Washington State Celebration of Service Day 6/15!

As part of IBM's Centennial Celebration, we're encouraged to engage locally to make life better for ourselves, our families, and our communities. Most of us have participated in some form of Community Service Day over the years, and this year, we get to coordinate that with IBMers across the globe.

Here in the Puget Sound area, we've found a great partner to work with, on a meaningful project that affects the quality of life for all of us - the health of Puget Sound. As we celebrate 100 years of corporate involvement in communities, People for Puget Sound are celebrating 20 years working to protect and restore the health of Puget Sound land and waters through education and action.

To really make this a local event, we'll be engaged with People for Puget Sound at three project locations on June 15th - one in the North Sound (Everett), one in Central (Seattle), and one in South Sound (Olympia). They will bring tools and gloves for everyone, as well as some of their own volunteers; we just need to show up with a bag lunch, and dig in!

Sign up!

Make a day of it with your family!

Bring friends!

If we get enough volunteers, we may be able to get a grant from IBM to help continue the clean-up!

IBM Celebration of Service Day - Save the Date!

Date: Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Time: 10 am to 2 pm

Locations: Everett, Seattle, Olympia

Description: Join us at a restoration work party near you on June 15^th! Volunteers are needed in Everett, Seattle, and Olympia to remove invasive vegetation, spread mulch, and pick up garbage. Your hard work will help to bring damaged Puget Sound shorelines back to life.

Event sponsors: IBM, People For Puget Sound

Event Details for Woodard Bay NRCA, Olympia

Join us to help restore fish and wildlife habitat on Henderson Inlet! This nature reserve at Woodard Bay is home to eagles, herons, bats, seals, waterfowl, and many other species. Volunteers are needed to remove English ivy and other invasive weeds that threaten the integrity of the native forest.

When: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 from 10 am to 2 pm (Please arrive NLT 945 so that you can be shuttled to the work site by 10)

Where: Directions to Woodard Bay NRCA are provided below. Please use these directions and/or consult the map to find the site. Our restoration sites do not have precise addresses and locations may vary if you use an internet mapping engine or a GPS unit.

What to wear:

• We’ll be there rain or shine, so dress for the weather (rain gear in case of bad weather or sunglasses and a hat if it's sunny)
• Wear your sturdiest, most waterproof foot gear (sneakers, hiking boots, etc., no sandals)
• Layering with long trousers and long sleeves is recommended
  

What to bring:

• A water bottle
• Lunch
• Your own work gloves if you have them
  

What we provide:

• Work gloves, tools, snacks, and beverages
  

Other important details:

• Children 10 and under must have one-to-one adult supervision
• Minors who plan to attend without their legal guardians must contact the event coordinator prior to the event to receive a special release form that must be completed to participate.
• Most of the restoration sites do not have bathroom facilities, but there will be a portable toilet onsite and a public restroom within a 5 minute drive of the event.
  

Driving directions:

Approximate address: 7100 Woodard Bay Rd NE, Olympia, WA 98506. This is the Chehalis Western Trail northern terminus parking lot. A shuttle van will depart periodically from the parking lot to take volunteers to the restoration work area.

From downtown Olympia: Head north on Capitol Way S toward 11th Ave SE. Turn right at 4th Ave E (0.4 mi). Turn left at Plum St SE (becomes East Bay Dr NE) (2.2 mi). Continue onto Boston Harbor Rd NE (2.9 mi). Slight right at Woodard Bay Rd NE (1.1 mi). Turn right to stay on Woodard Bay Rd NE (0.9 mi). Park in the lot on the left hand side of the road (just after crossing the bridge).


Instructions for those of you interested in carpooling!

We are no longer using the Ridesharing app to set up car pools. If you are willing to drive others or are in need of a ride to this event, please contact Catherine Coats at: ccoats@us.ibm.com. 

Event Details for Codiga Park, Tukwila (Seattle Area Event)

Join us at Codiga Park, a former dairy farm that is now a tidally-influenced wetland! The site is a small but important natural area in Tukwila, providing food and shelter for wildlife like Ospreys, Great Blue Herons, and Bald Eagles, and juvenile fish. We’ll be working together to remove pesky invasive weeds like blackberry and bindweed that threaten to overtake native plants. Put on your (work) gloves and join the fight!

When: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 from 10 am to 2 pm (Please arrive NLT 945 so that you can be shuttled to the work site by 10)

Where: Directions to Codiga Park are provided below. Please use these directions to find the site. Our restoration sites do not have precise addresses and locations may vary if you use an internet mapping engine or a GPS unit.

