We would again like to thank the community for their support of the Exchange Club of Highline!

Thanks to the generosity of donors and attendees at our January auction, we will be able to support even more community organizations than ever. In our upcoming budget year, we have committed more than $54,000 to local groups and organizations. The complete list can be found on our website www.exchangeclubofhighline.com. Without help, this would not be possible. Thanks again!

But the Club’s community support doesn’t end with monetary donations. Our Club members take a hands-on approach to helping. Members were out in force at our recent toilet paper drive at the 5-Corners Albertson’s. With donations and Club support, we got more than 9,000 rolls of toilet paper to be given to our three area food banks — Des Moines, Highline and White Center.

Twice a year we gather and box up care packages for our troops in Afghanistan. Our most recent packages were at the request of the troops. They wanted their “home away from home” to have more of a holiday feeling. So this last November we gathered Christmas decorations such as lights, garlands and candy canes and sent them off. We have gotten thank you letters back with pictures of the decorations. They were much appreciated. We will have more care packages of supplies and snacks to be sent soon.

With the start of school in the fall, many students cannot afford backpacks or school supplies. Over the summer we will be purchasing more than 500 backpacks and filling them with school supplies for our area school children.

If you’d like to join us, we would love to have you as a member! If you would like more information, you can contact us at exchangeclubofhighline@earthlink.net.

Thank you so much for helping us help the community!
– Exchange Club of Highline

[Have something you'd like to share with our Readers? Please send us your Letter to the Editor via email. Include your full name, and, pending our review, we'll most likely publish it.]

As we reported Thursday (May 19), a major shoplifting ring responsible for stealing millions of dollars in merchandise from Burien, Normandy Park and White Center stores was broken up by a joint local police task force.

The total loss to area retailers in the investigation was estimated at $4.8 million.

The Normandy Park Police Department emailed us Friday, and asked us to post a big “Thanks!” to all the officers and departments who helped in this investigation – here they are:

Normandy Park Police:

• Chief Rick Kieffer
• Assistant Chief Chris Gaddis
• Assistant Chief Don Weikart – Retired
• Sergeant Brian Sommer
• Officer Dave Unger
• Officer Brian Norris
• Officer David Bond

Burien/KCSO:

• Sheriff Rahr
• Chief Kimerer
• Captain Cole
• Sergeant McLauchlan
• Detective Keller
• Deputy Rayborn
• Precinct 4 Detectives
• Burien SET Team
• Unincorporated NDET Team
• Regional Intelligence Group

Outside Agencies:

• Susan Storey – KCPAO
• Andy Hamilton – KCPAO
• Immigration Customs Enforcement
• Commander Behrbaum – Issaquah Police
• Coalition of Small Police Agencies Special Operations Team
• Organized Retail Crime Loss Prevention Officers

From everyone here at The B-Town Blog (as well as local residents and retailers), we tip our collective hats to these fine folks for making our area safer!

We’d like to wish all our Readers, Advertisers, neighbors, friends, families and even total strangers a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Our entire staff is incredibly thankful for the opportunity you’ve allowed us to create a genuine, locally-produced, popular community website where Readers can get the most up-to-date Local News, Event Listings, Arts, Business News, Entertainment, Photos and more; all the while creating a grass-roots “virtual backyard fence” where anyone can leave a Comment on any posting, as well as submit their own stories, forum postings, letters to the editor, photos and more.

We’re humbled by your growing interest in what we produce, and we encourage everyone to continue emailing us your ideas, suggestions, comments, photos and more so we can serve you better.

We vow to continue our policy of Transparency, Accountability and Openness, and we hope to keep growing and serving our community of Burien, WA, population 45,332, better than any other media outlet around.

In closing, we’d like to share a Comment that was posted by “CoverOfLight” today that made us all feel good:

The B-town Blog has become Burien’s virtual back fence.

This sort of shared information, done properly, could really serve to strengthen our community.

We, the family of Carly Danielle Henley are in deep gratitude.

We have been surrounded, uplifted and held by this community over the past 20 days since learning of Carly’s death.

Friends have brought firewood for the fire we kept burning for Carly for seven days and seven nights.

Neighbors brought meals which allowed us to feed the hundreds of guests that came to and through our home.

Beautiful flowers were delivered to help us remember how beautiful Carly was.

So many remarkable people from this community have cared and called and cried with us.

We had no idea of the strength of our community and are richly blessed by it.

From our family to yours,
Thank you.

