WLB Advertiser Highline Medical Center is hosting a Blood Drive with Puget Sound Blood Center this Thursday, Aug. 26th, at Highline’s main campus in Burien.

The drive will be held in Somers Auditorium, on Highline’s Main Campus, from 9:30am – 3:30pm, with a break from 11:30am – 12:30pm.

Donors are required to be at least 18 years of age, and weigh at least 110 lbs or more.

Appointments last approximately one hour, and involve a health questionnaire, brief examination and about 10-minutes of blood collection.

After the donation, cookies, water and juice will be provided during the rest period.

To donate blood, please schedule your appointment by call (206) 901-5034 or email: chervin@highlinemedical.org.

Every two minutes someone in Western Washington needs a blood transfusion. Help keep this resource plentiful and donate blood today!

Our friends at the Highline Historical Society (we’re members, are you? Join here) are looking for people who worked at Sea-Tac Airport or for an airline or airport vendor between 1930 and 2000.

If you have a story to tell about your time spent at the airport, or if you have personal mementos such as photos, uniforms, ephemera (contracts, tickets, advertisements, schedules, etc.), or even home movies taken at the airport, the Historical Society would like to hear from you.

The Society can make careful copies of photos and documents and return the originals to the owner in pristine, museum-quality conditions.

This is a unique opportunity to be part of preserving the history of Sea-Tac Airport, and of documenting its impact on the communities of Highline. Donors of memories and memorabilia will be entered in a drawing to win a dinner for two at Mick Kelley’s Irish Pub in Burien.

If you can help out, please contact the Society today by calling 206-246-6354, or by e-mailing editor@highlinehistory.org.

Here’s a great photo courtesy the historical society, of Opening Day of Sea-Tac International Airport, taken in July, 1949 (more great photos here):

The King County Sheriff’s Department reports that they found Carl Wallace, age 58 and suffering from dementia, Friday night (July 16) in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Wallace was found safe, with his vehicle and dog “Frankie.”

He was first reported missing from the Burien area on Friday July 16th:

PREVIOUSLY:

On Friday (July 16) the King County Sheriff’s Department sent out word that they’re seeking the public’s help in finding 58-year old Carl Wallace, last seen in Burien.

According to police, he was last seen Thursday (July 15th) in the Burien area, and might be intending to drive to California.

Wallace suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease, and is in the area from Idaho for medical treatment.

The missing man has little gas, no credit or debit cards, little money, and did not know how to get to the freeway from Burien.

He is likely driving a black, 1990 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, Idaho license 1AEB756.

His dog “Frankie” is with him, a brown and white border collie, weighing about 40 lbs.

Wallace is 5’ 7” tall, 180 lbs., and gray hair, blue eyes, and a full beard.

He has a tattoo on his left forearm of purple roses with “Carl + Betty.” He is wearing a gray shirt, tan shorts, tan boat shoes, and might have a purple sweater.

If anyone sees Carl Wallace they should call 9-1-1 or the Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours).

WLB Advertiser Des Moines United Methodist Church is offering a workshop series on employment, beginning Monday, July 12th and continuing for the following two Mondays.

The workshop will run from Noon – 1pm on Mondays, July 12, 19 and 26.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Employment Workshops

WHEN: Mondays, July 12, 19 & 26, Noon – 1:00 p.m., Wesley Room

WHERE: Des Moines United Methodist Church’s Wesley Room, located at 22225 9th Ave. South, Des Moines; 206-878-8301.

INFO: “Want support and assistance looking for a new job or seeking more fulfilling employment?  Join this weekly series to improve your resumes, cover letters, interviewing skills, networking techniques, and job searches. Open to the public.”

[Would you like to have a Blogvertorial story, Ad and/or Event Listing like this on a popular, fast-growing website seen by thousands of interested Local Readers every month? Email us for more info, or check out our Advertise page!]

Story & Photos by Fred Feiertag

[EDITOR'S NOTE: When we found out that our neighbor Fred Feiertag was going to travel some 3,400+ miles to Haiti to help with earthquake relief, we asked if he'd be so kind as to share his experiences with our Readers. This is what he sent us:]

Scott said to keep this simple and tell how my recent trip to Haiti affected me. He doesn’t make it easy. I joined a group of guys who went to Haiti to help build homes for the refugees from the January earthquake. Remember that event? It was just before the Earthquake in Chile. Oh, well, how about that oil spill in the Gulf? It was a while before that…. Having been to Haiti just last year I had fairly fresh memories of how it was. Well it isn’t anymore. The earthquake did to Port Au Prince, the capitol city, in 35 seconds what a large army would need weeks to do. The devastation was extreme. Now, almost six months later less than half the destroyed buildings have been removed.

