How to help 4418 results

First, the latest e-mail newsletter from Lady Di, Pet Chaperone discusses the move to her new location in The Junction (the old one in Admiral is making way for development):

Moving date has arrived for the Lady Di business. On June 1st we will be open in our new facility at 4433 42nd Ave SW (right in the heart of the West Seattle Junction). We are located behind the Eagles. From California Avenue; entry is through the alley off Genesee St. or Oregon St. The Lady Di Pet Chaperone sign will be posted on the fence.

The new facility is smaller and still offers that “at home” feeling. A cozy fire on cold fall and winter days will keep all the “pups” and us warm. Any donations of wood or furniture will be greatly appreciated. Because the new facility is smaller we will have to limit the number of dogs. The weight limit will be reduced to 50 pounds and only a few of our larger dogs will be able to make the move with us. We are all sorry about this change and hope those few will find another facility for daycare. …

We hope this move will go smoothly and that you will all enjoy bringing your dogs to our new “home-away-from-home.”

We also heard this weekend from Shane at Stella Ruffington‘s in Morgan Junction:

The Seattle Dog Daycare Association (SDDA) is holding a food drive from May 1 through May 15, to benefit local shelters and rescues in the greater Seattle area. Food and/or cash donations are being accepted at Stella Ruffington’s Doggy Playcare during regular business hours.

The Seattle Dog Daycare Association is a networking group of professional dog daycares in the Greater Seattle area.

Helping local students: Today, tonight, and beyond

| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

TODAY: The weather’s a little sketchy but if you were going to wash your car anyway, note that the WSHS Class of ’08 is having another Grad Night-fundraising car wash at the school through 2 pm today.

TODAY: Arbor Heights and Highland Park Elementary Schools are both having rummage sales under way right now (AH has a plant sale too); more here.

TONIGHT: The Sanislo Elementary auction, 5 pm, Holy Family. More here.

THURSDAY: Another WSHS benefit — the Foundation is raising money for visual and performing arts with an evening of dinner and theater (and a few extras!) on Thursday night, hosted by County Councilmember (and WSHS alum) Dow Constantine — read on for full details and ticket info:Read More

2 West Seattle-bound exchange students need hosts

May 1, 2008 12:49 am

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| How to help | West Seattle schools

Out of the WSB inbox, from Janell:

Next school year, two exchange students will be coming to West Seattle High School; Sealth is an option also. Ximi, a 17-year-old girl from China, likes community service work and plays the zither. She is an A student with good English. Vanessa,16, has grown up in a village in the Black Forest of Germany but was actually born at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue. Her English will be excellent. She loves to play soccer and also likes snow sports. Seattle host families are needed for both girls. Each will come with her own spending money including for school lunches, and full insurance. Host families are asked to provide a bed (room can be shared if appropriate) and meals eaten with the family. A Seattle area rep will provide support and activities. For more information about hosting either Ximi or Vanessa, please contact janellgregson@yahoo.com. Their profiles and photos can be forwarded.

Wednesday afternoon West Seattle miscellany

April 30, 2008 2:02 pm

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| How to help | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

CONGRATULATIONS! Southwest Youth and Family Services, based in North Delridge, just got word today that it’s the winner of the city’s 2008 Seattle Human Services Coalition Outstanding Organization Award. SWYFS will be honored at City Hall on June 5th.

FASHION, ANYONE? The West Seattle-based organization Northwest Hope and Healing, which helps newly diagnosed breast-cancer patients with some of the practicalities of life, still has tickets available for its gala fashion show at Showbox SoDo tomorrow night. Not only is NW H & H based in WS (its founder, Christine Smith, is a West Seattle mom and breast cancer survivor), but most of the fashion-show models are from West Seattle, and local boutiques are participating including Clementine, Sweetie, Carmilia’s, and Coastal. You can find out more about the show, including how to get tickes, at the NW H & H website.

