There's Lots of Fun to Be Had This Weekend

This time of year, rain and snow aren't uncommon, but so far, this is shaping up to be a decent February. Take advantage! There are plenty of things to do around the region on this President’s Day Weekend, from sporting events to wildlife expeditions, so get out there and enjoy some fun with family!

1. Put on your green and gold or blue and orange and cheer on Clover Park and Lakes’ basketball teams tonight as they play in the West Central District Southwest 2A and 3A basketball tournaments, respectively. The No. 1 Warriors face White River at 8 p.m. at Curtis High School, while the No. 1 Lancers battle No. 5 Camas at 4:30 p.m. at Bonney Lake High School. The winners of both games will advance to play tomorrow.

2. Cheer for Lakes swimmers at the 3A State Swim and Dive Championships at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. Matt Archer will go for a title in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle and then join Justin Burmahl, Joseph Bocchi and Steven Nelson on the Lancers’ 200- and 400-freestyle relay teams. Preliminaries are at 6:15 tonight and finals at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

3. Go treasure hunting at the semi-annual rummage sale at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 10630 Gravelly Lake Drive S.W. This sale is one of the area’s largest and features everything from books and tools to children’s clothing and antiques. It runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

4. Hop aboard the Steilacoom II for its homecoming trip around Anderson Island after three years at sea. The event will include the presentation of the Pierce County ferry back to service, and light refreshments will be provided. Boarding for the free trip begins at 9:50 a.m. at the Anderson Island Ferry Terminal, and the vessel will return at 11 a.m. There is a small catch: mainlanders wanting to participate must first take a ferry from Steilacoom to the island first -- and pay for that ride.

5. Have a night out on the town at Caring for Kids’ Happy Hearts dinner and auction on Saturday night. The annual event raises money to buy coats, clothes and do other outreach for needy children in the Clover Park School District and surrounding neighborhoods. The event, which begins at 5 p.m. at the McGavick Center at Clover Park Technical College, 4500 Steilacoom Blvd. S.W., is $35 per person, and includes a buffet dinner and no-host bar, silent and live auctions and a raffle for seven weeklong cruises to either Mexico or the Caribbean. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

6. Get out and see some wildlife up close and personal at Northwest Trek, which has free admission for kids (ages 3-12) through Monday with the purchase of one adult or senior paid admission ($13.50-$15 for Pierce County residents and military members). The 725-acre park in Eatonville features bears, cougars, coyotes and more, and will offer nature-themed crafts as part of its annual Kids 'N Critters event.

7. Enjoy the sun! The forecast calls for 44 degrees and sun on Saturday before clouds roll in for a 43-degree Sunday, so taking walks, and, dare I suggest, doing yardwork, are a great prospect for the afternoon. I’ll be out practicing for my 5K. (No, really!)