White Center Now: The blog about White Center

The Union Gospel Mission Search and Rescue van is about to hit the streets in White Center/West Seattle for the first time, according to UGM’s Sharon Thomas. She says it’s outreach to “homeless individuals sleeping outside.” Usually the van travels around downtown, delivering food, blankets, and clothing to help those people “survive the night,” and offering them a space in their shelter; this time, they’re traveling further south, and they’re planning to make it a weekly visit starting April 7th. They plan to set out tomorrow night from Westwood Christian Assembly sometime after 8 pm tomorrow (Wednesday). And if you know someplace where people are sleeping outside and might need help, UGM invites you to let them know via their Facebook page. (They also would like to hear from you if you can help – Thomas adds, “We always need sandwiches made, hot chocolate and warm clothing, especially men’s pants.”)

From Wes Olsen at Shorewood Foursquare Church:

The youth group at the church is participating in World Vision’s 30-Hour Famine, which is when our youth fast for 30 hours to connect with those who are starving across the world. We also raise money for people who are starving or in poverty during this time too, including where our money is going to this (time), Haiti Earthquake Relief.

Part of what we want to do is to ask people to come to our location this Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm, and donate new or gently used clothing for teens to go to New Horizons Ministry in Belltown, and food donations to the White Center Food Bank.

Our location is 2656 Southwest 104th Street. It is the building just south of Shorewood Foursquare Church, on 28th Ave SW. The drop off location is on the 28th Ave SW side of the building.

In case you hadn’t heard, here’s the announcement:

Holy Family Parish School’s 21st REACH Auction is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2009. Our doors open at 5 p.m. for the Silent Auction; the Live Auction begins at 7 p.m.. Our physical address is 9615 20th Avenue SW, Seattle. Proceeds from the auction will allow us to continue our mission of providing an excellent, quality Catholic education to all those in the community, regardless of their ability to pay.

Dinner reservations are still being accepted. Please contact Sandy at (206) 248-2728 if you would like to purchase tickets; each ticket is $50. This year’s Auction theme is “Mexican Fiesta.”

To find Holy Family online, go here.

King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. John Urquhart just sent this news release about a cat that may not survive having been viciously attacked; as noted in the report, the alleged attacker was arrested:

A 47 year-old man was arrested by Sheriff’s deputies Monday (April 20th) on animal cruelty charges after he allegedly severely injured a cat with a box cutter knife.

The incident occurred at the Cross Church, 1320 SW 102nd in the White Center neighborhood of unincorporated King County. The church operates a live-in recovery program, and the suspect was one of its residents.

Another resident was awakened by the suspect about 1:00 AM Sunday morning, April 19th. The suspect said he had “gutted the cat”. The resident thought the suspect was intoxicated, and both men ended up going to bed.

The next morning the suspect moved out.

That afternoon the church pastor found the church’s cat, “Scat” in the parking lot. He had serious cuts and puncture wounds, including a 7” cut, and possibly three broken ribs as well.

Sheriff’s deputies tracked down the suspect Sunday afternoon. He was arrested and booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Animal Cruelty. He told the arresting deputy the cat “attacked” him.

Scat is at a local veterinary hospital and it is unknown if he will survive his injuries. He is around 10 years old.

Next weekend, Mount View Presbyterian Church in White Center (map) is raising money for the White Center Food Bank by hosting a “holiday worship concert” — “The Covering” with Michelle Lang and Still Water (poster shown above). It’s happening at 6 pm Saturday and Sunday nights, and a $10 donation is requested at the door, with all proceeds to WCFB, according to Pat Thompson from the YES Foundation, who adds, “We are inviting people to bring canned foods and/or other non-perishables to be given to the Food Bank as well.”