With hundreds of thousands of ordinary people living in tents, the city looks like the aftermath of war.

How did this make us feel? It made me feel very motivated to help. We went to Haiti knowing that there was a disaster and help was needed. Being there and seeing the destruction and the hardship changes your viewpoint. We didn’t just want to help, we had to help!

Port Au Prince was a bustling city with so much life and tropical color. Now it has been knocked down and covered with the gray of concrete dust. The sights are heart wrenching and almost unbelievable. Here is a tent city built down the middle of one of the only wide boulevards in the city.

Our work site was in a small city 90 miles from the earthquake zone. Les Cayes was not touched by the shaking, but instead has had to care for hundreds of refugees and many injured. On the drive to Les Cayes we saw hundreds of tent cities, mile upon mile of clusters of tents. Some had just a few and more and hundreds of every kind of tent or temporary shelter.

We felt glad that the world has so quickly provided these basic means of shelter. Food and water seemed to be available as well. The like a cloud passing the sun we would think, “Good grief, can you imagine living in a camping tent for six months in this heat?” Once again, we felt the urgency of our project.

In the end we did get the house building effort started. Not without plenty of little annoying troubles. We posed in front of our first house. We hope it is the first of hundreds. By the United Nations, count our score is one done, 249,999 to go.

Who we are: Homes for Haiti Team from Grace Lutheran Church in Des Moines: http://www.gotgrace.com.

The actual home building project is through this agency: Reciprocal Ministries International, RMI, http://www.rminet.org/homesforhaiti/index.htm (NOTE: you can also donate online at this website to help continue this relief effort].

To read more of Fred’s first-hand experiences, or view videos, check out his Facebook Page here.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Do YOU have an interesting story to share? If so, please email us and we'll consider posting it!]

The Des Moines Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in identifying a theft suspect, who was observed between May 17 and 24th and confronted by staff at a nursing care facility in Des Moines.

According to police, the suspect was loitering inside the building on two separate incidents. During one of the incidents he seen wearing nursing scrubs and told a staff member he was looking for a job. The police were not called during either event.

On May 24th, one of the staff nurses discovered her purse was taken and learned shortly afterward that a charge in excess of $800.00 in debit card transactions had taken place against her account. One of those transactions took place at the Redondo Safeway and was captured by surveillance video (see photos below).

Anyone with information as to the identity of the suspect (pictured below) is asked to contact Detective Ross Stuth at rstuth@desmoineswa.gov or 206-870-7615.

The Exchange Club of Highline is holding a toilet paper drive for area food banks through June 30th, and here’s how you can help:

According to a press release:

“Area food banks have a need for more than just food donations.

One highly-sought-after item is toilet paper.

Yes, toilet paper.

Our Club has decided to do something about that.”

If you’d like to help, there are two ways:

1. Drop off toilet paper at any of the following locations:

• Burien Fire Dept
  15100 8th Ave. SW
• Normandy Park Fire Dept
  2nd Ave. S. and Normandy Road
• North Highline Fire Dept
  12th Ave. SW and SW 112th Ave.
• Collins Chiropractic
  619 SW 152nd St.
• E. B. Foote Winery
  127-B SW 153rd St.
• Economy Wiring/YBTubless
  633 SW 148th St.
• Interiors by Jayme
  633 SW 153rd St.
• Matt Griffin YMCA
  3595 S. 188th St.

2. Drop off T.P. at their big Toilet Paper Collection Event on Saturday, June 26th at the 5 Corners Albertson’s in Burien from 9 am – 2 pm. Exchange Club members will be there to collect toilet paper that shoppers would like to buy and donate. They’ll also collect any cash or check donations for this cause.

If anyone would like to make a donation but aren’t able to get out to the drop off locations or to Albertson’s, they can mail a check and the Exchange Club will buy toilet paper for the food bank. Checks can be made out to the Exchange Club of Highline and mailed to:

Exchange Club of Highline
P O Box 66532
Burien WA 98166

Bonnie Timm leads a busy life; she spends her time taking care of her grandchildren and going to the gym. Plus, every Wednesday morning she drives the Burien Hyde Shuttle, picking up seniors and people with disabilities at their homes and taking them to senior centers, grocery stores, medical appointments and other local errands.

Timm started volunteering with Hyde Shuttles five years ago when she found herself with a little extra time. She had just retired from UPS, wanted to work with seniors, and was especially interested in helping those who didn’t have anyone around them to help them out. When she heard about the Hyde Shuttle program, it seemed like the perfect fit. With Timm’s busy schedule, the program’s flexibility appeals to her – she can choose one four-hour shift per week and can take time off for vacation whenever she needs to.

