West Seattle, Washington
09 Tuesday
Grab your umbrella, or pull up your rain hood, if needed and join in the last Admiral Neighborhood Association Adopt-a-Street Cleanup of the year tomorrow. ANA president Larry Wymer sends word that they’ll be out Saturday morning – meet at 9 am at Metropolitan Market (41st/42nd/Admiral; WSB sponsor) for treats and to get your (provided) tools/bags, then head on out. Afterward, you get a free sack lunch!
P.S. ANA’s next meeting is set for 7 pm Tuesday, December 13th, at The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd SW/SW Lander). All welcome.
Though Giving Tuesday is over, you still have many ways to help others this holiday season, and beyond. A first-of-its-kind West Seattle holiday event is coming up with a one-stop chance to do it in a big way. Here’s the announcement, from Judy Pickens:
Maybe you’re thinking about including gift donations in your holiday observance. Mark your calendar for a unique “shopping” opportunity to do so at the West Seattle Alternative Giving Fair on Saturday, December 10, 10 am to 2 pm in Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW).
Co-sponsored by Fauntleroy, Admiral, and Alki United Church of Christ congregations, the fair promises to be a joy-filled place to use some of your gift dollars to keep on giving. Area nonprofit and charity representatives will outline what they do, provide a card for you to give to the loved one in whose name you make a donation, and even suggest volunteer opportunities.
In one room, you can learn about and give to nearly 20 proven programs that are feeding the hungry, supporting elders, caring for creation, strengthening communities, and building a kinder world for all. The list includes Reading with Rover, a children’s literacy program with dogs as the audience; Heifer International, which helps farm families around the world become self-reliant; and the White Center Food Bank, currently serving more than 4,300 people a month.
See the list of participating programs here.
Questions? 206-932-5600 or info@fauntleroyucc.org.
Here’s a chance to include local students in your holiday-season giving:
Chief Sealth International High School is looking for some donations for its Closet which is stocked with school supplies, toiletries, clothing, and a food pantry for students in need. We’re hoping that as you shop the holiday sales, you might consider picking up and donating these items for the Closet:
* Women’s and Men’s underwear — all sizes Small – XXL and preferably boxer briefs for the men
* Women’s and Men’s socks — no-show and crew-style athletic socks, men’s dress socks, as well as fun and just plain everyday socks
* Plain white undershirts — all sizes
We can always use new or gently used:
* T-shirts and long-sleeve t-shirts
* Hoodies
* Athletic shorts and pants (these items don’t stay on our shelves long!)
* Warm winter coats
* Men’s suits in black, gray, or dark blue
You can drop by donations at the school’s front office anytime during the week, 8:30 am -4:30 pm. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Conley at lisalconley@hotmail.com.
Thank you! We’re grateful to our generous West Seattle community for its support of our students.
Sealth is at 2600 SW Thistle; the main entrance is up the stairs across the driveway from the northwest end of the parking lot.
The West Seattle Food Bank planned to distribute at least 300 holiday-meal birds, and here’s where a big helping came from – at right is Dan Austin, proprietor of Peel & Press (WSB sponsor) in Morgan Junction, where 20 percent of the proceeds one week ago resulted in 480 pounds of turkey and chicken for the WSFB (whose Judi Yazzolino is in the photo too). You too can indulge in holiday giving, all season long – we have ongoing donation drives in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide.
P.S. Dan adds, “P&P will be closed for Thursday and also Friday so my team can all go head home for some family time. We will be back up and running Saturday for brunch!” (A few local restaurants will be open for at least a part-day tomorrow … our list is here.)
(WSB video of Jazz Night School All-Stars outside West 5 on Summer Fest Eve in 2015)
One week from tonight, here’s another way to celebrate Giving Tuesday – dine out, and enjoy live music, at West 5 in The Junction, as it supports Jazz Night School, which has been spotlighted outside the restaurant/bar the past few years on Summer Fest Eve. Here’s the announcement:
Jazz Night School, Seattle’s only all-ages jazz education institution, is partnering with West 5 Restaurant and Lounge in West Seattle on Giving Tuesday, November 29.
Proceeds from restaurant sales on Giving Tuesday will benefit Jazz Night School’s Bring Jazz to Life capital campaign to fund construction of a new facility for the school. “We are thrilled to partner with West 5 Restaurant for this year’s Giving Tuesday,” said Erik Hanson, founder and Executive Director of Jazz Night School. “Funds raised in support of our Bring Jazz to Life campaign will help us build our new school in Seattle’s Rainier Valley and will greatly increase our capacity for people to learn, study and enjoy jazz.” said Hanson.
