Please
click HERE to see the past events
for 2003.
Friends
of Annie's Playground was awarded a $10,000 grant from an anonymous
donor foundation. This brings the total money in the playground
fund to well over $50,000! Ninety-seven t-shirts have been sold
in October - November! The Oct. 12th garage sale made a total of
$460 for the playground!
* * * MEETINGS * * *
Parks
Dept. Public Meeting
Wednesday, December 7, 2002
7:00 PM at the Community Center
This third Parks Dept. public meeting about the general Playfields/Play
Area renovation discussed the size, location, and footprint
of our playground.
Monday, December 2, 2002
7:00 PM at the Community Center
Meeting Minutes
1. Fundraising/activity report:
- Lake City Pancake Breakfast: Dean and Meghan reported on
the breakfast. They spoke to a number of people about the
playground project and raised ~$75 through T-shirt sales and
contributions.
- Ongoing T-shirt sales: Janet Wilson reported on T-shirt
order taken over the phone and through the Annie's Playground
website. She has processed and sent out orders for approximately
80 t-shirts and is completely out of children's X-Small and
Small sizes.
2. Playground design - Randy Robinson, our lead designer from
the Parks Dept (phone #684-7035), made a few opening comments
about the design process:
- There will be public workshops as part of the design process.
These workshops should involve families from the neighborhood.
- These workshops will result in a prioritized wish list for
the types of equipment desired and a general direction to
the designers for the kind of feeling that should be evoked
by the final design.
- A meeting for the actual choosing of equipment will take
place in a public setting late in the design process.
- The playground designers will then take all this design
information and the available budget into consideration to
produce the final play area design.
The following comments, issues and questions arose during
the subsequent discussion:
- The Parks Dept. is currently involved in negotiations with
the School District to secure the play field property.
- the play area should foster an appreciation for nature-incorporate
native species and plants into the design. Birdhouses affixed
high on entryways or structures as a fundraiser? The addition
of native plants could possibly involve the horticulture program
at Nathan Hale.
- Would we like some kind of art installation? If we would
like to involve an artist, possibilities include UW Design
School, contracting with a specific artist, or opening it
up to an open call for artists.
- We could also add design elements into creative covers for
some areas or entryways into the play areas or barriers between
different areas of the play area or designs in the pads (see
Meridian Playground in Wallingford or Pratt Park Yesler and
20th).
- We are thinking of incorporating a tile project into the
design. Check out tile projects at Rogers Playground (on E.
Louisa in Eastlake), Webster Playground (67th and 30th in
Ballard), Licton Springs Playground.
3. Benefit Dinner and Auction Planning - Joni and Justin
- The date for this event was set for May 10th, the day before
Mother's Day.
- With Lee Bicknell's help, we will arrange to reserve the
Gym for the Dinner and the Multipurpose Room for the display
of auction items.
- Justin believes he can arrange for the donation of the food,
but would need equipment for preparing and serving the food.
Janet and Thomas agreed to look into what was available through
the Community Centers.
- The menu for the dinner will be pasta with different sauces,
breadsticks, and salad.
- We discussed a donation price for the dinner. The general
consensus was that the dinner should not be free, but that
the ticket price should be low. We also discussed the idea
of having tables at the dinner designated with table captains
responsible for filling the table. (for example, the coop
or the Waldorf School could be asked to sponsor tables)
- We discussed strategies for acquiring auction items. Among
the suggestions was to auction off the dessert items for the
dinner to the tables, collection of items to produce baskets,
offering services as well as items.
Wednesday,
November 6th at 7:00 pm
Nathan Hale Library (2nd Floor)
This was the Parks Dept. meeting at which the landscape architects
presented their draft design for the playfields and play area.
Monday,
November 4th at 7:00 pm
Meadowbrook Community Center
Monthly meeting. Agenda items included developing a fundraising
plan and discussing how high school students can be involved
in the project.
Summary
of minutes:
- High
School student involvement. Tizzy Harbaugh wrote up a
proposal to get Nathan Hale students involved in the play
area fundraising and design process, and gave it to Hale
principal Eric Benson. Ideas for high school student involvement
included student-designed T-shirts, a student art display,
a talent show, or a dance.
- Parks
Department report. The total budget allotted by Seattle
Parks is $356,000, with $250,000 towards construction.
The design process will be in 2003, with construction
scheduled for summer 2004. There will be at least three
public play area design meetings arranged by the Parks
Dept.
- Thorton
Creek Legal Defense Fund message. Bob Vreeland discussed
certain environmental restrictions concerning the distance
between the playground and the creek (min. 50 ft.). This
issue was also brought up to Susanne Friedman, the Project
Planner, at the Nov.6 public meeting.
Monday, October 7th at 7:00 PM
Meadowbrook Community Center (in the Family Center upstairs)
We raised $679 during the month of September through the beginning
of October (T-shirt sales: $320; donations: $294; Plant exchange:
$65).
Meadowbrook Playfield and Children's Play Area
Improvement & Renovation Project
"Project Overview & Community Prioritization Meeting"
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Nathan Hale High School Cafeteria
10750 30th NE
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Seattle Parks and Recreation is undertaking major renovations
and improvements for the Meadowbrook Playfield and the Children's
Play Area. Funding for the projects comes from the 2000 Pro
Parks Levy and the Parks Major Maintenance Fund.
