West Seattle, Washington
11 Thursday
(West Seattle Monster Dash photo – this is its mascot ‘Monster’)
If you haven’t already seen this year’s West Seattle Monster Dash in the WSB Event Calendar, organizers want to be sure you know you’re invited to this truly fun run! Here’s the reminder they asked us to share with you – still time to get a pre-race-day registration discount:
Join us this year for the 12th annual Monster Dash fundraiser to benefit South Seattle College’s Cooperative Preschool Program! This event is a costumed 5K trail run/walk, Kids Dash, and Kids Zone featuring games, activities, and prizes. Paid registration includes a T-shirt featuring our iconic Monster (all races) and bib with timing chip (5K only). Jogging strollers welcome; please leave pets at home.
Monster Dash 5K and Kids Dash
Saturday, October 28, 2023
Lincoln Park, 8011 Fauntleroy Way SW
9:30 am 5K/10:30 am Kids Dashes$40 Adult 5K Registration ($45 on race day)
$15 Kids Dash Registration ($20 on race day)Register: runsignup.com/Race/WA/Seattle/WestSeattleMonsterDash
Donate: runsignup.com/Race/Donate/WA/Seattle/WestSeattleMonsterDashPacket Pickup Event:
Thursday, October 26, 3-6 pm
West Seattle Runner
2743 California Ave SW, Suite 101All funds raised benefit the SSCC Parent Advisory Council’s program-wide initiatives, including outreach, equity, and tuition assistance.
Love where we live? Love the fact that orcas and salmon live in the waters around us? Worried about their chances of survival? You can spend a few hours taking action next Saturday during the fall Duwamish Alive! event. Here’s a reminder from the Duwamish Alive! Coalition:
The Duwamish River is alive with its returning salmon and wildlife. This is a year with one of the largest Pink salmon runs in recent history. In caring for the river, and all those depending upon it, communities will join together for a day of impact at the semi-annual Duwamish Alive! habitat restoration event on Saturday, October 21st. Starting at 10:00 am, community members will roll up their sleeves at multiple sites, to plant native plants, remove invasive plants, and mulch for critical restoration work in the ongoing effort to revitalize Seattle’s only river and its 5 species of salmon, especially its Chinook. which are important for the Southern Resident Orcas.
Efforts include caring for Duwamish Tribal Sacred Sites along the river, special salmon-habitat sites that are critical for juvenile salmon as they make their way to Puget Sound, a kayak river cleanup, creating pollinator-plant meadows, improving the river’s upland forested Greenbelt, and restoring Hamm Creek at a site that honors military veterans and John Beal, the person who started the immense effort in restoring the river’s health. This is a day of not only improving the health of the Duwamish Watershed but also connecting with community. All are welcome to join this effort. This is a family-friendly event, all ages welcome.
For more information and volunteer registration, go to DuwamishAlive.org
Four locations on the list of locations you can choose from are in West Seattle – the other two aren’t far.
Two ways to help Roxhill Elementary as its support organization concludes its fall fundraising – here’s how:
Friends of Roxhill Elementary is wrapping up our 2 Fall fundraisers this weekend and so we are calling on our West Seattle community to help us reach our goals.
1. The Back to School Field Trips and Classroom Fund provides teachers with money for field trips and to equip their classrooms with much-needed supplies, like educational games, toys and books. The goal this year is to give each teacher $20 per student. Donate at: gofund.me/6d1ced75
2. There are only 3 more days to order from the Fall Flower Power Fundraiser! Buy flower bulbs, kitchen garden herbs, sprouts and seeds to bring some joy to your home garden or window sill. Friends of Roxhill Elementary receives 50% of the profits from every order. Order deadline is this Sunday, October 15:
friendsofroxhill.fpfundraising.com
Here’s another opportunity to invest just a little time to make a big difference in a young person’s life. Dozens of students at West Seattle High School are awaiting adult mentors – here’s the announcement we were asked to share with you:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound is looking for 40 volunteers to mentor 9th through 12th graders once a month at West Seattle High School in a program called “MentorU.”
One in three kids in America are growing up without a sustained, positive adult mentor in their lives and over 30 kids at West Seattle High School are on Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound’s wait list for a mentor. The gap between mentorship and youth who need it most continues to widen due to perceived barriers of the time and expertise needed to become a mentor. Understanding the critical need, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound seeks to engage and galvanize community members to help bridge the gap between people and possibility.
