New Photos

Season’s Greetings B-HIPsters!

If you have the opportunity wander over to Big Howe, they are installing the the new play equipment, it is sight to behold.

We are frequently asked when the project will be complete. Our project did run into a few set backs with respect to irrigation, which added 14 working days to the 80 working days as specified in the contract. Plus we didn’t want to be Scrooge and require PJM Construction to work through the holidays. We estimate that Phase 1 may be near completion towards the end of January 2008.

Other News

Holiday Magic, Friday, December 7th - Midori Ribbon, a Queen Anne jewel and one of Queen Anne’s best kept secrets, has graciously offered to host a holiday fund raising event benefiting the Big Howe Improvement Project. Midori will be hosting their annual ribbon sale as part of the QA Holiday Magic - 20% of all proceeds are being donated to Big Howe in support of purchasing playground equipment for the small children’s play area (cost $21,500).

Midori Ribbon at Holiday Magic on Friday, December 7th
@ Desert Sun - 1531 Queen Anne Ave N
Noon - 7 pm
A free, children’s bow tying class from 4 - 6 pm

• We are in need of some volunteers for this event. If you could spare ONE hour during 2 - 7 pm, please contact us as soon as possible.

B-HIP receives 2007 Denny Award - Play Area Coalition - The Denny Awards recognizes the contributions of volunteers to Seattle Parks and Recreation. Along with Friends of Bayview Kinnear, Dahl & Ravenna, our projects were recognized for our accomplishments and example of community spirit.

This award would not have been possible without all the wonderful volunteers who have given their time and energy, especially Kristine Ingraham, Don Harper, Maryam Mohit and Janee Krienheder. Queen Anne is fortunate to have passionate, creative and involved community members. Thank You!

As 2007 comes to a close, please consider making a donation to B-HIP. We are currently raising funds for the small play structure ($21,500). We would love to see the children ages 1-4 have a play structure by the time the we celebrate the play area reopening.

On behalf of the BHIP team, we wish you a very safe and joyous holiday.

Eleni Ledesma

BHIPster

Greetings B-HIPsters!

The safety fences are in place and the diggers are in action at Big Howe!

THANK YOU’s

In the days leading up to the contract signing, B-HIP needed to raise additional funds in order to sign a contract. This group of generous donors, are our “11th Hour Heroes”. On behalf of the B-HIP team and the Queen Anne community, we thank you! We could not have made it this far without your support.

• Paul Canniff - $18,390
• Umbra Group - $6,000

THANK YOU (again!)

• Queen Anne Community Center Advisory Council - $5,000

(bringing the Center’s total contribution to $15,000)

What’s next?

While construction on Phase 1 continues, the B-HIP team will continue to raise money needed to install the Small Kids (0 - 4) play structure, the racing slides and the zip line. (As Robert Frost wrote “...miles to go before I [we] sleep”). We are resubmitting grant applications, gearing up for a our next community fundraiser — Dine Out for B-HIP. If you would like to volunteer and help us reach our final goal, email us at b-hipbighoweorg

MetMarket Receipts - Yes, we’re still collecting!!!

Please continue to drop off your receipts to Homestreet Bank or snail mail them to 2210 Third Ave W. Seattle 98119 As of August 31st, the MetMarket collection has raised $2,358!!!

Other News

Summer Yard Sale - our annual yard sale event raised an $1,400. Thank you to all who donated great baby & children’s gear for the event. A BIG B-HIP thanks to Kaarn Dempsy, Julie Whitehorn, Kristine Ingraham, Don Harper, Nick Harper, QA Community Center (tents & tables), Eric Rose, Lisa & Sally (for the great location) and our B-HIP kids, Kiera, Clara, Eleanor & Noah (lemonade stand).

Old Play Equipment - Hurry on down to the Park if you are interested in old 6x6 Cedar lumber. Pat McClure with PJM Construction would prefer to see these great pieces of lumber reused & recycled. He won’t keep them there long, so hurry!

We’ll see you in the new park...soon!

Eleni Ledesma

BHIP Co Chair

Project Update August 2007

Dear BHIP’sters,

The construction bids are in, we reviewed all our options and have signed a contract with PJM Construction! PJM is owned by Pat McClure, a QA resident and current contractor for the Bayview Kinnear project. Here are the highlights:

When will construction start?

As soon as August 20th

When will the park be completed?

Contractor has 80 working days to complete the project.

What will be completed?

As mentioned in prior updates, we knew current playground renovation projects bids were coming in 30% higher than the engineering estimates. The B-HIP team made the decision to seek competitive bids, in order to do so, we removed various elements from the project and included them on the “additive alternate” list.

Phase 1 of our project includes all the infrastructure, irrigation, lighting, concrete walls, pathways, wood chips, rubber surfacing, area for small children with sandbox and community circle/gathering area. The base project includes a new large play structure (ages 5+), refurbished swings, and merry-go-round. The base bid amount is $310,256 including taxes and contingency funds. (Please note the large play structure was purchased in December 2006 to avoid a 2007 price increase. The cost of the structure was $41,225. The total cost for Phase 1 is $351,481).

What happens next?

The B-HIP committee along with all the key players will meet for pre-construction discussion. As this meeting, we will outline a course of action and schedule. We will post the outcomes from that meeting to our website.

We are all excited about reaching this major milestone, please stay tuned as there will be more information forthcoming.

Best,

Eleni Ledesma

BHIP Co Chair

Saturday, July 21st B-HIP Yard Sale!!

