Mercer Island Conversation on Climate Action: 6-8 p.m., April 22, Community Center at Mercer View. Join the community in a conversation about Climate Action and what you and the community can do. www.mercergov.org/conversation.
“The Wizard of Oz”: April 24-May 9, Youth Theatre Northwest, 8805 S.E. 40th St. 7 p.m., Friday/Saturday; 2 p.m., Saturday/Sunday matinee. Opening Night Gala: April 24; $15. Reserved seating: $13. 232-4145 ext. 109. www.youththeatre.org.
All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast: 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., April 26, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 4400 86th Ave. S.E. The annual fundraiser is hosted, prepared and serviced by Boy Scout Troop 457 members. Pancakes, ham, fruit salad, juice, coffee, tea. 232-9185.
Youth Summit: April 26, Community Center at Mercer View. All high school students are welcome. Roundtable discussions about drug and alcohol prevalence on Mercer Island. With Communities That Care Youth Committee, the CTC Coalition’s Café Conversations. Pizza served. Michelle Morse, Youth & Family Services: 275-7755, michelle.morse@mercergov.org.
Mercer Island Schools Foundation Breakfast Fundraiser: 7-8:30 a.m., April 28, Mercer Island High School, 9100 S.E. 42nd St. Celebrate excellence in education with business and community leaders and corporate sponsors who will demonstrate their support for Mercer Island students, teachers and their schools. Donation requested. 275-2550.
43rd Annual Mercer Island Preschool Association (MIPA) Circus: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., May 2, Islander Middle School, 8225 S.E. 72nd St. Pony rides, face painting, artists, cupcake walk, big bouncy house, entertainers. For parents with kids ages 2-8. Free; $0.50/game tickets. www.mipreschoolassociation.org.
Big Read Events: Book-It All Over! presents the “Call of the Wild,” 7:30 p.m., May 3, Youth Theatre Northwest. Book Talk on “The Call of the Wild”: 10 a.m., May 11, Aljoya. Author Kirby Larson to speak: 8:25 a.m., May 14, Islander Middle School. Open Book Club: 7:30 p.m., May 14, Island Books.
Classes
“Into Political Revolution, the Overthrow of the Gods”: 6:30 p.m., April 23, Community Center at Mercer View. Into the Ring with Perry Lorenzo series, Seattle Opera’s education director.
Ikebana Flower-Arranging: spring classes, 10 a.m.-noon, Fridays, through April 24, Community Center at Mercer View, $60/course. Sogetsu Mercer Island Branch. Fanny Yau: (206) 349-1137. www.misogetsu.org.
“Buy A Home? Yes, You Can!”: 6-7:30 p.m., Mondays, through June 29, Windermere Mercer Island, 2737 77th Ave. S.E. Discussion, Q&A with a volunteer panel of experts. Free. Diane Rae Jones: (206) 406-5232, Diane@DianeRaeJones.com. www.windermeremercerisland.com, www.WeHelpYouBuyAHome.com.
Topics in Practical Halacha: 7-8 p.m., Mondays, Northwest Yeshiva High School, 5017 90th Ave. S.E. Teacher: Rabbi Yechezkel Kornfeld of Congregation Shevet Achim. Free.
Baby Strollercise: 10:30 a.m., Tuesdays, Community Center Parks and Recreation. Prenatal Yoga: 5:45 p.m., first/third Thursdays, Mercerwood Shoreclub. (206) 979-3008.
PUSH Exercise Class: 11:15 a.m., Fridays, through June, Community Center at Mercer View Dance Room. A mix of strength, sports drills, intervals, balance, flexibility, play. Instructor: Elizabeth Andrews. $20/drop-in. (206) 922-3218.
Groups
Mercer Island Arts Council: artists’ reception, April 30; free, open to community. New show featuring the NW Watercolor Society: through May 15, CCMV Indoor Gallery.
Club Emerald Food Drive: through May 1, 3028 78th Ave. S.E. For Mercer Island Youth & Family Services Food Pantry. 232-7080. www.clubemerald.org.
Probus Club of Mercer Island: annual spring luncheon, 12 p.m., May 6, Aljoya, 2340 76th Ave. Members and guests should carpool due to limited parking in old Safeway lot on 76th Avenue. 236-2190.
Spring Brunch and Fashion Fling: 10:30 a.m., May 9, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 8501 S.E. 40th St. Mother/daughter brunch. Benefits hunger drive with Thrivent Financial. 232-3270.
Second Saturday Stories: 11-11:30 a.m., May 9, Island Books, 3014 78th Ave. S.E. “Fabulous Folk Tales” with Meg Lippert. Ages 3 and up. 232-6920.
