Happenings features community, cultural and nonprofit events; notices are free and printed as space permits. Due to the volume of entries received, we edit submissions and cannot always confirm if a submission will run. Send submissions to editor@vashonbeachcomber.com; include the who, what, where and when. The deadline is noon Thursday for subsequent Thursday publication; The Beachcomber cannot guarantee late submissions will be included.

• EVENTS •

Vaccination Clinics: Vashon Pharmacy staff and Vashon Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers are administering COVID, flu, and RSV vaccinations, with the assistance of VashonBePrepared and Vashon Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers, at Vashon Pharmacy. Make appointments online now at vashonpharmacy.com. VashonBePrepared can assist those who are un- or under-insured, so there is no out-of-pocket cost for the shots. (See related article here.) Vashon school district will also offer vaccination clinics for COVID and flu for all school-aged children this week. One clinic at Vashon High School took place on Tuesday, Oct. 14; with another clinic at McMurray and Chautauqua held from 7:30-10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16. Register at tinyurl.com/dtx3ya5j.

DOVE/Domestic Violence Awareness: Vashon’s DOVE Project reminds islanders that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month — show your support for survivors by getting a sticker or button at over 30 local businesses. Islanders can attend DOVE Project’s annual Share Hope gala fundraiser, an evening of healing and giving to benefit survivors of interpersonal violence on Vashon Island, set for 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at Open Space for Arts & Community. Get tickets at vashondoveproject.org/blog.

Bird Walk: Join Nadja Vol Ochs, a naturalist and the executive director of the Vashon Wilderness Program, on a “coyote-mentored bird walk” on Saturday, Oct. 19. Meet at Ober Park at 9 a.m. and carpool to various locales. Participants will be invited to slow down, connect with the land and notice bird language and other natural activity through the eyes and ears of both predator and prey. This is one of the monthly bird walks sponsored by the Vashon Bird Alliance.

Food bank tours: Tour the current and future sites of the Vashon-Maury Community Food Bank with the food bank’s executive director and board members. The next tour takes place from 3-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21. Each tour can accommodate 10 people. RSVPs are required — contact minta@vashonfoodbank.org and meet at the current food bank location at 10030 SW 210th St.

Indivisible Vashon: This progressive group invites islanders to join millions across the country peacefully protesting against the Trump regime on Saturday, Oct. 18, at No Kings events. Indivisible Vashon is coordinating an event on that day at the four-way stop in Vashon town from 1-3 p.m., and also joining an event at the Seattle Center from 12-4 p.m. The Seattle-bound group will take the 10:35 a.m. water taxi and then march to Seattle Center — all the while drumming, singing and making noise with new Vuvuzela horns. For more information check out the protest page on the indivisiblevashon.org website.

Free Range Freedom Choir: Join this new choir forming on Vashon to sing songs of protest and freedom at Seattle’s No Kings protest on Oct. 18 and other future venues. Everyone is welcome, including those who don’t consider themselves to be singers. Find out more by emailing owlhowl@outlook.com.

Women Hold the Key: Women and girls age 16 and older can learn more about America’s ongoing quest for gender equality in two “Herstory” talks offered from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays, Oct 18 and Nov. 1, at Women Hold the Key, at 9822 SW Gorsuch Rd. Islanders Lynn Carrigan and Tina Shattuck will lead the series. On Oct 18, learn about feminist movements from 1940-1980 and 1980-2015. Find out more and register for the free sessions at womenholdthekey.com.

Vashon Island Growers: VIGA’s 2nd annual Harvest Party fundraiser will take place from 2:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at Farmstad, 12108 SW 148th Street. The event will include hay rides, excavator swing, apple flinging, pig feeding, a photo booth, music and other performances, a locally sourced dinner and more. Tickets are $15/entry, $15/dinner and $50 for family entry (up to four people). Find out more at viga.org/events.

DOVE Fundraiser: The DOVE Project will hold its annual Share Hope fundraiser from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, at The Open Space for Arts and Community. This year’s theme is “Illumination.” The event will feature music by Christopher Overstreet and food from Vashon Island Baking Company and Thriftway. Attendees will learn more about DOVE’s work and how to get involved. Find out more at vashondoveproject.org/post/share-hope-2025-illuminate.

Blood Drive: Bloodworks Northwest will hold a community blood drive from 10:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22, at Vashon Island Fire & Rescue’s Penny Farcy Memorial Training Center, at 10019 SW Bank Rd. Appointments and photo IDs are required. Note: as of this article’s posting online, registration is full.

Public Sector Heroes Lectures: Dr. Larry Hubbell, in conjunction with Vashon Indivisible, will present lectures about public sector heroes at Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Oct. 28 and Nov. 11, in the Vashon High School Theatre. The subject of the Oct. 28 lecture is Fred Korematsu who, with others, fought back against orders from the American government that they be incarcerated in concentration camps during World War II along with their fellow ethnic Japanese. Islander Joe Okimoto will introduce the talk. Read more about the series, “Finding Courage in Dark Times: Public Sector Heroes Rediscovered,” at tinyurl.com/4bsnadee. There is no admission charge, but donations to Vashon Indivisible are encouraged.

Free community dinners: Held Mondays through Fridays from 5-5:30 p.m. at the Vashon Presbyterian Church (17708 Vashon Highway SW) by the Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness.

Rotary Fundraiser: Rotary District 5030 (rotarydistrict5030.org) and member club Vashon Rotary invite islanders to participate in a fundraiser running now through Nov. 3. The fundraising competition will fight hunger by raising funds for Vashon Food Bank, Harvest Against Hunger and No Kid Hungry. To be part of the Vashon team, contact amyhugs@icloud.com.

• SENIOR CENTER •

Enjoy a hot lunch at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and the following activities throughout the week at the Vashon Senior Center, 10004 SW Bank Road, unless noted otherwise:

Talk: Aaron Rose will provide a guide to Medicare options at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17.

Movement: On Mondays throughout October, move your body in “Healing Mindful Movement from the Inside Out” with Lynelle Sjoberg in the Ober Park exercise room. Reserve a spot in the class by calling 206-463-5173. The Senior Center, in partnership with Vashon Parks District, will also host Square Dancing at Ober Park, with Frog Holler, from 4:30-6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20-Nov. 25. No partners needed.

Talk: Meet Vashon Island Fire District’s Mobile Integrated Health’s new physician assistant, Paul McGown, and Lilie Carroon, MIH manager, to learn about how the program is expanding. MIH nurses will also be there for blood pressure checks.

• PUBLIC MEETINGS •

Vashon-Maury Community Council: The council holds regular meetings on the third Thursday of the month. Visit v-mcc.org for more information and agendas.

Water District 19: Usually holds regular board meetings on the second Tuesday of the month at the district’s board room at 17630 100th Ave SW. Visit water19.com.

Vashon Health Care District: Holds regular meetings the fourth Thursday of the month at Vashon Presbyterian Church, 17708 Vashon Hwy SW, and on Zoom. Visit vashonhealthcare.org.

Vashon Island School District: The board typically meets the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, at Chautauqua Elementary School, Room 302, 9309 SW Cemetery Road. All meetings are recorded and posted online at youtube.com/@visdpublicmeetings6034/videos. Visit vashonsd.org.

Vashon Island Fire & Rescue: VIFR’s board typically meets on the fourth Wednesday evening of each month. Visit vifr.org.

King County Cemetery District #1: Meetings are typically held at 1 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month, at the cemetery office at 19631 Singer Rd SW. Visit vashoncemetery.org.