Category Archives: Uncategorized

May 06

Thank You Seattle

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We wanted to say a special “Thank You” to all the wonderful organizations in Seattle who opened their arms to the PVs. They are all doing amazing work within the community and we were grateful to be just a small part of their work. Below are the organizations that we worked with, along with their mission and a link to their websites. We encourage you to check out their websites and learn more about their missions. You can see what the PVs did at each organization in previous blog posts.

Oso/Darrington Mudslide Relief Community Collection Center:  A grassroots community effort that formed from hearing from those on-the
ground at the scene, that the much needed and appreciated donations
that were arriving to the site were overwhelming volunteers and that
storage space was limited.
 

St. Francis House:  St. Francis House is established in the spirit of St. Francis of
Assisi to be a presence in Seattle to serve those in need and to inspire
simplicity and charity in its volunteers and those they serve.

 

Union Gospel Mission:  Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission provides emergency care and long-term
recovery services to hurting and homeless people in the greater Seattle
area. We’re dedicated to serving, rescuing and transforming those in
greatest need through the grace of Jesus Christ.

Our Lady of Guadalupe School:   Our Lady of Guadalupe School fosters gospel values, inspires academic
excellence, and develops service and leadership. We face this task as a
sacramental community united and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish:   OLG a very active and vibrant
parish that is located in the heart of West Seattle. Our hope is that
this website will reflect our parish mission, providing not only information but formation as well, helping persons have a better understanding of who we are and what we believe as Catholic Christians.

WestSide Baby:  WestSide Baby, in
partnership with our community, provides essential items to local
children in need by collecting and distributing diapers, clothing and
equipment.

May 06

Seattle Live with Passion Potluck

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After a gorgeous week in Seattle, unfortunately the weather changed a bit just in time for the LWP Potluck. There were intermittent  showers and much cooler temperatures for the event, but being true north-westerners everybody still hung-out outside and pretended that the weather was fine. The evening included great food, pickleball, basketball, soccer and most importantly great conversations. For the second year, the Seattle LWP Potluck coincided with the end of the Seattle PV week so the volunteers and potluck goers had a lot to talk about. Besides the traveling PVs, there were five locals who joined in the service activities during the week and they were all in attendance at the potluck. All in all a wonderful evening was had by all, and monies were raised for the PVs.

May 03

Some Pictures From Seattle

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Below are some pictures from the week along with a reminder of what we did that day. If you haven’t had a chance to read about each days activities we encourage you to go back and read about each day. Also, a big thanks to our guest blogger Amy for writing the entries each day!

Monday – Oso, Deception Pass, Whidbey Island and Fort Casey

Tuesday – St. Francis House, Pike Place Market

Wednesday – United Gospel Mission, Our Lady of Guadalupe Library, Alki Beach Bonfire

 
 
 

Thursday – Our Lady of Guadalupe Giving Garden and Library, Museum of Flight

Friday – Westside Baby, Lincoln Park, Ballard Locks, Seattle “Live with Passion” Potluck

May 03

Some Pictures From Seattle

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Below are some pictures from the week along with a reminder of what we did that day. If you haven’t had a chance to read about each days activities we encourage you to go back and read about each day. Also, a big thanks to our guest blogger Amy for writing the entries each day!

Monday – Oso, Deception Pass, Whidbey Island and Fort Casey

 

Tuesday – St. Francis House, Pike Place Market

Wednesday – United Gospel Mission, Our Lady of Guadalupe Library, Alki Beach Bonfire

 
 
 
 
 

Thursday – Our Lady of Guadalupe Giving Garden and Library, Museum of Flight

Friday – Westside Baby, Lincoln Park, Ballard Locks, Seattle “Live with Passion” Potluck

May 03

Where You Invest Your Love, You Invest Your Life – Awake My Soul

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Our final work day in Seattle. This morning we went on a short hike at Lincoln park. We started along the shoreline then climbed up a steep hill to explore a more wooded area. The trek was a bit of a workout so we were able to work off our breakfast. We even had some adventurous volunteers try zip lining for the first time. The person sits on a swing then slides down the line. At the end of the line, the swing hits a rubber tire to make the individual swing higher.