RUMMAGE SALES THIS WEEKEND: Want to get in the mood for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day on May 10? We just heard about another big rummage sale this weekend, Highland Park Elementary, 9 am-3 pm Saturday. The school explains that “proceeds will go towards buying a cargo container for the school’s Emergency Supplies to keep Highland Park students safe In the event of a natural disaster.” (If you have anything to donate, drop it off at the school by 3 pm Friday; 206/252-8240 if you have questions.) The rummage sale at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church continues this weekend too, Friday and Saturday.

SPEAKING OF WSCGSD: Turns out that WSCGSD, May 10, is also the day of the big food drive you can participate in without leaving your house – the National Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” door-to-door food drive, where all you have to do is put a bag of nonperishable food out by your mailbox (or door if you get your mail there), and your letter carrier will pick it up. All donations stay local.

SPEAKING OF FOOD DONATIONS: One more mention, tomorrow night (6 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy) is also the first-ever “Instruments of Change” fundraiser for the West Seattle Food Bank. Find out more at the WSFB website. (4:10 PM UPDATE: Eve Holt at WSFB tells us the event’s sold out and they’re thankful to everyone for their support!)

School updates from around West Seattle

April 28, 2008 11:22 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle schools

First, Julie shares this news of what Tilden School students have just achieved:

We’re very proud of our 4th and 1st grade students who have just very successfully completed their spring food drive to benefit the West Seattle Food Bank, “Replace Hunger with Love, because Love + Food = Life.” (We love the theme they came up with!) Their donation (in total almost 3 tons of food) will be matched by the Feinstein Challenge. More details and a photo at tildenschool.org under “community service.”

Next, two West Seattle notes in the latest Seattle Public Schools “School Beat” newsletter: First, Chief Sealth High School senior Brittney Rogers is one of 12 recipients of scholarships given to former MLK Elementary students and will be honored at a banquet May 19. Second, just like the city Parks Department, SPS is working on a Strategic Plan and has citywide meetings coming up for public comment on the plan; there’s one in West Seattle, 7 pm May 15, West Seattle High School Commons.

Last but not least, May 10 is a big day at Pathfinder K-8, thanks to volunteers from the school community and Seattle Works, and maybe even you! Read ahead to see what’s up:Read More

Tale of two West Seattle playgrounds

April 27, 2008 10:51 pm

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| High Point | How to help | West Seattle parks | West Seattle schools

First, an “after” photo of the Ercolini Park playground-building work this weekend (here’s our report from Day 1) — thanks to William Leaming for sending this Day 2 pic:

Also — a school playground project that could use some help: Back on MLK Day, we showed you Seattle Works (and others) in action at West Seattle Elementary in High Point; next big step there is a one-day work party to build the new preschool playground, 9 am-2 pm May 17, and they need some person-power — no special skills required; e-mail wsesbuild@yahoo.com or call 206/252-9464. (We also just learned Seattle Works will be in action another May weekend at Pathfinder K-8; more on that here tomorrow.)

And another pitch for help: This one’s for the critters

April 26, 2008 7:23 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| How to help | Pets

Michael at Liberty Bell Printing in The Junction mentioned this situation when we dropped by the other day on other business — we told him it sounded like news to us. Lots of hard-working animal-advocacy groups in West Seattle; this one, Friends of the Animals Foundation, is a week away from a fundraiser but hampered by a crisis related to a recent fire — read on to see what Michael wants you to know:Read More

If you spent the day in your garden, this one’s for you

April 26, 2008 7:04 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Gardening | How to help

Finally, an excuse to show a photo of our favorite flower … currently at its peak bloom … the tequila-sunrise orange/pink Darwin’s Barberry, seen above as hedging on the east side of Don Armeni, and used in a similar manner at the Fauntleroy Creek fish-ladder overlook across from the ferry terminal. The excuse is that we have garden news: The West Seattle Garden Tour is just a few months away and its committee would really dig ::ducking:: some help — read on:Read More

2 more ways to help local schools

April 25, 2008 12:46 pm

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| How to help | West Seattle schools

RECYCLE OLD ELECTRONICS ETC. TO HELP WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: We still have a pile of old cell phones etc. around the house and maybe this is the way to go: Now through May 30, you can turn in everything from cell phones to laptops to old inkjet cartridges, and WSHS Football will benefit from the proceeds of recycling or refurbishing. Scroll down the WSHS daily bulletin to “students and staff” for more details, or click here to e-mail Monique for info.

