The Exchange Club of Highline held a Toilet Paper Drive at the Burien Albertson’s/Trader Joe’s parking lot on Saturday, June 4th, and the good news is – they colleceted 4,153 rolls of toilet paper for three area food banks!

The GREAT news is – they’ll be doing more-than-matching that number, bringing the grand total to over 8,200 rolls!

Donations will help ‘wipe out’ T.P. shortages in the Highline, White Center and Des Moines food banks.

Club member Sherrill Miller adds:

“The Exchange Club of Highline would like to thank the community for their support of our recent toilet paper drive! It was a huge success!

In an effort to help our three area food banks (Des Moines, Highline and White Center) our Exchange Club members were at the Burien Albertson’s and Trader Joe’s requesting donations of toilet paper or cash. The response was tremendous! We collected 4,153 rolls of toilet paper and $150 in cash! In fact, Trader Joe’s had stocked up on toilet paper to be ready, and generous patrons bought all of it. Our Club will now match the number of rolls donated so we’ll have a total of more than 8,200 rolls of toilet paper to be split among the three food banks.

Thank you for getting behind this effort!”

Here are some pics taken at the drive:

More info on the Exchange Club of Highline available here: www.exchangeclubofhighline.com.

When the dust settled and the sweat dried, nearly $36,000 was raised — tripling last year’s charity contribution.

The funds collected will be shared between:

• Highline Area Food Bank: $16,000
• Highline School Foundation for Excellence and PTSAs: $12,250
• Hospitality House: $3,000
• Para Los Ninos: $1,000
• Girl/Boy Scouts: $700
• C2C Tactical Charity Fund: $2,950
• 125 Student runners (need-based) were sponsored and ran for free through the Angel program.
• 20 Student runners received free running shoes from the Shoemaker fund.

The big check was presented Monday in a brief ceremony at C2C title sponsor and BTB advertiser Highline Athletic Club.

BTB photographer Michael Brunk was on the scene and captured the official presentation photo. Click to view larger.

L to R – Daniel Matthews (Highline Athletic Club), Mike Werle (Highline Area Food Bank), Dona Forrester (Highline Athletic Club), Christina Steele (Highline Athletic Club), Emily Thatcher (Highline Athletic Club), Kristen Kerns (Cove To Clover), Mike Bishoff (Cove To Clover), Ashley Fosberg (Highline Schools Foundation)

(L to R) Debra George – Discover Burien, Rick Jump – White Center Food Bank, Mike Werle – Highline Food Bank, Gina Kallman – Burien Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services

The Highline Food Bank and White Center Food Bank split the proceeds down the middle, with each organization receiving a check for $8222.83.

Rick Jump, Executive Director of the White Center Food Bank, said “In this economy, with fewer pounds of donated food, this donation will allow us to purchase more food to support the increase of families that we’re serving.”

Echoing this sentiment, Mike Werle, Director of the Highline Food Bank, explained “Because we buy in bulk, we get a pound of food for around $1.25 so this donation will stretch quite a ways.”

According to Rick Jump of the White Center Food Bank, the lunch turnout was around 350, including several local dignitaries were seen slurping from the great choices of soups and food.

If you’re going to the 4pm-8pm dinner session, we recommend getting their early, as there were only 1,300 bowls made.

Here are some sneak peek pics showcasing some of the original artisan-crafted pottery that will be available for sale:

For a minimum donation of $15, you can buy your own beautiful, original bowl, locally-made by potters at Moshier Arts Center, then get it filled with a meal of soup, bread, drink and dessert.

And yes, you get to keep the bowl!

This event is a fundraiser for the Highline and White Center Food Banks, and last year it raised over $13,000 for hungry neighbors in need (read our coverage and see our photos from 2010′s event here).

“Moshier potters have teamed up with Discover Burien and Burien Parks and Recreation to host Empty Bowls 2011,” says a statement on the city’s website. “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 donation will get you the opportunity to pick out a beautiful handmade bowl, as well as a simple but wonderful meal of soup, bread, drink and dessert donated by area businesses. Proceeds will go to the Highline Food Bank and White Center Food Bank.

For more info, read our original event posting here, call (206) 988-3700, or visit the city’s website here.

The 2nd annual Cove to Clover 5k fundraiser race is coming Sunday, March 14th, and to help stir up excitement and let people know you’re a supporter, race organizers are offering up a limited number of cool car window decals for a $2 donation at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub.

To get yours, just drop into Mick Kelly’s (located at 435 SW 152nd Street in Burien; 206.246.2473) and ask the bartender or server for one. They’re also available now at The Tin Room, Goodie Gumdrops and Emerald City Smoothie (both the Burien and Normandy Park locations).

But act fast, as they’re going quickly.

