West Seattle, Washington
25 Wednesday
In the waning days of the school year, some longtime educators are not getting ready just for summer, but for the endless summer of retirement. That applies to one at Lafayette Elementary for whom colleagues are organizing a “fond farewell” and hoping you can help:
Did you or your child attend Lafayette Elementary and have Cindy Adams as a teacher? After over 30 years of teaching, she will be retiring. Please help us wish her a fond farewell and thank you for all of her years of teaching. Students and families, past and present, are invited to send cards, art, poems to the front office to be compiled to send as a surprise to her by June 29th.
Please feel free to email your letter to bjjones1@seattleschools.org and we will print it out. Or mail your letter to Lafayette Elementary (2645 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116) addressed to Cindy Adams c/o Brooke Jones. Thanks so much!
The Mount got a facelift inside and out on Friday from a big group of volunteers. Thanks to Scott Nelson for the photos and report:
On June 9, nearly 100 volunteers gathered at West Seattle’s Providence Mount St. Vincent (lovingly called “The Mount”) with wheelbarrows, shovels, and work gloves in hand. It was the annual Day of Service where Deloitte and Providence volunteers joined hands to show the West Seattle residents how important they are.
For 6+ years, this collaboration has benefitted the elderly residents and young children enrolled in learning programs who can better enjoy their common spaces, gardens, and each other as part of an intergenerational facility. This year’s Day of Service event is helping The Mount spruce up the grounds for their 100-year anniversary come January 2024.
Molly Swain, Foundation Director for The Mount, welcomed volunteers that morning, explaining that “The Mount is about community and people coming together to help make the end of life as extraordinary as the beginning of life.” Providence Group Vice President, Frances Chao, values the effort because it is “about connecting with each other and nature while carrying forward the spirit of Providence.” Randy Bush, Principal at Deloitte, and his Deloitte colleagues joined in recognition of Deloitte’s Impact Day and praised the opportunity to come together to give back to the community.
Two major Pride events in West Seattle are set for next weekend. On Saturday (June 17), the first Pridefest in The Junction is planned at seven venues. The lineup, from organizer Alex Garcia:
Our goal is to celebrate diversity, pride, community, LGBTQ culture and our local businesses. 1 night, 7 amazing FREE events in Alaska Junction. Click on links to RSVP and learn more
6-9 pm: Queer Art Show @
Revelry RoomJet City Labs8-9:30 pm: Trivia Night Pride Edition @ Camp West
8-9:30 pm: LGBTQ Comedy Show @ Great American Diner
8-10 pm: Pride Bingo @ Supreme Pizza
9-11 pm: Queer Rock Show @ Poggie Tavern
9-11:30 pm: Queer Drag Show @ Shadowland
9 pm-1 am: Pride Fest Dance After Party @ The Alley
Organizer Alex is co-proprietor of Admiral Pub, which is hosting a pre-funk the night before – Friday, June 16th – 9 pm-midnight. Like last weekend’s Sounds From Around the World Festál, Pridefest is one of three grant-funded events happening this summer in The Junction, as first noted here.
Then on Sunday (June 18th):
(WSB photo, 2022 Pride March in Morgan Junction)
Autumn Lovewell and Monica Colgan of Youngstown Coffee, HeartBeet Organic Superfoods Café, and Launchpad are again organizing the annual Morgan Junction Pride March. 11 am, meet up at (updated) Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW) – the march’s mission is to celebrate families and youth so all ages, and allies, are welcome.
After more than 30 years with local cooperative preschools, Teacher Kylene has touched countless families’ lives. In honor of her career, a celebration is planned this Saturday (June 10th), 10 am-noon at Highland Park playground (1100 SW Cloverdale). Organizers have this invitation for families past and present: “Join us in celebration of Kylene’s teaching career and let her know the impact she’s had on your family!” They also are requesting any photos you might have – (updated) upload them here.
A West Seattle family is launching a new way to celebrate Pride. Michael Mattinger emailed us to say that “a number of streets in West Seattle are planning Seattle’s first neighborhood ‘Pride Night Out‘ (much like Night Out),” starting at 5 pm Thursday, June 22nd. Michael explains, “My husband and I, who live in West Seattle, had this idea as it’s personally important for us to show our kids that our streets, neighborhood and NEIGHBORS are a safe place amidst the LGBTQ+ challenges facing our nation these days. The most beautiful part is that most of our support is coming from Allies and not necessarily members of the LGBTQ+ community. Our neighbors are really stepping up and creating a family-friendly way to celebrate Pride with our little ones.” For Michael’s neighborhood party, they’re planning music, food, games, face painters, poetry readings, a nonprofit-giving table for Lambert House, and a performance by West Seattle drag queen Dolly Madison.