Where: 2217 Third Ave W

When: 9am-3pm, Saturday, July 21st

What you can do: Donate great stuff!

You are welcome to bring your stuff to the address above after July 14th. Please contact us at b-hipbighoweorg if you have quality, gently used, items for the sale (not old socks, shoes and t-shirts!). Kids items such as strollers, high chairs and other kid gear have done quite well in the past, but all gently used stuff is welcome! (No computers, please.)

What else you can do: Help out on the sale day, help pricing items, and help posting flyers! Contact Maryam or Eleni at b-hipbighoweorg.

Other news:

As you know we have received construction bids. We are now in negotiations with the contractor and with the Parks Department to finalize the numbers. As soon as we have agreement from Parks that we can execute the contract we will update you with final numbers and funds left to raise. We hope to send you this update in the next week.

We do know that we will have some money still to raise and as the weather is looking good, we are proceeding with the wonderful B-HIP Yard Sale.

Project Update - June 15, 2007

Hello B-HIP Friends & Supporters!

Our Newest B-HIP Superstar:

We are thrilled to announce that The Welcker Family of Queen Anne has given a direct donation of 10K! It doesn’t stop there.... their donation is being matched by Microsoft Company Matching Funds for a total of 20K! YIPPEE!!! YAHOO!!!! A BIG heartfelt thank you to the Welcker Family their support to our community effort to build a safe and inspiring new play area.

Bronze Pavers:

This is your last chance to leave your mark on the park. If you haven’t ordered your bronze paver, please do so today. You may order by clicking here.

B-HIP Spring Yard Sale--Volunteers and Wonderful Stuff Needed

We are beginning to organize our 2nd Annual B-HIP Yard Sale. If you are interested in helping out, please email us at b-hipbighoweorg. The event date will be determined soon.

Also, if you have children’s toys, gear, and clothing that you are ready to part with, please consider donating them to our yard sale. A drop off site will be determined soon.

More project news:

The construction bids are in! We are reviewing our options and we will soon answer all those burning questions that kept us, and perhaps many of you, up at night. For example

• - When will construction start?
• - When will the park be completed?
• - Do we need to raise more money, and if so, exactly how much?

Pavers are back!!!

Back by popular demand; the order window for your personalized bronze paver has been re-opened. Choose a butterfly, snail or leaf to capture a moment in time to be treasured by you and your loved ones. Don't delay as this opportunity will end on Sunday, June 17, 2007.

For an original, everlasting gift for a friend, family member, or from you and your family to the community why not purchase a personalized, engraved bronze leaf, snail or butterfly to be installed in the plaza and walkway of Big Howe’s new play area?

In keeping with the community’s desire to honor the park’s natural, organic sensibility, B-HIP is offering bronze leaves, snails and butterflies which you may have engraved with the name of your family, your child or children, your organization etc.

You may order your personalized engraving by mail or online. For the price list and ordering instructions, click on the <link removed — the pavers are no longer available>.

Beautiful B-HIP Gift Cards — to send when you make a donation as a gift

Give a gift that will last forever—a new playground! If you donate to B-HIP as a gift, you can print out one of these beautifully designed B-HIP cards. Click on the images below to see each full-size, printable card.

Project Status - May 23, 2007

In the last update on February 27th we announced that our construction documents were at 100%. Since then, our landscape architect, Barker Landscape, has been busy making minor updates to the plans (at the request of the Parks Department) and gathering the necessary Parks Department signatures in order to proceed with the formal bidding process. As a result we have experienced a delay.

Barker Landscape has now assured us that they have received the final signatures and upon the completion of a few additional revision requests BHIP can and will be seeking formal construction bids. Our target date is May 1st.

In an effort to keep our pulse on the bidding process and project pricing we have looked at other community-based park projects who have recently gone to bid and as previously noted current construction bids are coming in ~30% over the estimated price.

In addition, the Parks Department recently stated that B-HIP needed to have all estimated funds in hand before going to bid. In light of this new information the B-HIP Steering Committee was faced with matching the park elements and design with the current cash reserves.

As a result some of the elements have been categorized as “additive alternates”. This allows the contractors to price each additional element independently thereby giving us a total cost for the project, allowing us to go to bid, and meeting the community’s desire to break ground as soon as possible. However, without additional financial or in-kind contributions from our three primary sources (1) Grants (2) Businesses and (3) the Community the additional “additive alternates” will not be included in the initial phase of the park project and will be added in later as funds are secured.

What are the “additive elements”?

Play equipment for children 0-5 years old is on the “additive element” list (additive = will not be in the playground unless we raise additional funds). The cost for this structure is $17,133.00

The racing slides are on the “additive element” list (additive = will not be in the playground unless we raise additional funds.) The cost for this structure is $11,237.00

We are sharing the costs of the equipment with you in hopes that you have a greater understanding of our community project. If you would like to contribute to the project, have fundraising ideas (grants, community events etc…) and/or want to lead a fundraising effort (garage sale, wine raffle, etc…) please email b-hipbighoweorg. We welcome and appreciate your active participation at any level.

Click here to see items on the additivie element list

Latest Update

The great news is this, after a few fits, starts and delays, our beloved playground project is out to bid. This is a major milestone for the project. It means that the detailed construction documents are complete, the Parks Department has signed of on all the plans, the project has been advertised, and our landscape architects, Barker L.A., are speaking with contractors and doing walk-throughs with them. We expect to start receiving bids back from contractors by May 31. Once we have those bids we will choose a contractor and we will be able to answer all those burning questions that keep us, and perhaps many of you, up at night. For example:

• - When will construction start?
• - When will the park be completed?
• - Do we need to raise more money, and if so, exactly how much?