To celebrate Giving Tuesday, a performance ensemble from Jazz Night School will provide live jazz entertainment (no cover charge) at West 5 starting around 7:00 pm.
Thanks to Holy Rosary Preschool teacher Tauna Evans for the photo from the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive: “This is our Pre-K class posing after sorting and counting the collected food.” Final tally: 110 cans!
P.S. Looking for ways to give this season? The list of donation drives in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide keeps growing. If you have one to which the public can contribute, please let us know so we can add it – editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!
(WSB photos. From left, Harold, Cathy, Giles)
A little more than three weeks after we first published the announcement of a West Seattle donation drive for the Standing Rock Sioux-led pipeline-route-protest camp, the results are about to head eastbound to North Dakota. We checked in as they loaded up around sunset. Here’s the final official update:
Thanks to all of West Seattle who helped fill a large cargo van of warm clothing and winter gear for the Water Protectors encamped on the very cold prairie in North Dakota. We are leaving to deliver all of this stuff and will report back as we can from the road. Great to be part of this community.
Cathy and Giles
The van they’re driving belongs to Harold, who they met via the response to the reports we published. Here’s the final inventory (PDF) of what they’ve received and are taking.
They’ve also received some donations to cover expenses via this GoFundMe page (which also includes a more-comprehensive explanation of what they’re doing).
(Photo provided by White Center Food Bank)
The season of holiday helping is well under way. Ian Smithgall of the White Center Food Bank sends this success story about a South Delridge business’s recent fundraising event:
Every year, Thomas Salle – of Meat the Live Butcher – hosts a “Meat the Live Butcher Dinner and Auction”, raising money in support of the White Center Food Bank and its mission to #KeepWhiteCenterFed.
Thomas Salle is a third-generation meat cutter and now holds the title that his father, Bernie, started in the sixties as the Live Butcher™. This year, Tom (the Live Butcher) and the White Center community rallied to support the White Center Food Bank, helping to raise well over $16,000 in support of our food assistance programs! This will help to feed over 953 families living in White Center with food insecurity this holiday season. White Center owes Tom a debt of gratitude for his service and dedication to ending hunger – on behalf of our clients at the White Center Food Bank, we thank you and the White Center community for your unwavering support.
Happy holidays from the White Center Food Bank!
Missed it? You can still help the WCFB – which also serves south West Seattle – by going here.
With Thanksgiving days away, we’ve added even more to the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:
ONGOING WAYS TO GIVE: Many businesses and organizations have ongoing donation drives all season long. The photo above is just in from the West Seattle YMCA (4515 36th SW; WSB sponsor), where the Giving Tree is now up:
The giving spirit is alive this season, even in a construction zone! Each year, the West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA hosts a Giving Tree, which is full of gift requests from youth that attend Y programs. The Giving Tree is an opportunity for these young people to receive a special gift from their Y family. This year, over 1,000 tags will decorate the tree.
Y Members and our West Seattle community can make a difference!
1. Select a tag off the tree, which provides a single gift request.
2. Purchase the gift.
3. Return new, unwrapped gift AND tag to either Y location by SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10. (Why so early? Most of our youth attend Seattle Public Schools. Gifts must be sorted and distributed before school is out for winter break.)
You’ll find a tree at each of the Y’s two locations (Fauntleroy is at 9140 California SW). And find many more ways to give in the Holiday Guide.
INFO FOR THANKSGIVING DAY: As we do every year, we’re compiling a list of restaurants that will be open on Thanksgiving Day and/or night. It’s not finished just yet (takes a lot of phone calling, since most of this info isn’t online) but what we have so far is here. That’s also linked in the Holiday Guide, where you will find the list of grocery-store hours (who’s open/when, and who’s closed) for the holiday, as well as an in-progress list of coffee shops. Also for Thanksgiving – community dinners and workouts! The Thanksgiving section is right at the top, at westseattleblog.com/holidayguide.
P.S. We’re updating the guide at least once a day, and your holiday event/info (now through New Year’s) is still more than welcome – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!