“I love the huge array of people I drive each week – a lot of clients are in their 70s and 80s and have such interesting stories about living through the Great Depression and World War II.  And everyone is so appreciative – they come from a generation where you remember how to be polite!”

Transportation is one of the top problems facing King County’s elderly and disabled population. For people who can’t drive and have no families or friends to help out, getting around town to buy groceries or eat a hot meal at a senior center can be very difficult. More and more people are turning to Hyde Shuttles for help.

Unfortunately, the program doesn’t have enough drivers to meet this demand. In the past month, Hyde Shuttles has been forced to cancel routes in Burien.  The program urgently needs to recruit more volunteer drivers like Timm.

Volunteers choose their weekly shifts and receive free training in defensive driving and passenger assistance. They do not need a special driver’s license and do no lifting or bearing of weight. And, as Timm can tell you, the biggest benefit from driving the Hyde Shuttle is seeing the direct impact of her actions in the lives of the people she serves.

“A Shuttle ride makes their day,” she remarks.

For more information on helping seniors and people with disabilities in Burien by driving the Hyde Shuttle, please call Melissa at (206) 748-7588, email melissat@seniorservices.org or visit www.seniorservices.org.

On Saturday, June 12th, the Rotary Club of Des Moines is conducting “Roto-Mow,” an annual service event that focuses on assisting folks who need a little help with yard work, clean-up and light landscaping.

As many of our Readers know, the Rotary Club of Des Moines, founded in 1958, has a long and rich history serving the Des Moines and Highline Communities.

A sample of the many service projects led by the Rotary Club of Des Moines include community literacy, parks improvement, support to the Des Moines Area Food bank and other service organizations, partnership with local schools, and sponsorship of community events, including the annual Poverty Bay Wine Festival.

Rotarians are looking for a few things, namely:

• More project homes: We try to find folks, usually elderly or disabled, in the Des Moines community, who need some extra help maintaining their properties. If you know of someone who might be a good candidate for this program, let us know and we will follow up!!
• More volunteers: Church groups, sports groups, service groups, any one who wants to contribute is welcome. This is a great opportunity to help out in YOUR community! To volunteer or refer a potential property, please contact Steve Swank, Community Service Chair, Rotary Club of Des Moines, at: sfaustin@comcast.net or 253-941-4959

This is a great event and opportunity to directly impact your community!

by Ralph Nichols

While a cargo container ship steams south from Seattle to Valpariso, Chile – carrying donated winter clothing for victims of February’s 8.8 magnitude earthquake – Patricio Mendoza is organizing one more fundraiser to benefit them.

Dance for Chile (Ven a Bailar por Chile) will be held this Thursday, April 22, at the Havana Sodo Salsa Club, 2942 1st Ave., Seattle, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. There will be a $10 cover charge, with all money from the cover going to Chile relief.

Then Mendoza, the owner of EC Computer, located at 22311 Marine View Dr. in Des Moines, will fly to Chile on April 29 – his airfare donated by Public Access Channel 77 – to meet the shipment when it arrives at Valpariso.

Once there, he will buy kerosene heaters and deliver them along with the clothing, packed in 150 large boxes, to Talcahuano, a port city farther south in the “Zero Zone” where the greatest earthquake damage was done.

The container and its shipping cost were donated by Seattle-based Westward Seafoods.

Mendoza hopes local fundraising efforts – including Thursday’s dance – will bring in enough to pay for a total of 100 heaters, which cost $92 each plus tax. The dual-purpose heaters can also be used for cooking.

With monetary donations already received, he has bought 45 heaters – and paid for another 15 himself. Mendoza said he believes his personal contribution is “giving back to God.”

The heaters, which “will help them through the winter so it will not be so bad,” are being purchased in Chile to eliminate shipping costs. “We do need more financial help,” he added. “Everything, even five dollars or ten dollars, helps.”

Mendoza expressed his thanks “so much for the support this town has given to Chile. We know it’s not enough. There is so much to do. But it’s something that will make a difference.”

Except for the Waterland and B-Town Blogs, his fundraising efforts have been promoted largely word-of-mouth, with support from Latino radio stations AM 1540 and AM 1210.

After he arrives in Chile, Mendoza will get to talk with his father Humbetor for the first time since the earthquake.

Mendoza is the only individual or organization in this area to have permission from the Chilean consulate in San Francisco to ask for money and donations for earthquake relief.

The Des Moines Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a man whose picture was taken as he entered the Walgreens Store in the 23000 block of Pacific Highway South on Saturday, March 10th.

