"The crossfit community is very tied to the military and law enforcement communities, so it makes sense for us to get involved," said Camille St. Onge, who is an elements coach at CrossFit Finish First in Olympia.

CrossFit Finish First is preparing to host the Northwest Battle of the Beasts this August and test the strength, determination and heart of crossfit athletes from not only their gym, but from Oregon, other areas in Washington and Canada.

"We decided that when we did this competition that we would support our military members and all of the warriors at Joint Base Lewis-McChord by giving a portion of the proceeds to the JBLM Fisher House and the Wounded Warrior Project," St. Onge continued.

The competition, which is part of the national Garage Game series, will take place on Aug. 3-4 at North Thurston High School, 600 Sleater Kinney Rd. in Lacey. Although the specific WADS haven't been released yet - in order to maintain an element of surprise according to St. Onge - there will be individual men and women events in both RX and Scaled divisions, as well as RX two person teams (same sex).

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There's the old proverb, "The best-laid schemes of mice and men go oft awry in golf, which, even if you play against a scratch mouse who should theoretically be an expert, you'll find its best to plan your post-game strategy before it goes hopelessly out of bounds, 'cause if the mouse loses he'll probably get frustrated and throw a club and a ball in the pond, and then you're unsure how to respond, like should you humor him or point out it's just a game, but the thing is, to him it isn't just a game, it's his life, so you have to sit there silently and wait for him to calm down."

What can we learn from this? You should most definitely sign up now for the America's Credit Union's Nov. 8 Charity Golf Tournament at Eagles Pride Golf Course. Here are the details:

Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), WA - America's Credit Union (ACU) is pleased to announce its 13^th Annual Charity Golf Tournament in support of the troops, also known as the Turkey Shoot, which will be held at Eagles Pride Golf Course on November 8th, 2013 with a 10 a.m. shotgun start.

Over 4,000 Soldiers and Airmen are returning from Afghanistan throughout this summer and fall. ACU is raising money for a much anticipated and challenging holiday season. With a perfect storm brewing between the sequestration, cut backs, and the struggling economy we at ACU and the community have an opportunity to support our troops on the most basic of levels; through the Food Basket Program on JBLM, The Madigan Foundation, and Santa's Castle.

Twelve years ago, ACU started the Turkey Shoot to raise additional funds for struggling families on JBLM. With the help of community partners, ACU has raised over $222,000 in donations over the last 12 years.

"We are very pleased with how this event has been able to positively impact the lives of military families," said Ken Leonard, ACU President/CEO. "It's a great venue for community partners to contribute to the JBLM community."

We are looking for sponsors and golfers to become involved. There are multiple advertising & sponsorship opportunities, and teams are welcome. Contact Amy Tiemeyer at 253.912.3214 or atiemeyer@youracu.org to get involved.

Bring your mouse friend.

The women were different. The colorful tattoos and body piercings were hard to miss.

"We break stereotypes," Cara Ballinger, the spouse of a Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier and member of the Modified Dolls, said matter-of-factly.

"Our tattoos and body piercings do not make us bad women."

Founded by Holly Roettger and granted non-profit status in 2012, the Modified Dolls is a worldwide organization dedicated to living their mission statement of, "We are the Different making a Difference."

Body modification is the deliberate altering of the human anatomy.  It is often done for aesthetics, group membership, body art and self-expression.

Body piercing, ear piercing and tattooing are common modifications.

One looks different.

To Amanda Tomasura, another JBLM spouse, body modification is about art and self-expression.

"I like to think of my tattoos and piercings as art," she said. 

"Some people buy works of art to hang on the walls of their homes; I put art on my body."

>>> JBLM spouses Amanda Tomasura, Jennifer Whitaker, Em Seymour and Jackie Fenton of the Modified Dolls took part in a bake sale last Saturday at Old Navy in the Lakewood Towne Center.Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

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"Grief does not change you ... It reveals you." - John Green, The Fault in Our Stars  

If the truth in this statement is as real as it feels, then Jim Redman and family always had it in them to do better in this world. To take something as meaningful to them as music was to Brian Redman and pay it forward so that others could experience the same joy.

