Thousands of Local Boy Scouts are mounting a massive Food Drive beginning this Saturday, March 13th (and concluding next Saturday, March 20th), in one of the largest food collection campaigns ever mounted by troops in the Puget Sound area.

The campaign, called “SCOUTING FOR FOOD,” kicks off this Saturday when Scouts canvas neighborhoods with door-hangers listing the most-needed food items for local food banks.

The Scouts will return next Saturday (March 20th) to pick up donations and deliver them to local food banks.

Record numbers of people are visiting local food banks in the wake of news that Washington state’s unemployment rate rose to 9.3 percent in January. 373,000 children living in Washington state households struggle to put food on the table, according to Children’s Alliance and USDA reports.  To meet the increased food shortage locally, the Chief Seattle Council is teaming up with the Pacific Harbors Council of Boy Scouts of America making this the largest food collection campaign ever done by them. The two councils represent up to nearly 46,000 Scouting youth participation.

“In these tough economic times the SCOUTING FOR FOOD drive is more important than ever,” says Pat Craven, Boy Scout Spokesman. “Coordinating the two councils for our 2010 Centennial effort means we can help more people.” Craven added, “This drive will allow our Scouts to put into action the Scout Oath by ‘Helping Other People at All Times’.”

“Many families have depleted their resources and find themselves in need for the first time in their lives and our stock is dangerously low,” says Teresa Andrade, Center Manager at Kirkland/Northshore Hopelink. “The SCOUTING FOR FOOD drive by the Boy Scouts makes a huge difference to the people who depend on our help, especially when programs serving Washington’s children have received harsh cuts in state and local funding.”

And speaking of local food banks and fundraisers, don’t forget that there are two major fundraiser events for the Highline Area Food Bank this weekend:

1. Friday night, March 12th, 6pm+: Cove to Clover Pub Crawl starts at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub.
2. Sunday, March 14th, 1pm: Cove to Clover 5k race begins at the Normandy Park Community Center.

The organizers of Sunday’s Cove to Clover 5K fundraiser race for the Highline Area Food Bank want our Readers to know that there’s a “Last Gasp” registration and packet pickup this Saturday, March 13th from 5pm – 8pm at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub in Burien.

This “last gasp” is intended for already-registered runners to get their shiny new race numbers, timing chop and t-shirt (if you registered early enough that is…), as well as for new runners to register and save the $5 race day fee increase.

That’s right – if you haven’t registered, don’t worry – you can do so at this event, and according to their website:

Don’t expect to get a shirt until after our post-race t-shirt order goes in but you can still avoid the $5 race day fee increase.

We don’t order gobs of extra shirts to insure we give every dollar we can to the food bank at the end of the day.

You will walk out with a race # and a timing chip.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Cove to Clover “Last Gasp” Registration & Packet Pickup

WHEN: Saturday, March 13th from 5pm – 8pm

WHERE: Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub, located at 435 SW 152nd Street • Burien • 206.246.2473.

INFO: From their website:

Registered?
Come on in and get your shiny new race number, timing chip and shirt (if you registered early enough).

You’ll be stylin in the morning when you board the shuttle at Mick’s in the morning already sporting your number and cool snake shirt

Not Registered?
Don’t expect to get a shirt until after our post-race t-shirt order goes in but you can still avoid the $5 race day fee increase.  We don’t order gobs of extra shirts to insure we give every dollar we can to the food bank at the end of the day.  You will walk out with a race # and a timing chip.

Avoid the race day rush!

Last Friday night (Mar. 5), the Cove to Clover race organizers held a “Student Limerick Throwdown” contest for area students at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub. Each school in the Highline School District was eligible to submit one entry, with the winner earning $500.

If you haven’t seen the snake posters around yet, the Cove to Clover is a 5k fundraiser run for the Highline Area Food Bank, and it takes place this Sunday, March 14th beginning at Noon at the Normandy Park Community Club (full details here, including how to register).

The winning entry was selected by an “Official Limerick Selection Panel” composed of three non-partisan judges – Normandy Park Councilman Shawn McEvoy, Normandy Park Mayor George Hadley and “A Place for Pets” Owner Kevin Foxen. The winner of the competition was Marvista Elementary 4th 5th Grader Molly Marquis, whose entry we publish below:

The snake is back and we all cheer.
Cove to Clover is finally here
Tiny leprechauns dance
in their jiggly pants.
The race ends with lots of rootbeer!

Marvista decided to give the $500 winnings directly to Molly’s classroom to spend any way they want (with help from their teacher, Mrs. Brossard).

Other schools representing in the throwdown included Bow Lake, Gregory Heights and St. Francis.

Molly’s winning entry will also be read aloud to inspire runners immediately prior to the 5k race start, which is this Sunday, March 14th at Noon – full race details are available here.

The Clarion Hotel in SeaTac will be holding a special St. Patrick’s Day Spaghetti Feed & Auction fundraiser for the Des Moines Area Food Bank next Wednesday, March 17th from 5pm – 8pm at their location at 3000 South 176th Street in SeaTac.

Cost is $10 in advance for adults ($13 at door); Students & Seniors $7; or $25 for a Family Pack.

All proceeds go to the Des Moines Area Food Bank, so come on down, have some good spaghetti and help your hungry neighbors.

Here are the details:

WHAT: St. Patrick’s Day Spaghetti Feed and Auction fundraiser for the Des Moines Area Food Bank.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 17th, 5:00PM-8:00PM.

WHERE: Clarion Hotel, located at 3000 S. 176th St. in SeaTac.

COST: Adults $10 in advance, $13 at door; Students & Seniors $7; Family pack $25.

INFO: Proceeds go to the Des Moines Area Food Bank.

RSVP: Please call 206-676-3742 to RSVP, or click here for more information.

REMINDER: The 6th Annual Poverty Bay Wine Festival kicks off tonight (Friday, March 5th) with a black-tie “A Night in the Vineyard” gala party starting at 7:30pmat the Landmark Event Center in Des Moines.

Gala tickets are $75 in advance or $85 at the door, and include a buffet catered by Anthony’s HomePort, unlimited wine tasting, and live music by the Steve Ryals Trio and Ed Taylor & TaylorMade, plus free admission to the wine tasting event on Saturday or Sunday. Several premium wines and other exclusive items will be offered at a silent auction.

Sponsored by the Des Moines Rotary Club, this annual wine festival will run through Sunday March 7th at the historic and grand Landmark Event Center (formerly Landmark on the Sound) in Des Moines. Guests will enjoy live jazz and great food while tasting wines from 25 Northwest wineries.

“The wine festival gala is the hottest ticket in town,” says Des Moines Rotary President Lisa Meineke. “Everybody has a great time! People come back year after year. And this year we have new wineries and more wineries than ever before.”

The fun continues on Saturday and Sunday, with more wine tasting, food, and live music. Saturday’s music line-up includes Darren Motamedy and 4th Degree. On Sunday, it’s Rouge and Billet-Deux. Local restaurants and gourmet food vendors will sample breads, cheeses, smoked salmon, chocolates and other fine fare.

Tickets for Saturday and Sunday are just $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Gala tickets are $75 in advance or $85 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at Corky Cellars in Des Moines (206-824-9462) or at www.dmrotary.org.

Through the Poverty Bay Wine Festival, the Rotary Club of Des Moines has raised over $150,000 in its five-year history. All proceeds fund a wide variety of charitable projects, including college scholarships, grants to local schools, safety and recreation programs for children, yard projects for elderly residents, support for the local food bank and the homeless, and projects to assist needy people as far away as South Africa and Pakistan.

“People can come to the wine festival to have fun and discover some great wines and feel really good about what they are contributing to the community at the same time,” says wine festival chair Brian Snure. “There are so many needs in our community and in our world right now. What better way to give?”