EXOTIC OFFERINGS AT SANISLO AUCTION: This weekend is the last chance for discount tickets to the Sanislo Elementary auction May 3 – and Lisa Keith from the Sanislo PTA says some enticing items have been donated for the auction – read on:Read More

Sustainable West Seattle gets ready to make history

April 24, 2008 1:51 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| Environment | How to help | West Seattle festivals

That photo is courtesy of the members of Sustainable West Seattle, who gathered for a group shot outside Camp Long before their monthly meeting this past Monday night — a meeting like no other in their less-than-one-year history, because it’s the last one before SWS presents its first-ever Sustainability Festival, coming up Sunday, May 4, 10 am-3 pm in The Junction. A little while before that photo was taken, we sat down with three SWS leaders to talk about the festival (and how it’s not too late for you to pitch in, especially if you have some time this weekend) – read on to see why they, and many other folks around West Seattle, are so excited about it:Read More

It’s not just YOUR grocery bill that’s rising …

April 24, 2008 10:34 am

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| How to help | West Seattle news

You’ve heard the national-news stories about the rising price of staples like rice and wheat … and you’ve seen it when you go to the grocery store. But if you think your budget is tight, try running a food bank and trying to maximize every last fraction of a cent. Local food banks are hurting worse than ever as a result – not just from having to pay more for the food they buy, but also because the higher prices are sending more families their way for help — but the bright spot is that, donating to them in the next week not only will help with the crunch, it will also help them qualify for matching funds as part of a national “challenge” we’ve mentioned before. Here’s an update from Eve Holt at West Seattle Food Bank:

April 30th is the last day for donations to the West Seattle Food Bank that can be submitted for matching funds from the Feinstein Foundation’s $1 Million Challenge.

Donations of food and cash are especially needed right now because of rising food prices. Most of what the Food Bank has to buy is costing more and there has been a significant increase in the number of families coming to the Food Bank for help.

Checks may be mailed to West Seattle Food Bank, 3419 SW Morgan, Seattle, WA 98126. Credit card donations can be made by calling Eve Holt at (206) 932-9023 or online at www.westseattlefoodbank.org. A list of suggested food donations can also be found on the organization’s Web site.

The Food Bank’s first-ever Instruments of Change fundraiser is coming up one week from tonight, by the way. One other note: Part of southern West Seattle is served by the White Center Food Bank, which is also participating in the challenge; find its donation info here.

Happening today/tonight: 3 West Seattle highlights

April 24, 2008 7:09 am

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| Denny-Sealth | How to help | West Seattle parks

DINING OUT FOR LIFE: 12 West Seattle restaurants are among those participating in the Lifelong AIDS Alliance fundraiser (find the list here, some are participating at lunchtime as well as dinnertime).

DESIGN REVIEW FOR ADMIRAL PROJECT: 2743 California on the north side of PCC, proposed for a 3- to 4-story medical-office building (here’s our report on the project from 3 weeks ago), 6:30 tonight, Southwest Precinct meeting room (official meeting notice here).

FINAL PARKS PLAN MEETING: 6:30 pm, High Point Community Center, last of 7 West Seattle meetings where you can tell city Parks staffers what you think the department should focus on in the next five years. (Here’s our report on last week’s Southwest CC version of the same meeting.)

More West Seattle events for today, tonight, and beyond, can be found here.

