White Center Now: The blog about White Center

From the Puget Sound Blood Center:

With a decrease in donations and an increase in accidents, we could use help maintaining a stable blood supply over the holidays.

As we exchange gifts during the holidays, please remember that you have the most precious gift inside you to give.

Please give others a chance at a better life:

– Saturday December 26th
* Holy Family Parish- Tice Hall 9516 20th Ave SW 98106
* 10:00AM- 4:00PM (closed 12-1pm)

The Puget Sound Blood Center is a non-profit, community and volunteer based organization. For more than 60 years, the PSBC has been improving the quality of life for sick patients in the Puget Sound area. This is all thanks to the generous donors who are saving lives in Western Washington every day. Your volunteered blood is distributed to 70 local hospitals and clinics in the Puget Sound area. For more information, please contact 1-800-DONATE-1.

White Center Food Bank is open for one more stretch today – 5 to 7 pm (we just called to check as we had conflicting info, but we’re also going over to make double-sure in person) – and they still need large turkeys, cranberry sauce and dinner rolls. 10829 8th SW; here’s a map.

Now that it’s November, the holidays are rushing toward us. Village Green Perennial Nursery is organizing a tree sale to raise money for Community School of West Seattle (which is on the WS-White Center line, right along Roxbury). You can get your order in over the next week – read all about what’s available and how to order by going to this Village Green webpage.

9 am-1 pm today, you can drop off donations for Samoan disaster survivors at Evergreen High School – there’s a program, with entertainment, scheduled to start at 11 am. A list of what’s needed, plus more information on the event, is on the White Center Community Development Association website – see it all here.

CoolMom – an environmentally minded organization in the West Seattle/White Center area – made that video to help get the word out about an event at Seattle Center on Saturday 10/24, with the bigger turnout the better – and their message:

We Need You to Take the Pledge! On October 24, from 2 to 5 pm – 350.org International Day of Climate Action – pledge 3 things you can do in your home and community for greener living, for your children, and for the planet. Join individuals, moms, dads, kids, organizations and whole communities that care about the environment and show your support for taking action to affect global warming. In the Alki room and at the Seattle Center Fountain, celebrate your pledge, learn from exhibitors and speakers and see what actions your neighbors in the Greater Seattle area are doing via a live video feed stream – all in the name of obtaining a safe level of carbon dioxide (350 parts per million)in our atmosphere by reducing each person’s carbon footprint. Don’t miss your millisecond of fame… At 3:00 pm on the Seattle Center Fountain Lawn we will be forming the numbers 3 -5-0 formed by attendees of the event and taken at 3:50 pm to showcase that Seattle is serious about climate change.

From Kristina:

Hope For Robin Car Wash Fundraiser!

October 10th & 11th, 11am – 3pm at Vision Collision in Burien
(801 SW 154th Street)

We will also have baked goodies, coffee, tea, and cocoa available for a donation. Please come out and support our worthy cause and get your rig washed. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to wash cars, please contact Kristina Todd at mctodd1976@yahoo.com.

Here is Robin’s story – hope to see everyone this weekend at Vision Collision:

Robin Hoof has been a teacher and swim coach with the Highline School District for 20 years. At Evergreen High School she is a French teacher, and a swim coach for the boys and girls teams at Highline High School.

In April 2007, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After undergoing chemo and a mastectomy she was considered in remission. In early 2009 she noticed a lump in her neck and was diagnosed for the second time in February. She again underwent chemo and then in the Spring she took her students to Europe. When she got back from that trip, she noticed she had a rather bad cough. Then in August she was admitted to Swedish Hospital where she continued chemo treatments, but her health was rapidly declining. Due to her compromised immune system, the doctors gave her the last chemo treatment on September 18th and told her and her mother, “any day now.” That day has come and gone.

Alternative forms of treatment are being explored by her family, as those closest to her refuse to give up. Robin’s words to her mother at Swedish were, “I’m not going to let this get me mom.” She’sin the fight of her life, and willing to beat this disease.

A Facebook page has been created in her honor titled simply, “Hope for Robin”. It is dedicated to giving updates as they come in as well as any and all charity functions for her. The charities include:

A local AVON rep giving 30% of TOTAL sales to her cause. A site has been built for the specific purpose. It’s a live site and tracks the sales thus far. Our total sales goal is $5,000. Visit:

http://mfogerty.avonrepresentative.com/online_event/view.php?rep_spnsr_evnt_id=8631

Shop and help!

Car washes to be held at different times through out the year by the Driscoll family at Vision Collision.

And the big Kahuna …a charity climb in her honor to the summit of Rainier Summer ’10.

