th/Morgan. (3:01 PM NOTE: We went to WCFB to clarify when they’re open and what they need. Director Rick Jump says they’ve got what they need for holiday distributions and thanks everyone who’s helped. Our note: Both local food banks have a tremendous ongoing demand – donating $ to them online will give them the most buying power, as they have a lot of bulk deals.)
One more story of giving. It’s a tradition for Seattle Lutheran High School students – a day of giving right before the holiday. Today, they’ve been working on a variety of projects around West Seattle – including painting a mural in the nursery at neighboring Hope Lutheran Church/School:
Other groups of SLHS students did work including pulling invasives at Me-Kwa-Mooks and performing music for local elders. ADDED 2:16 PM: One other giving option we meant to mention – it’s among the “ongoing” listings on the WSB West Seattle Holidays page – as of today, there’s a Pet Giving Tree at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor):
Many other giving trees in West Seattle too – we’re continuing to add to the listings on the WS Holidays page – let us know if we’re missing any!
TODAY’S MAIN EVENT: As of shortly after 4 pm today, West Seattle will be home to the officeholders of two of the state’s three top political jobs. That status isn’t permanent, but even after the changing of the mayoral guard in January, we’ll still be home-‘hood to the guy who runs the county. Dow Constantine takes the oath of office downtown at Daniels Recital Hall (the former First United Methodist Church) this afternoon at 4, and everyone’s invited. (Photo at left is one of our pictures from his primary-election-night party.) Also on the docket today:
GIVE!!!! Two days till Turkey Day. The folks fed by our local food banks need you, if you’re able to give. Here’s a few stats explaining why – from the White Center Food Bank page on Facebook, Beth Grieser (West Seattle Volunteer Recognition winner) pulled a shift at WCFB today and reported: “We fed 85 families on our shift today – 287 families for the day. The White Center Food Bank is low on large turkeys 16 lbs, cranberry sauce and dinner rolls.” You can take donations to WCFB 8:30 am-5 pm; they serve the southern third of West Seattle but all the rest is in the territory of the West Seattle Food Bank and they will be thrilled to get donations too – 9 am-3 pm today.
GIVE, #2: Tonight at Porterhouse in the Admiral District, West Seattle Helpline benefits from a sock and underwear drive — bring ’em, new — 6-8 pm, hosted by Rogue Brewing (full details on Facebook).
GIVE BY BUYING: Wreaths and poinsettias, anyone? They’ll be on sale at Southwest Youth and Family Services today, 9 am-7 pm – walk-in sales are promised, and if you preordered one (or more), it’s pickup time.
CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT: It’s been another year of hot issues for Seattle Public Schools, and here’s another one: Aligning what’s taught to who, where and when. How will it affect the student(s) in your family – if at all? Come talk with district reps, 6:30 pm, West Seattle High School.
TRIVIA TIMES TWO: If your brain brims with factoids large and small, old and new, you have your choice of two venues tonight and every Tuesday night: In Morgan Junction, Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor, and now open 11:30 am daily) is all about the tunes, with rock ‘n’ roll trivia starting at 8; at the beach, Christo’s on Alki trivia, hosted by Tom Hutyler, new starting time, 7 pm. Cash prizes at both.
That’s Al Watt at the griddle at Seattle Lutheran High School‘s gym on behalf of the West Seattle Lions, whose pancake breakfast continues till 1 pm (see this preview for menu/cost). C’mon, you’re going to The Junction anyway, stop by. They’ve got a table full of bake-sale goodies too:
West Seattle Lions fundraisers support projects including scholarship funds and the Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight and Hearing, as well as local nonprofits. (P.S. – This is your last chance for a big somebody-else-cooks-’em pancake extravaganza till the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle‘s event on December 5th.)
As mentioned earlier this morning, it’s a great day to help make sure nobody’s going hungry this Thanksgiving. For the Eastridge Christian Assembly turkey-and-groceries giveaway this morning, the line before it started at 9 stretched about two blocks down 38th north of Fauntleroy. At the head of the line, more than 30 volunteers were getting ready to hand out about 500 turkeys:
Eastridge pastor Josh Crandall told us he’d talked to some of the people in line and found out that some had come from miles around.
The church buys the food with money donated by its members – in addition to this giveaway, they were doing the same thing this morning at their Eastside campus. Meantime, we mentioned earlier that the White Center Food Bank has someone on hand all day for last-minute donations including turkeys – we dropped in and found Mike and Audrey there to help:
They’re expecting to have people at WC Food Bank till about 5 but it’s a good idea to call ahead. We’ll update local food banks’ status and hours on Monday, too; here’s our most recent update from the West Seattle Food Bank (for which you can donate nonperishables by stopping by West Seattle Bowl during tonight’s Turkey Bowl, after 6 pm).
… is help make sure nobody goes hungry as Thanksgiving Day approaches. There are ways to donate to both our local food banks today/tonight. White Center Food Bank says somebody will be there today (10829 8th SW) to take donations, including turkeys, which they REALLY need – just call ahead to be sure – 206.762.2848. 
West Seattle Food Bank nonperishable food donations will be taken at tonight’s Turkey Bowl (presented by the Beer Church with co-sponsors including WSB; photo at left shows part of last year’s haul) at West Seattle Bowl, 6 pm on, come drop off donations and cheer on bowlers including, yes, even a team from the food bank. (Both food banks take online $ donations too – WS Food Bank here, WC Food Bank here.)