HOURS:

• Saturday, March 6:  12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Sunday March 7: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

WINERIES:

• Canyon’s Edge
• Chandler Reach
• Covington Cellars – NEW
• Coyote Canyon Winery – NEW
• Burien’s own E.B. Foote Winery (BTB Advertiser)
• Eaton Hill
• Erin Glenn
• Fall Line
• Five Star Cellars
• Fort Walla Walla Cellars – NEW
• Kestrel – NEW
• Knipprath – NEW
• Masset Winery
• Otis Kenyon
• Page Cellars
• Pondera – NEW
• Sleeping Dog
• Sodo Vino – NEW
• Stina’s Cellar
• Two Vintners – NEW
• Vashon Winery
• Vin du Lac – NEW
• Waving Tree
• Willis Hall
• Windy Point

MUSIC:

• Friday, March 5 (Gala):
  • Steve Ryals Trio , Ed Taylor and TaylorMade
• Saturday, March 6:
  • 12:30-3:00:  Darren Motamedy Duo
  • 3:30-6:30: 4th Degree
• Sunday, March 7:
  • 12:30-2:30: Rouge
  • 3:00-5:00: Billet-Deux

For more information, please visit www.dmrotary.org. We’ll see you there tonight!

What better way to prepare for the March 14th “Cove to Clover” 5k fundraiser run than by crawling in the fundraiser Pub Crawl on Friday, March 12th, where participants can feel good about going from pub to pub to help benefit the Highline Area Food Bank?

That’s right – there just isn’t a better way, so be sure to mark your calendars for 6pm+ Friday March 12th for what is sure to make a “great excuse for your poor upcoming performance on Snake Hill, with only one day to recover.”

For a $10 donation, you’ll get a commemorative keepsake bib qualifying you for “crawl” specials (our fave is the $1 bag of chips at the Hobnobber!), along with a passport and a map. Your goal will be to collect visitation stamps on your passport from at least five of the 13 official crawl stops (see the list below, which includes specials at each). Your stamped passport will serve as your entry to the door prize drawing @ 11 pm at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub.

And if this Pub Crawl is anything like the now-legendary Brat Trot one from last October, be prepared for one of the best nights in Burien you’ve ever had; just be sure to have a designated driver or a safe way to get home if you plan to imbibe.

Keep in mind also that you need not drink alcohol at every pub – you can just ask to get your passport stamped!

Here are the details:

WHAT: The 2010 Cove to Clover Pub Crawl fundraiser benefiting the Highline Area Food Bank.

WHEN: Friday, March 12th beginning at 6pm.

WHERE: Starts at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub at 6pm, with an 11pm return time for prize drawings.

COST: $10 donation gets you a commemorative, keepsake bib, which you’ll wear proudly as you “crawl” from pub to pub.

INFO: From the C2C website:

PLEASE DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!! PRE-PLAN YOUR RIDE HOME OR HAVE A DESIGNATED DRIVER

Enjoy “crawl specials” offered at each official stop.

You can also expect special entertainment on the route.

Collect at least 5 official crawl stamps and you’ll qualify for the door prize drawing at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub @ 11pm. (must be present to win).

All proceeds will benefit the Highline Area Food Bank.

Best Leprechaun Contest: Gift certificates to Mick Kelly’s for 1st ($100), 2nd ($75) and 3rd ($50).

For you Normandy Parkers: Consider riding the free shuttle from Normandy Park’s Archery Bistro. Check in with them (website here) for the schedule and shuttle stops. While they are not an official crawl stop, we understand they will be offering a specials during and prior to the first run into Burien. You can park you car there and let them do the driving. You’ll also be able to purchase an official crawl number at Archery Bistro, in case you decide to make this your launching point.

Here are the 13 designated pub crawl stops – remember, you only have to get stamped at five of ‘em:

Specials:

• $3 Draft beer
• $4.50 House Wine
• Food Special

Specials:

• $2 PBR Tall Boys $2 Bacardi Silver Bottles
• $3 Giant Pizza by the Slice

Entertainment:

• Three Tree Point Blues Band 9P

Specials:

• Free Espresso Shot

Specials:

• Free Wine Taste
• Free Menu Taste

Specials:

• $3 House Beer
• $3 Apps off Happy Hour Menu

FILIBERTO’S

Specials:

• $2 Draft Beer
• 1/2 price Calamari and pizza

Entertainment:

• RLS Band

Specials:

• $2 Budweiser
• $1 Bag of Chips!

Specials:

• $5 House Margarita
• $5 Tacos (3 Beef or Chicken Tacos)

Entertainment:

• Live Mariachi Band at 6:30

Specials:

• $2 beer
• $4 sangiovese
• $1 Pizza slices

Specials:

• Sour Apple Jello Shots $2
• Irish Potato and Banger Stew $3

Entertainment:

• Cornerstone

Specials:

• $3 Alaskan Amber Pints

Specials:

• $2 Irish Nut Brown Ales
• Corned beef sliders

Specials:

• $6 Wine by the Glass

More info available at the Cove Clover Pub Crawl website.

And if you haven’t yet registered for the 5k run, click here.

Two costumed “Leprechauns,” along with two Cove to Clover organizers, “crashed” Monday night’s Burien City Council meeting to chide councilmembers to register for the March 14th 5k fundraiser race for the Highline Area Food Bank.

So far though, only one city employee has registered – councilmember Lucy Krakowiak, who was rewarded with a commemorative snake last night.

As we reported Feb. 25th, this friendly registration “challenge” is being thrown down to the City of Burien in an attempt to offset city fees that are being charged to stage the charitable, non-profit, local fundraising event that’s being organized by a 100% volunteer committee.

And now, some eight days after the challenge was first issued, there’s still only one city employee/councilmember registered.

Here are some pics taken at last night’s leprechaun crashing:

For more information on the March 14th Cove to Clover 5k fundraiser race, including how you can register, click here to visit its website.

Story and Photos by Michael Brunk

Something a little different happened this past Friday (Feb. 26th) at John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien. As the end of the school day approached, students and faculty gathered in the gymnasium.

That part isn’t so unusual for a high school.

It’s not often though, that they assemble to see a teacher get tattooed. At school. During the assembly!

The event was an outgrowth of the school’s recent “Every Lancer Against Cancer” awareness week. Part of the activities included raising money for several cancer-related funds. To spur the students on, American Government teacher Walt Kostecka issued a challenge (as we first reported here):

Raise $10,000 and he’d get inked.

The students threw themselves into the fundraising effort and Walt put himself in the hands of tattoo artist Bryan Kachel from Emerald City Tattoo & Supply – here’s a Photo Slideshow I shot at the event:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

That the students met their goal shouldn’t surprise anyone. As Principal Michael Prato noted, it’s difficult to find a family that hasn’t been touched by cancer in one way or another. Their enthusiasm for learning about cancer and its affects, and collecting donations, carried over into the assembly. As Walt sat onstage with Bryan and his buzzing tattoo needle, the students conducted a pep rally around him. Complete with the school’s band, shouting cheerleaders and plenty of spirited applause.

Asked afterward how it felt getting his first tattoo, Walt replied:

“It felt like being stuck in a blackberry bush… for an hour!”

Walt shared that the real experience was watching his students get involved and raise the $10,000. He’s already thinking about next year and kicking around the idea of sky diving. Based on the response of his family members in attendance, Walt may have a challenge himself meeting that goal!

A stair-climbing fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will be taking place this Saturday, Feb. 27th at Eagle Landing Park, located at 14641 25th Ave in Burien.

Eagle Landing Park is known for its 257 stairs, so this should be a good workout for a good cause.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while located in Memphis, TN, is known worldwide as a renowned pediatric treatment and research facility.

According to their website:

St. Jude researchers are published and cited more often in high impact publications than any other private pediatric oncology research institution in America. St. Jude is a place where many doctors send some of their sickest patients and toughest cases. A place where cutting-edge research and revolutionary discoveries happen every day. We’ve built America’s second-largest health-care charity so the science never stops.

Discoveries made here have completely changed how the world treats children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. With research and patient care under one roof, St. Jude is where some of today’s most gifted researchers are able to do science more quickly.