The suspect produced a handgun and demanded entry into the employee area of the pharmacy. He demanded specific prescription medications, placed them into a shopping bag and left the store in a dark colored mid-size Chevrolet sedan. The vehicle is believed to be a model year of 2000 or later. The vehicle was last seen southbound on Pacific Highway South.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, 40 years of age, five foot seven with a medium build, short black hair and no facial hair. It is also possible he has been in the store before.

Here are two surveillance camera photos of him:

If you have any information regarding the identity of this individual, please contact the Des Moines Police Department at 206-878-3301.

The Highline School District will be holding a food drive the week of April 26 – 30, with donations going to both the White Center and Des Moines Food Banks.

According to a release, each school will set a goal, in pounds, for their individual food drive.

With the Feinstein Foundation Challenge still active, donations could effectively be doubled through April 30th.

“This is an exciting opportunity to make an impact on the needs of our community members,” said Audrey Zemke of the White Center Food Bank. “The Alan Feinstein Foundation splits one million dollars in matching funds for all monetary and food donations through April 30.”

Here are the details:

WHAT: Highline School District food drive.

WHEN: The week of April 26 – 30 (Mon-Fri).

WHERE: All Highline Public Schools.

INFO: From a release:

Help fight hunger! Did you know one in five families with children in our region does not have enough money to buy food?

During the week of April 26 – 30, you have a chance to help change that! Highline Public Schools will partner with the Des Moines and White Center Food Banks to raise food and funds for the hungry.

Each school will set a goal, in pounds, for their individual food drive.

We can do this! Stamp out hunger in our community!

Bring non-perishable items…

OR

CASH! ($1 = $4 buying power!)

You can also donate online:

• www.myfoodbank.org (Des Moines)
• www.whitecenterfoodbank.org

Or send donations to:

Highline Food Bank
P.O. Box 66427
Burien, WA 98166

UPDATE 3/31/10: According to Bob Collins, Professional Standards Sergeant of the Des Moines Police Department, the burglary suspect in the security cam photos we posted Tuesday has been identified. We’ll be updating with full details as soon as we receive them.

PREVIOUSLY:

The Des Moines Police Department is requesting the public’s help in identifying one of two burglary suspects, seen below in security camera photos.

The burglary occurred on Sunday, March 28th, at about 5:45pm at a home located in the lower Woodmont neighborhood of Des Moines.

The homeowner had just pulled into his driveway when he saw one suspect walking out the front door carrying multiple items.

The suspect escaped in a dark blue Toyota Land Cruiser being driven by a second suspect.

Both suspects are white males.

The Toyota Landcruiser is believed to be a 1995 model.

Here are photos taken from the home’s security camera 20 minutes apart – note that this pic is of just one of the two suspects, who apparently changed his shirt and came back:

If you recognize this suspect, or believe you have information related to this case, please call the Des Moines Police Department immediately at 206-878-3301 and reference case number 10-0681.

by Ralph Nichols

Patricio Mendoza is making a last-minute push for public donations to fill a 40-foot container with clothing and bedding for victims of last month’s 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile.

Donations of clothing, bedding or cash can be made at Mendoza’s business, EC Computer, located at 22311 Marine View Dr. in Des Moines.

With the deadline for making donations for the earthquake relief effort fast approaching – the cut-off date is this Friday, April 2 – Mendoza said the container is 25 feet full.

“We still need 15 feet of clothes,” he added. “I hope that this week, Holy Week, with Good Friday as the final day for donations, people will find this an appropriate time to give to Chilean earthquake victims in need.

“We’re collecting clothes here. Please, just bring them on in.”

Needed are winter clothes for men, women, boys, girls, and infants and toddlers that are in “good condition.” But “no shoes, and underclothes have to be new only.”

Cash donations will be spent in Chile to buy roofing materials and nets for commercial fishermen.

The container, which is located in north Seattle, has been donated by Seattle-based Westward Seafoods. On Saturday, Mendoza and others will box the donated clothing and put it back in the container, which will ship on Monday.

A 20-day voyage will deliver it to Talcahuano, a port city in the “’Zero Zone’ where the biggest damage was done,” he said.

When the container arrives in Chile, Mendoza will be there to receive it, thanks to a donation from Public Access Channel 77 for his airfare.

While there, he will get to see his father Humbetor and talk to him for the first time since the earthquake. “Other family members have seen him and he’s fine,” Mendoza said. “But his phone doesn’t work and I still haven’t talked to him.”

Mendoza noted that he is the only individual or organization in this area “to have permission from the Chilean consulate in San Francisco to ask for money and donations” for earthquake relief.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Local Businessman Has Family Ties To Chilean Earthquake Disaster

If you read The Waterland Blog regularly, you’re probably aware that, aside from providing a much-needed and timely service to the Des Moines area, we’re growing very quickly in both traffic, content and Advertisers (more info on us here).

