Happenings | March 8 edition
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 6, 2024
International Women’s Day
Women Hold the Key will celebrate International Women’s Day 2024 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, March 8, at the Synergy Center for Women, 9928 SW Gorsuch Road, upstairs. This is a free event for women and nonbinary folks, with donations gladly accepted. To see a complete schedule for the day, visit womenholdthekey.com.
Vashon Center for the Arts will also observe March 8, starting at 7:30 a.m. with coffee, pastries and conversation.
At 10 a.m., weavers from Tapestry Artists of Puget Sound (TAP) will present a demonstration and participatory activity, “Women Weave the World.” Frame looms will be available — visitors can try their hand at weaving and also watch tapestry artists demonstrating their weaving. They will continue until 5 p.m.
Work by TAP members and ceramicist Sara Berry are also on view at VCA.
At 12:30 p.m., artist Margaret Chodos-Irvine will give a talk about her current VCA exhibition “Unwearable Apparel: The Femme Series,” discussing her creative process and inspiration behind her oversized, re-constructed art dresses.
Also on view is “Inspired by…” — an exhibit featuring ink and pen drawings by middle school students at the Harbor School.
The exhibit, created under the tutelage of Alisara Martin and Spanish Teacher Zach Charles, is a tribute to the contributions of women, particularly Latinx and Latina figures, through the medium of comic book art. The narrative text for the comic was then translated into Spanish for integration into their drawing.
VCA will be open until 5 p.m. on March 8, and all activities are free to the public.
Unitarian Universalists
Come hear a local inspiration — Bill Moyer will speak at the next Universal Unitarian service. Leader of the Backbone Campaign, Moyer specializes in “artful activism.” The service begins at 9:45 a.m. Sunday, March 10, in Lewis Hall, above the Burton Fire Station. Moyer’s topic is “Polarization, Conviviality, and the War against the Imagination.”
Garden Club
The Vashon-Maury Island Garden Club will meet at 9:30 a.m. Monday, March 11, at the Bethel Church gym, at 14736 Bethel Ln SW. The club’s business meeting will be followed by a talk by Lauren Vorona, King County education specialist, on “Integrated Pest Management and Noxious Weed Control.” Meetings are open to the public.
Mukai Food Hub
Friends of Mukai and the Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA) will host a gathering for members of Vashon’s food and farming communities to learn more about the planned Food Hub inside Mukai’s historic barreling plant, from 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, March 11, at Mukai Farm & Garden, at 18017 107th Ave. S.W.
Food hubs increase a community’s access to fresh food as well as enhance food suppliers’ access to local markets.
Mukai and VIGA’s proposed food hub could include features including a commercial kitchen, a grain mill, food preservation equipment, freezer space, and shared farming equipment.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to increase access by our food and farming community to resources they can use to improve and expand their production,” said Terah Bruce, of VIGA.
Light snacks and childcare will be provided. To RSVP and find out more, visit vigavashon.org/events.
Dementia Series
A new eight-part series exploring dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, hosted by Steven Nourse on his Voice of Vashon (VoV) show, “IsAbled,” is now airing on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. on VoV, KVSH 101.9 and voiceofvashon.org. Episode 2, slated for 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, will discuss the varying kinds of dementia, detailing differing ages of onset, associated symptoms, pathophysiologies, and more. To learn more and listen to the show’s first episode, featuring Dr. Brad Tyson, a neuropsychologist at the Evergreen Medical Center, visit voiceofvashon.org/dementia.
Water District
Water District 19’s next regular board meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Monday, March 11, in the district’s board room at 17630 100th Ave SW.
Brown Briefly
Teresa Mosqueda, Vashon’s new King County Councilmember, is an affordable housing, labor, and healthcare advocate who chairs the King County RegionalTransit and Health and Human Services committees and the Board of Health. Join Brown Briefly hosts Truman O’Brien, Bruce Haulman, Craig Beles and Kevin Jones at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 12, on Voice of Vashon, 101.9FM, to hear Mosqueda talk about King County governance.