Here are the event details:

WHAT: Fundraiser Stair Climb for St. Jude Children’s Hospital Research

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 27th at Noon (park & meet at Noon at south end of Lake Burien Park, 149th & 18th SW)

WHERE: Eagle Landing Park, (map here) which is located at the west end of SW 149th Street where it turns into 25th Avenue SW. Parking is limited, so you may need to park on the street or near Lake Burien School Park nearby. Please note that the nearest public restrooms are at Lake Burien School Park, at 149th and 18th.

From Drew deVry of Burien’s Freedom Fitness Gym:

Join us as we climb the stairs at scenic Eagle Landing Park in Burien for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital!

Participation in the Stair Climb helps raise funds to support St. Jude patients with life-threatening diseases.

No child is ever denied treatment because of a family’s inability to pay.

Bring your friends! It’s only 290 257 stairs, and it’ll be a fun event for a great cause!

INFO: How you can participate:

• Do the stair climb and get sponsors (example: someone would donate $10 each time you climb the stairs)
• Do the stair climb and donate (we ask for minimum donation of $10 – bring on the day of the event)
• Become a sponsor for the climbers

Email drew@freedomfitnessgym.com if you would like to participate.

More info at: www.freedomfitnessgym.com/community.

(Photo credit: Paul Conrath)

Burien’s Hospitality House will be holding its Spring Fling Dinner and Boats for Beds Fundraiser on Saturday, March 6th at the Cove in Normandy Park beginning at 6pm.

Located in Burien, Hospitality House is a shelter and place of transition for homeless women in south King County. The Women of Hospitality House are supported by more than 12 local churches and organizations as well as by our local communities. Home-cooked meals are provided 365 days per year by volunteers. With the staff case workers, over 70 women each year develop and work their individual plans to find home, health and hope (see hospitalityhousesouthking.org to learn more).

Richard LeMieux, the author of “Breakfast at Sally’s,” will be the featured speaker, and according to a press release:

”Richard has lived in Washington State since 1981. He ran his own publishing company, producing medical directories and university student directories for 14 years. When his business failed, he lost his livelihood, his home, his possessions, and his wife of 17 years.

Richard was homeless in Bremerton, WA, with his dog, Willow, for a year and a half. He lived in his minivan while writing Breakfast at Sally’s with a second-hand manual typewriter at picnic tables in parks around the city.

While he was homeless, Richard and the other homeless people he portrays in his book regularly visited Sally’s, the soup kitchen at The Salvation Army in Bremerton.”

Today Richard has committed himself to sharing the story of homelessness with people of all backgrounds and of all ages across the country.

A short film about Hospitality House will be premiered at this dinner and a former resident will also be sharing her story.

Three Tree Point Yacht Club will be partnering with Hospitality House to raise funds with Boats for Beds. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase “the boat” or individual seats aboard one of several sailboats. It will be a fun afternoon of racing Saturday, June 26 out of the Des Moines Marina. What better way to celebrate a graduation, Father’s Day, girls’ day out, engagement or anniversary, than as crew, passenger or ballast aboard one of these special sailboats and with this fun-loving community of people? The boats are each photographed and featured on the Hospitalityhousesouthking.org website.

Tickets are available for purchase online at this website.

The Animals First Foundation is holding another Charity Wine Tasting Event at Burien’s Vino Bello this Friday, Feb. 19th from 6:30pm to 9:30pm to help raise money to care for rescued animals.

For a $20 donation, you’ll receive two drinks and snacks, along with live music and a silent auction on one-of-a-kind paintings.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Charity Wine Tasting Event for Animals First Foundation

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 19th, from 630pm—9:30pm

WHERE: Vino Bello, located at 636 SW 152nd Street in downtown Burien

INFO: From their poster:

Something For All Your Senses

Join Animals First Foundation at Vino Bello in Burien: Friday, Feb. 19th from 6:30pm – 9:30pm.

• Touch – An Animal’s Life
• Smell – Partylite Candles
• Hear – Woodrush
• See – Original Artwork
• Taste – Divine Wine

Your $20 donation includes two drinks, snacks and live music. From 6:30-9:30pm bid on one of a kind paintings.

Come by and check out some of the items from PartyLite Gifts Fundraising Program; AFF will receive 50% of the profits (items will be shipped to AFF).

Enjoy the fabulous music of Woodrish from 8pm-9:30pm.

All proceeds will go to Animals First Foundation to help with the cost of giving a rescued animal the best of care and preparation on its road to a better life.

Want to buy your ticket early and guarantee a space? Call 206-331-7440 or visit our website at www.animalsfirstfoundation.org and click the donate button to make your $20 donation!

Must be 21.

Animals First Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Seattle dedicated to supporting and promoting the preservation and well being of animals, both domestic and wild.

Ric Jacobson is the Des Moines Rotarian in charge of lining up the largest line-up of wineries – 25 – in the six year history of the Poverty Bay Wine Festival, which is coming to the Landmark Event Center in Des Moines on March 6th and 7th.

Ric reports that the following Northwest wineries will be at the festival on Saturday and Sunday to serve the guests. If you taste a wine you want to take home, bottles will be for sale at the event. All proceeds of the sale of wine will go directly to the Rotary Club of Des Moines, who use the funds for the many great things they do for the community.

The following wineries will be in attendance for the event:

• Canyon’s Edge
• Chandler Reach
• Covington Cellars – NEW
• Coyote Canyon Winery – NEW
• Burien’s own E.B. Foote Winery (WLB Advertiser)
• Eaton Hill
• Erin Glenn
• Fall Line
• Five Star Cellars
• Fort Walla Walla Cellars – NEW
• Kestrel – NEW
• Knipprath – NEW
• Masset Winery
• Otis Kenyon
• Page Cellars
• Pondera – NEW
• Sleeping Dog
• Sodo Vino – NEW
• Stina’s Cellar
• Two Vintners – NEW
• Vashon Winery
• Vin du Lac – NEW
• Waving Tree
• Willis Hall
• Windy Point

Des Moines Rotarian, Dave Loft, in charge of food and goodies at the Poverty Bay Wine Festival has lined up the “best of the best” for food and snacks for wine-fest guests:

• Des Moines’ Anthony’s HomePort
• Des Moines’ Salty’s at Redondo
• Charley’s on Central Avenue in Kent
• Cafe Pacific Catering
• Forte Chocolates
• Kauzlarich Smoked Products
• Panera Bread
• Poverty Bay Coffee
• Waters to go
• Redondo Fred Meyer
• Archery Bistro
• Elliot Bay Brewery

The sixth annual Poverty Bay Wine Festival is surely the hottest ticket in town – well lots of towns, surrounding Des Moines. Your ticket includes fun, music, wine, food and even beer, all presented in the historic and magnificent Landmark Event Center (aka Landmark on the Sound), which is located at 23660 Marine View Drive South in Des Moines.

Tickets for the event are just $20 in advance from CorkyCellars (206-824-9462), Des Moines Drug or your local Des Moines Rotarian.

Parking and free shuttles will be available in the South Marina Parking lot.

All attendees must be 21 years of age and photo ID is required.

Click here for more information.

Highline School District students (and others) can earn money for area schools by participating in the 2010 Cove to Clover 5K race, which is coming to the Burien area Sunday, March 14th (read our previous coverage here).

The Grand Prize will be $1,500, donated to the winning school. The winning school will be determined by which one has the highest percentage of registrants compared to the school’s total enrollment – $5 will be donated to each school whose name is entered into the “Registration Code” for online registrants (and every registrant must enter a code).

Entries must be received by 11:59pm Monday, March 1st (two weeks before race day, which is March 14th) to be counted toward a school’s total.

Here are the details of how you can help area schools:

School Registration Contest: $1,500 Grand Prize (donated to winning school)

Here’s the Daily Scoreboard, which is updated daily with the most current standings:

Current School Registration Status (updated nightly)

The Seafair Pirates have commandeered a highly-collectible, $150,000 handcrafted 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and will be auctioning a special Valentine’s Day ride this Saturday to raise money for “Heroes For Heroes,” a fund established for the children of Deputy Kent Mundell, who was killed in December.

