White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Until dusk, go get your $2 Food Walk tastes, and enjoy shopping and entertainment in downtown WC, as the Block Party is on until dusk-ish. Here’s our original story; here’s the latest map:

If you didn’t make it to Friday’s fundraising carnival at Mount View Elementary, you missed more than a chance to play games and support good causes … you missed talented local kids showing their stuff! Above, the Seattle Derby Brats showed off their skills on wheels, and promoted their upcoming weekly camp days in August (one for girls 8-11, one for girls 12-17, more info on both at seattlederbybrats.com). Below, young artists from SANCA – the School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts:

Big crowd was there when we stopped by about midway through the carnival. P.S. June 17th is this year’s last day of school – one week from Tuesday.

(Dancing in the street outside Center Studio during 8/2013 Block Party)
From Vy Nguyen at the White Center Community Development Association:

Downtown White Center will be kicking off summer with a block party on June 14th, Saturday, going from 3 p.m. until dusk with many activities for attendees of all ages. The June event boasts pop up shopping with Maker’s Market at Center Studio, a beer garden at Big Al Brewing, Metal Skate Night at Southgate Skating Rink along with live bands at several other local favorite establishments (Triangle Pub, Company Bar, Rat City Records, and Full Tilt to name a few), and the most delicious way to enjoy White Center with a $2 food walk.

Local non-profits White Center Community Development Association (WCCDA) and White Center Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) along with local business owners hope to build upon last year’s block party in August 2013, which was organized as part of National Night Out. The neighborhood was busier than many had ever seen with hundreds of attendees on a warm summer evening coming to White Center for the first time, or with residents who wanted to come, support their neighbors’ business or be part of something fun in their neighborhood.

Lead organizer this year is WCCC Board member and business owner of Herban Legends, Chris Cody, says, “I just think folks should come out and see what all the great businesses here in White Center have to offer.” Cody, along with the rest of the WCCC, the WCCDA, and local business owners hope to organize another – bigger and better — block party in White Center later this summer in August.

Stay updated with the June Block Party on their event page or by connecting with the White Center Chamber of Commerce on Facebook. All inquiries can also be directed to Vy Nguyen of WCCDA via e-mail (vy@wccda.org).

Save the date – you’re invited to a carnival at White Center’s Mount View Elementary on June 6th, with two schools getting a boost from it! Here’s the announcement:

The public is invited to attend the Mount View Elementary Carnival, benefiting its PTA and its sister school in Honduras.

Money raised at the carnival will go to Light of Esperanza, a non-profit that is renovating the village school in Vega Redonda, Honduras, Mount View’s sister school. A portion of the proceeds will go to the school’s PTA for the 2014-2015 school year.

The carnival will also celebrate the scholastic achievements of Mount View students throughout the school year.

“These students deserve recognition and a reward for all of their hard work,” said Reading Instructor Shoshanna Cohen. “What better way to do so than with a day of fun with the Seattle community.”

Carnival details:
• Mount View Elementary School

• 10811 12th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98146

• Friday, June 6

• 5-7 p.m.

Event activities include carnival games and prizes, face painting, circus acts with lessons, live music, art projects, raffle drawing, and more. Carnival game tickets will be $0.50 per game. Many students earned free tickets at school based on good grades and behavior. Raffle tickets will be $1.

Next Friday – May 16th – is this year’s Bike To Work Day, and as the map from the Cascade Bicycle Club shows, there are two “commute stations” in White Center again this year, at Dubsea Coffee in Greenbridge, and on 16th SW in the heart of the main business district. Click either marker on the map for details on what you’ll find.

(UPDATED 7:11 PM with top finishers, now that results are online)

(WCN photos by Patrick Sand)
FIRST REPORT, 10:57 AM: Hundreds of people showed themselves to be superheroes this morning – the theme of the second annual White Center 5K Run/Walk, a benefit for three local nonprofits. Our next photo features the executive directors of two – Sili Savusa from the WC Community Development Association and Rick Jump from the WC Food Bank:

Also getting a boost from the 5K, the YES Foundation of White Center. Costumes were encouraged, and more than a few participants got into the spirit:

Leading the pre-5K warmup, White Center’s own fitness superhero, Lonjina Verdugo of The Center Studio:

Watch for results here, later.

UPDATED 7:11 PM: The results are now posted. Of the 283 listed finishers, the top male finisher was Steven Colmus in 19:21; top female finisher, Lydia Ngai in 21:49.

Even if you’re not already registered, you can sign up starting at 8 am to be part of the second annual White Center 5K this morning – just get yourself to White Center Heights Park (7th SW & SW 102nd). Though online registration is over, you can scroll down this page for all the 5K information; runners start at 9 am (when results are available, they’ll be online here), walkers at 9:10. Proceeds benefit the White Center Food Bank, the White Center Community Development Association, and the YES Foundation of White Center.

Starting today, and running through only the first week of the New Year, you can sign up for the second annual White Center 5K – set for March 22 – and get a discount! Details and signups at the official website. The 5K benefits the White Center Community Development Association and the YES Foundation of White Center.

Just announced:

Evergreen Pool in White Center wants to throw a party for the community – while raising a little fun for area children it will also collect toys and food for the less fortunate in the area.

Just bring an unwrapped toy, or food donation for White Center Food Bank and join in fun at Evergreen Pool from 3 pm-6 pm on December 21st. Lifeguards are on hand to watch swimmers who are still learning to swim; parents are encouraged to stay and enjoy the fun with their kids.

