A WIN FOR PIERCE COUNTY FAMILIES >>>

Last November the Weekly Volcano announced Emergency Food Network Executive Director Helen McGovern was a finalist for a "Harlequin: More than Words" contest. If she beat the other "real-life heroines" across the nation, she could bring thousands of dollars to needy families of Pierce County.

Well, McGovern won.

After more than 111,000 online votes and 7,800 Facebook shares, McGovern is one of three winners. The other winers are Mindy Atwood of Hilliard, Ohio - who runs Patches of Light - and Sally Spencer of Toronto, Ontario - who manages a mentoring program that rescues at-risk children.  

According to a press release, "Each of the honorees will receive $15,000 for her charity, equaling a total contribution by Harlequin of $45,000. Three of Harlequin's authors also donate their time and talent to write short stories inspired by the life and work of the recipients.  The short stories will be available in 2013 in ebook format to download at no cost."

Congratulations Helen!

LINK: Emergency Food Network

DO YOU KNOW YOUR TACOMA HISTORY ... AND LOVE FOOD? >>

Foodcaching is a new smart phone app alerting customers of awesome food deals at 15 restaurants in the greater Tacoma area. You may download the app for free on your iPhone and Android here.

The Weekly Volcano has teamed up with Foodcaching for the True Tacoman game. Every Tuesday and Friday right here on Spew, we post a Tacoma history trivia provided by the Washington State History Museum. If you know the answer, run to one of the 15 participating restaurants, come clean with answer and you'll receive points on your Foodcaching app, which you downloaded free here. We'll be running the True Tacoman trivia game through the end of the year.

The person will the most points on Dec. 31 will be crowned the True Tacoman and be flooded with various food prizes.

Friday's True Tacoman trivia answer

Friday we asked what prevented Tacoma's huge 50-gun salute on Independence Day in 1883. You spent the last four days telling the restaurants listed below it was because the guns, borrowed from the state armory, were taken to Eastern Washington for a potential fight with Native Americans – and, thereby you scored points on the Foodcaching app. It was an easy task – a lot easier than trying to move 50 guns across the Cascades in 1883.

Today is Tuesday, which means we post another trivia question as part of the True Tacoman contest.

Today's True Tacoman trivia question

How many lost their lives when the Narrows Bridge collapsed in 1940?

• A) 1 person and 1 dog;
• B) 13 people;
• C) 0 people, but 1 dog.

Answer the question correctly at one of the 15 participating restaurants below and score points - besides scoring awesome food deals from the restaurants. The correct answer will be revealed Friday, Dec. 30 on Spew. Also, keep an eye on this blog for bonus game points and a special invite to the True Tacoman Game Party in early 2012.

Oh, you can download the free app here.

Participating restaurants

• 1022 South, 1022 South J St., Tacoma, 253.627.8588, Facebook
• Capers Cafe & Take Home, 2602 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253.761.4444, Facebook
• Dirty Oscar's Annex, 2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.0588, Facebook
• Dorky's Arcade, 754 Pacfic Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.4156, Facebook
• Harmon Brewery & Eatery, 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.2739, Facebook
• Harmon Tap Room, 204 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.212.2725, Facebook
• The Hub, 203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, 253.683.4606, Facebook
• Massimo Italian Bar & Grill, 4020 Bridgeport Way W., University Place, 253.503.1902, Facebook
• Marrow Kitchen & Bar, 2717 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.267.5299, Facebook
• Over The Moon Cafe, 709 Court C/Opera Alley, Tacoma, 253.284.3722, Facebook
• Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3535, Facebook
• The Social Bar & Grill, 1715 Dock St., Tacoma, 253.301.3835, Facebook
• STINK Cheese & Meat, 628 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.426.1347, Facebook
• Top of Tacoma Bar & Cafe, 3529 McKinley Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.1502, Facebook
• TWOKOI Japanese Restaurant, 1552 Commerce St., Tacoma, 253.274.8999, Facebook

TACOMA IS PRETTY >>>

This fall The Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau, otherwise known as the catchy TRCVB, held a photography contest seeking the most awesome photo of Tacoma and Pierce County.

The judges have made their decision.

Congratulations to Sharon Styler for her shot of Ruston Way (see above).

For more details on the contest, read the TRCVB press release after the jump:

Read more...

