Thousands of Local Boy Scouts are mounting a massive Food Drive beginning this Saturday, March 13th (and concluding next Saturday, March 20th), in one of the largest food collection campaigns ever mounted by troops in the Puget Sound area.

The campaign, called “SCOUTING FOR FOOD,” kicks off this Saturday when Scouts canvas neighborhoods with door-hangers listing the most-needed food items for local food banks.

The Scouts will return next Saturday (March 20th) to pick up donations and deliver them to local food banks.

Record numbers of people are visiting local food banks in the wake of news that Washington state’s unemployment rate rose to 9.3 percent in January. 373,000 children living in Washington state households struggle to put food on the table, according to Children’s Alliance and USDA reports. To meet the increased food shortage locally, the Chief Seattle Council is teaming up with the Pacific Harbors Council of Boy Scouts of America making this the largest food collection campaign ever done by them. The two councils represent up to nearly 46,000 Scouting youth participation.

“In these tough economic times the SCOUTING FOR FOOD drive is more important than ever,” says Pat Craven, Boy Scout Spokesman. “Coordinating the two councils for our 2010 Centennial effort means we can help more people.” Craven added, “This drive will allow our Scouts to put into action the Scout Oath by ‘Helping Other People at All Times’.”

“Many families have depleted their resources and find themselves in need for the first time in their lives and our stock is dangerously low,” says Teresa Andrade, Center Manager at Kirkland/Northshore Hopelink. “The SCOUTING FOR FOOD drive by the Boy Scouts makes a huge difference to the people who depend on our help, especially when programs serving Washington’s children have received harsh cuts in state and local funding.”

And speaking of local food banks and fundraisers, don’t forget that there are two major fundraiser events for the Highline Area Food Bank this weekend:

1. Friday night, March 12th, 6pm+: Cove to Clover Pub Crawl starts at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub.
2. Sunday, March 14th, 1pm: Cove to Clover 5k race begins at the Normandy Park Community Center.

The organizers of Sunday’s Cove to Clover 5K fundraiser race for the Highline Area Food Bank (which serves portions of North Highline) want our Readers to know that there’s a “Last Gasp” registration and packet pickup this Saturday, March 13th from 5pm – 8pm at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub in Burien.

This “last gasp” is intended for already-registered runners to get their shiny new race numbers, timing chop and t-shirt (if you registered early enough that is…), as well as for new runners to register and save the $5 race day fee increase.

That’s right – if you haven’t registered, don’t worry – you can do so at this event, and according to their website:

Don’t expect to get a shirt until after our post-race t-shirt order goes in but you can still avoid the $5 race day fee increase.

We don’t order gobs of extra shirts to insure we give every dollar we can to the food bank at the end of the day.

You will walk out with a race # and a timing chip.

The race is Sunday, starting at 1pm sharp at the Normandy Park Community Club (map here), then winding up through Burien ending at Mick Kelly’s. This is a great cause that will help numerous hungry neighbors; for more info on both the race and how/where to register, click here.

Also, don’t forget the Cove to Clover Pub Crawl this Friday night, beginning at 6pm at Mick Kelly’s in downtown Burien. For a $10 donation you’ll get a keepsake bib and a passport, which you then must get stamped at five of 13 area bars, restaurants, coffeeshops and others participating. You do NOT need to drink alcohol, although many will; for those we strongly advise using cabs or a designated driver.

More info on the Pub Crawl is here.

Here are the “Last Gasp” details:

WHAT: Cove to Clover “Last Gasp” Registration & Packet Pickup

WHEN: Saturday, March 13th from 5pm – 8pm

WHERE: Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub, located at 435 SW 152nd Street • Burien • 206.246.2473.

INFO: From their website:

Registered?
Come on in and get your shiny new race number, timing chip and shirt (if you registered early enough).

