I get a lot of questions about why I started iLoveKent.net and what I get out of it. I started it as a simple blog last summer, but moved it to a larger, friendlier format a couple of months ago because it was getting more attention and I saw the need for information in our community growing. I wanted to provide a venue to talk about some of the businesses, events and people in Kent that I think are great but aren’t getting the exposure they deserve. Some that I’ve written about are clients, but many are not.
I’m not sure where the site is headed or what I eventually want to accomplish with it, but for now…
- The site is a free, community-based website.
- I do not receive any money from advertisers or others to maintain the site.
- I post content on the site as I have time. I do it on a voluntary basis as a community service.
- Readers and members of the community occasionally send me items and events to post. I do so as I have time and at my discretion. I am the sole editor and publisher of the site.
- Readers comments are moderated the first time they submit a comment. After they have had a comment approved, future comments are automatically posted. I reserve the right to delete to inappropriate or offensive remarks.
- I have hired several people to assist with the site because there aren’t enough hours in the day, but I do so at my expense. As a result, at some point, I anticipate having to generate some revenue from the site to cover my costs. I don’t know what that looks like yet.
- Any errors or omissions are strictly my own. If you find something that is inaccurate, please contact me at info@ilovekent.net, and I will make the corrections as soon as possible.
I welcome your input, feedback, content suggestions and ideas. I want this site to show some of the great things that Kent, Washington has to offer. Your input will help to make the site more useful, so keep those ideas coming! Send them to info@ilovekent.net.
Thanks,
Dana Neuts, publisher
iLoveKent.net
I’m beginning to like this page more and more… you do a great job with it…
Thanks, Mick, and I appreciate all of the sports info. you send my way. I am not “plugged in” to the sports-side of your community, so it is great to see that someone with a passion for Kent Sports is. Keep the info. coming! Thanks, too, for all of the traffic you send my way. I appreciate it!
Don’t forget the KM Plant Sale Saturday!
5/16/09; 8am – 3pm
Also – a community meal for residents
and community leaders in the
Kent East Hill Weed and Seed corridor
will be held Saturday May 16th at the
Kent Parks Community Center at
Kent Phoenix Academy (formerly Sequoia Middle School)
11000 SE 264th Avenue, Kent, WA 98031
For more information on this event
or the Weed and Seed initiative,
contact Bess Walker at 253-856-5075
or through the web page below.
For information on Kent’s Weed and Seed Initiative, see:
http://www.ci.kent.wa.us/police/index.aspx?id=1494
For information on monthly meetings (open to the public)
http://www.ci.kent.wa.us/police/index.aspx?id=8016
Enjoy!
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Our Young People Need You!
Thursday June 4th
Dine, Discuss, Discover
A Community Meeting to Keep Youth Drug-Free
Time:
5:30-6:00 Community Resource Tables
6:00 Dinner
6:00-7:30 Group Discussion & Panel
Place: City of Kent Resource Center
315 E. Meeker Kent, WA 98030
Who should come to the community meeting?
Parents & students in 7-12th grade
(activities provided for younger children)
Educators, prevention professionals, health providers, law enforcement, traffic safety professionals, and business owners.
Anyone who wants to prevent underage drinking & substance use.
What are we going to talk about?
Local concerns surrounding youth alcohol and substance use
Talk with and hear from people with a variety of experiences in substance abuse prevention field
Great discussion starters for your family
RSVPs appreciated due to food;
Please provide name and number of youth & adults in party.
Please call (253)856-5883 or email sjudd@ci.kent.wa.us
The City of Kent Police Department
Kent Drinking Driver Task Force
Kent Police Youth Board
——————
Crime Prevention in Kent WA
Block Watch and National Night Out Against Crime (Aug 4, 2009)
http://www.ci.kent.wa.us/police/index.aspx?id=1650
Kent Neighborhood Program
http://www.ci.kent.wa.us/neighborhoods/index.aspx?id=1270
Kent East Hill Neighborhood Association
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KentEastHill/join
I found this link and information in my previous neighborhood’s eNewsletter and wondered if Kent businesses might be interested:
Summer Internship – Call for Companies to Receive Interns
” (snip) … Through partnerships with enterpriseSeattle, Safeco Insurance and Turner Construction, the 2009 summer internship program will provide minority- and women-owned businesses with 11 weeks of intensive business consulting, access to cutting edge business management techniques, hands-on assistance for operations problem solving and capturing new business opportunities. They are now accepting applications from local entrepreneurs … (snip) …
Contact Wil Tutol at (206) 616-1216 for more information to learn how to participate in this program.”
