Green Tacoma Day 2010 - September 25th

Discover Tacoma’s Natural Treasures at the 3rd annual Green Tacoma Day to be held on September 25th in conjunction with National Public Lands Day. Help protect and restore your favorite local park, gulch, and shoreline or learn more about your favorite recreation destination from experienced Habitat Stewards. Family friendly activities will be held at the Tacoma Nature Center throughout the day.

First Creek Neighbors will be hosting a cleanup at Fairbanks and First Creek. Location is one long block East of Portland Avenue at Fairbanks. We'll be working on several tasks, including removing some Ivy, general cleanup and trail maintenance. Join us if you can. If you don't want to get dirty, stop by and take a quick tour and learn about First Creek.


Visit http://www.greentacoma.org to learn more and to find an event location near you!
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Storm Drain Marking Event in TacomaAugust 21st First Creek Watershed

Did you know the water that flows down storm drains empties directly into our rivers, lakes and Puget Sound? This water is not treated, allowing any pollutants from the streets to be washed into the waterways where we swim, fish and boat, and where salmon live.

We need your help! The City of Tacoma, Citizens for a Healthy Bay and Stream Team are partnering to permanently place the “No Dumping” message beside storm drains throughout Tacoma and this year it's the First Creek Watershed getting the markers.



What:
Help keep Tacoma’s waterways clean by volunteering to glue curb markers next to storm drains with the message “No Dumping, Drains to Puget Sound”

When:
Saturday, August 21, 2010

Time:
Curb marking will begin at 9:00a.m. and will wrap-up by
12:00 p.m. Lunch to follow for volunteers.

Where:
Meet at First Creek Middle School, 1801 E. 56th St. Tacoma 98404

Why:
Did you know the water that flows down storm drains empties directly into our rivers, lakes and Puget Sound? This water is not treated, allowing any pollutants from the streets to be washed into the waterways where we swim, fish and boat, and where salmon live. The City of Tacoma, Citizens for a Healthy Bay and Stream Team are partnering to permanently place the “No Dumping” message beside storm drains throughout Tacoma.

Please pre-register: Jeanine Riss, jriss@healthybay.org

This project is sponsored by the Pierce Stream Team, City of Tacoma and Citizens for a Healthy Bay. Melissa Buckingham, Pierce Stream Team: (253) 845-2973 Email: melissab@piercecountycd.org Jeanine Riss, Citizens for a Healthy Bay: (253) 383-2429 Email: jriss@healthybay.org
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First Creek Middle School - Stormwater Markings

Below is part of an article written by Kathleen Merryman of The News Tribune and it's about the wonderful partnership of First Creek Middle School and University of Washington Tacoma. The story was published in January, to read the full story click on the link further down the page.

Middle-schoolers team up with UWT students to help First Creek

First Creek has accomplished a good deal since it ditched its old T-Street Gulch moniker and retrieved its ancient Puyallup name two years ago.

The former salmon stream running parallel to Tacoma’s Portland Avenue has spawned a vibrant crime-and-blight-fighting group: First Creek Neighbors. It has shared its new name with the new First Creek Middle School. Now it’s going scientific: It is becoming a laboratory.

On Jan. 18, 10 members of the middle school’s science club will join University of Washington Tacoma students to start testing the waters and attacking the weeds in the stream-carved forest.

They’re using the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to initiate a program involving both schools, the city of Tacoma, Washington Civilian Conservation Corps, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and Metro Parks.

Joyce Dinglasan-Panlilio, UWT assistant professor of environmental chemistry, will bring 20 students to teach the young science club members how to gather water, soil and plants. UWT students will analyze them for stormwater, heavy metals and organic contamination.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/01/09/1021885/middle-schoolers-team-up-with.html

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This August, First Creek Middle School students, community members and Citizens for a Healthy Bay will be adding curb markers to Stormwater drains throughout the First Creek Watershed. The event is scheduled for August 21st, from 9 - Noon. To register contact Melissa at (253) 845-2973 or melissab@piercecountycd.org
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First Creek News and Events

