White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Sale season is starting – and you can help support programs at the White Center Library by shopping at this one next Friday and Sunday:

The library’s at 1409 SW 107th.

(Photo courtesy Southwest Boys & Girls Club)

If you have a bit of time to spare and a desire to get more involved in your community, this could be the opportunity you’ve been looking for!

The Southwest Boys & Girls Club is recruiting new members for the Club Advisory Board!

What does the Club Advisory Board do?

Board members are volunteers who support the Club and its hardworking team through community outreach, staff appreciation, support projects, and fundraising.

The board meets once a month, and additional involvement varies throughout the year.

Community volunteers are a vital part of the Club mission to inspire and enable all youth, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.

To learn more, please email Jasmine Finkley at jfinkley@positiveplace.org

The Duwamish River is just down the hill – and here’s one day when four hours of your time goes a long way to helping it survive and thrive:

Duwamish Alive! Celebrating Earth Month
Sat. April 15 10:00 – 2:00 at Multiple Volunteer Sites: DuwamishAlive.org

Duwamish Alive! is a collaborative effort in improving the health of our river and its watershed. Starting at 10:00 am volunteers will be restoring native habitat in multiple urban parks and open spaces in the ongoing effort to keep our river alive and healthy for our communities, salmon and the Puget Sound. Proving that many individuals working together can make a substantial difference in improving the health of our region.

Volunteers’ efforts include, a river cleanup by kayak, shoreline salmon habitat restoration, and native forest revitalization. To volunteer visit DuwamishAlive.org to see the different volunteer opportunities and register for the site of your choice, or email info@duwamishalive.org

A multi-location food drive to benefit the White Center Food Bank has just days to go, and organizers at White Center Pride hope you’ll donate – or donate again! Here’s the reminder we received today, including the list of dropoff locations:

We are just a little over a week away from wrapping up our winter food drive for the White Center Food Bank. As of mid-February we had collected over 600 lbs. of shelf-stable food. We are hoping to push that number up to 1000 lbs by the time we finish the drive.

Here’s the direct link to the needs-list info mentioned at the bottom of the graphic.

Coming up next Saturday!

If the QR code doesn’t work for you, here’s a direct link for tickets.

Application time if you’re interested in involvement with the county’s “participatory budgeting” process!

After a successful first round last year, Local Services is again using this innovative approach to community-driven public funding in the county’s urban unincorporated areas.

Community members who live, work, go to school, or worship in the areas listed below are encouraged to apply to serve on the new steering committee, which will meet virtually to help guide the process of nominating and choosing projects for King County to carry out in each area. Applications are open through Tuesday, February 21.

Eligible areas: East Federal Way, East Renton, Fairwood, Skyway, White Center/North Highline

Find the application link on the right side of this page, where you’ll also find reports on the results from last year’s round.

Set your calendar for a night at Roxbury Lanes (2823 SW Roxbury) on Friday (January 20th) to help White Center Pride raise money for this year’s street festival:

White Center Pride Bowling Fundraiser with Adra Boo
Roxbury Lanes
Friday January 20, 2023
6:30 pm

Lace up your bowling shoes and show your pride Friday, January 20th at Roxbury Lanes in White Center! Join White Center Pride for a night of fun and fundraising hosted by singer extraordinaire, Adra Boo.

This special happy hour will have games and entertainment, a bowling fundraiser, and the opportunity to meet other members of the community. It is also a chance to show your support for the White Center Pride Street Festival as we work to raise funds for this wonderful event. All ages are welcome!

White Center Pride has announced June 3rd as the date for this year’s festival.

Looking for an easy way to expand your holiday giving? Here it is!

We’re just a few hours away from the day every holiday season that nonprofits hope you’ll use to focus on giving to the organizations that nourish, cherish, support, and uplift your community. First one we’ve heard from is White Center Food Bank, which is not only continuing to carry on with its daily work of keeping people fed, but also working toward the move to its new headquarters. Here’s the WCFB announcement:

On Tuesday, November 29, the White Center Food Bank joins #GivingTuesday, a one-day global giving event dedicated to assisting non-profit organizations.

With the support of our generous donors, volunteers, and individuals of the community, WCFB provides healthy, culturally familiar food for our neighbors. Many of those within the White Center community face difficult economic conditions, leaving families and individuals in need of food resources. With the start of this holiday season, White Center Food Bank wants to extend a hand and inspire others to do the same. WCFB provides food security for our customers and their loved ones during these warm, festive times. By collaborating in this movement, you can support the WCFB and give back to your community. Let’s all participate in #GivingTuesday and continue to #KeeptheCommunityFed.

Link to donate:
whitecenterfoodbank.networkforgood.com/projects/173679-end-of-year-2022

We’re still not back to the safety level that would enable donation drives at fire stations, so here’s how you can support firefighters’ gift-giving for area families:

It’s that easy!

