This Week
YMCA of Jefferson County Lifeguard Certification Course – starts Mon, Jul 13th
The YMCA of Jefferson County is offering a Lifeguard Certification Course, providing community members with the opportunity to gain lifesaving skills and or pursue employment as a certified lifeguard.
The course is open to individuals ages 15 and older.
Those interested in registering should contact Rylee Carr.
Participants must complete the required swim test and online coursework prior to the start of the course. Read more here.
Time: See course website | Location: 1919 Blaine St., Port Townsend
Fort Worden Nature Art Camp – starts Mon, Jul 13th
Nature Art Camp for kids age 7 to 10 is coming to Fort Worden State Park July 13 through July 17! Teaching artist Aliina Lahti guides this week of creativity, exploration, and outdoor adventure. Young artist-scientists will immerse themselves in magical Fort Worden State Park. Each day will be filled with creative projects, fun outdoor games, and guided explorations that encourage curiosity, teamwork and connect art with the science of nature. Whether building ephemeral sculptures on the beach, sketching towering trees, or playing nature-inspired games, campers will carry with them a deeper appreciation for art, science, and the outdoors.
To learn more and sign up, visit the Northwind Art School website. Advance registration is required.
Emergency Preparedness: Neighborhood Organization, Beforehand and In The Moment – Thu, Jul 16th *New*
Learn how to organize and work together with your neighbors to enhance the safety of everyone before, during and after a disaster. Work with your neighbors to develop a plan that best suits the specific needs in your neighborhood. Members of local neighborhood preparedness groups, referred to as NPREP, are ready to help you organize your particular neighborhood. Register here to save your spot.
Time: 10:30am-12:30pm | Location: Jefferson County Library in Port Hadlock at 620 Cedar Avenue, Port Hadlock
Lecture: A Closer Look at Pigeon Guillemots – Fri, Jul 17th
In this colorful slide presentation, local ecologist Dr. Brenda Johnson will introduce the Pigeon Guillemot—a striking black-and-white seabird of Puget Sound—and explain why rocky shores and sandy bluffs are critical during the guillemot nesting season. Participants will learn how guillemots depend on our nearshore ecosystem, and which tools scientists and citizen volunteers use to understand whether colonies are thriving.
Registration: Friends of Fort Flagler.
Time: 9am | Location: Fort Flagler State Park, WWII theater
Tool Library Celebration & Tool Sale – Sat, Jul 18th
Come out to celebrate the first-year anniversary of the tool library and support the future of the JeffCo Repair program! All funds raised support the Tool Library and Repair Events. Help them reach their goal of $20,000, and double your impact thanks to an anonymous challenge match!
This event includes a tool sale, BBQ by donation, pay-to-play corn-hole tournament, and more yard games! “All Offers Accepted” Tool Sale – All tools will be sold by donation; you decide the price. For more information visit the event page or send email.
Time: 12 – 4pm | Location: Tool Library at Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 4907 Landes Street, Port Townsend
Conversation on Free Speech, Fighting Words, and Violence – Sat, Jul 18th
Braver Angels of North Olympic Peninsula invites you to join a conversation breaking into small groups to explore questions about free expression, public safety, and respectful dialogue across differences. Have you had a personal experience where free speech was inhibited? Have you ever felt harmed by the speech of others? What is the role of the government in determining the limits of acceptable speech? Register here. Send email for more information.
Time: 2:30 – 4:30pm | Location: Jefferson County Library, 520 Cedar Ave, Port Hadlock
History Hike at qatáy Prairie and Lagoon – Sat, Jul 18th
The Jefferson County Historical Society and North Olympic History Center invite community members to discover the history and cultural landscapes of the North Olympic Peninsula. Led by NOHC Executive Director David Brownell, participants will learn about the prairie’s cultural and ecological significance and visit the remnants of the historic qatáy lagoon to explore environmental and cultural change over time. Each hike lasts approximately 90 minutes and covers 1.5 to 2.5 miles round trip. Participation is limited to 12 people per group. Advance registration is required. Visit the website for more information and to register. Questions? Contact: Kelsey Caudebec.
Times: 10am and 12:30pm | Location: qatáy Prairie and Lagoon, 440 12th Street, Port Townsend
Beach Walk & Talk: Watching Pigeon Guillemots in Action – Sat, Jul 18th
Join Friends of Fort Flagler for a guided walk-and-talk below towering coastal bluffs at Fort Flagler State Park, where Pigeon Guillemots have long nested in cryptic burrows. This easy, short beach walk offers a special opportunity to observe these seabirds during the breeding season in their natural habitat. From the beach, participants will see adult guillemots swimming and actively delivering fish to chicks tucked safely into rocky headland crevices. Through binoculars and spotting scopes, Dr. Johnson and volunteers will help interpret what you’re seeing—pointing out feeding behavior, nesting locations, and signs of successful chick rearing. Registration: Friends of Fort Flagler.
Time: 8am | Location: Fort Flagler State Park
Caterpillars And The Native Plants That Feed Them – Sun, Jul 19th *New*
This Growing in the Garden talk will feature ongoing work to analyze limited research literature to predict which natives would likely provide forage. The guest speaker, Jo “Cirque” Stormer (they/them), is the nerd behind Nobody Nursery, a small grower in Des Moines WA building biodiversity by specializing in WA-native plants that are otherwise commercially-unavailable. They recently gave a brief presentation (hosted by the Kitsap Environmental Coalition) on the first iteration of this data project, and this longer talk at Kul Kah Han is an opportunity to dig deeper into the exciting second iteration of the data project.
Time: 1pm | Location: Kul Kah Han Native Plant Garden, HJ Carroll Park, Chimacum
Calling Local Photographers!
Local 20/20 Weekly Announcements invites local photographers to submit images that capture the character of our community and its natural setting. For the opening photo of each weekly email (which is also posted to our website), we seek local color, horizontal (“landscape”) orientation, and jpeg format. Please no children, pets, or recognizable faces. Kindly email your photos, including your name in the jpeg filename. If you’re sending multiple images, please send one per email. We are an all-volunteer non-profit, so compensation for your talent and generosity is a photo credit and our profound thanks.
Photo: Sunset from Blue Mountain by Eric Kessler
For the full set of announcements, including Upcoming Events, Recurring Events, Community Notices, Community Resources, and Resilience Readings, see here.