You’ll be stylin in the morning when you board the shuttle at Mick’s in the morning already sporting your number and cool snake shirt

Not Registered?
Don’t expect to get a shirt until after our post-race t-shirt order goes in but you can still avoid the $5 race day fee increase. We don’t order gobs of extra shirts to insure we give every dollar we can to the food bank at the end of the day. You will walk out with a race # and a timing chip.

Avoid the race day rush!

Our fave namesake sports team, The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG), kicked off their 2010 season opener recently to raise money for various charities, including;

• Old Dog Haven, a small nonprofit group using a network of foster parents to provide a loving safe home for abandoned senior dogs.
• The Pin Up Angels, who send care packages to our deployed servicemen and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard.
• The Lambert House, a center for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning youth that encourages empowerment through the development of leadership, social and life skills.
• Fisher House, who supports military and their families while recovering from illness or injury.

The first bout of the season Jan. 31st was an exhibition bout, which was set up like a mini-tournament. Our own Bart Bryan and Mark Neuman braved the dangerous sidelines of the bout to shoot this video, which was edited by Gina Bourdage:

This was a bout RCRG played for charities, and will not count toward their regular season team standings; however, at the end of the night the standings were

1. Sockit Wenches
2. Grave Danger
3. Throttle Rockets
4. Derby Liberation Front

Here are the points:

• Period 1, 1st Players:  TR 62, SW 97
• Period 1, 2nd Players:  GD 88, DLF 51
• Period 2, Grudge Match:  TR 97, DLF 43
• Period 2, Champs:  GD 66, SW 70

On March 6th, the RCRG set new records with attendance reaching 5,158 fans, the top attendance for a modern roller derby bout, packed KeyArena to watch the first regular home bout of season 6.

The Throttle Rockets smashed the skates of Derby Liberation Front, while Grave Danger drew first blood against the Sockit Wenches. Word on the street (direct from KeyArena folks), is that Rat City Rollergirl fans drink more beer than ANY sporting event at KeyArena! For more information and tickets visit www.ratcityrollergirls.com.

Ever wonder what it takes to be a Rat City Roller Girl? It’s more than a pair of skates and some lip gloss. To even be considered you need to commit to three 2-hours practices a week, work six committee hours a month and “Have a ton of chutzpah, sweat, determination, and a nice smile” just to name a few.

Beyond the eye-catching outfits these girls take some serious hits. Don’t believe us? Just check out the Hall Of Pain section of their website (there is a reason a disclaimer is posted to this page, this is no joke).

RCRG’s next bout is Saturday, April 10th, with Derby Liberation Front vs. Grave Danger, and Sockit Wenches vs. Throttle Rockets.

Our friends at White Center for the Arts are holding a very unique “Python-A-Thon” fundraiser this Sunday, March 7th, from Noon – 8pm at Big Al Brewing, where episodes of the classic “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” TV show will be shown non-stop.

Participants are encouraged to bring potluck food items, dress in costume (lumberjack anyone?), bring penguins to put on the telly, and walk like you’re in the Ministry of Silly Walks, all while donating to your neighborhood arts association.

Here are the details:

WHAT: “Python-A-Thon” viewing party of classic Monty Python TV episodes to help raise funds for White Center for the Arts.

WHEN: Sunday, March 7th from Noon – 8pm.

WHERE: Big Al Brewing, located at 9832 14th Ave SW; (206) 453-4487 (website here)

INFO: From a poster:

Big Al Brewing Presents Monty Python Video Festival

“Continuing Education”

Earn your letters in Pythonology

Finding it hard to get promoted even though you have a MM- Master of Monty?

Get your Doctor of Pythonology (DP), and silly walk your way to the top!

DP courses in:

• The Arts
  • -Why lumberjacks sing
• Optical Sciences
  • -How not to be seen
• Aeronautics
  • -What makes sheep fly
• Military History
  • -German humor and the demise of the Wehrmacht
• Veterinary Sciences
  • – Learn to determine the difference between “Dead” and “Resting”

And much much more!