Many have rallied around Robin by way of well wishes, donations, and offerings of volunteer work for her. But it’s not enough. More people are needed. Her medical bills are through the roof already, and as a person who’s touched as many people as she has, don’t we owe it to her? Isn’t it our job to give back. And giving Robin hope, is the best gift any human being can give to another.

Because ONE person can make a difference! Be a part of the Army of HOPE!

Via the White Center CDA site, we discover a donation drive is under way for Samoan tsunami victims, with an event October 24th at Evergreen High School, 9 am-1 pm, sponsored by World Vision. They’re collecting items for relief operations, as listed in the flyer you see above – you can find out more about how to help even sooner, at worldvision.org.

Eliza e-mailed to say she’s organizing a music-instrument-donation drive for White Center Heights Elementary – her mom works there and, as Eliza puts it, the school “just got a really amazing music teacher” but has more students interested in taking the music class than they have instruments. Eliza explains, “The school doesn’t have the budget to buy new instruments and the parents can’t afford to rent them or buy them for the kids.” So, she says, “If you have any old/used/formerly loved instruments you could donate that would be so much appreciated!! I will pick them up, I will come to you, I would just like to get these kids a chance to learn a skill they might otherwise miss out on. Please feel free to email me at egjunkerman@yahoo.com or give me a call, 206.818.7376.”

Just in:

PRUDENTIAL GLOBAL VOLUNTEER DAY! FOOD DRIVE

Prudential West Seattle is conducting a food drive for the West Seattle and White Center Food Banks. Food and Cash contributions may be made at the West Seattle office at 4700 42nd Avenue, Suite 600, or through your Prudential Agent. Look for our collection teams on October 3rd from 10am to 2pm at all three of the local Safeway Stores [Roxbury, Jefferson Square, Admiral], the Morgan Street Thriftway and Albertsons in White Center! Please call us at 206-932-4500 if you have questions or would like a donation pick-up! YOUR DONATIONS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

From Audrey at White Center Food Bank:

Evergreen High School Key Club is doing a food drive benefitting the White Center Food Bank as part of the Mayors’ Day of Concern for the Hungry on Saturday, September 26 from 10 am to 3 p.m. at Roxbury Safeway and Burien Safeway.

Also, Prudential West Seattle is conducting a food drive benefiting the White Center Food Bank and the West Seattle Food Bank on Saturday, October 3, at local Safeway Stores, Albertsons in White Center and Morgan Street Thriftway. Donations can also be made at the Prudential office on 4700 42nd Avenue, Suite 600 or through a local Prudential agent.

Bret the Brat, star of that quick clip, is the mascot for the Burien Brat Trot, coming up October 4th and benefiting White Center-based WestSide Baby. No, no, no, not THAT kind of brat – think “rhymes with trot.” Goes with beer. Oom-pah music. Etc. (But not till AFTER you run.) Register online, for solo or relay, by going here.

Here’s your chance to do a good deed at the shopping center closest to White Center:

Sleep Country USA is holding its annual Coat Drive for Foster Kids, beginning Monday, September 21st.

WHAT: Sleep Country USA¹s Winter Coat Drive for Foster Kids
WHEN: September 21, 2009 through November 1, 2009
WHY: Because many foster kids arrive with only the clothes on their backs, Sleep Country USA is collecting winter coats to help keep the more than 26,000 foster kids in Oregon and Washington warm this winter. Our drive helps give foster children a leg up and keep them warm during the blustery winter months.

New coats in every shape and size can be donated to any Sleep Country USA store and will be distributed among 20 Pacific Northwest foster care organizations. For more information, please use the Sleep Country store locator at www.sleepcountry.com or call 1-888-88-SLEEP.

Shelli Park from WCFTA sent this update on the Saturday night event at Big Al Brewing in White Center:

White Center for the Arts is excited about the Art Party on Saturday, September 19th!

Two bands will be performing over the course of the evening. The first band will start at 7:00. They are Mucho Gusto, a jazz trio whose drummer is from White Center.

The other band is Urban Achievers, a Led Zeppelin cover band, which has for a member another local musician, Ryan Burns. This is a really GOOD cover band! Stellar musicians.

Come and enter the raffle for a piece of art, or try that Big Al Smoked Porter! There is something for everyone.

Jeni at Cascade Middle School shares word of this event and is hoping that as many community members as possible will show up to pitch in (and enjoy a free lunch!):

Cascade is honored that RESA Seattle, an organization of professional stagers, has chosen our school for their first service project. They will be redesigning several areas at our school, helping to improve functionality and beautify our surroundings.

Stagers will be joined by the staff of Cascade and the community to make improvements to the Main Office, Cafeteria/Gym Foyer, hallways, Staff Lounge and exterior of the grounds.

