Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Feb. 9, 2024

"Crowns aren’t made of rhinestones.
They are made of discipline, determination and a hard to find alloy called courage."

- Unknown -

Learning 'City Action' at the Association of Washington Cities in Olympia this week

This week Deputy Mayor Brown and Councilmembers Trout-Manuel, Rakes, T. Taylor, Amer and C. Taylor joined me in Olympia for the Association of Washington Cities “City Action Days”. For our newest councilmembers, it was a chance to learn more about AWC, meet other newly electeds and then settle in for the sessions.

Those included updates on bills that are still alive in the WA State Legislature for this session, how to talk to your legislators, and the challenges facing the Criminal Justice Training Center - where all of our police officers are trained. I was so pleased and proud to see how engaged your city councilmembers are!

Visits to the Auburn Food Bank are up year over year and they could really use your help

Since 2022, visits to the Auburn Food Bank have increased by nearly 7,000 a year. If trends hold, 2024 is set to the busiest year ever -- but as usage climbs, monetary and food donations have stagnated.

Which is why the Auburn Food Bank could use your help! Food donations, monetary donations, volunteering -- it all goes a long way towards ensuring our most vulnerable residents are fed.

I've long said Debbie Christian is Auburn's very own superhero, working to feed and house tens of thousands of people a year. She continues to raise money with grants that have gone towards the food bank's big move to the Resource Center of Auburn along Auburn Way North. During the transition, she could really use the support from all of us to ensure our food bank continues to make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

Miss Auburn and Miss Auburn’s Teen at the Miss Auburn Scholarship Program Competition is Saturday

The next Miss Auburn and Miss Auburn's Teen will be officially crowned Saturday at the Miss Auburn Scholarship Program Competition.

Miss Auburn and Miss Auburn's Teen are wonderful scholarship programs that have helped dozens of Auburn-area women achieve their dreams over the years. How do I know this? I’ve been involved in some fashion with the program for (gulp) 45 years, received scholarship dollars and more when I was 17! The young ladies earn valuable life skills, including public speaking and interviewing. Over the years, many of the former competitors have come back to say thank you because those skills helped them earn their dream job. Many people see this as a beauty pageant, but it’s mainly about the scholarships. While the young ladies are beautiful, it’s their poise, skills, confidence and knowledge that are most attractive. I’ll be e sad to see outgoing Miss Auburn Natalie Myers and Teen Kaitlyn Gallo leave, but I know the new class will be just as special! Join us for a fun evening and cheer on your favorites!

📅 Saturday, Feb. 10

🕐 6 p.m.

📍 Auburn Performing Arts Center, 702 4th Street NE. Driving Directions

🎟️ Buy Tickets

We're in good hands with today's Girl Scouts and tomorrow's leaders!

Kindergarten through 7th grade Girl Scout Troop 45603 members came through City Hall Friday afternoon to learn about city government, what it is we do here at City Hall, and mostly, what the best part of my job is (hint: it's representing all of you!). 

I got talk to them about the many duties I have throughout the week, regional boards I sit on, the meetings I attend, and everything in-between. And I got to ask them their favorite thing about Fridays -- most of them said Girl Scouts!

Drop-In Painting with Amy Sie at Postmark Amy Sie is offering Drop-In Gongbi Painting sessions at the Postmark! A free, no-pressure environment for you to start a new painting, or work on an old one. Please bring your own tools and materials for watercolor painting. On-site help for critique/questions/advice. All are welcome.  Ages: 18+ Fee: Free Instructor: Amy Sie   📅 Friday, Feb. 16 🕐 10 a.m. 📍 Postmark Center for the Arts, 20 Auburn Ave.

Auburn Symphony Quartet at Postmark The Auburn Symphony String Quartet presents an evening of beautiful music in the inspiring, intimate venue of the Postmark Center for the Arts.   📅 Friday, Feb. 16 🕐 7:30 p.m. 📍 Postmark Center for the Arts, 20 Auburn Ave. 🎟️ Buy Tickets (Regular: $20 Student/Senior: $17)

Soul Sacrifice -- Santana Tribute Band Soul Sacrifice, A Tribute to the Music of Santana has been voted one of the TOP 10 Tribute Bands in the Pacific NW, as well as the #1 Santana tribute in the PNW. From Woodstock to Santana's more recent hits, Soul Sacrifice performs with a passion and joy that engulfs the audience in the atmosphere of Santana's music. These musicians are entirely committed to bringing the authentic sounds of Santana to the live stage. Sizzling Latin Rhythms and outstanding musicians make this band a must-see and HEAR!   📅 Saturday, Feb. 17 🕐 7:30 p.m. 📍 Green River College - Student Affairs Building (Cascade Hall) 12401 SE 320th St. Campus Event Center Parking (PDF) Driving Directions (PDF) 🎟️ Buy Tickets (Regular: $23 Student/Senior: $20)

Sometimes, the best afternoons are spent riding a bike with kids at Cedar Lanes Bike Park. I'm excited for you to read the Auburn Magazine story about this wonderful after-school program for Pioneer Elementary School students.

Auburn is rich with history—from historical Main Street to the artifacts preserved throughout White River Valley Museum — I am excited to share these stories with all of you each week. 

Auburn residents have been taking cute pet photos for over a century

Photo courtesy of White River Valley Museum

Do you have the cutest pets in the world? Do you love seeing and sharing photos of cute pets on social media? So did folks in Auburn (and around the county!) over 100 years ago. In this snapshot from the Museum’s collection, George Porter of Auburn and his friends try to wrangle three kittens to pose for a photo on top of Porter’s Ford Model-T car in 1917.