Encampment: Letters, Phone Tech Needed, Lots More; Local Businesses; Song: Christmas In The Trenches

CONTENTS 12/26/2020
City Hall Encampment
   Please Write Letters
   Red Cross?
   Delivering Food
   Delivering Supplies
   Phone Tech Needed
   Ingredients
   Need Souper Company
Silver-Colored Razor Scooter Found
Water Out, Restored, And Brown
Local Artists, Artisans, Restaurants, Small Business
   Validate-Appreciate
   Mg Dufresne
   Amym5000
   Margie Katz
   Jazz/Classical Piano Player
   Carne
   Cascade Pizza
   Firehouse Performing Arts & Events Center
Radio Free Fl!p: Christmas In The Trenches

CITY HALL ENCAMPMENT

Nothing about us without us. Interviews with campers at the Bellingham City Hall encampment of our houseless neighbors. Most have not been able to go inside any building to warm up and dry out in weeks due to Covid. https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR11s1goppCZ-jfkp2yFmaoW1MvSPbpgnCh_iJuZCyi-ypnvKaZT6OtwayI&v=OGP_QY6GfaU&feature=youtu.be

PLEASE WRITE LETTERS

I had a long talk with a friend with a lifetime of understanding of how our local politics work. He has deep sympathy for the current elected officials. None of them expected to have to handle this pandemic. Be kind to them, please! My friend had several useful suggestions. 1. Write the City & County Councils as well as the Mayor & County Executive. The Councils will have to approve funds. 2. The problems are deep, national, and long-standing. Don’t expect a quick and simple fix, but don’t give up. There will have to be multiple approaches – there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. If you have ideas, include them briefly in your letter. With lots of us thinking, we may generate some interesting thoughts. Please offer your thoughts. 3. And again, don’t give up. Keep writing. Every time you have another thought of something we could do, write them. Talk with your friends and ask them to write too.

mayorsoffice@cob.org

ccmail@cob.org

ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us

council@co.whatcom.wa.us

RED CROSS?

This morning it occurs to me that what we have is a refugee camp. People have lost their homes as surely as if there had been a flood or earthquake. But where is the Red Cross? I have heard that the Red Cross has to be requested by the government, and I have no idea of who could call or what  the long term consequences would be. But it seems worth exploring.

DELIVERING FOOD

If someone is taking over a delivery, they should park on Library side of Lottie. Back their car in. Then before getting out of car simply stop, look, listen to notice who is around.  Usually all is fine , but if they see any drama or medic cars in the street, they can wait till scene is clear and then deliver their donation to the front of food tent where one or two college-age neighbors volunteer.  The volunteers will also be happy to come carry soup in. New neighbors volunteering to deliver food, please consider going first with an experienced neighbor.

Although at times new volunteers might feel insecure in their cars doing deliveries to a campsite, help them know there are unsheltered citizens huddled in their tents in the cold and rain, with no car to lock the doors on or to drive away in. They have no sturdy walls or roofs or locked doors to their tents to protect them from intruders or harm. Many have survived trauma or been verbally scorned by citizens who act like bullies. Remind new volunteers that  these citizens are holding on to hope that we will find them when a tiny home shelter village  or county emergency shelter is open. I respect our citizen campers for their courage, their humbleness & independence, & their faith to carry on moment by moment. ~ Heather

DELIVERING SUPPLIES

At this point, other supplies are best delivered off-site. Contact Fl!p for a drop point, and to see if it might make sense to wait a week or so till SwiftHaven is up and running. There are experienced volunteers distributing your donations one-on-one to those who need them most, ensuring resources don’t get lost in the shuffle. Tents are a high priority need.

PHONE TECH NEEDED!

Is there someone who could wipe phones? We need phones donated, but can’t begin accepting them till we have someone who can safely wipe them all. Meanwhile, please hang onto your phones. We’ll call for them when we can handle them. Thank you!

INGREDIENTS

Consider making a great dinner! We have offers to donate a #30 turkey! And a #10 ham. We have big restaurant roasting trays. We’ve got proper dinner boxes for serving in. Add a baked potato or rice & some veggies. Keep it simple. Won’t someone step forward to adopt these gifts and make a couple beautiful big, solid dinners? We also have noodles, rice, lentils, onions (always), potatoes, bacon, soup bases, canned tuna, canned fruit for dessert baking, and more. And containers for serving.

