Oct 5, 2009
As you know we were swept on Wednesday the 30th from the port of Seattle’s T-107 Park. It was shocking and shattering. Most of ushave been separated from everything we own, except what will fill abackpack or two.
Since then many of us have been at St. Andrews Episcopal Church on80th Ave NW. Many more, though, are floating between other places –temporarily couch surfing, sleeping in vehicles, staying in thejungle. A sizable number fled to Motels on Aurora.
There are some ideas to try and have a project there. That’s not Nickelsville’s goal, but we wish them luck.
Many of the Nickelodeons who were swept last Wednesday will not beable to get back together until we have another outdoor site. This, and our inability to get our things back until we have an outdoorsite, are two reasons why it is so important someone – most likely a church – stand up and let us stay for up to 3 months while we secure the permanent site.
On this Wednesday, the 7th, our core group of Nickelodeons will bemoving to Keystone Congregational Church at 5019 Keystone Place North (& 50th in Wallingford.)
It is a small building with a big hearted congregation. They are willing to share with us all they have, whichis very moving to us. We will be staying in their Sanctuary, and it is not yet clear how we will cook. It is not likely that more than 30 people can fit into the space. Because two Congregations use the space on Sundays we will have to be out from 8 AM to 7:30 PM on that day.
We would love to see you and visit, but must ask that you be careful in the donations that are dropped by – there isn’t much storage room. At the same time, we have a big quandary. All of our belongings have either been seized by the Port, or are in one storage group with friends. In both cases, we cannot recover and take responsibility for them until there is an outdoor site with storage. That means some of the clothes on our back have been the same clothes on the same back for a couple of days. We need to get some new clothes, and replace some of the other possessions we can’t yet retrieve.
If you have the following specific item their donation would be veryhelpful.
If it’s not on this list, please call either the camp number– 450-5268 – or the Staff number - 450-9136.
Then we can tell you whether to bring it now, or to wait until later. Here is what we are in need of right now:
Winter coats, blankets,sleeping bags. Men's pants, sizes 34 to 36 shirts, women's size 7 –18, large to ex large sweatshirts, and also hygiene such astoothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, towels, and deodorant.Ready to eat food for about 30, tents and most of all money to pay forpast and future porta potties and dumpsters are also needed.
If you’ve seen a Nickelsvile Alert before, you know that there are over 40 pieces of property in Seattle that are sitting vacant right now that would be great for our permanent site. It’s just that we have not yet found an owner of such property – despite repeated requests – who is willing to share. In the same way there are many churches and charitable organizationswith a patch of land large enough to accommodate up to 100 Nickelodeons for the next 3 months while we secure a permanent site.
We must confess a little disappointment that almost one week after thePort shattered our community, no one with temporarily available land has yet contacted us.
Please remind those you know with an unused parking lot or patch of lawn that they are needed and have a chance to do a great thing!
Thanks!