A PDF page is available at
(Forwarded from the Downtown News and Renton City News June 2009)
The UW Foster School of Business PDF about the UW BEDC Summer Internship Program – Improving Management of Minority- and Women-Owned Contracting Firms – can be found by clicking on my name in this second message about it – I have nothing to do with the program but do admire its goals and benefits so I wanted to get the message out there. I do not know how to post links within this message (apparently).
” (snip) … For more than a decade the BEDC has linked graduate and undergraduate student consulting teams with minority and women-owned businesses to help provide improvement in their management skills and improvements in the way they operate their company. While few, if any, clients have focused on improvements in their bottom line, we are pleased that our work has led to the creation and retention of more than 1000 new jobs and the addition of $55 million in new revenues. (snip) … hrough partnerships with enterpriseSeattle, Safeco Insurance and Turner Construction, the 2009 summer internship program will provide minority- and women-contractors 11 weeks of intensive business consulting, access to cutting edge business management techniques, and hands-on assistance for operations problem solving and capturing new business opportunities. Each intern will be assigned three companies and each business will receive approximately 150 hours of consulting services. (snip) … “
Hi Dana! It was a pleasure meeting you at Jacquie’ Alexander’s womens retirement party. I am replacing Jacquie’ at the KDP and believe me, it isn’t going to be easy to come in after her.
I was told almost instantly by my board “you have to go to the “I Love Kent” website, which I did and it is great!” It is energetic, current, fun and user friendly. Thanks for doing all you do for Kent.
I have already fallen in love with Kent! The people are wonderful and the downtown has that “welcome” feeling to it!!
Cheers, Barb at KDP
Hi Dana, I found your website by accident, but as a business owner in Kent for the last 15 years…it caught my eye. I was actually looking for beading classes for my daughter and her friend for this summer and within my search this site popped up. I think it is wonderful that you are promoting Kent businesses. I have no idea who you are or what your motivation is, but if I can help you promote downtown Kent, and I got the sense that you could use help, I’d be happy to do what I can. I am a former stencil shop turned gift shop promoting many local/regional artists. Kent has so much to offer these days and it is fabulous that you take the time to put it on the map. If there is something I can do to help, please let me know…. Sarah (PS I was at Jackies retirement party, but I didn’t meet you there.)
Hi, Sarah. Thanks so much for your nice comments. I really appreciate it. We have actually met, though it has been awhile since we’ve talked. I used to be Dana Blozis (I remarried in February and changed my name to Dana Neuts. I also own Virtually Yourz and have been the chair of Wine, Women, Wow for the last few years with Sommer Ueda (I didn’t chair it this year). As for Jacquie’s party, I had to miss it. I was in Maine…would have loved to have been there though! As for my motivation, you can see my column “Why I started iLoveKent.net” on my op-ed page. I too believe that Kent has MUCH to offer and I want to help shout the city’s praises to the world. I see the struggles of small business owners and want to do what I can to help them. As far as help, anything you can do to send news, events, story ideas, etc. my way would be helpful. I want the site to stay fresh and new and, to do that, I need the community’s help. My goal is for the site to eventually be by the community for the community. Thanks again for writing. Your note means a lot to me. – Dana (As for beading classes, check out the Bead Factory in Tacoma. They just hosted a huge event last week, but I’d guess they do smaller events and classes too.)
Hi Dana
I came across your site on Blogcatalog and would like to congratulate you. Your site looks very professional and I’m sure the people of Kent, USA will love visiting it on a regular basis.
I am actually in Kent, England (the original Kent!).
I am currently writing a blog called Kent Today & Yesterday – http://kenttodayandyesterday.blogspot.com which I hope will develop into something similar to yours but will also touch on the history of Kent and some of it’s famous people (Winston Churchill for example).
I am researching a post about all the other places around the world which are called Kent and I believe there are quite a few in the USA.
If you would like to send me something about Kent, WA I would be happy to include it in my post with a credit and link back to you.
Best regards,
Glen
Thanks for your nice comment, Glen. I appreciate the feedback. I’d love to share some info. with you about “little old Kent.” Let me work on something for you. Best of luck with your site too. I’ll add a link to it on mine…a “sister site.” – Dana, iLoveKent.net
Hi Dana – I’m very grateful for the link and will do the same for you. Look forward to receiving your information. If you think your readers would like to know something about the “original” Kent I would be happy to write a little post for you. Kent in England can trace it’s history back to pre-historic times and had a number of famous past residents including Winston Churchill and Charles Dickens.
Have a great weekend and thanks for your help.
Glen
Dana,
I love your website. I was wondering how to get our business listed under “work” on your website. We may also be interested in advertising. Please let me know. Thank you and keep up the great work.
Bernadette’
Central Avenue Mini Storage
Thanks, Bernadette. Delores gave me her card so I could add you, but I haven’t done that yet. I’ll do it now and email you separately about advertising. Thank you!
Dana Neuts
iLoveKent.net