I don’t know how to post this, so hope you can help me.

I would like to give a ‘shout out’ of praise to Burien Bark.  Today I visited Nickelsville (our local homeless camp) with some food and saw how low they were on wood chips and gravel…essentials for keeping the mud at bay.

I came home and called Burien Bark and asked if they would be willing to donate some wood chips and gravel. Without so much as a one second pause, Jeff of Burien Bark said ‘absolutely’. They will go Monday the 9th to deliver Wood Chips, observe  what kind of gravel they are using and turn around and deliver that, too.  Jeff also said he would be on the look out for ‘pallets’ which the camp uses to elevate their tents from the muddy surfaces.

I have used Burien Bark for 10 years and I love their sense of family and ’community’.  Jeff mentioned that when the camp was in Burien a while back that he delivered some gravel to them, simply upon seeing their needs.

Support Burien Bark!

- Adelle Comfort

PS: Nickelsville has many needs, some of which we can fill from ‘extra’ items we have at home. If people think they have items that can help the homeless, please let them know they can contact me at adelle1016@comcast.net. I am just one person trying to help, but will do my best to respond to all efforts on their behalf.

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At Wednesday night’s South King Media Advertiser and Reader Appreciation Holiday Party, a positive new project called ‘Makeover Burien’ was unveiled by The B-Town Blog’s Scott Schaefer and Serenza Salon & Spa’s Daniel Keane.

“Makeover Burien will be a 12-month long project where we’ll help a different local business every month,” said Keane. “Each month we’ll pick a business that needs some help, then go in, give employees a makeover at our salon while other volunteers help clean up or fix things up at the business location.”

This project was conceived by Keane, and will be produced in association with The B-Town Blog and Serenza Salon & Spa.

Keane and Schaefer are currently seeking volunteers to help with this monthly event, and are looking for local businesses that can contribute in-kind services or products to help fellow local businesspeople. Some of the categories needed are services like handymen, contractors, accountants, business consultants, carpet (and other) cleaners, and just about anything else that can help a business get spruced up.

But it’s not just about helping businesses.

“The ultimate goal at the end of 2012 will be to find a needy local family that could use an extreme makeover,” Keane added. “We’ll then go to their home, give the family a makeover while workers help clean and fix up their house.”

Monthly reports will be posted to The B-Town Blog, including photos of each makeover event as well as lists and links of businesses that helped. In other words, if you or your business volunteers to help this project, you’ll receive free marketing on the blog, which reaches between 50,000 – 60,000 Unique Visitors per month.

In addition, a separate website will be built, and photos and videos will be produced and posted as well.

If you’re interested in helping out, please email help@makeoverburien.com.

A total of 176 piano keys will be banged on by 20 fingers over two shows in a rather unusual benefit sponsored by Burien’s Three Tree Community Church this Sunday, Dec. 11 – a Dueling Piano Holiday Food Drive!

There will be two shows – 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – at the church, located at 16261 1st Ave South.

“Come join us for a night of great entertainment brought to you by the performers of Chopstix dueling pianos,” reads a poster.

Songs will be requested by food or cash donations all night, and people are asked to bring their own canned goods, or to purchase some at the show.

There will also be free refreshments, including cheesecakes.

“In 2011 Seattle organizations that support the homeless and people in need have all reported being stretched beyond the abilities of what these food banks or non-profit organizations can handle,” the poster adds.

Suggested donations is 1 canned good per person, and we’re sure more (as well as cash donations) will most happily be accepted.

If you’ve never been to a dueling piano event, get ready – these can be hilarious sing-alongs that will most certainly motivate even the shyest person to join in.

This particular show will benefit the White Center Food Bank and Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission.

Santa John Nielsen follows volunteers to the next delivery during last year

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

Donations of food or toys are being accepted at both the Burien Fire Station (15100 8th Ave SW) and North Highline Fire Station (1243 SW 112th & 1606 S 128th) through Monday, Dec. 19th.

There are also donation barrels located around the area, so look for those as well.

The deadline to give is Monday, Dec. 19th, and all donations will go directly to needy families in the area.

We’re covered this great program before, and here’s a snippet from last year’s story by Michael Brunk:

Organized by firefighter Lt. John Zilke, the fire department works with local businesses and the community to gather food, gifts and cash donations in the months leading up to Christmas. Names of needy families are provided by the Department of Social and Health Services.

The ultimate goal? To make sure that each family on the list has a complete turkey dinner with all the trimmings and gifts for the children in the family.

