All About Renton

These days there is a lot of talk on the radio, T.V. and newspaper about people not having enough to eat during the holiday season. If people are having a hard time getting their bellies filled up I can only imagine that they are also struggling to keep warm as the temperature dips lower and lower. However, there is a way that we can help those who are having a hard time keeping warm and that is the Coat and Blanket Drive that is going on through November 30th at the Renton Community Center.

The Renton Community Center is looking for people to donate new or gently used coats of all sizes for men, women and children and blankets for those in need. I know that I have a few jackets lying around that Sammy has grown out of but the blankets are sparse in our house seeing as how we are from AZ and all. If you don’t have any of these items lying around the house the thrift stores, Value Village of Renton excluded, have very reasonably priced blankets and jackets all the time.

The Renton Community Center will be closed starting tomorrow, November 25th through Friday, November 27th for a furlough day and the Thanksgiving Holiday so put your donations by the door and drop them off on Saturday. Unfortunately, there is no additional information to be found on the City of Renton website but if you have any additional questions you can call the Renton Community Center at 425-430-6700.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your generosity during the cold season.

Just an FYI.. The Renton Public Library will be closed this week on Wednesday for a furlough day, to help balance the city budget, and Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday. The Library will be open regular business hours on Saturday.

So, go and stock up on those movies and books for this long weekend coming up.

Also, a group of concerned citizens have gotten together to help educate voters about the upcoming election in which citizens will decide whether or not to annex to the King County Library System and a new blog has been set up to help distribute information, you can access that blog by clicking here and please spread the word to help make sure everyone is making an educated decision about the future of our library.

Thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving.

If you don’t know by now the Renton Public Library is facing a possible annexation to the King County Library System with a special election this February. There are a group of citizens, myself included, that are hoping to educate the voters on all the facts about what this annexation would mean.

We will be holding the first meeting this Sunday, November 22nd at 2pm at Liberty Cafe.  If you are interested in helping distribute the facts or know someone who is please come to this meeting or tell someone about it.

For those of us who take advantage of our awesome, locally ran library this is a huge decision that the voters have to make and we are hoping they make an informed decision and one that is best for the City, the library and the people that use it.

Please come out and help keep our library local, this Sunday 2pm at Liberty Cafe.

The 2009 Renton Hassle Free Holiday Bazaar is happening this Friday and Saturday at the Renton Community Center. This must be a huge event because people have been searching it all week on the blogosphere and there are signs all over Renton.

There will be over 100 vendors on hand at the Renton Community Center showcasing all of their handmade crafts. This is a great way to get a jump on your holiday decorating needs and even your holiday shopping all while supporting some local artists.

There will be soaps, lotions, jewelry, photography, home and garden decor, wearable, glass and leather to just name a few. I am really looking forward to browsing tomorrow with Sammy in the hopes that I can get some Christmas shopping done.

The 2009 Hassle free Holiday Bazaar happens Friday, November 20th from 11am-6pm and Sunday, November 21st from 9am-5pm at the Renton community Center. For more information or directions to the Renton Community Center click here.

It is not too late to pre-register for the K9 Candy Cane 5K Fun Run and Walk which happens on Sunday, December 6th at 9am. For those of you who pre-register by November 24th you pay only $23 to participate in the fun run and you also get a T-shirt. If you register after the 24th the price goes up to $28 and you do not get the shirt, you do the math.

This event is for everyone. Runners, walkers, kids, seniors, strollers, dogs and anyone else who wants to pays to run with a group of people. Three dollars of the registration fee goes to support Renton’s Offleash Dog Park and participants are encouraged to bring some pet food to help restock the shelves at the pet food bank.

The run/walk starts on the Cedar River Trail at the Renton Community Center and continues along the river to the Renton Senior Center where runners then loop back to the Community Center. After the run Santa will be on hand for photo-ops for all of those who make it back, just kidding it is only a 5K.

You can download the registration form here or visit the City of Renton website for additional information. Like all events that happen around Renton this one would not happen without sponsors so here is a big thank you to Fleet Feet Sports, Micheal J. Scoles DMD and Aussie Pet Mobile.

Thanks for reading and get those registrations in before November 24th to lock-in your T-shirt.

That’s right, it is already time to end the Fall 2009 Storytime and Baby Times at the Renton Public Libraries. I am sure going to miss our Wednesday mornings at the library but know that Storytime will be back in about 6 weeks, after the business of the holiday season is over.

The last pajama storytime of the season happens tonight at 7pm at the Renton Public Library. The Highlands will host it’s last storytime tomorrow morning at 10am and the Main Branch will hold one more morning storytime on Wednesday at 10am. The Main Branch will also hold the last Baby Time of the Fall on Friday morning at 10 am.

The libraries will be hosting a couple of events during the month of December to help with the cabin fever your young ones will be having and I will let you know of those events as they grow closer.

Thanks for reading and keep checking back for more information about the fight to keep our library local.

image courtesy of the Renton History Museum

The Renton History Museum’s Fall Speaker Series continues tomorrow, November 10th at 5pm with Harvest Moon and Wisdom, Weaving, Songs and Legends.

Come and listen as Harvest Moon transports herself to the Basket World with songs and stories from the Salish tradition that are guaranteed to entertain all ages.

The Renton History Museum, with Humanities Washington, continually bring the greatest presentations to the museum and they are not nearly as popular as they should be. Perhaps that is a good thing because if they catch on it may become standing room only but as it stands now a larger crowd could definitely be accommodated. If you have always wanted to go to a presentation at the museum and just not had the chance to make it do it tomorrow, you will not be disappointed.

Wisdom, Weaving, Stories and Legends with Harvest Moon happens tomorrow Tuesday, November 10th at 5pm. The presentation is free for members and a measly $3 donation for non-members. Please go out and help support this great program that the staff at the museum has worked so hard to bring to us.

Here is the calendar of events happening in Renton for the month of November. Not as much going on as last month but definitely lots of stuff to do.

Some interesting things happening this month are: Northwest by Northwest on November 14th, Renton’s first Indie music showcase put on by the one and only Tyrannosaurus Records, Burlesque Babes Give Thanks in Renton on November 6th and 7th, the Miss Seattle Pageant at the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center also on the 14th and Get Back Farmer Mac at the Renton Public Libraries on November 12th. You can find all of these events with links to websites by clicking here.

If you know of any other events that should be included please use the form below to contact me or just leave a comment. Thanks for reading and hopefully you will find something great to do. As always thanks so much for reading.