Film Festival

The third annual Vashon Island Film Festival will unspool at Vashon Theatre from Thursday, Aug. 8 to Sunday, Aug. 11, offering screenings of prizewinning independent features, documentaries, and short films currently on the international festival circuit.

The festival also includes filmmaker Q&As, an award ceremony and other fun for filmgoers in Vashon Theatre’s Backlot.

Check out the lineup and find out more at vashonislandfilmfestival.com.

Senior Center

Attend a talk at Vashon Senior Center at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, when Vashon Heritage Museum’s Bruce Haulman will lead a lively and informative discussion about the history of Vashon. Following the talk, Vashon’s Threshold Choir with offer individual “song baths” — soothing serenades — to anyone who would like to receive this gift.

Every Tuesday, the Senior Center offers Spanish lessons from 9-10 a.m.; a fiber art group called “Knit Wits and Hookers” from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m; pinochle games from 12:30-2:30 p.m.; a “Music Mends Minds” singalong from 1:30-2:30 p.m.; and a meditation class for all levels at 4 p.m.

Questions? Find out more by calling 206-463-5173 or visiting vashoncenter.org.

Oneness Center

Every Monday in August (Aug. 12, 19, and 26) islanders are invited to join the spiritual book club of the Vashon Oneness Center, which just celebrated its first year in operation in July. The group meets from 5-6 p.m. on Mondays at Vashon Methodist Church, to explore “Four Sacred Secrets for Love and Prosperity,” a guide to living in a beautiful state, by Preethaji and Krishnaji. The book, available on Amazon.com, is for all ages and types of readers. Attendance at the book club is by donation.

Questions? Contact amyhugs@icloud.com.

King County Cemetery District

King County Cemetery District’s next regular board meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, August 14, in the District’s office at 19631 Singer Rd. SW.

Museum seeks volunteers for new program

The Vashon Heritage Museum is looking for volunteers to help kick off its new Historic Characters program. The program’s first meeting will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 12, at the museum at 10105 Bank Road SW). This group will bring to life historic characters from or inspired by Vashon history. These characters will appear at special events or during educational opportunities. This opportunity is recommended for anyone with a theatrical bent or interested in researching and developing a character.

Food Bank tour

To ensure that Vashon Food Bank can continue to serve islanders who need food in a safe, accessible, and dignified way, its staff and board have embarked on a journey to relocate to the Vashon United Methodist Church’s property at 17928 Vashon Hwy.

The project will result in a vastly improved food bank, as well as the creation of a community resource hub to better collaborate with other island social service agencies.

Islanders are invited to tour the current and future sites from 2-3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13. Meet at Food Bank’s current location, at 10030 SW 210th St, behind the Sea Mar Clinic. Emily Scott, executive director, will guide the tour and give updates and more details about the project. Bring water, sun protection, and any questions you have. The tour can accommodate 10-15 people. RSVP to minta@vashonfoodbank.org or 206-930-9098.

Water District 19

Water District 19’s next regular board meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, in the district’s board room, at 17630 100th Ave SW.

Community Council

Want to know what is happening with our power lines, and how that ties into King County Roads? Come to the next meeting of the Vashon-Maury Community Council, held from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, on Zoom or in person at the Land Trust building. Find out more, including the Zoom link, at v-mcc.org.

The Community Council meeting will also include two votes on motions set forth by members. One motion, proposed by Katy Ballard, who has been an outspoken critic of plans by the Seattle Indian Health Board to site its new Thunderbird Treatment Center on Vashon, would authorize the Community Council to “inform King County Council members and the Executive that Vashon residents must be given their legal right to a public forum about this new zoning that would allow drug rehab and psychiatric hospitals in any residential neighborhood on Vashon.”

Friends of Thunderbird, a group supportive of the Health Board’s plans, has urged islanders to vote no to the motion.

Another motion, proposed by Steve Bergam, would state that “Initiative 2117, which will appear on the November ballot, would allow climate polluters to resume polluting our air and water for free. The Vashon-Maury Community Council opposes initiative 2117 and commits to adding our name to the list of coalition partners on the No 2117 website in support of the motion.”

Eagles Flea Market

Come to the Eagles Flea Market from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11. La Isla will provide food at the sale. John Browne, Ron Hook, Kat Eggleston, and Mike Dumovich will play music, and local belly dancers will also perform. The Eagles Club is located at 18134 Vashon Hwy SW.

Comunidad Mercado

Comunidad Latina de Vashon will hold its 7th annual Mercado from 4-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, at Vashon Theatre’s Backlot. The Mercado will feature vendors, delicious food and more from Vashon’s vibrant Latino community.

Engels Car Show

Engels Repair & Towing’s annual car show — a turbo-charged tradition for islanders who love to ogle vintage hot rods, roadsters, rust buckets, hydroplanes, tractors, and even a few supercars — will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, at Engels, located at 22725 Dockton Rd SW. The event, as always, is non-competitive, free to enter, and attracts participation from a wide spectrum of car collectors on the island and beyond.

Walk in the Woods

The fifth Walk in the Woods, led by Vashon Forest Stewards, will go around Fisher Pond — the late Bill Fisher’s incredible gift to the community. The site is a 90-acre wildlife preserve one mile from town. Learn about Fisher’s forest stewardship plan and how the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust and Vashon Park District are managing it today. All Walk in the Woods programs are free. The walk will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24. Meet at Bill’s green warehouse on Bank Road. For further information contact David Warren at 206-295-6670 or email vashonforests@gmail.com.

Vashon HouseHold Fundraiser

Jam out and help Vashon HouseHold “Raise the Roof” at its 3rd Annual Summer Concert and Fundraiser. The event will take place at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at Dig Deep Gardens, and include live music by St. Ophelia, dancing, food, drinks, and mingling with the community — all to raise funding to combat housing insecurity on Vashon. This is a 21+ event. More information and tickets are available at vashonhousehold.org/raise-the-roof.

Services Van

Washington’s DSHS Mobile Office will bring its services to the Vashon Food Bank’s parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept 11, at 10030 SW 210th St. Apply inside the van for food, cash, and medical services. Islanders can also drop off paperwork, complete a case, make changes to an existing case, or request an EBT card.

Celebrate scouting

Save the Date: Celebrate 100 years of Vashon Island Scouting from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Vashon Sportsmen’s Club. The Vashon community, scouting alumni, family, and friends are invited to enjoy family-friendly games, a free chili feed, and 100 years of memorabilia from Troop 294 on Vashon. Reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and learn what makes scouting on Vashon so special.