The MentorU program engages local adult volunteers and 9th through 12th graders in 1:1 mentoring relationships with meetings just once each month during the academic year. Using a social-emotional learning methodology, youth participants are guided through personal development and beyond high school planning activities with volunteer mentors at their side for support and guidance. To be a great mentor you don’t need to have a specific title, a degree, or any special qualifications other than being compassionate, patient, and accepting. Even the littlest moments can grow into big ones – sometimes all we need is a little encouragement, a little hope, and a little inspiration.
The program uses a cohort-based approach, working with incoming 9th graders, with the goal of ongoing student participation from 9th through 12th grade. Most mentors will be matched with incoming 9th graders. It just takes a little time, a little encouragement and a laugh or two, so that every child has what — and who — they need to achieve a BIG and bright future. Volunteer mentors in MentorU simply sit and talk with a high schooler during one 90-minute facilitated mentoring session per month. It truly takes little to be big.
Mentoring has a long track record of proven positive outcomes, in particular, 100% of young people matched with mentors through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound graduate high school. A staggering 79% of youth with a mentor last year experienced improvement in or reported no worsening of depressive symptoms – a goal which MentorU’s social-emotional programming directly supports.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound is looking for 40 volunteers of all gender identities, ethnicities, nationalities, and backgrounds who are willing to spend just an hour and a half per month to help kids at West Seattle High School in MentorU achieve their BIGGEST, brightest futures. The program dates are generally on the last Wednesday of each month from 2:30-4:00 PM:
October 25th
November 29th
December 13th
January 31st
February 28th
March 27th
April 24th
May 29th
June 12thLearn more and get started at inspirebig.org/mentoru or apply now at bit.ly/3FtLFpX
Questions? Email Match Support Specialist Erin Escobar at erin.escobar@bbbsps.org.
(WSB photo)
We photographed Danitra Hunter, Telitha Floyd, and Fundisha Tibebe at the West Seattle Food Bank this afternoon, at the first People’s Budget Voting Pop-Up in our area since Participatory Budgeting (PB) moved to the voting stage. Danitra – a West Seattle artist/writer we’ve introduced you to before – is a Community Engagement Partner in the PB process, which has been slowly unfolding since the “racial reckoning” of 2020. The city budget allocated $27 million for community members to decide how to spend, and that long process is culminating now, with voting, Here’s the announcement from the city Office of Civil Rights:
As the historic Participatory Budgeting process comes to a close, the Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) and third-party administrators Participatory Budgeting Project (PBP) acknowledge and appreciate all the work the broader Seattle community has graciously offered to arrive at this point. This includes community members and groups that advocated for this major City investment in truly safe, healthy, and thriving community-driven solutions equaling $27.25 million. The PB process has been designed and led by communities that are often not included in critical decisions impacting their lives. SOCR and PBP thank them for their time and engagement.
To ensure that the PB process was genuinely community-driven, it moved at the pace of community. Intentional vetting and feasibility assessments of community-developed proposals were prioritized, leading to delays in the timeline. SOCR is grateful to the community for their patience and continued diligence during one of the largest participatory budgeting programs in the United States.
SOCR and PBP look forward to hearing from community members as they vote for their preferred proposals from (now) to November 12th. In mid-November, PBP will announce the winning proposals, and in January 2024, the Seattle City Council will put forward standalone legislation appropriating the $27.25 million to the City departments implementing the proposals.
Seattle community members can visit PBSeattle.org link to vote and keep updated on PB events. Any person age 15 or above who lives, works, or plays in Seattle is eligible to vote.
You can also vote on paper ballots, in person, at pop-ups including the one that Danitra is leading right now at the food bank (35th/Morgan) until 7 tonight. She is planning another pop-up tomorrow (Thursday, October 12th) at the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), 36th/Snoqualmie, 4-8 pm. Remember, the voting age for this is 15 and up, so bring your teen(s)! Danitra says she particularly wants to engage student voters and will be working to do that at local schools as well as at pop-up events.
