Learn how to make an emergency toilet, operate an automated external defibrillator (AED), and other handy city life hacks at the Urban Survival Skills Fair on Sept. 30 next to Victory Heights Park. Hosted by Seattle Emergency Hubs, the fair will feature booths and information for those interested in emergency preparedness.

The U District, Roosevelt, and Northgate Link light rail stations will arrive in 2021, which means these neighborhoods will be better connected to each other and the region. Three-quarters of Ravenna residents said they plan to use the Roosevelt light rail station when it opens, according to a 2013 RBCA survey.

Join U District, Let’s Go for an evening of sharing ideas and resources to prepare for these changes. Learn what our neighborhoods are already doing to get ready for transportation investments coming soon. Let’s learn from each other and build on our collective creativity as we get ready for 2021.

Transit Talk: We’re in it Together
Urban Luxe Café, 6105 Roosevelt Way NE

October 4, 2018

6:00 p.m. Doors open, drinks, appetizers, networking

6:30 p.m. program start, welcome, panel introductions and brief presentations

7:40 p.m. moderated audience Q&A

8:00 p.m. program ends

More information and free registration available through the U District, Let’s Go website.

The Great Wallingford Wurst Festival is an “Octoberfest” style end-of-summer celebration that takes place in September at St. Benedict School. Now in its 35th year, the festival started as a small fundraiser for the school. Today the festival brings more than 10,000 visitors to the Wallingford neighborhood in one weekend. The Wurst Festival features inflatable rides, an array of delicious foods, games for kids of all ages, craft booths, homemade sweets, a book sale, a Biergarten, a raffle, plus live entertainment on an outdoor stage.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Friday: 4-10pm
Saturday: 10am – 10pm
The Beer Garden is open until Midnight on Friday and Saturday and feature live musical entertainment. Admission is free-celebrate community in a family-friendly neighborhood environment, and meet your neighbors, alumni and friends.

FOOD

There’s bratwurst and sauerkraut, but also grilled salmon, sweet corn, baked potatoes with all the trimmings, pasta, Caesar salad, Filipino food, burgers and a kid’s lunch at booths and in their covered outdoor restaurant. At the indoor cafe, folks can enjoy beverages with a homemade desserts. Or swing upstairs to have a snack with your beer in the Biergarten.

FUN

Spend all day experiencing the thrills of their rides. Stroll around the grounds and see the finery of more than 60 craft vendors. Take a chance with a raffle ticket. Reminisce with the old photographs in the Alumni Room. Search the Book Shop for interesting titles. Check out the games in the Fun Zone, and maybe even take away a prize or two. Sit back and watch the musicians and dancers on the outdoor stage or stick around after 9 p.m. and dance to the band in the Biergarten.

Please leave dogs at home.

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced $1.7 million in awards for senior centers that contribute to the health, well-being, and independence of Seattle’s older adults.

“As our City grows less affordable, we must continue to invest in our most vulnerable residents, including our senior community. Our older neighbors are an asset to our community and a vital part of the fabric of our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Durkan. “Our senior centers provide opportunities for volunteerism, lifelong learning, transportation, and healthy meals. These investments will help our neighbors live longer and enhance their quality of life.”

Twelve nonprofit centers across Seattle will receive awards ranging from $67,000 to $180,000 in 2019, including:

• Asian Counseling and Referral Service
• Chinese Information and Service Center
• International Drop-In Center
• Greenwood Senior Center (operated by the Phinney Neighborhood Association)
• Pike Market Senior Center
• South Park Senior Center
• Southeast Seattle Senior Center
• Wallingford Community Senior Center

And four programs operated by Sound Generations:

• Ballard Senior Center
• Central Area Senior Center
• Lake City/Northgate
• Senior Center of West Seattle

“HSD has developed a results-driven investment model that helps ensure that the department’s work is making a real difference in the lives of vulnerable people, addressing community disparities, and investing in what works,” said Jason Johnson, Interim Director of the Human Services Department. “These centers provide high-quality, cost-effective programs. They reach out to older people who may be socially or culturally isolated and they build a real sense of community.”

The Seattle Human Services Department recommended the senior center awards from the City’s General Fund. Its Aging and Disability Services division reviewed center proposals and made final decisions based on recommendations from a community-based review committee, the geographic location of the center, and the opportunity to serve populations with higher health disparities and/or lower social and emotional support, particularly Hispanic/Latinx and Black/African American older adults.

Several studies show the connection between social engagement, quality of life, and longevity. AARP Foundation’s Connect2Affect lists numerous risk factors for older adults, including diminishing social networks, fewer transportation options, changing roles, and living alone. Social and civic participation and community support are among the goals of the City of Seattle’s Age Friendly Seattle action plan.

For senior center locations, more information about local programs and services for older adults, or answers to questions about aging issues, call Community Living Connections toll-free at 844-348-5464.

A sponsored post from our friends at New Seasons Market

Looking to patronize businesses that put their values into action: like using sustainable and responsible environmental practices, caring for employees, and building community? There’s a brand-new option in Ballard.

New Seasons Market gives 10 percent of its after-tax profits to local nonprofits, with a focus on three areas: fighting hunger, supporting schools and environmental stewardship. Additionally, the company gives each employee up to eight hours of paid time off each year to participate in local community service projects.

New Seasons Market is committed to supporting the local economy where its stores operate. They offer goods from local makers, farmers, ranchers and fishermen, including community-grown organic produce, sustainable meat produced by the region’s ranchers and wild-caught seafood sourced directly off the Washington coast.

The Local Finds program screens suppliers and assists them in the process of getting their product in front of shoppers.