Thanks to Lauren for the tip on this. The Velasquez family, who run White Center restaurant El Catrin (9641 15th SW), are crowdfunding to keep their doors open. They write on the GoFundMe page, “We have been working for the last year to catch up on rent. Since we’re a new business, we don’t qualify for any government assistance, and with the increase of all costs in our city ( ood costs, utility insurance, and the closure of the street etc.), and losing battles with covid. Then the accident our Dad had with his hand, we’re running dry.” Lauren said in her note to us, “We would hate to lose them as they’ve always done tamale giveaways to families in need and Thanksgiving turkeys for families that couldn’t afford them.” If you can help, here’s the link.

Looking for something to do Saturday night? The White Center Community Development Association has an invitation for you:

The White Center Community Development Association’s (CDA) 20th Anniversary Gala: Truth in Community, will be on Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the South Seattle College Brockey Center. Gala attendees will hear community narratives and testimony that encompass the theme of ‘Truth in Community.’

We invite the community to join us for activities throughout the night, such as a silent auction, wine pull, and a champagne toast alongside dinner, dessert, and special performances. There will be opportunities to mingle with community partners and organizations as the Seattle-based band, the OBG’s, plays their favorite tunes.

The White Center CDA’s works to eradicate poverty and build a vibrant and economically diverse community in unincorporated White Center. In the past years, the White Center CDA has engaged in community facilitation on a diverse range of projects that touch the White Center community. These projects include King County’s revisions to the North Highline and White Center Subarea plan, fighting for the strong and resilient business community within the White Center business core, advocating for and providing culturally relevant early learning opportunities and needed resources to families, and bringing a needed hub of community resources and affordable housing to White Center.

The White Center CDA is a nonprofit organization founded in 2002. The White Center CDA works to connect community to people and place in many ways, such as the Spring Clean, the White Center 5k, and ongoing anti-displacement work within White Center.

Here’s where to go to get tickets.

As mentioned last week, the county’s Participatory Budgeting vote is on right now – you have today and tomorrow to vote online and help decide how to spend $3+ million. One of the contenders is the White Center Food Bank, which says it has found a new location in downtown WC (but isn’t saying exactly where yet).The WCFB needs money “to renovate and transform our space into an innovative food bank for all who need it.” You can vote here.=

The booth on the northwest corner of 16th/98th is one of three places you can buy $5 tickets for the Taste of White Center, benefiting the White Center Food Bank – each ticket gets you one of the special menu items that 31 establishments are offering – here’s the list:

Participants are all flying red balloons:

The Taste of White Center is on until 4 pm, but take note that some venues have slightly different participation hours – for example, Tomo has a sign saying it’ll open at 2 pm (it’s offering smoked sable fish congee), and Good Day Donuts is participating until 2 (their menu item is listed as “surprise”). The other two ticket booths are outside Mac’s Triangle Pub at 16th/Delridge/Roxbury and outside Patrick’s Café and Bakery at 15th/100th. Along with the $5 taste tickets, you also can buy tickets for a drawing that’s also benefiting WCFB – two round-trip Alaska Airlines tickets. Alaska is one of the sponsors whose support is enabling compensation for the venues so that all the ticket proceeds can benefit the food bank.

This just might be the tastiest fundraiser of the year.

Announced by the White Center Food Bank:

SAVE THE DATE:
TASTE OF WHITE CENTER, PRESENTED BY WHITE CENTER FOOD BANK, JUNE 25, 11 AM-4 PM

The White Center Food Bank is excited to bring together our neighborhood’s wide variety of restaurants for a family-friendly event and fundraiser. With over 25 restaurants participating, attendees purchase $5 tickets to try a variety of foods from roasted corn, banh mi sandwiches and gyoza dumplings to specialty ice cream, bubble tea and shaved ice. Iconic restaurants like Tomo, La Fondita, Good Day Donuts and more are ready to serve up amazing bites!

Each ticket is an opportunity to taste something from each establishment and all ticket proceeds go to support the White Center Food Bank. Sponsorship dollars from Alaska Airlines, King County Metro, Nucor Steel and others go to the participating restaurants to purchase ingredients and pay for promotion of the event.

Tickets will be available for purchase at three locations in downtown White Center (Patrick’s Café and Bakery, Mac’s Triangle Pub, and on the corner of 16th Ave SW and 98th St). A restaurant passport will be given to each attendee at the time of purchase with a map and details on which restaurants are participating and the menu items available. There will also be a raffle for 2 roundtrip tickets on Alaska Airlines.

White Center food Bank looks forward to hosting people from across the region around the one thing we know always brings together community: FOOD!

See the current list of participants by going here.

From Lina Rose at King County Parks – a chance to do a good deed while having a good time this Saturday (June 4th):

Our program lead community members in high quality service experiences in King County Parks with the goal of connection and engagement in the health of our parks. Together with our partners, we lead an average of 10,000 volunteers a year performing restoration, park improvement and building and maintaining trails. We weave environmental education into every event, to make for a rewarding and productive day in the park.