Today we worked at Westside Baby. Westside Baby is an agency that collects used children’s clothing and other necessities. Besides donated items, they also provide a 10 day supply of diapers to every family they serve with an infant in their household. Nonprofits in the greater Seattle area go online and place orders for clients in need of various items. There is an admin building, a warehouse where the items are tidily stored by size/age, and another warehouse with recently donated supplies. We worked in one of the warehouses taking car seats apart so they can be recycled. Car seats only have a six year lifespan because the plastic degrades. Four out of five car seats donated is either too old or has been recalled. To recycle a car seat, the plastic and metal must be separated which is very time intensive. Because of this factor, it is very challenging to find an organization which will recycle them. The task does not sound difficult but it is actually quite complicated to take apart a car seat. There are so many  car seat designs; each one is a little bit different. It also takes a decent amount of muscle to separate some of the pieces. We had quite the project ahead of us as there was a mountain of car seats but we were able to finish the majority of the pile. The staff and local volunteers were welcoming and appreciative of the work we did.
Next we voyaged out to the Ballard locks. Built in 1917 by the Army corps, the locks connect the Puget Sound to Lake Union. The locks also contain a fish ladder where Salmon and trout journey through twice a year. There are four panels of glass viewers can watch the fish swim by. Although this is not the prime time to see them, we caught a glimpse of a couple of the early birds- I mean fish. While at the locks we also took time to sit to reflect on our week and the experiences we gained. 
From there we headed to the greater Seattle Live with Passion potluck.  Supporters of the program were gracious enough to host us at their home in Edmonds. The potluck had a nice turn-out with thirty attendees.  Good conversation and food were enjoyed by all. Volunteers shared their experiences from the week and locals gave us an inside perspective of living in Washington.  Pickle ball, a favorite local past time was played. A volunteer’s thirtieth birthday was celebrated and we ended the evening with stomachs full of scrumptious desserts. 
The week went by so quickly. We are amazed at how fast time flew by. We all learned so much about Seattle and enjoyed everything the area has to offer. We learned it is not always rainy in Seattle, observed the benefits of a city that is environmentally and locally conscious and took in breathtaking views. We spent time with the last, the lost and the left out and will carry our memories from this week with us in our hearts. We invested our love to impact Seattle and will forever invest our lives in community, service and reflection.
May 03

Where You Invest Your Love, You Invest Your Life – Awake My Soul

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Our final work day in Seattle. This morning we went on a
short hike at Lincoln park. We started along the shoreline then climbed
up a steep hill to explore a more wooded area. The trek was a bit of a
workout so we were able to work off our breakfast. We even had some
adventurous volunteers try zip lining for the first time. The person
sits on a swing then slides down the line. At the end of the line, the
swing hits a rubber tire to make the individual swing higher.

Today we worked at Westside Baby. Westside Baby is an
agency that collects used children’s clothing and other necessities.
Besides donated items, they also provide a 10 day supply of diapers to
every family they serve with an infant in their household. Nonprofits in
the greater Seattle area go online and place orders for clients in need
of various items. There is an admin building, a warehouse where the
items are tidily stored by size/age, and another warehouse with recently
donated supplies. We worked in one of the warehouses taking car seats
apart so they can be recycled. Car seats only have a six year lifespan
because the plastic degrades. Four out of five car seats donated is
either too old or has been recalled. To recycle a car seat, the plastic
and metal must be separated which is very time intensive. Because of
this factor, it is very challenging to find an organization which will
recycle them. The task does not sound difficult but it is actually quite
complicated to take apart a car seat. There are so many  car seat
designs; each one is a little bit different. It also takes a decent
amount of muscle to separate some of the pieces. We had quite the
project ahead of us as there was a mountain of car seats but we were
able to finish the majority of the pile. The staff and local volunteers
were welcoming and appreciative of the work we did.
Next we voyaged out to the Ballard locks. Built in 1917 by
the Army corps, the locks connect the Puget Sound to Lake Union. The
locks also contain a fish ladder where Salmon and trout journey through
twice a year. There are four panels of glass viewers can watch the fish
swim by. Although this is not the prime time to see them, we caught a
glimpse of a couple of the early birds- I mean fish. While at the locks
we also took time to sit to reflect on our week and the experiences we
gained. 
From there we headed to the greater Seattle Live with
Passion potluck.  Supporters of the program were gracious enough to host
us at their home in Edmonds. The potluck had a nice turn-out with
thirty attendees.  Good conversation and food were enjoyed by all.
Volunteers shared their experiences from the week and locals gave us an
inside perspective of living in Washington.  Pickle ball, a favorite
local past time was played. A volunteer’s thirtieth birthday was
celebrated and we ended the evening with stomachs full of scrumptious
desserts. 
The week went by so quickly. We are amazed at how fast time
flew by. We all learned so much about Seattle and enjoyed everything
the area has to offer. We learned it is not always rainy in Seattle,
observed the benefits of a city that is environmentally and locally
conscious and took in breathtaking views. We spent time with the last,
the lost and the left out and will carry our memories from this week
with us in our hearts. We invested our love to impact Seattle and will
forever invest our lives in community, service and reflection.
May 02