If you’re silly enough, you too could become a fully accredited Doctor of Pythonology, capable of answering such puzzling questions as…

• “Why is there a penguin on the telly”?
• “If she’s a go’er why is she with him”?
• And, “Did the Vikings invent spam”?

Classes begin on Sunday, March 7th

First class of the day starts at 12 noon

Location: Go to www.bigalbrewing.com for directions

Extra credit will be given for bringing pot luck and coming to class as your favorite Monty Python character.

To get you in the mood, here’s the classic “Ministry of Silly Walks” sketch:

From our sister site The B-Town Blog comes this update on the upcoming “Cove to Clover” Pub Crawl, which will benefit the Highline Area Food Bank:

What better way to prepare for the March 14th “Cove to Clover” 5k fundraiser run than by crawling in the fundraiser Pub Crawl on Friday, March 12th, where participants can feel good about going from pub to pub to help benefit the Highline Area Food Bank?

That’s right – there just isn’t a better way, so be sure to mark your calendars for 6pm+ Friday March 12th for what is sure to make a “great excuse for your poor upcoming performance on Snake Hill, with only one day to recover.”

For a $10 donation, you’ll get a commemorative keepsake bib qualifying you for “crawl” specials (our fave is the $1 bag of chips at the Hobnobber!), along with a passport and a map. Your goal will be to collect visitation stamps on your passport from at least five of the 13 official crawl stops (see the list below, which includes specials at each). Your stamped passport will serve as your entry to the door prize drawing @ 11 pm at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub.

And if this Pub Crawl is anything like the now-legendary Brat Trot one from last October, be prepared for one of the best nights in Burien you’ve ever had; just be sure to have a designated driver or a safe way to get home if you plan to imbibe.

Keep in mind also that you need not drink alcohol at every pub – you can just ask to get your passport stamped!

Here are the details:

WHAT: The 2010 Cove to Clover Pub Crawl fundraiser benefiting the Highline Area Food Bank.

WHEN: Friday, March 12th beginning at 6pm.

WHERE: Starts at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub at 6pm, with an 11pm return time for prize drawings.

COST: $10 donation gets you a commemorative, keepsake bib, which you’ll wear proudly as you “crawl” from pub to pub.

INFO: From the C2C website:

PLEASE DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!! PRE-PLAN YOUR RIDE HOME OR HAVE A DESIGNATED DRIVER

Enjoy “crawl specials” offered at each official stop.

You can also expect special entertainment on the route.

Collect at least 5 official crawl stamps and you’ll qualify for the door prize drawing at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub @ 11pm. (must be present to win).

All proceeds will benefit the Highline Area Food Bank.

Best Leprechaun Contest: Gift certificates to Mick Kelly’s for 1st ($100), 2nd ($75) and 3rd ($50).

For you Normandy Parkers: Consider riding the free shuttle from Normandy Park’s Archery Bistro. Check in with them (website here) for the schedule and shuttle stops. While they are not an official crawl stop, we understand they will be offering a specials during and prior to the first run into Burien. You can park you car there and let them do the driving. You’ll also be able to purchase an official crawl number at Archery Bistro, in case you decide to make this your launching point.

Here are the 13 designated pub crawl stops in Burien – remember, you only have to get stamped at five of ‘em:

Specials:

• $3 Draft beer
• $4.50 House Wine
• Food Special

Specials:

• $2 PBR Tall Boys $2 Bacardi Silver Bottles
• $3 Giant Pizza by the Slice

Entertainment:

• Three Tree Point Blues Band 9P

Specials:

• Free Espresso Shot

Specials:

• Free Wine Taste
• Free Menu Taste

Specials:

• $3 House Beer
• $3 Apps off Happy Hour Menu

FILIBERTO’S

Specials:

• $2 Draft Beer
• 1/2 price Calamari and pizza

Entertainment:

• RLS Band

Specials:

• $2 Budweiser
• $1 Bag of Chips!