Here’s a selection of photos I shot throughout the day set to a little holiday music. It’s a pale imitation compared to actually participating in an experience like this, but I hope it contributes something to your own sense of the holiday spirit:

Click to Play the Slideshow

The good folks at Praise-A-Lujah ministries wants our Readers to know that they’re holding a “Big Blue Barrel’ Food Drive this weekend – on Friday, Nov. 11th from Noon – 7 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 12th from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

“Over 3,000 people in our local communities receive food each month through the ‘Praise-A-Lujah’ Food Ministry,” reads an email. “Help provide a thanksgiving meal to families in the Des Moines, Sea-Tac, Burien area – please help us fill the BIG BLUE BARREL for the up coming holidays.”

Here are the locations where you can donate, with the closest listed first:

• Saars in Burien: 14905 4th Ave. S.W. Burien, WA. 98166
• Normandy Christian Church: 908 S. 200th St. Seattle, WA. 98198
• Praise-a-lujah: 19825 Des Moines Memorial Dr. Des Moines, WA. 98148
• Saars off Rainier: 900 Rainier Ave. Way S. Seattle, WA. 98118
• Saars in Renton: 3208 N.E. Sunset Blvd Renton,WA. 98057

Meal Deals can be purchased at Saars Markets; these include all the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal – $19.99 for the Turkey Meal and $14.99 for the Ham Meal.

“Help a family in need this Thanksgiving season by donating to our food drive. How ever and What ever you donate would be a blessing!”

Left: Aaron McClure, before, and right, after being assaulted in the parking lot of the Burien Fred Meyer on Oct. 5th.

On Wednesday night, Oct. 5th around 9:45 p.m., Aaron McClure (pictured above), 34, was struck in the head by an unknown assailant in the parking lot of the Burien Fred Meyer and severely injured.

According to his parents:

“The result put Aaron in the hospital with a skull fracture, a severe concussion, a large gash across his nose and blood and air in his brain.

It will be a long, long time before Aaron is close to normal again.

Aaron does remember that there were other cars and people in the parking lot.”

The case is still under investigation.

“Please help stop the yellow bellied, beady eyed, slime sucking coward who did this to Aaron from hurting you or someone close to you,” the McClures added via email.

According to his Facebook Page, McClure is a 1996 graduate of Highline High School.

The McClures and the King County Sheriff’s Office are asking if anyone knows anything about this incident to please call the Major Crimes Unit at (206) 296-7530. Any information will be helpful and all is confidential.

Burien’s Hospitality House will be holding its 10th annual ‘Walk for the Women’ fundraiser starting at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24th.

The event will start at Burien Town Square, and you can register by downloading a PDF here.

“I was so depressed when I became homeless and I saw no future or hope for myself. I now have a future because of your care,” said Sherrie M., a Hospitality House client.

If you can’t participate in the walk but want to help out, you can donate directly online here.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Hospitality House’s 10th annual ‘Walk for the Women’ fundraiser.

WHEN: Saturday, September 24, 2011; Registration begins at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Burien Town Square, located at SW 152nd and 5th Place SW in downtown Burien.

INFO: 2011 Walk for the Women Sponsors include:

• Linn, Schisel & DeMarco
• Burien Chevrolet, Inc.
• Burien Toyota
• Exchange Club of Highline
• H & R Block Burien
• Valley Medical Center
• Tradewinds Freight Forwarding, Inc.
• Law offices of Nancy L. Sorensen
• Air Wave Express
• William Thompson DDS Ps
• Radison Hotel Airport
• 909 Coffee and Wine
• Bayview limousine Service, Inc
• Seahurst Dental Design
• Collins Chiropractic

(Click Here to download a PDF sponsorship form)

Be sure to “Like” Hospitality House on Facebook here, or visit their website here.

Here’s a video with more info about this worthy, local non-profit:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click image to download printable PDF.

On the evening of July 2nd, 4-year old Addison Strode was in her backyard getting ready to roast marshmallows with her parents, brother and sister when a terrible accident struck – her clothes caught on fire, causing burns on her head, neck, arms, hands, and thighs.

Addison now needs skin grafts on parts of her cheek, jaw, neck, both wrists, and the top of her right hand and fingers.

The Addison Strode Medical Fund was established to help with her medical expenses. Her parents, David and Sarah (Edwards) Strode grew up in the Des Moines/Burien area. Sarah owned New City Dance Company in Burien, before she moved to Graham, and she still comes to guest teach whenever she can.