12:47 AM: After Black Friday and Shop Small Saturday … there’s Giving Tuesday. This year, that’s the day WestSide Baby will launch its annual JOY drive to “help keep more kids safe, warm, and dry this winter.” Here are 3 ways you can help them meet (or exceed!) their goal to distribute 80+ car seats, 600 bags of clothing, and 110,000 diapers this holiday season:
*Organize a donation drive to launch on Giving Tuesday (November 29th) – here’s what you need to make that happen
*Give a few hours on Giving Tuesday to “clear out and donate lightly used items and equipment for children aged up to 12 at one of WestSide Baby’s dropoff sites across the city”
*Volunteer at WS Baby’s HQ in White Center on Giving Tuesday – contact volunteer manager Shana Allen – shana@westsidebaby.org – to find out how to help
P.S. If you organize a drive that’s open to public participation/donation, let us know (editor@westseattleblog.com) so we can add it to the “donation drives” section of the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide!
ADDED 9:22 AM: Here’s a drive that’s already under way … bring diapers and/or cash to C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) to donate to WS Baby, “and we will buy you a coffee!” says co-proprietor Cameron.
4:34 PM: Judi Yazzolino from the West Seattle Food Bank shared that photo of the first donor at this afternoon’s turkey dropoff drive in The Junction. Go get a frozen turkey and just look for the van and the Food Bank folks before 7 pm outside Easy Street!
They also will welcome $15 (cash or check) to buy a turkey – the WS Food Bank is hoping to provide 300 turkeys before Thanksgiving.
5:22 PM: More young donors:
They brought nonperishable food donations, which are also being accepted though the donation drive is focused on turkeys.
If and when you have a few minutes for a survey:
The Southwest Seattle Prevention Coalition is a committed group of volunteers from the local community working with the County to provide funding towards youth substance abuse treatment and prevention in the community. We look to promote health and well-being, foster a sense of love and belonging, and prevent and reduce youth substance abuse through compassionate and culturally appropriate collaboration, which is a fancy way of saying we care about our kids!
Part of our work is understanding the diverse needs of our community, and there’s no better way to do that than by asking. The survey below shouldn’t take more than ten minutes to fill out, but every one that we receive gives us a better picture of what we need to improve on. It relates to concerns about the substance abuse of youth in our community and what should be done to address it, and is available online in both English and Spanish (links below), with translations in 18 other languages available in hard copy that we would be happy to get to you! Please let us know if you have questions or comments, and thank you for your contribution!
English: surveymonkey.com/r/KICHON2016
Spanish: es.surveymonkey.com/r/KICHSP2016
Congratulations to Kim Sharpe Jones and Kendall Jones of the Beer Church for rolling up another big score at one of the holiday season’s first big fun(draisers), last Saturday night’s Turkey Bowl. Their 18th annual sold-out bowling benefit at West Seattle Bowl brought in 1,600 pounds of food and $5,000 for the West Seattle Food Bank, which had a team there too:
Other teams included Furry Faces Foundation:
More than half the participating groups were from breweries or pubs – and many donated fundraising items too:
As mentioned here last week, the event also was the launch party for the Beer Church IPA, raising money for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America‘s Northwest Chapter. Here’s where to look for it in the days/weeks ahead!
Another pre-holiday helping opportunity:
Do you have a couple hours Thursday, November 17 (12:30 – 3:00)? The White Center Food Bank will be doing one of our holiday food distributions and we’re short about 10 people. For questions or to volunteer, please contact Audrey Zemke at audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org or 206-717-2531.
The WC Food Bank, by the way, serves part of West Seattle (south of Myrtle) as well as WC and vicinity.
We photographed Giles and Cathy in the storage area that Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation is letting them borrow for the donations they’ll be taking to the Standing Rock Sioux-led oil-pipeline-route-protest camp later this month. We stopped by yesterday, during the second of three Saturday dropoff events there; one more is coming up, next Saturday (November 19th), 8 am-noon (7141 California SW). If you’re just hearing about this now, here’s their original announcement; here’s last weekend’s update. Now – the update they sent this morning:
Another big thank you to West Seattle. We now have more stuff than will fit in our cargo van. And we have one more week of donations!
We now need folks who are going to Standing Rock to help transport the donations before the winter weather truly sets in. If you can help, let us know so that we can coordinate with you.
Or, we can still take monetary donations.
Cathy Morgan and Giles Stanton
They also provided this inventory of what’s been donated so far (PDF).