This Saturday, Feb. 13th, from 6pm – 11pm, Emerald Downs will be hosting a dinner and benefit auction for this cause. Tickets are only $20.00 for a wonderful dinner and plenty of Piratical Company.

2009 was one of the most devastating years for law enforcement officers in the entire country, especially in the northwest. On Dec. 21st, Deputy Mundell was gunned down, and his partner Nick Hausner was possibly saved by the gunmen’s 16-year old daughter, Bryona Crable.

“Heroes for Heroes” is a nonprofit 501© 3 that has been formed to provide college tuition for all of the children touched by this tragedy – both the police officer’s and the gunman’s.

According to a tribute page website for Mundell:

Deputy Kent Mundell was killed while responding to a domestic violence call in Eatonville.

Deputy Kent Mundell

Mundell and his sergeant had responded to a house where a man was fighting with his daughter and brother. The deputies had convinced the intoxicated man to leave the house when he produced a previously concealed gun and fired ten rounds at the officers.

Despite being wounded, Deputy Mundell returned fire and killed the subject. The suspect’s brother and daughter put themselves at risk to pull the wounded sergeant out of the line of fire by pulling him into another room. Deputy Mundell was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he remained on life support in the intensive care unit until succumbing to his wounds seven days later.

Deputy Mundell had served with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department for ten years. He is survived by his wife, 16-year-old daughter, and 10-year-old son.

Why the Seafair Pirates? According to a press release:

“Besides being Goodwill Ambassadors for the Pacific Northwest for the last 61 years, several Pirates have been Police Officers.

There have been many memorials and now with the outpouring for Haiti, the Seafair Pirates have joined with Heros for Heros to see that these heroes do not become forgotten.

The Seafair Pirates are out to prove once again, that it really is all about the Kids.

Individually we all can make a difference. Together we can make an impact.”

Emerald Downs is located at 2300 Emerald Downs Drive in Auburn; more info at their website here.

For ticket information or to donate for the auction click here: http://herosforheros.bbnow.org/ or call Sallie Stewart at (253) 468-1101.

More info on the Seafair Pirates is available at their website here.

by Ralph Nichols

Local groups and projects that receive financial support from the Exchange Club of Highline can look forward to a good year despite the lingering recession.

The Exchange Club’s annual spaghetti dinner and auction at St. Bernadette’s School on Jan. 30 “was a huge success!” member Sherrill Miller of BTB Advertiser E.B. Foote Winery told The B-Town Blog.

“Attendance was up over last year,” Miller said, with about 280 people attended the evening event. “Preliminary numbers indicate we made over $30,000” from the dinner with wine, a dessert auction, a raffle, and both silent and live auctions, which also “is more than last year!”

Miller added, “With our annual spaghetti dinner and auction, the funds generated are used to meet the ongoing needs of various community organizations.”

All money raised goes right back into the community, and “will be used to support more than 30 community organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, area food banks, WestSide Baby, Ruth Dykeman Center, local schools, backpacks and school supplies for kids, Crisis Clinic, and many more.”

At their regular meeting on Feb. 3, Exchange Club members said they were pleased with the “festive appearance” of the dining hall, adding that “the food was fantastic” and everyone “had all they wanted to eat.” They reserved special praise for the students who waited on tables.

“Donations (for the auctions) in this down economy were up,” it was reported, and “people already are talking about donating” for next year’s event. The Exchange Club got 285 items for the silent auction and anothe4 38 for the live auction.

The Exchange Club is a national service organization. The Exchange Club of Highline was established in 1961 with the goal of bringing business and community leaders together to support the needs of the Highline community.

Members also volunteer their time to community projects such as working at the White Center Food Bank one Saturday each month.

More information on The Exchange Club of Highline is available at its website here.

The Des Moines Area Food Bank is holding a fundraiser Italian Dinner this Saturday, Feb. 13th, beginning at 6:30 pm at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, which is located at 15226 21st Ave SW in Burien.

The Des Moines Area Food Bank serves the city of Des Moines, most of the city of SeaTac and parts of Normandy Park and the West Hill of Kent.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Des Moines Food Bank Italian Dinner

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 13th beginning at 6:30pm

WHERE: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, which is located at 15226 21st Ave SW in Burien

COST: $25 per ticket; call for reservations: (206) 878-2660.

INFO: Here’s what to expect on the menu:

• Antipasto
• Salad
• Penne pasta with red sauce & meatballs
• Coffee
• Tea
• Dessert
• No host bar (beer and wine)

For more information, visit the Des Moines Area Food Bank website: www.myfoodbank.org.

The Rotary Club of Des Moines has announced that their Sixth Annual Poverty Bay Wine Festival will be held on Saturday, March 6th, from Noon– 7pm, and Sunday, March 7th from Noon – 5pm at the historic Landmark Event Center (formerly Landmark on the Sound) just down the road in Des Moines.

The opening night gala will be held Friday night, Mar. 5th, beginning at 7:30pm.

This festival is a must for anyone who loves wine, as well as for anyone who wants to support the work of Rotary, which supports schools and families in our community and around the world or anyone who enjoys an afternoon of good food, good wine and great music.

“The wine festival is an opportunity for wine-lovers to come taste samples from 25 Northwest wineries,” said Rotary spokesperson Catherine Carbone-Rogers. “All of the wineries typically offer two, three, or four different wines. Each winery will have wine by the bottle for sale. The festival is also a great opportunity to see the newly-restored Landmark Event Center, a unique architectural gem of the Des Moines community. Many people have driven by for years but have never had the opportunity to see the interior.”

What can participants expect while at the event? Besides the wine tasting from 25 Northwest wineries, there will also be a sampling of food from local restaurants, along with numerous musical guests throughout the festival. Here’s the preliminary lineup:

Friday, March 5 (Gala):

• Steve Ryals Trio
• Ed Taylor and TaylorMade

Saturday, March 6:

• Darren Motamedy Duo
• 4th Degree

Sunday, March 7:

• Rouge
• Billet-Deux

For just $20, participants receive a souvenir wine glass and 10 tokens, a sampling of delicious foods, and live music. What if you run out? Don’t worry, there’ll be tokens for sale at the event.

And for all you non-wine drinkers, Pikes Brewing will also have a booth.

Major sponsors are Anthony’s HomePort, 98.9 KWJZ, Landmark Event Center, Fred Meyers, Powell Brothers Custom Homes, Highline Times/Des Moines News, Kent Reporter and The Waterland Blog and its sister sites.

The opening night Gala will be Friday, March 5th at 7:30pm at the Landmark Event Center. The theme is A Night in the Vineyard. A lavish buffet will be provided by Anthony’s HomePort. Tickets for the gala are $75 in advance, $85 at the door. The ticket price includes food, entertainment, and wine.

Wine Fesival tickets are priced at $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets for the Wine Festival and Gala are available at Corky Cellars, located at 22511 Marine View Drive in Des Moines (206-824-9462); or online at www.dmrotary.org.

Poverty Bay Wine Festival is the major annual fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Des Moines. Lisa Meineke is the club President and Brian Snure is chair of the wine festival.

The main purpose is to raise funds for the charitable projects of the Rotary Club of Des Moines that include:

• Financial and volunteer support of Des Moines Food Bank
• Financial and volunteer support for Fireworks Over Des Moines on the Fourth of July annually
• “Dictionaries by the Dozens”: Rotary provides a new children’s dictionary to every third grade student in Des Moines
• Mini-grants of up to $1000 to schools or teachers in Des Moines for special projects
• College scholarship of $2,500 to a Highline Community College student
• Pacific Middle School essay contest
• Funding for after school program at Pacific Middle school
• Financial support to Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence, a non-profit benefiting Highline Public Schools
• Financial support for a women’s shelter in South Africa
• Purchase of sewing machines for women in Peru so they can generate income

“We hope to have more attendees than ever this year,” Carbone-Rogers added. “Each year, we have taken the wine festival up a notch with the number of wineries, the entertainment, and the food. The gala is classier every year, and the Landmark Event Center is an amazing venue. We also hope that people coming to the event will get interested in Rotary and join us in our work to support community causes and families,” she added.