Specials:

• $5 House Margarita
• $5 Tacos (3 Beef or Chicken Tacos)

Entertainment:

• Live Mariachi Band at 6:30

Specials:

• $2 beer
• $4 sangiovese
• $1 Pizza slices

Specials:

• Sour Apple Jello Shots $2
• Irish Potato and Banger Stew $3

Entertainment:

• Cornerstone

Specials:

• $3 Alaskan Amber Pints

Specials:

• $2 Irish Nut Brown Ales
• Corned beef sliders

Specials:

• $6 Wine by the Glass

More info available at the Cove Clover Pub Crawl website.

And if you haven’t yet registered for the 5k run, click here.

A very unique 9-liter bottle of Five Star Cellars 2006 Cabernet Savignon will be raffled off at the Poverty Bay Wine Festival next weekend (Saturday, March 6th & Sunday, March 7th) at the historic Landmark Event Center in Des Moines.

Now if you’ve never ventured the 11.6 miles or so south to this historic building, may we recommend that you give it a try next weekend? The Landmark Event Center (aka Landmark on the Sound – map here) is the former, historic Masonic Retirement home, and it smacks of a castle or stately mansion. Now throw in an excellent, entertaining and tasty fundraiser with outstanding wines and live music, and you’ve got a reason to head out.

Another reason of course is to win this one-of-a-kind, big, beautiful bottle, wich contains nine liters – equal to a full case of wine (!) – and is engraved with the Poverty Bay Wine Festival emblem on one side, and the Five Star label on the other.

This 2006 Cab was rated 91 points by Wine Spectator and 94 points by the Beverage Tasting Institute – that means it’s an excellent case of wine in one big bottle!

No purchase is necessary– this is a drawing for anyone who wants to enter – but you will have to show up at the festival, which is just $20 per person; for that amount, you’ll also receive a souvenir wine glass and 10 tokens, a sampling of delicious foods, and live music both days.

Also, for all you non-wine drinkers out there, Pike’s Brewing will also have a booth.

The value of the wine plus the engraving is $1,000!

The opening night Gala will be this Friday, March 5th at 7:30pm at the Landmark Event Center. The theme is A Night in the Vineyard. A lavish buffet will be provided by Anthony’s HomePort. Tickets for the gala are $75 in advance, $85 at the door. The ticket price includes food, entertainment, and wine.

Wine Fesival tickets are priced at $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets for the Wine Festival and Gala are available at Corky Cellars, located at 22511 Marine View Drive in Des Moines (206-824-9462); or online at www.dmrotary.org.

Poverty Bay Wine Festival is the major annual fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Des Moines.

For full details on the festival, check out our previous coverage here.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: A lovely lady named Heidi won the “Win a Date With Bart Bryan Contest” last week. Bart Bryan is The White Center Blog’s single Sales Guy and frequent video Host. Heidi and Bart enjoyed dinner and dancing this last Saturday night at the Burien/White Center Rotary Club's annual dinner and auction fundraiser. Here is Bart’s report:]

Story by Bart Bryan
Photos by Mark Neuman

I was pretty nervous as I waited at South Seattle Community College for my date Heidi to arrive for our big night.

I anxiously waited at the valet parking area when she pulled up.

Heidi looked beautiful in a purple dress as I helped her out of her car. We walked into the ballroom and found our table right in front of the stage.

We sat down and instantly hit if off. We then took Fox Trot lessons from a professional dance instructor, the enthusiastic Courteney Lynn. We had a blast as we, well, Fox Trotted across the floor.

We then had a wonderful dinner, prepared by the culinary students at South Seattle Community College, as we chatted with our tablemates as the evening unfolded.

The auction and raffle drawing began at 8 o’clock, and to my surprise my name was announced. After absorbing good natured ribbing, courtesy BTB Advertiser Tami Greene, Heidi was then introduced, whereupon she randomly selected the first winning raffle ticket out of a hat.

“Every year the auction and dinner supports several community programs and scholarships within the Burien and White Center areas,” said Tami, who is also the Public Relations person for the Rotary Club.

