Ballardblog.com

Here is young hero living right in your backyard! Little Benjamin Meyer of Ballard has been chosen by the Arthritis Foundation as this year’s official honoree for Seattle 24^th Annual Jingle Bell Run & Walk. Last year, the Jingle Bell Run brought more than 12,000 people to Westlake Center decked in holiday gear and ready to raise money for Arthritis – the run has quickly become one of Seattle’s most cherished holiday events.

Benjamin was just three days shy of his first birthday when he started developing symptoms including fevers, rash and joint pain. Almost immediately he started using his joints less and after two weeks he could no longer walk. His parents, Paul and Merete took Benjamin to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Nearly 294,000 children under the age of 18 are affected by juvenile arthritis in the United States. Arthritis is no longer a disease limited to senior citizens and ageing baby boomers. This year, the Arthritis Foundation is putting special emphasis on research that will make new treatment options available for kids like Benjamin. The funding raised during this year’s Jingle Bell Run will be hugely important in those efforts.

If it wasn’t for the availability of new drugs, Benjamin wouldn’t be the walking, talking, smiling little boy that he is today.

The Jingle Bell Run is December 14th.
and you may directly give your support to Team Benjamin

Take a Sunday morning dance class with the best drummers and teacher in town at the old Crown Hill Elementary School. The old school lunchroom has been revitalized and is now a spacious and light filled room for activities such as dance. Class movement is deceptively simple and a pleasurable way to get a great workout in a community of other adults seriously intent on having a good time in a non-verbal venue. Leading the group is the amazing Lara McIntosh who is a knowledgeable and intuitive teacher with an accessible teaching style. After class you’ll feel better, stronger, and happier.

Class is Sunday mornings 10 to 11:30
at the old Crown Hill Elementary School
9250 14th Ave NW

Check out Lara’s website for more details

http://www.wassadance.com/

The Ballard Jazz festival is coming up rapidly — 4/23 to 4/27. Tickets are now available. Wow. It is going to be a huge five days of Jazz in Ballard. From ballardite and the festival website:

The Ballard Jazz Festival continues its tradition as one of Seattle’s truly unique cultural events as it completes its fifth season with the expanded 5-day Festival April 23-27, 2008.

Starting as a community event to highlight the thriving neighborhood of old town Ballard and Seattle’s world-class jazz musicians, the Ballard Jazz Festival quickly grew into a nationally recognized festival featured in JazzTimes & Modern Drummer magazines and in an MSNBC report on international jazz festivals. Even with it’s growing successes, the Ballard Jazz Festival’s main goal continues to be the celebration of this community and of the artists who live here.

The unique atmosphere of historic Ballard Avenue sets the stage for the Ballard Jazz Walk. Music and listeners pour from the clubs on Ballard Avenue creating a New Orleans party atmosphere with opportunities to see more than a dozen top-flight recording bands and mix with hundreds of other music lovers, while experiencing some of Ballard’s great music and dining establishments. Again this year we will be expanding the number of venues and musical groups to accommodate the capacity crowds for the April 25th Jazz Walk.

Entering an exciting new period for the festival, we’ll be partnering with the Nordic Heritage Museum for the first of many outstanding concerts and events planned for their auditorium. In addition to offering time & space for additional festival events and an even more intimate community feel, it will also give the festival a chance to pursue relationships with cultural presenters in Northern Europe, expanding exciting future opportunities for the festival. Past concerts have featured artists from
New York, Paris, Los Angeles, Seattle and beyond with the 2005 performance by the Joe Locke/Geoffrey Keezer Group recorded and released by Origin Records. “Live In Seattle” went on to reach #9 on the National Airplay Charts and spread the word of the Ballard Jazz Festival throughout the world. The concert also was awarded “NW Concert of the Year” by Earshot Jazz.

The festival kicks-off once again with two days of Brotherhood of the Drum at the Sunset Tavern. Featuring bands led by some of Seattle’s world-class drummers, previous shows have included performances by Michael Shrieve (Santana), Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden), Matt Chamberlain (Tori Amos, Fiona Apple), and many others. This event is always a musical highlight that sets the tone for an incredible weekend of music.