“Loving Hearts and Hands For His Little Lambs” Knitting Group: 10 a.m., last Monday of month, Mercer Island Covenant Church, 3200 78th Ave. S.E. All knitters, crocheters, quilters welcome. Bring your own project to work on or work with our projects. 232-1015.
Toddlers of Mercer Island (TOMI by MIPA): 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesdays, VFW Hall, 1836 72nd Ave. S.E. Ages 0-6. $3/child, MIPA members; $5/nonmembers. www.mipreschoolassociation.org.
Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS): 9:30-11:30 a.m., first/third Friday, MI Covenant Church. For mothers with children ages birth-K. Childcare provided. www.micc.org.
Senior Men’s Tennis Doubles: seeking players, 6:45-8:15 a.m., Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Location: Seattle Tennis (Amy Yee) Center, 2000 MLK Way, and Homestead Field during spring. Al Skinner: 232-3450.
Women Painters of Washington: “Summer Dreaming” gallery exhibition, May 5-July 31. First Thursday Gallery Reception: 4-6 p.m., May 7. 701 Fifth Ave., Suite 310. (206) 624-0543, www.womenpainters.com.
Library
4400 88th Ave. S.E.
236-3537
www.kcls.org/mercerisland
Registration required.
During the “Look to Your Library” week, the library is accepting donations of nonperishable food in the lobby on behalf of the Mercer Island Youth & Family Services Food Bank.
Look to Your Library Series
Look to Your Library Stations: 9-11 a.m., May 1-8. Daily demonstration and personal assistance stations offer information for people looking for work and those struggling with small businesses.
Business Planning Simplified: 12-1:30 p.m., May 3. Join SCORE Small Business Counselor, Paul Hirz, for an interactive workshop that will help you identify small business resources, simplify the planning process from research to selling, and help you find customers.
Job Application Skills 1: 9-10:30 a.m., May 4. Learn how to create and use an e-mail account for job seekers, practice sending attachments. Registration begins April 20.
Job Application Skills 2: 9-10:30 a.m., May 5. Learn how to work with a resume template, update your information, fill out online job applications. Registration begins April 20.
Think Like an Interviewer: 9 a.m.-12 p.m., May 6. Join Ronald J. Auerbach, author of “Think Like an Interviewer: Your Job Hunting Guide to Success” for a hands-on career workshop.
Health Care Options: 10 a.m.-12 p.m., May 7. Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) offers free health care coverage counseling.
Avoid Foreclosure: 6-7:30 p.m., May 7. ACORN housing counselors to discuss how to help homeowners avoid foreclosure in this economy.
Big Read: “Gold Rush! Panning for Gold,” 2 p.m., May 2.
Big Read Matinee: “Balto” (G), 1 p.m., May 16. Adults, teens and families. The story of a dog who survived the blizzards of Alaska to bring medicine to the children of Nome.
Adults
“Searching the Internet for Beginners” Computer Class: 9 a.m., April 23.
“Global Voices, One World” Poetry Workshop: 2 p.m., April 26, with Jack Straw Productions.
Opera Preview: “The Marriage of Figaro,” 7 p.m., April 29. Join opera lecturer Norm Hollinshead. Sponsor: Friends of the Mercer Island Library.
Talk Time: 7 p.m., Wednesdays, through April 29. Improve speaking and listening skills in English conversation group.
Get Known Before the Book Deal: 2 p.m., May 3. Presentation based on Christina Katz’s book. Learn how to name, claim, cultivate and explain a writer’s platform from scratch.
Three Spanish Operatic Greats: Victoria de los Angeles, 7 p.m., May 4; Alfredo Kraus, 7 p.m., May 11; Montserrat Caballe, 7 p.m., May 18. Speaker: Norm Hollingshead.
Children/Families
Baby Rhyme Time: 10:15 a.m., April 24. Ages 9-14 months.
Stories for Spring: Toddler Story Time, 10 a.m., April 28. Ages 2-3.
Springfest: 11 a.m., April 28. Preschool activities to celebrate spring. Ages 3-6.
Terrific Two’s Story Time: 10 a.m., Tuesdays. Stories, music, rhymes. Ages 2-3 with caregiver.
Preschool Story Time: 11 a.m., Tuesdays. Stories, music, puppets, Early Literacy alphabet activities. Ages 3-5.
Pan for Gold: 2 p.m., May 2. Presented by Klondike Gold Rush National Park.
Meet a sled dog, pan for gold, Klondike Gold Rush stories.
French Story Times: 10 a.m., Saturdays, May 2-May 30. Join Patricia Balaise-Caves for stories, songs, activities in French.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo: 11 a.m., May 5. Ages 3-5. Join Marco Cortez and Margaret Martin for songs, stories, activities.
“Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse”: 7 p.m., May 19. Presented by Youth Theatre Northwest. Ages 3-5 and families. Sneak preview.
Teens
Teen Zone: 1:45 p.m., Mondays, through April 27. Hang out, do homework, play video games.
Poet’s Cafe: 7 p.m., April 28. Listen to the top 10 poets from the Mercer Island Library Teen Poetry Contest share their award-winning poems. Refreshments.
Chill with Author Deborah Reber — Ways to De-Stress: 3:30 p.m., May 13. Speaker: Deborah Reber, author of “Chill: Stress-Reducing Techniques for a More Balanced You” and many of the Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul series.
Teen Advisory Board: 7 p.m., May 19. Voice opinions on teen materials, services and programs; earn one volunteer credit hour.
Boys & Girls Club
2825 West Mercer Way
232-4548
www.mipositiveplace.org
Registration is now open for summer camps, including Skyhawks Sports Camps, weekly themed day camps for children ages 5-14, Science Adventure Camps, Art Camps, Lego Camps, Moviemaking Camps.
Parks & Recreation
Community Center at Mercer View (CCMV)
8236 S.E. 24th St.
275-7609
www.myparksandrecreation.com
Registration for spring and summer recreation programs and camps is open. See the spring/summer Recreation Guide for full descriptions or online at www.myparksandrecreaton.com.
F.E.M.M.E. Safety: 9 a.m.-12 p.m., April 25. Personal safety training for girls and women in high school and college, and mothers. This class will address safety issues facing young women at high school/college campuses during their daily activities. $67/mother and daughter.
Adult Whitewater Rafting: April 25, Toutle River, near Mt. St. Helens. Leave from CCMV at 8 a.m. Participants should be in good physical condition and able to paddle effectively. Ages 18 and up. $97.
After-School Nature Program: Session 1, 2:30-4:30 p.m., Mondays, through April 27, Craft Room. Hands-on, after-school programs with a Nature Vision Naturalist. Explore a nature topic, share a story. Snacks provided. Ages 4-9. $62.
Thai Cooking: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., April 29. $72.
Supporting your ADD/ADHD Child’s Gifts: Parent Workshop, 9-11 a.m., May 2. $62.
Cooking class: Knife Skills, 6-7:30 p.m., May 7. $41.
Counselor in Training Program: 6-7:15 p.m., Wednesdays, May 13-June 10. Learn all aspects of working with children in a day camp setting. Each C.I.T. will become First Aid and CPR certified. After five-week training, experience hands-on training by shadowing at a camp for one week this summer. Ages 13–16. $132.
Dance Team: 3:30-5 p.m., Wednesdays, through June 17, Dance Room. Learn dance or improve your technique. Basics of “spirit squad” style dance: Jazz, hip-hop, pom dance styles. Open to all levels from beginning to advanced. Ages 11-16. $152 (10 weeks).
Men’s Softball Teams: The city of Mercer Island is looking for a few teams to round out its yearly softball league. Games will be played between mid-May and the end of August. Teams will play weekly on Wednesdays at 6 or 7:30 p.m. $677/team. 275-7863.
Seniors
Parks & Recreation Senior Golf Program: Mondays. “Niners” and “Handicappers” take weekly trips to local golf courses.
Senior Lunch at Covenant Shores: noon, Tuesday, Thursday. Reservations: call 275-7895, press 2, leave a message. $5.
Grocery Shopping Transportation: Wednesday morning. Call 236-3456, leave a message by 4 p.m., the day before. $1.
JCC
3801 E. Mercer Way
206.232.7115, ext. 269
www.sjcc.org
Registration required.
Mah Jongg: 12:30 p.m., April 24, Polack Lounge. Free/SJCC members, $2/non-members.
Bridge: 12:30 p.m., April 24. All levels welcome, prior bridge playing experience necessary. Bring a brown bag lunch. Free/SJCC members, $2/non-members.
Opera Sings The Soul: “Exploring Brundibar,” 4:30 p.m., April 26. Lecture series on opera and its connection with Jewish themes, composers and performers, presented by the SJCC and Seattle Opera. Speaker: Mina Miller, artistic director of Music of Remembrance. $10.
Poker Game: 12:30 p.m., April 28. Play Texas Hold’em, Omaha, 7 card Hi/Lo, Dealer’s Choice.
SJFF movie and performance: 12-2 p.m., April 29. Musical performance by Cantor Marina Belenky. Movie “Beau Jest” (2008), a romantic comedy. Limited seating. $7/advance ticket purchase required. No tickets sold at the door.
