Happening | Feb. 23 edition
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Help with taxes
There is a new tax credit for Washington workers. Individuals and families may receive up to $1,200 back if they meet certain eligibility requirements. Email vashonaarp@gmail.com for free preparation of your 2022 federal income tax return and Working Families Tax Credit. Tax-prep appointments take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursdays through April 6, at the Vashon Lutheran Church.
Brown Briefly
The Washington State legislative session is in full swing, and nearly half over. Join Brown Briefly hosts Truman O’Brien, Bruce Haulman, Craig Beles and Kevin Jones at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, on Voice of Vashon, 101.9FM, to hear Lennon Bronsema, Washington Conservation Action’s Vice President of Campaigns, talk about how the legislative session works.
NAMI Support Group
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Friends and Family Support Group will have a hybrid meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 2, in person at the Vashon Presbyterian Church, 17708 Vashon Highway SW, and also via a Zoom link.
This monthly support group is intended to be of help to islanders who have a loved one in their life with a mental health condition. Questions? Contact 425-221-1142 or pastorleigh@comcast.net.
Vashon 101
“Fishing War Survivor,” a Zoom talk detailing the 1960s and 1970s struggle for Tribal fishing and environmental stewardship rights in the Salish Sea, will be presented by Binah McCloud (Puyallup), at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 9, by the Vashon Heritage Museum.
In the talk, McCloud will draw on her personal frontline experience as the daughter of the renowned Indigenous activist Janet McCloud (Tulalip) and fisherman Don McCloud, Sr. (Puyallup). To register, visit tinyurl.com/mr32z4js.
The talk is the third in the museum’s Vashon 101 Talks. For more information, visit vashonheritagemuseum.org.
Scholarships from OCCU
Our Community Credit Union (OCCU) will award ten $5,000 scholarships to graduating 2023 high school seniors who attend school in Mason, Grays Harbor, Thurston Counties and Vashon. Eligible students must be a member of OCCU.
Applications and guidelines are available at www.ourcu.com/scholarship-program. Applications will be accepted through April 30. Questions? Call Amber Trail at 360-427-3405 or 1-800-426-5657, or email atrail@ourcu.com.
Vashon Fix-It Youth Academy
The Vashon Fix-It Youth Academy, a new program teaching middle and high school students fundamental repair skills, will launch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 18 at ORBIT’s northwest wing of Open Space for Arts and Community.
The program will be led by engineer/inventor Dennis Chien, with assistance from other members of Vashon’s Fix-it Café, Makerspace, Zero Waste Vashon and the Tool Library. The first event, Lamps 101, will be held as part of ORBIT’s programming.
Space is limited — register here by March 10, or by contacting Michelle at michelle@openspacevashon.com. The event is free, with lunch and tools provided, and made possible through a grant from King County Eco-Consumer Program and discounted tools sourced from Vashon Ace Hardware. For more information, visit vashonfixit.com or openspacevashon.com/orbit.