*And if you need help or know someone who does – today’s the day Eastridge Christian Assembly is giving away turkeys and groceries starting at 9 am.
Just out of the WSB inbox, this update from West Seattle Food Bank executive director Fran Yeatts:
The West Seattle Food Bank will be changing hours during the week of Thanksgiving.
We will be distributing our holiday food on Monday, 11/23 for seniors from 9:30 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. and for the general public from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and on Tuesday, 11/24 for the general public from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Any donations specific to the Thanksgiving holiday can be delivered on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. or Monday, 11/23 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. We will also be here to accept donations from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 11/24 and Wednesday 11/25.
We will be closed at 3:00 on Wednesday 11/25, and all day Thursday, 11/26 and Friday, 11/26. We will resume our normal hours on Monday, 11/30.
Thank you West Seattle for your generous support!
We’ve got a followup question out asking if there’s anything in particular they need; the WS Food Bank is at 35th/Morgan (map). Meantime, remember the White Center Food Bank serves part of West Seattle too – it’s got donation information here.
First came Fauntleroy – next, Admiral and Alki are on deck for the West Seattle Trails Wayfinding and Kiosks project, which includes a $100,000 city grant. The first meeting to plan Admiral kiosks (similar to the one shown in a Feet First website photo at left, the pilot kiosk on Delridge) is scheduled for tomorrow – here’s the announcement from Chas Redmond:
The first of several planning meetings to help determine the location, content, and art for wayfinding kiosks to be installed in the Admiral neighborhood area will take place this Friday, November 20, at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
This meeting and others to follow will allow residents and other interested individuals to help define and create the content and art for two six-foot high, three-feet wide wayfinding kiosks which will be part of a West Seattle-wide wayfinding system.
The system already has three kiosks in various stages of development in the Fauntleroy area. The two Admiral kiosks will also be joined by three Alki-area kiosks. These five kiosks are part of the West Seattle Trails Wayfinding and Kiosk project which previously produced the West Seattle Trails map.
That map has been updated by the way – take a look here.
This Saturday at The Hall at Fauntleroy, it’s a brand-new event – the “Shining Stars Gala” for the Washington chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Uncomfortable subject – but if you’ve been following our coverage a while, you’ve heard us say it’s one that gets swept under the rug too often. In fact, the annual report from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office is out today, and while suicides are down – the rate is still more than double the homicide rate, though you’d never know because of a misguided taboo on news coverage of suicides: 210 suicides in King County last year, 85 homicides. It’s a higher number than even traffic deaths at 163. (See the ME’s full report here.) Back to the Shining Stars Gala: It’s the AFSP chapter’s first annual auction benefit, 7:30 Saturday, with hors d’oeuvres, silent & live auctions, dessert and entertainment. There’s ticket info online.
Thanks to everyone who has nominated someone (some have nominated more than one!) for the next round of West Seattle Volunteer Recognition, sponsored by the Delridge District Council (which meets tonight! 7 pm at Youngstown), Southwest District Council and WSB. Today’s the deadline – so we’re issuing one more call for you to throw a name into the ring, one of those many, many West Seattleites who works so hard for nothing more than maybe the occasional “thank you” in exchange. Give ’em the chance to get big public kudos and a hearty round of applause at the West Seattle Community Tree Lighting in The Junction on December 5th. Online nomination form is here; more details here.
(WSB photo of a table set for last year’s free Fauntleroy feast)
From e-mail to Facebook, we’ve had several inquiries about whether there’s any place to help serve others this Thanksgiving (a week from Thursday!). We don’t have the definitive answer to that question so far, but we did confirm with Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes that the traditional free holiday dinner is on again this year and they do need a bit of help:
The free community Thanksgiving meal is on Thanksgiving Day, November 26th, from 12:00 noon to 3:00 PM at The Hall at Fauntleroy. All are invited to this traditional turkey meal with all the trimmings prepared with love by our executive chef, Mike Chase. For anyone who has attended before it is a wonderful mix of folks from the neighborhood and the surrounding area.
This is the 11th year that Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering owners David and Meg Haggerty and David Meckstroth have opened up their hearts and the Hall at Fauntleroy for this fantastic meal and event. It really seems to usher the season in with warm beginnings.
We have enough volunteers this year; however we do accept pies, whipped cream and cookies for desserts. People can bring them to the Hall at Fauntleroy the day before Thanksgiving or that morning after 10 AM. For information or directions please call our office at 206-932-1059 or go to our website www.tuxedosandtennisshoes.com
Before (and after) Thanksgiving, of course, our two local food banks – West Seattle Food Bank and White Center Food Bank (which is tracking turkey prices!) – welcome your donations, too. Any other Thanksgiving-related service opportunities? Comment here and/or e-mail us so we can help get the word out too.
From now till 4 pm, you’ll find adoptable pets at three places along a half-mile of California SW in Morgan Junction. The photo above shows Ted, who we found at The Wash Dog (6400 California); other pets looking for their forever home are at Pet Elements (6701 California) and Stella Ruffington (7003 California). ADDED 3:30 PM: A pic shared by the folks at Stella R’s – this is Butch Cassidy the cat:
Still time to go find a new friend!
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