For more information on the Des Moines Rotary, please click here: http://dmrotary.org/aboutrotary.php.

Burien’s annual “Empty Bowls” fundraiser for the Highline Area Food Bank was a smash hit Friday (Jan. 29th), setting records in both attendance (964 diners) and total amount of money raised (over $13,000).

“We had 477 people attend during lunch and 487 who came out for dinner,” said Mike Werle, Highline Food Bank Executive Director. “The amount of money raised was a little over $13,000.”

Werle added, “There must have been over 40 people who volunteered at the event, many of who were probably not counted because they didn’t come through the front door. Therefore I think we had over 1,000 people who contributed to the dollar total.”

“Do me a favor and put a big plug in for all the work that Gina Kallman and Debra George put in to make this event happen.  They are awesome!”

Here’s a Photo Slideshow shot during the dinner serving by Scott Schaefer:

Click to View Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow

Also, as previously reported, BTB Photographer Michael Brunk took these shots during the lunch hour:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

Youth Leaders at John Knox Presbyterian Church will be hosting a Spaghetti for Haiti fundraiser dinner on Wednesday, Feb. 10th starting at 6pm.

Cost is $15 per ticket, which can be purchased from the church office (phone: 206.241.1606) or at the door the night of the event.

The dinner will consist of:

• Spaghetti
• Garlic bread
• Salad
• Dessert
• Beverage

Here are the details:

WHAT: Spaghetti for Haiti fundraiser dinner

WHEN: Wednesday, February 10th beginning at 6:00pm

WHERE: John Knox Presbyterian Church, 109 SW Normandy Road in Normandy Park.

COST: $15 per ticket, which can be purchased from the church office (phone: 206.241.1606) or at the door the night of the event. The dinner will consist of spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, dessert and beverage.

WHY: To raise money for Haitian earthquake relief.

INFO: More info available at the church website here.

We’re huge fans of the all-girl sk8er team the Rat City Rollergirls, and when we heard that they’re kicking off their 2010 season with a charity fundraiser at Key Arena this Sunday, Jan. 31st, we just had to announce it.

Donation amounts will depend on game outcomes, and the four home teams have chosen to support the following local charities:

• The Throttle Rockets with play for Fisher House, which assists families of military personnel.
• Grave Danger will support OldDog Haven, finding new homes for abandoned senior dogs.
• The Sockit Wenches are skating for Lambert House, a center for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning youth that encourages empowerment by developing life and social skills.
• Derby Liberation Front will support Pinup Angels, who send care packages to troops overseas.

Here are the details on the event:

WHAT: Rat City Rollergirls charity fundraiser bout.

WHEN: Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and the game starts at 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: KeyArena in lower Queen Anne.

INFO: The Rat City Rollergirls now have a dedicated entrance for our season ticket holders – enabling them to score the best seats! Doors on the East side of KeyArena will open for season ticket holders at 2:15pm.

Visit www.ratcityrollergirls.com for more information on the 2010 season.

Founded in April 2004, Rat City Rollergirls, LLC, (RCRG) is Seattle’s (and the Northwest’s) first flat track, all-female roller derby league. RCRG is composed of about 100 member-owners, who are divided among four teams:

• Derby Liberation Front
• Grave Danger
• Sockit Wenches
• Throttle Rockets

RCRG’s fifth team, the Rat City Rollergirls All-Stars, is composed of the best players from the four home teams, who represent RCRG in regional and national play.

Also, be on the lookout next week for a video we’ll be shooting at Sunday’s bout.

A “BUNCO Night” Fundraiser for Burien’s Hospitality House will be held Friday night, Feb. 5th starting at 7pm at the Normandy Park Congregational United Church of Christ.

It’s just $25 per person, giving you a chance to “roll the dice to end homelessness” and have a fun evening to boot.

Here are the details:

WHAT: BUNCO Night Fundraiser for Burien’s Hospitality House.

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 5th starting at 7pm.

WHERE: Normandy Park Congregational United Church of Christ, 19247 1st Avenue South, in Normandy Park.

INFO: From an email:

BUNCO Night for Hospitality House is Friday, February 5th at 7 p.m.

For $25 per person, one can roll the dice to end homelessness and have a fun evening to boot. Beginners and Bunco groups are welcome to join in. This strictly-for-fun evening is endorsed by the World Bunco Association.

There will be raffles, prizes and complimentary refreshments.

This event will be held at Normandy Park Congregational United Church of Christ, 19247 1st Avenue South, in Normandy Park.

This will also be your first chance to purchase seats for another fundraiser – the “Boats for Beds” sail.

Pre-register for Bunco through the Hospitality House website, by calling 206-915-5337, or by sending an email to buncofeb5@aol.com.

Hospitality House is a shelter and place of transition for homeless women in south King County. The Women of Hospitality House are supported by more than twelve local churches and organizations as well as by our local communities. Home-cooked meals are provided 365 days per year by volunteers.  With the staff case workers, over 70 women each year develop and work their individual plans to find home, health and hope. See hospitalityhousesouthking.org to learn more about Hospitality House or these events.

More information is available at their website.

Advertiser Normandy Park Senior Living will be hosting two special benefit events to help raise funds to help victims of the Haiti earthquake, including a Pancake Breakfast this Sunday (Jan. 31st) and a Spaghetti Dinner on Feb. 13th.

Both fundraisers will be held at their campus in Normandy Park, and all funds raised will go directly to Doctors Without Borders.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Two benefit fundraiser events for Haiti earthquake victims by Advertiser Normandy Park Senior Living

WHEN: Pancake Breakfast will be this Sunday, Jan. 31st from 11am to 2pm; Spaghetti Dinner will be Saturday, Feb. 13th from 3pm to 6pm

WHERE: Normandy Park Senior Living, which is located at 16625 1st Ave. South in Normandy Park.

INFO: From a press release:

Haiti Earthquake Relief and Doctors Without Borders Fundraiser

Pauline Smith, Executive Director, Normandy Park Senior Living announced today two special benefit events to raise funds to help the victims of the Haiti Earthquake. A Pancake Breakfast will be held on Sunday, January 31 from 11:00am to 2:00pm and a Spaghetti Dinner will take place on Saturday, February 13 from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. Both events will be held at Normandy Park Senior Living located at 16625 1st Ave. South in Normandy Park.

According to Smith, “All proceeds will go directly to Doctors without Borders one of the critical relief organizations assisting victims in Haiti. We’re pleased that our parent company, Artegan, our residents, staff and family members have joined together to make these events possible.”

Other area businesses interested in participating should contact Pauline Smith. “We’re honored to be part of the worldwide Haiti relief effort and hope our community will join us on January 31 and February 13th to help the people of Haiti and Doctors without Borders.”

Burien’s annual “Empty Bowls” fundraiser for the Highline Area Food Bank is coming to Moshier Community Art Center Friday, Jan. 29th, with both a lunch and dinner serving, along with one-of-a-kind original bowls handcrafted by area Potters.

This is always a great, fun and fulfilling event involving great food, art and fundraising for Burien’s hungry, and you can bet The B-Town Blog will be there.

Here are the details:

WHAT: “Empty Bowls” fundraiser for the Highline Area Food Bank

WHEN: Friday, Jan. 29th:

• 11am – 2pm: Lunch
• 4pm – 8pm: Dinner

WHERE: Moshier Community Art Center, located at 430 South 156th, Burien

COST: Just $10 donation, which will get you both a good solid meal AND a work of art in the form of a beautiful handmade bowl!

INFO: From their flier:

JOIN US FOR A MEAL AND HELP FIGHT HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY!

Friday, January 29, 2010

Lunch served 11:00 AM-2:00 PM

Dinner served 4:00-8:00 PM

Moshier Community Art Center, 430 S 156th, Burien

$10 (minimum) Donation

Proceeds to benefit Highline Food Bank

Moshier Community Art Center Potters have teamed up with the Highline Food Bank and Discover Burien to bring you Empty Bowls 2010. Empty Bowls events can be found around the country raising money to combat hunger in our communities. Potters have donated bowls to be filled with soup at this fun event…all are invited!

