Computer Club meets next week

The Vashon Computer Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, at the Vashon Senior Center. The January meeting will begin with questions, troubleshooting and perhaps questions about any new devices recently acquired.

Following this, Almita Ranstrom, Mary Pekarek and Kathy Chappell will explain and demonstrate the seemingly complex subject of image sizing.

Generally, one needs to have images in different sizes for different purposes; e-mail images should be a size that fits comfortably on a page, ideally between 600 and 800 pixels wide; it is common to have received images in e-mail that are too large to be viewed as a whole.

On the other hand, to have a good quality printed image, you need to have it much larger, perhaps as much as 1,200 by 1,800 pixels for a 4 by 6 inch print. All this will be explained, and sizing methods will be demonstrated.

Anyone may attend these meetings free of charge. Membership has other benefits and is affordable.

— Almita Ranstrom

Grief support group forms

A bereavement support group for adults coping with the death of a loved one is being offered on Vashon by Providence Hospice of Seattle. The group, facilitated by a grief specialist, focuses on general tasks of grieving, considers ways of providing self-care and creates an environment for mutual learning as group members share their experiences of loss.

The group will meet for six weeks from 6 to 8 p.m. beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at the J.G. Commons apartment complex.

Call Jane Fleming at (206) 749-7704 for pre-registration and information.

— Carol Spangler

Kids’ illustrators, writers gather

People interested in writing or illustrating for children are meeting at Books by the Way at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8. For more information, call me at 463-5255.

— Suzanna Leigh

Unitarians host parenting forum

Child psychologist Dr. Pam Dell Fitzgerald will lead a series on Positive Parenting beginning Sunday, Jan. 11. The topics are intended for parents, grandparents and interested community members, in line with the adage, “It takes a village to raise a child.”

The initial topic will be bullying and its consequences. This informative talk will help the community understand the behaviors of both the bully and the victim, explaining long-term consequences at school, in the community and for the society when aggressive actions at all ages go unchecked. In addition, she will provide guidelines for programs and interventions key to creating a safe environment at school and guidance in intentional social skills development. Fitzgerald will present and lead the discussion as part of the Unitarian Fellowship’s Sunday Morning Conversations. The first one will meet at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 11, at in Lewis Hall located behind the Burton Community Church. An informal coffee hour will follow. All interested community members are welcome. Child care is available. For additional information contact Indigo Lewis at 463-7714.

— Wendy Wharton

Caregivers meet at VCCC

Vashon Community Care Center (VCCC) hosts a monthly Caregivers Support Group meeting. The group meets on the second Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. Call me for details or with questions: 567-6142. The date of the group this month is Jan. 8.

— Julea Gardener

Garden club offers tips for getting fit

Hints on keeping in good physical shape for gardening chores will be the topic Monday, Jan. 12, when Dyan Prouse, a physical therapist, speaks to the Vashon Island Garden Club.

The club meets at the Vashon Lutheran Church beginning at 10:45 a.m. with a sign-in and business meeting, followed by a sack lunch. Prouse, who works at Vashon Physical Therapy, will begin her talk around 1 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

— Arlene Hess

Nebeker addresses fiber artists

All fiber lovers are welcome at the FiberNet meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Sunrise Ridge conference room. Art quilts will be the subject, and Sue Nebeker our presenter. Get ready to be dazzled!

For more information, call Linda Stemer at 463-3193 or e-mail her at lstemer@centurytel.net.

— Sue Willlingham

Girls skate, people do yoga for pets

Attention, girls. By popular demand, Vashon’s indoor skate park is hosting Girls’ Day from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Thursdays starting Jan. 15. Skateboarders and inline skaters are welcome.

Looking ahead, Vashon Park District will host Yoga Goes to the Dogs (cats and other sentient beings) from 1 to 3:15 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Ober Park performance room.

Sam Scherer will conduct a vigorous yoga class from 1 to 2:15 p.m. followed by Bev Holstun’s restorative yoga from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m.

Participants should bring a can or a bag of pet food for the Vashon Maury Community Food Bank. People food is welcome, too.

Call the park district at 463-9602 for more information, or see www.vashonparkdistrict.org for information about both events.

— Susan McCabe