Middle- and high-school students looking for volunteer opportunities might be interested in this announcement we were asked to share:
Volunteer opportunity for middle and high school students:
Fairmount Park Elementary PTA is hosting their annual Falcon Fest on Friday, November 3, 2023 and is looking for middle-school and high-school volunteers to help set up, run game stations, and clean up after.
Volunteer shifts are 4:30-5:30 pm, 5:30-7:00 pm, and 7:00-8:30p m.
Fairmount Park Elementary is located just off Fauntleroy at 3800 SW Findlay St
Please contact volunteer@fairmountparkpta.org for more info and to sign up!
(White Center Food Bank photos)
You’ve probably noticed the new home of the White Center Food Bank taking shape along 16th SW just south of downtown WC. The food bank serves south West Seattle as well as unincorporated North Highline, and will have more room to serve the community, among other benefits. While construction continues, you can tour the in-progress renovations at the start of a two-site fundraising celebration two weeks from tomorrow.
Attendees will tour the new WCFB HQ 2:30-4 pm Saturday, October 21st, followed by food, music, speakers, and a silent auction at the White Center Eagles‘ aerie 4 pm-6 pm. Shuttle buses will take you from the new food-bank site at 10016 16th SW to the Eagles’ HQ at 10452 15th SW. The goal of all this: WCFB has raised almost two-thirds of the $8 million needed for the overhaul, and it’s hoping this party will get it closer to the finish line. Food providers will include White Center’s legendary Patrick’s Café and Bakery as well as Sap Sap Lao; the musical headliner is master Brazilian singer Adriana Giordano. You will also learn about the new HQ’s mission beyond “keeping White Center fed” – the building is also destined to “bring together an incredible array of community programing, hosted both by the food bank and partner organizations.” Tickets are available online – go here (that’s also where you can donate to the building fund even if you’re not interested in the party).
(WSB file photo)
Again this Sunday, the West Seattle Bee Garden is inviting volunteer helpers to buzz on over!
Come join the Fall gardening fun at the West Seattle Bee Garden, Sunday, October 8th from 11 am-1 pm.
Maintenance work will continue to remove the horsetail, other weeds, and general garden cleanup. Dress for the weather, bring garden/work gloves and a water bottle. Light snacks will be available. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow community members interested and passionate about bees, plants and caring for a shared outdoor community space.
Can’t make this one? To sign up to learn about future volunteer opportunities, write to: volunteerwsbg@gmail.com
The West Seattle Bee Garden is located at the north side of High Point Commons Park, at Graham/Lanham.
(WSB file photo from past Duwamish Alive!)
The focus of this month’s Duwamish Alive! mega-work party on and around the Duwamish River and its watershed is to celebrate the salmon’s homecoming. Multiple sites from West Seattle to Tukwila are open for volunteer help 10 am-2 pm on Saturday, October 21st. Wherever you sign up to assist, you’ll provide the salmon a better chance at thriving by restoring their habitat to provide “food, shelter, and cool, clean water that salmon need,” as the Duwamish Alive! Coalition says. You can join a kayaking trash cleanup or habitat restoration in parks and open spaces, The coalition says, “By working together, we can make a substantial difference in improving the health of our region.” You can see the sites accepting volunteers, and find signup links, by going to duwamishalive.org or emailing info@duwamishalive.org.
(2022 photo courtesy Fauntleroy Community Association)
The Fauntleroy Community Association wants to be sure you know it’s planning another Great Pumpkin Search this year – and that volunteers are appreciated too if you have any time to spare:
You can look forward to “The Great Pumpkin Search,” presented by the Fauntleroy Community Association. This fun event for the whole family will be on Saturday, October 21, from 1 to 3 pm. The Association will have a booth set up in the triangle across from Endolyne Joe’s. The pumpkins will be hidden on the streets that spoke out from that triangle. There will be little pumpkins (easy to find) for the wee ones and a few larger pumpkins (harder to find) for the grownups. As a bonus, there will be a few prize pumpkins and related gifts to find. All of this is on a first come, first serve basis. We also encourage you to take a picture if you find pumpkins and post them on social media and tag it #FCAPumpkinSearch.
Just like the Spring Egg Hunt, we would love volunteers to hide the pumpkins at 11:30 am that day. If interested, please call or email Candace Blue, 206-401-8406, blueyvette47@gmail.com.