David, Blake & Bryce Henley, Dede Henley Norris, Steve, Chris and Spencer Norris

On this Thanksgiving 2009, we here at The B-Town Blog are ever-so-thankful for all our Readers, Advertisers and Contributors, and we send our heartiest, cranberry-soakiest, stuffingist, yammiest, Tofurkeyturdukenist wishes to everyone!

Unless something big happens, we’re all taking the day off to engorge ourselves with our dysfunctional families and friends.

Here are some of the things us B-Town Bloggers are thankful for this year:

“I’m thankful for the diverse range of people who call this area their home. I’m thankful for the smiling faces I see at local businesses that I frequent. I’m thankful for the gorgeous views and beaches of Three Tree Point. I’m thankful for the eagles I see circling in the skies above and that osprey I saw dive and catch a fish this summer. I’m thankful that there’s always something going on here, which means we’re never at a loss for content. I’m thankful for everyone who helps with this blog, which is growing every day. And last but not least, I am thankful for my family and friends!” – Scott Schaefer

Thankful that the farmer’s market is finally in its new home; and back where it started at when Lamont’s was sitting there empty. Thankful that there were only two beavers that had to be euthanized. Thankful for the new library, city hall & town square park and the vision that business and government leaders had way back when. Thankful that Discover Burien got a new exec director. Thankful that Scat the cat lived through his attack by the deranged man. Thankful for our customers at BTB. Thankful for our readers at BTB. - Janet Grella

“I am thankful we live in a nation with a free economy and a strong and indefatigable First Amendment, where an upstart neighborhood blog such as The B-Town Blog can birth itself, thrive and grow. This simply is not the case in many other parts of the world.” - Mark Neuman

The stuff I am thankful for are the people and staff that contribute to the blog and their genuine care and involvement in our communities.
The growth and progress of the amazing small business owners we have. We are lucky they are here.  The readers!!! I couldn’t be more excited to hear of our numbers and see that people really care about the stories we are able to provide. I am thankful for the growth Burien has seen over the last year.. agree with the direction or not… the progress has been well achieved. - Gina Bourdage

I am thankful for family and pets, for good friends, for good health, and for work even in this recession. And for a suburban city like Burien that fosters a sense of community, and looks to the future with optimism. And for the men and women of the King County Sheriff’s Office/Burien Police Department and our firefighters who help protect us. And for the men and women from the Highline area who serve in America’s armed forces. And for the B-Town Blog, which provides a real source of news and information for the community. And for all the little things in life that matter a lot. - Ralph Nichols

“I’m thankful for all of the parks and beautiful trees (especially during the fall) that make Burien so very pretty and easy to enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving!!” – Amy Bouska

“I am thankful for everybody who contributed to our food bank fundraisers, knowing that everything they did will help the less fortunate in the area. I hope to see everyone at our next one at Tin Cellars on Tuesday, Dec. 8th!” - Bart Bryan

“I’m thankful for the ability to do whatever the hell I want – I’m going backpacking in Costa Rica soon! I’m also thankful for my youth and my irresponsibility! – Danielle Burton

Here’s some Turkeyday artwork to enjoy from our youthful, irresponsible artist Danielle Burton:

Click image to see larger version.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

What are YOU thankful for? Please leave a Comment below…

Please make a note of it, spread the word, and do NOT show up with any more donations, since nobody will be there taking things in.

Lynda Insernio of Sterling Savings Bank sent out this email note:

I have worked with each of the families and have funds that we have already distributed or will distribute to them in the amount of $900.00 each to help them get into permanent housing.

There are additional funds in the account I will use for a further distribution once I know how much we have left in the account.  This has been an amazing experience that was shared by many folks.

We at the B-Town Blog would now like to take a moment to give some serious Shout Outs to local businesses, neighbors and just plain ol’ good peeps who donated to this fine cause, which benefited the families displaced by the June 29th apartment arson fire that killed three:

VOLUNTEERS WHO STAFFED THE DONATION CENTER:

• Burien/Normandy Park Fire Dept.
• The Mysterious International Soccer Team who helped move items
• Christian Supply for donating the office space
• Karen Paden
• John & Amber Paden
• Terri & Jared Butcher
• Sandra Aguilla
• Amy Hance-Brancati
• Molly Verbon
• Gwen Benedict
• Matthew Benedict
• Ian Benedict
• Sandra Holmes
• Ray & Jean Johnson
• Kassidy Daw
• Manyableshal Makey
• Peggy Dunlap
• Adanech Makey
• Nicole Isernio
• Angela Isernio
• Ellie Cain
• Gee Braun
• Lesley Scheunemann
• Carol Verbon
• Peggie Recker
• Danny Zaballos
• Max Cullinan
• Kerng Clausen
• Jennifer Dumlao
• Mabel Chu
• Vicci Kennedy
• Gus Ramos
• Roycie Ditullio
• Jane Caqncro
• Mary Jane Lane
• Amy Cullinan
• Gay Paulus
• Sandra Holmes
• Nancy Sparks
• Cari Sparks
• Lynn Mays
• Nicole Mays
• Allison Gobat
• Betsy Akena
• Joslin Briggs
• Jess & Carol Graf
• Natalie Cullinan
• Wendy Zaballos
• Ashley & Jamie Olson
• Ronald Donaldson
• Patricia Hanley
• Terri Hanley
• Dennis Bjornstad
• Bill Williams
• Chris Bacon
• Paul Mathews
• David Rieger
• Chuck Hanson
• Dawn Thompson
• Mark Bailey
• DeAn Small
• Erin Colins
• Lupita Ayon
• Lucy Mason
• Alicia Brewer
• Magdalenc Ayon
• Celina Quintero
• Logan Brickell
• Stephanie Altness
• Cindi Saltness
• Scott Dixon
• Carla Jones
• Kathy Fitz
• Rose Clark
• Mayor Joan McGilton
• Sue Blazak
• Mike Martin
• Chris Barnes
• The Whistler Family
• Brenda Martin
• Gary Clausen and Hillcrest Bowl
• Jimenez Family
• The Will Family
• Anyone else who didn’t leave a name – THANKS!

BUSINESSES WHICH DONATED TIME/MONEY:

• Burien/Normandy Park Fire Dept.
• The Other LLC (Mr. Richards, the landlord for Christian Supply who donated the building)
• Burien Auto Group ($6000.00 donation to the families)
• Burien Grocery Outlet ($25.00 donation to each family unit)
• Wayne’s Grocery ($30.00 Gift certificate to each family unit)
• La Costa (25 dinners donated to members of the families)
• Bison Creek Pizza (held the first fundraiser July 6th, which brought in $5,000)
• Mick and Adrian of Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub (held fundraiser auction July 16th, which brought in over $10,500)
• The Mark Restaurant
• Patty Sader and Discover Burien
• Debra George of Marketing Innovations
• Scott Schaefer/Mark Neuman of The B-Town Blog
• Mark Minium of Burien Honda, for hosting the fundraiser auction
• Elliot Bay Brewery
• Gina & Jim Kallman who not only help setup the silent auction but then provided security for those items the entire night of the event
• Glendale Lutheran Church
• David Scheer Chiropractic
• Dr. & Mrs Dennis Hansen Jr.
• IBEW Local #46
• Sterling Savings Bank
• Collins Chiropractic
• Lake Burien Presbyterian Church
• The Red Cross
• Gregory Heights School
• The Union Gospel Mission
• Lynn Coleman
• Kathy Keene
• Rose Clark
• Rochelle Flynn
• Beth Snyder
• Steve Costanzo
• Janel Stoneback
• Cathy Low
• Jesann Spani
• Ross Locher
• Ana Hughes
• Dr. Aaron Collins and his wife Erin

INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS:

• Dean Parker
• Patricia DeCastongrene
• Katherine Higgins
• Meridith Luethe
• Pamela Nomura
• Ray & Jean Johnson
• Peggy & Mike DeLeon
• Nancy Willis
• Loran & Sheila Kollmorgen
• Judy Peterson
• Sharelle Lerck
• Barbara Clairmont
• Norris Anderson
• Margaret lisowski
• Kathy Fitz
• Amy Hallnum
• James & Debra Wickham
• Sam Colombo

AUCTION DONATIONS:

• Sylvan Learning Center
• Katie Arnold and her husband
• Colleen Monette
• The Hi-Liner’s
• Tina Orwell
• Dr. Elie Levy
• Hey Paison!
• Burien Little Theatre
• Key Bank
• Vino Bello
• Highline Therapy
• Full Tilt Ice Cream
• Trader Joe’s
• Lee Moyer
• Dr. John Muramatsu
• Alaska Airlines
• Port of Seattle
• Jean Kim
• Jessica at the Tae Kwon Do Studio
• Rick Cosgrave
• B-Town Blog
• Body Matters
• Jim Coleman DDS
• El Dorado West Retirement
• Elliott Bay Brewhouse
• Richard Bodine
• Burien Honda
• Robinson Newspapers
• Madeline, Chloe Bjordahl
• Highline Medical Group
• The Tin Room
• 909 Coffee & Wine
• The Mark Restaurant
• Optimark
• Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub

This isn’t a complete list by any means, so if you know of someone or group we’ve overlooked, please let us know.