Every Sunday, the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is at the south end of the WS Farmers’ Market, with a tent on California SW just before the “road closed” sign at SW Alaska. That’s where you can drop off books tomorrow (and the following two Sundays) to support this Chief Sealth International High School Key Club project, explained by club VP Alan Cao:
The African Library Project is a non-profit organization who’s main goal is to create libraries in Africa specifically, our club is trying to create a library in Kenya. We are in the need of used but in good condition books. We are mainly looking for books that are reading levels Kindergarten through 4th Grade. We will be collecting books at the Kiwanis Tent in front of Cupcake Royale at the Farmers Market in the Junction every Sunday from 10-2 until the end of November. Donations are also accepted. Please stop by if you have any books to donate!
Until 2 pm, look for the West Seattle Food Bank crew outside West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) and help ensure neighbors in need will have a happy Thanksgiving. You can drop off turkey(s) and/or cash. Inside the store, you also can donate $10 that will purchase a bag of groceries for someone who needs them – this display is a reminder:
If you miss today’s donation drive – here are other ways to help WSFB fight hunger before Thanksgiving.
This Sunday, you’re invited to a book-signing party that will benefit two local nonprofits:
There will be a signing party for Pastor Ron Marshall’s new book, Kierkegaard in the Pulpit: Sermons Inspired by His Writings (Yakima: Cave Moon Press), 450 pp., on Sunday, November 13, 2016, at 12 Noon, First Lutheran Church of West Seattle (4105 California Ave SW). Books will be on sale at a special 35% discount for $23.00 each. The publisher, Doug Johnson, will also be in attendance. All proceeds will go to support the West Seattle Food Bank and the West Seattle Helpline. Pastor Marshall’s new book is a sequel to his acclaimed Kierkegaard for the Church (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, 2013). Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) was a Danish philosopher and theologian with close ties to the Lutheran Church.
(Photo of past WSFB dropoff turkey drive at Easy Street)
Here are three ways to share your bounty, if you can, by donating turkeys to the West Seattle Food Bank:
West Seattle Food Bank is having their first of two Turkey Drives this Saturday, 11/12 from 10 am – 2 pm at West Seattle Thriftway [4201 SW Morgan]. We’re looking for donations of either a 10 – 12 lb. turkey or $15 to cover the cost of over 300 turkeys and fixings that we will purchase to distribute to our neighbors in need, so they can have a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with their families.
Our second Turkey Drive will be next Thursday, 11/17 at Easy Street Café on California & Alaska from 4 – 7 pm. You can just drive by, toss us the turkey or money, and keep on driving if you’d like!
Donations will also be accepted anytime Monday – Friday from 9 am – 3 pm at the West Seattle Food Bank on the corner of 35th & Morgan
This Saturday, you can be among the first to drink limited-release, philanthropic Beer Church IPA, according to the announcement of its release party during the 18th annual Beer Church Turkey Bowl in West Seattle:
On Saturday, November 12th, Georgetown Brewing releases Beer Church India Pale Ale, a beer brewed in collaboration with three other Seattle-area breweries. Proceeds from the sale of the beer benefit the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, Northwest Chapter.
Beer Church IPA was brewed by Georgetown Brewing Company in collaboration with Airways Brewing, Big Al Brewing, Two Beers Brewing, and Beer Church, a Seattle-based organization that finds easy ways for beer drinkers to contribute to worthwhile causes. This is the sixth year that Beer Church has organized and promoted this annual project.
The beer will be released at Beer Church Turkey Bowl, an annual fundraiser now celebrating its 18th anniversary. The sold out bowling party takes place at West Seattle Bowl on Saturday, November 12 at 6:00 P.M. The public is welcome to attend the event, participate in the silent auction and raffle, and enjoy the beer.
Following the official release, Beer Church India Pale Ale will be available at each of the participating breweries’ taprooms, as well as select local restaurants and pubs. Keep an eye on beerchurch.com for a list of locations that will tap this draft-only beer. … Ingredients for Beer Church India Pale Ale were donated by Great Western Malting Company of Vancouver, Washington and YCH Hops of Yakima, Washington. Georgetown Brewing donated its facilities and other resources, while the collaborating breweries helped develop the recipe and contributed to the brewing of the beer.
“This is just another example of the generosity of the local beer and brewing industry,” said Kendall Jones, the President and Founder of Beer Church. “The breweries were happy and excited to support the effort, but beyond that, without the support of YCH Hops and Great Western Malting, none of this would be possible. Their contributions are, literally, the backbone of the beer. Their involvement plays a key role in the fundraising component of the project.”