News Stories

Last month, several First Creek Neighbors were interviewed for a "Crime Busters Story" that will air tonight (Thursday July 15) at 9 pm on MYQ2 (channel 10) and at 10 pm on Q13 (channel 13). It should be an interesting and positive story about a community working hard to make their neighborhood safer and a better place to live. If you miss the story tonight, it might be on the Q13 website tomorrow: http://www.q13fox.com/

Future Events

August 3rd
First Creek’s First National Night Out, Location: Green Thumb Community Garden (Wright Avenue and Portland Avenue) Time: 7-10 pm. National Night Out Against Crime is a national event dedicated to increasing crime awareness and strengthening neighborhood spirit. Why not come and meet some old/new neighbors? You and your family are invited to join us at our new community garden site (a work in progress) at Portland/Wright Ave on August 3, 2010 from 7-10pm. This is a potluck event so please bring a dish to share, if you can. You might also bring a garden chair. There will be a BBQ for grilling. The garden should be fully fenced in by that time; neighbors of all ages are invited to come. We are hoping to have police presence, games for kids, and an opportunity to personalize pickets for the community garden. Questions? Please contact Katja at 253-576-6900 or katjarimmele@hotmail.com

August 4th
Join First Creek Neighbors for "A Picnic at the Creek" Wednesday August 4th, 6:30pm - 8:00pm. Location: In First Creek Meadow near the 32nd St. Bridge. What you should bring? Your favorite picnic pot luck dish, water, or pop to share. A blanket or folding chair to sit on. A big smile. Enter the canyon near 29th St. behind the Emerald Queen Casino and walk a 2 block trail to 32nd St. Bridge or walk in from East Wright Street. at T Street. Provisions will be made for elderly and disabled to drive in. For more information call Edwina at 474-7083

Work Parties

July 17th
First Creek Cleanup, Saturday, July 17th, 2010 from 9:00 am to Noon.
Location: East Fairbanks Street and First Creek. Join the First Creek Neighbors for a morning of trail maintenance with a little trash pickup and invasive plant removal. It will be easy and fun work and there will be an opportunity to do some exploring of the habitat area surrounding First Creek. If you have any questions please contact Dan Fear via phone at (253) 304-2808 or email at danfear@hotmail.com.

July 17th
Green Thumb Community Garden, Saturday, July 17th, from 9:00 - 2:00. Working on the garden on Saturday @ 9 am, by then we will have fence boards, stain, paint and more planks delivered, so bring all the appropriate tools that you think we could use. Perhaps: cordless screw guns, painting clothes, brushes (we will have some delivered along with the paint), saw horses for painting on..., and a lunch (Potluck). Soon we will be having weeknight work parties. For additional information contact Paul at (253) 678-5483 or email at stuthman@yahoo.com. On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129893867033700
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First Creek Clean-up April Results

The April 24th, clean-up event in First Creek was a tremendous success. More than 60 volunteers and community neighbors participated in the clean-up.

Thank you, everyone who participated in our Clean-up. You make this community a great place to live. A special thanks goes out to the Puyallup Tribe, City of Tacoma, Green Tacoma Partnership, Burns Towing, Girl Scouts AmeriCorps, World Vision, Christ Community Baptist Church, and Peace Community Center Youth Group, thank you for stepping up to help the environment and our community.

Again, thank you to everyone that helped!

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Our Next: First Creek Volunteer Work Party
Saturday, May 8, 2010 from 10am to 1pm

Meet at East 34th and East R Street, Tacoma

Join neighbors and volunteers as we make 34th and First Creek better. Some Litter picking up, Ivy removal, brush removal and some painting along 34th and First Creek.
RSVP to Dan Fear, 253 304-2808.
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First Creek Clean-up and Native Planting

Mark your calendars for April 24th. Our neighborhood and others on the Eastside of Tacoma are planning a major effort to clean-up our streets and open space areas to make our communities better.

Help us clean up your neighborhood!
What’s this clean up all about?
The City of Tacoma, The Puyallup Tribe and several neighborhood groups in your area are joining forces to clean up our community because clean neighborhoods are safer neighborhoods.

