By Dawn Masko, City Administrator, City of DuPont
Parks & Recreation Auction: Our largest fundraising event is only one week away! Join us on Friday, May 10th for the Coast on in for a Blooming Good Time… auction. Doors open at 6:30 in the DuPont Fire Bay located at 1780 Civic Drive. This is an adult’s only evening. Auction tickets are available at City Hall and are modestly priced at $15. Come enjoy hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and non-alcoholic drinks while you browse through the over 100 items available to bid on. This is also a wonderful opportunity to shop for Mom with Mother’s Day right around the corner on May 12th.
This year’s auctioneer is Tourism Board member Dorothy Wilhelm. Dorothy is a professional humorist, speaker and keynoter. She is a familiar Northwest media personality and hosted her own TV and radio shows for the past thirty years, including her TV show called My Home Town, winner of a Beacon Award for excellence in community broadcasting. Her newspaper column regularly appears in the Tacoma News Tribune and in other publications across the nation.
The auction promises to have something for every budget. Many thanks to the local residents and businesses who continue to donate to this annual event! There are a variety of wonderful items such as restaurant gift cards, weekend getaways, hanging baskets, sporting events & programs, amazing gift baskets, and a special 4th of July opportunity. Don’t miss out on this evening of fun and chance to support a great cause!
2. Free Car Seat Inspections
Certified technicians will inspect your car seats for recalls, correct installation, and answer your safety questions. Come to the DuPont Fire Station, 1780 Civic Drive, between 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM on Thursday, May 9th to take advantage of this great opportunity! The car seat technicians recommend you bring your vehicle and car seat owner’s manuals with you.
3. Memorial Day Ceremony
The City of DuPont’s annual Memorial Day ceremony will be held at Ross Plaza on Monday, May 27th at 11:00 AM. Join friends and neighbors as we pay tribute to our fallen soldiers and remember with special significance those from our DuPont community who are honored on our Memorial Wall.
Our guest speaker this year will be Lieutenant General Robert B. Brown.
If you are interested in assisting with the clean-up efforts of Ross Plaza in preparation for the ceremony, please contact Parks & Recreation at (253) 912-5245.
4. Parks Agency Vacancy
The City is seeking interested residents for appointment to the City’s volunteer Parks & Recreation Agency. Eligible applicants must be residents of DuPont for at least one year. Please submit a letter of interest that includes your relevant professional experience, your reasons for desiring to be appointed to this position, and your thoughts on the most significant parks and recreation issues facing the City in both the short and long term, to the City Clerk at City Hall, 1700 Civic Drive, DuPont, WA 98327.
5. Upcoming Meetings – Week of May 6th – 10th
Youth Council Meeting Monday, May 6th at 6:00 PM
Park Agency Meeting Monday, May 6th at 7:00 PM
Tourism Board Meeting Wednesday, May 8th at 9:30 AM
6. Police Department Update
Suicide Update – This past week we had an unfortunate suicide on McNeil Street. The Police Department investigation has been completed as well as the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s follow-up investigation. Members of the Police Department met with the family to assist them with information concerning the incident and next steps for them as a family. Officer George Robinson and Chaplain Greg Ford should be commended for their detailed work and heartfelt concern for the family. They provided a great example of service to our community. It is always difficult to deal with a situation such as this, especially when it occurred in such a public manner.
Police Officer Hiring Process – Interviews will be conducted the week of May 6th to fill two vacant police officer positions. After the16 recruit candidates are interviewed, the background portion of the hiring process will begin. It is anticipated that this will be completed in approximately 30 days.
Firearms Training– The Police Department recently completed firearms training at the Olympia Police Range. All police personnel who attended completed the course and qualified, including the Interim Police Chief. The training included some weapons skills testing involving time management and weapon manipulation. The Officers concluded the training with a familiarization course with their backup weapons.
7. Law Enforcement Memorial
Pierce County law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty will be honored at the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, May 8th at the McGavick Conference Center at Clover Park Technical College (4500 Steilacoom Blvd SW, Building 23, in Lakewood). The program will include the traditional reading of local fallen officers’ names.
8. Fire Department Newsletter
Find out what’s happening with the DuPont Fire Department better by reading their May newsletter.
9. Safe Kids Day
On Saturday, May 18th the DuPont Fire Department, along with Safe Kids Pierce County, will be holding a custom-fit bike helmet sale behind the McDonalds on Wilmington Drive. Come by from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM to learn how to help prevent childhood injuries and pick up any size bike helmet for $7 each.
10. Spring Safety Fair
Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 1st from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM for this year’s Spring Safety Fair. Join the City of DuPont Fire Department, Police Department and Public Works Department for a family day out, coinciding with National Trails Day. This is a FREE event, featuring safety awareness activities, bike helmet sales, and the opportunity to see equipment like fire trucks, police cars, and Public Works vehicles up close. There will also be disaster preparedness information, a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) booth, and plenty of games and giveaways! This event is held at the Public Safety Building, 1780 Civic Drive.
11. Mother’s Day Hanging Basket
If you ordered your hanging baskets from Parks & Recreation, you are in for a real treat! The baskets are scheduled to arrive on Monday, May 7th at noon and must be picked up by 4:00 PM on Tuesday, May 8th at City Hall. Many thanks for supporting our recreation programs. Please call (253) 912-5245 with any questions.
