GROUNDSWELL NW SEPTEMBER 2018 NEWS

Lauren Croxton, GNW Summer Intern

---

Summer is showing signs of turning to fall--temperatures are cooler and students are returning to school.  One of those students is our summer intern, Lauren Croxton.  Lauren grew up in Ballard and now attends the University of Michigan during the school year studying environmental education.  Lauren provided support to the Groundswell Board on a variety of projects.  Through Lauren’s leadership, creativity, enthusiasm, and diligence, she moved Groundswell forward in a number of areas and we are immensely grateful.  Lauren helped build pollinator hotels for Groundswell’s booth at the upcoming Sustainable Ballard Festival, worked on a walking tour guide for Ballard’s parks (available soon), and worked with Board members on a variety of other outreach projects. It was a real pleasure to work with Lauren and we hope she will join us again next summer.   

Daniel Satterthwaite, a senior at Blanchet High School, also built pollinator hotels for both this year and last year’s Sustainable Ballard Festival. He introduced the board to the proper and safe use of power tools and we finished the work without any mishaps. Thank you Daniel!  Lauren’s and Daniel’s work supports Groundswell Northwest’s efforts to educate our community about the importance of creating habitat, whether in a park, a garden or apartment balcony. 

Support both nature and your creative yearning, by visiting the Groundswell Northwest booth at the Sustainable Ballard Festival, September 22nd.  Build your own pollinator hotel using recycled materials to create habitat! Food, water and shelter are important habitat resources for our local pollinators. Ask us about ways you can create habitat  or kick start a green space idea to enrich the NW Seattle community.  Even better, volunteer at our booth!  Sign up HERE.  

Other summer news---Salmon Bay Park Stewards hosted a big outdoor movie event August 17th in collaboration with the Parks Dept and sponsorship from Groundswell NW.  About 150 people showed to watch Pixar's ‘Coco’ and munch on yummy popcorn!  Salmon Bay Park Stewards also received funds from ‘Your Voice Your Choice’ for $12,550 in improvements at Salmon Bay Park, including replacement of benches and tables.  Salmon Bay Park Stewards’ next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday September 5 at 7:30 pm at the picnic tables. Future meetings are planned for the first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 pm, locations to be determined.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is holding a series of meetings this summer
to gather feedback and suggestions on their planting projects. An area meeting is scheduled Saturday, September 1, 2018, 10:00 am – 11:00 am, at the Loyal Heights Community Center.  SDOT will be planting trees along SDOT maintained arterials in the fall of 2018 and spring of 2019.  Contact Sherry Graham at 206-615-1569 or sherry.graham@seattle.gov with questions.

Groundswell NW Board

GROUNDSWELL NW AUGUST 2018 NEWS

WOW! July felt pretty hot here in northwest Seattle, but more moderate temperatures are sure to follow. Plants and animals need water and shade in the summer — places to stay cool and get refreshed. Be sure to keep those water features full for all our wildlife friends. And when you get your backyard ‘wildlife certified’ please let us know so we can count you towards meeting our Northwest Seattle Community Wildlife Habitat Certification GOAL of 300 National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitats!

Also in July was the last Groundswell NW Board meeting for two members:  Dawn Hemminger and Devon Shannon. While we’re sad to see both leave, we’re happy to report that both will remain as “advisers” to help further Groundswell’s mission. We greatly appreciate their past contributions and look forward to working with them in their new capacity. While they can never be replaced, we are looking for new board members.  Contact us for more info.

Other ways to engage with our organization are listed in the August calendar, including these highlights:

• August 7  All Seattle Family Night Out.  Connect with your neighbors and share some neighborhood stories. This is a great opportunity to meet newcomers!
• August 17 Salmon Bay Park Stewards are hosting their first Community Movie Night @ 8pm.  This was an event grown from the “seed money” of a Groundswell NW Microgrant.
• August 18  Ballard Corners Park Work Party--a classic Groundswell NW project.  Held between 10am-2pm.
   

Groundswell NW Board

Dawn Hemminger

Devon Shannon

GROUNDSWELL NW JULY 2018 NEWS

CREATE A GARDEN THAT HELPS WILDLIFE!