Another Member of the Human Race

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Another Member of the Human Race

http://www.law.louisville.edu/cardinallawyer/node/61

Good evening PV blog readers! Today was a hot one in Seattle! All of our fair skinned volunteers are rosy from a morning’s work in the parish garden. This site is a continuation from last year. Last year the volunteers weeded, leveled and created garden boxes turning an idea to reality. This year seeds are planted and a prayer labyrinth was installed. This morning we weeded and leveled the side of the garden so a fence can later be installed. The garden is on a steep incline; a fence will be built for safety reasons. While working we listened to stories from a local while following PV protocol and taking multiple water breaks. Our project was completed thankfully before the severe heat wave was upon us.

Next we headed back to the school library. Half of us removed books out of the computer database. The rest of us prepared the books for their journey to the Philippines. The afternoon went quickly and we were able to accomplish much. Fun fact- Pearl Harbor occurred before Hawaii was a state.

For fun we grabbed some local ice cream and headed to the Museum of Flight. We saw an aerocar, walked onto Eisenhower’s Air Force One and watched a video on how astronauts go to the bathroom in space. It was a great way to enjoy the outdoors as many of the planes were outside. Boeing is a big contributor to Seattle’s economy so visiting the Museum of Flight seemed appropriate.

For dinner we were treated to the guys’ delicious tuna casserole. We reflected on various stories from our week who have brightened us with their presence similar to Thomas Merton’s experience in Louisville. The week has been so interesting and enjoyable it is hard to believe tomorrow is Friday.

May 02

Another Member of the Human Race

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Another Member of the Human Race

http://www.law.louisville.edu/cardinallawyer/node/61

Good evening PV blog readers! Today was a hot one in Seattle! All of our fair skinned volunteers are rosy from a morning’s work in the parish garden. This site is a continuation from last year. Last year the volunteers weeded, leveled and created garden boxes turning an idea to reality. This year seeds are planted and a prayer labyrinth was installed. This morning we weeded and leveled the side of the garden so a fence can later be installed. The garden is on a steep incline; a fence will be built for safety reasons. While working we listened to stories from a local while following PV protocol and taking multiple water breaks. Our project was completed thankfully before the severe heat wave was upon us.

Next we headed back to the school library. Half of us removed books out of the computer database. The rest of us prepared the books for their journey to the Philippines. The afternoon went quickly and we were able to accomplish much. Fun fact- Pearl Harbor occurred before Hawaii was a state.

For fun we grabbed some local ice cream and headed to the Museum of Flight. We saw an aerocar, walked onto Eisenhower’s Air Force One and watched a video on how astronauts go to the bathroom in space. It was a great way to enjoy the outdoors as many of the planes were outside. Boeing is a big contributor to Seattle’s economy so visiting the Museum of Flight seemed appropriate.

For dinner we were treated to the guys’ delicious tuna casserole. We reflected on various stories from our week who have brightened us with their presence similar to Thomas Merton’s experience in Louisville. The week has been so interesting and enjoyable it is hard to believe tomorrow is Friday.

