The Incentive and the Reality

- on June 1, 2019

Community Spotlight

Procession April Art Studio Hours – Armory Creative Campus, 515 Eastside St. SE –

Tuesday-Friday:3-9pm/Saturdays:10am-6pm/Sundays:Noon to 6 pm

Fix It Fair – Lacey MakerSpace, St. Martin’s University, Zaverl Hall-Building 5, Baran Drive SE, Lacey – April 16, 2:30-5:30pm – Fix-it Fairs are free community events that bring together volunteers with fixing skills and community members with broken items. Our volunteer fixers will attempt to diagnose issues, repair, mend, or fix your items while sharing valuable repair knowledge. Sign up to have an item fixed here More information here

Women’s Liberation Book Club – Orca Books, 315 5th Ave SE, Olympia – April 18@ 6 pm – to discuss Alexis Pauline-Gumbs’ Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals.

Earth Day Stewardship Volunteer Opportunity – Squaxin Park, 2600 East Bay Dr. NE – Saturday April 19 from 10am- 1 pm – Show your support for Earth Day by participating in a restoration project at Squaxin Park! We are teaming up with the PARC Foundation of Thurston County and local Lions Clubs to celebrate Earth Day in style with a fun and exciting volunteer work party. Youth under age 18 must have a waiver completed and signed by a parent or guardian. Call 360-753-8365 for more information

Earth Day Celebration – Woodland Creek Community Park, 6729 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey – Saturday April 19, 1-4 pm – Celebrate Earth Day with Thurston County and the City of Lacey at a fun, family-friendly event focused on recycling and waste reduction! Attendees can also drop off one grocery bag filled with plastic film for Ridwell to recycle!

Forest Protection Forum – Zoom, Register HERE , April 21 @ 4 pm, Keep It In the Forest – A Campaign to Combat Misinformation. Join our speakers Sonia Demiray and Chad Hanson for a discussion on the “Keep It in the Forests” campaign, created by the Forest Carbon Coalition. This campaign aims to combat forestry misinformation by providing accurate, data-driven science, up-to-date information, and developed arguments to empower activists in their grassroots efforts

Graduating in the Age of Climate Change – on Zoom – Register for this event –

Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22 @ 6 pm – Sponsored by Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water and the Environment – the speakers will discuss the challenge of pursuing climate action in a time of intense social, political, and ecological turmoil.

ARTS WALK – APRIL 25-26

2025 Luminary Procession – Starts on Washington & 4th in downtown Olympia – Friday, April 25 @8:30 PM – Enjoy Arts Walk and stay for the Luminary Procession, or volunteer to help at the Art Studio Armory, 515 Eastside St. SE, from 4:30 PM. More information here

2025 Procession of the Species – Starts on Washington & 4th in downtown Olympia – Saturday, April 26 @ 4:30 PM, rain or shine – Volunteers needed all day at any time from 9am-9pm to make Olympia’s unique community event. More information here

5th Annual Earth Day Service – Lincoln Elementary School Garden, 213 21st Ave SE, Olympia Sunday, April 27 from noon – 2 pm. – Sponsored by Restoring Earth Connections – We will be learning, helping tend their organic garden and sharing bread and soup in fellowship. Our speaker during lunch will be Earth Feather of the Squaxin Tribe speaking to traditional indigenous faith practices of care for Earth.

Planning for Climate Change: Let Your Voice Be Heard! Community Meeting – Sponsored by Thurston Climate Action Team – Davis Williams Building (906 Columbia St SW, Suite 200, Olympia) – April 29 4-6 pm – Free Admission. Come together with other community members for an honest discussion on how to address the climate crisis in Thurston County. Together we will build shared understanding, generate actionable recommendations, and strengthen democratic engagement by addressing the climate crisis at a local level. The immediate goal is to provide community-inspired recommendations for comprehensive planning updates for Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Thurston County. More information here

West Bay Restoration & Park Master Plan – Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St NW – April 30 @ 6pm – Staff will provide a short overview of the concept drawings for the future park, trail, and habitat restoration improvements at West Bay Park

Movie Night – Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire- Summit Farms, 11815 Whitehall Ln SE, Olympia – sponsored by Thurston Conservation District – May 2, 6-9 pm

Snag your seats now! RSVP here.

Thurston County Hunger Walk – Huntamer Park, 618 Woodland Square Loop SE Lacey, Sunday, May 4 @ 3 pm. this walk and celebration supports both the Thurston County Food Bank and The Community Kitchen. Learn more here

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging: Shaping a future where everyone belongs. – SPSCC Lacey Campus, 4220 6th Ave SE Lacey – May 10, 9am-3pm Bringing together community members, organizations, local jurisdictions and leaders to foster a more inclusive and welcoming environment. This FREE event will offer strategies, networking opportunities and resources to advance DEI while building trust and connections among participants.

Stonewall Youth Drop-ins for queer youth ages 12-21@112 State Ave NE Olympia – Tuesday & Wednesday, 4-6 pm; Queer Movie Night, April 25, 5-7 pm and May 9, 5-7 pm; Support Group, May 27, 4-7 pm. More information here

South Sound Climate Convention Purce Hall, The Evergreen State College – Saturday, May 17 – 9 am- 6 pm An opportunity for the community to gather to discuss the state of climate planning and progress in Thurston County. Speakers include KC Golden, clean energy advocate, and Denny Heck, Washington State Lieutenant Governor. topics include new buildings, driving EV, extreme heat event resilience, climate justice, green economy jobs, transportation and land use and more

Visit the convention website for a schedule of the day and more information and updates. Cost: $50 full day lunch included/$40 partial day — no lunch

Click Here to Register Online – Scroll mid-page for registration form.

Energize Thurston Workshops – Energize Thurston offers residents throughout Thurston County access to discounted heat pump and heat pump water heater installations through program-exclusive discounts and other financial incentives.

To qualify for Energize Thurston’s program-exclusive discounts and incentives, register for one of the upcoming workshops: Lacey Timberland Library, 500 College St SE Lacey- April 22, 6:30-7:30 pm or Olympia Timberland Library, May 27, 6:30-7:30pm

Spring Online Plant Sale sponsored by Native Plant Salvage Foundation – Starts April 19 – 27 More information here

Enterprise for Equity Mixers & Networking Events – More information here

Includes BIPOC Business Mixer 3rd Wednesday of the month, 6-8 pm –ASHO Cultural Community Center

Queer entrepreneurs Mixer 3rd Thursday of the month, 6-8 pm-212 Union Ave SE

Artists/Creatives Exchange 4th Tuesday of the month, 6-8 pm-212 Union Ave SE