After the auction, Heidi and I danced the night away to the classic Rock and R&B stylings of the great local band Uncle Ernie.

And before we knew it, the night came to an end.

As I walked Heidi to her car I asked “Do I get a second date with you at the Mark Restaurant?”

She laughed and said “Well, I guess so!”

We hugged goodnight and after the embrace I looked in her eyes, and…

I’ll leave the rest up to the reader’s imagination…

For more Rotary information go to: http://bwcrotaryclub.org.

Here’s a Photo Slideshow of the evening, as shot by Mark Neuman:

Click to View Mark Neuman’s Photo Slideshow

Highline School District students can earn money for their schools by participating in the 2010 Cove to Clover 5K race, which is coming to the Burien area Sunday, March 14th (read our previous coverage here).

The Grand Prize will be $1,500, donated to the winning school. The winning school will be determined by which one has the highest percentage of registrants compared to the school’s total enrollment – $5 will be donated to each school whose name is entered into the “Registration Code” for online registrants (and every registrant must enter a code).

Entries must be received by 11:59pm Monday, March 1st (two weeks before race day, which is March 14th) to be counted toward a school’s total.

Here are the details of how kids can help their schools:

School Registration Contest: $1,500 Grand Prize (donated to winning school)

Here are the current standings:

Current School Registration Status (updated nightly)

Boy Scout Troop #375, which serves boys in the White Center area, will be holding their annual Fish Dinner on Friday Feb. 19th, from 5pm – 7pm at St Francis of Assisi in Burien.

The troop will be barbecuing Sockeye Salmon and serving fresh Dutch Oven desserts – all for just $10!

Here are the details:

WHAT: Boy Scout Troop #375’s annual Fish Dinner

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 19th from 5pm – 7pm

WHERE: St. Francis of Assisi Hall, located at 15226 21st Avenue SW in Burien.

COST: Just $10!

INFO: For more information, contact kgd2418@yahoo.com, or visit the Troop’s website here.

Troop #375 serves boys in areas including Des Moines, Normandy Park, Burien, White Center and West Seattle. For more information, check out their website here.

by Ralph Nichols

Local groups and projects that receive financial support from the Exchange Club of Highline can look forward to a good year despite the lingering recession.

The Exchange Club’s annual spaghetti dinner and auction at St. Bernadette’s School on Jan. 30 “was a huge success!” member Sherrill Miller of BTB Advertiser E.B. Foote Winery told The B-Town Blog.

“Attendance was up over last year,” Miller said, with about 280 people attended the evening event. “Preliminary numbers indicate we made over $30,000” from the dinner with wine, a dessert auction, a raffle, and both silent and live auctions, which also “is more than last year!”

Miller added, “With our annual spaghetti dinner and auction, the funds generated are used to meet the ongoing needs of various community organizations.”

All money raised goes right back into the community, and “will be used to support more than 30 community organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, area food banks, WestSide Baby, Ruth Dykeman Center, local schools, backpacks and school supplies for kids, Crisis Clinic, and many more.”

At their regular meeting on Feb. 3, Exchange Club members said they were pleased with the “festive appearance” of the dining hall, adding that “the food was fantastic” and everyone “had all they wanted to eat.” They reserved special praise for the students who waited on tables.

“Donations (for the auctions) in this down economy were up,” it was reported, and “people already are talking about donating” for next year’s event. The Exchange Club got 285 items for the silent auction and anothe4 38 for the live auction.

The Exchange Club is a national service organization. The Exchange Club of Highline was established in 1961 with the goal of bringing business and community leaders together to support the needs of the Highline community.

Members also volunteer their time to community projects such as working at the White Center Food Bank one Saturday each month.

More information on The Exchange Club of Highline is available at its website here.

White Center Blog Sales Guy/Host Bart Bryan needs a Date for the Rotary Club of Burien/White Center’s Rockin’ Valentines Dinner and Dance, which will be held Saturday, Feb. 13th at South Seattle Community College.