Friends of Addison Strode are hosting a Garage Sale at Burien’s New City Dance Company the weekend of Aug. 13 – 14th.

UPDATE 11:30 a.m. 7/29/11: BTB Reader Kimberly Graff emailed us and said that there will be an additional benefit for the Strodes on Saturday, Aug. 13th at Hi-Line Lanes:

“My husband plays softball with Dave Strode and when we found out what happened to those poor girls, we decided to also put together a benefit.

August 13 starting at 1pm with a Noon checkin, there will be a benefit at Hiline Lanes Bowling Alley in Burien. There is a minimum of $20 donation to bowl 3-4 games with shoes included. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Strode family.”

Here are the details:

WHAT: Garage Sale to benefit the Addison Strode Medical Fund.

WHERE: New City Dance Company, located at 408 SW 153rd Street, Burien, WA 98166 (next to Vince’s Restaurant).

WHEN: Saturday, August 13th from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday, August 14th from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

INFO: This is a benefit for the Addison Strode Medical Fund.

If you would like to donate directly to the Medical Fund you can make checks payable to “Addison Strode” and mail to:

PO Box 5847
Kent, WA 98064

Photo courtesy Union Gospel Mission.

On Sunday, July 24^th, the Union Gospel Mission’s Lighthouse Apartment building, located at 9820 Des Moines Memorial Way, burned down in a huge three-alarm fire, leaving 41 low-income residents homeless.

Everyone was able to get out, but two people were sent to Harborview Medical Center with injuries. Both are said to be recovering well.

“We lost everything…” said one former resident.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP
We’ve done this a couple times before (read about our fundraising for the victims of the 2008 Tara Apartment fire here, and the Buckley Family here), and we’d like to ask our Readers to do what they can to help these poor folks, many of whom have lost everything.

According to the Union Gospel Mission website, of the 41 displaced residents who watched all of their belongings go up in flames, only one had renters insurance. Most didn’t have car insurance beyond liability – 9 cars were damaged and 5 completely destroyed.

These people no longer have transportation to commute to their jobs.

Also, Becci Surgz Harrison is pitching in – here’s a message she sent us through Facebook:

I just feel it necessary to try to help if I can I am coordinating donations.

Here is a list of immediate needs but obviously they need much more:

• Tube Socks
• Household items
• Non-perishable food
• Mattresses/box springs (twin, full, queen): gently used, no rips or stains
• Gift cards (grocery, Target, Fred Meyer, shoe stores)
• Razors & shaving cream
• Bottled water (individual size)
• Men’s clothing (jeans and khakis particularly needed)
• Full size toiletry items
• Bath linens

Please email me surgzpromotions@gmail.com for more info.

Thank you!

Here are other ways to help:

• Shelter. Everyone was set up with emergency shelter just hours after the blaze started, but more permanent housing is needed.  Please contact Gary if you can help provide shelter for displaced residents.
• Donate Now. Funds raised will help those impacted by the fire.
• Gift Cards for Target, Fred Meyer, grocery and shoe stores.  Mail to:
• P.O. Box 202
  Seattle 98111
  Attention: “Lighthouse Apartment Fire”
• Gifts in Kind. Drop-off clothing, house wares, toiletries, etc. See complete list of needs or contact Linda at 206.723.0767 x405.

To learn more, please contact Gary at 206.723.0767 x441.

King County Sheriff’s detectives are seeking the public’s help in finding suspects in the vicious assault of an 18 year-old man who is hearing-impaired.

As we previously reported, the assault took place near Highline Medical Center in Burien last Wednesday morning (July 20).

The man’s injuries were originally thought to be life-threatening, but he is now in extremely serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Police say that the incident occurred sometime overnight on Tuesday or Wednesday, July 19th or 20th. Burien Police learned of the assault when they received a 9-1-1 call about 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. The caller said there was a bloodied and staggering man in the street directly across from Sylvester Middle School, 162221 Sylvester Road SW.

Police found the man a few minutes later, suffering from a serious head injury. He could not talk due to his hearing disability and assault, but kept pointing over towards the school.

Deputies and police checked the school and found some of the man’s belongings, including a blood-stained sleeping bag and blood on the wall of a school breezeway. They also found his hearing aid which was now broken and inoperative.

Detectives believe the man was sleeping outside at the school when attacked. The man is homeless from time to time.

If anyone has information in this crime they are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 9-1-1.