A stalwart in the Tacoma community - as a musician, bartender and all-around good guy, Brian Redman was killed when he crashed his scooter in September 2009.

In the years following his brother's death, Jim Redman and a circle of family and friends have thrown a benefit concert and poker tournament to help raise awareness of Brian's legend and to raise money for a scholarship program for young musicians.

"Tacoma was Brian's home and he loved playing for a local crowd," said Jim. "He played for his community and that's what we want to continue."

Since starting the memorial fund, which is under the umbrella of the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, the family has been able to award one kid per year $1,000 each to continue pursuing their passion of music and community service.

But Jim wants more.

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They both produce guttural grunts. They both house hairy necks. And, they both can produce sparks of romance. But between Northwest Trek's Elk Bugle Tour and Tacoma's Squeak and Squawk Music Festival - both going down the weekend of Sept. 14-15 - which event truly rules? Read on and find out!

All the Lonely People

ELK BUGLE TOUR: Northwest Trek's Elk Bugle Tour draws people who want a rare glimpse into the wild and wonderful world of Roosevelt elk during the "rut" or breeding season.

SQUEAK AND SQUAWK: Anyone who knows a lick about indie music has to be excited about this festival.

Edge: Obviously, observing hooved animals "do sex" as Pat Robertson says with fellow horn dogs is more exciting than watching "piggyback dancing" where a girl briefly attempts to dance while riding on the shoulders of some dude, before immediately losing her balance and slipping off back into the crowd. Elk Bugle wins this category.

Speaking in Tongues

ELK: "EEuuuh, eeEEeeuh"

SQUEAK AND SQUAWK: "You are the smell before rain, you are the blood in my veins!"

Edge: What does it feel like to be bathed in indie rock lyrics? Well, it feels a bit sticky. There's no clever joke there. That's just how it feels. Elk Bugle Tours receives the nod.

Overheard Outside the Bathroom

ELK BUGLE TOUR: "Seriously, pour me a Chardonnay and stream Michael L. Drake's "Elk Autumn" and I'm good."

SQUEAK AND SQUAWK: "If you believe that lo-fi indie-rock pioneers Pavement peaked with 1994's sophomore album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, but that Stephen Malkmus redeemed himself with his eponymous debut solo album, then I'll give you a lift home."

Edge: Have you heard Drake's "Elk Autumn"? Enough said.

Violence Inherent in the System

ELK BUGLE TOUR: Testosterone-charged male Roosevelt elk challenge each other for breeding rights to herds of female elk. The often-bloody mating rituals of elk locking antlers as they push one another back and forth to exhaustion in order to assert their dominance can be seen from the trams.

SQUEAK AND SQUAWK: A clumsy girl will trip over a backpack during a dream pop band's third song, "Hey Meg. Phone. It's London."

Edge: Violence is as American as apple pie. Elk Bugle Tour takes another category.

Winner

It's hard to say. Both have their redeeming qualities. Since it's likely elk will continue to mate for years to come at Northwest Trek, it's our responsibility as people who love music to help fund the Squeak and Squawk Music Festival. "It's good for Tacoma's young people to have something to do besides get bonkers drunk and spit peanuts around a room," Squeak and Squawk Music Festival co-founder Sean Alexander told the Weekly Volcano in 2008, the year the festival launched in Tacoma. To help fund Squeak and Squawk, visit the festival's Kickstarter. Hurry. The festival is still a little short on its funds. Squeak and Squawk's Kickstarter closes at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 16.

Paint Tacoma-Pierce Beautiful, an organization devoted to repainting the houses of low-income homeowners, is currently recruiting a merry band of volunteers to repaint houses this summer. The organization will be recruiting more than 1,000 volunteers from in and around the Pierce County area; high schools, service groups and neighborhood councils are invited to volunteer. Donation-funded food and barbeques will be available to all volunteers.