Talk about reparations
Join Vashon’s Showing up for Racial Justice (SURJ) for an online discussion with leaders of the Civil Reparations Project at 12 p.m. Tuesday, March 12 — responding to a call from Black people, since before the end of slavery in the United States.
At the meeting, attendees will discuss the context for reparations for Black people, break into small groups to analyze how the lack of reparations has impacted our lives, share group and legislative efforts to support, and learn how to begin taking immediate personal reparative actions.
Register for the meeting at tinyurl.com/2pa8fmn4. For further information about Vashon SURJ, email starrboogie@earthlink.net.
Parks Hiring Event
King County Parks will hold a seasonal hiring event on Vashon, from 12:30-3 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at Vashon Library, to recruit people already living on the island to work with Parks this summer.
Find out more about available positions and register to secure a spot at kcparksjobs.eventbrite.com, and fill out an application in advance at bit.ly/42LeR6E. Preference is given to candidates who attend a hiring event.
Cemetery District
King County Cemetery District’s next regular board meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, in the district’s office, at 19631 Singer Rd. SW.
Dance for Parkinson’s Disease
Join the Senior Center, in partnership with Vashon Park District and STG Dance for PD (Parkinson’s disease) for free dance classes from 1-2:30 p.m. on Fridays, March 15, April 19 and May 17, in Ober Park’s exercise room.
The Dance for PD method was developed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and Brooklyn Parkinson’s group for people with Parkinson’s, family members, caregivers and loved ones. These classes combine dance, live music, professional dancers as teachers, and community in a safe and creative environment. Classes address such PD-specific concerns as balance, flexibility, coordination, isolation and depression. No dance experience or PD diagnosis is necessary to participate.
St. Patrick’s Party
Join Inclusion Island for a fun Saint Patrick’s Day Party for adults with developmental disabilities and family and friends from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at Bethel Church, at 14736 Bethel Lane SW. Questions? Email hersheyhousing@gmail.com.
Buzz into spring
Vashon Island Beekeepers Association’s (VIBA) apiary is a resource for beekeepers of all levels. The group’s first meeting of the 2024 season will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 16. To join the hive and find out more, including the location of meetings and classes, visit the Facebook group, VashonBeekeepers, or email vashonislandbeekeepers.info@gmail.com.
Senior Center
Registered nurse Lisa Janda will offer foot care to seniors from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19. Appointments are required, call 206-463-5173.
Mixed Media Art Journaling, with artist Suzanna Leigh, will be offered from 2-4 p.m. on Thursday, March 21. Leigh will guide seniors in creating visual diaries to record and express their thoughts, feelings, and memories.
Forest Stewards
Vashon Forest Stewards invites the public to a free walk in the Agren Park forest, to review how a project, 20 years ago, to thin the woods has affected the forest, and discuss managing forests in the face of climate change and fire potential. What species are faring well, and which have problems, what have been our successes, and what are still challenges?
This walk will be the first in a free series to take place over the following months. Possible walks include Island Center Forest, the Vashon School District forest, Fisher Pond, and several private forests.
The Forest Stewards hope that island residents and forest landowners will join them on these walks to foster an interactive community discussion about forests and forestry while we walk in the woods.
The Agren Park walk will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 23. Meet at the parking lot. For information contact Warren at 206-295-6670, or email VashonForests@gmail.com.
Yoga Classes
Mik Kuhlman teaches weekly yoga classes from 10-11:15 p.m., on Sundays, at Tree of Life Wellness Center, at 17331 Vashon Hwy SW. Classes are alignment-based, mindful and playful. Pay what you can ($25 or less). For more information, email mik@mikkuhlman.com.
Update: Based on information sent to The Beachcomber by Water District 19, we accurately reported in the newspaper’s March 7 print edition, that the district’s next board meeting would be held on March 12. However, after press time, we received notice from the district that the meeting time had been shifted to 6 p.m. Monday, March 11.