P.S. We’re assembling our annual Halloween-and-more fall-fun page this week, so if you are planning an event you haven’t yet sent us information about, please do as soon as you can – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
We’ve told you before about Invest in Youth, which matches volunteer tutors with local students. In West Seattle, the organization has just added another school, so it’s sent out another call for tutors, via board adviser Brad Ogura:
(Invest in Youth photo)
Sanislo Elementary has been added to the schools Invest in Youth serves, opening more volunteer opportunities in West Seattle (Delridge)! Brad Ogura, a tutor and board adviser for the educational nonprofit, reports that all tutor spots have been filled at Roxhill Elementary thanks to WSB readers. They’re now seeking volunteer tutors at Sanislo.
Make a commitment to make a difference in a local student’s academic success! As an Invest in Youth tutor, you’ll be paired with a 3rd, 4th or 5th grader and work with that same student each Thursday during the school year from 3:40 pm to 4:40 pm, beginning next month.
No experience is necessary; just a commitment to help narrow achievement gaps and promote educational equity right here in West Seattle. Tutors typically work on math skills, reading fundamentals as well as being a friend and mentor to their student. Time is spent in the classroom with other student-tutor pairs, and a teacher as well as an Invest in Youth staff member is onsite and always available to help when needed.
Invest in Youth needs your support. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction reports that test scores for Sanislo students are far below state averages. Tutors can have a big impact and it only requires one hour and one day a week of your time. Both tutors and students consistently report that the program is a highlight of their week and an extremely rewarding experience.
Register online or contact our executive director Cindy Sackett (CSackett@investinyouth.org) if you have questions.
The West Seattle High School PTSA hopes you can help – they’re bringing back the annual auction event and seeking both attendees and donors. Here’s the announcement we were asked to share:
Dear West Seattle Community,
We are excited to announce the return of our annual auction to support WSHS students and staff! Please plan to join us at The Tailgate Auction on Saturday, November 4, from 6 pm to 9 pm at Dakota Place Park (4304 SW Dakota Street).
Why do we need an auction?
As you know, Seattle Public Schools is facing an enormous budget shortfall and funding is limited for the programs we know our students need.
The WSHS PTSA is making every effort to fund the academic and classroom supports we have long taken for granted at West Seattle High School. Until last year, we benefited from a levy that funded a robust tutoring program, including school-day, after-school, and Saturday tutoring. Last year, we were able—through your generous donations—to fund a monthly staffed Saturday Study Hall that benefited an average of 100 students each session!
What will the funds be used for?
This year, we are hoping to fully meet the academic needs of our students. Our goals are to:
-Fully fund staffed Saturday School
-Bring back after-school study hall tutoring two days a week
-Bring back credit recovery in-person summer school
-Fund classroom and student club needs through PTSA mini-grantsAmbitious, I know!
How can you help?
–Get your tickets to the Tailgate Auction now. Make it a night out with your WSHS friends!
–Donate an item for the auction. Do you own a business or have a special skill (artist, talented chef, etc.)? Can you offer gift certificates, services (photographer, home improvement, etc.), sports tickets, theater tickets, vacation home stays, or other unique experiences?
–Make a tax-deductible gift to support our goals.Thank you for supporting WSHS students and staff!
Students at “small but mighty” Sanislo Elementary on Puget Ridge could use your help if you haven’t yet locked down on dinner plans for tonight. Until 10 pm, a portion of proceeds at the Westwood Village MOD Pizza will benefit the Sanislo PTA. Their announcement says, “Families can eat in and mention Sanislo, or order online using the coupon code MODGIVES25, and MOD Pizza will donate to the Sanislo Elementary PTA 25% of the proceeds.”
Once again this year, at the same time as the regional Walk to End Alzheimer’s downtown, an unofficial mini-walk is planned in West Seattle. Here’s the invitation:
The local Alzheimer’s Caregivers’ Support group invites anyone who wants to join us for an easy, fairly level walk around the neighborhood, staying on sidewalks. Meet up with the West Seattle group if you don’t want to go downtown.
Meeting at 39th and SW Holden
Saturday 9/30 at 10:00 am
FREEAll are welcome. Wear purple if you can!