Pitches from two local high-school baseball teams

April 23, 2008 10:39 pm

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| How to help | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

School budgets don’t cover everything needed for extracurricular activities these days; they barely can cover the academic basics. So students need a whole lot of community help … and with that in mind, tonight we are sharing pitches from two local high-school baseball teams:

CHIEF SEALTH HS: Its baseball team has a spaghetti dinner/auction coming up May 2. This year, though, they’re having a tough time coming up with donations for the auction. The event raises most of the annual $ the team needs, so they’re really hoping the auction-donation drive turns around. If you can help, e-mail Coach Policarpio at edpolicarpio@seattleschools.org.

WEST SEATTLE HS: We mentioned this fundraiser a few weeks ago, and now the sales are really ramping up: The team is selling discount tickets to the June 3 Mariners/Angels game — $10 for view reserved (half the usual price); $2 of that goes to the team. You can order up to 25 tickets in an online process that starts with e-mail to groupmanager@mariners.com (be sure the subject line mentions West Seattle HS), or more by calling Stephanie at (206) 518-3879 – if your group has 40 or more, its name will be on the scoreboard during the game.

Longfellow Creek Garden farm update

April 21, 2008 10:04 am

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| Delridge | Gardening | How to help | West Seattle news

We told you two weeks ago about the new community-organic-farming effort on a plot of land off Delridge known as “Longfellow Creek Garden.” Today, the LCG blog has photos from the hugely successful work party on Saturday to clear the land, plus a short list of what’s on the agenda next. (That site, by the way, is one of 3 just added today to our “Other Blogs in West Seattle” page, which features links to 144 WS-based blogs, after a frequently updated digest of excerpts from the sites’ latest updates.)

6-9 TONIGHT: WSB Forum Community event @ Admiral Pub

April 19, 2008 6:15 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | How to help

Great people, great raffle items & fun, a great cause. All ages welcome. Map here. See you there! 8:21 PM UPDATE: We’re just back; party’s still in full swing, excellent turnout, plus three TV stations (KING5, Q13, KIRO7) showed up (watch at 9/10/11 pm tonight). Full WSB report, with pix and video, a little bit later.

Happening today/tonight: Earth Day, to art, to dogs, to darts

April 19, 2008 9:55 am

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| Fun stuff to do | How to help | Pets | Pigeon Point | WS culture/arts

Looks like Winter Encore ’08 smacked other areas but spared us (so far), so here are outdoor and indoor highlights (find today’s full list in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup):

EARTH DAY: It’s officially not till Tuesday but today, Cooper Elementary and neighboring Pigeon Point Park are the epicenter of the Duwamish Alive! activities happening all day long (with work parties at Roxhill Park and Brandon Street Natural Area too). Full details here.

FREE SWIMMING! It’s part of the April Pools Day event 10:30 am-noon at Southwest Pool.

LONGFELLOW CREEK FARM WORK PARTY: As we put it in our first report, “free organic produce … with just one catch!” Noon-4 pm.

HOMEMADE BRIGADE: Artists and craftspeople are setting up inside Freshy’s noon-4 pm today to show and sell their creations. Organizer Amber Bennett says live music will follow.

SNOOTY WALK: Across the street from Freshy’s, at Hiawatha, the pet event organized by and benefiting the West Seattle High School Class of ’09 starts at 2 pm. Read all about it here.

GOING TO THE HEALTHY LIVING EXPO? It’s not in West Seattle but if you’re going to this event @ Qwest, the WS Nia Divas asked us to let you know they’re presenting a free Nia class there @ 3 pm.

WSB FORUM COMMUNITY GET-TOGETHER AND ARSON-VICTIM FUNDRAISER: 6-9 pm tonight at Admiral Pub, join the WSB Forum Community for an evening of fun — all ages welcome — including a dart tournament and raffles with a list of enticing items (still growing as we speak) to raise money for Puget Sound Key and Lock, the Morgan Junction business gutted a month ago by a still-unsolved arson attack (recent followup here). Admiral Pub is on the east side of California just a few blocks north of Admiral; here’s the latest forum thread about tonight’s event (including raffle-item updates).