We’ve got a free, public event coming up on June 4th in partnership with Parkour Visions that we’d like to share with the White Center community. This special event is focused on connection to White Center Heights Park through environmental restoration, and through play. The event includes 3 hours of learning about the plants and animals of the park, digging out weeds and spreading compost mulch with an option to stay for an hour of parkour. Parkour Visions staff lead the parkour portion of the event and participants will receive instruction in parkour basics like the basic jump, landing, climbing and vaulting techniques. We ask that interested volunteers sign up in advance of the event so that we can plan our tools accordingly and ensure that all volunteers have the information that they need for the day.

To learn more and sign up please visit: Volunteer King County Parks

Date: Saturday, June 4, 9 am-1 pm

Location: White Center Heights Park

*Note that volunteers must show proof of vaccination in order to participate in this event. Please contact Crescent Calimpong, ccalimpong@kingcounty.gov with questions about this event.

Those are some of the riders who left the White Center Bike Playground on Sunday morning to head out on the fundraising Ride for Major Taylor. It was actually two rides – a 63-mile route, with riders heading out as early as 7 am, and a 26-mile route with departures starting at 8:30 am.

The ride raises money to help youth via the Major Taylor Project. The presenting organization, Cascade Bicycle Club, explains it:

Marshall “Major” Taylor was a Black athlete and cycling legend who was one of the greatest bicyclists of his era, setting numerous world records and winning a World Championship–all while battling racism throughout his career from the late 1800s to early 1900s. He was an international superstar whose amazing talents and drive were as well-known in his era as LeBron James or Serena Williams are today.

The Major Taylor Project is a year-round, youth leadership cycling program focused on introducing young adults from underserved communities to the recreation of cycling and creating an inclusive culture of bicycling that will continue to future generations. The Major Taylor Project currently serves schools in the Puget Sound region; Seattle, Tacoma, and Puyallup.

The Major Taylor Project welcomes donations year-round.

(Photo courtesy DubSea Fish Sticks)

Got room under your roof for a summer visitor? The DubSea Fish Sticks are looking for a few more host families for the collegiate players who will spend a big part of their summer here:

The DubSea Fish Sticks summer collegiate baseball team is looking for host families for out-of-town players this summer.

The team recruits players from colleges across the country to come and play for the months of June and July. The 2022 summer roster is composed of players from 26 different colleges. The players report in late May and play with the team to hone their skills and hope to one day play professionally.

Similarly to junior-hockey teams like the Seattle Thunderbirds out of Kent, the Fish Sticks rely on the support of local families to host players for the summer months, also known as billets in the hockey community.

General Manager Justin Moser said, “Host families are the backbone to successful summer collegiate teams. Being able to recruit players from a broader range of area improves our ability to be as competitive as possible. It also allows us to expand our reach into other communities and give college student athletes an experience of living in our community.”

The Fish Sticks aren’t just a baseball team, though. They require players to volunteer within the community weekly, performing community-service hours at the food bank, with local non-profit organizations, help run youth baseball camps, and do community cleanups regularly.

“We’ve seen host families in the past start out as a safe place to stay, and then the relationship grows and many players become an extension of the family. Most of our former players and their families still have relationships with their former host families,” explained Moser.

If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a host family, please visit gofishsticks.com/hostfamilies. The team is still in need of hosts for 8 players this summer.

You can find more information about the Fish Sticks at GoFishSticks.com, where you can join their priority ticket list. Season tickets and flex packs go on sale in mid-April and single-game tickets go on sale in May.

You’ll see hundreds of bicyclists riding in White Center on April 24th, as the Cascade Bicycle Club‘s Ride for Major Taylor starts and finishes at WC Bicycle Playground (11050 10th SW). The ride raises money to support free after-school educational programming. Riders can choose a 26- or 63-mile course. Find out more – and register, if you want to ride – here.

Up for a bar/pub crawl? Set your calendar for Saturday, March 19th. White Center establishments are participating in a benefit for this summer’s White Center Block Party. From the ticketing page:

COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE WHITE CENTER COMMUNITY ON MARCH 19!

The WC Block Party planning committee is rounding up the bars in White Center for an evening of drinks and deals over St. Paddy’s day weekend right in the heart of White Center. All proceeds from bracelet sales will go toward planning the White Center Block Party this summer.

PRE-ORDER NOW AND GET A FREE JELLO SHOT AT PICK UP! OR, PURCHASE DAY-OF FOR 20.00.

Participating bars:

Buho

Drunky’s Two Shoe BBQ

CanBar

Mac’s Triangle Pub

Lariat

Roller Rink Bar

Boombox

Future Primitive

Beer Star

Special Shops Participating:

Macadons – Free Cream Puff for Pub Crawl Attendees

Cartwheel Vintage & Consign – 20% off from 4-8 PM for Attendees

It all starts at 4 pm March 19th; buy your advance ticket here.