What to wear:

• We’ll be there rain or shine, so dress for the weather (rain gear in case of bad weather or sunglasses and a hat if it's sunny)
• Wear your sturdiest, most waterproof foot gear (sneakers, hiking boots, etc., no sandals)
• Layering with long trousers and long sleeves is recommended
  

What to bring:

• A water bottle
• Lunch
• Your own work gloves if you have them
  

What we provide:

• Work gloves, tools, snacks, and beverages
  

Other important details:

• Children 10 and under must have one-to-one adult supervision
• Minors who plan to attend without their legal guardians must contact the event coordinator prior to the event to receive a special release form that must be completed to participate.
• Most of the restoration sites do not have bathroom facilities, but there will be a portable toilet onsite and a public restroom within a 5 minute drive of the event.
  

Driving directions:

Approximate address: Codiga Park, 12535 50th Place S, Tukwila, WA 98178

From the north:

• Take I-5 South and take exit 157 to Martin Luther King Jr Way/WA-900 E.
• Turn right onto S 129th St. 129th St becomes 50th Pl S. Codiga Park is on the left.

From the south:

• Take I-5 North to WA-599 N exit (exit 156) - toward Tukwila/W Marginal Way.
• Stay right to take the exit toward Interurban Ave S.
• Turn left to stay on Interurban Ave S.
• Turn right at 42nd Ave S and go over the bridge.
• Turn right onto S 124th St.
• Turn right onto 50th Pl S. Codiga Park is on the right.

Directions for those of you looking for carpooling options!
 

We are no longer using the Ridesharing app to set up car pools. If you are willing to drive others or are in need of a ride to this event, please contact Ed DesCamp at: Ed.DesCamp@us.ibm.com. 

Details for Jetty Island Event in Everett!

Join us on a trip to Jetty Island! Jetty Island is a manmade island at the mouth of the Snohomish River in Everett. The island is two miles long and supports the only beach grass and dune habitat in the area, features historically present in the Snohomish delta. Shorebirds, waterfowl, eagles, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, and other wildlife are commonly seen. Volunteers are needed to remove invasive vegetation, such as Scotch broom and Himalayan blackberry, to prepare the site for future native plantings.

When: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 from 10 am to 2 pm (Please arrive NLT 945 so that you can be shuttled to the work site by boat to begin the event by 10)

Where: Please meet at the 10th Street Boat Launch and Marine Park (directions below). A steward will be there to greet you and to give further instructions. Boat transportation to and from the island will be provided, and volunteers will be divided into groups of about 20 persons per trip.

What to wear:

• We’ll be there rain or shine, so dress for the weather (rain gear in case of bad weather or sunglasses and a hat if it's sunny)
• Wear your sturdiest, most waterproof foot gear (sneakers, hiking boots, etc., no sandals)
• Layering with long trousers and long sleeves is recommended

What to bring:

• A water bottle
  
• Lunch
• Your own work gloves if you have them

What we provide:

• Work gloves, tools, snacks, and beverages

Other important details:

• Children 10 and under must have one-to-one adult supervision
• Minors who plan to attend without their legal guardians must contact the event coordinator prior to the event to receive a special release form that must be completed to participate.
• A public restroom is located on the island.

Driving directions: Address: 10th Street public boat launch and Marine Park, located at 10th and West Marine View Drive on Everett’s waterfront (http://goo.gl/Zm4ON)
From the north: Take I-5 South to exit 198 (Hwy 529/N. Broadway/Port of Everett). Stay on Hwy 529 and follow it to the right at the Y in the road, following signs for the Marina. Take a left at the light onto Marine View Drive. Go 1.8 miles and take a right onto 10th St. Follow 10th St down to the parking lot and public boat launch.

From the south: Take I-5 north to exit 193 (Pacific Ave/Hwy 529). Turn left (west) onto Pacific Ave and follow for 1.1 miles. Turn right onto Marine View Dr and follow for 1.9 miles. Turn left onto 10th St. Follow 10th St down to the parking lot and public boat launch.
From downtown Everett: Take Pacific Ave west towards the water. Turn right onto Marine View Drive and follow for 1.9 miles. Turn left onto 10th St. Follow 10th St down to the parking lot and public boat launch.

For those of you interested in carpooling options!

We are no longer using the Ridesharing app to set up car pools. If you are willing to drive others or are in need of a ride to this event, please contact Mike Ball at: miball@us.ibm.com or Kim Bengston-Minnick at kbengsto@us.ibm.com.