And growth can be good, except of course when it starts to overwhelm a very small staff.

Hence, this posting – we’re looking for at least two capable folks to come join our Burien-based team:

1. JOURNALIST/EDITOR with WordPress knowledge (or you’re at least not afraid to learn it). Yes, we need another Editor to collect content, format it, copy edit, add graphics (and do appropriate FTPing if necessary), then push the “Publish” button to update some of our up-and-coming blogs (we currently have 6 total, with more coming soon…).
2. SALES REP who can call on local businesses to let them know about us. We have nice Rate Cards, excellent traffic, our websites’ content speaks for itself, and we’re finding that selling Ads is easy – we just need more feet on the ground!

Here’s some more info:

• We prefer to find local folks who live in the general area.
• We like people who are involved in their communities (we’re active in ours).
• We like to find people who either read the blog already, or know of us.
• You can work part or full-time (some folks working here now have other gigs).
• You can set your own hours.
• This is a “ground-floor opportunity” and you will be part of a small, growing team.
• These are Contractor (1099) positions, meaning that you’ll be paid on an either per-job/hourly basis or pure Commission. And believe it or not, we also accept Volunteers! There are no benefits other than working with a fun, local, talented team who like to make a difference in their community.
• Your work will be seen on not just here on The Waterland Blog, but our five other area sister sites as well, including:
  • The B-Town (Burien) Blog
  • The White Center Blog
  • The Normandy Park Blog
  • The Tukwila Blog
  • The SeaTac Blog

Requirements:

• Please have a computer and internet access (we’ll set you up with an email account).
• Please have a reliable car & valid driver’s license.
• For Sales Reps – please have the ability to manage your clients throughout their entire Ad run on the sites (this includes staying in contact with them, renewing them when their contracts expire, etc.).
• You will work as an Independent Contractor, meaning you’ll be responsible for your own taxes, insurance, etc. and there are no additional benefits).
• You dig the internet and are excited about its future possibilities, including new technologies like the upcoming iPad.
• You like Local News, Events, Arts, Entertainment and more, as well as helping out your community(we hold our own Fundraiser Blog Parties about once per quarter, and over our 2+ year lifespan have raised over $13,000 for local charities).

To apply for one of these positions, please email us your resume, links to your online stuff (ie: Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogs, etc.), and your interests and availability!

The Des Moines Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the man who was photographed by security cameras (see pics below) during a local bank robbery on Saturday, Feb. 13th.

The bank robbery took place around 4pm last Saturday at the Wells Fargo Bank inside the Safeway store at the Redondo Square shopping complex, located at South 272nd and Pacific Highway South.

According to police, the suspect told the bank teller he had a gun and demanded money.

No weapon was seen and no one was injured during the robbery.

The suspect was last seen leaving the area on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The suspect is described as:

• Black male with a very light skin complexion
• About 6’2″ tall
• Thin build
• In his 20s
• Dark colored “beanie hat”
• Dark (or black) hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants
• Silver-rimmed sunglasses

Here are two security cam pics – recognize this guy? Anyone with information about this case should call the Des Moines Police immediately at 206-878-3301 or dial 911:

The Des Moines Area Food Bank is holding a fundraiser Italian Dinner this Saturday, Feb. 13th, beginning at 6:30 pm at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, which is located at 15226 21st Ave SW in Burien.

The Des Moines Area Food Bank serves the city of Des Moines, most of the city of SeaTac and parts of Normandy Park and the West Hill of Kent.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Des Moines Food Bank Italian Dinner

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 13th beginning at 6:30pm

WHERE: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, which is located at 15226 21st Ave SW in Burien

COST: $25 per ticket; call for reservations: (206) 878-2660.

INFO: Here’s what to expect on the menu:

• Antipasto
• Salad
• Penne pasta with red sauce & meatballs
• Coffee
• Tea
• Dessert
• No host bar (beer and wine)

For more information, visit the Des Moines Area Food Bank website: www.myfoodbank.org.

The second annual “Cove To Clover” fundraiser 5K race will be Sunday, March 14th, winding its way from the Normandy Park Community Club up the dreaded “snake hill” to the finish line in front of Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub.

We’re proud to be a Sponsor of this great event, which serves as a fundraiser for the Highline Food Bank. Last year over $12,000 was raised, and this year’s goal is $20,000!

If you’re interested in registering, please click here.