Summer is the perfect time to make improvements not only to your home but for our local wildlife habitat.  Private residential property, including apartments and condominiums, make up approximately one-third of the urban landscape and studies show that the impact of wildlife gardening is substantial to our wellness and local ecosystem (2018 NWF).  Help us reach our Northwest Seattle Community Wildlife Habitat Certification GOAL of 300 Certified Wildlife Habitats with the National Wildlife Federation!  Find out how you and your neighbors can certify your yard and help sustain beneficial wildlife in our community HERE. 

Other interesting happenings in NW Seattle include a meeting June 21st with the Green Infrastructure Partnership, Salmon-Safe and the Aurora Bridge Team to learn more about the Aurora Bridge Bioswale Project. The project is a series of rain garden/swales, separated by metal weir walls,  to mimic effects of a natural stream bed.  The goal is to prevent the death of endangered salmon in Lake Washington from toxic stormwater pollution.  

And speaking of summer gardening....are you looking to garden but don’t have the yard space to build your own? Join a Department of Neighborhoods P-Patch Community Gardening Program!  Plots are still available in several P-Patches throughout the city!  With your own P-Patch plot, you can grow fresh organic produce for yourself and your family while also supporting your community and learning gardening techniques from your neighbors.  Most plots are 100 square feet and cost $43.00 annually. Plot fee assistance is also available to help reduce or eliminate the cost of your annual fee. 

Check out upcoming summer events in NW Seattle:

• East Ballard Community Association is sponsoring two summer events related to Gemenskap Park:  Crime Prevention Meeting - July 12 @ 6:30pm, St Alphonsus Family Center, 1415 NW 58th St, and Summer Clean Sweep -  July 14 @ 10am, Blowing Sands Glass, 5805 14th Ave NW.  For more information tap HERE. 
• Salmon Bay Park Stewards hosts their first Community Movie Night August 17 @ 8pm. Their Monthly meeting and a Safety Walk will be July 11 @ 7:30pm at the picnic tables.

And a BIG THANKS to those who supported Groundswell via GIVE BIG 2018 and Amazon Smile.  Have a safe and joyous July 4!!!

Groundswell NW Board

GROUNDSWELL NW JUNE 2018 NEWS

It felt a lot like summer here in May and our community looks especially green this year. A big THANKS to those who GAVE BIG green ($$) to Groundswell NW during this year's Seattle Foundation Giving Campaign!  The Seattle Foundation campaign ignites philanthropic giving to make Greater Seattle a stronger, more vibrant community for all.  We appreciate your continuing support of Groundswell NW.  

NW Seattle has been busy with many volunteer activities.  On Mother's Day, volunteers worked to spruce up the Salmon Bay Natural Area.  And Salmon Bay Park Stewards met to plan their first community picnic June 16 @ 4-6:30pm.  Randy Wiger from the Parks Commons Program attended to assist in funding and planning resources for music and games.  Everyone is invited to the picnic June 16th  — come out to play and support Salmon Bay Park!!

Gemenskap Park (pronounced Yuh-MEN-skawp), Swedish word for “community,” is close to becoming a reality.  This new park will provide open space for the Ballard neighborhood by converting two full blocks of 14th Ave. NW between NW 59th and NW 61st streets to a new green space. Keep an eye out on our Facebook posts for an official opening date.  

Susanne Danielle
Groundswell NW Board Member

GROUNDSWELL NW MAY 2018 NEWS

Golden Gardens Park

Happy Spring Groundswell Neighbors!

There have been some exciting changes happening in the hood lately.  Last month, Salmon Bay Park Stewards held their second meeting to discuss improvements to enhance enjoyment and safety in the park. The group learned about SPD resources and the Parks Commons Program.  Groundswell NW is supporting this group with a $500 micro-grant for publicity and start up materials. If you would like to participate with this group, the next planning meeting is May 8th, 7:30-8:30 at Mabel Coffee. Find more information about this meeting and other upcoming events CLICK HERE.  

And don't forget, May 9th is the eighth and FINAL GIVE BIG event sponsored by the Seattle Foundation.  You don't have to wait until May 9th, you can schedule your pledge early HERE.  Groundswell NW appreciates your continued support of our mission, to provide mentoring, awarding microgrants for start-up projects, providing fiscal sponsorship, and advocating for parks, open space and habitat in NW Seattle. We couldn’t do it without you!

Groundswell NW Board