Michael is getting the word out about this “in hopes that other streets across West Seattle are inspired to band together to celebrate their own local LGBTQ+ pride on June 22. It’s extremely easy … all one needs is a permit and a few interested neighbors.” Already, he says, other neighborhoods in the metro area have heard about it and are planning Neighborhood Pride Night Out events – Capitol Hill, Bellevue, Kirkland, and Shoreline, so they’ve broadened the logo (above right) to “Seattle Pride Night Out.” If you’re in the city limits, you can apply for a street-party permit – for this or any other occasion – by going here. They’ve set up a social-media group for discussion/support, here.
(WSB photo)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
After 35 years with Southwest Youth and Family Services, executive director Steve Daschle is saying goodbye.
This Wednesday (May 24th) will be his last day on the job.
Even if you’ve never met him, his work likely has touched your life in some way – if not his work with SWYFS, then certainly his many other community endeavors.
First – about SWYFS, if you’re not familiar with it. “We’re sort of a quiet organization, but effective,” Daschle summarizes. It’s a regional human-services nonprofit headquartered in a blink-and-you-miss it beige building at 4555 Delridge Way SW. That’s adjacent to Delridge Playfield, which Daschle’s office overlooks. But SWYFS wasn’t there when he started in 1988 – it was at 35th/Henderson, and then moved to Delridge, in a former Parks building, in 1996 (the building was vacated when Delridge Community Center’s current building opened in 1994).
Were you among the estimated 4,000+ volunteers who pitched in for “One Seattle Day of Service“ today? We have pics from two West Seattle sites. First, Sally Heit tells us about the cleanup at the former Seattle Lutheran High School campus on the north edge of The Junction:
On the One Seattle Day of Service, a bunch of volunteers and I spent the morning really cleaning up the Landscaping around the former Seattle Lutheran High School campus and parking lot.
Craig Bowen, parishioner of Hope Church, provided a Cedar Grove Composting truck so we could take down some overgrown trees as well as other debris.
The truck holds 25 yards and we filled it! We still have more to do but hopefully we have made the area around the campus more open and friendly to the neighborhood and those who walk.
It was exciting to see the progress!!
In High Point, one of the “opening acts” for today’s West Seattle Bee Festival was a neighborhood cleanup with a swarm of volunteers. We saw a couple still on patrol during the heart of the festival:
And we noticed the results of volunteers’ work:
If you missed the chance to help today, there are many other opportunities throughout the year – we put them in our Event Calendar when we get word of them, and you can also connect with the prolific group A Cleaner Alki, for one.
Congratulations to the four local students announced as the Rotary Club of West Seattle‘s latest scholarship winners:
On May 9th, West Seattle Rotary awarded the 2022-23 West Seattle public high school Student of the Year (SoY) and Gambriell scholarships.
Will Fralia of West Seattle High won the $6,000 1st place SoY scholarship. He will be attending Washington State University. Drew Atkinson of Summit Atlas High won a $1,000 co-2nd place SoY scholarship. He will be attending the University of Washington. Evelyn Alfaro of Chief Sealth Int’l High won a $1,000 co-2nd place SoY scholarship (she could not attend due to an International Baccalaureate exam conflict). She will be attending the University of Washington. Each awardee was chosen by their high school to be their school’s SoY nominee from among their Student of the Month awardees. A SoY Evaluation Team of West Seattle Rotarians then made the final determination, a job made very difficult by the nominees’ extraordinary qualifications.
George Barron, a West Seattle High graduate and graduating South Seattle College student, won the $6,000 Gambriell scholarship. He will be attending Western Washington University. Ashton Sawade, a West Seattle High student, won the $1,500 2nd Place Gambriell Scholarship. He will be attending Washington State University. A Gambriell Evaluation Team of West Seattle Rotarians made the determination from among 10 applicants, once again a job made very difficult by the nominees’ extraordinary qualifications.
The SoY awards are made possible by donations to the West Seattle Rotary Service Foundation, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit operated by West Seattle Rotary volunteers. Donations can be made online (go to westseattlerotary.org) or by attending its fundraisers, such as the recent Rainbow Bingo and the May 20th Breakfast Fundraiser.
The Gambriell awards are made possible by an endowment made to the West Seattle Rotary Service Foundation in memory of Vern Gambriell, which is also operated by West Seattle Rotary volunteers.
