White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Can you spare some time Saturday?

Volunteer and join King County Parks staff and community members on May 19th as we help make White Center Heights Park a more healthy forest!

We will work on weeding around new plantings throughout the park and may do some litter pick up if time allows. Join us in this great park to learn about the plants and animals that call it home! No experience needed, all tools provided and community members of all ages are welcome! Event will start at 9 am and we will wrap up by 1 pm.

Please contact Lina Rose if you are interested in attending at 206.491.5014 or lina.rose@kingcounty.gov

White Center Heights Elementary PTA can use your help – tomorrow and beyond! Here’s the announcement:

Cleaning out your closets? Donate your stuff to a good cause!

White Center Heights Elementary PTA is partnering with Value Village for our first-ever Donation Drive Fundraiser Wed. May 30 – Mon. June 18, with a special early drop-off date on Sat. May 12 during West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day — so sellers can get rid of what’s left and buyers can make room for new treasures.

Every pound of your unwanted stuff turns into funds for uniforms, supplies and community activities benefiting White Center Heights students, teachers and families.

Early Donation Drop-Off
Sat. May 12, 3PM-6PM at White Center Heights Elementary School Parking Lot (10015 6th Ave SW)

Regular Donation Drop-Off
Wed. May 30 – Mon. June 18, Noon-10 PM at Full Tilt Ice Cream (9629 16th Ave SW)
* For large amounts of donations, please contact us at the info below so we can accommodate.

What We Can Take
Clothing, shoes, bedding, towels, accessories (e.g., hats, mittens, scarves, ties, socks, purses, wallets, backpacks, bags, belts, jewelry)
Small household items (e.g., electronics, toys & games, kitchen items, knick-knacks, sporting goods)
Books and media (e.g., CDs, DVDs)
Please put soft items in trash bags and hard/heavy items in boxes.
Questions? Contact Us
If you have any questions, can’t make the drop-off times or have a lot of donations, please call/text (206) 992-6506 or email wchpta@gmail.com.

Thank you! Your help makes a huge difference!

White Center Heights Elementary PTA

White Center has some stops as part of WSCGSD tomorrow, including the WC Chamber of Commerce-presented big flea market – get the map here!

Today is the annual Dining Out for Life benefit for Lifelong, and there’s one participating White Center venue, according to the online lookup – Noble Barton is donating a percentage of proceeds from all meals today/tonight.

Two weeks until the twice-yearly Duwamish Alive! multi-site work party celebrates Earth Day, on Saturday, April 21st, at sites around the area. If you’d like to help, sign up fast – some spots are already full! Here’s the list, and how to volunteer.

Lots of pre-Easter fun this Saturday … and you can fuel up for it with a benefit breakfast in downtown White Center:

Lil Woody’s White Center will partner with the White Center Community Development Association (WCCDA) for their quarterly neighborhood breakfast feed fundraiser.

The family-focused events harken back to a time when the White Center space was once home to the Epicure restaurant, a major gathering spot in the 1950’s- known to be where “the elite meet to eat.” The “EP” as it was called, was owned and operated by Joe Boothby, who cooked roast beef on a spit near the front window. The meat became a favorite offering of the restaurant, along with the annual pancake breakfast fundraisers held downstairs.

On Saturday, March 31, from 9 am-11 am, Lil Woody’s will be flipping lots of pancakes. The cost of the breakfast is $5 for kids and $10 for adults. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the WCCDA. Marcus Lalario of Lil Woody’s says: “We think it’s great to be located in a building that has played such a great role in White Center’s history. These breakfasts are a nod to that past and by pairing up with the WCCDA, we can give back to the community that supports us.”

Menu:
Food: Pancakes |Scrambled eggs |Bacon
Drinks: Mimosas |Caffe Vita Coffee

Tomorrow’s the big night – Saturday, March 10th, the Crab Feed to raise money for Evergreen High School Athletics! 6-10 pm, be at the White Center Eagles‘ hall (10452 15th SW). Aaron Garcia sent the remidner:

Thank you to all those who bought tickets and we’ll be joining us this Saturday, we’re looking forward celebrating with you. We’re going to have delicious crab prepped by the legendary Tyrone Curry Sr, Live Music, Raffle and overall a ton of fun!

If you haven’t bought a ticket yet, please jump on this opportunity to support Evergreen High School Athletics! Remember 100% of the proceeds go toward Evergreen HS athletics and activities and this dinner is entirely supported by donations and volunteers!

You can buy your ticket online right now.

Mark your calendar for January 25th! Here’s how:

An exciting opportunity to support local students:

The New Start Alternative High School Key Club in the Highline School District will again, in conjunction with the Kiwanis Club of White Center, hold its fundraiser; a Taco Bar and Baked Potato Dinner complete with loaded baked potatoes, tacos, chili, salad, beverage and dessert. Entertainment will be a student talent show and musical entertainment. (Staging and sound by TommySound)

The event this year will be Thursday evening, January 25, 2018, running from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at New Start High School in the gym (614 SW 120th in Burien)

TICKETS for the event may be obtained in advance and/or at the door. For the General Public ADULTS are $15 or two for $25 or Family for $25. Kids under 17 at $7 and kids under 5 are free. For New Start students and their families tickets are available at discounted prices.