Also happening tonight: Benefit by Bobcat Bob

April 18, 2008 12:36 pm

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| How to help | WS culture/arts

We are putting together the West Seattle Weekend Lineup right now for publication by 2 pm and just remembered, we wanted to tell you about this separately — One of the C & P Coffee Company regular live-music guests, Bobcat Bob, will be putting on a special performance tonight. Here’s the e-mail, forwarded by C & P’s Cameron Moores, explaining why:

dear friends, almost 3 weeks ago our bass player dave lucas and his wife kenna lost their only child jessica in a car accident back in the midwest. my brother dave and i are dedicating the c and p performance on april 18th to dave, kenna, jessica’s husband and her 2 children. they need our help spiritually and financially. please come to this performance in a show of support for this sweet family. dave will be in his position on bass and we hope to see you all there. thank you. most sincerely, bob.

They’re playing C & P 6-8 pm tonight. (Drop in early, then pop down California SW to Capers and make a cameo appearance at our West Seattle Community Recognition Awards get-together 7-8 pm!)

Cold air, warm hearts: Saturday Earth Day extravaganza

April 17, 2008 11:55 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Environment | How to help | West Seattle news

Yeah, it’s supposed to be cold on Saturday (and probably sooner). That’s not going to stop the hardy West Seattle souls planning a huge slate of events we’ve been telling you about (see the Events page for most of ’em, and the West Seattle Weekend Lineup at midday Friday for even more), and here’s another one we wanted to preview — the Duwamish Alive! Earth Day festivities planned for Saturday:Read More

Arson follow-up: Locksmith goes mobile

April 17, 2008 2:18 pm

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| Crime | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle video

That’s a look inside Puget Sound Key and Lock in Morgan Junction while owner Michael Dein was there this morning to talk to news crews about what’s happened since the firebombing 4 weeks ago. As you can see, the view hasn’t changed much. But he’s managed to keep working by going mobile — he talked about that, and about how little time he would need to get set up again, once his landlord’s insurance coverage (for the structure, not his destroyed business) comes through:

Dein will be on hand for the fundraiser/raffle event that WSB Forum Community members are having Saturday night at Admiral Pub. One more clip … in which he shows the rock he says the firebomber(s) used … plus raffle/fundraiser details (including the list of what’s up for grabs so far!) … ahead:Read More

Looking ahead: WS businesses join in wide-reaching events

April 17, 2008 12:51 pm

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| How to help | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle restaurants

Thanks to the WSB Forum and the WSB inbox for bringing in the info on these: Easy Street is participating in Record Store Day this Saturday; 12 West Seattle restaurants are participating in Dining Out for Life next Thursday (participants are listed on the DO4L site as well as in this WSBF thread).

Arson-victim help: Raffle tickets on sale now

April 16, 2008 6:03 am

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| How to help | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

No arrests yet, almost 4 weeks after the arson that gutted Puget Sound Key and Lock in Morgan Junction. WSB Forum Community members are not only inviting you to a get-together Saturday night to raise some $ to help the business reopen, they’re also selling raffle tickets ahead of time so you can pitch in — and get a chance at great prizes donated by generous businesses — without even attending Saturday night if you have other plans. You can buy tickets at Admiral Pub tonight and tomorrow night, 7-8 pm, to win M’s tickets, gym memberships, artwork, massage(s), and more! The winning tickets will be announced at the community get-together/fundraiser, also at Admiral Pub, 6-9 pm Saturday. You don’t need to be present to win. Raffle tickets also available at the get-together (and families are welcome, since Admiral Pub is all-ages till 9 pm; more info in this WSB Forum thread), as well as during the West Seattle Community Recognition Awards gathering 7-8 pm Friday at Capers in The Junction (stop in and say hi if you can) — and you can even e-mail to get in on the raffle: wsbforum@gmail.com will connect you with the Forum Community members who are handling it.