We are so excited to have reached this point in the process. We keep imagining Big Howe with the all the new play equipment, wonderful seating, new landscaping and drainage that actually works!

Make Your Mark on Big Howe Park With an Engraved Leaf, Snail or Butterfly — Order Yours by December 31st!

For an original, everlasting gift for a friend, family member, or from you and your family to the community why not purchase a personalized, engraved bronze leaf, snail or butterfly to be installed in the plaza and walkway of Big Howe’s new play area?

In keeping with the community’s desire to honor the park’s natural, organic sensibility, B-HIP is offering bronze leaves, snails and butterflies which you may have engraved with the name of your family, your child or children, your organization etc.

You may order your personalized engraving by mail or online. For the price list and ordering instructions, click on the <link removed — the pavers are no longer available>.

B-HIP August 2006 Update

Hello B-HIPsters!

I hope you all are enjoying the cooler temperatures. We found respite in the park, playing under the trees, spinning on the merry go round and dreaming of our brand new playground! Here is an update on the latest happenings for Big Howe.

Park Construction Schedule

As we mentioned in last month’s update: on July 20th the B-HIP steering committee met with the Seattle Parks Department and Barker Landscape Architects to examine progress and review the current timeline. After much deliberation the group decided to push out the construction start date to January 2007. There are two reasons we have decided to extend our timeline. One, we are required by the Parks Department to have 100% of our funding before we can select a contractor (currently we are at 87.81%). Two, our landscape architect has found that other park projects in Seattle are not receiving the level of competitive construction bids they anticipated, costs are up due to high demand and some projects are having to return to fundraising to cover the increase in the construction expense. Our landscape architect suggested that by waiting for the “cooler” weather/season we would be more likely to receive to a competitive bid that would be within our budget.

Play Equipment Selection

With the input from the community, our architects, and the available options from the short listed vendors the B-HIP steering has finalized on the equipment selection for the new play area. We will post the design to www.bighowe.org as soon as a web friendly design doc is available. If you would like to see what the equipment looks like and don’t want to wait, consider a visit to Cascade Park near REI – The design of that park is comparable to the selection made.

Fundraising

As of August 8th, we have raised a total of $367,064.64 (87.81%). We have a remaining $51,611.36 (12.35%) to raise. We are reaching out to corporations and foundations to help us meet our goal. If you have a lead for funding, please contact the B-HIP team at b-hipbighoweorg

Other News

MetMarket receipt collection site:

There was much confusion over the collection of MetMarket receipts at our beloved Pat’s on the Ave due to a very simple and honest communication gip. B-HIP is still collecting MetMarket receipts and you may drop them off at Homestreet Bank or Pat’s on Ave. You may also mail your receipts to

B-HIP - MetMarket
2210 Third Ave W
Seattle, WA 98110

As of July 31st, we have collected another $162.34. Our grand total from our MetMarket hero is $1,363.17. Keep those receipts coming in!!

Bronze Personalized Pavers:

If you have not ordered your paver you may still order. We have extended our date to October 1, 2006. You may print a form for your paver at www.bighowe.org. The pavers begin at $100 for a bronze leaf.

Build a Hipper Howe T-shirt:

Our super cool summer t-shirt is available at our local Undies & Outies store located at 2212 Queen Anne Ave N (206-286-1024). T-shirts are $10 each.

On behalf of the B-HIP committee, we thank you for your continued support and interest.

Sincerely,

Eleni Ledesma

B-HIP Co chair

B-HIP July 2006 Update

Hello B-HIPsters!

It’s hard to believe that we are midway through the month of July. Many of you may be wondering about where we are with the B-HIP project. I have a few answers with more to follow in the coming weeks.

The most frequently asked questions:

Where are we with fundraising?

As of July 10th (11:08 p.m.) we are at 86.78% or $362, 755.66. Our goal is $418K. We have $55,920 left to raise.

How will B-HIP raise the money?

We are currently focusing on grant opportunities as well as contacting corporations (e.g. Boeing, WaMu) for direct donations. We have team members who will be making these contacts. If you have a, or, know of a company we should contact for direct donations, please email us at b-hipbighoweorg.

Does B-HIP anticipate anymore community fundraising events?

At this time we are not focusing on any community events but could possibly change our minds if something fun and creative comes up

When will the park renovation begin?

Our goal was to break ground June 2006. With that said, we are scheduled to meet with both Seattle Parks and Barker Landscape Architects, on July 20th to determine:

1. Do we make alterations to the original plans to reduce our costs?
2. Can we begin to build the infrastructure (which we have secured funding for) and continue to fundraise for the playground equipment?
3. Final selection on playground equipment?
4. What is our new target date to break ground?

What can I do to help?

There are still options for you to be a part of this exciting project.

1. Purchase a personalized bronze paver.
2. Make a direct donation to B-HIP.
3. Donate In Kind services (e.g. demolition of existing playground, haul out sand and dispose, help build playground equipment and shovel wood chips). Send us your name, contact info and what you would like to do to b-hipbighoweorg.
4. Continue to submit your MetMarket receipts.

We will provide more information regarding the outcome of our meeting on July 20th and any other news that may affect the project.