“While we are thrilled to have so many local products on our shelves, the Local Finds program is about more than that. It’s designed to work with vendors so that they get the right help at the right time so that they can grow sustainably. It’s about helping local entrepreneurs — whether they are growing pears or making cookies — succeed at a pace that’s right for them,” said Chris Tjersland, New Seasons Market’s partner brand development manager.

In an additional effort to minimize its environmental footprint, New Seasons Market announced that the company is eliminating all plastic straws from store locations in Oregon and Washington. The plastic straws will be replaced with paper alternatives to help reduce litter and ocean plastic.

There’s a lot of power in where and how you choose to spend your dollars, and the grocery store is one way conscientious consumers can put their money where their heart is.

Sponsored post by MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care.

It’s Saturday. You’ve just returned from your 8-year-old’s soccer game. Her foot, which she landed on awkwardly during today’s game, is swollen and she’s clearly in pain.

Do you go to the ER or urgent care?

We get that question almost daily at MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care in Wallingford. We can help.

Think of urgent care as the place to go for minor illnesses and injuries such as:

Illness and Injuries treated at Indigo Urgent Care in Wallingford
Illnesses                             Injuries
Allergies                              Minor burns
Bronchitis                            Bee sting
Coughs, colds                     Cuts, scrapes
Ear Infection                       Sprains, strains and minor fractures
Flu                                         Stitches
Sinus Infection                   Sports physicals, preparticipation physical (not an injury, but
UTI                                      regularly offered at all Indigo Urgent Cares)

The ER is the place to go for serious illnesses and injuries — a heart attack, stroke, difficulty breathing or a fracture that’s broken through the skin, to name just a few.

It’s also important to know that an urgent care costs less, sometimes as little as a doctor’s office copay — depending, of course, on your insurance plan.

At Wallingford’s Indigo Urgent Care, we’re ready to treat all of the illnesses and injuries listed in the chart above and your soccer player’s sprain or minor fracture. See our website indigourgentcare.com for a complete list of services.

And, because we were designed for busy families and people who value same-day care, we’ve created an urgent care that offers you care focused solely on you — and we get you in and out, quickly, without sacrificing your care or time spent with the doctor.

Bloodworks Northwest has issued an urgent appeal for blood donors. Inventories have dipped to critical levels due to consecutive weeks of Spring break vacations and a very early Easter holiday. There is a special need for O blood type and platelets, but all types are welcomed. Type O negative blood is the universal blood type that can be transfused to any patient suffering from trauma when they are rushed to a hospital and there is no time to type their blood.

Donating blood takes less an hour, and because blood can be broken down into its three components each donation can potentially save three lives.

Further details and a list of Bloodworks Northwest donor centers are in the release below. Appointments to donate can be scheduled at schedule.bloodworksnw.org, or by calling 1-800-398-7888.

Tell the Library what resources you value most, and what services could be improved by completing a survey available Wednesday, now through Friday, May 25, 2018. Visit the Library’s website here to access the survey online, or visit your local branch to complete a paper copy. The survey is available in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Mandarin, Somali, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Korean. Survey responses will help guide the Library’s service planning and decision-making.
It’s been nearly eight years since the Library has surveyed Seattle residents to see how current operations align with public needs and expectations. Information from the 2010 Library survey led to enhancements in the collection of books and materials, more computer technology, expanded Library hours and more.
“A lot has changed in our community since 2010, and it is important to ask residents if our services and resources are addressing their needs,” said Chief Librarian Marcellus Turner. Turner said in addition to offering an expansive print and digital collection, the Library offers nearly 10,000 annual educational classes, cultural programs and services, including tax help, health care enrollment, homework tutoring, citizenship preparation, Wi-Fi hotspot lending to tent cities, social service referrals and more.
For more information about the Library or survey, Ask Us.

Help reduce damage caused during an earthquake. Learn to become an informed consumer or how to do home retrofit yourself. Retrofit experts will show how to assess your home’s needs and how to use the City of Seattle’s pre-engineered Home Retrofit plans to permit and retrofit your home.

Prior to 1980, building codes did not require builders to secure houses to their foundations. This does not mean that every house built before 1980 is “unsecured”, only that it was not a requirement. If your home is not properly secured, it may be at increased risk of “slipping” off the foundation during a major earthquake. Retrofitting involves bolting your home to its foundation and providing sheer/pony wall strength.

Click here to register-space is limited.

Click here for more information, or email:snap@seattle.gov

From Doree at our sister site phinneywood

Woodland Park Zoo recently joined The Seattle Public Library’s Museum Pass program, which gives Library cardholders free admission to 16 Seattle museum and cultural organizations.

Each day 50 zoo passes will be available. Each pass allows up to four people ages 3 and up to access the zoo for free during regular business hours (children 2 and under are always free).

Library cardholders can reserve one free Museum Pass per week. Each Museum Pass provides admission for at least two adults — some passes allow more, and may include free admission for kids ages 17 and under. You can sign up for a pass to a specific organization once every 30 days.

The program reservation system requires you to enter your Library card number and personal identification number (PIN), then choose a specific date and print the museum pass. To read more details and reserve a museum pass, visit www.spl.org/museumpass.

Other participating organizations include: The Burke Museum, The Center for Wooden Boats, Flying Heritage Collection, Henry Art Gallery, Living Computers: Museum + Lab, The Log House Museum, MoPOP, Museum of Flight, Museum of History & Industry, Nordic Heritage Museum, Northwest African American Museum, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle Public Theater, and Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience.

The Museum Pass program is sponsored by The Seattle Public Library Foundation.