How are you digging this extended summer?
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I know some folks love this high-sixties weather during this spooky season, especially after a rainy start. As someone who loves the rain, I crave some puddles to splash in!
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With the extended summer, our youth and crew are enjoying more time on the water before PNW's Mother Nature says it's time to put the paddles to rest. Speaking of summer: This month's edition includes a summer recap and more!
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After-School Hours in Session 🚌
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The Boat Shop is buzzin' around! From carving and building to painting and making, we have our creative hands full. Now that the school districts are back in session, we have returned to our after-school hours from 4 - 6:30 three days a week!
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A CALL FOR AUCTION ITEMS!
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To support our programming for youth and families, TBB's online auction for this year's fundraising efforts is this December!
CALLING ALL CREATIVES: If you have items you made and want to donate to a good cause, email Jess today! True to TBB's style, we seek hand-crafted and one-of-a-kind pieces and works of art.
Last year, you helped us raise over $70,000!! And folks went home with memorable and amazing things.
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Remember that looooong list of things for Summer?
We DID that!
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TBB offered SIXTY opportunities for youth, families, and the community in just four months! In addition to our four reoccurring programs, we had twice-a-week Community Boating, a week-long Sharp Sisters camp with Sea Potential, four days of sails on Sound Experience's Schooner Adventuress, and creating propeller helicopters at Arts Night Out with some of our friends like Hilltop Artists, Alchemy Skateboarding, 2nd Cycle, Our Sisters House, The Coffee Oasis and more!
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“Courage” was a resident of Coffee Oasis, Tacoma’s youth shelter, when we met her. In her first week with us, Courage lost her balance while exiting a small boat and falling into the water. She was frightened but unhurt. Later she chattered about being proud of herself for staying calm. The experience made her more cautious but also vocal about safety for all.
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Courage would come in low, tired, and down about herself. With encouragement and some real talk about the cruel things we believe about ourselves, Courage began to report progress on her goals and new coping skills when negative thoughts started to take over.
Courage joined our Sharp Sisters program in August. She experienced belonging to a lively gaggle of youth who understood some of her same life experiences personally. They bonded, talking about fashion, health, self-care, and self-love. On the last day of Sharp Sisters, Courage came in wearing a new look very different from her usual outsized shirts and shorts. She’d gone shopping with some of her new friends from the program! They met at the local thrift store to help her choose a few things to go with her new sense of confidence. Courage was bashful but proud. Everyone noticed and commented not on her clothes but her radiant smile and proud stance. Courage continued in the regular program and joined us aboard the Adventuress, where she got to see her Sharp Sisters friends again!
Recently, Courage came to say goodbye. She has a new placement. She came to report on her accomplishments, to tell us where she will be and how she feels about the move. She shared in the closing circle, “This is the best summer I ever had.”
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Oh Yeah! Our crew grew too!
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This image doesn't nearly capture our whole team, but be on the lookout for new staff pictures and bios. Currently, our team stands at 11 folks! These are the names you'll hear around the Boat Shop:
Jenny (they/them) and Preston (he/him) are our Program Facilitators. Avery (he/him) is our Youth Engagement Specialist. Kaitlin (they/them) and Adonis (he/they) are our new Americorps Members.
And, of course, the folks who are still holding down the fort: Shannon, Chuck, Jess, Jahni, Quantum, Joel, Ronna, Lou, Cedric, Dennis, Mike, Patrick, Enrique, Paul, Sam, Sarah, Nate, Tim, Shilo, and Kenya!
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When folks say, "time flies when you're having fun," they know what they're talking about! Even though the sun is fighting it, summer is coming close, and autumn is in full swing. In addition to our growing team, we discovered many sea friends at our docks this summer, including nudibranchs, seastars, and jellies! I don't know about you, but I can stare at a jellyfish in our waterway forever.
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