Beacon Hill Blog

Help plant demonstration bean garden

ROCKit Community Arts and the Beacon Hill Garden Club invite neighbors to help plant a demonstration garden at El Centro de la Raza later this week. The garden is planned to feature 24 cedar planters with over 20 varieties of beans, creating “the neighborhood’s first free veggie u-pick.”

Planting starts on Thursday, May 23 from 4-6:30 p.m. and continues on Friday, May 24 at the same time. On Saturday, May 25, the planting party takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers should bring a trowel and gloves; everything else will be provided. El Centro de la Raza is located at 2524 16th Ave. S.

Tags: garden club, gardening

Dine out in SE Seattle to help your community

This Thursday, April 25, Lifelong AIDS Alliance’s Dining Out For Life returns to raise money to fight illness and hunger in our community. During the event, when you dine at a participating restaurant on Beacon Hill or elsewhere, a portion of your bill will be donated to Lifelong.

Restaurants in the Beacon Hill/Columbia City/Mount Baker neighborhoods that are participating include:

• Baja Bistro
• Bananas Grill
• Bar del Corso
• Columbia City Ale House
• Geraldine’s Counter
• Mioposto
• Rookies Sports Bar and Grill
• Safari Njema Restaurant
• St. Dames
• Tutta Bella Pizzeria

Besides the benefit of contributing to your community, if you dine at one of these establishments you’ll also be entered to win two domestic airline tickets from Alaska Airlines. Tweet photos of yourself participating, and you’ll have a chance to win a Dining Out For Life prize package.

See the restaurant locations in this interactive map:

Tags: columbia city, fundraising, mount baker, north beacon, restaurants

Volunteers needed for free tax prep at El Centro de la Raza

United Way of King County is currently recruiting volunteers to manage and operate free tax preparation sites in King County during the tax season in early 2013.

Volunteers will help clients complete their tax returns efficiently, to get all refunds and credits they are eligible for. Clients will also be able to sign up for public benefits, get help completing FAFSA (financial aid) applications, get their credit report, and learn about opportunities to open a savings account or invest in a savings bond.

Last year at El Centro de la Raza on North Beacon Hill, volunteers helped 604 households file returns, which resulted in $967,992 in refunds returned to the community.

United Way is still looking for volunteers at the El Centro de la Raza tax site. Each volunteer is asked to commit to training (provided by United Way) and a 4-hour weekly shift. Speakers of Chinese, Vietnamese, Spanish, Somali, Korean, Amharic, Cambodian and Russian are encouraged to volunteer. For more information or to register,

For complete descriptions or to register, go here.

Tags: tax prep

Local volunteer recognized with Denny Award

Seattle Parks and Recreation announced today the winners of the 2012 Denny Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Stewardship. Among the winners: Beacon Hill’s own Craig
Thompson, who received the Community Stewardship Award for his work at Dr. Jose Rizal Park and the nearby area.

Here’s how Parks described him:

“Since 2001, Craig Thompson has been on a mission to reclaim the overgrown, crime ridden hillside at the north end of the East Duwamish Greenbelt and to activate Dr. Jose Rizal Park.

“He has spent hundreds of hours clearing brush himself and organizing work parties for thousands of volunteers. After a decade of volunteer leadership and personal stewardship, Craig’s hard work is paying off. With the completion of the Mountains to Sound Greenway trail through the greenbelt and park, activity has increased tenfold. Craig now spearheads activation. He continues to solicit and lead volunteer groups. He has provided mentorship and support to the new Off Leash Dog Area Steward. He inspired and continues to lead an Orchard Steward group, which has renovated and maintains an orchard in the park. And, he is now a Green Seattle Partnership Forest Steward.”

Additionally, Russell Odell was nominated for an award. He is a youth mock trial instructor at Jefferson Community Center.

The Denny Awards are named for Seattle pioneers David T. and Louisa Denny, who donated land for Seattle’s first park, Denny Park, in 1884.

Tags: jose rizal park

Ref. 74 supporters seek others to help wave signs

Neighbor Eric writes:

I am organizing a group of neighbors and friends to support Marriage Equality and wave Approve Ref. 74 signs on Election Day.

Event Details. 7:00am-8:30am on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 6) @ MLK & Rainier Ave. S

• ~ Wear appropriate clothes in case it rains.
• ~ Take the light rail or park on any side street and meet us at the big intersection of MLK & Rainier Ave. S in front of Franklin High School and across from Starbucks.
• ~ Bring your Approve Ref. 74 yard sign or borrow one of ours.

Please call Eric @ 206.387.6255 if you have questions.

If anyone else on Beacon Hill is planning election-related activities for Tuesday that the neighborhood should know about, let me know and I will compile them into a post that will go up on Monday.

Tags: election, politics

John C. Little Park needs your help Saturday

The Green Seattle Day organizers want you to know that volunteers are still needed to help out at another local park, John C. Little Park on South Beacon Hill, on Saturday, November 3. (We previously mentioned a work party at the Cheasty Greenspace.)

Volunteers will help remove invasive species, and plant native trees, shrubs, and ground cover.

The work party will run from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Volunteers should meet at the tool chest located behind the town homes along Holly Park Dr S. This area is located above the children’s playground in the upper part of John C. Little park. To reach the work area, follow the signs that lead up to the alley way behind the townhomes. The tool chest can be found under the large tree located halfway up the alley.

Please dress appropriately for weather conditions, and bring snacks and a filled water bottle.

Find out more and register to volunteer here.

Tags: john.c. little park, south beacon

Volunteers wanted for Green Seattle Day at Cheasty Greenspace/Mt. View

The Cheasty Greenspace/Mt. View is a host site for the upcoming Green Seattle Day on Saturday, November 3. Neighbors and friends of the Greenspace are invited to participate in this special volunteer event.