Your $2 donation will go towards the Highline Area Food Bank, as well as to local area schools. Last year over $12,000 was raised, and this year’s total fundraising goal is $20,000!

We’ve got one on the back of The B-Town Blogmobileâ„¢, and we think it looks pretty dang groovy.

If you’re interested in registering to run the Cove to Clover, please click here.

Here’s what to expect this year:

• The race begins at 1pm on Sunday, March 14th at Normandy Park Community Club. The course winds up “snake hill” all the way to the Gregory Heights neighborhood, past St. Francis of Assisi, crosses 152nd street with the finish line in Burien Town Square, where there will be a traditional Irish Festival.
• This challenging course takes its toll on even the most seasoned runners! Two water stops are provided, and racers will be rewarded with music from an Irish Piper when the reach the top of the ominous “snake” hill.
• Again there is a 1-mile Family Race which begins at St. Francis and follows the last of the 5K course.
• NEW: “While You Run” childcare, check your kids in at the Family Race start. Run the first 2 miles of the 5K, check your kids back out to run the Family Race together. Your 5K time will suffer of course.
• NEW: Pub Crawl – Friday March 12th!
• NEW: School Registration Contest! $5 from each registration fee can be donated to the local school of your choice! Just—type in your school’s name at registration–the school with the most registrations will be awarded an additional $1,500! Registrations can track their school’s progress at www.covetoclover.com/schools.
• NEW: School Limerick Contest — A $500 prize will be awarded to the school (or non-profit for non- student entries) who present the winning Limerick! Limerick contest details at www.covetoclover.com/limerick. BTW, we’re working on our own Limerick that starts “There once was a man from B-Town…”
• NEW: Start Line Party – Live Band inside the Normandy Park Cove Building prior to the race so you can warm up dancing to old school rock and roll.
• NEW: Expanded Pre-Race shuttle service from the finish line to the start line.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER:

5k at 1:00pm:

• $30.00 early registration (before Mar. 2nd; $35 after)

Family Race (1 mile) at 1:30 PM:

• $25.00 early registration (before Mar. 2nd; $30 after)

Some other highlights include:

• On-course Irish Pipes
• Irish Entertainment
• 2 Live Bands
• Bigger Beer Garden
• 1-mile Family Race
• Free Hot Dogs for Kids
• Free Root Beer Garden
• Irish Grub

Not a runner? Get involved as a race day volunteer! Please contact John Nelson at jonelson@adobe.com.

As the official web Sponsor of the Cove To Clover race, we’ll be posting more updates soon (including details on the Pub Crawl March 12th!), so be sure to check back often.

More information available at the official Cove to Clover website here.

by Scott Schaefer

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 Area 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

On Friday afternoon (Jan. 29th), the first of two rounds of Burien’s annual “Empty Bowls” fundraiser for the Highline Area Food Bank was served.

For just $10, visitors received a full meal of soup made by various local restaurants and served in one-of-a-kind bowls handcrafted by area Potters, along with bread, cookies and a drink. There was also a dinner served between 4pm and 8pm.

When we visited for dinner, Highline Food Bank Executive Director Mike Werle told us that the lunch crowd was “a record,” in the neighborhood of 470 or so guests. As the dinner crowds wandered in, Werle assured us that the evening group would be another record.

BTB Photographer Michael Brunk dropped by for lunch and captured these photos:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

We’ll be posting the total numbers from this fundraiser, along with more photos soon, so stay tuned to The B-Town Blog!

The second annual “Cove To Clover” fundraiser 5K race will be Sunday, March 14th, winding its way from the Normandy Park Community Club up the dreaded “snake hill” to the finish line in front of Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub.

We’re proud to be a Sponsor of this great event, which serves as a fundraiser for the Highline Food Bank. Last year over $12,000 was raised, and this year’s goal is $20,000!

If you’re interested in registering, please click here.

If you thought last year’s race was fun and challenging, just wait until you get a whiff of some o’the new elements for 2010. It’s as if the dial on the family-friendly funometer has been cranked up to 11 – check out some of the new features:

• The race begins at 1pm on Sunday, March 14th at Normandy Park Community Club. The course winds up “snake hill” all the way to the Gregory Heights neighborhood, past St. Francis of Assisi, crosses 152nd street with the finish line in Burien Town Square, where there will be a traditional Irish Festival.
• This challenging course takes its toll on even the most seasoned runners! Two water stops are provided, and racers will be rewarded with music from an Irish Piper when the reach the top of the ominous “snake” hill.
• Again there is a 1-mile Family Race which begins at St. Francis and follows the last of the 5K course.
• NEW: “While You Run” childcare, check your kids in at the Family Race start. Run the first 2 miles of the 5K, check your kids back out to run the Family Race together. Your 5K time will suffer of course.
• NEW: Pub Crawl – Friday March 12th!
• NEW: School Registration Contest! $5 from each registration fee can be donated to the local school of your choice! Just—type in your school’s name at registration–the school with the most registrations will be awarded an additional $1,500! Registrations can track their school’s progress at www.covetoclover.com/schools.
• NEW: School Limerick Contest — A $500 prize will be awarded to the school (or non-profit for non- student entries) who present the winning Limerick! Limerick contest details at www.covetoclover.com/limerick. BTW, we’re working on our own Limerick that starts “There once was a man from B-Town…”
• NEW: Start Line Party – Live Band inside the Normandy Park Cove Building prior to the race so you can warm up dancing to old school rock and roll.
• NEW: Expanded Pre-Race shuttle service from the finish line to the start line.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER:

5k at 1:00pm:

• $30.00 early registration (before Mar. 2nd; $35 after)

Family Race (1 mile) at 1:30 PM:

• $25.00 early registration (before Mar. 2nd; $30 after)

Here’s a map of the race course:

<a href=”http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/wa/normandy-park/131126275593197103″ mce_href=”http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/wa/normandy-park/131126275593197103″>Official Cove to Clover 5K Route</a><br/><a href=”http://www.mapmyrun.com/find-run/united-states/wa/normandy-park” mce_href=”http://www.mapmyrun.com/find-run/united-states/wa/normandy-park”>Find more Runs in Normandy Park, Washington</a>

Some other highlights include:

• On-course Irish Pipes
• Irish Entertainment
• 2 Live Bands
• Bigger Beer Garden
• 1-mile Family Race
• Free Hot Dogs for Kids
• Free Root Beer Garden
• Irish Grub

RACE DAY SCHEDULE:

• 10:15am+: Take the Free Pre-Race Shuttle – loads at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub starting at 10:15 am (WARNING: Start Line Parking is EXTREMELY LIMITED!). Please park near Burien Town Square and take the free shuttle from Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub. Final shuttle departs promptly at 12:40 pm. Shuttle will drop you at the family race start-line (St. Francis Parish) of the 5K start-line (The Cove).
• 1pm: 5K Race (race starts at 1 pm sharp) Start Line @ Normandy Park Swim Club “The Cove”
• Registration/Packet Pickup from 10:45 am – 12:45 pm @ The Cove
• LIVE ROCK BAND starts at 10:45 am: “The Throbs” will be cranking out old school rock and roll at the start line until race time. Warm your bones rocking out to covers of Nirvana, AC/DC, Scorpions and other eye-popping ROCK!!! Come early and avoid the last minute shuttle rush.

FAMILY RACE:

• Race starts at 1:40pm sharp
• Start Line @ St. Francis Church
• Registration/Packet Pickup from 10:45 am – 1:20 pm @ St. Francis Church
• 1 mile-ish. This can be walked or run and will include people of all generations. Hopefully we’ll have Irish Step Dance lessons prior to the start. – Pick up bib
• NEW: “While You Race” Childcare (11:00 am – 1:35 pm) at St. Francis Church
• If you want to run the 5K but your kids aren’t ready for that level of suffering, consider checking your kids into “While You Race” Childcare at the family race start line. You can then run the first 2 miles of the 5K to the Family Race Start, grab your kids and run then run the Family Race together. Child care provided by St. Francis Parish, extra fee may be involved.
• YOU MUST CHECK OUT YOUR CHILD BEFORE FINISHING THE 5K. It is not intended that runners finish the run and then return to claim their children. Due to the tight schedule, this service is for families with children who plan to run the Family Race.
• If you do the math, you’ll need to be able to run the first 2 miles in 30 minutes to pickup your child in time for the Family Race. Shuttle from the finish line, will stop drop you at St. Francis to check in your kids. Then you can re-board the shuttle to be taken to the 5K start line (the Cove).

FINISH LINE FESTIVAL AT BURIEN TOWN SQUARE:

• Finish Line Irish Festival runs from 2pm – 5pm at Burien Town Square
• “The Haggis Bros” are a lively Irish Band. You can enjoy the show from the beer garden (or free root beer garden for the kiddies). Be entertained by traditional step dancers while you gnash some Irish grub.

Not a runner? Get involved as a race day volunteer: Please contact John Nelson at jonelson@adobe.com.

And there are still some great Sponsorship Opportunities available – please email Ashley Fosberg at fosberg5@comcast.net for a sponsorship packet!

As the official web Sponsor of the Cove To Clover race, we’ll be posting more updates soon (including details on the Pub Crawl March 12th!), so be sure to come back often.

We’d like to remind all our Readers that Burien’s annual “Empty Bowls” fundraiser for the Highline Area Food Bank is next 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 at the Moshier Art Center to help.

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!):

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