Your $10 (minimum) donation will get you the opportunity to pick out a beautiful handmade bowl, as well as a simple but wonderful meal of soup, bread, dessert and drink; all donated by local businesses. 90% of proceeds go to the Highline Food Bank, which serves over 750 area families per month, and 10% will go to provide art programming for low income youth.

www.MoshierArtCenter.org or phone: (206) 988-3700

Here’s a video we shot at least year’s event, where over 800 participants helped raise over $10,000 (let’s break that record this year!):

Burien’s annual “Polar Bear Plunge” will take place this Friday, Jan. 1st at Noon on the beach at Three Tree Point, and this year it’s also going to serve as a fundraiser for the Highline Area Food Bank!

The event is open to anyone who wants to brave the chilly 45-degree Puget Sound waters as well as donate at least 2 cans or boxes of non-perishable food items, or $5 cash, all of which will go directly to our needy neighbors who utilize the Highline Food Bank.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Burien’s annual “Polar Bear Plunge” at Three Tree Point

WHEN: Friday, Jan. 1st at Noon.

WHERE: In the 3500 block of SW 172nd, along the beach of Three Tree Point – look for a bonfire and a group of shivering people having second thoughts.

INFO: If you can, please bring 2 boxes/cans of non-perishable food, or $5 cash as a donation to the Highline Area Food Bank.

Here’s a video we shot last year, which includes our exclusive POV Polar Bear Plunge camera as shot by Andy Kleitsch, one of the organizers:

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

WARNING – according to various medical sources:

A “Polar Bear Plunge” (aka cold water swimming) isn’t for everyone, as sudden immersion in very cold water can result in an involuntary gasp followed by 1 – 3 minutes of involuntary hyperventilation. This hyperventilation results in a profound lowering of blood carbon dioxide levels and a raising of blood pH levels.

Rapid cooling of the skin triggers various heart and breathing responses. The heart rate can increase by 50% and blood pressure increase can increase to 175/93. Although a substantial strain on the heart, these changes are not likely to be a problem for a healthy, fit person but may be dangerous for those with underlying heart disease or hypertension.

Photo courtesy Erin Hovland.

BTB Advertiser Jim Coleman, DDS recently held their annual Stuffed Animal Drive for children who end up in the Highline Medical Center Emergency Rooms, and this year received over 300 donations!

The purpose of the annual drive is to provide children who may be visiting hospitals something to “calm them,” like a stuffed animal.

“These animals are given to children as they check into the ER and I have been assured by the nurses that they have a very calming effect on the kids,” said Lynn Coleman. “About half of this year’s donations went to the main Highline Medical Center campus, and the other half went to the Riverton campus in Tukwila.”

We here at The B-Town Blog tip our collective hats to this innovative fundraiser, as many of us here still use our stuffed animals to help calm us.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aidanmorgan/ / CC BY 2.0

B-Town Blog Advertiser Market Place Salon and Day Spa recently went a cut above to help raise money for the Highline Area Food Bank.

Owner Daniel Keane (pictured left, holding some freshly-cut locks) and staff were invited to do haircuts to help raise money for Albertson’s holiday bucks promotion. They set up a chair and cutting station right in the front of the store.

“All day long they were cutting hair for donations,” said Rashelle Lee, Albertson’s Customer Satisfaction Manager. “We had a fantastic time and helped out the food bank as well.”

$500 in donations was raised over seven hours to help Burien’s needy neighbors!

Here are some pics from the event:

The Burien / Normandy Park Fire Department has done a holiday outreach program for over 25 years, and Tuesday morning (Dec. 22nd), they set out with Santa in their shiny fire trucks to make their annual delivery to 59 local families in need.

Local firefighters receive family names from the Washington Department of Social and Health Services office, then provide each one with a nice turkey dinner as well as stuffing, pies and other assorted food.

Each family also receives several toys and gifts for each child, as well as gift cards to Fred Meyer for each teenager 13-17.

One hundred percent of all donations are returned to the community and all donations are distributed locally.

“Contributions were down a bit this year,” said Doug Leudeman of Fire District #2. “And while we had enough gifts to give out, we could certainly use more cash donations to help offset some of the costs.”

Cash donations are still being accepted at the Burien/Normandy Park Fire Department Headquarters Station, located at 15100 8th Ave SW; phone: (206) 242-2040; website: www.burienfire.org.

Photographer Michael Brunk was there to capture this Photo Slideshow:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

WestSide Baby’s Nancy Woodland tells us that they’re holding a special “Save the Day” event today (Wed. Dec. 16th), and they’re seeking donations of girls size 3 and 5 clothes and size 8 boys warm clothes, as well as others.

Here’s the text of an email we just received:

Today the Burien Salvation Army offers 50% off and WestSide Baby really needs clothes to fill orders for kids today!

WestSide Baby Volunteers are furiously filling orders due for delivery this week and there are a few bare shelves.  We really need Girls Sizes 3 and 5 clothes and Size 8 boys warm clothes.  Winter coats in all sizes are in short supply.    The orders are here and waiting to be filled right now.  If you love the idea of dashing off to Save the Day, please go to the Salvation Army and then bring the clothes to our facility in White Center as soon as you can.  We have special open hours for donations until Christmas.  (Mon-Friday 9-4, Thurs. 7-9pm Sat. 9-2.

If you can’t put on your super hero cape today, please consider dropping off diapers (sizes 4, 5, 6) or gently used (or new) warm clothes, especially in sizes 4-12.  Two great drop off locations right in Burien at Advanced Massage and at Goodie Gumdrops.

Salvation Army
16033 1st Avenue South
Burien, WA 98148-1401
(206) 438-4546 Volunteers

Advanced Massage
2120 SW 152nd
Burien
Win a chance for 1 of 4 free massages if you donate there

Goodie Gumdrops
816 SW 152nd
Burien
Drop off clothes, Pick up thing for kiddos on your list and maybe even toss in a new board book or toy for one of the kids on ours.

Janice Hammond of Sunrise Financial Services tells us that they’re holding a special “Pay It Forward” event at the Burien Library on Tuesday, Dec. 15th, from 2pm to 8pm, where you can drop off unused items (see list below) to help out both the Highline Area Food Bank and YWCA’s Emergency Housing Program.

Here’s an email Janice sent us:

Been looking for a way to help out your community? Here is a very easy and/or FREE way to do it! We are putting on a drive for many items you may have in your house right now and are not using anymore.

Go clean out your CUPBOARDS AND CLOSETS and bring any usable items to the main Burien Library on Tuesday, December 15th from 2pm-8pm.

I’m sure if you looked through your kitchen you would be surprised at how many items you will find that you know your family will never use! So, clean out your closets and cupboards and don’t let all those usable goods go to waste!

What we need:

• NON PERISHABLE FOOD
• SHEETS
• BLANKETS
• PILLOWS
• TOWELS
• CLEANING SUPPLIES
• TOOTHBRUSHES
• TOILETRIES
• CLOTHES
• KITCHEN ITEMS

Who it’s going to: Highline Food Bank and YWCA’s Emergency Housing Program – they provide housing to local families in crisis and woman and children who are survivors of domestic violence.

Why: Because if you’re not using it, someone else can!

PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD BY FORWARDING THIS OUT TO OTHERS!!!!

Help us make this a great success!

If you have any questions feel free to email them to me at janice@sunrisefinancialservices.net

The City of Burien, along with the Burien Police and King County Sheriff’s Department, are seeking donations of gift cards for area kids and families in need this holiday season.

Gift Cards in $20 increments are preferred, specifically from the local Fred Meyer and Safeway stores.

The deadline is Monday, Dec. 21st, and donated cards can be dropped off at City Hall during regular business hours.

There’s also a great opportunity for a local business or resident to “adopt” a needy family, and there are at least 35 in need this year.