Bart’s lucky date will enjoy cocktails, dinner, a live auction, raffle prizes and dancing to two different bands – all on the house!

To add to the romance, there will also be corsages, boutinnieres, and chocolates available for Bart to buy you (just make sure Bart gets a receipt so he can be reimbursed by the WCB!).

Here’s the dinner menu:

• Greek Salad
• Grilled All Natural Chicken with Sundried Tomato Tapenad
• Mashed Red Potatoes with Garlic and Pesto
• Fresh Vegetable Medley

And if having a nice dinner out isn’t enough enticement to have a date with Bart, how’s about dancing to The West Coast Swing (crooning sounds of Frank Sinatra and fellow Rat-Packers) followed by local Jazz/Rock band Uncle Ernies?

Our single friend Bart is 50-years young, blue-eyed, still has most of his hair, with a sparkling personality and great sense of humor. He’s also pretty fit (fit enough to do a polar bear plunge – see the video below!). Bart confesses that he can also still “bust a move” on the dance floor, and is “looking for a fun date for a great romantic dinner dance for a great cause!”

If you’re interested in winning a free date night with this Bart-o-licious man at the Rotary’s Rockin’ Valentines Dinner and Dance, and you’re over 21 and not old enough to be Bart’s mother, email us with a recent picture, a short bio and why you want to be Bart’s date by 5pm Wed. Feb. 10th.

Our Readers will choose the winner via an online poll, so make sure your entry is good, and that you include an interesting photo and a fun, short bio.

In addition to a night of dining and dancing with Bart, the winner will receive another night out at at The Mark Restaurant courtesy of the Mark’s Debra George.

The entry deadline is Wed., Feb. 10th at 5pm, and the winner will be voted on and announced Friday, Feb. 12th at Noon right here on The B-Town Blog, so ladies…email your entries in ASAP!

Also, if you’re interested in attending this great, fun fundraiser event yourself (either to watch Bart’s date or have one of your own), you can still purchase tickets online by clicking here.

And now ladies, if you’ve ever fantasized about what Bart looks like with his shirt off whilst immersed in chilly 46-degree Puget Sound water, here’s a video of him doing the annual Polar Bear Plunge at Three Tree Point on Jan. 1st:

And if that wasn’t enough, here’s what Bart looks like without his pants. In public. On the Link light rail:

The Rotary Club of Des Moines has announced that their Sixth Annual Poverty Bay Wine Festival will be held on Saturday, March 6th, from Noon– 7pm, and Sunday, March 7th from Noon – 5pm at the historic Landmark Event Center (formerly Landmark on the Sound) just down the road in Des Moines.

The opening night gala will be held Friday night, Mar. 5th, beginning at 7:30pm.

This festival is a must for anyone who loves wine, as well as for anyone who wants to support the work of Rotary, which supports schools and families in our community and around the world or anyone who enjoys an afternoon of good food, good wine and great music.

“The wine festival is an opportunity for wine-lovers to come taste samples from 20 Northwest wineries,” said Rotary spokesperson Catherine Carbone-Rogers. “All of the wineries typically offer two, three, or four different wines. Each winery will have wine by the bottle for sale. The festival is also a great opportunity to see the newly-restored Landmark Event Center, a unique architectural gem of the Des Moines community. Many people have driven by for years but have never had the opportunity to see the interior.”

What can participants expect while at the event? Besides the wine tasting from 20 Northwest wineries, there will also be a sampling of food from local restaurants, along with numerous musical guests throughout the festival. Here’s the preliminary lineup:

Friday, March 5 (Gala):

• Steve Ryals Trio
• Ed Taylor and TaylorMade

Saturday, March 6:

• Darren Motamedy Duo
• 4th Degree

Sunday, March 7:

• Rouge
• Billet-Deux

Double your pleasure – this year the $20 ticket price includes twice as many tasting tokens as before. For just $20, participants receive a souvenir wine glass and ten tokens, a sampling of delicious foods, and live music. What if you run out? Don’t worry, there’ll be tokens for sale at the event.

