Water District 19 Lottery
Water District 19 has opened applications for a lottery for water units, following a vote by commissioners last month to issue 28 new water units this spring. The vote officially ended a moratorium on new shares that had been in place since 1996.
The district is now offering 28 Equivalent Residential Units, or ERUs, via a lottery; those who want to enter the lottery will pay a $50 fee to do so. New water shares currently cost $11,900.
The application is only for Water District 19 parcel owners located within the boundaries of Water District 19. All applications must be in the district’s office by May 3, for a drawing to be held on May 15.
Full instructions, terms, and application forms for the lottery can be found on the district’s website, at water19.com. Questions? Email water19@water19.com, or call 206-463-9007. The district’s office is located at 17630 100th Ave. SW.
Tax Help
Vashon volunteers with AARP Tax Aide can help make sure your tax return is prepared correctly and filed electronically. Don’t miss out on the Earned Income Tax Credit and the new Washington Working Families Credit, up to $300 for qualifying individuals and up to $1,200 for families. For free assistance with the preparation of your income tax return, send an email to vashonaarp@gmail.com. In your email, please provide your phone number so that the volunteer scheduler can give you a call to set up your appointment. Appointments are scheduled between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Thursdays until April 6, at the Vashon Lutheran Church, 18623 Vashon Highway SW.
Plastics and Styro Recycling
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, March 19, at the Sheffield Building, 18850 103rd Ave SW. Please note: we will no longer accept your plastic waste if it is contained in a black plastic bag. Get More info at zerowastevashon.org or email nadine@nadineedelstein.com. To volunteer please contactjacquieperry@comcast.
Brown Briefly
Looking forward to Spring? Then you will appreciate knowing more about the 100 cherry trees gifted to the high school in 1932 by the Vashon Japanese American Community. Join Brown Briefly’s Kevin Jones, Truman O’Brien, Craig Beles, and Bruce Haulman at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 21, with guests John Stanton, from Vashon Island School District, artist Chantal Uto, and Friends of Mukai’s Joe Okimoto discuss this eternal gift and to honor the Vashon Japanese American students, all American citizens, who in 1942 were exiled and imprisoned during World War II.
Scouting for Food
Cub Scout Pack 275, in partnership with the Vashon Food Bank, welcomes donated food items as part of a county-wide Scouting for Food campaign. Cub Scouts and their leaders will collect food from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, March 25, in front of Thriftway.
In 2019, scouts in the Chief Seattle Council, which includes Vashon, collected over 74,000 pounds of food for area food banks. This is the first campaign since the pandemic.
Apply for services
The Washington Department of Social and Health Services van will be on Vashon from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, at the Vashon United Methodist Church, 17928 Vashon Hwy SW.
At the van, islanders can apply for cash assistance, basic food assistance (EBT cards), medical assistance, and the Medicare Savings Program, and also drop off paperwork, complete an eligibility review, mid-certification review or make changes to an existing case.
Plans for Wax Orchard
King County Parks will hold an online open house, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, about its recent acquisition of a 110-acre portion of the former Misty Isle Farms property off Old Mill Rd SW. Register to attend at bit.ly/Vashonopenhouse.
The open house will include updates on the current public use of the property and proposals the county has received for future use, including an off-leash dog park and the return of the annual Sheepdog Classic.
Temporarily called “Wax Orchard,” this property is home to four miles of trails, a large open pasture, fields, 63 acres of forest with wetlands and ponds, and roughly 47 acres of farmland pasture.
Vashon Wilderness Fundraiser
“Emergence – An Evening to Benefit the Vashon Wilderness Program,” will take place from 5-9 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at Camp Sealth – the non-profit’s home base for the past 16 years. A nine-day online silent auction will precede the event from March 15-24, with items including new outdoor gear, art, food, and experiences of family fun of self-care. For more information, visit vashonwilderness.org.
Free Mammograms
The Swedish Mammography Van will be on Vason on April 8. Limited free appointments are available for women over 40 who are uninsured to receive either free mammograms or pap smears. Call Patricia, at VYFS, at 206-348-4252 for information.
Support Group for Family Caregivers
The Vashon Care Network will offer family caregivers a safe, supportive space to share their experiences in support circles that will be offered every Thursday in April (April 6, 13, 20 and 27) from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Vashon Lutheran Church. Anyone who needs a caregiver to stay with their loved one, in order to attend, should let us know. We will offer cookies, conversation and community in this sharing space of support. For more information, contact Kathy Shafel, kshafel@comcast.net or 206-718-1458 or Tory Hayes, victoriansmith@comcast.net or 206-304-4544.
Evening meals
Free community evening meals are served from 5 to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, at Vashon Presbyterian Church. All meals are take-out, except for Wednesday, which has indoor seating. Donations to Vashon’s Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness, to support all its programs for islanders with housing insecurity, can be sent to PO Box 330, Vashon, 98070.