Your next chance to support the Rotary Club’s community work is by joining them for the aforementioned fundraising breakfast at 8 am tomorrow (Saturday, May 20th) – details are in our calendar listing.
The Westside Friends program, offered by the Senior Center of West Seattle, has plenty of volunteers – but is looking for people they can help! Maybe you or someone you know? Here’s the announcement the SCWS asked us to share:
The Westside Friends program matches West Seattle seniors and people with disabilities (“WSF Friends”) with volunteers for companionship, help with projects, and assistance with tasks like grocery shopping.
Many of our WSF Friends and their volunteers create deep, long-term connections that are both meaningful and fun. If you decide you’d like to be matched with a volunteer, the same person will visit with you each time.
Our volunteers will meet with you in your home and do things like listening and sharing stories, taking walks, occasionally driving to errands or appointments, going with you to a movie or out to lunch, sharing a cup of coffee, planting flowers in pots, and watching sports on TV.
Westside Friends volunteers are kind and interesting people from your neighborhood. They’ve been interviewed, oriented, background-checked, and are fully vaccinated.
Interested or Have Questions? Contact ~
Michele Fawcett-Long, Senior Center of West Seattle
206-928-1730 or michelef@soundgenerations.org
(Photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“We really count on community support – this community comes through.”
That’s what longtime West Seattle Food Bank executive director Fran Yeatts told the nearly 200 community members who gathered last night at The Hall at Fauntleroy to celebrate and support WSFB.
On one hand, it was a classic fundraising gala – dinner, drinks, dessert, donations. On the other, it marked a milestone – 40 years of “neighbors helping neighbors,” as emcee Matthew DiLoreto declared early on. The food bank’s work goes far beyond food – since merging with the West Seattle Helpline three years ago, it also provides emergency assistance to help people stay housed. That is an extra-sizable challenge in Seattle where the cost of living is 49 percent above the national average, DiLoreto said.
Also taking the microphone was WSFB board president David Weld, who observed that the organization provides help that is much-needed in a world where “random” trouble can land people in need, from job loss to illness to family tragedy.
“Because fate delivers these things, there will always be those who through no fault of their own need help. We deliver that help without judgment, and reflexively.” And community help is needed to keep that work going because “the greatest source of (WSFB) funding is individual cash contributions.”
Weld also recounted a proud moment just weeks ago, when rock superstar Bruce Springsteen came to Seattle and for the third time exhorted fans to support WSFB (which had volunteers at the arena and collected almost $20,000 in donations).
We’ve reported before on Bettie Williams-Watson, the West Seattleite who runs Multi-Communities, which works toward goals of “ending domestic and gender-based violence against Black girls and women while centering collective healing for our whole community.” She has just been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, in the annual Purple Ribbon Awards. These are national awards presented by an organization that catalogs domestic-violence shelters and programs across the U.S. According to Multi-Communities’ annual report (read it here), Williams-Watson’s organization assisted more than 2,000 people last year. This is work that she’s been doing for more than 35 years now; she tells WSB, “I still haven’t quite figured out the meaning of ‘Retirement’ and ‘Taking Time Off,’ but I am getting there. I feel so blessed in my ‘rocking chair years’ to still be able to keep busy helping to serve others, and to have such a fantastic board and other community supporters, who are the main community ingredients in making a positive impact on those we are privileged to serve.”
As the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce throws a party Thursday night to celebrate its first century, it’s looking for a new executive director to lead it into its second. After two years, Whitney Moore will be departing – but not until July 31st, after she sees the organization through upcoming events and initiatives, also including the Westside Awards breakfast on May 16th. Announcing her resignation to the membership earlier this month, the Chamber board said in part:
She pulled us through such challenging times between the pandemic and extended closure of the West Seattle Bridge. Through her leadership, we have expanded the reach of the Chamber, added meaningful programming opportunities for our membership, and improved the structure of our organization in so many different ways.
The announcement also noted that Moore’s post-Chamber plans include completion of a children’s book.The job description for her successor is not yet posted on the Chamber’s site.
Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Westside Awards, announced this afternoon by the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce:
Annually, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce presents the Westside Awards honoring three local businesses and one individual who demonstrates results-oriented leadership, a cornerstone of a thriving economic region. We received an outpouring of nominations from the community for the 2023 Westside Awards and this year’s winners are:
Westside Business of the Year: Easy Street Records
Westside Emerging Business of the Year: Papa Tony’s Hot Sauce
Westside Not-for-Profit of the Year: Providence Mount St. Vincent
Westsider of the Year: Claiborne Bell
We will be honoring this year’s winners and nominees at the Annual Westside Awards Breakfast on Tuesday, May 16th, 2023, 7:30 am-9 am, at The Brockey Center at South Seattle College. Please join us for networking, a delicious buffet breakfast, recognition of all the nominees and to hear directly from this year’s winners. Early Bird Pricing for tickets is $55/person – Early Bird Pricing in effect through April 29th, and $65/person – April 30th or later. The deadline for purchasing tickets is Wednesday, May 4th at midnight. Get your tickets at wschamber.com.
You can see all of this year’s nominees listed in the full announcement, here.
(Photo courtesy FIRST Robotics)
A student robotics team with West Seattle members has just scored big in regional competition – here’s the report from a Skunk Works Robotics 1983 supporter:
The Skunk Works Robotics Team 1983 had an impressive showing at the Pacific Northwest FIRST Robotics District Championships in Cheney, WA last weekend and secured a spot to compete in the FIRST Championship world competition in Houston, Texas on April 19-22!
In 2022, the City of Houston hosted the largest FIRST Championship event to date, with 36,000 attendees from more than 50 countries, and they anticipate this year’s event to be even bigger. FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through inclusive, team-based robotics programs. Skunk Works Robotics Team 1983 is made up of 30 students, all of whom are in 8th to 10th grade and come from various areas of King County such as West Seattle, White Center, Burien, and more.
At the District Championship competition last weekend, Skunk Works Robotics was added as a 4th team to the #1 ranked alliance and ended the weekend with the following results:
– Secured Skunk Works Robotics Team 1983 position at the World Competition in Houston.
– Tied a world record score of 192 points in one match (193 is a perfect game).
– Received the coveted Excellence in Engineering Award.
– Won the District Championship (with our alliance teams – this is not a standalone win).
– Ranked 14th in the FIRST Pacific Northwest district (made up of Washington, Alaska and Oregon).In addition, at the recent Sammamish district event Skunk Works 1983 received the Gracious Professionalism Award, a prestigious honor that recognizes teams that not only compete hard on the field but also help other teams and schools by sharing their knowledge and resources.
This is a remarkable accomplishment for the team this year because over 80% of the students are rookies. This team has been slowly rebuilding after the pandemic – and coverage from local media, such as West Seattle Blog, has helped tremendously with fundraising and to reach prospective new students and families.
The team meets in a location provided by the Highline School District and will hold an open house down the road, for families interested in learning more about opportunities for students in 9th – 11th grade to learn software programming, CAD design, marketing/business planning, building electronics, and part fabrication. Visit www.skunkworks1983.com to learn more.
Tommy Andrade did something for himself by giving up an engineering career for hair-cutting shortly after moving here from Texas, in hopes of a more-balanced life. Now this West Seattle barber has found a way to do something for others too. Andrade is supporting foster kids, actually in two ways: Offering them free haircuts on Sundays, and donating 20 percent of his proceeds the first week of each month to Amara. He contacted WSB to get the word out more widely in the community – and in hopes of inspiring others to realize they can make a difference in the world too.
Andrade says he was inspired to help foster kids by two things: He has friends involved with the foster system, and he personally experienced the loss of a parent – he was just 10 years old when his dad died. Community volunteers helped him back then, via the Big Brothers program. Along with helping Amara financially, he’s also collecting other donations – toys and clothing (here’s the Amara wish list), and when the next school year gets closer, he plans a school-supply drive. (He’s also hoping to raise money through seasonal events, like a beard-trimming promotion.) He works at Rain City Barbershop in The Admiral District (just east of Safeway), and you can find booking/contact info on their website.
WestSide Baby, the West Seattleite-founded and White Center-headquartered nonprofit, has announced a new executive director. Michelle Hankinson will succeed Sarah Cody Roth, who left earlier this year after three years in that role. The announcement says Hankinson has spent almost 15 years working at nonprofits, most recently at Childhaven as Senior Director of Early Support Services for Infants and Toddlers and Healthy Start, with roles before that including serving as executive director of Renton Area Youth Services, which merged with Childhaven. WestSide Baby is best known for helping families deal with diaper need, but that’s just part of the work the nonprofit and its volunteers and supporters have dune on behalf of the youngest members of the community. WS Baby started out primarily serving West Seattle, White Center, and vicinity, but has expanded its reach in recent years into other parts of King County.
MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: The missing teen’s mom says he has been found and is safe.
