HOPE FOR FAMILIES LUNCHEON:  Please mark your calendar for Thursday, December 8 at noon to be at the Golden Steer Restaurant, 23826 14 Ave. SE in Kent.  The Kiwanis Club of Kent would like you to join them for a $5 lunch to help and support local struggling families.   How do you get a $5 lunch deal you ask?  By bringing any new or gently used sleeping bags, jackets, hats, gloves and socks to the Golden Steer.  Cash or check donations will be cheerfully accepted as well.

Please join  your friends, neighbors and community leaders in helping struggling families in Kent.  Call Sally Goodgion at 253-852-0880 or email catalysttravel@hotmail.com with an RSVP no later than December 6.

Contributed by Lori Nevin of Urbia Fresh Cafe

FUN-FILLED FOLDING: ONE THOUSAND PEACE CRANES FOR JAPAN RELIEF
Sat., April 9, 9 am – 3 pm
Urbia Fresh Cafe, 415 Central Ave., Kent

With a goal of the Kent community folding at least 1000 Origami Peace Cranes, Urbia Fresh Café will be hosting a public event on Saturday April 9, 2011 from 9:00AM to 3:00PM at 415 Central Ave. N. Local community member Emiko Knowlton and others will be providing the origami paper, instructions on how to make the cranes, and personally helping each individual fold their Peace Crane. Feel free to bring your own origami (or you can recycle paper from catalogs, magazines, etc.). You can make cranes now and drop them off on the day of the event too.

This event is in support of Laura Fournier who started the project “A Thousand Paper Cranes for Japan” for the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Known as “Senbazuru” in Japanese, an ancient legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane.

Paper cranes have come to symbolize world peace and the process of healing, and as Japan picks up its pieces, this will express our wish for hope and their recovery. Fournier states, “The goal is to fold one paper crane for each life lost. I cannot do this alone. I’ve never even folded a thousand, let alone over 20,000. I need your help.” If you would like to be part of this project, please show up at this event. The paper cranes and any written well wishes will be sent to community centers and schools in Japan.

Donations will be collected to go towards Global Giving’s Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. In addition, Urbia Fresh Café will be donating 10% of the days proceeds to the relief fund. Photographs of the event will be taken by Shawna Perko Smith of Sweet River Photography. Photographs from this event and others involved with this project will be collected and sent along with the cranes to Japan. We hope to see you there!

Everyone is invited to participate by coming in to watch, learn, and fold at 415 Central Ave. N., Kent (the old Kentucky Fried Chicken building). Call Lori Nevin at the Café, 253-220-8078, for more information.

Updated Nov. 3, 2010, 8:29 p.m.–The City of Kent announced today that the Morford Family Carousel will open this year on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. On Friday, November 26 from 4 to 9pm, the carousel will kick off its fifth holiday season. It will be located at Town Square Plaza at the corner of 2nd Avenue and Harrison Streets, across the street from the Kent Library.

After opening day, the Morford Family Carousel’s hours will be:

Friday:  4 – 8 p.m.
Saturday:  12 – 8 p.m.
Sunday:  12 – 5 p.m.

In addition, there will be Bonus Days during the holiday break from school. The carousel will be open Dec. 20-24 from 1 to 5 pm and December 31 from 1 to 5 pm. The carousel can also be booked for private parties Monday through Thursday. Arrangements for private bookings can be made by contacting the SKC Autisum Support Group via email.  [Notes:  Hours are subject to change due to the weather.]

In addition, the City is planning special musical performances and holiday surprises to draw families to downtown Kent during the holiday season. Once again, the City of Kent is partnering with local nonprofits to operate the carousel as a fundraiser.

This holiday season the nonprofits working the carousel are the Kentwood National Honor Society and the South King County Autism Support Group, with the group’s proceeds going to Children’s Therapy Center. Suggested donations are $1 per ride and will go to the nonprofits to support their respective missions and programs.

For more information, call 253-856-5110 or visit the City of Kent website.

Post updated August 8, 2010 –

A group of Kent residents and dog owners are pitching in to create a dog park on the East Hill between Morrill Meadows Park and East Hill Park on 248th. Though volunteers have helped to clear the blackberry bushes to get the park dog-ready, there is much more work to be done. Funding is also needed. You can help make this dream a reality. Here’s how you can help:

• Purchase and donate fencing at Home Depot ($45 a roll; volunteers can pick it up, if needed).
• Purchase a plaque on behalf of your dog for $102. Half pays for the plaque; the other half goes toward the dog park.
• Buy a bench for $500 (4 are needed).
• Purchase a garbage can for $350 (2 are needed).
• Monetary donations are always helpful.

For more information or to make a donation, call volunteer Michelle McDowell at 253-639-0124 or visit DogPark online.

In kind donations such as fencing and other items needed for the park can also be donated. Contact Brian Levenhagen, parks planning and development manager to see if the materials you want to donate meet city standards.