On behalf of the B-HIP steering committee, we thank you for your continued patience and your support.

Sincerely,

Eleni Ledesma

B-HIP Co chair

B-HIP June 2006 Update

Hello B-HIPsters!

Wow, what an exciting few weeks we have to share with you!

First, the B-HIP Yard Sale was a huge success. Many thanks go to the wonderful, hand working volunteers who organized, staffed and bargained with buyers. They contributed over 90 hours of service. We wish to recognize Dawn Ehde, Lousia Clayton, Kaarn Dempsey, Julie Whitehorn, Lisa Gleason, Brian Weckler, Kirk Mattson and Mystery Mike (a mystery because I didn’t get his last name!) Over 40 families contributed stuff for the sale. All their efforts paid off big… they raised $2,907.80

On Wednesday, June 7th, B-HIP under the Big Top with Teatro ZinZanni dinner/show and auction was a smashing success. The evening began with appetizers and drinks, while attendees bid on the silent auction items available. The live auction featured the talented Queen Anne resident, David Silverman as our auctioneer. David was successful in creating friendly competition among bidders. He even finagled the guest firefighter to offer two dinners at the firehouse!

The event raised $22,039.00

However, our evening at Teatro ZinZanni became even more exciting when representatives from Starbucks awarded B-HIP the 2006 Starbucks park grant award of $15,000!

Many thanks to the following for a successful Teatro ZinZanni evening…

• Ringside Sponsors
  
  • Homestreet Bank
  • Leone & Vaughn Orthodontics
  • Umbra International, Inc.
• Big Top Champs
  
  • Prentiss Architects, LLC
  • McCarthy & Schiering
  • Pro-Robics Conditioning Clubs
  • Holland America Line

And to the team of dedicated B-HIPsters

• Dawn Cerqui
• Janee Kreinheder
• Merran Kubalak
• Joanna Mattson
• Lisa Middlebrook
• Don Harper
• Kristine Ingraham
• Maryam Mohit
• Roey Horns
• Mary Chapman Mascarella
• Julie Whitehorn
• Eric Rose
• Kianoush Naficy
• Brent Ingraham
• David Silverman

To date, we have raised approximately 85% of the necessary funding, which leaves a little over $54,000 to go. We anticipate other grant funding and are seeking corporate donations to close our gap.

Meanwhile, please keep in mind that you may continue to submit your MetMarket receipts. As of May 31st, we have collected a total of $1,200.66 from your MetMarket receipts. Also, our personalized bronze pavers are still available for purchase — order yours today.

On behalf of the B-HIP team, we thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Eleni Ledesma

B-HIP Co Chair

PS: We are still waiting to hear from Seattle Parks regarding our playground equipment selection. As soon as I know, I will pass on the information. (Hint: Cascade Park)

B-HIP under the BIG Top with Teatro ZinZanni!

It is a BIG night out unlike any other, a three-hour whirlwind of Cirque, Comedy and Cabaret all served up with a five-course feast designed by celebrated Northwest Chef Tom Douglas. 

Join B-HIP in this Fun-raising event as we raise the paddles for play equipment! Please join us for the big show and live auction on:

• Wednesday, June 7, 2006
• Doors open at 5:45 p.m.
• Silent Auction and cocktails 5:45 – 6:30
• Dinner & Show begins promptly at 6:30 p.m.

B-HIP will benefit from a portion of ticket sales and from the silent and live auction piece.

There are several ticketing options:

• Table Host:
  • Ringside:
    • Table for 4: $1,000
  • Crooners:
    • Table for 10: $1500
    • Table for 6: $900
• Individual Tickets:
  • Crooners: $150
  • Aerialist: $100

You may purchase your tickets by clicking the Pay Pal link:

or send mail to:

• Teatro ZinZanni Tickets
• c/o Don Harper
• 2723 4th Ave W
• Seattle, WA 98119

Please include the following information:

• Number and kind of tickets
• Name
• Address
• Phone
• Email
• Table Host: Yes/No (If yes, please list your table companions so we may seat them accordingly)

Click here for frequently asked Teatro ZinZanni questions.

Confirmations/Tax Receipts will be mailed prior to the show date.

Auction Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek at what is on the Auction Block. Can’t attend or can’t wait… buy it today via the Guaranteed Bid.

GUARANTEED PRICE: Bidders have the option to guarantee a purchase from the following Auction item by bidding the guaranteed bid.  Guaranteed bids are set above the retail value of each item. The first bidder to purchase the item via Paypal is the winning bid.

1. Lily’s Signature Party

Treat your prince or princess to a Lily’s Signature Birthday Party. The talk of the hill and every child’s dream pampering, includes exclusive use of our festive party room, Lily’s signature cakes, group photo to capture those special memories for the birthday girl or boy. It’s everything you need with invitations, thank you notes and party favors/crafts.

Guaranteed Price: $600

2. Seven-day Holland America Cruise for Two

Holland America Line believes in the adage, “It’s not just the destinations, but the journey that counts.” Of course, the cruise destinations are amazing and the shore excursions are unique and memorable, but your perfect journey is made complete by the special onboard amenities that have consistently made Holland America Line the world’s highest-rated premium cruise line. Step on board the five-star fleet of luxury ships and into a world of elegant staterooms and gourmet cuisine. Experience the comforting spa treatments and glittering nightlife that is a part of the signature Holland America Line experience. You may choose from any seven-day sailing, with locations including. Your destination awaits. Your journey will include seven days in extraordinary surroundings, with new discoveries and all manner of delights. Mutually agreeable date.