Earlier:
West Seattle’s drag scene is booming. Along with the longrunning West End Girls monthly “drag extravaganza” at The Skylark, there’s now also regular Out At The Box nights at Box Bar, shows at Admiral Pub, the new Kenyon Hall Cabaret, and more. (We list them all on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar when we get advance notice.) Now a new addition – the first-ever Drag Tea at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (3940 41st SW) – here’s the invitation they asked us to share:
We are thrilled to be hosting a Drag Tea on April 1st from 1 pm to 3 pm.
Yes Tea, Yes Shade, Yes Pink Lemonade! Come delight in an afternoon of tea, snacks, community, and FUN with drag queen Ms. Penny Cost! All ages welcome!
100% of proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Beloved Arise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to LGBTQIA+ youth of faith. Beloved Arise seeks to build relationships, offer support, and inspire youth to embrace life to the fullest.
Pay what you can. Every dollar will go to support Beloved Arise. Suggested Donations: $20 adult, $10 kids and youth
Attire: You do you! Wear what makes you feel most yourself! Dress casual or dress up, just be YOU!
Learn more about Tibbetts UMC by visiting our website. Tibbetts is at 3940 41st Ave SW; enter the Fellowship Hall at the corner of 41st and Andover.
Please reserve your seat! Tickets & info here.
We recently spotted that Halloween holdover in Highland Park, costumed as a Girl Scout Cookies promoter. Until now, it’s just been advance/online cookie-sales time, but starting Friday, cookie booths will pop up around West Seattle (and of course elsewhere) for in-person purchases. Here’s the lookup to see where, by zip code, you’ll find cookie booths. And Scouts and their families are excited – we’ve heard from two today, in fact.
–Troop 46258 will be outside Husky Deli on Sunday the 5th from Noon to 2 pm and outside West Seattle Thriftway at Morgan Junction on Wednesday the 15th from 6 to 8 pm. That information is courtesy of Scout Norah and her family, who also shared her cookie-selling website if you won’t be able to get to a booth and want to order by mail (deadline March 13) or order for free home delivery (by March 20).
–Troop 41268‘s co-cookie manager Antoinette sends word that “Our Daisies (5-6 year olds) are doing their first-ever Girl Scout cookie booth sale this Friday from 3-5 pm at Dog City. Jan, the owner, is kind enough to let us have it there and the girls are excited! We will also be at Thriftway on Saturday (10-12 pm) and True Value (10 am-12 pm Sunday) for the Farmers Market.”
Any other troops interested in a mention can email us (westseattleblog@gmail.com). Cookie booths will continue through March 19th.
P.S. Some changes this year, according to the official news release – including a new variety, Raspberry Rally, and a price increase. Plus, a reminder of what the cookie sales are all about:
Our mission at Girl Scouts of Western Washington is to build Girl Scouts of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Cookie Program supports this mission by providing hands-on experience in setting goals, making business decisions, and embarking on a lifelong leadership journey. The cookie program also provides an essential way for Girl Scouts to cover the cost of their Girl Scout experiences. Many Girl Scouts use cookie revenue to pay for membership dues, program supplies, and activities like travel, camp, and STEM exploration.
ADDED TUESDAY: We heard from Angela regarding the cookie-promoting skeleton shown above;
Thanks for featuring our skeleton friend Mr. LeBONEski! Our daughter, Harper from Troop 41169, helped her grandma design and sew the giant Girl Scout vest to help market her cookie sales. Harper will be selling in person at the Highland Park Corner Store on Sunday from 11-1 and again next Thursday evening from 5:30-7:30, while the store has the Where Ya At Matt food truck outside. Come say hi and help her push to her final fundraising goal for her big trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos in July! You can also order online for local delivery or shipping at her website: digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/scout/harper143137 If you don’t want to purchase cookies, a donation on the website will send cookies to our troops and help Harper and our troop with fundraising – win-win-win!
Also, a HUGE thank you to the West Seattle community for supporting Harper and the rest of troop 41169! Our girls have learned so much over the last 8 years through cookies sales and they are making dreams come true with the proceeds! I have been amazed watching them transform from little five years olds selling a few boxes to true entrepreneurs- creating email marketing campaigns, taking over inventory management, planning complicated delivery routes and learning how to provide excellent customer service!
We also heard today from Jolene:
Troop 42301 will be selling at Menchie’s in the Admiral Junction Friday, March 3rd, 4-6 (we will be on the sidewalk on California), March 4th at Thriftway in the Morgan Junction 12-2 pm, and March 5th at the Roxbury Safeway, 10-2.
