CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY 25

Stretching dollars

A presentation, “Family Budgets in Tight Economic Times,” will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, at the VYFS Play Space at Gorsuch Road and Vashon Highway. Guest speaker Lori Harris will present on the topic.

Those who are or will be parenting children and looking for ways to stretch their dollars are welcome. Refreshments will be available. Guests are asked to bring a favorite dish or food item for a potluck if they can.

The event is sponsored by Vashon’s Fostering Together Network, a collaboration of current and potential foster and adoptive parents, relative caregivers and other community members who otherwise support children in foster care.

For more information, contact Rebecca Rumburg at 567-4924 or Michele Eastly at 463-5783 or

vashon.fostering@gmail.com.

FRIDAY 27

Teens perform

The Final Friday Performance Night for Teens will meet at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, at Books by the Way. Musicians, writers, actors, dancers, comedians and any other type of performers are welcome to participate. A finalist will be chosen and will have the chance to win a promotional package that includes a professionally produced video, Web site and a promoted performance at a local venue.

SATURDAY 28

‘Meet Your Neighbors’

Island author Dorothy Hall-Bauer will sign her newest book, “Islanders, Meet Your Neighbors II,” her second collection of photographs and profiles of Vashon Islanders and their interesting lives.

She will be at the Vashon Bookshop at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28. Call the book store at 463-2616 for more information.

Creative gardening

Michelle Crawford of Pacific Potager will present a talk on creative gardening from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at Books by the Way.

Drawing on 20 years of experience in the Pacific Northwest, Crawford will discuss the French potager approach to gardening — that a garden can be a practical and attractive part of your property. The talk is free and reservations are not required.

Call the book store at 463-2696.

MONDAY 2

Kids book club

The Kids’ Book Club will meet at Vashon Bookshop from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 2, to discuss “Chasing Redbird” by Sharon Creech. The group is for ages 8 to 11. Newcomers are always welcome.

Call Kathryn True at 567-5389 for more information.

TUESDAY 3

Internet safety

An Internet safety lecture, presented by Seattle police detective Garry Jackson, will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, at McMurray Middle School.

Islanders can join The Harbor School and McMurray Middle School for an informative presentation on Internet safety issues relevant to school-age children. Jackson will cover topics including risk awareness, social networking issues and safety, cyberbullying, Internet safety rules and monitoring and supervision.

Contact Jackie Mollison at The Harbor School at 567-5955 for more information.

UPCOMING

Families skate

Families looking for some fun and a healthy family activity to help them close their week together are invited to try out skateboarding, inline skating and roller skating. Vashon Park District is opening the doors of the Vashon Indoor Skate Park at Burton Adventure Recreation Center to families on Friday nights starting March 6.

Families with at least one parent can make the skate park their own for just $5 per family. Bring your favorite action music and a bit of padding for all — helmets are required — and skate from 6 to 8 p.m. Call the Vashon Park District at 463-9602 for more.

Flea markets

In March, Vashon will be home to two flea markets.

The first, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 7, is presented by the Open Space for Arts and Community — or “O” — at 18870 S.W. 103rd St.

Vendor spaces are available by calling Karen Biondo at 408-7241.

Organizers promise food, music and diverse entertainment.

The entrance fee for shoppers and browsers is $3 or a donation of food for the Vashon food bank.

The Vashon Youth Council will present a weekly flea market beginning the weekend of March 14 and 15 in the lot just north of Pandora’s Box. The market will open at 9 a.m. with closing times varying throughout the year.

There is no entrance fee for shoppers. Vendor booths are available by calling Sheila McGuffin at 719-2691 or e-mailing vashonfleamarket@gmail.com.

African documentary

The Vashon Lutheran Church is showing the documentary film “Lumo” at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 8. It is the true story of one young woman’s struggle to heal in the Congo, a nation at war.

The woman was assaulted by soldiers and went, finally, to the HEAL Africa hospital, which assists women hurt in the war.

The film will be shown in 200 cities on March 8, which is International Women’s Day.

Harper McConnell of HEAL Africa will be on hand at the church to answer questions.

A $10 donation is requested and will go to HEAL Africa.

For more information, call the Lutheran Church at 463-2655.