If you thought last year’s race was fun and challenging, just wait until you get a whiff of some o’the new elements for 2010. It’s as if the dial on the family-friendly funometer has been cranked up to 11 – check out some of the new features:

• The race begins at 1pm on Sunday, March 14th at Normandy Park Community Club. The course winds up “snake hill” all the way to the Gregory Heights neighborhood, past St. Francis of Assisi, crosses 152nd street with the finish line in Burien Town Square, where there will be a traditional Irish Festival.
• This challenging course takes its toll on even the most seasoned runners! Two water stops are provided, and racers will be rewarded with music from an Irish Piper when the reach the top of the ominous “snake” hill.
• Again there is a 1-mile Family Race which begins at St. Francis and follows the last of the 5K course.
• NEW: “While You Run” childcare, check your kids in at the Family Race start. Run the first 2 miles of the 5K, check your kids back out to run the Family Race together. Your 5K time will suffer of course.
• NEW: Pub Crawl – Friday March 12th!
• NEW: School Registration Contest! $5 from each registration fee can be donated to the local school of your choice! Just—type in your school’s name at registration–the school with the most registrations will be awarded an additional $1,500! Registrations can track their school’s progress at www.covetoclover.com/schools.
• NEW: School Limerick Contest — A $500 prize will be awarded to the school (or non-profit for non- student entries) who present the winning Limerick! Limerick contest details at www.covetoclover.com/limerick. BTW, we’re working on our own Limerick that starts “There once was a man from B-Town…”
• NEW: Start Line Party – Live Band inside the Normandy Park Cove Building prior to the race so you can warm up dancing to old school rock and roll.
• NEW: Expanded Pre-Race shuttle service from the finish line to the start line.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER:

5k at 1:00pm:

• $30.00 early registration (before Mar. 2nd; $35 after)

Family Race (1 mile) at 1:30 PM:

• $25.00 early registration (before Mar. 2nd; $30 after)

Here’s a map of the race course:

Some other highlights include:

• On-course Irish Pipes
• Irish Entertainment
• 2 Live Bands
• Bigger Beer Garden
• 1-mile Family Race
• Free Hot Dogs for Kids
• Free Root Beer Garden
• Irish Grub

RACE DAY SCHEDULE:

• 10:15am+: Take the Free Pre-Race Shuttle – loads at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub starting at 10:15 am (WARNING: Start Line Parking is EXTREMELY LIMITED!). Please park near Burien Town Square and take the free shuttle from Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub. Final shuttle departs promptly at 12:40 pm. Shuttle will drop you at the family race start-line (St. Francis Parish) of the 5K start-line (The Cove).
• 1pm: 5K Race (race starts at 1 pm sharp) Start Line @ Normandy Park Swim Club “The Cove”
• Registration/Packet Pickup from 10:45 am – 12:45 pm @ The Cove
• LIVE ROCK BAND starts at 10:45 am: “The Throbs” will be cranking out old school rock and roll at the start line until race time. Warm your bones rocking out to covers of Nirvana, AC/DC, Scorpions and other eye-popping ROCK!!! Come early and avoid the last minute shuttle rush.

FAMILY RACE:

• Race starts at 1:40pm sharp
• Start Line @ St. Francis Church
• Registration/Packet Pickup from 10:45 am – 1:20 pm @ St. Francis Church
• 1 mile-ish. This can be walked or run and will include people of all generations. Hopefully we’ll have Irish Step Dance lessons prior to the start. – Pick up bib
• NEW: “While You Race” Childcare (11:00 am – 1:35 pm) at St. Francis Church
• If you want to run the 5K but your kids aren’t ready for that level of suffering, consider checking your kids into “While You Race” Childcare at the family race start line. You can then run the first 2 miles of the 5K to the Family Race Start, grab your kids and run then run the Family Race together. Child care provided by St. Francis Parish, extra fee may be involved.
• YOU MUST CHECK OUT YOUR CHILD BEFORE FINISHING THE 5K. It is not intended that runners finish the run and then return to claim their children. Due to the tight schedule, this service is for families with children who plan to run the Family Race.
• If you do the math, you’ll need to be able to run the first 2 miles in 30 minutes to pickup your child in time for the Family Race. Shuttle from the finish line, will stop drop you at St. Francis to check in your kids. Then you can re-board the shuttle to be taken to the 5K start line (the Cove).

FINISH LINE FESTIVAL AT BURIEN TOWN SQUARE:

• Finish Line Irish Festival runs from 2pm – 5pm at Burien Town Square
• “The Haggis Bros” are a lively Irish Band. You can enjoy the show from the beer garden (or free root beer garden for the kiddies). Be entertained by traditional step dancers while you gnash some Irish grub.

Not a runner? Get involved as a race day volunteer: Please contact John Nelson at jonelson@adobe.com.