Many hands make light work – Join our Community Service Day!

Date:
Saturday, September 19th

Time:
9 a.m. until the work is done

Place:
Cascade Middle School – 11212 10th Ave SW

Meet in front of the Main Office

Bring your garden gloves, dress to paint, and work outside.
Barbecue lunch will be served courtesy of Cascade Middle School

If you want to call or e-mail the school for more info on this, contact info is on its website.

First published in the Forums at partner site West Seattle Blog – but it’s happening this weekend in White Center:

Let’s “Fix” the Problem, a benefit for Feral Cat Assistance & Trapping (F.C.A.T.), raising funds to feed, spay, and neuter feral cats and help low-income cat lovers with needs like Advantage™ and teeth cleanings.

Saturday, September 12, 5:00 PM – close
Dong Khanh Café
9655 – 16th Avenue SW (White Center)

Admission $10 (sorry, can’t take cards) or $5 with a 20+lb. bag of cat or dog food, children are free with parents. All ages welcome until 11:00 PM, 21+ after that.

No-host full bar and food (special menu for the night, yes – vegetarian options) and music includes live performances by Stingshark, Paddle Wack, and 80s Invasion. Silent auction and prizes too!

Just a ½ block north, our friends at Full Tilt will offer a special “Meow Mix” ice cream on Saturday with chunks of cranberries, almonds, and dark chocolate. Proceeds benefit F.C.A.T., so be sure to visit them too – yum!

For more information on F.C.A.T., visit http://www.feraltrapping.com

Hope to see you there and thanks for being part of the solution.

We got the chance to chat with Audrey Zemke from White Center Food Bank on Saturday while covering Picnic at the (Southwest) Precinct on behalf of partner site West Seattle Blog, and she gave us some scoop on WCFB’s upcoming annual Harvest Dinner/Auction: It will be held at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center, 5:30 pm October 17th. North Highline Fire Chief Scott LaVielle will emcee; media personality Cindi Rinehart (a West Seattle resident) will be the auctioneer. Invitations will go out in about two weeks, but if you want to lock in your tickets now, you can call or e-mail White Center Food Bank – contact info’s all online, whitecenterfoodbank.org.

Just in:

Volunteers Needed 8/8 and 8/12 to Clear Out White Center Food Bank Warehouse

Volunteer Alert: The White Center Food Bank needs volunteers on Saturday, August 8th, and Wednesday, August 12th. We are having the floor replaced on that Monday and Tuesday, so we need to totally empty the warehouse on Saturday and put everything back on Wednesday.

If you can lend a hand, please contact Audrey Zemke, Volunteer Resource Coordinator, at 206-762-2848 or email her at audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org

Buy some diapers and take them to either Burien Chevrolet or the West Seattle Farmers’ Market by 2 pm today – Roxbury Safeway is a dropoff spot too – it’s the annual “Stuff the Bus” diaper drive for WestSide Baby, which is based in White Center and helps thousands of local families every year. The sizes that are most needed are 4-6 and 4T.

That’s a brand-new flyer for the White Center Community Development Association luau coming up August 29th, 4-8 pm at White Center Heights Park. Island food (an imu-roasted pig!) and entertainment are promised, as money is raised for WCCDA (with an auction, too). Lots more info on the WCCDA site – just go here.

Evergreen High School football director Alfred Johnson sends word of a fun fundraiser this Saturday night:

The coaches and players of the Evergreen High School Football team would like to thank you and the White Center/Boulevard Park Communities for coming out to support the team last football season.

With a new coaching staff and a young team, it really means a lot to the young men to know that the community is interested and encouraging the team to be better students and have a successful season.

This weekend, the EHS Football Team will be hosting a Pasta Dinner Fundraiser, Sat, June 27th, 2009, 7:00pm Start @ the Southwest Boys & Girls Club. This is the first major fundraiser of our new season; the young men of the EHS Football team will be there as food servers and host. The team is attempting to raise enough funds and solicit sponsorships to purchase new uniforms, provide partial funding of the “pay to play” requirement being passed down to the Highline School District and to build the Football Booster funds in order to tend to the needs of EHS football during the upcoming season and beyond.

There will be special guest speakers who be speaking through out the evening (Greg Lewis, former UW football player & Derek Sparks, former WSU football player among many) and the EHS football players will perform their game day “Hakka” as part of the evenings entertainment. Special thanks to Joe Salle of Bernie & Boys Market in White Center for providing the Pasta dinner and the Southwest Boys & Girls Club for letting us use their facilities. …

I think it will be a great time for all and that the EHS Football players will do all that they can to make the evening a success.