• Seven-day cruise for two aboard a Holland America Line ship in a minimum outside stateroom
• Choose from any seven-day trip, including the Caribbean, Alaska Cruise Only, Mexico, or Canada and New England
• Excludes Alaska Cruise tours, Grand Voyages, Holiday Voyages and World Cruises
• Airfare to and from departure and arrival ports not included
• Does not include non-discountable amounts, taxes or on board charges

Guaranteed Price: $6000

3. Decatur Island, San Juans Two Night Weekend Stay

Idyllic retreat on 600+ acres of privately-owned and unspoiled community property.

House has four bedrooms, two baths and is fully furnished. Relax while swinging in the hammock or sitting by the fire. Revel in unobstructed views of the inland waterways and San Juan Islands from the back porch. Stroll on private beaches, take a hike, play tennis or basketball, putter around on the golf cart, head out on the water in a kayak, fish for trout in the pond or soak in the hot tub.

You will feel miles away from it all in this amazing natural setting which has no cars, a wandering herd of sheep and very few people.

Transportation for one family included.

Guaranteed Price: $800

4. The Mountain Music Lounge

For over ten years, The Mountain has welcomed an array of today’s popular artists into their studios to perform in The Mountain Music Lounge. You pick the band and you're there (with a friend of course) enjoying a band like David Bowie, Sheryl Crow or Coldplay. For a list of upcoming bands visit The Montain. To compliment your lounge experience you take home the CD. Restrictions may apply pending artist and station approval.

Guaranteed Price: $400

5. A Summer Week in Whistler

Horseback riding in the mountains, golf, mountain-biking, tennis, guided fishing tours, wonderful spas, hiking, delicious restaurants, loads of family activities and of course just relaxing and enjoying some of the world’s most beautiful wilderness scenery. All this and more are easily accessible from this Snowy Creek townhouse, located a 1-2 minute walk from both Whistler Village and Blackcomb Base. Once you arrive, and park in the garage, you won't need your car keys until you head back to Seattle.

Our home accommodates up to 10 people with its 5 bedrooms and 4 full bathrooms. The main floor has a comfortable living room with gas fireplace, dining area, play area, TV (no cable) VCR and Stereo. The newly remodeled kitchen is fully-equipped, with granite counter-tops. The bathroom on this floor has a wonderful steam shower. The upper floor has 4 bedrooms (3 with queen beds, one with two twins) and two bathrooms (one is en suite with the master bedroom). The lower floor has another bedroom (with two sets of bunk beds) and a full bathroom. There are a full-sized washer and drier and linens are supplied, of course. There is parking for two cars. The townhome is professionally cleaned prior to your arrival. Please do take care of it as it's our home away from home. No pets, no smoking. We do not rent it out, but for something as special as the B-HIP auction, we are delighted to offer this. If you have children: We can arrange to have several pack n' play cribs available, and also to have kids’ toys and games available.

Dates between May and mid-November to be arranged by mutual agreement with the owner. The week may be used in 2006 or 2007.

Guaranteed Bid: $4000

6. Out and About in Seattle

Enjoy a tour of the best playgrounds in Seattle by none other than the best playground architects in town…Barker Landscape Architects. Enjoy a tailor made playground tour and a picnic lunch for five, a great family adventure.

Guaranteed Bid: $450

The slogan, “B-HIP and Bat One Out of the Park” said it all. The baseballs were flying, the day was chilly with bursts of wind, and the participants, parents and volunteers on hand all had a great time. It was a great community event and everyone was a winner, especially our beloved, playground. These amazing kids raised $3,124.76! Way to go!

And now...what...everyone has wanted to know...the envelope please...

The prize winners are...

• Longest Hit, Video Isle gift certificate – Levi Nicholson
• $50.00 level, Mariners Tickets – Avery Hollibaugh
• $300.00 level, Bronze Park Paver – Michael Mishina & Alex Beaumont
• Xbox Winners – Josh Gaynor and Alex Livengood

We would like to thank Deb Artis, “the ice cream lady”, Dante with Dante’s Hot Dog and the QA Little League for providing the field and equipment.

May Update

A lot has been going on with the B-HIP Project—Here’s an update:

We continue to work hard at fundraising, and are within $103,000 of the amount we need to break ground. The Community Events team held the first “Batter Up for Big Howe” fundraiser on April 22nd. They continue their efforts while our grant writer pursues more funding opportunities. We recently learned that the project is one step closer to earning the coveted Starbucks grant, which, if awarded, will move us $15,000 closer to our goal. Keep your fingers crossed!

The Steering Committee (SC) has met with Barker Landscape Architects to discuss playground equipment. We carefully reviewed all the comments received from the “Pick and Play” and thank all parents and kids who tested equipment around the City. We plan to announce the final selection in June once the department of Parks and Recreation reviews our choices. Barker LA continues to finalize our construction documents so we may begin requesting bids from contractors in the near future.

The steadfast B-HIP volunteers have been extraordinarily busy. We are at the home stretch! I hope you will continue to support our project so we can make the new Big Howe playground a reality!

Best,

Eleni Ledesma

B-HIP Co-chair

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce the Queen Anne Little League BATTER UP for Big Howe Hit-a-thon, a fundraising event benefiting the Big Howe Improvement Project (B-HIP).