Major sponsors are Anthony’s HomePort, 98.9 KWJZ, Landmark Event Center, Fred Meyers, Powell Brothers Custom Homes, Highline Times/Des Moines News, Kent Reporter and The Waterland Blog and its sister sites.

The opening night Gala will be Friday, March 5th at 7:30pm at the Landmark Event Center. The theme is A Night in the Vineyard. A lavish buffet will be provided by Anthony’s HomePort. Tickets for the gala are $75 in advance, $85 at the door. The ticket price includes food, entertainment, and wine.

Wine Fesival tickets are priced at $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets for the Wine Festival and Gala are available at Corky Cellars, located at 22511 Marine View Drive in Des Moines (206-824-9462); or online at www.dmrotary.org.

Poverty Bay Wine Festival is the major annual fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Des Moines. Lisa Meineke is the club President and Brian Snure is chair of the wine festival.

The main purpose is to raise funds for the charitable projects of the Rotary Club of Des Moines that include:

• Financial and volunteer support of Des Moines Food Bank
• Financial and volunteer support for Fireworks Over Des Moines on the Fourth of July annually
• “Dictionaries by the Dozens”: Rotary provides a new children’s dictionary to every third grade student in Des Moines
• Mini-grants of up to $1000 to schools or teachers in Des Moines for special projects
• College scholarship of $2,500 to a Highline Community College student
• Pacific Middle School essay contest
• Funding for after school program at Pacific Middle school
• Financial support to Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence, a non-profit benefiting Highline Public Schools
• Financial support for a women’s shelter in South Africa
• Purchase of sewing machines for women in Peru so they can generate income

“We hope to have more attendees than ever this year,” Carbone-Rogers added. “Each year, we have taken the wine festival up a notch with the number of wineries, the entertainment, and the food. The gala is classier every year, and the Landmark Event Center is an amazing venue. We also hope that people coming to the event will get interested in Rotary and join us in our work to support community causes and families,” she added.

For more information on the Des Moines Rotary, please click here: http://dmrotary.org/aboutrotary.php.

The second annual “Cove To Clover” fundraiser 5K race will be happening just down the road a bit on 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, which feeds hungry neighbors in the Burien area. Last year over $12,000 was raised, and this year’s goal is $20,000!

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

This year’s race has many new elements – 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.

Our friends at White Center for the Arts (WCFTA) tell us that they’re trying to develop a local Art Gallery/Coffee House that could be used as a “home” of sorts for our community’s culture and arts.

WCFTA will be celebrating its one-year anniversary on Feb. 20th, and over its short lifespan has provided monthly art walks, after-school art programs, galleries for local artists and much more.

They’re looking for donations, starting at just $10 and continuing up to whatever you can give – here’s a link to their website where you can safely and securely donate online. Some employers will even match your gift donations.

And here’s an email sent out by WCFTA Chair Shelli Park:

Dear Lovers of Art in White Center,

White Center for the Arts (WCFTA) believes that the White Center community’s rich tapestry of culture and local arts should be shared with everyone. Our work to establish a permanent home for the arts in the neighborhood is off to a great start! In the past six months we:

• Established an after-school art program in the local Highline District Middle and High School
• Established the Third Saturday Art Walk, exhibiting more than 25 local artists in 9 months time.
• Are hosting Community Artists Meetings to open the lines of communication
• Established a working relationship with local, county, and state arts organizations and continue to identify and foster new partnerships within the community to create a web of services and support for artists and youth.
• Partnered with the YWCA at Greenbridge to showcase local artists in the lobby on a quarterly basis, and are working with Youth Media Institute and the Highline School District to implement non-violent extracurricular creative youth activities in the schools and in the White Center Downtown Business District.