And there are still some great Sponsorship Opportunities available – please email Ashley Fosberg at fosberg5@comcast.net for a sponsorship packet!

As the official web Sponsor of the Cove To Clover race, we’ll be posting more updates soon (including details on the Pub Crawl March 12th!), so be sure to come back often.

Advertiser Normandy Park Senior Living will be hosting two special benefit events to help raise funds to help victims of the Haiti earthquake, including a Pancake Breakfast this Sunday (Jan. 31st) and a Spaghetti Dinner on Feb. 13th.

Both fundraisers will be held at their campus in Normandy Park, and all funds raised will go directly to Doctors Without Borders.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Two food-related benefit fundraiser events for Haiti earthquake victims by Advertiser Normandy Park Senior Living.

WHEN: Pancake Breakfast will be this Sunday, Jan. 31st from 11am to 2pm; Spaghetti Dinner will be Saturday, Feb. 13th from 3pm to 6pm.

WHERE: Normandy Park Senior Living, which is located at 16625 1st Ave. South in Normandy Park.

INFO: From a press release:

Haiti Earthquake Relief and Doctors Without Borders Fundraiser

Pauline Smith, Executive Director, Normandy Park Senior Living announced today two special benefit events to raise funds to help the victims of the Haiti Earthquake. A Pancake Breakfast will be held on Sunday, January 31 from 11:00am to 2:00pm and a Spaghetti Dinner will take place on Saturday, February 13 from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. Both events will be held at Normandy Park Senior Living located at 16625 1st Ave. South in Normandy Park.

According to Smith, “All proceeds will go directly to Doctors without Borders one of the critical relief organizations assisting victims in Haiti. We’re pleased that our parent company, Artegan, our residents, staff and family members have joined together to make these events possible.”

Other area businesses interested in participating should contact Pauline Smith. “We’re honored to be part of the worldwide Haiti relief effort and hope our community will join us on January 31 and February 13th to help the people of Haiti and Doctors without Borders.”

King County Councilmember Julia Patterson donated a “retired” eight-passenger van to Sea Mar Community Health Centers Wednesday (Jan. 20th), in an effort to help South King County’s growing Latino community.

There are 50 non-profit, community Sea Mar locations in King County, with a recovery center in Des Moines and two in both Burien and White Center.

Patterson was greeted by a crowd of grateful volunteers and staff who were eager to take a look inside the shiny, blue, van and welcome her to Sea Mar (see pic below).

“I am very touched by the work of Sea Mar Community Health Centers and their commitment to providing quality, comprehensive care to individuals and families across King County,” said Councilmember Patterson. “Their Des Moines location serves an incredibly diverse, low-income population, which will benefit greatly from having this new mode of transportation to and from much-needed medical and dental appointments.”

Sea Mar Community Health Centers was established in 1978 with a single medical clinic serving Seattle’s South Park neighborhood. Today, Sea Mar, a private, non-profit community health center, operates nearly 50 medical, dental and behavioral health clinics and centers in 10 western Washington counties. Sea Mar is committed to providing high-quality, comprehensive health and human services to diverse communities, including low income, underserved and uninsured populations. Sea Mar specializes in services to Latinos and is an innovative leader in the delivery of bilingual and culturally appropriate healthcare and social services. For more information, visit Sea Mar’s website here.

”We are pleased that the County has selected our inpatient, long-term treatment program as a beneficiary of its van distribution program,” said Rogelio Riojas, Sea Mar’s Chief Executive Officer. “We intend to make the van available to any resident or person who comes to the treatment center for care and services. It will be a great resource for our program.”

Since 1995, the King County Council has donated vans to nonprofit groups to help meet the transportation needs of low-income, elderly, youth, or people with disabilities in King County. The vans are part of a fleet of county vehicles that have been ‘retired’ after accruing a certain number of miles. This is the eighth year that each member of the council has been able to donate vans.

The vans were donated through an annual application process.

For more information about applying for a van, contact Councilmember Patterson’s Office at (206) 296-1005.

Police are asking for the public’s help in finding Edith M. Claver, 47, a missing Des Moines woman who was last seen Friday, Nov. 27th, when she walked away from the Ukrainian Christian Center in Renton.

According to Renton Police, Claver was last seen around 7pm, wearing a blue pullover jacket, blue jeans, and tennis shoes.

The day after she went missing, an employee of the church discovered items belonging to her near a dumpster on the north side of the church, located at 221 Hardie Avenue NW in Renton.

Police say that she may be schizophrenic, but no other medical issues are known.

And now, with a cold front moving in, authorities are concerned for Claver’s health and well-being.

Anyone with information about the missing woman is asked to call Renton Police immediately at 425-430-7500.