What is the B-HIP Hit-a-thon? It is a fundraising partnership with the Queen Anne Little League providing all little league participants with the opportunity to help make a difference in their community by helping to rebuild a playground that will be safe, fun and accessible for all. The goal of the Hit-a-thon is to collect pledges (or one time contributions) on a per foot basis. For example: a sponsor offers $1.00 per foot, you hit the ball 20 ft — the total pledge is worth $20.00.

All participants will receive a complementary T-shirt marking their participation in the event. Prizes will be awarded for a variety of accomplishments like the shortest hit, longest hit, and on total pledge amounts. Participants will be collecting pledges in your neighborhood April 1st to April 22nd. The Hit-a-thon takes place on April 22nd from 5:30 – 8:00 PM on the West Queen Anne Playfield (QA3).

We expect this to be a fun community event for all. If you would like to sponsor a child please email b-hipbighoweorg, your contribution can help a child realize the benefits of community involvement.

Download additional pledge sheets here

Learn more about the QALL

Save Your Stuff

B-HIP will be having a spring rummage sale, organized by Dawn Ehde, among others. Please start saving all priceless treasures you may like to donate to the sale. If you are interested in helping out with the sale (staffing on day of, pricing items etc) please contact Dawn at ehdeuwashingtonedu.

Time Sensitive! Please test drive this play equipment

The next 2 weeks are “Play and Pick” time for your new playground. It’s your chance to test drive the play equipment we are considering for Big Howe. Would you buy a house without actually walking through it? Would you buy a car without a test drive? Probably not. So let’s make sure our community’s money and effort is put to good use.

Please....

Take your kids to as many of the playgrounds listed below as you can. Each of them features play equipment from vendors we are considering.

Send your feedback and answers to below questions to b-hip bighoweorg by Wednesday, February 15th.

1. Is there anything at this playground you feel is a “must have” for Big Howe, and why? What were the aspects you loved about this equipment?
2. Is there anything at this playground that your really would like us to avoid at Big Howe? Are there any annoyances or hazards to be aware of when considering this vendor’s equipment?
3. What are the ages of the children you observed playing on this equipment and how well did the equipment play for the various ages?

Here are the six playgrounds to sample:

Ward Springs (in Queen Anne)
Ward Street & 4th Ave North

Annie’s Playground (aka Meadowbrook)
30th Ave NE & 107th Ave NE

Blaine Elementary School, Magnolia
2550 34th Ave W

Wallingford Playground
4219 Wallingford Ave N

Lake City Park
11038 Lake City Way, NE

Magnolia Community Center Playground
Just south of Blaine Elementary school

Project Progress Report — January 18

Each day we inch closer to obtaining our goal. As of today, we have reached 73%. With a little over 100K left to raise, it is easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, this will be our longest mile, the toughest part of our road — the feeling of: “so close but yet so far”. We ask you to contact the B-HIP Steering Committee, at b-hipbighoweorg, if you have any ideas for fundraising events, potential grant opportunities or if you are able to donate an In Kind gift to the project.

House Parties!

The latest and greatest way to bring a new playground to Queen Anne.

If you would like to host a B-HIP house party please let us know. It’s a nice way to support the park and your community while at the same time having fun with your friends and sharing with your extended community a project which you care about . (Not to mention the fact that the time you spend putting the party together counts towards the matching grants). Wine tasting, dinner party, cake walk, kids’ party, cocktails, movie night... so many ways to cheer up a usually dreary November. We supply all the Big Howe-related information you need and are of course happy to help however we can.

On October 22nd, Kirk and Joanna Mattson hosted the first B-HIP house party. The lovely pumpkin patch and Fall celebration raised nearly $1,000 for the playground. In addition, Kirk and Joanna said they had a great time hosting and they’d be happy to talk with anyone who is interested in hosting a house party. Just e-mail us at b-hipbighoweorg and we’ll put you in touch.

B-HIP Wraps It Up!

Lisa Middlebrook’s energy and creative fundraising ideas convinced Westlake Mall management to let B-HIP host a table for our cause. During the month of December, volunteers staffed the B-HIP gift wrap table each weekend. Lisa even secured the talents a local Girl Scout troupe to volunteer their time. The wrapping table raised a total of $2,770!

A big B-HIP thank you goes out to the following:

Amy Smith

Ann Espo

Ashleigh Pedersen

Drew Smith

Helen Whitlock

Joanna Mattson

Julie Burg

Julie Prujan

Kacy McNaull

The Kosins/Soiffer Family: David, Lois and Rose

Kris Ingraham

Lillian Lee

Lindsey Terret

Lisa Middlebrook

Louisa Clayton

Maryam Mohit

Rocky Salskov

Sheila Callahan

Amy Soleymani - Girl Scout Troup Leader

Girl Scouts: Aleta Greer, Carolyn Clausen, Chelsea Johnson, Kat Beame, Kathleen Ridgeway, Kayhlin Hudson, Roya Soleymani

Project Progress Report — October 26

With help from the King County Council grant as well as from B-HIP’s first House Party (thank you Kirk and Joanna Mattson) and a second generous donation from HomeStreet Bank, our total raised as of October 23rd is $286,000. We are at 68% of total funding with $133,000 remaing to raise. It’s so close!! We will soon be re-engaging the landscape architects and entering the design development phase of the project. Stay tuned for the announcement of the next Public Meeting.

B-HIP Grant from the King County Council

We are extremely happy to announce that the B-HIP project has been recommended for a King County Youth Sports Facility Grant from the King County Council. The award amount is $49,094. Here is Executive Ron Sims’ comment upon making the recommendation: “Thank you for your committment to improving recreational opportuntunities for the youth in your community. I wish you the very best with this project.”

