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North Helpline food bank opens

On Saturday, Oct. 13, Lake City will get something it has needed for a while: a food bank. The North Helpline food bank will be located at the Lake City Neighborhood Service Center at 12707 30th Ave NE. It will consist of a storage container and cooler to be located on the back lot and some storage space within the service center itself. For now, the food bank will only be open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The opening of the North Helpline food bank represents a victory for the group's executive director, Rita Anderson. Earlier this year the Neighbors in Need Food Bank in Shoreline, an organization which served residents in North Seattle neighborhoods, announced that its funding structure would not allow them to continue providing food for Seattle residents.

North Helpline, an organization which offers emergency services for needy families, had referred their clients to Neighbors in Need. Anderson knew she had to find a new source of food for North Seattle families. Fortunately, extra space was made in the Neighborhood Service Center for the food bank. Now North Helpline is relying on private donations to rent equipment and storage space and buy food. Northwest Harvest, Food Lifeline, schools and churches will also provide food for the fledgling food bank.

Since Anderson started planning the food bank the expected number of clients has risen from 150 to 600. She said that in these uncertain economic times, the North Helpline food bank is more important than ever and donations are needed.

Food bank patrons should bring proof of address (such as a utility bill or letter) when they come because North Helpline will primarily serve the 98125 zip code. For more information call North Helpline at 365-8043. (

Thornton Creek Project hosts walk, Oct. 20

Local residents are invited to take a "long walk" along the north fork of Thornton Creek. The walk, which is about six miles long, will start at Ronald Bog in Shoreline at NE 175th Street and Meridian Avenue. It will then continue down to Matthew's Beach through the Thornton Creek Watershed, being careful not to traverse private property, of course. Along the way walkers will discuss both the history and current condition of places within the watershed.

The walk is free but an RSVP is required. Call 526-0187 for more information. (

Metro expands bus service in North Seattle

King County Metro Transit will launch a major service expansion starting Saturday, Sept. 29, including evening and night service between Ballard and downtown Seattle. The changes include: adding rush-hour trips to Route 358 between Seattle and Shoreline via Aurora Avenue; revising Route 302 to serve locations previously served by Route 318, which is being discontinued; restoring evening and weekend service on Route 315 between Richmond Beach and Northgate; extending rush-hour trips on Route 46 to Seaview Avenue Northwest and Golden Gardens; and reinstating service between Fremont and the Seattle Center via Route 74. Downtown bus stops will also be moved to avoid construction of the new Seattle Library, which will affect routes 17, 26, 28, 33, 39, and 42.

For detailed information, check out Metro Online at http://transit.metrokc.gov, or call Metro Rider Information at 553-3000. (