Comment On This Post

DO YOU KNOW YOUR TACOMA HISTORY ... AND LOVE FOOD? >>

Foodcaching is a new smart phone app alerting customers of awesome food deals at 16 restaurants in the greater Tacoma area. You may download the app for free on your iPhone and Android here.

The Weekly Volcano has teamed up with Foodcaching for the True Tacoman game. Every Tuesday and Friday right here on Spew, we post a Tacoma history trivia provided by the Washington State History Museum. If you know the answer, run to one of the 16 participating restaurants, come clean with answer and you'll receive points on your Foodcaching app, which you downloaded free here. We'll be running the True Tacoman trivia game through the end of the year.

The person will the most points on Dec. 31 will be crowned the True Tacoman and be flooded with various food prizes.

Tuesday's True Tacoman trivia answer

Tuesday, we posted the question, "The British farms located on the Nisqually plains in the late 1800s focused attention on which of the following three products: A) Sheep and cattle, B) Horses and pigs, C) Wheat and oats, D) Corn and sugar beets, and E) Apples and pears? You spent the last three days presenting the answer to the restaurants listed below and, thereby, scoring points on the Foodcaching app. It's as easy as sheep and cattle, horses and pigs, wheat and oats – all the focus of those British farms back in the day. 

Today is Friday, which means we post another trivia question as part of the True Tacoman contest.

Today's True Tacoman trivia question

The indigenous people called Mount Rainier something else. Was it:

A) Tacoba?

B) Tacoma?

C) Saka'am?

D) Tahoma?

Answer the question correctly at one of the 16 participating restaurants below and score points - besides scoring awesome food deals from the restaurants. The correct answer will be revealed Tuesday, Nov. 22 on Spew. Also keep an eye on this blog for bonus game points and a special invite to the True Tacoman Game Party in early 2012.

Oh, you can download the free app here.

Participating restaurants

• 1022 South, 1022 South J St., Tacoma, 253.627.8588, Facebook
• Capers Cafe & Take Home, 2602 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253.761.4444, Facebook
• Dirty Oscar's Annex, 2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.0588, Facebook
• Dorky's Arcade, 754 Pacfic Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.4156, Facebook
• Harmon Brewery & Eatery, 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.2739, Facebook
• Harmon Tap Room, 204 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.212.2725, Facebook
• The Hub, 203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, 253.683.4606, Facebook
• Jake's Bar & Bistro, 215 Wilkes St., Steilacoom, 253.581.3300, Website
• Massimo Italian Bar & Grill, 4020 Bridgeport Way W., University Place, 253.503.1902, Facebook
• Marrow Kitchen & Bar, 2717 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.267.5299, Facebook
• Over The Moon Cafe, 709 Court C/Opera Alley, Tacoma, 253.284.3722, Facebook
• Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3535, Facebook
• The Social Bar & Grill, 1715 Dock St., Tacoma, 253.301.3835, Facebook
• STINK Cheese & Meat, 628 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.426.1347, Facebook
• Top of Tacoma Bar & Cafe, 3529 McKinley Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.1502, Facebook
• TWOKOI Japanese Restaurant, 1552 Commerce St., Tacoma, 253.274.8999, Facebook

DO YOU KNOW YOUR TACOMA HISTORY ... AND LOVE FOOD? >>

Foodcaching is a new smart phone app alerting customers of awesome food deals at 16 restaurants in the greater Tacoma area. You may download the app for free on your iPhone and Android here.

The Weekly Volcano has teamed up with Foodcaching for the True Tacoman game. Every Tuesday and Friday right here on Spew, we post a Tacoma history trivia provided by the Washington State History Museum. If you know the answer, run to one of the 16 participating restaurants, come clean with answer and you'll receive points on your Foodcaching app, which you downloaded free here. We'll be running the True Tacoman trivia game through the end of the year.

The person will the most points on Dec. 31 will be crowned the True Tacoman and be flooded with various food prizes.

Friday's Tacoma trivia answer

The Puget Sound's Agricultural Company and The Hudson's Bay Company were the two British companies claimed much of Pierce County after the Civil War. In 1839, in response to the need for fresh food and supplies for their many employees, the leaders of the Hudson's Bay Company formed the Puget Sound Agricultural Company with farms at Fort Nisqually and Cowlitz Prairie. The combined farms soon encompassed hundreds of acres of land. In addition to raising animals for feed, farms also produced cheese, butter, leather, horn, tallow, and a variety of manufactured products. 