For addition information and/or ticket purchase please contact any member of the White Center Kiwanis and/or Bill Tracy. The latter may be reached at this email address, billnancytracy@aol.com, or 206-248-2441. We look forward to seeing you there.

The New Start Key Club is part of an international student led organization which provides its members with opportunities to provide service, build character and develop leadership. The Club is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of White Center.

We’re publishing this announcement both here and on partner site West Seattle Blog because of the scope of the project:

The White Center Community Development Association (WCCDA), celebrating its 15th year serving White Center families with family/social services, small business/entrepreneurial development, school educational support, and family wellness, is partnering with Southwest Youth and Family Services (SWYFS), which provides critical health services to youth and families-at-risk, to create the White Center Neighborhood Advisory Council. This 20-person council, nominated from diverse segments of our White Center community, will meet twice a month, over five months in 2018, to assist us in the following;

*Review and plan for a Family Resource Center at the former White Center public health building site at 8th Ave. SW and SW 108th Ave, now temporarily used by Mary’s Place as transitional housing for homeless families.

*Develop a long-range affordable housing plan for White Center that helps keep White Center families living near each other, and incorporate the planning process findings into affordable housing at the former public health site

*Assist in ensuring that homeless transitional housing is considered as a continuing service in the affordable housing discussions for the site and elsewhere in White Center that will result.

The 20 members of this Council will receive $100 each in May of 2018, to compensate for their time serving on this council. The Nomination Form and Scope of Work for the Advisory Council can be found at the WCCDA website. All nominations are welcome, but we reserve the right to ensure that broad, diverse community perspectives are included through the nomination process as described in the Nomination Form and Scope of Work.

Nomination forms are due by December 12 at the CDA Open House meeting from 4-6 pm, that will be held at the WCCDA offices in the Technology Access Foundation building at 605 SW 108th Street. All nominees are encouraged to attend this meeting to meet staff, learn about the existing important work our staff do here in White Center, and eat good food. Child care will be provided.

Questions: Mark@WCCDA.ORG or call the WCCDA office at 206-694-1082

You can help fight holiday hunger by donating turkeys to the White Center Food Bank – and someone will be there almost every day before Thanksgiving to accept whatever you can give. WCFB is on the southwest corner of 8th SW and SW 108th, and promises someone will be there 10 am-4 pm Saturday and 9 am-5 pm each day Monday-Wednesday.

Did you miss day 1 of the White Center Library Guild Holiday Bazaar and Book Sale? No problem – go tomorrow!

10 am-2 pm Saturday, the bazaar continues for its second and final day. You’ll find books, gifts, decorations, and more – once you walk into the library’s main door on the parking-lot side, turn left.

It’s a fundraiser for library programs, and you’ll meet some cool volunteers too.

Volunteers needed on Saturday, October 7th! Here’s the announcement:

Join King County Parks in beautifying the front of Steve Cox Memorial Park home of the historic Log Cabin. Volunteers are needed to help plant shrubs and groundcover to the front of the park and the area in front of the White Center Sheriff’s storefront. Event is from 10 am-2 pm. All tools are provided and no experience is needed! Please contact Lina Rose for more information on the project and to sign up – 206.491.5014, lina.rose@kingcounty.gov. Everyone is welcome!

Coming up in White Center in less than two weeks!

ROCKTOBERFEST: A Benefit Event
Supporting production of the “Circle of Cells” Documentary

Rocktoberfest is an age 21+ Oktoberfest-themed event benefitting Circle of Cells: a unique, autobiographical documentary about international stem cell donation and cancer survivors. Rocktoberfest takes place on Saturday, September 9th at Company Store in White Center, starting at 6:00 pm.

“Rocktoberfest is a fun way for people to contribute to cancer survival methods,” says Sara Rose Hansen, producer of the Circle of Cells documentary.

“The mission of my film is to increase awareness of the simple, yet often misunderstood, process of stem cell donation; and bolster registration on the National Marrow Donor Program.”

As Zoe Mandels, the owner of Company Store, said, “I am so excited to help Sara Rose get this information out there; her documentary will have such a positive impact on people helping people.”

Rocktoberfest boasts many attractions, including:

“Be The Match” registration and information booth for potential stem cell donors.
Bavarian beer garden, bratwurst and pretzels open at 6:00 pm.

Four talented, local bands starting at 8:00 pm:

Tripp Rezac Band
Snaketopus
Cartoon Heart
Valerie Cavell

Silent auction and raffle prizes from Seattle businesses and artists.

The folks who are turning the ex-Big Al Brewing site into Unified Brewing are inviting you to their big sale today – noon-5 pm, benefiting WestSide Baby.

We’re encouraging people to come by and say hi even if they’re not in the market for anything, but are curious about our project.

Some of things we’re selling are:

Patio Furniture
Speakers
Glassware
Shelves
Filing Cabinets
Bistro Tables
Couches
Chairs
Mirrors
Lamps
Coat rack
Cash Register
Chalkboard
Brewery Memorabilia
ETC.

