Community focus

Comfort Kits

for Support 7

With the help of Red Cross, South Snohomish County’s Support 7, a non-profit organization that supports and benefits local victims of tragic events, now has Comfort Kits.

“When a house fire leaves you with little more than the clothes on your back, having someone give you a comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth, soap and deodorant might not make your day, but it can make a big difference in helping you get through it,” said Coni Conner, disaster services manager of the Snohomish County Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Those items among others are included in the Comfort Kits. For more information on how you can help support Support 7 call Ken Gaydos at 425-774-9544.

Free tax help

at libraries

Edmonds Community College is partnering with AARP so free tax help will be available at the Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace libraries as well as on the college’s campus. The free help will be offered to the community Feb. 22-April 15. Services include answering questions, preparing returns and free e-filing. The college’s accounting department established a VITA site through the Internal Revenue Service after receiving a grant from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. The site will be staffed by 21 volunteer Edmonds Community College accounting students, aged 19-50, who have completed a comprehensive tax course (ACCT 215), test required by the IRS and additional training. Some of the volunteers also speak Vietnamese, Russian and Spanish.

• From 1-4 p.m., Feb. 22 and April 6, 7, 14; and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. March 11 and April 15, Snoqualmie Hall, Room 306, Edmonds Community College, 20000 68th Ave. W., Lynnwood. Vietnamese-speaking volunteers available on request.

• From 6-9 p.m., Mondays, Feb. 28-April 11 and 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturdays, Feb. 19-April 9 at Lynnwood Library, 19200 44th Ave. W. Spanish-speaking volunteers available Mondays.

• From 6-9 p.m., Wednesdays, Feb. 23-April 13, at Mountlake Terrace Library, 23300 58th Ave. Ave. W. Russian-speaking volunteers available.

Those who want assistance should bring: picture ID, Social Security cards for all persons to be listed on their tax return, all W-2 forms, 1099 or 1098 forms, a list of all other income and expenses, and a copy of last year’s tax return.

For more information, call 425-640-1685. For directions to Edmonds Community College go to http://campus.edcc.edu.

Build-A-Bear for Tsunami victims

Build-A-Bear Workshop at the Alderwood mall will be having an event “Hugs of Hope” in collaboration with UNICEF that will benefit children affected by the Tsunami.

Hugs of Hope invites the first 200 guests to visit the Build-A-Bear Workshop store at the Alderwood Mall to make a bear for FREE that will be donated to the children in need.

The event starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 19 at the Alderwood mall location.

‘A gift that

grows with love’

The Mountlake Terrace Garden Club is having its annual fund-raiser— selling hanging flower baskets for Mother’s Day.

Baskets are $28.50 each and are available in flowers that thrive in shade or sun. Those interested, need to order their baskets by March 1. To order, send a check written out to Mountlake Terrace Garden Club to 23910 56th Ave. W Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 or e-mail Dave Mercer at mercerd40@comcast.net. Be sure to include how many of which kind of basket you would like: shade or sun. Be sure to also include your name, address and phone number.

Baskets can be picked up May 6 at 4209 226th Place SW in Mountlake Terrace or May 7 or 8 at Video Mirage at 44th Avenue and 224th in Mountlake Terrace. Anyone interested in joining the city’s garden club, membership is $10 per person, per year. For more information call 425-774-8440.

Grant $ available

for MLT groups

The city of Mountlake Terrace is now accepting applications for grant funding from non-profit organizations to help finance programs or events that provide a benefit to the community. In 2005, a total of $12,500 is available to qualified applicants who submit and complete an application explaining their program or event, a need for financing and detailed budget information. A City Council subcommittee will review the applications and supporting documentation based upon established criteria and a scoring system.

In addition, $15,000 in lodging tax funds is also available and will be allocated through a similar process led by the City’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. Lodging tax funds are derived from the hotel-motel tax and may be used only for tourism promotion or for the acquisition or operation of tourism-related facilities. These funds may be used to promote or market an event but not to finance the event. The program or event should have the potential to increase overnight visits to the city’s hotel and/or create an economic or other community benefit.

The City Council will allocate the funds at a meeting in April and following Council approval, the organization is required to execute a funding agreement with the city. Applications are available from the City Clerk’s Office by calling 425-744-6206 or by e-mail to cityhall@ci.mlt.wa.us. Application materials must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 11.

Convention center seeks student artists

The Lynnwood Convention Center, in collaboration with the Lynnwood Arts Commission, is inviting each school in the Lynnwood area to submit one student artwork for the grand opening of the new convention center. The opening is on April 30 and will include a Multi-Cultural Fair that will showcase works of art by local students. The theme for the exhibit is “getting to know your neighbors.” Schools are encouraged to submit work that celebrates the diversity of all our neighbors.

To receive an application or more information, call the Lynnwood Arts Commission at 425-744-6459. Deadline for all submissions is March 25.

Lynnwood Arts needs you

The city of Lynnwood is seeking applicants for two openings on the Lynnwood Arts Commission. The first is a Mayor-appointed position, which is confirmed by the City Council and has a three-year term. The second opening is for a teen member that is open to anyone between the ages of 15 and 18 who is interested in learning about and contributing to the development of cultural arts in our community. Teen members participate in commission meetings and discussions but are not given voting privileges. All applicants must live within Lynnwood city limits.

The Lynnwood Arts Commission is made up of seven volunteers who work to support the arts in Lynnwood. Thanks to the work of past and present Arts Commissioners, the city has built a thriving arts program including public art, gallery, four free performance series through the year and arts classes at the Recreation Center. In addition, the commission helps to develop partnerships with Edmonds School District, organizations and individuals.

