The Editor:
The Community Assistance Program would like to thank everyone in our community who donated coats and other winter clothing to the annual CAP/Interfaith Coalition Winter Coat Drive.
By the end of the distribution, more than 600 coats had been donated, along with many beautiful handmade hats and scarves. After receiving coats, hats, gloves, and/or socks, 487 people in our community will be warmer this winter thanks to your generosity. Items that were not distributed will be given out at the Blaine Clothing Bank through the winter.
We also want to thank the churches, businesses and other organizations that were collection points for the coat drive, as well as the volunteers who helped out. Every year we are amazed at the generosity of people in this community. Thank you all for helping to keep our neighbors warm through the winter months ahead.
Linda Bennett
CAP coat drive director
The Editor:
In Blaine city councilmember Eric Davidson’s letter dated October 25, he writes, “I try not to weigh in on partisan campaigns” and then goes on to weigh in on partisan campaigns. Thanks for letting the citizens of Blaine know what you mean when you “try.”
Kevin Faulkner
Blaine
The Editor:
Things are looking better downtown with new construction and family friendly businesses opening or on their way. Reading that the city is going to spend $30k on another consulting company to tell them how to get more people downtown prompts me to write this letter.
Blaine definitely needs a higher qualified tourism official. Maybe hiring a business person with experience in successful marketing of small towns would be a better approach.
Many business people downtown have excellent ideas to offer – why not ask us and the public?
Here are a couple:
Disturbing looking skeleton clowns with rainbow hair hanging upside down at H Street and Peace Portal Drive do nothing to help increase traffic. It’s tacky, distracting and should be removed. This is for advertising a run in December. I certainly don’t get it!
How about having signs at the roundabout adjacent to Rawganique to advise travelers they can access southbound I-5 from Peace Portal Drive?
In my opinion, adding I-5 directional signage at the roundabout directing folks south through town would increase traffic downtown significantly and is more scenic.
Better yet, remove the onramp entirely and send everyone through downtown would be better for business. Building north and south I-5 onramp at Hughes Avenue needs to be completed promptly as well!
Having speed traps all day Sunday on the truck route and pulling folks over for going more than 25 MPH is a great way to discourage repeat traffic. I hope many are warnings.
The truck route isn’t built for something going 25 MPH, its design encourages a higher speed. Why not increase to 35 MPH? At the same time, force the state to build overhead crosswalks at H and Boblett streets as this would be much safer.
I believe having more tourism related roadside signage promoting Blaine, its public pier, scenic water views, marina, Semiahmoo and quaint downtown placed throughout the county would help greatly.
I also believe city officials should review Dan Burton’s Walkable Communities presentation from 1999.
Bill Becht
Blaine
The Editor:
Recently, there has been fog in the area and I thought I would just give you a few tips for this:
1. Drive with your lights on – not the high beams. This assures that people can see you.
2. Don’t tailgate
3. Don’t speed. The speed limit posted is for nice weather. When there is fog, drive appropriately.
Cheryl Fischer
Blaine
The Editor:
The Blaine/Birch Bay Community Toy Store is a new holiday gift assistance program being brought to our community this year by the Community Assistance Program. The Community Toy Store serves families living in the Blaine school district who meet the income requirements for the free or reduced lunch program and who are not getting gift assistance from any other source.
Toys and clothing store gift cards for teens are donated by community members and prices are marked down to about 20 percent of the retail price. This means that families will be able to purchase $50 worth of gifts for only $10. Voucher assistance will be available by special application for families that need additional help. Pre-registration is required. Parents can get more information and register at www.blainecap.org.
If you’re unable to register online, call the Family Service Center at 360/332-0740 for assistance. The registration deadline is Monday, November 26. The toy store will be held December 13–15 at Unit 280 in the Cost Cutter Shopping Center. Families will be assigned a specific shopping time once they are registered. Questions? Email toystore@blainecap.org or call 360/332-0740.
Laura Vogee
Blaine
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