The holiday season is over, however that doesn’t mean the giving season is.  The Kent Food Bank is running the “i can give” promotion and is looking for donations.  If you would like to help or were already looking to donate, here is a list of the top 25 needs:

1. Peanut Butter

2. Canned Peas

3. Canned Corn

4. Canned Green Beans

5. Canned Fruit Cocktail

6. Canned Peaches

7. Canned Pineapple

8. SPAM

9. Canned Chicken

10. Canned Tuna

11. Canned Meat

12. Beef Stew

13. Fruit Juice

14. Vegetable Juice

15. Milk (powdered, evaporated, and shelf stable)

16. Vegetable Soup

17. Cream of Chicken/Cream of Mushroom Soup

18. Chili

19. Oil (vegetable, olive)

20. Canned or Bagged Beans

21. Rice

22. Cereal

23. Mac and Cheese

24. Dried Fruit

25. Snacks (pudding, granola bars, energy/protein bars)

Food Bank Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

2nd Wednesday of the month open 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Clients may visit the Kent Food Bank once per month (either at our downtown location or at the Springwood Annex) for food and government commodities.  Bread and perishables are available on a weekly basis.

King County 4H Cat Show
Saturday, January 23
9 am – 2 pm

Kent Station
(between See’s Candies &
Portrait Innovations)

Raffle and prizes as a fundraiser. Admission is free; donations will be accepted.

This report as provided by Jim McGinnis, president of the Kent Community Foundation, a local nonprofit organization that provides scholarships and grants for arts and education programs benefiting the Kent School District and the Kent & Covington communities.

DECEMBER, 2009 KCF PRESIDENT’S REPORT

This month I would like to talk about a program coming up on December 8 & 9 at the Kent Commons. This is the “Game of Life: Attitudes and Choices,” a set of workshops under the auspices of the Kent Police Youth Board which partnered with the Foundation earlier this year for fund raising.

The workshops for the youth include nutrition, underage drinking, relationships, sexual harassment, marijuana use, crisis intervention, financial responsibility, prescription drug abuse, leadership, diversity, relationships with the police, domestic violance, gangs, teen parenting and stress management

Interested Chamber members are invited to monitor any of these sessions during the mornings of December 8 or 9 or the closing celebration from 12:45 to 2:00.

If you or your business would be interested in contributing to future programs like this, you can send those contributions to the Foundation at the Chamber office. They should be made out to the Kent Community Foundation and marked for the “Game of Life/Youth Board.” Monies collected will be used to award grants to these programs

A very Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year to all from the Foundation board members.

Jim McGinnis

October 13, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jazz Musician Darren Motamedy Seeks Used Instruments for Kent Band Students

Kent, Washington, October 13, 2009 – Seattle-area jazz musician Darren Motamedy seeks the donation of used band instruments for 5th and 6th grade band students in the Kent School District. The award-winning saxophonist is also a band director for five local elementary schools, and the shortage of available instruments creates a hardship for his students. In particular, the band students need clarinets, flutes, trumpets, drum kits, snare drums and orchestra bells.

Motamedy has a friend who will donate his time to clean and repair donated instruments, so most used instruments can be accepted, even those gathering dust in a closet or attic. The instruments will be used by students in the Kent School District, many who are receiving free or reduced lunches and can’t afford to rent instruments.

“Participating in band helps students to assimilate in group settings, stay focused in school and graduate,” Motamedy said. “Music saved my life, so I am thrilled to help out my band students.”

Donors are asked to contact Darren Motamedy to make arrangements to drop-off the instruments, or they can bring the instruments to one of Motamedy’s Sunday night shows at Muckleshoot Casino. For a performance schedule, please visit Motamedy’s website at www.darrenmotamedy.com.

“I appreciate all of you and your kind support not only of my musical endeavors, but in my teaching life as well,” Motamedy said. “Thank you for helping my band students. Your contribution will have a significant impact on their education.”

For more information, please contact:

Darren Motamedy
Email
206-940-3431
www.darrenmotamedy.com

Spring Cleaning?

Donate to
Martin Sortun PTA Indoor Garage Sale & Bake Sale
Communication Equipment Fundraiser
Saturday, April 25, 2009
9 am – 3 pm

Donations – We’re accepting gently-used:

• Household items
• Small furniture
• Clothing
• Toys

[No large appliances, old TVs or computer monitors please.]

Please bring items to the Multi-Purpose Room at Martin Sortun Elementary, 12711 SE 248th St., Kent on Friday,
April 24 between 4 and 8 pm.

Volunteers - We need volunteers for Friday set-up and the Saturday sale. Please contact Sara Dawson if you can help during either or both of these times. Thank you!

Shoppers – Make a purchase from our April 25 Garage Sale and become eligible to win a prize!  While shopping enjoy our Bake Sale of sweet treats.  Proceeds from the event will go toward the purchase of communication equipment for Martin Sortun Elementary.

Thank you for supporting our children’s education!

~ Martin Sortun Elementary PTA