The White Center pool faces a Jan. 15 deadline to raise $15,000 to keep the facility open, and the fund drive is proceeding well, “ yet, we just felt we needed to have an event to celebrate the facility, our community and help bring holiday cheer to the area”, said WhiteWater Aquatics General Manager Joel Schweiger.

More than 3,800 children – and adults – have learned to swim at the Evergreen pool in White Center since it reopened under the new nonprofit management three years ago. It serves the greater Highline area, with 56 percent of the children who swim there coming from Burien.

Tax deductible donations can be made online via evergreenpool.org

White Center’s Southgate Roller Rink e-mailed to let us know they are hosting two Halloween events today/tonight – starting with FREE skating this afternoon:

FREE HALLOWEEN FAMILY SKATE: Southgate and Full Tilt Ice Cream present a FREE Halloween Family Skate from 3:00 pm-5:00 pm at the rink. Costume contest, candy giveaways, a guest DJ, more.

ZOMBIE HOMECOMING: 18+ event hosted tonight by Southgate and the Rainier Roller Girls! 9 pm-midnight, $12 @ the door. Costume contest, raffle, 21+ bar, more.

Other White Center Halloween events we’re missing? Post ’em in the comments!

Why wait until Thursday for candy? 2-5 pm, get those costumes on and get down to participating businesses for trick-or-treating! The Facebook event page includes a list of who’s participating.

Just announced – the Rat City Business Association‘s Trick-or-Treat Festival, 2-5 pm Sunday, October 27th. Be there!

(Jasiah, enjoying the downtown WC party)
Night Out is here – and two big events are under way in White Center – one at Steve Cox Memorial Park, and one in the downtown business district, featuring the $2 food walk – here’s the map:

Have a great time!

ADDED: While visiting the downtown party, we also spotted King County Sheriff’s Office Deputy BJ Myers:

KCSO also had a presence at the North Highline party attended by residents including Barbara Dobkin, who shared this photo featuring KCSO Sgt. Cindi West:

Beautiful night!

Just out of the inbox:

May 25 roller derby rematch: Derby Liberation Front vs. Jet City’s Pink Pistols

Join your favorite roller derby revolutionaries for an evening of rink riots and pistol whips as Rat City’s Derby Liberation Front (DLF) battles its neighbors to the north, the Pink Pistols of Jet City Rollergirls on Saturday, May 25th. The last time this rivalry met on the track in 2012 it came down to an epic final jam with DLF chalking up a win and the Pistols pleading for more. Well, they got what they asked for – another chance to see if the revolution can hold its ground when the Pistols come to town. First whistle is at 6:20 – don’t miss a second of this bitter rematch!

Who? Rat City Rollergirls, Derby Liberation Front vs. Jet City Rollergirls, Pink Pistols
What? Roller derby
When? Satruday, May 25th @ 6 PM
Where? Southgate Roller Rink in White Center: 9646 17th AVe SW
Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/364685

Just north of White Center, it’s the 9th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – which your co-publishers here coordinate/present on behalf of partner site West Seattle Blog. 280 sales are on the WSCGSD map this year. You are cordially invited to check them out between 9 am and 3 pm – find the online, printable, and mobile versions of the map on this WSB page.

A little chilly today for a street festival, but the hundreds who thronged the White Center Cambodian New Year Festival didn’t seem to mind. Along with almost-continuous on-stage entertainment and contests, there was food …

… and merchandise, including T-shirts to show off Cambodian pride:

The day’s events were detailed in the program on the sponsoring Cambodian Cultural Alliance of Washington‘s website. It’s traditionally the first street festival of the year in White Center, filling a closed-to-traffic block of SW 98th between 15th and 16th SW.

Music, dancing, food, and more will fill a block of SW 98th (between 15th and 16th SW) in White Center this Saturday, 10:30 am-5 pm, and you’re invited. The occasion: The annual White Center Cambodian New Year Street Festival. It’s presented by the Cambodian Cultural Alliance of Washington; our coverage from last year is here; from 2011, here; from 2009, here.

Been looking for an excuse to check out one of White Center’s newest hubs of activity? Maybe this is it: A pop-up art gallery at the Technology Access Foundation‘s Bethaday Learning Space in Lakewood Park, 4-8 pm. Artists include Village Green Perennial Nursery owner Vera Johnson, Nancy Leith,, and Michael B. Maine, and ; family activities in addition to the art show/sales – full details in the calendar listing. It’s happening at 605 SW 108th.

Tomorrow night brings the second-annual White Center Pumpkin-Carving Contest – bring your pre-carved pumpkin to Mac’s Triangle Pub (Delridge Triangle, just north of Roxbury) as early as 5 pm for dropoff; the official contest hours are 6-8 pm, and you don’t have to be present to win. More info on the contest’s official Facebook page.

Party on wheels! No doubt some are still recovering today from last night’s second annual Rat City Roller Prom at Southgate Roller Rink – a prom for grownups. WCN contributing photojournalist Nick Adams caught some of the scenes – including what you might call a class picture:

(Click for larger image)
There were quiet moments …

(Jerad and Mar talk during the Roller Prom)
… and showy moments:

Plus, awesome outfits. New meaning to the term “skating gloves”:

(T’wanda, Marilyn, and Francois)
And what would a prom be without a spotlight dance? Or … skate.

There was of course a prom queen – and Amy got flowers:

Taking off the skates at night’s end is such sweet sorrow …

This was not only a rocking-and-rolling good time, it was also a benefit for the White Center Food Bank.