Potential Improvements
being considered include: |
· Drainage and irrigation
improvements for the ball fields
· Ball field amenities
· New safety surfacing
|
· Perimeter curb and path
· ADA accessibility and pathway lighting
· Along with other infrastructure modifications
|
Contact Information:
Susanne K. Friedman, Project Planner
Seattle Parks and Recreation
800 Maynard Avenue S. 3rd Floor
Seattle, WA 98134-1336
206.684.0902 or susanne.friedman@seattle.gov
|
Monday,
September 9th, 7 pm
Meadowbrook Pool
Please note that this was not the first Monday in September due
to the Labor Day holiday. Also note that the meeting was not be
held at the Community Center, which was closed. From the minutes
of the meeting: Fundraising Progress. We raised $942 during the
month of August through the beginning of September. In addition,
Lauren was contacted by the representative of a philanthropic organization
who was very interested in the playground project. She put together
a grant and met with the representative. He told her that it was
likely that the foundation would contribute $10,000 to the project.
Monday,
August 5th at 7:00 pm
Friends of "Annie's Playground" meeting was held in the Family Center
at the Meadowbrook Community Center. Future t-shirt orders, upcoming
fundraising and tree planting events were discussed.
Monday,
July 8th at 7:00pm
Friends of "Annie's Playground" meetings was held in the Family
Center at the Meadowbrook Community Center.
Monday,
June 22nd at 7:00pm
Friends of "Annie's Playground" meeting was held in the Family Center
at the Meadowbrook Community Center.
* * * EVENTS * * *
Dive-In
Movies
December 11 and 18
Meadowbrook Pool
Assistant pool coordinator Thomas Hargrave sponsored the dive-in
movies. "Moulin Rouge" was shown, items were raffled and T-shirts
sold.
Tree Planting
Saturday, November 2 at 10 am
Meadowbrook Beaver Pond
The Department of Neighborhoods (DON) provides free trees to groups
who want to make their surroundings more beautiful. The "Friends
of Annie's Playground" group received five native dogwood trees
to plant near the Meadowbrook Pond. This was Annie's favorite place
to watch ducks and explore with her family. Several Friends of Annie's
Playground helped the Yasuda family plant the trees in Annie's memory
(the first anniversary of her death was Nov. 10).
Please click on the photos to view larger images.
* * * FUNDRAISERS * * *
Lake
City Pancake Breakfast
Sunday, November 10 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Bryan arranged for the Friends of Annie's Playground to have a table
at the Lake City pancake breakfast, and Meghan and Dean took shifts.
We sold t-shirts, gave out flyers, and talked up the playground.
Garage
Sale
Saturday, October 12 from 9am to 4pm
31st Ave NE several houses south of 60th St. (one block west of
Bryant Elementary School). This is a big, multifamily effort, with
all proceeds going to the "Annie's Playground" project. Donations
are tax-deductible.
Plant
Exchange
Saturday, October 5th
Swim
Lesson Registration
Thursday, September 12th, 4:30-8:30 pm
There was a large crowd for swim registration since no mail-in registration
were offered for the Fall. We sold s'mores cones and t-shirts.
Please click on the photos to view larger images.
End
of Summer Bash
Friday, August 23rd, 6:30-8:30 pm
The Bash included free food (hot dogs and hamburgers, chips, drinks),
games, and a free swim. There was a very large turnout . We sold
a sweet treat, s'mores in ice cream cones, to be assembled by the
kids. We also had butcher paper and pens for kids to draw their
playground ideas.
Obon
Japanese Holiday
Friday, August 16th, evening
Annie's Playground Fund had a table at the Obon with flyers, t-shirts
for sale, and sweet treats. The Obon included Japanese dance, martial
arts, and drum demonstrations.
Lake
City Festival, August 5th
Annie's Playground t-shirt and drink sales totaled $1,021. The remaining
inventory will be sold at the Meadowbrook Pool and Community Center,
as well as other sites to be determined. Annie's Playground volunteers
carried a banner in the Lake City Sea Fair Children's Parade.
Please click on the photos to view larger images.
Kids
Find Out That They Can Help Too
Putting the "fun" in fundraising!
Kid's Time Summer Day Camp at Decatur Elementary School in Seattle,
WA, got involved a few weeks ago in helping out with "Annie's Playground"
project. One of their counselors, Carlee Ragsdale, baked 60 cupcakes
for the kids to decorate. The kids were told about the playground
fundraising project for Meadowbrook and given lots of frosting,
candy sprinkles, animal crackers and M&M's to make yummy treats
that would be sold at a bake sale. That same evening the cupcakes
were brought to Meadowbrook Pool and sold for .50 each during one
of their busiest lesson programs and evening Family Swim. The next
day the kids at the day camp were thrilled to hear that their cupcakes
helped to raise over $30 for the playground.
Saturday,
June 15th
The Meadowbrook Community Ctr. hosted a Community Flea Market. Community
members rented tables for $15, then kept the proceeds from the items
they sold. All table rental fees went to "Annie's Playground."
Saturday,
June 8th, from 10am-3pm
Students at Nathan Hale High School held a Play-a-Thon as part of
their Junior Action Project to raise money for "Annie's Playground."
The public was invited to come and participate in the games or sponser
a student.
Kick-off
Fundraiser, April 2002
Our first fundraiser was a plant sale at the 55th St. School (Annie's
daycare). |