On July 17, fire sirens screamed through Upper Fremont as they answered a call at Patrick Place Apartments (PPA) where a pan had been left on a stove while a resident went down one flight to check his mail.  When Patrick Place decided to go ahead with their plan to host the Fremont Bright!! celebration July 20, residents and staff worked overtime to make PPA ready for guests.  Fremont Bright!!, sponsored by FNC, the 46th St. Mural Project, FAWN, FAC and PPA, turned out 35 volunteers who put in 65+ hours on clean-up. Clean-up teams worked at the 46th Street Mural, up and down Fremont Avenue, along Aurora Ave. N. between N 39th and N 46th, the Bridge Way Mural and the E-Line bus stops on both  sides of Aurora at N 46th.

Both volunteers and PPA residents rocked out to the music of The Shifters (NW blues, rock and funk band featuring Robert Shangrow on bass, Lars Larson on drums, Ron “the Deacon” Weinstein on the Hammond B-3 organ, and Brian Butler, vocals and guitar.” and enjoyed pizza, salads and cake at PPA to end the afternoon. Afterwards PPA staff wrote, “Yesterday was amazing. It was perfect timing for  to have such a nice party and live music. Big thanks for Linda as well for Lars(all his team), Judie, and for all for  who put their hearts and minds in to it.  We are very grateful. THANK YOU SO MUCH…” FNC thanks PPA, their staff and Rodney, a key volunteer from PPA’s resident council and a musician who sat in with The Shifters for a couple of sets.

The Shifters at Fremont…Bright!! July 20, 2014
46th St Mural crew Fremont Bright!! 7-20-14 In front, Charles in red shirt, who took the photos for this article

The event was funded in part by a Neighborhood Matching Fund award from the City of Seattle, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. Providing volunteers before and during the event were the Fremont Neighborhood Council, Fremont Arts Council, FAWN, 46TH Street Mural Project, and Green Canopy Homes. Hosts were Patrick Place Apartments & Residents Council, and generous support came from local businesses including S:  Tutta Bella Neopolitan Pizzeria, Marketime Foods, Walgreens, Bartell Drugs, QFC, The Bounty, and Food Mart.