According to the Friends of Cheasty Greenspace,

“We have over 800 native plants, shrubs and trees that need to be planted to transform the Angeline Entrance, our gateway into the park. We will also be completing the Columbian Way Link; if you like robust trail building work, this is for you!”

Volunteers should meet at 9:45 a.m. Saturday morning at 2809 S. Alaska Place, one block west of the Columbia City Link station. The work party will run from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., with a noon break for lunch. Tools and gloves are provided; please bring your own lunch, water, and a snack for the community snack table.

Find out more here.

Tags: cheasty greenspace

Building Credit presentation at Cleveland HS, 10/30

The Cleveland High School Eagles PTSA is sponsoring financial classes (open to anyone in South Seattle) and parent conversation groups (open to anyone with children). All classes are free.

The next class is Tuesday, October 30, from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Cleveland High School lunchroom, 5511 15th Ave. S. The presentation, “Building Credit,” is taught by staff from Boeing Employee Credit Union, and will help attendees understand credit reports and what can and can’t be done to correct errors on a credit report.

The PTSA is also looking for volunteers to lead groups of speakers of Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Somali. Volunteers should also be reasonably fluent in English. The first classes will be in English only, but in the future, the plan is to train translaters in the course material so they can lead classes in these languages.

If you would like to volunteer, or just have questions, please contact Angela Mealing at eaglesmama@ymail.com.

Tags: cleveland hs, money, ptsa

Quieter Skies update: meeting with FAA next Tuesday

Neighbor Tina Ray sent this letter to the blog about the Quieter Skies task force here on the Hill:

Hope everyone is enjoying the fall! All parties included on this email chain were on my earlier airplane noise list – if you have friends and neighbors interested in this issue, I encourage you to forward this email! We also have a Facebook page: Quieter Skies – you can “like” us and keep updated on what we are doing as a community.

Our meeting with the FAA is next Tuesday, October 23 from 6:30 to 8:30 at the New Holly Gathering Hall – the address is 7054 32nd Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98118.

This meeting is very important for our neighborhood, and I encourage everyone to attend. Please get the word out to all your neighbors – this is such an important issue for our community.

I have flyers printed, and I have been delivering them to houses, passing them out at the Beacon Hill light rail station, and handing them to just about everyone I encounter throughout my day. In addition, these flyers are being translated into several languages, so all our neighbors can join together at this meeting. We are also trying to line up translators for the meeting – Spanish, Somali, Chinese, and Tagalog. If we need additional languages, let us know!

WE NEED HELP GETTING THE WORD OUT. If anyone can spend an hour passing out flyers, it would really help us out. I have flyer copies at my house, and we can forward the printable document to anyone interested. Black & white copies are inexpensive – about a nickel apiece, but I am more than happy to provide neighbors with copies myself.

Also: if you haven’t signed our petition, here is the link.

We are presenting the signatures and comments to the FAA at the meeting. If you haven’t signed, please do and PASS THE LINK ON TO YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS!

Tags: airplane noise

Beacon Hill teachers trying to raise funds for needed supplies

Several teachers at Beacon Hill schools are using the DonorsChoose.org online charity website to appeal for donations from the community for supplies needed in their classrooms.

Teacher Diane Trudowski at Maple Elementary School is seeking donations toward the purchase of an iPad for use by her class, “Mrs. Trudnowski’s Second Grade All-Stars.”

On the fundraising page at DonorsChoose.org, Trudowski explains:

“iPads are transforming education at the primary grades! Children being able to connect with math, writing, and reading just through the touch of their hands is incredible! Sadly, my district’s budget has not kept up with advances in technology (i.e. iPads) – our computers are 10+ years old and slow.

“…This year 3 primary grade classrooms at our school have been using iPads every day. It has been eye-opening to observe how this incredible technology has transformed the way children are learning – it’s a whole new ball game! I want my students to be able to hit a home run with their learning – an iPad and protective cover will engage my ‘team’ and increase their academic achievement to Major League levels! Won’t you step up to the plate and help us be in a league of our own?”

The amount remaining is $940 for a 64G New iPad with cover, sales taxes, fees, and an optional $148 donation to help support DonorsChoose.org.

Over at Beacon Hill International School, BHIS Art Specialist Mary Howard Logel is requesting donations for art supplies: watercolor paints, brushes, permanent black markers, watercolor paper, and a portable drying rack. The project totals $835, with $333 remaining to raise. An anonymous donor is matching donations to the project.

Logel says:

“This project will provide painting materials for a whole year for my students as well as a drying rack that will be used for many years to come. Art increases student confidence, motivation, and critical thinking skills while allowing them to express their learning in diverse ways.”

Also at BHIS, Ashley Meier is raising funds for six iPads for classroom use.

At Kimball Elementary, Laurie Roseto wants to fund a book cart and privacy partitions. Another Kimball teacher, Mary Gallagher, needs chairs for her first grade class to use.

At Van Asselt Elementary School, Laila Henderson’s fifth grade class needs two Dell netbooks. She explains:

“Students in this low-socioeconomic area come to my 5th grade class with limited typing and research skills. With the proper resources such as these laptops, they will engage in hands-on projects in reading, writing, math, science, and social studies.”

High school teachers are also in need of supplies. At Franklin High School, Melissa Anne Povey is raising funds for 31 science books, including Women in Science, The Joy of Chemistry, The Physics of Baseball, and more.

You can see all the Seattle School District DonorsChoose appeals here.

Tags: bhis, franklin hs, kimball, maple elementary school