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Neighborhood House would like to offer a women-only exercise class for community members and is looking for a volunteer instructor. If you know someone who might be interested in teaching yoga or aerobics, please contact Kate at katef@nhwa.org or 206.461.4568 ext. 211.

You are invited to a town hall in Columbia City on Saturday, February 11, with Mayor Mike McGinn. Ask your questions and let the mayor know what’s on your mind.

Columbia City Town Hall
Saturday, February 11
11 am to 12 pm
Royal Esquire Club
5016 Rainier Ave S.

The Technology Center at the Neighborhood House offers opportunities to access the internet, attend classes on computer skills, get help applying for jobs online, or help finding social services online. Staff are available to answer any questions and teach classes. Come visit soon to get connected!

February’s classes include:

One Economy Mobile Tax Prep Van!
Need help filing your taxes? Come file your taxes for free with the help of a trained expert! Please call Laura at (206) 461-4568 x 202 to make an appointment.

• Friday February 17th from 11am – 7pm
• Thursday February 23rd from 9am – 5pm

Financial Literacy Class:
Wednesday February 29th 4:30-6pm
Learn about banks and credit unions and how to pay your bills online!

Basic Computer Skills Classes
Wednesdays February 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd 4:30-6pm
Learn the basics of computers from how to use a mouse, how to type, navigate the internet, or any other skills you would like to learn!

Job Search 101
Fridays from 2-3:30pm
Get help with making a resume and applying for jobs online.

Youth Tutor Time!
Thursdays from 5:30-6:45pm
Youth who need computers for their homework assignments are invited to attend and work with staff to complete their work!

February Saturday Open Lab Hours
Saturday February 11th, 11:00-5:00
Saturday February 25th, 11:00-5:00

For more information, please contact Kat McGhee or Laura Horan at (206) 461-4568 x 202, or via email at KathrynM@nhwa.org or LauraH@nhwa.org.

Come out to the woods this weekend! This month, volunteers are needed to remove blackberry from the southern trailhead off of 27th and Angeline to prep the site for a stairwell and native garden to be installed this summer.

Saturday, Feb. 4 from 10am til noon.
Meet at 2809 S Alaska Place (just across Alaska/Columbian from NRV)
Wear sturdy shoes and bring your own water. Tools and gloves provided.

City Hall belongs to the people of Seattle. That’s why for the third year in a row they’re inviting the community to come downtown to City Hall for an Open House. Enjoy local music and food, learn about resources the City provides, meet local elected officials and connect with opportunities to make our community a better place.

City Hall Open House
Saturday, January 28th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
601 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104

The agenda will include tours of the Mayor’s Office and City Council Offices, a Q&A session with the mayor, workshops on the legislative process and interpreting credit reports, tabling by City departments and the City Attorney’s Office, live music, a farmer’s market, and more.

Parking near City Hall can be difficult. Come via transit.

Last week’s Multicultural Gathering was snowed out. So it’s been rescheduled for this Wednesday, 1/25, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Neighborhood House. Bring a snack to share to celebrate Lunar New Year and plan the coming year’s projects.

The recent snow didn’t cause any power outages for us in NRV, but lots of other people lost power. And we’re certainly not immune. The following info comes from Public Heath-Seattle & King County.

Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill you. Carbon monoxide gas comes from burning fuels such as gasoline, propane, oil, kerosene, natural gas, coal or wood.

Prevent poisoning from carbon monoxide:

• Only use a generator outdoors and far from open windows and vents
• Never use a generator or portable propane heater indoors, in garages or carports
• Never cook or heat inside on a charcoal or gas grill.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen suddenly and without warning. Physical symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include splitting headache, nausea and vomiting, and lethargy and fatigue.

If you believe you could be experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning, get fresh air immediately. Call for medical help from a neighbor’s home. The Fire Department will tell you when it is safe to re-enter the home.

For a full list of carbon monoxide prevention tips and other safety and disaster information in English and other languages, visit www.kingcounty.gov/health/disaster.

Staying warm indoors safely
If you have a power outage, use safe ways to stay warm:

• Find places where you can go to get warm, such as the home of friends and family whose homes have power. Many cities have opened centers where people can go during the day to stay warm. Center locations can be found at www.kingcounty.gov/safety/prepare
• Wear several layers of light weight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. Wear hats, mittens, and blankets indoors.
• Close curtains and cover windows and doors with blankets. Everyone should try to stay together in one room, with the door closed, to keep in body heat.

Stay safe

• Check on elderly friends, family, and neighbors to make sure they are safe.
• Watch your footing on surfaces that may be icy and slick, and wear shoes that provide traction.
• Be careful not to overexert yourself when shoveling snow, especially if you have heart disease or high blood pressure, as the cold weather puts extra strain on your heart.
• Do not sled on streets or on slopes near streets, ponds, or streams.
• Avoid driving if you can. If you must drive, allow safe stopping times and distances.

Help others

• Warn others about carbon monoxide poisoning. Share the information with neighbors, friends, family and community groups.
• Check on family, friends, and neighbors, especially if they are elderly or if you think their power might be out.
• If you know someone who has lost electricity, invite them to your home to stay warm.

Food safety
If power goes out where you live, keep food safe:

• Keep the doors closed on your refrigerators and freezers as much as possible. This keeps the cold air inside. A full freezer can stay at freezing temperatures about two days; a half-full freezer about 1 day.
• If you think the power will be out for several days, try to find some ice to pack inside your refrigerator. Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods.
• Refrigerated foods should be safe as long as the power is out no more than a few hours and the refrigerator/freezer doors have been kept closed. Throw away foods that spoil easily (such as meat and fish) if they warm up above 41º F.
• Frozen foods that remain frozen are OK to eat. If potentially hazardous foods are thawed (such as meat and fish), but are still cold or have ice crystals on them, use them as soon as possible. If potentially hazardous foods are thawed and are warmer than 41º F, throw them away.

Come out and join your neighbors for a little community clean up on Saturday morning, January 14, at 10am. Bring gloves if you have them; grabbers and bags provided. Andrew promises extra-hot coffee. And the weather forecasters haven’t yet said “Snow” and “Saturday”. See, you don’t have any more excuses!

The next Rainier Vista Traffic Safety meeting will be held this coming Monday, January 9th from 6:45pm to 7:45pm at Neighborhood House Paul Allen Room. Subjects on the agenda include:

• Phase III update
• Update from January SE Seattle Crime Prevention Council Meeting
• Discuss a joint Traffic Safety Committee with RV Phase II & III, Tamarack Place & RV Northeast
• Update RV Youth Focus Group, a joint project with RV Traffic Safety and Multicultural Committee (last discussion held on November 21)
• Plan/discuss “Safety Meeting” on 2/6

ESL Class Enrollment Night! Wednesday January 18th 6-7pm
ESL Classes are back at the Rainier Vista Technology Center! Come enroll in an ESL Class to improve your English

Basic Computer Skills Classes Wednesdays January 4th, 11th and 18th 4:30-6pm
Receive one-on-one and small group instruction on basic computer skills

Financial Literacy Class Wednesday January 25th 4:30-6pm
Learn more about budgeting and financial literacy through this informative workshop!

Job Search 101 Every Friday from 2-3:30pm
Get help with making a resume and applying for jobs online!

Youth Tutor Time! Every Thursday from 5:30-6:45pm
The Technology Center will be staying open during Horn of Africa Tutoring. Youth who need computers for their homework assignments are invited to attend.

If you have any questions about our programs please feel free to contact Laura or Kat at (206) 461-4568 ext 202.