April 17th, 2013 Tracy Posted in Arts, How to Help, White Center newsComments Off on Artists! White Center Spring Clean needs your talents for more murals
(WCN photo of mural-painting during 2012 Spring Clean)
With more than 20 murals – “tour” them here! – White Center just might be the mural capital of King County – or at least well on its way there. But more artists are needed, according to this announcement sent by Mark Ufkes:
The White Center Chamber of Commerce, working in close partnership with the White Center Community Development Association, has been coordinating the installation of murals at graffiti locations throughout White Center over the past several years. What we have learned is that murals add color to our community and reduce graffiti at the sites where murals are installed. White Center now has more than 20 murals.
Last year, for example, we took two of the dumpiest buildings in White Center and turned them into public art (The Lions Mural and the Rainbow Mural on 17th Ave. SW) Six more mural sites have been identified for this year’s CDA White Center Spring Clean. Three mural sites still need artists.
White Center needs mural artists who are willing to work for free to bring their art and color to White Center. Here are the details of identified mural sites that still need artists.
The Live Butcher (Tom Salle)
9432 16th Ave. SW (South wall – 36 feet long)
(206) 354-2692
Marquise from the CDA (206) 708-8762 will arrange for paint and Tom The Live Butcher will provide artists with extraordinary snacks from his butcher shop while they install their art. Tom would like a farm scene with rolling hills. It should include a steer, chicken and pork. Artists with an idea will need to sketch it out and go visit Tom (as nice a man as you will ever meet in life) and see what he says. Once you both agree on the design, call Marquise to arrange the paint colors you will need, and you can get started. This location is a very visible southern wall on a White Center arterial.
La Mexicana (Bill Fry) (two sections of the front wall facing 16th SW)
10020 16th Ave. SW
(206) 763-1488
Section 1: North portion 90 feet long
Section 2: South portion 65 feet long
La Mexicana is a high quality Mexican foods manufacturer located in White Center. Scenes of life in Mexico could work for the mural, and images emphasizing Mexican foods could work too. Lots of color and lots of culture would be great, Potential artists would need to sketch out their ideas, call Bill and go visit him. He is a very nice fellow. See what he says. If you both come to an agreement about a design, you will then need to call Marquise at the CDA (206) 708-8762 and ask for the paint and brushes. Marquise will set you up. Cover as much of the walls and doors as you can at both sites up to eight feet above the side walk. This will help reduce graffiti at the location.
Tam Industries (9420 16th Ave. SW) and the SW 107th wall cut away at 16th Ave. SW will also get murals this spring. If potential mural artists have questions, please call Marquise at the CDA. White Center needs your talents!!
April 10th, 2013 Tracy Posted in How to Help, White Center newsComments Off on This Friday: Second free White Center taco lunch for those in need
(WCN photo from March’s lunch event)
Just announced by Mark Ufkes:
White Center
Free Tacos in the Park
This Friday
Friday, April 12, 2013 at Noon (Steve Cox Park)
This outreach to our homeless community is supported by the White Center Homeless Summit community group, a group of local churches, ministries, businesses, Evergreen High School senior Alex Campbell (his senior project) and the White Center Chamber of Commerce. Free lunch will be provided at the White Center Chamber office (1327 SW 102nd) in Steve Cox Park behind McLendons, across from Cross Church, at 14th Ave. SW and SW 102nd. (look for the blue canopy) Our partners have a goal of expanding this to a weekly free meal every Friday to members of our street community.
March 19th, 2013 Tracy Posted in How to Help, Schools, White Center newsComments Off on Middle- and high-school parents: Your public-school district needs to hear from you!
Parents of middle and high school students are needed to help shape a plan that will guide schools for the next three years. It is part of a community effort to create a new three-year strategic plan.
The core planning team responsible for designing the plan is seeking ideas from Highline families and community members. The upcoming public input session will focus on ideas that can shape students’ middle school and high school experience.
“We are working toward very ambitious and necessary goals, to achieve better outcomes and broaden the opportunities for all students, and to better prepare them for their adult, working lives,” said Stacia Jenkins, a member of the core planning team and mother of a student at Pacific Middle School.
