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.
Craig Thompson at a community meeting about PacMed development in August 2011.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Photo by Lexie Flickinger via Creative Commons/Flickr.
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.
“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.”
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.
Last weekend, Beacon Food Forest supporters came out in force for the project’s “Ground Making Day.” Project organizer Glenn Herlihy sent out this letter to neighbors and supporters:
The Beacon Food Forest’s Ground Making day was an absolute blast. We’d like to thank the 100 plus community volunteers who came out and converted 3750 square feet of grass into the first Beacon Food Forest planting bed. It was an impressive sight to see so many people farming, smiling, eating and learning together.
We planted the first plum trees and a few shrubs that arrived on bicycle trailers powered by the good people of Beacon Bikes, we shared a delicious meal supplied by Tom Douglas, Essential Bakery, Central Coop and La Panzanella, and made a lot of friends. Thank you nutrient donors! Thanks also to City Fruit and ACTrees, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle P-Patch, Seattle Parks and Recreation and SPU for being apart of a successful collaboration.
Thank you Food Foresters for making the time to become responsible stewards of your public land. Nice work people!
The homework help program has two sessions per day, Monday through Thursday, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (7th grade – 12th grade) and 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (2nd grade – 6th grade). The tutoring program has two sessions per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m..
For more information on these volunteer positions, contact the Volunteer Coordinator at srvvolunteer@positivelace.org or at 206-436-1893.
Local non-profit group El Centro de la Raza‘s 40th anniversary celebration is this Saturday, September 29 at the Seattle Westin Hotel. There will be a reception, historical art walk, live and silent auctions, awards, and more.
The keynote speaker will be New Mexico Congressman Ben Ray Luján, the second Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Co-chair of the bipartisan Technology Transfer Caucus.
Volunteers in multiple areas are still needed to help the event run smoothly. The most help is needed between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m.; dinner will be provided for volunteers. If you’re interested, contact Taylor Skoglund, volunteer coordinator, at volunteer@elcentrodelaraza.org or call (206) 957-4602.