A Second Big Thank you to HomeStreet Bank

We were delighted to hear from Queen Anne branch Assistant VP, Hossein Soleymani, that HomeStreet Bank has made a second major donation to B-HIP. With this additional $1,000 donation HomeStreet has contributed $3,000 to the project. And in Hosseins words, “The employees of HomeStreet Bank can’t wait to roll up their sleeves to make a difference in the Queen Anne community and neighborhood”.

Keep those Metropolitan Market receipts coming!

As of September 30, 2005 the total amount collected for MetMarket receipts is $24,744.87. This equals $247.45 that MetMarket will donate to B-HIP. What easier way could there be to support the Big Howe Improvement Project? Just keep your Metropolitan Market receipts and send them to us and 1% of what you spend will go directly to the playground project.

Send your receipts to:
B-HIP
c/o Eleni Ledesma
2210 3rd Avenue West
Seattle, WA 98119

Or, simply dash across the street to Pat’s on The Ave and drop them in our handy-dandy B-HIP Box.

• Receipts from Any Metropolitan Market can count for B-HIP, not just the Queen Anne branch.
• Receipts are valid starting January 1, 2005
• Photocopies are acceptable

A big thank you to Metropolitan Market for making this possible.

B-HIP Awarded $100,000 matching grant from Seattle Department of Neighborhoods

We are ecstatic to announce that the Big Howe Improvement Project has been awarded $100,000 in matching funds from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.

So, how does this work? We need to raise $100,000 to match the donation from the City of Seattle. The good news is as of July 27th we have raised $70,000 towards the match. Now we need to raise $30,000 more to match the initial amount. We also need to show strong progress towards raising the $418,000 to fund the entire project or risk losing the City matching dollars.

If you care about this project, if you want to see Big Howe rebuilt and resplendent, please make your donation now. For more information on donating, including company matching funds click here.

A huge thanks to everyone who helped us with the Department of Neighborhoods grant process—from posing for photos and giving us quotes about why the park project is important to them, to building a beautiful scale model, to showing up at the Citywide Review Meeting where we made our final plea for funds. It was a lot of work and a true community effort.

Tuesday, October 18, Dine Out for B-HIP

October 18th is Dine Out for B-HIP when local restaurants will be giving 20% of the full day’s receipts to B-HIP (Yes, that means breakfast, lunch and dinner!).

To support Dine-Out, the Queen Anne Community Center is holding a “Parents Night Out” from 6:30-9:30pm for kids ages 4-10. Cost per child $10. The evening’s activities will include dinner, basketball, foosball, pumpkin decorating and/or carving and other group games. Interested parents should register at the front desk of the Queen Anne Community Center. Parents night out is available to the first 20 kids, so sign up soon! QACC 386-4240.

Participating restaurants include:

Paragon

Hilltop Ale House

Vincenzo’s

Elliott Bay Pizza

Queen Anne Café

Pete’s Pizza

5 Spot

Flame

Starbucks (The first 100 diners who spend over $50 will get a $5.00 Starbucks gift card)

If your favorite isn’t on the list yet ... give ’em a call and ask them to sign up! Contact krisimicrosoftcom for more info.

Yard Sale

Hearty Seattle-ites braved the rain and helped us raise over $1600 for B-HIP. The Yard Sale came up as an idea from Helen Whitlock who managed the whole thing. Thank you to all who helped out both by donating items as well as helping out at the sale, and by buying stuff! Special thanks to volunteers Louisa Clayton, Kaarn Dempsey, Merran Kubalak, Dawn Ehde, Lisa Gleason, Eric Rose, Lisa Gleason, and Rene Stern for the a-board signs.

Queen Anne Cooperative Preschools Donates $5,000 to B-HIP

A generous donation was made to the Big Howe Improvement Project by the Queen Anne Cooperative Preschool in amount of $5,000. Their contribution is made in recognition of long time teacher, Linda Capps.

This makes them a BIG HOWE STAR in our book! Thank you to the board of directors, the parents, and the students at the Queen Anne Co-Op for your generous contribution.

Their donation is instrumental in reaching our target date to break ground in Spring 2006!

What a bash!

Our first fundraising event, “Pat’s Oyster Bash”, was a huge success. We raised over $7,000 for B-HIP!

Last Saturday night close to 150 Queen Anne neighbors came out to The Drachen Foundation to sample oysters, gumbo, outstanding wines and beer to support the Big Howe Improvement Project. The evening would not have been possible without amazing support from our sponsors and volunteers.

Thank you to our generous sponsors:

Abbey Party Rentals, Pamela Beckett, The Drachen Foundation, The 5 Spot Restaurant, Grand Central Baking Co., Hilltop Ale House, Mac & Jack’s Brewing Co., Metropolitan Market, Pat’s on the Ave, Paragon Restaurant & Bar, Jon Rowley & Associates and Taylor Shellfish Farms.

Thank you to the incredible volunteer crew:

Who gave so generously of their time and stepped up to learn to shuck and BBQ oysters and kept the event flowing seamlessly! Brian Bosserman, Ian Cavanaugh, Rick Cavanaugh, Shannon Collins, Elizabeth Detels, Ben Doerr, Greg Gillick, John Kubalak, Brent Ingraham, Andrea Linsky, Joanna Mattson, Kirk Mattson, Robin Mohr, Jeff Nolan, Sarah Ostler Morris, Eric Rose, Mike Vizzare, Adam Walsh, Brook Wessel, Chris Williams and in an unofficial capacity, Perry Williams.

