Senior Center
The Vashon Senior Center, at 10004 SW Bank Rd., serves a hot lunch at 12 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and offers multiple activities throughout each week.
Upcoming program highlights include a talk at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, with Dementia Friends, a global public awareness movement that aims to change the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. The talk will be a free 60-minute information session, sharing information about dementia and its impacts.
The Center’s schedule for upcoming Tuesdays is packed, with an intermediate Spanish lesson with Jose Burgos from 9-10 a.m. The fiber arts group, Knit Wits and Hookers, takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pinochle games take place from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Music Mends Minds gets folks singing from 1:30-2:30 p.m., and at 4 p.m. there is a meditation class with Barney Munger, with all levels welcome. From 6:15-9:15, Vashon Duplicate Bridge players convene.
A full calendar of events is posted at vashoncenter.org.
Sweet Potatoes
Vashon farmers and gardeners can learn about varieties and techniques for growing sweet potatoes in a special workshop from 3-5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, at Vashon Cohousing, at 10421 SW Bank Rd. Park along Bank Road, rather than in Cohousing’s parking lots.
At the event, horticulturalists from the Washington State University (WSU) Northwest Washington Research & Extension Center will report on their six years of trials for growing high-quality sweet potatoes in the Puget Sound region.
Presenters will be Carol Miles, Director of WSU’s Northwest Washington Research Center, who specializes in new crop varieties, and Laura Schulz, a doctoral student in horticulture at the Mount Vernon Research Center, who is currently developing production guidelines for growing sweet potatoes in western Washington.
The speakers will also share experiences of other farmers in the region and respond to questions from island growers.
A donation of $10 per person is requested to help cover expenses and support WSU’s sweet potato research. Questions? Call Mark Musick at 206-941-3393. Preregister for the workshop by emailing mark-musick@comcast.net.
NAMI support meeting
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) friends and family support will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, in the library of Vashon Presbyterian Church. It can also be accessed on Zoom by visiting zoom.us/j/442169680.
Free tax preparation
Volunteers from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) will offer free tax preparation on Thursdays at the Vashon Lutheran Church again this year, beginning on Feb. 6.
The free tax preparation services are available to anyone, regardless of age. However, AARP-prepared returns are limited to non-complex returns. Acceptable returns can include wages (W-2), Social Security and pensions (1099R), unemployment (1099G), dividends/interest (1099INT/DIV), capital gains (1099B), and self-employment (1099NEC) income — no inventory, depreciation or rental rental income.
To make an appointment, email VashonAARP@gmail.com, noting your phone number and the best time to call.
Indivisible Vashon
Interested in taking action for democracy? Indivisible Vashon takes action to promote and defend democracy by advocating for progressive candidates and legislation, and working for social and environmental justice. Join the group for a discussion and updates at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3, at the Land Trust Building. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Stay afloat
Join Quartermaster Yacht Club (QYC) member and boater Kevin Jones to vastly improve your chances of staying afloat on the water. Jones will talk about the limitations and related safety aspects of navigation charts and electronic chart plotters. from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, at Meyer’s Hut at the yacht club, located at 23428 Vashon Hwy SW.
The talk will also detail why the Vestas Wind vessel grounded in the middle of the Indian Ocean in the middle of a big race. Closer to home, attendees can learn about uncharted rocks in Joe’s Cove, British Columbia.
The talk is free and open to the public as well as to QYC members. To register, email mariebrowne2000@comcast.net by Jan. 31.
Death Café
The Vashon Death Café will take place from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at the Tree of Life Wellness Center, at 17331 Vashon Hwy SW.
The event, which includes cake and tea, is a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session. The Vashon Death Cafe meets every first and third Friday of the month, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., at the Tree of Life. Donations are welcome.
Granny’s After Dark
Island thrift store Granny’s Attic hosts its spicy “After Dark” sale from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, open only to adults age 18 and older. The annual sale historically features “grown-up” merchandise and other curios.
Garden Club
The Vashon-Maury Island Garden Club will hold its monthly meeting at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 10, at the Bethel Church gym. A Garden Club business meeting will be followed by a guest speaker: Laura Matter, from Tilth Alliance, will speak on the topic of “Your Vegetable Garden as Backyard Habitat.” The talk will cover proper management of rainwater runoff, an overview of the local watershed, stormwater and ways to make sure daily activities do not become a source for pollution.
The meeting is open to the public. Visit vmigc.org/activities to learn more about the Garden Club.
Library programs
Vashon Library, located in Ober Park, is offering two new free programs. The first, English Language Learners (ELL) classes, began from 4:45-5:45 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, and continues at that time on Thursdays through April 10, except for March 20. Flyers about the classes, in Spanish and English, are available at the library and also online at kcls.org/adultlearner.
Saturday “Crafternoons,” a three-session class in crochet amigurumi, began from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, and continue at the same time on Saturdays, Feb. 8 and 22. All supplies are provided thanks to the Vashon Friends of the Library. Space is limited, so registration is requested. Register by coming into the library, calling, or visiting kcls.org.
Health Insurance
Miguel Urquiza, representative of King County Public Health, will help islanders sign up for health insurance, food stamps and ORCA Lift discounted transportation from 12:30-3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Vashon Library. Islanders can also change their insurance or ask Urquiza for help in fixing problems with their current insurance.
If Wednesday is not convenient, contact Urquiza at 206-477-6965, 206-491-3761, or miguel.urquiza@kingcounty.gov.