Eight days after 86-year-old Jim Price was last seen, his family and friends continue searching, and today they got some help, Sharon Price tells WSB via email:
Today a detective from SPD and one from WA State Patrol met at our house, searched, then an “air scent” dog came with a handler and found nothing. After the impending storm, probably Thursday morning, they’ll take a helicopter to search Seattle and Vashon. They say spreading the word with fliers and holding organized and informal searches along with using various communications are the right thing to do.
Jim Price left his Pigeon Point home the evening of Monday, September 18th, on foot, possibly headed for The Junction, and hasn’t been seen since.
Family and friends continue looking for 86-year-old Jim Price, one week after he was last seen on Pigeon Point. Here’s a new poster they’re circulating:
You can access a high-resolution copy via this link Heidi shared in an earlier comment thread. That also includes a link to a map of areas that have been searched so far. Rather than one big coordinated search, they’ve asking everyone to look wherever they can. Jim was last seen leaving his home on foot last Monday night, possibly headed for The Junction.
This Thursday night brings one of the most delicious fundraisers of the year – the Taste of West Seattle, a chance to sample food and drink from dozens of local venues, all in one place, to benefit the West Seattle Food Bank‘s work fighting hunger and homelessness. It’s happening this Thursday night (September 28th) at The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW). VIP admission ($125) gets you a half-hour head start at 5:30 pm; general admission ($75) brings you in at 6 pm. It’s a 21+ event. The Taste of West Seattle always sells out but with three days to go, some tickets remain, so you can go here to get yours. (See the list of participating food and beverage purveyors here – they include WSB sponsors Viscon Cellars, Dream Dinners, and Pecos Pit, as well as more than two dozen other sweet and/or savory faves!)
86-year-old Jim Price of Pigeon Point is still missing, for a sixth day. A family member has just posted a comment that there was a possible sighting at Lowman Beach Park [map] and anyone who’s available should go to that area and help look, right now.
86-year-old Jim Price of Pigeon Point is still missing, for a fifth day. Again this afternoon (Saturday, September 23) volunteer searchers will fan out to look for him. If you can help, please meet up at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW; map) at 2 pm. His family says, “Please come. We cannot express the appreciation enough.”
Just received from a family member via comment on a previous story: “There is a Search Group meetup again today at 2 pm to continue to search for Jim. Meet at the Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW) for quadrant assignments. Please show up if you are able! Thank you so much!” Jim Price, 86, has been missing since leaving his Pigeon Point home Monday night, on foot, possibly headed for The Junction. A community search Thursday afternoon yielded no new clues as to where he might be.
(WSB file photo)
One of West Seattle’s unique treasures needs some autumn TLC this weekend, and you are invited to volunteer. Here’s the announcement we were asked to share:
Maintenance Day at the West Seattle Bee Garden:
This volunteer day will be this Sunday, September 24th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Tasks will include building raised garden beds, transferring soil into these built garden beds, cleaning the apiary, and pulling weeds. Please make sure to dress appropriately (gloves, rain gear, covered shoes) for the weather and bring any tools you think would be necessary for these tasks. The garden has a limited supply of tools.
Volunteers will get a chance to meet with WSBG founder Lauren to get to know the history of the garden. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up using the following form to get a good head count to make sure there are enough refreshments.
The Bee Garden is on the north side of High Point Commons Park, at Graham/Lanham.
Since first word of 86-year-old Jim Price‘s disappearance, people have asked how they can help. If you are available this afternoon, we just received this announcement:
A team will meet at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW) at 2 pm for a coordinated search.
Jim, who has dementia and hearing loss, was last seen Monday evening in the 3600 block of 22nd SW on Pigeon Point. He might have been intending to set out for the Senior Center in The Junction.
Now that school’s back in session, there are many community opportunities to help out by volunteering and/or donating. Tonight the call is from the Gatewood Elementary Spirit Fair Committee, seeking teen/tween volunteers:
Volunteer opportunity for Seattle Public Schools middle and high school students:
Gatewood Elementary is hosting their first Gatewood Spirit Fair on September 28, 2023, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. and is looking for volunteers to help run carnival games and hand out free hot dogs. Rain or shine. We will feed you.
Volunteer shifts are: 4:15 – 5:30p; 5:15 – 7p.
Contact: GatewoodGatorFair@gmail.com to sign up or for more information
School address: 4320 SW Myrtle Street. Parking in the neighborhood
Public transportation: Rapid Ride C line stop is at Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Myrtle St.
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