Today's Tacoma trivia question

The British farms located on the Nisqually plains in the late 1800s focused attention on which of the following three products?:

A) Sheep and cattle

B) Horses and pigs

C) Wheat and oats

D) Corn and sugar beets

E) Apples and pears

Answer the question correctly at one of the 16 participating restaurants below and score points - besides the awesome food deals from the restaurant. The correct answer will be revealed Friday, Nov. 18 on Spew. Also keep an eye on this blog for bonus game points and a special invite to the True Tacoman Game Party in early 2012.

Oh, you can download the free app here.

Participating restaurants

• 1022 South, 1022 South J St., Tacoma, 253.627.8588, Facebook
• Capers Cafe & Take Home, 2602 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253.761.4444, Facebook
• Dirty Oscar's Annex, 2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.0588, Facebook
• Dorky's Arcade, 754 Pacfic Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.4156, Facebook
• Harmon Brewery & Eatery, 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.2739, Facebook
• Harmon Tap Room, 204 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.212.2725, Facebook
• The Hub, 203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, 253.683.4606, Facebook
• Jake's Bar & Bistro, 215 Wilkes St., Steilacoom, 253.581.3300, Website
• Massimo Italian Bar & Grill, 4020 Bridgeport Way W., University Place, 253.503.1902, Facebook
• Marrow Kitchen & Bar, 2717 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.267.5299, Facebook
• Over The Moon Cafe, 709 Court C/Opera Alley, Tacoma, 253.284.3722, Facebook
• Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3535, Facebook
• The Social Bar & Grill, 1715 Dock St., Tacoma, 253.301.3835, Facebook
• STINK Cheese & Meat, 628 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.426.1347, Facebook
• Top of Tacoma Bar & Cafe, 3529 Mckinley Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.1502, Facebook
• TWOKOI Japanese Restaurant, 1552 Commerce St., Tacoma, 253.274.8999, Facebook

YOUR VOTE WILL HELP PIERCE COUNTY FAMILIES >>>

Laugh all you want, but on Election Day the Weekly Volcano likes to be near the SeaTac International Airport. If a military coup breaks out, we want to be the first to take off to another land. But, security being what it is these days, we've had a bit of trouble just hanging out and getting our drink on at the airport the last few elections. We'd rather not go into the details.

It's safe to say a military coup will not break out before today's election, which ends tonight at 9 p.m.

Emergency Food Network Executive Director Helen McGovern is a finalist for a "Harlequin: More than Words" contest. If she beats the other "real-life heroines" across the nation, she could bring thousands of dollars to needy families of Pierce County.

Each year, Harlequin Enterprises selects three women to receive the Harlequin More Than Words award from hundreds of nominations solicited from readers and the general public. Each recipient receives $15,000 to advance the work of her charity, and three of Harlequin's bestselling authors donate their time and talent to write novellas inspired by the life and work of the recipients. McGovern is a poster woman for the contest. She left her successful commercial Realtor job left to lead EFN's effort to serve those in need, especially through this time of economic hardship.

The voting phase ends tonight at 9 p.m. McGovern is currently fighting for third place.

The Weekly Volcano caught up with McGovern on this final stretch of the contest.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: What drew you to the Emergency Food Network?

HELEN MCGOVERN: It was a several month process I went through when I decided to leave the corporate world and take my skills and contacts into a more purposeful pursuit. The timing was so perfect for this transition to EFN.  David Ottey had been a force to be reckoned with and had left a strong foundation ready to move on to face the challenge. My skill set was a match for that challenge. I truly feel it was where I was meant to be.

VOLCANO: What do you miss most about selling real estate?

MCGOVERN: What I miss most is the wonderful group of colleagues I was privileged to work with on a daily basis. I still get together monthly with some of them, however it isn't the same. 

VOLCANO: What is your favorite moment so far at EFN?

MCGOVERN: One of my favorite moments was receiving a call from J.T. Wilcox of Wilcox Farms informing us that EFN would be receiving 6,000 dozen eggs.  What an amazing and generous donation. Protein is our most difficult item to obtain. Those eggs were in and out of our warehouse and into clients' homes in a matter of days.