All parents are welcome, but middle school and high school parents are especially encouraged to join other families and community members for a meal and a conversation about what we want for our children and our community.
“We have heard exciting ideas from families and community members around the district,” said Susan Enfield, Superintendent. “However, we want additional input about how we can do a better job of educating all students. The middle school and high school years are so vital to student success, and our three-year plan must include strategies that work well for secondary students and schools.”
What: Highline Public Schools Community Strategic Planning Session
Date and Time: Wednesday, April 3, 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Highline High School cafeteria, 225 South 152nd Street, Burien, WA 98148
Details: Interpretation, dinner, and child care will be provided free of charge.
Please RSVP for interpretation, child care, and dinner: Individuals who need an interpreter or childcare, or if you are coming to dinner, please call 206-277-5922 so that we can plan for you.
Just announced – a monthly free lunch to help those in need in White Center, thanks to the efforts of multiple local community groups, and businesses – and a local student! Here’s the announcement shared by Mark Ufkes:
The White Center Homeless Summit community group, a coalition started by the White Center Chamber of Commerce and many local service entities and local businesses has been working for almost a year on a strategy to support the White Center homeless and chronic alcoholic populations to recovery. Participation includes many White Center organizations, churches, street ministries, business owners and residents who are working to reduce the negative impacts that can occur from White Center’s homeless on our business district and in our community. One outcome was to try a program called “White Center Friday Lunch in the Park,” patterned after a successful effort in Kent, where each Friday, free lunch is provided in a local park for Kent’s homeless, pulling them out of the business district for a few hours, and putting them in touch with people and programs that can support them to recovery.
This Friday, March 8, will be our first White Center Friday Free Lunch in the Park meal. It will begin at noon in front of the White Center Chamber of Commerce office in Steve Cox Park (corner of SW 102nd and 14th Ave. SW) behind McLendon, across from the Cross Church site. Volunteers will provide fresh tacos to the crowd, supplied by our White Center Taco Time. A big White Center thank you goes to Frank Tonkin and the entire Tonkin family, owners of Taco Time Northwest/Accord Inc., as they have agreed to provide hot meals for 40 homeless residents once a month for six months to try this program here in White Center. Additional critical support has been provided by Mac’s Triangle Pub, Grace Church, Union Gospel Mission, Mount View Presbyterian Church, Westside Church, Holy Family School, with essential community facilitation from Westside Baby. White Center businesses Proletariat Pizza and Uncle Mike’s BBQ have encouraged the discussions and provided positive direction and encouragement.
Lunch will be served by community volunteers until the food runs out. This project is implemented with the help of Alex Campbell, a Evergreen High School senior, as his required senior community service project. Alex helped with the homeless count this year, handed out over 200 flyers to local residents and businesses, and will be organizing and serving during the lunches this Spring. Alex plans to attend WSU in the fall to study business administration.
They are well-known in West Seattle, and now on their way to a permanent location in White Center: The young dancers of Gildenfire and their leader Jenna Lutton. We got the word from reader Megan Kelton-Rehkopf (who also shared the photo from their latest performance):
On Neighborhood Appreciation Day (Saturday), Jenna Lutton’s Gildenfire Dance held their annual performance for the residents at The Kenney [in West Seattle]. At the end of the performance, Jenna announced that Gildenfire has found a permanent home and she’s launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $5500 for a dance floor and mirrors to transform the space into an amazing dance studio. The new home of Gildenfire will be in White Center, located behind McLendon’s.
If you’re heading south today, consider lunch and/or dinner at the Empty Bowls benefit in Burien, helping food banks including White Center FB – full details here!
If you can give – consider stopping by 10 am-4 pm (except for the noon-1 pm break time) – this time of year has a higher demand and lower donation rate, so Puget Sound Blood Center is at Holy Family‘s Tice Hall (20th/Roxbury).
Change is in the works for White Center Arts, according to this announcement from Shelli Park, and this might be your chance to help:
White Center Arts is at an exciting crossroads. We are opening a temporary gallery in the Greenbridge development, utilizing an available new storefront. Our goal is to host gallery shows, artist workshops, arts events, and fundraisers. WCA is hoping that this will eventually turn into a permanent space, either in the same location, or through fundraising, fund a different space. We have been working towards this goal of opening a community gallery for three years. We are partnering with King County Housing Authority in the current space.
