Happenings | April 13 Edition
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Celebrate Earth Week
April 16 to 23 is Earth Week Island, and environmental organizations will celebrate with several events.
Plastic flowerpots, cottage cheese containers, and pill bottles can help your garden and the environment. The Vashon-Maury Island Garden Club will explain how at an Earth Day event, “Plastic: From Foe to Garden Friend,” at Dig Deep Gardens on April 22. Bring unwanted plastic flowerpots and the club will make sure they are reused or recycled. Plastic repurposing ideas and examples will be showcased along with earth-friendly gardening information.
Zero Waste Vashon’s Electronics recycling event will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, April 22 at Vashon High School. Bring styrofoam and plastic waste to the next First (&Third) Sunday styrofoam and plastics recycling event, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, April 16, at the Sheffield Building, 18850 103rd Ave. SW. The event no longer accepts plastic waste if it is contained in a black plastic bag. Find a list of what is accepted and more information at zerowastevashon.org or email nadine@nadineedelstein.com. To volunteer please contact jacquieperry@comcast.net.
Visit the Whole Vashon Project’s Facebook page, and add your ideas in ways to celebrate Earth Week all year long.
Brown Briefly
Join The Brown Briefly’s hosts Truman O’Brien, Bruce Haulman, Craig Beles and Kevin Jones at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 18, on Voice of Vashon, 101.9FM, to hear Esther Lucero (Diné), president and CEO of Seattle Indian Health Board, discuss the recent purchase of the Vashon Community Care site to develop a rehabilitation center rooted in Native cultural practices.
Battling Ivy and Holly
Vashon Park District will host an invasive-removal and native plant workshop at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 15, at Ober Park, 17130 Vashon Hwy S.W. The workshop is free, all are welcome. Find out more at vashonparks.org.
Free dental care
Local dentist Marc Langland and staff will hold a day of free dental care and cleanings for low-income people who do not have dental insurance on Friday, June 2. To get on the list for care, call Hilary Emmer, at 206-463-7277 by Friday, May 5.
Apple Health renewal
Starting April 1, Washington’s Apple Health returned to an annual renewal process to reestablish eligibility — a process that was suspended during the COVID pandemic. Enrollees will receive a letter or email asking for updated information 30 days before the anniversary of their Apple enrollment date. If enrollees do not respond in 30 days, they will be dropped from Apple Health.
Islanders should watch for emails and letters about renewal, go online and make sure their contact information is updated, and check when their enrollment is due to expire. King County Public Health can also help. Miguel Urquiza, from the county, is available to give bilingual phone assistance, at 206-477-6965 or 206-491-3761. He will also be on Vashon to help in person, from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, at the Vashon Library.
Community Council Meeting
The next meeting of Vashon’s Community Council will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 20, in person at the Vashon Land Trust Building, and at the Zoom link, tinyurl.com/bdd6bth6. Speakers will include John Taylor, Director of King County’s Department of Local Services; Chrys Bertolletto, on the King County Flood Hazard Management Plan; King County Sherrif’s Office Captain George Drazich, on Human Trafficking, and Thunderbird Treatment Center on Vashon. See the events page at v-mcc.org.
Care Closet Giveaway and Open House
The Care Closet’s barns at 18623 Vashon Highway S.W., are overstocked, so from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29, the organization will host an open house and give away surplus medical equipment and supplies including walkers, crutches, shower chairs, compression socks, salves and much more. All are invited to attend and learn more about the work of the Care Closet, part of Vashon Care Network, and one of several lending organizations on Vashon celebrating National Library Week.
Senior Center membership meeting
The annual membership meeting of Vashon Senior Center will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, April 28, at the Senior Center, at 1004 SW Bank Rd. Masks are required at the meeting. Written motions are required to be submitted to the board secretary, at board@vashoncenter.org, by April 18. RSVPs are also requested for the meeting so that organizers can plan to move to a larger venue, if necessary. RSVP to board@vashoncenter.org or call 206-463-5173 by April 24.
The deadline to become a member, with voting rights, is also April 24.
Members may vote in person, by e-mail, by mail, or by written proxy submitted to the Board Secretary at board@vashoncenter.org. Members may attend general meetings remotely. However, those attending by remote means must submit votes in writing prior to the Annual Meeting. Please notify the center, at the email or phone number above, if you will require a Zoom link to attend.
Family Scholarship offered
Vashon Presbyterian Church is accepting applications for the 2023 Heindsmann Family Endowment Scholarship award. This award is not for high school seniors, but rather, for students who have completed two or more years of higher education or who are seeking special training or re-training.
Scholarship from credit union
Our Community Credit Union has announced that seven $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to graduating 2023 high school seniors who attend school in Mason, Grays Harbor, Thurston Counties and Vashon Island. Eligible individuals must be a member of OCCU.
Applications and guidelines for the scholarships can be viewed here. Applications will be accepted through April 30, 2023. Winners will be announced in May 2023.
Questions can be directed to Amber Trail at 360-427-3405 or 1-800-426-5657 or emailed to atrail@ourcu.com
Applications can be obtained by emailing vashonpresbyterianchurch@yahoo.com, leaving a message at 206-463-2010, or can be picked up at the church building from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Completed applications are due by April 27.
