The 2011 Toys for Tots Collection is now taking place at the Normandy Park Towne Center through December 14th, where new unwrapped toys can be dropped off daily from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

New owner Tom O’Keefe graciously donated the space in the Towne Center for the use by the US Marines.

Towne Center is located at 19900 1st Avenue South in Normandy Park.

Contact at the donation site is US Marine Christopher Mahoney at 206-304-3043.

Transform Burien, a cooperative group of Christ-centered churches located in the Burien/Highline area, will be holding a special Toy/Gift Giveaway event on Sunday, Dec. 19th for families that find it hard to provide the gifts they would like to this Christmas.

In addition to this giveaway event, Transform Burien hosts a free hot meal for families and people in need every Sunday from 3pm – 5pm and free sack lunches every Wednesday from 12pm – 3pm in the former location of the Burien Community Center at 425 SW 144th Street (at the intersection of 4th SW & SW 146th).

Guests are also provided with basic grocery needs and are welcome to a community clothing closet where they can choose from wardrobe necessities. These meals feed anywhere from 60 to over 100 people on average.

In a time when seemingly everything is in need, this group of eight local community churches have provided for the most vulnerable in our community; however, none of would be possible without donations from you, the community members. Toys are still in need for the gift giveaway on December 19th as well as non-perishable grocery items and clothing.

Donations can be made at the former Burien Community Center, on Wednesday from 12pm – 2pm; Friday from 9am – 11am; or before 4pm on Sunday, Dec. 19th.

If you can help make a parent make their child’s Christmas brighter in a difficult time please contact the Transform Burien group with your donation:

Website: http://www.transformburien.org/index.htm

Email: pastor@westsideburien.org

Phone: 206.439.9031

by Ralph Nichols

Tired of navigating traffic on Southcenter Parkway as you drive to shop for holiday gifts at Toys “R” Us® in Tukwila?

Of course you are.

But now there’s good news for Highline residents who plan on going to this popular specialty store for just the right toys for kids and grandkids, nieces and nephews this holiday season.

A 5,000 square foot Toys “R” Us Express store will open this Saturday, Sept. 18th, at 14200 1st Ave. S., Suite A, just north of the Fred Meyer parking lot and opposite the Jack in the Box drive through.

Burien Economic Development Manager Dick Loman said company officials will review their sales activity in early January “and will make a final decision as to whether to continue operations” locally.

“We’re very pleased that the Toys “R” Us people have decided to open a store here in Burien on a trial basis,” Loman told The B-Town Blog on Sept. 15.

“They’re a very strong retailer and I’m very confident that their sales here this holiday season will encourage them to remain on a permanent basis.”

He added that the addition of the toy outlet and the recent re-opening of Burien Nissan should boost a slow “upward trend” in city sales tax revenues during the fourth quarter this year.

The national retailer will operate approximately 600 Toys “R” Us Express stores in malls and shopping centers during the 2010 holiday season, in addition to its 587 full-size Toys “R” Us stores in the United States.

“By doubling the number of Toys “R” Us locations nationwide, now more than ever we will be available when and where customers want to shop with us this holiday season,” Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, said in a news release.

Last year, the company opened about 90 Toys “R” Us Express stores including one in Federal Way – its first express store venture – many of which have remained open.

The company has announced that, “similar to last year [it] will look for opportunities to keep select stores open following the holiday season.”

View Larger Map

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

On Wednesday Dec. 10th, I left the BTB offices on 10th SW to visit the Digital Print Center at Bartell Drugs in their new location in Burien. I had already been schooled on how to make my own custom-made Christmas cards by a very knowledgeable associate the day before.

I was delighted to find the Salvation Army and KOMO 1000 News collecting new toys outside of the Burien Bartells location:

Jennifer Kupka, Bartell Drugs Advertising/Marketing Manager, Bill Yeend, KOMO AM morning News Anchor and Major Kathy Sargent of The Salvation Army show off some of the gifts collected at Bartell Drugs in Burien.

After designing our Christmas card, I conducted an interview with Bartell’s Ad and Marketing Manager Jennifer Kupka and Major Kathy Sargent of the Salvation Army.  I learned that this is the sixth year that Bartell Drugs has teamed with a number of media outlets and the ‘Army’ to collect Toys for the Giving Tree.

How exciting it was to have KOMO 1000 News’ tent outside of Burien’s very own Bartells, mostly because it was the only Baretells location selected for the massive toy drive by KOMO and the Salvation Army.  All 50+ Bartell locations are collecting toys, however.

In an all-day event in front of Bartells, by 4:30pm, three large barrels had been collected, and the fourth was filled to capacity.  Plus there were cash donations in the familiar red bucket. Also collecting toys and cash were KOMO’s Morning News Anchor Bill Yeend and Account Executive Barbara Ross.

According to www.bartellsdrugs.com, the Salvation Army Toy ‘N’ Joy Giving Tree takes place from Nov. 20th to Dec. 17th, where Bartell Drugs has teamed up with the Salvation Army to collect new, unwrapped toys for needy children from age 0-17.  The collected toys, according to Major Kathy Sargent of the Salvation Army, will be distributed in the Salvation Army’s “toy warehouse,” held at Qwest Exhibition Center on December 18 from 9AM to 6PM.  Parents/guardians of children who have signed up will be able to go shopping to select gifts for their children.