Unified Brewing is at 9832 14th SW.

More cool stuff Sunday – day two of the Jubilee Days Street Fair and more. Like … the White Center Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, a great way to fuel up for another day of fun:

The club has good reasons for wanting you to be part of it:

The White Center Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast on July 23 at Holy Family School is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the club whose mission is to make the world better one child at a time. Pictured above are students from New Start High School receiving their Student of the Month awards from club president Nancy Tracy. White Center Kiwanis works with New Start and Evergreen High Schools to provide service leadership opportunities through Key Club. We also work with the Coalition for Drug Free Youth at Cascade Middle School. We volunteer at the White Center Food Bank and provide help to the elementary schools.

The Pancake Breakfast runs from 7:30 am to 1:00 pm at Holy Family School (9615 20th Ave SW). Tickets to the breakfast are $8.00. Youth under 5 are free with a paying adult. We will be accepting diapers for WestSide Baby. Come see the great raffle prizes. Raffle tickets cost $1 each or 6 for $5.

From Linda at Mary’s Place:

The Mary’s Place kitchen is being renovated and we need help with meals at our White Center Family Center next week.

We need groups or individuals to bring a meal for 50 people each night next week! If someone can help or would like more information they can email volunteer@marysplaceseattle.org.

The annual GiveBIG one-day mega-donation drive, coordinated by the Seattle Foundation, is under way! Again this year, we’ve put together a local list, with each organization name linked to its GiveBIG info/donation page – we’ve reshuffled it a bit from original publication on our partner site West Seattle Blog, so that the White Center-based organizations are at the top, below:

Westside Baby
White Center Community Development Association
White Center Food Bank
White Center Library Guild
YES Foundation of White Center

Alki Co-Op Preschool
Ancora (women’s choir)
Arts Corps
ArtsEd Washington
ArtsWest
Blue Earth Alliance
Concord International School Greening Project
Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association
Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/Technical Advisory Group
Duwamish Rowing Club
Duwamish Tribal Services
Education First
Empower Mentoring Program
Explorer West Middle School
Fauntleroy Children’s Center
FEEST
Free2Luv
Friends of the Animals Foundation
Furry Faces Foundation
Gender Diversity
Holy Rosary School
Khambatta Dance Company
Killer Whale Tales
Kol HaNeshamah
Legal Counsel for Youth and Children
Navos
Opera On Tap
Orca Conservancy
Plumbers Without Borders
Pongo Publishing
Reel Grrls
SafeFutures Youth Center
Seattle Chinese Garden Society
Seattle Green Spaces Coalition
Seattle People of Color Salon
Seniors Creating Art
Somali Family Safety Task Force
South Seattle College Foundation
Southwest Seattle Historical Society
Southwest Youth and Family Services
Technology Access Foundation
The Kenney Foundation
The Service Board
The Village of Hope
The Whale Trail
Totem Star
Transitional Resources
Twelfth Night Productions
Urban Homestead Foundation
West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network (the link goes to the Seattle Neighborhood Group – in “comments,” specifically mention that it’s for WSBWCN so they will receive the $)
West Seattle Community Orchestras
West Seattle Food Bank
West Seattle Helpline
Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Wheelchairs For Nigeria
Whit Press

The donate-a-thon is on until 11:59 pm tonight. While the Seattle Foundation is not offering a “stretch pool” this year – as explained in its FAQ for donors – it’s offering other incentives.

Lifelong‘s annual Dining Out For Life fundraiser is today/tonight, and there’s one White Center restaurant on the list: Noble Barton (9635 16th SW).

Just two days away!

Friday afternoon, be at the White Center Library (1409 SW 107th) to support the guild and get your gardening season into gear!

Your neighbors, and the friendly folks from King County Parks, would love to see you at Dick Thurnau Memorial Park on Saturday (April 1st). Here’s the invitation from volunteer coordinator Lina Rose:

Join King County Parks Volunteer Program staff and fellow community members to help make Thurnau Memorial Park a healthier forest on April 1st! We will begin our event at 9 am and work on digging out an invasive weed called English ivy (not poison ivy!) and wrap up by 1 pm. Our goal is to help increase the plant diversity in the park so it can be a healthier place for people and animals to enjoy. We will also have some environmental education about the important role our forests and parks play in White Center. Event is free and all are welcome!

If you can spare some time Saturday morning to be part of this, please contact Lina for more info and to RSVP – lina.rose@kingcounty.gov or 206.491.5014.

Start your weekend in a big way – at the White Center 5K. It takes off from White Center Heights Park (7th SW/SW 102nd) Saturday morning, with this schedule:

7:30 Doors Opens to the public
8:45 Warm-Up Activity
9:00 Racers Begin
9:10 Walkers Begin
10:00 Entertainment, Race Winners Announced

If you missed out on online registration, here’s what you’ll pay to sign up right before the race:

0-6: Free
7-18: $30
19-59: $40
60+: $30

Your race fees benefit three local nonprofits:

White Center Community Development Association
YES Foundation of White Center
White Center Food Bank

And when it’s all said and done, you’ll find the Saturday race results here.