To plan out how to better serve the community, Lakewood Presbyterian Church is hosting a “People’s Cafe” this Friday evening at 6:00 – all are invited.

The amazing thing is  that Lakewood Presbyterian Church is already serving Lakewood in many ways – mostly those that you would not correlate to a faith community.  The church already is a storage facility for Habitat for Humanity, a Robotics Center for the Computer Clubhouse, a cooperative pre-school, a meeting place for the Diversion (juvenile offenders), a rehearsal stage for Lakewood Players adult and youth productions, as well as numerous others.

And this is just one one church is doing! Lakewood Presbyterian has a small congregation that hopes to see the sizable facility used by as many people as possible.

President George  H. W.  Bush ofter referred to “a thousand points of light” and faith communities were surely in that mix.  We drive by churches. synagogues, and mosques – noting their locations, maybe slightly understanding their doctrines,  and yet are often unaware of what happens beyond worship activities.

Lakewood’s faith communities are an integral part of the mix of human services activities that keep the city humming.  Did you know that…

• there are schools at Lakewood Lutheran, St. Frances Cabrini and St. Mary’s?
• food banks are run at Lake City Community Church and Prince of Peace Lutheran?
• boy scout troops meet at Little Church on the Prairie, and St. John Bosco?
• pre-schools are associated with several Lakewood churches?
• a youth music night and a free family dinner is hosted each week by St. Joseph/St. John Episcopal?
• the Advanced Placement tests for Lakes High School are taken at the nearby LDS Meetinghouse?

There are too many programs to list and more are discovered each day – which we add to our database/map for Lakewood’s Promise.

The point is that Lakewood’s Faith Communities, such as Lakewood Presbyterian Church know that they are awesome resources of space and talent for their communities and strive to find ways to serve not only their congregations, but others as well.

Last Saturday’s Junior Police Academy, put on by the Lakewood Police Department and several partners, was a lot of fun. Over 150 youth as well as their families enjoyed learning and playing alongside the city’s officers.

Check out the video….

Just when you thought that the thrill of summer had hit its peak in Lakewood, along comes another terrific program just for kids.   On Saturday, the Lakewood Police Department is hosting the Junior Officer Academy from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Clover Park High School.

For many of us – as kids – long before the advent of cable TV – and 24 hour cartoon networks, Saturday mornings were for cartoons and superheroes.  I liked Aquaman and the Fantastic 4 the best.  Saturday afternoons were for friends and play – pretending to be superheroes – all day – outside – until we were dragged back in by parents to be cleaned up and sent to bed.  Saturday superhero training probably made us stronger and more self-reliant.

This Saturday, Lakewood’s kids have an opportunity to spend the day doing something cool – hanging out and training with the Lakewood Police.   Way-better than pretending to be Aquaman or the Incredible Hulk.

Here’s just some of what they have in store for kids, ages 6-12…

• A bike rodeo
• Swimmer Safety Course
• Obstacle Course
• Baseball Toss
• SWAT Team Demonstration
• K-9 Unit Demonstration
• Tae Kwon Do

The LPIG Make a Difference Fund will be selling bike helmets for $5.  Lowes will be on hand to give out back-to-school backpacks to those completing the course.  Farmer’s Insurance will also be on-site to take pictures of kids and give out child ID kits to parents, free of charge.

Kids should bring their own swimsuit, towel, and bike.  The event is free, but parents are encouraged to pre-register by calling 983-7887

WOW!

Now, if  I were a kid, I would be oiling my bike chain,  putting air in my tires, and pestering my parents.  I would have my sports bag packed with swim suit and Aquaman towel.  I’d be ready to go.  Superhero training – Saturday in Lakewood.

Saturday – August `14th.  The Lakewood’s Promise news crew showed up well-before the start of Caring For Kids‘ Ready To Learn Fair.  Already, there was a long line of families waiting to be served by these amazing volunteers.  The news crew interviewed several volunteers before the doors even opened.

