2021 Dahlias for Seniors Tuber Sale Thursday to benefit the Senior Center

Dahlias last August in John Hibbs' Shoreline yard. Photo by John Hibbs

2021 Dahlias for Seniors Tuber Sale

Thursday May 6, 2021 Noon-2pm

At the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center

18560 1st Ave NE facing NE 185th

“Yay, we’re going to make it through this – let’s plant dahlias!”

Ridgecrest resident John Hibbs will hold the 6th annual Dahlias for Seniors fundraiser this Thursday May 6, 2021 at Noon with a tubers-by-donation event at the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center (18560 1st Ave NE #1, Shoreline 98155).

Hibbs, who supervises the naturopathic clinic at the Senior Center, is an avid dahlia grower. Each year the fundraiser starts in May with a sale of extra tubers from Hibbs’ extensive dahlia beds in his Shoreline yard.

It is planting time now. Hibbs has more than 100 different varieties, and has the tubers of about 70 varieties left over for the sale this year.

Asking donation will be $2 for most tubers.

The event will be indoors in the Senior Center cafeteria, safely conducted per current guidelines. Masks will be required, and the ample space will allow for good distancing between display tables.

Bouquets at the Ridgecrest Pub last year. Photo by John Hibbs

When the summer bloom starts, bouquets of mixed dahlias will be available for the Dahlias for Seniors fundraiser at the Senior Center and at the Ridgecrest Pub (520 NE 165th Shoreline 98155), as well as to the Drumlin music and local food and brew venue next door.

Hibbs says that "With the warm Spring we’re having, dahlias should be blooming by mid-July."

Once the blooming season starts, fresh blooms will be delivered on Mondays and Wednesdays to the Senior Center, and Tuesdays-Fridays-Sundays to the Ridgecrest Pub and Drumlin.

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center, under the guidance of Executive Director Theresa LaCroix, is a priceless community resource. During the many months of lockdown and particular hardship for Shoreline’s seniors, our senior center continued to provide essential services.

This included fully prepared-and-delivered Meals On Wheels, social worker assistance, virtual exercise classes and social groups.

In coordination with the Shoreline Fire Department, the Senior Center initiated a Covid-19 vaccination program for homebound seniors.

The Senior Center is in the stand-alone building at the south end of the Shoreline Center, at 1st NE and NE 185th, and will offer bouquets at the counter beginning mid-July.

John Hibbs will have 70 varieties of dahlia tubers and answer questions at Thursday's tuber event.
Photo by John Hibbs 

The Ridgecrest Public House has been our fundraising Partner since the beginning, and has generously matched donations for bouquets they distribute. The RPH is a warm, friendly community hub, and chose responsibly to close for the time being during an earlier surge of COVID-19 risk.

The Drumlin is the Ridgecrest Pub’s neighbor-partner venue and second project of Megan Kogut, Shoreline community member extraordinaire, and the Drumlin is open and well worth a visit.

Both venues will support the 2021 Dahlias for Seniors project by offering the bouquets on their counters, beginning in about mid-July.

Please stop by these Shoreline gems, the Drumlin now and the RPH when it reopens, enjoy the company, and, when the blooming starts, pick up some flowers.

The Drumlin and the Ridgecrest Public House are located at 520 NE 165th St in Shoreline WA 98155 near the Crest Theatre.