Beer Church India Pale Ale uses three different hop varieties to create its unabashedly hop-forward character. Along with Ekuanot™ hops, the recipe includes two newly developed, experimental hop varieties that have yet to be named (currently designated as HBC 344 and HBC 522). All of the beer’s hop flavors are supported and balanced by the use of 2-Row Malted Barley and White Wheat Malt. Beer Church IPA clocks in at 6.3 percent Alcohol by Volume (ABV) with the hops providing pine-citrus, tropical, and herbal flavors. It is a bright golden beer with a dry body and light mouthfeel.
West Seattle Bowl is at 39th SW and SW Oregon on the east edge of The Junction.
In case you’re still feeling dispirited about this year’s campaign and want to do something life-affirming this Election Day … here’s one option. Coach Sonia Sillan from Elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu of Seattle (WSB sponsor) in North Delridge and her students are reaching out across the miles to help one student’s sister, who in mid-pregnancy learned she had cancer.
Michelle Bonilla is an amazing human who is going through a difficult time right now, and we are asking for your help. As she entered her second trimester of pregnancy, the doctors finally figured out why she was experiencing sickness and pain – she was diagnosed with stage III lung cancer. The doctors believe that she had ovarian cancer, which metastasized to her lungs and throat. The diagnosis quickly evolved to stage IV. Michelle is currently in her third cycle of chemotherapy, and is making trips to the hospital four times a week. The doctors at some point will have to induce childbirth, and Michelle’s daughter will be introduced to the world prematurely to increase the intensity of her treatment. Unfortunately, because of her pregnancy and cancer, she is unable to work, the endless bills are piling up.
Michelle’s sister Harly, an Elite BJJ student, is crowdfunding coast to coast to help her sister – here’s the link. She says, “Mikki is one of the most easy-going, gentle, and noble people that I know. She is also the best Tía (aunt) to my eight-year-old daughter. She had been wanting to be a mother for a long time, and we were all excited when life granted her that wish and she became pregnant. Our world was turned upside down as we progressed through different stages of her illness.”
Tonight is the deadline to get your ticket for Neighbors Helping Neighbors, this year’s West Seattle Helpline benefit. Worried about homelessness? Helpline is the kind of agency that helps out BEFORE it happens to people … when they need a little urgent help with rent, for example, or some other kind of short-term assistance. The reminder is from WSH executive director Chris Langeler:
NHN Ticket Registration Ends at 11:59 pm TONIGHT!
This Friday (11/11), we’ll come together for one of our favorite nights of the year — the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Dinner & Auction. We’ll be celebrating and strengthening our wonderful West Seattle community. We’d LOVE to have a room FULL of our wonderful West Seattle neighbors!
Click here to register before midnight tonight!
What better way to unwind after a stressful election season that a night out with your friends and neighbors? See you there!
The Friday event is 6-9 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW).
Last weekend, we published Giles Stanton and Cathy Morgan‘s announcement of a drive to collect items for the Standing Rock Sioux-led oil-pipeline-route protest, before they drive to North Dakota later this month. After collecting donations at two locations on Saturday, they sent this update, including word of a meeting for people who have expressed interest in a caravan to ND:
Well, thank you, West Seattle! We spent a soggy morning collecting nearly a truckload of stuff, from heavy winter coats and wool socks to sleeping bags. Big thanks to Again and a Gain on California, who donated 20 pairs of brand-new heavy winter boots for children and women. And to the Olympic Athlete who gave us his (or her?) winter coats. And to the two children who hand-delivered two sleeping pads. Beautiful.
We very much appreciate the W.S.U.U. for letting us store all of this. And to the Duwamish Tribe, who had nearly another truckload of donated stuff stored and ready for pickup in their beautiful longhouse. Q-13 sent a reporter round to film us, so that was good. We were also interviewed by Jack, a UW student/journalist working for an online publication called The Globalist.
A number of people have wanted to help but have no materials, so we are launching a Go Fund Me site to help with the costs of the trip.
gofundme.com/StandingRockSiouxSupplies
With regard to the caravan, we’d like to offer a meeting at Uptown Espresso on California (4301 SW Edmunds) on Saturday (November 12th) from 5 to 6 p.m. A coordinated convoy seems a bit tricky, but let’s talk through it and see what is possible. Come by if you want to join, find a ride, offer a vehicle, or have a good idea or two.
Wonderful to live surrounded by such a community.
Cathy and Giles
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