WCA is also closing out an era. After years of service, the founding chair of White Center for the Arts and the merged organization White Center Arts, is ready to step down. WCA is looking for a new leader to continue the vision of our role in bringing greater art access and visibility to White Center, and support for our local artists.
WCA is looking to fill two positions:
CHAIR: a person with the vision to guide the organization with our mission in mind. A connection with White Center is preferred, as this is a unique neighborhood, and practical understanding of the challenges would be very helpful in establishing relationships and partnerships. It is also desired that this person understand the importance of art and culture’s impact on community and economic development.
WCA’s board is dedicated to our mission. We have faced and overcome many challenges. We feel the excitement of this new path and want to share it with someone who is as passionate about arts in White Center as we are.
RECORDING SECRETARY: a person to record the minutes and discussion highlights of board meetings. The secretary will summarize and e-mail the notes to the board members shortly after meeting dates.
Please contact Shelli Park at crimsonpark@hotmail.com
Two days till a chance to shop for gifts while supporting the community group that supports your White Center Library: 11 am-3 pm this Saturday (December 8th), the White Center Library Guild Holiday Bazaar will include “cookies, breads, and gently used items” – plus creations by the Burien Knitters group (for the first time!) and entertainment by magician Jeff Evans at 2 pm. Find it in the meeting room at the library, 11220 16th SW.
November 26th, 2012 Tracy Posted in How to Help, White Center newsComments Off on Tuesday night: Auction/show to benefit Open Arms Perinatal Services
Just a short distance away in Georgetown, you can have a great time for a great cause tomorrow (Tuesday) night in Georgetown, at the 5th annual Short and Sweet Auction on behalf of Open Arms Perinatal Services, which since 1997 “has provided community-based services to low income pregnant women and their families in the Puget Sound region” – with results including more breastfeeding, fewer C-sections, and fewer cases of low birthweight. Tomorrow’s event is billed as:
… a casual, fun — and brief — evening of fine wine, delicious appetizers and an exciting youth circus arts performance. Live auction highlights include tickets to a taping of The Daily Show in New York City, a stay at a beautiful apartment in Paris, France and a Stress-Busters Getaway including airfare, hotel and $1000 in spa treatments at any of 4,200 spas in the U.S. and Canada. We have many family offerings, jewelry, clothing, wines, theater tickets and adventure opportunities – perfect for holiday gift giving at all price levels. Free parking onsite. $20 advance admission; $25 at the door.
It starts at 6:30 pm Tuesday at SANCA (School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts) in Georgetown. You can register and pay online at openarmsps.org.
Support White Center Food Bank with your purchase of a limited-edition glass apple. Support small business by shopping locally!
We open Friday at 10 am with a fresh crop of green apples (and a few red ones). When you purchase just one apple, we give enough cash to White Center Food Bank to purchase 200 pounds of food for the community.
Buy yours online here or call 206-937-6369, or visit our West Seattle gallery, 10 am-6 pm weekdays and 10 am- 5 pm weekends.
They’re at 2914 SW Avalon Way, in the Luna Park mini-business district just south of the West Seattle Bridge.
Just announced today: “White Center’s first ever 5k Walk & Run on 2/16! Proceeds go to the White Center CDA and YES Foundation. Price: $30, Seniors $25 (55+). Kids 10 and under free!” Here’s the official flyer, via Twitter. You can register online by going here – where you’ll find the full schedule and other details, too.
Mount View Elementary in White Center needs your help – and it’s really easy.
Shoshanna Cohen, the ELL Interventionist at Mount View, explains that the school “has an incredibly high Hispanic population and very limited books in Spanish for them to read,” so: “We entered a contest through Santillana where the grand prize is $5000 grant for Spanish books for the school. The entire contest is based on votes and you can vote every day.”
You’ll go to a page with the entries – look for the student in the Cat in the Hat-striped hat, and that’s for Mount View. You can watch their video – same one embedded above here – or just click “vote for this video.” It’s fast and easy – NO registration, NO signing up for anything.