If you believe that the arts are important to our quality of life, and you want to advocate for the arts within the city, we want you to apply. Contact Fred Wong at 425-744-6459, fwong@ci.lynnwood.wa.us, or write to the City of Lynnwood Arts Commission, P.O. Box 5008, Lynnwood, WA 98046-5008.

Donate sweaters at The Enterprise

The Enterprise Newspapers is a donation point in the eighth annual Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive.

The drive, an annual event of KCTS-TV and Northwest Harvest, collects new and gently used sweaters for needy individuals in the Puget Sound region.

The Enterprise offices are at 4303 198th St. SW, Lynnwood. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The drive runs through February.

Bowl for the Little Red School House

Little Red School House of Lynnwood, Washington is holding its 15th Annual “Challenge for Children Bowlathon fundraiser on Saturday, March 12. They are seeking teams of four to five bowlers to help raise money for children with, or at risk of, developmental delays or disabilities, and their families.

To join in the fun, teams of four to five bowlers register in advance and collect pledges from individual sponsors (friends, neighbors, family, co-workers) who pledge per pin amounts or make flat pledges. Call 425-353-5656 or 425-775-6070 for more information, or to register your team.

Little Red School House has been providing specialized education and therapy services to children with developmental delays and disabilities in Snohomish County for over 40 years. The children exhibit many types of handicapping conditions, including Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Down Syndrome and vision or hearing impairments, to name but a few. Little Red School House offers them individual and group learning opportunities, occupational and physical therapy, speech and language services and feeding therapies, along with family support programs.

Food banks need volunteers

Concern For Neighbors Food Bank in Mountlake Terrace needs people who can drive a truck (yours or theirs) and helpers who can ride along to pick up food during the week. Call 425-778-7227 message phone and leave your name.

Other area food banks: Lynnwood (425-745-1635) and Edmonds (425-778-5833) need people who can help sort and pass out food on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday or just show up at one of the locations and offer your services. MLT and Edmonds Monday-Tuesday 8 a.m. until Noon. Lynnwood- Wednesday Noon until 6 p.m.

Sponsor the

next Hi!5 Run

The Rotary Club of Lynnwood is looking for sponsors for the next Hi!5 Run in Lynnwood scheduled for Aug. 28, 2005.

The 5K and 10K runs are looking for different sponsorships such as the title sponsor for $10,000 and co-sponsors for $5,000. The title sponsors receive exclusive premier location on the back of the official Lynnwood Hi!5 shirts. According to Rotary sponsor committee members some other benefits include marketing money leverage with a 300,000 plus marketing exposure. Recognition for involvement in the local community and support of Rotary programs. Sponsors who sign up soon will also receive other benefits. To be included in the advertising material, all sponsorships must be secured by March 31, 2005. There are also other promotional opportunities. Call Harry Truitt at 425-771-2679 for more information.

Boys &Girls Club new teen center

The Alderwood Boys &Girls Club had a grand opening for their new teen center on Sept. 29. The new teen center consists of a multimedia entertainment system, computers, furniture, pool, foos ball and ping pong. The teen center will be open to kids in grades 7-12. For more information call the club at 425-258-2436.

Lost a bike or have it stolen?

The Mountlake Terrace Police Department’s evidence room is overflowing with lost or stolen and found bicycles.

Police officials there said folks don’t always think to report their bicycles missing to police and also don’t think to call area police departments to check if they’ve been found. So by the end of the summer police department’s have several bicycles that if not claimed would be auctioned off.

When calling a police department to inquire about a lost or stolen bicycle be prepared to have a full description of the bike and the registration information if you have it and an approximate date the bike was found missing.

Mountlake Terrace residents wishing to register their bicycle, skateboard or motorized scooter can do so for free at the Mountlake Terrace Police Department.

For more information about lost or stolen bicycles call your local police department. For Mountlake Terrace 425-670-8260, for Lynnwood call 425-744-6900 and for Brier 425-775-5452.

Have a court date? Click here:

Citizens can now go to a new website, www.courts.wa.gov, and look up their court dates by clicking on “find your court date” and entering a valid name or case number.

All courts in Washington including Lynnwood Municipal and South Snohomish County District Court are on the site except for Seattle Municipal Court.

Given that court proceedings may be rescheduled at any time, official said, users are encouraged to call their local court the morning of their appearance. An automated court directory is also available online via the Washington Courts website, combined with a “Courthouse Locator” which provides maps and directions to every courthouse throughout Washington State. For the Lynnwood Municipal Court call 425-670-6668. For the South Snohomish County District Court call 425-774-8803.

Donate an old cell phone for safety

Project Donate a Phone is back on and the need is high, say officials for The Snohomish County Center for Battered Women.

The center is in need of old or new cellular phones, even ones with missing parts can help, Center officials said. Usable cell phones will be provided free to all women who use the center’s services. In case of emergency old phones can still be used to dial 911. The ones that can’t be used will be recycled to a business who has agreed to pay the non-profit organization for parts. To donate phones, drop them off at the Mountlake Terrace Police Department at 5906 232nd St. SW. For more information call Terri or Vicci at 425-259-2827.

Donate your old car for a local cause

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Snohomish County have started a car donation program. Funds from the program will benefit the activities of the Boys and Girls Clubs. For more information call 1-800-246-0493.

Community Focus briefs for the cities of Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Brier can be sent to sessions@heraldnet.com or mailed to 4303 198th St. SW, Lynnwood, WA. 98036, attention Shannon Sessions. E-mail is preferred. Include contact number with area code for publication in the newspaper. Briefs are printed on a space-available basis.