Hey, do you remember that “feeling”?  You know, that feeling that you got when you were a kid on the first day of school. Do you remember?

You may have had some crisp new clothes, new shoes that hurt a bit – or even better – new sneakers that made you the fastest kid in town. You probably had new,clean, un-doodled-on notebooks, sharpened pencils, pens, and a good stock of erasers of all shapes and sizes. Maybe you had markers and crayons. How about a new calculator that said “error” when you tried to divide by zero.

It was a cool feeling – that first day of school. You had the tools and were eager to get started.

Did you make some school-year resolutions?  Hoping that some sweet someone would notice you? That you would be organized? That you would get your work done on time for once? That you would succeed amazingly in your new grade?

Do you remember the “feeling”?

The same feeling is building again in Lakewood seeing as school starts in less than a month. Parents are gathering new tools – some as we remember and some improved – for their kids. The sales are on, the lists are made, and the shopping is underway.

However, for many families in Lakewood, getting ready for school would not happen if it were not for Caring for Kids.  Their Ready To Learn Fair is this Saturday at Lochburn Middle School and numerous volunteers are ready to help make children ready and give them that wondrous “feeling”.

It is the time of year when campaign signs start popping up like dandelions on roadsides.  As with Halloween scariness scenes, holiday lights, and Independence Day fireworks the Lakewood landscape takes on a new look which, as the candidates hope, will be etched in the minds of voters.  I often try to think like a kid – which is a lot easier than getting my middle-aged body to act like a kid – and thinking so, I wonder what do youth gain from the “political season”.  Although the primaries are relatively gentle, and sadly with poor voter participation, the general election is bound to be nasty with confusing ads blasted from all sides of political ideologies. This must confuse and alarm youth greatly.

It is not the role of Lakewood’s Promise to endorse political candidates, although, thinking like a kid and reading the voter’s pamphlet there are some real cool off-the-wall candidates out there – especially for the US Senate.  But, I believe in the spirit of EFFECTIVE EDUCATION, it is OK for Lakewood’s Promise to let candidates know that youth and teens matter, and that one can become a better candidate by talking with,  and educating kids about local issues.

To all those seeking votes:

• Have you visited a youth program lately?
• Do you know what youth programs go on in your own neighborhood?
• Do you know which programs are struggling and why?  Is it funding? Is it transportation?
• Are you informed on health issues for youth?  Do you know why kids miss school?
• Have you thought about a way to reduce the high school drop out rates?
• Are teen volunteers helping with your campaign?
• Have you sat down and had a heart-to heart conversation with a kid about his/her hopes and dreams and does any legislation that you have planned fit in towards achieving that child’s goals?

There are a few initiatives across the country to lower the voting age.  Some believe it should be 16 –  the age you can work and start paying certain payroll taxes. Most argue that a kid’s vote will be influenced by their parents;  yet they said the same about the influence of  husbands when women were struggling to get their own vote.  What would be cool however, is if candidates treated young people as if they DID have the right to vote.  Possibly, with voter participation being so low, the kids may influence the parents.

Candidates – let us know what you are doing for youth.  You can post your comments here.

Mapping out all of the programs for Lakewood youth  is a formidable task.  But it is a task worth doing.  The Computer Clubhouse kids are plugging away trying to get this done by the start of the school year but THEY NEED DATA. (Lots of it.)

Some things are easy… schools are easy, national programs are easy, places with good websites are easy.  However, many programs  are difficult, especially those without a web presence,  - day care centers, churches, martial arts schools, etc.. .  The Clubhouse kids are ready to jump on buses and start knocking on doors but, in the summer, that too is “hit or miss” because of seasonal hours..

SO, your help is needed.

We created this super easy form.   If you run – in Lakewood –  a youth program, day care, after-school offering, class, church group, … and the list goes on, then PLEASE fill out the form.   If you have multiple programs, then fill out a form for each program.  The map will list your site  - and each of your programs.  Call it “free marketing.”  Did I mention that it was super easy?