"Volunteers may sign up for as little as a one day shift or multiple days," says Megan Shea, the community mobilization specialist with Associated Ministries, PTPB's sponsoring agency. "We only require that they be at least 16 years old and have a desire to paint."

In particular, the organization is short on homeowner applicants from Lakewood, and urges Lakewood homeowners whose houses are in need of a paint job and whose incomes fit the requirements displayed at www.paintbeautiful.org to complete a homeowner application. Despite claims of already-passed deadlines on the website, the deadline for homeowner applications has been extended until the organization has a sufficient number of definite eligible homeowner applicants. Homeowners who apply for the service and are selected will be allowed to choose the color of their house.

PTPB wants to implore all those with generous, charitable souls out there to visit their website and fill out either a crew or an individual application. Crew leaders will be chosen once volunteers are broken up into groups. A volunteer orientation will be taking place 5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, June 10.

For anyone who is unable to participate personally but still wishes to contribute to the cause, donations can be sent directly to Amy Alison at Associated Ministries or www.paintbeautiful.org. Any additional application information will be on that website.

INTERN REPORT >>>

When I, Keegan Patterson, the new intern for the Weekly Volcano, was asked if I wanted to write a story, I had to steady myself for fear of collapsing under the weight of my enthusiasm and curiosity. What would I be writing about? Would I get to attend some awesome all-ages show and report on it? Would I meet interesting Tacoma icons and engage them in intellectual interviews? As if to stop my pondering dead in its tracks, Pappi Swarner, the editor, explained the story is about a benefit show in a tiki bar Friday, May 17 - and I had less than 12 hours to finish it.

I'm an innocent, dewy-eyed 18-year-old intern. It's my first story and I can't even go. Ah yes, I thought, so that's how the Volcano rolls. ...

Though I can't go myself, I hope I can convince some of the less age-challenged readers out there to attend an exciting night full of tasty Mai Tais and performances by two skilled and spacey Northwest bands at Tacoma's tiki bar, Tacoma Cabana. The bards in attendance for this tropical bash will be the Olympian electronic bass-synth-synth trio Elbow Coulee and Tacoma natives Death by Stars, a band described as a "21st century Hüsker Dü" by Downtown Joe from KJR Seattle's Bob Rivers Show. DBS guitarist Patrick Galactic describes their sound as "Electropunk," while Andrew Tuller from Elbow Coulee classifies his band as "Northwest Rocktronica." Andrew told me tonight's event is "a meeting of two bands who have the notion to push the boundaries of music as far as we can." When I asked Galactic how he feels about playing a show on the home front, he told me, "In Seattle a Tacoma band can get weird looks" and Death by Stars is "definitely Tacoma proud."

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Watch E.T. croak out "Ell-i-ot" and fly across the moon in his iconic bicycle basket at Olympia's historic Capitol Theater tomorrow, then head out and scope Sigourney's bald head on the big screen in the classic creeper Alien from the comfort of your car at Shelton's historic Skyline Drive-In Theater.

ET shows 6:30 p.m. and Alien shows at 9 p.m.

Both screenings are a benefit to raise money to convert to digital cinema equipment -essential in keeping the theaters alive. Well, technically Skyline Theater just met their goal of $40,000 through a kickstarter campaign, but the show must go on.

"By the end of 2013, most Hollywood film studios will stop making 35mm film and convert entirely to digital distribution," reads the event hype. "This conversion will save billions for studios, which no longer need to make and distribute film prints, but has left historic theaters scrambling to finance equipment in excess of $60,000-$80,000."

Since 1964, Skyline has provided a place for families to enjoy first-run Hollywood movies from the backs of their pickups or with driver seats reclined. This special event includes a beer and wine garden for those older than 21 and a "special treat" for those that attend both screenings.