NEED SOUP COMPANY

I have signed up to make soup for 40.  The pot I have may serve more but I didn’t want to over-estimate. How can I recruit someone to make up the 10 more meals for the 4:30 PM dinner on 12/29? ~ Katy Velasquez katyvelasquez@fidalgo.net
[Like this! Somebody want to join Katy? Email her.  Love/Fl!p]

SILVER-COLORED RAZOR SCOOTER FOUND

A silver scooter was found Wednesday leaning on my garage door at 2405  Eldridge.  ~ Maggie Malone   425-747-8684

WATER OUT, RESTORED, AND BROWN

The water was out at the corner of West and North. The utility guys were out there working as fast as they could Christmas morning. Everything is back to normal! Big thanks to the Utility workers coming out today and fixing this so quickly! ~ Joe Postma

Our water is running yellow/brown currently dead end of Jaeger. ~ Kolby LaBree

Almost certainly related. Run your water for a while and it should clear. Each tap may need to be cleared separately.  ~ Fl!p

LOCAL ARTISTS, ARTISANS, RESTAURANTS, SMALL BUSINESS

VALIDATE-APPRECIATE

My wife and I have a small business, Validate-Appreciate.  We build kids furniture, weave stuffies, make growth charts, cribbage boards and Christmas decorations. We are members of Allied Arts and have our items online at allied arts.com and also have a website, validate-appreciate.com.  Thank you, Doug and Sandy Carpenter

MG DUFRESNE

I have a small ceramics business: Henry St+ Studio. Here’s my website. henryststudio.com

AMYM5000 

Professional artist expressing the wonders of nature, quantum mechanics, and consciousness using vivid colors and flowing shapes. Surreal, abstract & stylized imagery using oils, acrylics, watercolor & scratchboard. Commissions welcomed! amym5000.com   email: amym5000@gmail.com -Amy March, Washington Street

MARGIE KATZ

Makes linen (also cotton) crossback aprons, bandannas, quirky throw pillows, seasonal balsam fir needle sachets, organic flaxseed-filled eye pillows with or without lavender buds, knitting bags, and of course masks!  Photos and information at Instagram.com/margiedavida/
Contact:  margiecats13@gmail.com  or text 360-303-1875 (I’m hard of hearing!)

JAZZ/CLASSICAL PIANO PLAYER

Looking for gigs. 10yrs exp. Currently playing at Haggens and Habitat for Humanity. Will play for food, tips, and/or, pay! Contact Sky Leuba @ 360.410.3109 ; sky@skyleuba.com

CARNE

An old fashioned craft butchery featuring pasture-raised meats. You can order in advance so it’s a quick in-and-out. No more than two customers permitted inside the building at a time.
1205 Washington Street
Open again on Tuesday. Usually 11 – 6 Tues – Sat (360) 647-8686

CASCADE PIZZA

Their take n bake lasagna is huge. When ordering I said ‘there is only two of us.’ ‘Then you should get the tray and then you get leftovers’. Well heck yeah!!!!! Love this place. ~ Teresa Boots
2431 Meridian (360) 671-0999 11 – 11 Mon-Sun Since 1978

FIREHOUSE PERFORMING ARTS & EVENTS CENTER

A community treasure! Please help keep the Firehouse doors open, the fires burning, and the arts alive!  Now is the time. There are so many ways you can help:  Make a tax deductible donation here – for any amount through the Firehouse non-profit fiscal sponsor, Allied Arts Foundation, Seattle.

Stop by the cafe’ for coffee, wine, cider, delicious sandwiches, soups, and baked goods – the garden is open, festive, and cozy! Purchase a gift certificate for a friend — or for yourself. You deserve it!

Grab a $5 ticket (yes, only $5) to one of Firehouse Studio’s online performances — many of your favorite artists recorded live in the theatre between early June and November 2020.

Support a Firehouse scholarship to a yoga or dance class in the theater space when it is able to reopen.

Northwest Ballet Theater virtual event. John Bishop and his students combine their 2019 nutcracker with new performances recorded live at Firehouse Studio. free.

Here is a partial list of performances – online & on demand:

John Pinetree & the yellin’ degenerates, part . These guys are sooo good.  All original jazz, funk, soul. Tickets $5 and John Pinetree & the yellin’ degenerates, part II.  More amazing entertainment. Tickets $5.

The Seattle House Rockers. from all-original gut-bucket blues to get-down funk. tickets $5.

From Where They Are.  perspectives of 14 children, ages 7-16, during their time during covid-19. tickets $5.

Fl!p Breskin & Zeke Hoskin — singers, songwriters, musicians, partners. fl!p celebrated her birthday with joyful music and stories. recorded live. free!

JP Falcon Band. much-loved pnw duo, jp falcon grady and michael longeneker, perform their original music. recorded live.  tickets $5.

Evolution Dance Co. winter showcase 2020. dvds available for sale now at evolutiondanceco.com

Firehouse Cafe located at 1314 Harris Ave. in Fairhaven is open from 7:00am-5:30pm daily. Serving scratch made muffins, scones, cookies, quiche, sandwiches, soup, and hot coffee and tea drinks. There is a walk-up window and covered outdoor eating area. 

RADIO FREE FL!P: CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES

Written and performed by John McCutcheon. True story about the Christmas Truce during WWI.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJi41RWaTCs

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

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