Eat, Drink and B-HIP:
Come to the Pat's on the Ave Big Howe Oyster Bash!

WHO: Neighbors and friends, kicking-back and celebrating

WHAT: A shellacious good time! A fun evening of live music, oysters, gumbo, beer, and award-winning oyster complementing wines, in support of the Big Howe Improvement Project!

WHEN: Saturday, May 7, 4-9pm

WHERE: Pat’s on the Ave, 1905 Queen Anne Avenue, Across form Metropolitan Market.

WHY: Because we all need a new playground and you deserve a fabulous night out.

HOW MUCH: $50 per ticket (advance purchase only). Tickets may be purchased at Pat’s on the Ave or across the street at Metropolitan Market, by phone (206) 284-0121 or online via PayPal.

Sponsored by: Pat’s on the Ave, Hilltop Ale House (providing gumbo), Mack & Jack’s Brewing (beer), Taylor Shellfish Farms (oysters), Drachen Foundation (location and printing) and Jon Rowley & Associates (coordinating and wine), Metropolitan Market.

Raising Money—Now is the time!

The question on many people’s minds is: How much will it cost, and how will we raise the Money? One reality that B-HIP faces is fundraising. The cost of the park will be approximately $414,000. Our own research into recent playground budgets as well as information from the Parks Department tells us that this is an extremely reasonable budget, and actually on the frugal side.

To date we have raised $35,470. We've received $10,000 from the Queen Anne Community Center Advisory Council, $2,000 from HomeStreet Bank and another $23,470 in individual and in-kind pledges.

We all know that fundraising takes creativity and perseverance, but most of all it takes YOU!! The B-HIP fundraising team (FunTeam) has a strategy to help meet our financial goals. The FunTeam is divided into three sections each with an overall project manager.

Report on the 3rd Public Meeting

Thank you everyone who came to the 3rd B-HIP Public Meeting on January 13. I think we were all once again thrilled with the enthusiasm, creativity and talent within our Queen Anne community.

Responses to the playground design presented by the Barker Team were fantastic, with comments such as “I’m overwhelmed by how beautiful it is.” and “I think it’s fabulous.” We had a good discussion of the design specifics including comments about making sure that the slides wouldn’t be too noisy and that there would be enough play elements in the 0-3 area so that it didn’t feel sparse.

We then had a wonderfully lively and creative discussion of fundraising ideas, with people volunteering for everything form bake sales to hauling wood chips.

Please see the very nice article about the meeting in the January 19 issue of the QA News.

Give to B-HIP by December 31st, 2004 and Make Your Dollars Count Double!

An anonymous donor has contacted the B-HIP Steering Committee and will match, dollar-for-dollar, any donations made through December 31, 2004, up to a total of $5,000.

Consider the boost for our playground, as we begin applying for corporate and foundation grants, if we can say “in addition to our Small and Simple grant, we raised an additional $10,000 from individual donors” — B-HIP supporters like all of us reading this website.

Please don’t let this opportunity pass. Make a donation to B-HIP by the end of this year.

By PayPal

Or send a check to B-HIP:
B-HIP
c/o Don Harper
2723 4th Ave W
Seattle WA 98119-2336

Your contribution is considered a tax-deductible charitable contribution under our fiscal sponsor, Seattle Peace Theatre

Third Public Meeting

The unveiling of the final design for the new playground! Barker Landscape Architects will present final design based on input from the community meetings, the steering committee and the Parks Department. We will then discuss how we get from paper to playground!

When: Thursday, January 13th 6:30-8pm
Where: Queen Anne Community Center, Room 3

A BIG B-HIP Thank You to HomeStreet Bank!

At our 2nd public meeting we were delighted to accept a generous donation of $2,000 from HomeStreet Bank, our first corporate sponsor. The check was graciously presented by Hossein Soleymani, Assistant VP, Branch Manager of the Queen Anne Branch. Founded in 1921, HomeStreet Bank is family and employee-owned and has a deep commitment to supporting and participating in the communities it serves.

Learn more about HomeStreet: www.homestreet.com

Report on the 2nd Public Meeting

Thank you to everyone who participated in the recent public meeting. We had a good turnout and a lively discussion of the four designs presented by the Barker team. The playground designs were all wonderful and the real challenge was playing mix and match with all the elements and possibilities. Click here to see the designs that were presented at the 2nd public meeting.

Much of the discussion centered around the pros and cons of having a zipline as a feature in the new playground. While most people were for it (especially all the kids in attendance) there were a number of concerns about its position and littler kids running across the zip-area and getting knocked over be the zipping riders. Barker has already done a set of revisions based on everyone’s input and has found a elegant solution to the issue, they made the zipline shorter, moved it to the south a touch and moved the slides so that the exit isn’t right in the middle of the zipline.

Other topics —making sure there are good picnic tables, a good sand area, a discussion of how to create attractive barriers to make the park safer vis-à-vis access to the streets, how the design will consider the elderly as a constituency, and ensuring that the playground be fun-filled but not garish.

At the end of the meeting we discussed the ball-park price ($400,000-450,000) and one could feel a palpable seriousness in the room. To create a truly inspiring park will certainly require truly inspired participation, both financially and creatively from our community—and we know that together we can make it happen.