The Capitol Theater has been at the heart of the Olympia community since its incarnation in 1924 and Olympia Film Society, owners of the theater, have been a beacon in the film community since 1980.

Proceeds will be split between the two groups.

E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, 6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 16, Capitol theater, 206 Fifth Ave., Olympia, $8, website

ALIEN, 9 p.m., Thursday, May 16, Skyline Drive-In, 180 SE Brewer Road, Shelton, website

THURSDAY, MAY 9 2013 >>>

This summer Music and Art in Wright Park will, once again, shake the lawn bowlers at Wright Park in Tacoma's Stadium District. What began in 1993 as an awesome outdoor rock concert is still an awesome outdoor rock concert, only now with more art. Last year 2,500 lounged in the sun and soaked up Girl Trouble, Humble Cub, Walking Papers, The Plastards, The Jilly Rizzo and many other bands. There's no reason this summer's MAWP won't be equally awesome, unless there's no money in the bank. Unlike most summer outdoor rock concerts, there are no advance tickets for MAWP. The whole dang thing is free. However, like most worthy events, it's expensive. Therefore, festival producers will host a spaghetti feast and the musical stylings of the Original Rich Bundy and special guests from 4-8 p.m. at Louie G's Pizzeria. It's a family friendly, slurp fest. 

2. New York Times bestselling author Margaret Stohl, co-author of the Beautiful Creatures series, will discuss her new novel, Icons, which tells the story of four very special teens who could be humanity's only hope after Earth is taken over by aliens at 7 p.m. inside the University Place Library. She will be joined on the YA Icons Tour with local favorite Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder and Scarlet, Leigh Bardugo, author of the Grisha Trilogy and Kimberly Derting, author of the Body Finder novels.

3. The Oly Mountain Boys will perform at 8 p.m. inside the historic Spar Cafe in Olympia. The band proclaims its mission is to "reinvigorate the bluegrass genre by bringing the original bluegrass sound of the 1950s to a new generation of fans." We believe them, especially after taking a listen to the passion guitarist Chris Rutledge, mandolin player Derek McSwain, banjo player Tye Menser, bassist Phil Post and fiddle player Josh Grice get down with.

4. You could learn swing's Africanist cousin, blues dancing, at 9 p.m. inside the Olympia Eagles Ballroom. Blues dancing derives from the so-called "Black vernacular" of Southern dance styles and includes such moves as the Lindy and the irresistibly named "Funky Butt." Worst case scenario: you have two left feet but get to listen to Nina Simone.

5. The Engine House No. 9 is housed in a firehouse built in 1907 and still retains some of original firefighting artifacts. Purchased by the X Group, the force behind Asado and Masa, there's new excitement with better food, a whiskey bar, more craft beer from head brewer Shane Johns and a shuffleboard in the side room. Rev. Colin hosts karaoke two nights a week, including tonight at 9 p.m. He possesses a wealth of oddball musical knowledge and a disarming ease for calling everyone "baby."

LINK: Thursday, May 9 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

YO MILKMAN! >>>

As typical of Mother's Day, many businesses will provide special dining opportunities for that special lady in your life. One such business is Smith Brothers Farms. Smith Brothers Farms is the modern day milkman delivering farm fresh eggs, milk, cheeses and other locally sourced products from the Pacific Northwest right to your door.

This month they are holding a promotion in honor of Mother's Day - a portion of proceeds of featured products will be donated to benefit the YWCA to honor moms in need. Featured items are both of the baked variety of course, because as we know all moms like to bake right?

Add an order of Erin Baker's cookies or Seattle Bagel Bakery four-pack and a donation will be made to the YWCA. You can also use those milk and eggs that have been delivered straight to your door to concoct a little something up by hand for your mama.

To celebrate mamas and all that they do, their nurturing ways and you know giving you life and all it's best to not forget that Mother's Day is on Sunday, May 12.

Check out ordering details at smithbrothersfarms.com.