The 9th Annual Casino Night fundraiser sponsored by the Meridian Kent Kiwanis helps support youth services in Kent and the surrounding area.  This fun event will be held on Saturday, November 12, 6 pm – 10 pm at the Kent Senior Activity Center, 600 E. Smith St. in Kent.

Tickets are $30 which includes a $20 gambling scrip, champagne, lots of delicious hours d’ oeuvres and a silent auction.  There will be Black Jack, Roulette, Craps and many great prizes to be won!

If you are interested in Casino Night sponsorship levels: Platinum $2,000 (+32 tickets); Gold $1,000 (+16 tickets);  Diamond $750 (+12 tickets); Silver $500 (+8 tickets); Bronze $300 (+4 tickets) and Table $150 (+2 tickets) with recognition given throughout the evening.  Contributions for the silent auction are also being accepted.

Buy your tickets today for this fabulous event to support youth services in our community.  Just click on the Make a Purchase link on this website.  Sponsorships can also be made through this link as well.

For more information, please contact Pat Hanis at phanis@hiplawfirm.com.

Thank you for your support of the 9th Annual Casino Night fundraiser to help youth in our community.  Hope to see you there!

From the City of Kent

November 4, 2009 – Kent service clubs are taking the lead to match volunteers with those who need help preparing for potential flooding. Residents can now call or email for help with filling and placing sandbags at their homes.

Kent Sunrise Rotary, Rotary Club of Kent, Kent Meridian Kiwanis Club, Kiwanis Club of Kent, Kent Lions, Soroptimist International of Kent and Quota International of Kent Valley have all come together to serve as volunteer coordinators.

According to Kent’s Housing and Human Services Manager Katherin Johnson, there has been a outpouring of support from local residents and church groups wanting to know how they can help.

“The free sandbags have been a huge benefit for residents, but some people need help getting them” said Johnson. “Some just aren’t physically able to shovel sand or move sandbags. The local service clubs matching these people up with volunteers will be an outstanding help for everyone.”

Residents needing help with sandbags, or people willing to volunteer, can leave a message on the service club hotline at 206-755-4814 or by email at kentserviceclubs@yahoo.com.  Interested parties can also follow the service clubs on Twitter at twitter.com/SandbagsKentWA.

The Kent Valley is facing a higher risk of flooding this winter due to water seeping more rapidly through an earthen bank next to the Howard Hanson Dam after record high water last winter. Until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can make repairs, it must limit the amount of flood water it stores behind the dam.

I’m creating a resource page to help Kent visitors and residents find out more about l0cal service and nonprofit organizations like Kiwanis, Rotary, scout troops, bike clubs, church groups, etc. If you’d like t0 have your group included, send me the name, contact info. and website address (if applicable). I’ll verify the info. and include it on the page.

Kiwanis Tot Lot #1, located on the corner of First Avenue and West Crow Street, is one of the sites of Kent Parks’ summer playground program. A nice surprise awaits participating children this season – a brand new playground – and they will get to cut the ribbon when Mayor Suzette Cooke officially dedicates the playground at 1:00 PM on Thursday, July 2.

The City of Kent originally acquired the park property in 1949.  In 1965, the Kiwanis Club helped develop the park by purchasing and installing some play equipment.  Additional play structures were installed in 1977 and replacement play equipment in 1995, which is fairly typical of a playground’s “life cycle.”

Kent Parks served as the host of a WRPA (Washington Recreation & Park Association)- sponsored class that gave parks staff from other cities the opportunity to participate in a two-day playground installation.  Funded by a Community Development Block Grant, this project also includes the renovation of the basketball court, installation of a plaza area for the summer playground program and fencing.

Thanks to Victoria Andrews with the City of Kent for this news:

Kent’s service clubs will celebrate Spring with the first annual Service Club Community Pride Day on Saturday, March 21, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The graffiti paint-out event is being co-sponsored by Kent Police and Kent Parks, Recreation & Community Services. The goal is to eliminate graffiti, reduce vandalism and keep Kent clean, beautiful and safe for children, families, seniors and visitors.

Teams of four or five will be coming from local Kent Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, Soroptomist, and Quota Clubs. Volunteers will meet at 8:00 a.m. at Town Square Plaza, located at Second Avenue and Harrison Street in downtown Kent. Refreshments will be provided by the 4th & Meeker Starbucks. After receiving instructions and supplies, the teams will fan out in their vehicles to assigned “hot spot” areas. At the end of the morning, the groups will return to Town Square Plaza for lunch, courtesy of Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Service club members and their families (including children 16 or older) are welcome to register as part of a team or as individuals. Please pre-register by March 13th. Teams will be finalized and assigned to their locations on the morning of the event. Supplies and paint are paid for by a graffiti abatement grant from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC). To register for this event, visit www.kentgraffiti.com or contact 253-856-5851.