If you don’t personally run a youth program but you are aware of what your church or organization is doing then please fill it out for them or pass this information on to them.  You and tell them that it is super easy so I won’t have to repeat myself.

You can check out the progress of the project here. Thank you for your help.

I like the idea of neighborhood associations.  I like the fact that people, sharing a common area of town,  have opportunities to get together and discuss what goes on in a neighborly way.  I like the fact that you can talk with City representatives, police officers, fire personnel, guest speakers, as well as neighborhood residents and business owners.

I like all of that.

I have attended a number of neighborhood association meetings all over town and have always come out with a smile on my face because I learned something cool, met someone new, shared my news, and enjoyed a tasty treat.  Granted,  I have always been easy to please but these meetings are fun and informative. Have you ever wondered what the sirens you heard were for, or why a house got demolished, or if you heard gunshots a particular night?  Those questions are answered at neighborhood association meetings.  Do you have an issue that needs to be addressed concerning the neighborhood?  Are you concerned about youth with nothing to do? Do you not feel safe?  Bring it up at the meeting.  Their purpose is to get neighborhoods talking, officials listening, and hopefully prompt all concerned to take action.

Lakewood has a number of neighborhood associations.   You can find the list, meeting dates and times by clicking here.

What amazes me is why most neighborhood association meetings are not well-attended.  They really should be bursting beyond the capacity of the meeting place and forcing the Association leaders to seek out larger venues.  Sometimes there are only a handful of residents representing a neighborhood of thousands.  Unbelievable.  To me, a vibrant neighborhood association meeting should have in attendance:

• Scores of residents – youth, adults and seniors
• School representatives from the neighborhood
• Business owners from the neighborhood
• Neighborhood restaurants bringing food to share
• Faith community representatives
• Parks people
• Elected officials
• City employees
• Police, Fire, etc..

I also feel that that the organization structure of all the neighborhood associations should include a youth representative. (After all this is the Lakewood’s Promise ‘blog).

This shameless plug is in response to an email I received from the Lakeview Neighborhood Association – seeking more participation for their group.  They have pizza at their meetings – how cool is that?  Hopefully this will help.  I’ll see you guys next Thursday – save me a slice of pepperoni.

Both St. Leo Food Connection and the Clover Park School District have sites for Lakewood youth, 18 and under, to receive a free lunch in the summer months.  Check out the map below.

More information is found here.

Click on the sites for details

This summer, youth and teen volunteers will undertake a big project for Lakewood’s Promise. The goal will be to “map” out every youth-serving program in Lakewood and create an easy-to-use Internet resource for Lakewood families.

Click HERE to see the beta page.

This project will be all-inclusive, looking for all programs that benefit youth.  This will include:

• schools and school-based programs
• tutoring programs
• after-school programs
• martial arts centers
• youth centers
• day care centers
• faith communities with youth programs
• business with youth classes
• athletic programs
• colleges with youth classes
• volunteer and employment opportunities for youth
• health services
• parks and recreation sites and programs

Once identified, the information will go onto a database and the site will be place-marked onto a  Google map.  The placemark will link to the database and the database will link to the program’s website.  If the program does not have a web site, then a page will be created for it on the Lakewood’s Promise site.

Teens equipped with cameras and bus-passes will be traveling throughout Lakewood to verify the site, interview program providers, take pictures and shoot video.

Two important things will come out of this project:

1. We will see where all of the programs are.
2. We will see where  the programs are not – and possibly identify new opportunities.

Any youth (over age 13) interested in helping out with this project should contact Kurt Sample.  This is a neat opportunity to learn all sorts of skills including dBase management, web design, marketing, and journalism.  The project crew will be working summer afternoons (Monday-Thursday, Noon to 3:00) at the Computer Clubhouse.