Bartells wants to thank all of their customers for helping put smiles on over 3,000 children’s faces at Christmas time.

Burien/Normandy Park Fire Department’s Lt. Inspector John Zilke is at it again!

As in years past, John is coordinating the very large and important Christmas Outreach Program in the Burien and White Center areas. Our very own Burien Fire Department (King County Fire District 2, Burien & Normandy Park) has been helping needy families during the holidays for over 20 years.

This translates to thousands of families enjoying a happy holiday because of Burien’s generosity.

This year, with the help of the White Center DSHS, 73 local needy families have been identified to be recipients of Burien’s largess.  Thirteen local businesses have volunteered to be drop-off locations and are accepting NEW toys, canned food, gift cards and cash.  Thanks to both our local Fred Meyer and your cash donations, each family will also receive a turkey dinner.

All donations must be made by the morning of December 22. Upon final collection, John and our firefighters match the gifts with the families’ needs at Sunnydale School, where they will be loaded up and delivered by Santa Claus and others on December 23.

To help out our fire department, eleven departments within Highline Medical Center have each adopted one family. Sylvester Middle School students and teachers will be conducting in-school food drives as part of this community effort.

Some of the toys and food delivered to the Burien Fire Department the first day of the outreach program. For locations on where you can donate, please see the list below.

John knows that this is a particularly tough year to ask for donations, but adds. “Your donations bring light to the holidays for a needy family.”

Following are the local businesses where you can donate to the Christmas Outreach Program:

• Albertson’s—15340 1st Ave S. & 12725 1st Ave S.
• Boulevard Park Place Seniors Community—2805 S. 125th
• Burien Fire Department—15100 8th Ave. SW & 135 S. Normandy Rd.
• Burien Chevrolet—1440 1st Ave S.
• Burien Toyota—15025 1st Ave S. & 139 SW 150th St.
• Collins Chiropractic—619 SW 152nd
• Curves—17824 1st Ave S.
• Dooley’s General Store—625 SW 152nd
• Frenzi—218 SW 153rd
• North Highline Fire Department—1243 SW 112th & 1606 S. 128th
• Highline Medical Center—16252 Sylvester Rd SW
• Highline Medical Center—Riverton Campus 12844 Military Rd. S, & 23030 Military Rd
• North Highline Fire Department—1243 SW 112th & 1606 S. 128th
• Red Apple Market—96th & Des Moines Memorial Dr.
• YB Tubless/Economy Wiring—633 SW 148th

Look for the Seafair Pirates' Holiday Treasure Chests at both Dan the Sausageman and Goodie Gumdrops. Donations of non-perishable food items and toys are encouraged!

The Seafair Pirates not only have the ability to scare the livin’ bejesus out of any B-Towner, they also have the ability to help needy families, especially during this time of year.

That’s why they’ve brought in their Holiday Treasure Chests to the following two Olde Burien businesses, where they’ll be on display and awaiting donations until Wednesday, Dec. 24th:

• Dan the Sausageman’s shop, located at 923 SW 152nd Street
• Goodie Gumdrops Toy Shop, located at 816 SW 152nd Street

Generous B-Towners can donate:

• Non-perishable food items (cans, boxes, etc.)
• Toys

Text from the Seafair Pirate’s P-Arrrrgh:

While we’re a notoriously scurvy bunch, we Pirates have big hearts and simply can’t stand the thought that there will be children that wake up Christmas morning with nothing to open. With that in mind, in 1996, we began the Holiday Treasure Chest program.

We discovered that far too many families were going without a Christmas because they were unable to find assistance. The Seafair Pirates heard the need, and met the challenge to help these deserving folks. That is how our program was born.

Since the creation of our program, with the help of local businesses and “Pirate Santa’s” throughout the community, we have served thousands of individual families; have provided countless tons of food and goods to local service providing charities and distributed tens of thousands of new gifts to children throughout the Puget Sound region.

We distribute throughout the Puget Sound area. We are constantly on the lookout for donated warehouse space as the holidays approach. As soon as we have established a “home base”, we begin filling it with our collections from the community and the purchases that we make. We create two areas within the warehouse. One holds the “treasures” where our clients can come and choose gift s for their children and the other holds our foodstuffs.

The families will receive enough food for the holidays and countless days after the holidays have passed. With greater resources and more diligence, we know that we could have served an even greater number of deserving families. For this reason, we have begun our eff orts even earlier this year. We began organizing immediately following the Torchlight Parade and are currently accepting donations as well as taking names of individuals interested in volunteering. In order to make this program a success we spend countless hours acquiring the necessary goods and funds. It doesn’t end there however. If at all possible, we spend individual time speaking with each family and ascertain their needs. If we find that there is a special request, we will network within the community to fulfill it if at all possible.

We need to give credit where credit is due, and thank you for the role you play in making our program possible. We would not be able to continue our work without your kindness and generosity. You are truly a tribute to compassion and we value each and every one of you.