12. Parks & Recreation
Please call (253) 912-5245 or go to the City’s website at www.ci.dupont.wa.us for registration information, questions on Parks & Recreation activities, or for volunteer opportunities. Want to know more? Like us on Facebook at “City of DuPont Parks, Recreation & Tourism”.
Youth Acting Studio Summer Program – The Youth Acting Studio’s summer program starts on Saturday, June 1st. Two new classes have been added this session.
§ Music & Make Believe is a preschool class for ages 2ish – 5ish. This class is held on Saturdays from 9:00 – 9:45 AM. Parent and child will explore their imaginations with creative dramatics, story time, parachute fun, musical instruments, movement and dancing. Cost: $40 (8 classes).
§ Youth Studio 101 is our popular “tween” class for ages 9-13. This class is held on Saturdays from 10:00 – 11:30 AM. Students learn acting through fun and creative improv games and exercises, and then perform in-class scene work and short plays leading into a Showcase. Cost: $100 (10 classes & Showcase).
§ Youth Studio 102 is a new “teen” class for ages 14-17. This class is held on Saturdays from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM. Students will learn acting through fun and creative improv games and exercises, and then perform in-class scene work and plays with a focus on great contemporary playwrights all leading into a Showcase. Cost: $100 (10 classes & Showcase).
A FREE class for each age group will be held at the Community Center on May 11th to give students a chance to sample the class – 9:00 AM for preschool, 10:00 AM for tweens, and 11:00 AM for teens. Contact Youth Acting Studio to RSVP for a spot in the free class at (360) 584-9848 or by email at youthactingstudio@gmail.com. Registration forms are available on the City website. Additional information: YouthActingStudio@wordpress.com.
Adult Co-Ed Softball – Parks & Recreation is pleased to announce the addition of Adult Co-Ed Softball to our programs. The season will run July 7th thru August 4th at DuPont PowderWorks Park and will include 8 games. Each team will consist of 12 adults, with 4 members of the opposite sex on each team. The fee to participate is $595 per team or $50 per individual. Interested participants may register at City Hall from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Questions? Please contact Tom Bradbury at (253) 282-2189 or tbradbury@dupontwa.gov.
Princess Tea – Tickets are selling quickly for the Annual Princess Tea scheduled for Saturday, May 18th at High Noon. Royalty will sip tea, enjoy a delightful lunch, and create craft projects fit for a princess. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children 2 and up. Tickets can be purchased at City Hall. Details are available on the City website.
Challenger Soccer Camp – This year’s camp will be held August 5-9. Registration link here.
Visit our website for information on other programs and events including Karate, Yoga, Track, Kidz Love Soccer, Dance4Life, and more!
13. Police Chief Candidate Community Forum
The public will have a chance to meet the law-enforcement officials vying to become DuPont’s next police chief during a community forum on Thursday, May 16th from 7:00 – 8:00 PM at City Hall. Citizens will be able to provide feedback on forms provided at the forum. Final interviews will be conducted on May 17th. Additional information will be available soon.
14. Upcoming CERT Training
There will be a Communications training session on May 16th from 6:30 – 8:00 PM at the Fire Station for CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams) members to refresh their skills. This session will feature a presentation on HAM radios from Stephen Moton of the Tacoma Radio Club. If you have been thinking about getting your HAM operator’s license, or would like to learn more about what amateur radio is, come to this meeting to have your questions answered. Contact Claire Keller-Scholz at (253) 964-8414 or cscholz@dupontwa.gov for more information.
15. “Don’t Drip and Drive” Program
The “Don’t Drip and Drive” program offers free auto leak workshops to Puget Sound residents through July of 2014. Each workshop includes a free professional inspection from a certified automotive instructor, information about how to identify and prevent leaks, tips on repairing minor leaks, and other advice. Each participant leaves with a free vehicle maintenance check kit. This program is an effort by the Stormwater Outreach for Regional Municipalities (STORM) group, in coordination with the Department of Ecology and City of Seattle. STORM is a collaboration of stormwater permit holders working together to meet permit requirements and improve our region’s water quality. To register for a workshop, go to: www.ecy.wa.gov/fixcarleaks.html
Watch a video and hear what past workshop participants have to say: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEy1oTedzho
16. Puget Sound Starts Here Month
Pierce County residents are invited to celebrate Puget Sound during Puget Sound Starts Here month in May. Organizations in Pierce County and across Western Washington are hosting a variety of events to teach residents simple ways they can protect Puget Sound, local rivers, lakes and streams. A complete list of events is available at www.PugetSoundStartsHere.org.
May 4th at 10:30 AM: Natural Yard Care Family Fun event at Wapato Community Center, 6500 S. Sheridan, Tacoma. Register at www.hhhnworkshops.eventzilla.net.
May 11th from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM: Key Peninsula Livable Community Fair at the Key Peninsula Civic Center, 17010 S. Vaughn Road.
May 11th at 6:10 PM: Puget Sound Starts Here Night with the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. Visit www.mariners.com/pugetsound and use the promotional code “salmon” for discount tickets.
May 16th at 7:00 PM: Puget Sound Starts Here Night with the Tacoma Rainiers at Cheney Stadium. Buy discount tickets online at tinyurl.com/c4geew9 and use promotional code “pugetsound” for discount tickets.
May 25th from 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM: Get your feet wet with Harbor Wild Watch’s beach naturalists at Penrose Point State Park and Kopachuck State Park. Get an up close look at the creatures that live under the water in Puget Sound. No reservation required, look for the blue tent.