Des Moines’ Youth of Resurrection Lutheran Church has started “Operation Raincoat,” a program where people can donate gently-used coats for children, youth and even adults.

Donated coats will be distributed to area residents in need, and here’s how you can help:

Bring your gently-used coats of all sizes to:

Resurrection Lutheran Church
134 South 206th Street
Des Moines, WA 98198

Also, if you’d like to set up a drop-off station in your business or work place, please contact Elizabeth Schwanke at elizabeth.schwanke@live.com, or call 206.605.4277 and she’ll will be happy to provide flyers and a donation box.

Here’s info from their flyer:

For the past few months, the Youth of Resurrection Lutheran Church have been involved in a ministry called Bread of Life. Every Friday, rain (or snow, or hail..) or shine, we distribute bread to a a very in-need neighborhood of Des Moines. We do this not only to fulfill the immediate physical needs, but to share the hope and love of God with them. Every week as the bread truck pulls into the neighborhood, kids rush out of their homes to meet us, some with barefeet and most all without coats.

We felt compelled to do something more and so we’ve started a little something called “Operation Raincoat”. We are asking you to take a few minutes to look through your closets and ask your neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family memebers for gently used children and youth sized coats (we will take adult coats too!). This is such a great opportunity to help the “least of these” by keeping these children warm and dry during the cold and wet winter months.

There will also be a gathering at RLC on Friday, Nov. 20th at 7pm for fellowship, worship and to pray over the distribution of the coats.

All are invited.

A few Saturdays ago your intrepid Waterland Bloggers were innocently sitting in our booth at the Famers Market, when Debra Jackson, assistant market manager, dropped off THE CHALLENGE.

Da dum, da dum, da dum… (or for all you Swedish Chefs out there: Bor-bork, bor-bork, bor-bork…)

We’re talking of course about the dreaded Chili Challenge, the one that nobody can refuse, and the one that requires your team to actually cook Chili for the Farmers Market Chili Cook-Off coming Halloween day, Oct. 31st.

This past Saturday, The Waterland Blog not only accepted their challenge, but we were the first to actually pay the $30 entry fee!

We have it on good authority that there’s others in the Waterland Community that will be challenged. According to Wayne Corey, president of the DMFM board, there’s some teams from Rotary and others who’ve said they’re on, but nobody’s in until they pay. There’s only room for 10 teams,

Like a six-gilled shark swimming off the Marina, Debra has a bead on various Des Moines organizations and individuals to issue the cookoff challenge. Hide, we tell you hide. Especially if you’re with the Police Department, the Fire Department, the Lions, the Odd Fellows, the Yacht Club, or local churches.

She’ll find you.

Believe us, she’ll find you!

The Des Moines Food Bank needs your help. To sign up before you receive THE CHALLENGE click here for our previous coverage, or here to download the registration PDF.

DMFM has room for just 10 teams…so sign up now. Help the Food Bank, have some fun…and vote for The Waterland Blog team!

Bork Bork Bork!

by Mark Neuman

A top of the line mobile dental clinic continues to serve people in the Des Moines area courtesy of the members and volunteers of Grace Lutheran Church and the Des Moines Legacy Foundation.

Medical Teams International, formerly known as Northwest Medical Teams, began providing mobile dental services at Grace Lutheran Church a little over three years ago for local school children with no dental insurance and no ability to pay for dental services.

In April 2008, the mobile dental program at Grace was extended to offer free dental services to adults and seniors with no dental insurance or ability to pay.

The services utilizes a brand new, state-of-the-art van, which is made possible in part by a grant from Franciscan Health System.

The van sets up in the parking lot area of the church, which is located at 22975 24th Avenue South, in Des Moines (see map below).

The van arrives with a licensed dentist, hygienist, and a dental assistant.

The credo of the folks at Grace Lutheran is posted on a church wall:

“Our mission is to demonstrate the love of Christ to people affected by disaster, conflict and poverty.”

Donations from Waterland readers and neighbors, in support of the mobile dental van, are most welcome. Please make checks to Grace Lutheran Church, with a notation “Dental van program,” and mail it to:

Grace Lutheran Church
c/o Sandra Bollinger, Dental Van Site Coordinator
22975 24th Avenue South
Des Moines, WA 98198

Thanks to professional dental volunteers and donated supplies, every one dollar you give provides more than five dollars of dental care for a person in need.

Prospective patients must fill out a client application in advance and be given a specific appointment date and time.

For additional information or a client application, please call the site coordinator at 206-817-3698.

Here is the schedule for the remainder of the 2009 calendar year:

• September 11
• September 17
• October 16
• October 22
• November 20
• December 18

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