But we have more work to do, and we are in urgent need of your support so that we can create the anchor of our vision and visiability, DREAM Community Gallery.  We are asking for a small donation of $10.00 from 100 people, a $15.00 donation from 55 people, and 10 $100.00 donations.  You will be supporting the entire White Center Cultural Community, helping to give visibility to local artists in all media, ages, and neighborhoods. A gift right now will assure that WCFTA can continue on our mission to be a catalyst for the coming together of the arts and cultural community of White Center.  The time has come for a permanent home for the arts in White Center. Our current projects are:

DREAM, a Community Gallery sustained by an in-house Coffee House, providing un-juried exhibition space for local artists and performers, and providing a safe gathering place, and empowering activities, for youth

Development of our arts education programming

Collection of oral histories and artifacts for a permanent local history collection

Facilitating cross medium and cross cultural collaborations, and continuing to bring positive business to White Center through the Art Walk

We appreciate gifts of any amount, and in return WCFTA is working hard to promote art and culture in the daily life of White Center residents. We are to receive a $5,000 grant. We need more to open our Community Gallery by February 20th, the first anniversary of White Center for the Arts.  We have scheduled two dance performances, a musician, and two artists for the evening of February 20th, and they are counting on your gift to help make this happen.  When combined with the work of our dedicated volunteers, established, emerging, and students artists, the community as a whole will benefit from seeing our mission to bring art, and the celebration of culture and heritage to all of White Center and its neighbors, succeed.

To give a tax deductible donation, visit our website: www.whitecenterforthearts.org.

Sincerely,
Shelli Park
Chair, White Center for the Arts

P.S. You may be fortunate enough to have an employer that will match your gift. This is a great opportunity to give maximum impact with your gift to White Center for the Arts.

We’re huge fans of this area’s namesake competitive all-girl sk8er team the Rat City Rollergirls, and when we heard that they’re kicking off their 2010 season with a charity fundraiser at Key Arena this Sunday, Jan. 31st, we just had to announce it.

Donation amounts will depend on game outcomes, and the four home teams have chosen to support the following local charities:

• The Throttle Rockets with play for Fisher House, which assists families of military personnel.
• Grave Danger will support OldDog Haven, finding new homes for abandoned senior dogs.
• The Sockit Wenches are skating for Lambert House, a center for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning youth that encourages empowerment by developing life and social skills.
• Derby Liberation Front will support Pinup Angels, who send care packages to troops overseas.

Here are the details on the event:

WHAT: Rat City Rollergirls charity fundraiser bout.

WHEN: Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and the game starts at 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: KeyArena in lower Queen Anne.

INFO: The Rat City Rollergirls now have a dedicated entrance for our season ticket holders – enabling them to score the best seats! Doors on the East side of KeyArena will open for season ticket holders at 2:15pm.

Visit www.ratcityrollergirls.com for more information on the 2010 season.

Founded in April 2004, Rat City Rollergirls, LLC, (RCRG) is Seattle’s (and the Northwest’s) first flat track, all-female roller derby league. RCRG is composed of about 100 member-owners, who are divided among four teams:

• Derby Liberation Front
• Grave Danger
• Sockit Wenches
• Throttle Rockets

RCRG’s fifth team, the Rat City Rollergirls All-Stars, is composed of the best players from the four home teams, who represent RCRG in regional and national play.

Also, be on the lookout early next week for a video we’ll be shooting at Sunday’s bout.

White Center Eagles is holding a benefit breakfast this Sunday Jan. 31st, from 9am to Noon, when all proceeds will be donated to a Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund.

Here are the details:

WHAT: White Center Eagles Haiti Relief Breakfast

WHEN: Sunday, Jan. 31st from 9am to Noon

WHERE: White Center Eagles hall, located at 10452 15th Ave SW.

INFO: Diners can expect a large menu of options, including a traditional all-American fare of bacon, eggs, pancakes, omelets, ham, waffles and more.

You gotta eat right?

Why not eat for a good cause.

For more information contact White Center Eagles Aerie 2568 at 206-248-1400, 10452 15th Ave SW.