May 01

Another Day In Paradise

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Just Another Day in Paradise

     Merrily we left at 6:20am to serve breakfast at the Union Gospel Mission. Four of us served the grits, pancakes with syrup, and bacon. Two of us handed out milk, bagels, yogurt (sweet potato being one of the variations) and an after breakfast mint. There were four shifts of guests with a total of three hundred served. One hundred percent of the food served is donated. We were told by one of the local volunteers that they have always had enough food because God always provides. After the final tier of breakfast was served, we cleaned up and then started cutting vegetables for lunch. One of the volunteers had attended culinary school so he showed us the proper techniques for cutting celery, shallots, and red peppers. We managed to not cut ourselves with their chef knives and enjoyed some nice conversation. That same volunteer explained to us that he is a graduate of the mission program and that eighty percent of the staff graduated from the program as well. We left Union Gospel Mission and enjoyed a picnic lunch before working at the Our Lady of Guadeloupe school library.

     For those who don’t remember, Our Lady of Guadeloupe is the parish generously providing us with a place to stay at their parish center. The facility is state of the art and beautiful. Their school library will soon be transformed. The librarians spent hours researching and created a master plan. Step one of this renovation is to make room for the new by filtering out books older than thirty years old. Research has shown children feel overwhelmed by overcrowded book shelves and are more likely to explore a library when the bookshelves are half full. Nine of us checked the copyrights of every book in the library and removed the older books in one afternoon. The school will donate the older books to a place in the Philippines. It was fun to see the old books, to reminisce and to educate ourselves. At the end of the day, the library was ready for the next stage of their renovation.

     The weather has frequently been discussed this week but for good reason. Today was 80 degrees and without a cloud in the sky. Seattle is normally not blessed with this type of weather, especially not in April. We spent the evening at Alki Beach. For dinner we had hot dogs cooked on a beach fire followed by s’mores. We forgot we were in Seattle until we dipped our toes into the sound. So many people were out enjoying the gorgeous weather. Watching the sun set behind snow capped mountains is truly a sight to see.
   

May 01

Another Day In Paradise

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Just Another Day in Paradise

     Merrily we left at 6:20am to serve breakfast at the Union Gospel Mission. Four of us served the grits, pancakes with syrup, and bacon. Two of us handed out milk, bagels, yogurt (sweet potato being one of the variations) and an after breakfast mint. There were four shifts of guests with a total of three hundred served. One hundred percent of the food served is donated. We were told by one of the local volunteers that they have always had enough food because God always provides. After the final tier of breakfast was served, we cleaned up and then started cutting vegetables for lunch. One of the volunteers had attended culinary school so he showed us the proper techniques for cutting celery, shallots, and red peppers. We managed to not cut ourselves with their chef knives and enjoyed some nice conversation. That same volunteer explained to us that he is a graduate of the mission program and that eighty percent of the staff graduated from the program as well. We left Union Gospel Mission and enjoyed a picnic lunch before working at the Our Lady of Guadeloupe school library.

     For those who don’t remember, Our Lady of Guadeloupe is the parish generously providing us with a place to stay at their parish center. The facility is state of the art and beautiful. Their school library will soon be transformed. The librarians spent hours researching and created a master plan. Step one of this renovation is to make room for the new by filtering out books older than thirty years old. Research has shown children feel overwhelmed by overcrowded book shelves and are more likely to explore a library when the bookshelves are half full. Nine of us checked the copyrights of every book in the library and removed the older books in one afternoon. The school will donate the older books to a place in the Philippines. It was fun to see the old books, to reminisce and to educate ourselves. At the end of the day, the library was ready for the next stage of their renovation.

     The weather has frequently been discussed this week but for good reason. Today was 80 degrees and without a cloud in the sky. Seattle is normally not blessed with this type of weather, especially not in April. We spent the evening at Alki Beach. For dinner we had hot dogs cooked on a beach fire followed by s’mores. We forgot we were in Seattle until we dipped our toes into the sound. So many people were out enjoying the gorgeous weather. Watching the sun set behind snow capped mountains is truly a sight to see.