VOLCANO: What does EFN need most?

MCGOVERN: EFN needs money. This $15,000 can be used for freight to pick up donated produce. We could have access to almost one million pounds of fresh vegetables and fruit with this money. Farmers have generously donated produce in Eastern Washington, if we can come get it.  The 56,000 pounds costs us approximately $600 in freight. 

VOLCANO: If you win and a novella is written about you, who would play you in the movie version?

MCGOVERN: I couldn't do it myself? If not me, then whoever would donate their acting fee to us can have the job. 

To vote for Helen McGovern and help thousands in need, click here.

LINK: Donate to the Emergency Food Network

GIVEAWAY >>>

We're giving away five pairs of tickets to the opening weekend of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil at The Grand Cinema in Tacoma, which opens Friday, Oct. 14.

Simply "LIKE" our new Weekly Volcano Blast Zone Facebook page and you'll be included in our random drawing 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10, which the accounting firm of Tucker & Dale will oversee. We'll draw five names that night, pass your Facebook page to The Grand Cinema and they'll contact you.

Good luck.

LINK: What the eff is Tucker & Dale vs. Evil?

GORY FUN AT THE GRAND CINEMA >>>

We're giving away five pairs of tickets to the opening weekend of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil at The Grand Cinema in Tacoma.

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is one of those gory, good-spirited horror comedies, similar to Shaun of the Dead, only with more killer rednecks. Tucker and Dale are two best friends on vacation at their dilapidated mountain house, who are mistaken for murderous backwoods hillbillies by a group of moronic, preppy college kids. When one of the students gets separated from her friends, the boys try to lend a hand, but as the misunderstanding grows, so does the body count.

This film captured the Midnight Audience Award at SXSW, the Jury Prize for First Feature at Fantasia, the Best Director award at Fantaspoa and the Best Motion Picture Award at Sitges.

Anyhoo, like we said, we're giving away five pairs of tickets to its screening at The Grand Cinema. And even a moronic, preppy college kid could win them. Simply "LIKE" our new Weekly Volcano Blast Zone Facebook page and you'll be included in our random drawing 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10, which the accounting firm of Tucker & Dale will oversee. We'll draw five names that night, pass your Facebook page to The Grand Cinema and they'll contact you.

Good luck.

IT"S ON! >>>

The 24 Hour Comics Day doesn't involved Save The Sonics Guy, expensive drinks and hecklers. It's not a standup comedy competition. Rather it's an all-day drawing bash where South Sound's finest sketchers - including members of the Cartoonist's League of Absurd Washingtonians - go eye-to-eye and computer-to-computer to create a 24-page comic book from scratch in 24 hours. It's a worldwide event, but locally hosted, once again, by John Munn's Comic Book Ink in Lakewood.

Fifteen artists brought their own art supplies, computers, iPads and coffee and began working on page one of their masterpieces at 10 a.m. while normal operations continued at Comic Book Ink, which means game card players bickering and little kids telling store employees their top three comic book heroes. The store will stay open overnight, hosting a comics sale around 10 or 11 p.m.

Kevin Freitas, who is adding words to James Stowe's comic panels, is covering the event live on his feedtacoma.com, which includes a streaming camera feed. Follow the action here.

The event benefits CLAW's scholarship fund, raising money to help students with a passion for cartooning pay for things like tuition, books or art supplies. If you donate in the name of Team Freitas Stowe, you may be included in their comic book. Drop by Comic Book Ink for details.

I popped in around 11:30 a.m. and snapped a few photos. The artists have their game faces on.

[Comic Book Ink, ends 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, 2510 S. 84th St., Lakewood, 253.761.4651]

TODAY'S POLL >>>

Good morning, sweet readers! Did you have some Brown and Haley candy sandwiched between Roman Meal bread while strolling around Simpson Tacoma Kraft this morning?

Ridiculous, yes, but if you bleed Tacoma it might not be that far-fetched.

Tacoma brands have been swimming in our noggins ever since the Puget Sound Business Journal held its "most respected brand" in Seattle online poll.

It got us to thinking: What are the most respected Tacoma brands?

Let's vote the hell out of it. We'll announce the results tomorrow.