April 24, 2010 – 1 day only! 10 AM to 2 PM
Where you can bring your junk:
• Parking lot behind the Tribal Administration Building (behind 3009 Portland Avenue)

Who Can Participate?
Those who live in a single family home or duplex between I-5 and 38th Street between Thompson Avenue and the east City limits (bring a driver’s license or utility bill to show for proof of residence) and members of the Native American community of the Puyallup Reservation (please bring your Tribal ID).

Volunteers may be available to help you unload your items, but please be aware that you offload at your own risk. A flyer with additional information will most likely be delivered to your doorstep or you can read more about it in forthcoming issues of the Puyallup Tribal News and or Tacoma Weekly.

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Anyone interested in helping to make the lower portion of First Creek better, please join us on April 24th. We'll be meeting at First Creek and Fairbanks at 10:00 am and working until 1:00. The focus will be on removing non-native and invasive plants (mostly Ivy) in several key areas of the creek near Fairbanks. We'll also be doing some light clean-up. A variety of tasks will be available from easy to moderate so everyone can participate. Work boots required, dress for the weather, and if you have tools for removing Ivy please bring them. Some tools and gloves will be available if needed. Please join us in making First Creek, the environment and the community better, contact Dan Fear at 253 304-2808 or email him at danfear@hotmail.com if you can participate.

Good news, we just learned that 30 volunteers, teenagers to young adults will be helping us on April 24th. Thank you "World Vision" for making this happen. More on this later. Be sure to contact Dan Fear at 253 304-2808 if you're interested, we could use some crew leaders if you have experience leading.

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The Environmental Science Club at First Creek Middle School and UWT, along with the Pierce County Stream Team will be planting 275 Native Plants behind the new middle school on the same day (April 24th). From 9-10 am there will educational information on display in the lunch room of First Creek Middle School, so you can learn more about the creek and your environment. If you want to help plant plants, you should plan on joining them. They will also be removing some Ivy from trees around the school.

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Please plan on joining one of the efforts to make our neighborhood and the environment around First Creek better. More information and additional contact numbers will be added soon.
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2010 First Creek WatershedWinter & Spring Volunteer Events

First Creek Watershed
Community Event and Clean-up Schedule for 2010

March 6th General Clean-up 10 to 1
Meet at Fairbanks and First Creek – Ivy Removal

March 13th Exploration, Plant and Wildlife Survey 10 to 1
Meet at East T and East Columbia Street – This event will be focusing on surveying what's in First Creek Watershed. Please contact Theresa Dusek at 253 861-3355 for additional information about this event.

April 10th General Clean-up 10 to 1
Meet at Fairbanks and First Creek – Liter Clean-up and Ivy Removal

April 24th Major Clean-up 10 to 1 City and Puyallup Tribe. This will be our biggest and the major Clean-up effort for the Spring. On this day, we'll have three main events, 1) First Creek Middle School Students along with UWT Students, will be planting Native Plants 2) We'll be cleaning up our streets and neighborhood 3) We'll be removing envasive plansts (Ivy) in the greenbelt and habitat areas. Event locations and project information posted later.

May 8th General Clean-up 10 to 1
Meet at East 34th and East R Street – Liter Clean-up and Scots Broom removal

For additional information please contact: Dan Fear
at 253 304-2808, or email him at danfear@hotmail.com
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First Creek Middle School - Marting Luther King DayCommunity Work Party

Community clean-up schedule for Monday morning January 18th,
Martin Luther King Day.

The location is behind the new First Creek Middle School located off Portland Avenue near East 54th

Time: 9:30 - Noon. Look for an open gate near the Northern end of the school for parking, then walk around the back of the playfields towards the woods.

This event is being organized by First Creek Middle School and University of Washington Tacoma along with Chris Ott with the City of Tacoma. First Creek Neighbors have been asked to support this event by helping with litter and trash pickup behind the school. Please try to attend if possible.

The First Creek Students will be working with the UWT students learning to cut English Ivy from the trees and doing some water quality monitoring in the actual creek. There are only twnety-eight trees with Ivy and they are easily accessed. If you have cutting tools please bring them.


Kathleen Merryman article in the January 9th issue of TNT.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/1021885.html


Link to First Creek Middle School
http://www.tacoma.k12.wa.us/information/departments/planningconstruction/Pages/FirstCreekMiddleSchool.aspx

Please join us if possilbe.
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