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VIDEO: Seattle Fire Department’s Toys for Tots drive gets boost from Admiral preschoolers

Photos and video by Christopher Boffoli for West Seattle Blog

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A cheery scene of holiday giving this morning, in the chilly sunshine: A large group of bundled-up students and teachers from the North Admiral preschool A Child Becomes marched the two blocks from the school to Seattle Fire Station 29, pulling seven wagons of toys:

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The toys were for the SFD Toys for Tots drive:

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After the students helped unload the toys into the bins at the station, school director Shelley Neal led everyone in song.

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And to sum it all up in video:

You can drop off new, unwrapped toys at any Seattle Fire station by December 23rd, and Toys for Tots, via the US Marine Corps Reserve, will get them to local kids in need. FS 29 is at 2139 Ferry SW; also in West Seattle are FS 11 at 16th SW/SW Holden, FS 37 at 35th SW/SW Holden, temporary FS 32 on 40th SW between Edmunds and Alaska, and FS 36 at the north end of Delridge Way.

PHOTOS: 2016 St. Nicholas Faire, benefiting West Seattle Helpline & Food Bank

(UPDATED MONDAY with more photos)

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(Photos by Leda Costa for WSB)

4:48 PM SUNDAY: It’s a silent auction, benefit, bake sale, wine tasting, and more, a highlight of the holidays, and it’s happening now. Until 7:30 pm on the lower level of First Lutheran Church of West Seattle – this year’s St. Nicholas Faire. As noted in our calendar listing, there’s an admission charge – discounted if you bring nonperishable-food donations for the West Seattle Food Bank – and it goes to help the WSFB and the West Seattle Helpline. Don’t miss the gift baskets that are hand-assembled and up for grabs via the silent auction – they all have a theme, such as a hobby, sports team, type of toy, favorite food, etc. Go have fun while providing holiday-season help to neighbors in need.

ADDED MONDAY: More photos! First – St. Nicholas Faire organizer Lorraine King and her daughter:

Lorraine King, who put this whole event together, posing with her daughter.

First Lutheran Church pastor Rev. Ron Marshall was all smiles as he called out raffle winners:
Pastor Ron Marshall calling out raffle winners.

Always a highlight – the ring toss. If your ring lands on a wine bottle, you win!

Ring toss game. If your ring lands on a wine bottle, you win a bottle.

Also featured: A dessert table:

Dessert table.

Gina and Lily Allen browsed the silent auction:

Gina and Lily Allen browsing the silent auction.

Here’s just part of what was up for grabs:

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HOLIDAY GIVING: Toys for Tots at Northwest Insurance Group through Wednesday

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Some holiday-giving deadlines are coming up fast – longtime WSB sponsor John Moore of Northwest Insurance Group (6055 California SW in Morgan Junction) sent the photo and a reminder that his office is collecting donations of new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots through tomorrow (December 7th). If you can pick up something extra – maybe you’ll be out shopping tonight – drop it by, until 4:30 pm today or between 8 am and 4:30 pm tomorrow.

HOLIDAY GIVING: Pancakes and holiday cheer with West Seattle Kiwanis Club

December 3, 2016 9:28 am
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 |   How to help | Kiwanis Club of West Seattle | West Seattle news

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Haven’t had breakfast/brunch yet? Still time to get to the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle‘s 70th annual holiday-season Pancake Breakfast, on until 11 am in The Junction. The flapjacks are flying as fast as the volunteer chefs can cook them up:

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It’s happening at the Masonic Center (40th SW/SW Edmunds), festively decorated for the occasion, with Scout Troop 284, Key Club, and Venture Crew 760 members volunteering…

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Also – US Marines are accepting new unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots, and Santa Claus standing by for photo ops:

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$10/door, kids under 10 eat free (with a paid adult), and breakfast includes juice and Husky Deli ham. (WSB is among the event’s co-sponsors.)

HAPPENING NOW: ‘Campout for a Cause’ food drive in The Junction

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You’ve probably never seen a holiday-season food drive like this one! It’s “Campout for a Cause,” happening right now in the courtyard outside Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW). The tent’s set up, a fire’s going, and they’re listening to the UW-Colorado football game. But the most important part is that bin you see in the foreground, to collect nonperishable food donations for the West Seattle Food Bank. Organizers, along with Hotwire, are Owen Wright from Wright Innovations & Design and Glenn Leimbacher of PromoShop. Stop by any time tonight or tomorrow and say hi! We’ll be checking back in the morning.

SATURDAY: Admiral Neighborhood Adopt-a-Street cleanup

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.

NEW HOLIDAY EVENT: Alternative Giving Fair coming up

November 30, 2016 9:25 am
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news

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.

YOU CAN HELP: What’s needed for the Closet at Chief Sealth International High School

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.

QUARTER-TON OF HOLIDAY GIVING: What Peel & Press gave to the West Seattle Food Bank

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.)

GIVING TUESDAY: Jazz Night School benefit, live music @ West 5

(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.

HOLIDAY GIVING: Preschoolers’ lesson in math and kindness

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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!

FROM WEST SEATTLE TO STANDING ROCK: Local donations, heading east

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(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.

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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).

HOLIDAY HELP: White Center Food Bank gets boost from Meat the Live Butcher

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(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.

HOLIDAY GUIDE UPDATES: Ongoing ways to give; Thanksgiving Day restaurants, grocery stores, & more

November 21, 2016 3:09 pm
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 |   Holidays | How to help | West Seattle news

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!

YOU CAN HELP: Be part of WestSide Baby JOY

November 20, 2016 12:47 am
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news

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 Allenshana@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.

UPDATE: Turkey donation drive in The Junction

November 17, 2016 4:34 pm
|    Comments Off on UPDATE: Turkey donation drive in The Junction
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

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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!

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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:

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They brought nonperishable food donations, which are also being accepted though the donation drive is focused on turkeys.

YOU CAN HELP: SW Seattle Prevention Coalition has a few Q’s for you

November 15, 2016 5:35 pm
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 |   Health | How to help | West Seattle news

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

BOWLING BENEFIT SUCCESS: 18th annual Beer Church Turkey Bowl

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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:

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Other teams included Furry Faces Foundation:

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More than half the participating groups were from breweries or pubs – and many donated fundraising items too:

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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!

YOU CAN HELP: White Center Food Bank’s pre-holiday request

November 14, 2016 11:44 am
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news

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.

West Seattleites’ Standing Rock donation drive, update #2: 1 week to go

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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).

YOU CAN HELP: Got kids’ books you don’t need? Donate them Sunday!

November 12, 2016 9:02 pm
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 |   How to help | Kiwanis Club of West Seattle | West Seattle news

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!

HAPPENING NOW: West Seattle Food Bank’s pre-Thanksgiving donation drive @ Thriftway

November 12, 2016 11:00 am
|    Comments Off on HAPPENING NOW: West Seattle Food Bank’s pre-Thanksgiving donation drive @ Thriftway
 |   Holidays | How to help | West Seattle news

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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:

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If you miss today’s donation drive – here are other ways to help WSFB fight hunger before Thanksgiving.

SUNDAY: Benefit book signing @ First Lutheran Church of West Seattle

November 11, 2016 8:23 pm
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 |   How to help | West Seattle books | West Seattle news

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.