Keith Hughes, who runs the West Seattle Veteran Center and the emergency shelter hosted inside it, is “Washingtonian of the Day.” Governor Jay Inslee and First Lady Trudi Inslee traveled to West Seattle this morning to present the award in person.
Here’s our video of the short ceremony, in which the governor presented that certificate as well as an apple pin:
There to show their support were community leaders from groups/organizations including the Westside Interfaith Network, West Seattle Chamber of Commerce (which honored Hughes last year as Westsider of the Year), and WS Junction Association.
Before presenting the award, the Inslees toured the center/shelter, housed inside historic American Legion Post 160. With another snap of sub-freezing weather forecast for later this week, we asked Hughes if the shelter has any specific current needs. Here’s what you can donate: Hot-cocoa mix (packets preferred), coffee creamer (powdered type), underwear, T-shirts, and jeans (men’s and women’s) – not a huge amount of those items, maybe a dozen each. The center/shelter is at 3618 SW Alaska. (Added: And as noted in comments, it now has a website.)
Some got flowers for Valentine’s Day. Some got jewelry. Sara got … a replica of the West Seattle Bridge. She and her Valentine emailed us late tonight to tell the story:
We thought we’d share our valentine to which other West Seattleites might relate.
Sara lives in West Seattle. Cameron lives in Capitol Hill. After numerous arduous trips through Georgetown to see each other, our relationship cooled slowly but steadily during the bridge repairs.
He says he called Sara for weekend outings to keep the relationship alive with the mantra, “just get to the bridge opening.” The bridge opened, they went on more outings, he appealed to rekindle things, and lo and behold, things are warming up again.
When he told her while skiing recently that he prays at an altar of the West Seattle bridge … the idea of a Valentine’s gift for her was born.
Cam found his old architecture basswood in the basement, scoured the internet for photos, even schematic scaled plans, and got to work on the model itself, the night before Valentine’s Day.
Thank you dear Lady of the West Seattle Bridge, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude.
Love, Sara and Cam
Just in from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce – nominations are being welcomed for the 2023 Westside Awards:
Annually the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce presents the Westside Awards, and the nomination portal is now live for you to submit your selections for 1) Business of the Year, 2) Not-for-Profit of the Year, 3) Emerging Business of the Year, and 4) Westsider of the Year.
The community is invited to submit nominations online here forms.office.com/r/igvg7KMMg0. Deadline to submit nominations is Tuesday, March 7th, 2023.
Mark your calendar for the Annual Westside Awards Breakfast to be held in-person on Tuesday, May 16th, 2023, at The Brockey Center at South Seattle College. At this event, the West Seattle Chamber will honor the award winners as well as the awardee finalists. Event details to follow at wschamber.com. Take a look back at the previous Westside Award winners in each category here: wschamber.com/westside-awards.
If you have questions about the Westside Awards, please reach out to Chamber Executive Director Whitney Moore at whitney@wschamber.com.
We’ve reported before on West Seattle filmmaker Amy Benson‘s work, including the award-winning “Drawing the Tiger.” This time, she’s telling a personal story – which is also one that’s ahead for us all, one way or another:
I am making my first personal documentary about my mom, Patsy Benson, a 92-year-old retired actress and homemaker who lives at The Kenney on Fauntleroy.
The film is called “The Last Act: A short documentary about Life and Death.” It follows my mom’s journey of deciding it is no longer safe to live on her own and finding a retirement community she can afford and feel at home — all while her best friend of 60 years is in hospice. It is a film about aging and preparing emotionally for the final stage of life. It is half verite documentary and half theatrical performance. Throughout, my mom performs monologues that we captured on the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center stage.
We are currently running a Kickstarter campaign for finishing funds for the film. We need to raise $14,300 by February 22. The campaign is going really well and I believe we will make our goal. Once we do, we plan on making a stretch goal to fund free screenings at senior settings in greater Seattle accompanied by a curriculum for seniors and their adult children/care partners.
We are on target to have the project completed by May. My mom and I will premiere it at The Kenney over the summer, as well as Kenyon Hall. It is edited by West Seattle resident Kristin Ougendal.
Even if you’re not interested in donating, check out the Kickstarter page to watch a two-minute video about the project, in which you’ll meet Amy’s mom and also hear from Amy, who explains she’s telling the story because she feels her mom’s approach to this stage of life is “both comforting and contagious.” (As somber as the subject matter may sound, the video is likely to make you smile.)
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