Cohen adds, “I love my school and my students are amazing -there is so much research showing that by promoting the student’s first language, their growth in their second language (English) is astronomical.”
The competition runs through next weekend – so no time to waste, vote for Mount View today!
Do you have time next week to pass out food to clients at the White Center Food Bank at 10829 8th Ave SW? We need volunteers on the following shifts:
Monday, November 19 (9:30 to 12:30)
Tuesday, November 20 (9:30-12:30, 12:30-3:30 & 3:30-6:30)
Wednesday, November 21 (12:30-3:30 & 4:00 to 8:00)
If you can help, contact Audrey Zemke at audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org or 762-2848. Families and kids welcome.
The Food Bank also needs donations of the following foods or money to buy them:
Donations are accepted Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 to 5:00 at 10829 8th Ave SW.
If you are in West Seattle: Turkeys can be dropped off on Sunday, November 18 at Fauntleroy UCC [9140 California SW] starting at 11 am. We will be onsite with our refrigerated van to accept donations.
DAY OF CARING FOOD DRIVE: As part of the United Way of King County Day of Caring, there’s a food drive for the White Center Food Bank today, 10 am-1 pm, at Westwood Village QFC in West Seattle (26th and Barton). You can contribute food or money!
September 16th, 2012 Tracy Posted in Food, How to Help, White Center newsComments Off on Proletariat Pizza celebrates 3rd anniversary Tuesday – by giving a gift
August 27th, 2012 Tracy Posted in How to Help, White Center newsComments Off on White Center cleanup September 8th! Neat Street invites you to join in
Cleanups come in all sizes. The most important thing is who participates – and that means you. This invitation is just in from Lea at Neat Street (featured here on WCN back in June):
My business Neat Street is having a neighborhood clean-up event to be held on Saturday, September 8th from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Gloves, garbage bags, and litter grabbers will be provided. We will be picking up the litter and garbage along the sidewalks and streets in the White Center neighborhood. Join us to show some love to our amazing neighborhood! Meet us in the alleyway behind 9229A 17th Ave SW between 9:45 -10:00 a.m. to get your supplies!
This afternoon, we found Mike on duty behind the counter at Full Tilt Ice Creamin White Center – on the fourth anniversary of the shop’s grand opening. And once again on this birthday, Full Tilt is giving the gifts rather than receiving – making donations to White Center Food Bank based on your purchase/s. (For a trip into the past, here’s our June 2008 story from grand-opening day – White Center Now was launched shortly afterward, but wasn’t even in soft-launch yet, so the story was on our partner site West Seattle Blog.)
(crossposted from partner site West Seattle Blog, since WestSide Baby serves both areas)
They help thousands of local families … but they can’t do it without help from you … and tonight, White Center-headquartered WestSide Baby has a new call for volunteers “ages 8-108”:
WestSide Baby is increasing our Volunteer hours and we need your help!
The need is growing and our ability to respond to that is also growing. We are offering more volunteer opportunities than ever before and we hope you will consider helping out, either regularly or by dropping in when it’s convenient for you.You can tailor your volunteering to meet your schedule: once a week, once a month, several times a year, or more! WSB has monthly evening, weekend and daytime shifts. Check out the schedule on our WSB Volunteers page. WSB can also schedule special times for groups of 10-20 volunteers.
Onsite volunteers sort donations, fill orders, package diapers, check equipment and toys, and dismantle unusable car seats. Take-home jobs include laundry, mending clothing, pick up and drop off of items. We especially need committed regular volunteers for toys, donation collection (van or truck required) and car seat/equipment checking. Anyone ages 8-108 can volunteer. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult and youth 14-18 can volunteer on their own, with signed consent form.
To start volunteering, please go to http://www.westsidebaby.org/default/volunteer and fill out the volunteer application. Or contact Maria Groen, Outreach/Operations Manager at WestSide Baby, maria@westsidebaby.org, (206) 767-1662.
Maria also notes that “… our first “First Tuesday Frenzy” 5:30-7:30 pm volunteer time at WestSide Baby will be on June 5th, 10027 14th Ave SW.”