Here’s more info from Nicki Maraulja, Community Service Officer:

It’s that time of year again to help out our kids and families in need for Christmas.

We have some 40 families that could use an extra hand this year.

We’re now collecting any gift cards for either Fred Meyer or Safeway.

These gift cards can be dropped off at Burien City Hall during City hours, until Dec. 21st.

Cards should be in $20.00 increments.

We would also be interested in any business or community member that would be interested in adopting a family. I have at least 35 families as of right now.

If anyone has any questions, I can be reached at the precinct. in Burien, at 206-296-3333.

Burien’s Goodwill store will be celebrating its new look with a “Customer Appreciation Day” this Saturday, Dec. 12th from 8am on.

Visitors to the store, located at 1031 SW 128th Street “will enjoy an improved and more pleasant shopping experience thanks to extensive improvements to the store.”

In addition, the onsite Job Training and Education Center will be holding an Open House from 10am to 2pm. Individuals can speak with Instructors about course offerings, inquire about upcoming registration and tour the facilities.

As part of the day’s events, there will also be free drawings for Goodwill gift cards, and several special sales on certain items will be announced.

The store received a host of improvements designed, including a brand new floor of polished concrete, fresh paint and new signs. The books and furniture sections were expanded and the collectibles area received new cases.

“The store really looks fantastic, and we’re sure shoppers will agree,” said Store Manager Corinne Davis. “We’ve been a part of the Burien community for eight years now and want to thank our shoppers and material donors for their continuous support.”

The store opened on Dec. 13, 2001; it is one of 18 retail stores operated by Seattle Goodwill in the central and northern Puget Sound region. Donations of reusable items from the community are sold in these stores; net proceeds support Goodwill’s job training and education programs, which prepare people for work. Last year, Goodwill served more than 2,700 people at its nine job training centers. Services to the community are offered free of charge.

The redesign is part of a retrofit planned by Goodwill to update some of its older stores with elements incorporated into its new store designs.

BTB Advertiser Normandy Park Senior Living is sponsoring a Spaghetti Fundraiser for the Lakewood Police Officers’ Families this Saturday, Dec. 12th from 6pm – 7:30pm at their campus at 16625 1st Ave South in Normandy Park.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser for Lakewood Police Officers’ Families

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 12th from 6pm – 7:30pm

WHERE: Normandy Park Senior Living, located at 16625 1st Ave South in Normandy Park.

COST: Minimum donation of $10.00 per person

INFO: From a press release:

Normandy Park Senior Living with the assistance of several other agencies including Harlow’s Bus Sales, Starbucks Coffee, Food Service of America, Sam’s Club, Fast Signs and others, will be hosting a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for the Lakewood Police Department’s officers.

All proceeds will go the Lakewood Police Independent Guild (LPIG).

“We tried to think of something that we could do to give our residents, staff and the local community the opportunity to express their support for the families of the three men and one woman that died in this painful and senseless tragedy,” said Executive Director, Pauline Smith. “We have the utmost respect and appreciation for the men and women who protect and help us every day and this is just a small way to thank them and show our support.”

The fundraising dinner will be held Saturday, December 12th from 6pm-7:30pm at Normandy Park Senior Living located at 16625 1st Ave S, Normandy Park, WA 98148.

We are requesting a minimum donation of $10 per person.

There will be entertainment and raffle tickets available for some terrific prizes that will be drawn on Monday, December 14, 2009.

For additional information on how to donate if you cannot attend, please contact Pauline Smith or Kim Parks at 206-241-0821, or via email: psmith@artegan.com.

The Burien/Normandy Park Fire Department is seeking help for their annual “Light Up The Holidays” outreach program for needy families in the area.

Donations of food or toys are being accepted at the locations listed below through Dec. 18th.

All will go directly to needy families in the area.

Christmas Outreach Drop-off locations include:

• Burien Fire Department – 15100 8th Ave SW & 135 S Normandy Rd.
• North Highline Fire Department – 1243 SW 112th & 1606 S 128th
• Highline Medical Center – 16251 Sylvester Rd SW ∙ 12844 Military Rd S ∙ 13030 Military Rd S
• Burien Toyota – 15025 1st Ave S & 139 SW 150th
• Burien Chevrolet – 14400 1st Ave S
• Albertsons – 15840 1st Ave S & 12725 1st Ave S
• YB Tubless/Economy Wiring – 633 SW 148th
• Frenzi – 218 SW 153rd
• Boulevard Park Place Seniors Center – 2805 S 125th
• Curves – 17824 1st Ave S
• Breaktime – 635 SW 152nd
• Page 2 Books – 15706 1st Ave S
• Collins Chiropractic – 619 SW 152nd St.
• Dooley’s – 611SW 152nd St.

Christmas Outreach Sponsors include:

• Sylvester Middle School
• North Highline FD
• Highline Exchange Club
• Plush Pippin Pies
• Burien Town Square
• DSHS
• Burien/Normandy Park FD

The Burien/White Center Rotary Club is holding a Food Bank Benefit concert featuring the Boeing Employees Choir on Friday, Dec. 4th at 7:30pm at the Highline Performing Arts Center.

All proceeds from this show will benefit both the Highline and White Center Food Banks.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Burien/White Center Rotary fundraiser concert featuring the Boeing Employees Choir

WHEN: Friday, Dec. 4th beginning at 7:30pm

WHERE: Highline Performing Arts Center, located next to Highline High School at 401 S. 152nd St., Burien.

COST: Please bring non-perishable food donations to help feed your hungry neighbors during the holidays!

INFO: From the Boeing Employees Choir website:

A good cause, and a great venue, the Burien/White Center Rotary Club has asked us to put on a concert for the Burien community in order to collect non-perishable food items for the local Food Banks.

Bring a food donation and bring a friend!

And forward this invite so we can pack the house and the food bank!

The Boeing Employees Choir is a concert choral group serving as The Boeing Company’s ambassador in song, sharing the gift of music with audiences in the Puget Sound Region of Washington State – as well as throughout the world. The choir has existed since the early 1940s. Today, we make about 25 appearances each year.

Composed primarily of Boeing employees, retirees and their families, our choir is a 501c(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization.

The Burien/White Center Rotary Club, founded in 1955, has a long and rich history of service to the community.

Over this 50+ year duration, club members have volunteered countless hours of service and generated hundreds of thousands of dollars which have been distributed back into the community.

For more information, visit their website here.

The B-Town Blog is proud to announce “Have A Heart,” a very special Food Bank Fundraiser Blog Party on Tuesday, Dec. 8th, at The Tin Cellars!

This one will be focused on raising money and food donations for the Highline Area Food Bank, which serves Burien.

The night of food bank fundraisin’ blog partyin’ fun will begin at 6pm and continue ’til whenever at The Tin Cellars, the brand spankin’ new bar next to the Tin Room, located at 923 SW 152nd in Olde Burien.

The Highline Area Food Bank has been serving about 850 families a month, and is in need of more donations. It serves Burien clients north of 192nd Street and south of 116th Street, from Pacific Highway/International Boulevard/Military Road west to Puget Sound. Of those served, 42 percent are adults, 18 percent are seniors, 38 percent are children, and 2 percent are infants to age 2.

Suggested donation will be two cans/boxes of non-perishable food, $5 cash or whatever you can afford (including larger donations).

Here are the details:

WHAT: “Have A Heart,” The B-Town Blog’s Annual Food Bank Fundraisin’ Blog Party

WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 8th from 6pm on

WHERE: The Tin Cellars, next to The Tin Room Bar at 923 SW 152nd in Olde Burien

COST: Suggested donation of two cans/boxes of non-perishable food or $5 cash or whatever you can afford. All proceeds will go directly to the Highline Area Food Bank (HAFB).

Here’s a list of items needed by the HAFB:

• Canned Veggies & Fruit
• Soup
• Tomato Sauce
• Yams
• Cranberry sauce
• Olives
• Meats
• Milk
• Crackers
• Mac & cheese
• Jam
• Peanut Butter
• Pumpkin
• Toiletries

INFO: This will be our 5th-ever “Blog Party,” and we hope that you can make it whether you’ve been to one before or not.