Got a musical instrument gathering dust? Put it to good use!

April 13, 2008 6:47 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| How to help | West Seattle schools | WS culture/arts

A citywide program with strong West Seattle ties is making progress in its recently launched quest to expand music education for kids in all Seattle Public Schools. It’s called Rotary Music4Life, and its creative team includes two West Seattleites, former school-board member Irene Stewart, and SirenSong Productions‘ Bronwyn Edwards Cryer. Stewart tells WSB that many of the photos on the Rotary Music4Life site (see it here) feature Roxhill Elementary and Arbor Heights Elementary students, as well as Westside Symphonette musicians. At the heart of this program’s work is the search for donations of “gently used” — or new! — instruments needed so that kids who can’t afford to buy or rent instruments can still join in music programs. One of the city’s two drop-off spots for instrument donations is C and P Coffee in West Seattle. Rotary Music4Life intends to get 1,200 instruments for kids who need them; so far, their website shows 28 acquired (here’s the list of what’s needed; here’s how to donate).

Local church leaders share an idea: Share the “stimulus” $

April 12, 2008 11:20 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle religion

Out of the WSB inbox, for your consideration as a way to help West Seattleites in need:

To Our Friends in West Seattle
From a Gathering of Concerned Spiritual Leaders

We greet you in this season when Christians proclaim the joy of Easter. Spring is a time when many faiths mark holy days and observe special traditions, a time when many of us are reminded that we are truly blessed.

Recently you received a letter from the Internal Revenue Service, with the heading, â€œEconomic Stimulus Payment Notice.” It stated that individuals who qualify may receive as much as $600 ($1200 if married filing jointly) in our governmentâ€™s effort to stave off an economic downturn. The coming payment is intended to boost the economy with extra spending that will follow. Whether or not you agree with this strategy, it appears the money will be on its way some time in late spring or early summer.

Recently, members of one of our congregations presented their pastor with an idea. What if a large number of people in our community decided to share a portion of this extra, unplanned â€œbonusâ€ with neighbors? What if, for instance, households from all over West Seattle used the Biblical standard of 10% and gave $60 or $120 to local charities to help ease some of the financial pain so many are feeling. Food banks have been stretched, emergency funding sources are tapped out, and shelters are facing budget cuts. A thousand individuals giving at least 10% would provide $60,000. Why not several thousand people? Why not more?

We are the spiritual leaders of a number of Christian congregations in the West Seattle/White Center/Burien area. While we encourage folks to give any amount to whatever organizations they might choose, we are inviting members of our congregations to contribute to a special â€œSharing Our Shareâ€ (S.O.S.) fund. It will be collected at each of our local churches and 100% will be divided equally among the West Seattle, West Seattle Senior Center and White Center Food Banks, along with West Seattle Helpline, Westside Baby, and a new community-based emergency-shelter program, â€œFamily Promise.”

We invite anyone in the community or beyond to join us in this effort by contributing to the Sharing Our Share, S.O.S. fund, care of any of the congregations listed below. [WSB editor’s note: We have linked their church names to their websites, if available, where you will find contact info.] Your gift is, of course, tax-deductible. Again, we encourage a contribution of 10% or more with the assurance that every penny will go to these community based organizations. Together, we will not only help stimulate the economy, but help make an important difference in the lives of our neighbors and friends who are facing difficult times. What a great opportunity!

With Appreciation,

Terry Teigen and Kendall Baker
Admiral United Church of Christ

Diane Darling
Alki United Church of Christ

Paul Winterstein
Calvary Lutheran Church, L.C.M.S.

David Kratz and Susan Towner-Larsen
Fauntleroy United Church of Christ

Philip Lee
Glendale Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A.

Keith Eilers
Hope Lutheran Church, L.C.M.S.

Erik Kindem
Peace Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A.

Peter DeVeau and Kate Wesch
St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church

Joanne Brown
Tibbetts United Methodist Church