We’ll be demonstrating the BTB, doing live updates, taking pics and much more, including some great surprises…

The B-Town Blog, along with our sister site The White Center Blog, look forward to seeing as many of our Readers and Neighbors as possible today, Saturday, Nov. 14th, at the White Center Albertsons for our special Thanksgiving-related food drive:

Our 2nd Annual Turkeys N’ Diapers Fundraiser!

It’ll run until 4pm today, and all donations will go to the White Center Food Bank (food) and WestSide Baby (diapers & baby stuff).

Albertsons is located at 16th Avenue SW and SW 106th Street in White Center.

Come by and say Hi!

by Ralph Nichols

While the number of families seeking help from the Highline Area Food Bank in Burien increased by 17 percent during the first six months of 2009, food donations are down by more than 30 percent.

“In this recession, we’re hurt the most by the lack that kind of giving,” said Mike Werle, executive director of the Highline Food Bank. “At every food drive for the past year and a half, the poundage of donated food has been going down.”

Werle notes that 380 pounds of food were donated during Prudential’s food drive in Burien on Oct. 1, compared to 780 pounds last year.

Yet, he adds, “We’re doing better than some food banks.”

This fall, the Highline Area Food Bank has been serving about 850 families a month.

Located at 18300 4th Ave South, the bank distributes food to clients on Tuesdays from 12 to 2:30 p.m., Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The value of donated food distributed last year topped $1,042,980. Food donations come from supermarkets, smaller stores and food outlets, and individual donors. Day-old and damaged goods come from:

• Fred Meyer
• Safeway
• Albertson’s
• Three Starbucks
• Little Ceasar’s
• Mud Bay pet store
• Bartell Drug in Burien
• QFC in Normandy Park
• Safeway and Gai’s Bakery in SeaTac

In addition to financial donations from individuals, businesses and churches, the food bank receives grants from federal, state and city governments, King County, United Way, and FEMA.

Financial donations, which Werle said “are way up” even as food donations are down, are essential to the food bank’s mission. “The purchase of food is essential to our ability to give out a nutritionally balanced unit of service to our clients.”

The Highline Area Food Bank serves clients north of 192nd Street and south of 116th Street, from Pacific Highway/International Boulevard/Military Road west to Puget Sound. Of those served, 42 percent are adults, 18 percent are seniors, 38 percent are children, and 2 percent are infants to age 2.

Clients come from Burien (65%), SeaTac (20.5%), Normandy Park (4.5%), and unincorporated King County (4%). Six percent say they are homeless.

The food bank negotiated a 25-year lease at its present facility, the former Manhattan Community Center, which Werle calls “a heck of a deal.” It opened there in 1996 and since has added 40-foot and 20-foot insulated containers and a 12 foot by 24 foot walk-in cooler and freezer for an on-site storage capacity of about 60,000 pounds of food.

“On average,” he says, “we go through 50,000 to 65,000 pounds of food a month.

The large storage capacity gives the Highline food bank the ability to accept large donations and then give some to other food banks if they can’t use all of some items.

Werle says Highline and other area food banks adopted in 2001 a list of foods, which was reviewed and revised slightly by nutritionists from the University of Washington, to provide clients a “standard minimum unit of service.”

Clients self-select from a standard list of items at the food bank, with the variety depending on what has been donated. Once a month their minimum unit includes milk, meat, peanut butter, cereal, soup, canned fruit and vegetables, rice, beans and Jell-o.

Once a week they can get fresh fruits and vegetables, potatoes and onions, bread and other baked goods, baby food, nutritional supplements – and pet food when it’s been donated.

For Thanksgiving and Christmas, which Werle describes as “special giving,” more than 400 families will be served before each day with holiday foods as well as some of the regular food items that are distributed.

At Christmas, donated toys will be given to the children of clients at the John Knox Presbyterian Church fellowship hall in Normandy Park.

After the holidays, he says, “the need continues,” but donations decline sharply from early January until May, when the U.S. Postal Service holds its annual carrier food drive at “the best time of year for that to happen.”

In addition to providing food for clients in need, the Highline Area Food Bank also serves new people from outside the area for that day and refers them to the food bank closest to their home, helps people sign up for DSHS services and rental and energy assistance.

Twice a month, a United Way worker comes in to help them sign up for food stamps and summer nutritional programs for kids.

There’s no question that the Highline Area Food Bank could use some help this season; here’s how YOU can lend a hand:

• Send checks made out to Highline Area Food Bank and mail to:

Highline Area Food Bank
P.O. Box 66427
Burien, WA 98166

(you can also place checks into the drop box located at the Normandy Park QFC)

• Drop by the Burien Albertsons any Saturday or Sunday between 10am and 2pm and buy some “Turkey Bucks,” which come in $1, $5 and $10 denominations. Turkey Bucks are converted in to actual, hot Complete Holiday Meals for people in the Highline community to enjoy on Thanksgiving Day (which, by the way, is Thursday Nov. 26th).

• Drop non-perishable food off at Page2Books (15706 1st Ave South; 206-248-7248‎) which delivers to the Food Bank every Tuesday. Also, on Saturday (Nov. 14th) they are donating ALL proceeds from their $1 Book Cart to the Food Bank.

• Come to The B-Town Blog’s “Food Bank Blog Party” on Tuesday night, Dec. 8th at The Tin Room in Olde Burien! Stay tuned for more details soon…

For more information, visit the food bank’s website here.

Burien’s Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center’s Annual Holiday Wreath Sale has begun, and for just $25 each you can help support the children, families and community that they serve everyday.

Just keep in mind that the deadline to order is Friday, Nov. 20th – so you’d better act quickly!

The wreaths are handcrafted with noble and silver fir, incense, western cedar, blue-berried juniper, cones and includes a festive red bow. The wreaths can be shipped anywhere in the United States which makes them the perfect gift for those far away family members and friends.

Simply download and complete the Wreath order form (link, PDF file) and mail, fax or email it to the contact information below by Friday, Nov. 20th to secure your order:

Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center
1033 SW 152nd Street
Burien, WA 98126
Fax: 206.243.5321

Here’s a photo of a sample wreath:

Wreaths can be picked up on Friday, Dec. 4th from 9am – 6pm at the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center located in Burien.

Questions? Contact Megan Clingman at Meganc@rdcc.org or 206.242.1698 x142.

More information on the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center can be found here.

The place was packed as over 60 local women raised over $1,000 at the “Girls Night Out Bingo” fundraiser Sunday night (Nov. 8th) at Sidestreet Kitchen & Bar in Burien.

It was an evening of enthusiastic fun, live music and bingo, with all proceeds going to Pasado’s Safe Haven.

Located about an hour north of Burien, Pasado’s Safe Haven is one of the premiere animal rescue organizations in the United States, dedicated to 24-hour rescue and rehabilitation of dogs, cats and farm animals. The sanctuary is home to hundreds of animals, most arriving as victims of abuse or neglect, now living out their lives in peace.

Darla Green, owner of Skinperfect Aesthetics in Olde Burien, coordinated the event and donated hundreds of dollars of services and products.

Other local businesses donated well over a thousand dollars in prizes.

Two West Highland dogs made an appearance along with volunteers from Pasado’s.

One attendee called the event “overwhelmingly successful,” saying “the guests were energized,” and that the bingo game was “spirited.”

The room was moved by a marvelous act of charity – Tina Larson, owner of Grassroots Home and Garden in Olde Burien, won $200 cash in a drawing. Instantly, Tina donated her winnings to Pasado’s Safe Haven.

The menu, created especially for the fundraiser by Sidestreet owner and chef Dan Davis, included marinated caprese skewers, prime rib bites with creamy horseradish, candied walnuts, herb butter popcorn, savory sausage with mustard, olive tapenade and tomato spread.

For more information on Pasado’s Safe Haven and how to help, go to www.pasadosafehaven.org.

Also:

• www.skinperfectinseattle.com
• www.sidestreetkitchen.com