RichmondSFBlog reader and Twitter user @Sturdy told me this morning about a great project the students at Alamo Elementary School (250 23rd Avenue) have been working on.

After the Japanese tsunami and quake hit earlier this year, the students decided they wanted to help out. They set a fundraising target of $1 per student, or $541, but ended up raising just over $1,000 for the relief effort.

The Consul General of Japan in San Francisco, Hiroshi Inomata, will be at the Alamo campus on Monday at 10am to accept the check from the students.

The Consulate opened a special account in March for donations to the earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. As of May 10, they have raised $1,175,008, all of which has been sent to the Japanese Red Cross.

Sarah B.

This Saturday, George Peabody Elementary School is hosting their annual spring carnival. Bust out your eye patches because this year it’s the “Peabody Pirate Palooza”.

The carnival includes fun games and activities, a jumpy house, a rock climbing wall, food and bake sales, plus a raffle with a $500 grand prize. That will get you a whole lot of booty!

The pirate fest runs from 12noon until 4pm at the Peabody schoolyard on 7th Avenue between Clement and California. This is one of the Peabody PTA’s big fundraisers to help raise money for the school’s programs.

If you are headed out to the carnival, you might want to bone up on your pirate speak so you can fit in better. Here’s a few pirate vocabulary words; visit this site for more pirate education.

• Ahoy!: Hey!
• Avast!: Stop!
• Doubloons: Pieces of gold
• Grog: A pirate’s favorite drink
• Landlubber: “Land-lover,” someone not used to life onboard a ship.
• Shiver me timbers!: an exclamation of surprise, to be shouted most loud.
• Yo ho ho: Pirate laughter

Sarah B.

“All this news is exhausting. Wake me when it’s calm again.”
Photo of a cat somewhere in the neighborhood, by Dreams in 8-bit

• Outside Lands Music Festival announces their food partners, including Namu and Gordo’s from the ‘hood
• Man hit in the head with a baseball bat in the Outer Richmond
• Kiteboarders to be honored for their help with Ocean Beach rescue
• Golden Gate Park fly casting pools have resisted flood of change
• Sara Gifts and Toys opens at 124 Clement
• Summer Art Camps at Urban Color (Inner Richmond)
• Chris Babcock Art Workshop: Art classes for BIG and little kids (5907 California)
• The CVS Pharmacy moving into 32nd & Clement will sell liquor. No surprise there.

This Saturday from 10am until 3pm, Argonne Elementary is hosting their annual Mayfair festival fundraiser.

The event includes lots of fun games and activities for all ages including bouncy houses, science projects, a dunk tank, fresh popped popcorn, crafts, face painting, games, cotton candy, a climbing wall, lotsa food, a raffle, books, and video games for sale.

Tickets for games and rides are $.50/each or 10 for $5. Unlimited game/ride bracelets are $40 for the entire day. There is also a raffle to win an iPad2, an iPod and $500 cash, Raffle tickets are $3/each or 4 for $10.

Also on hand will be the popular food truck from The Taco Guys – yum! Jason Hoffman, one of the Taco Guys, is an Argonne alum and will be donating some of the proceeds from the tacos sold to the school. They’ll be at Mayfair from 12noon until 3pm.

The fair also has a silent auction from 10am until 1:30pm, packed with nearly 400 items that will appeal to even the most discriminating bidder. You can begin now by bidding in the online auction until 11pm tonight. Bidding on all items will continue at the Mayfair event on Saturday.

Proceeds from Mayfair help Argonne Elementary pay for literacy specialists, art and music programs, physical education, science and outdoor education, field trips, and other enrichment programs.

The Mayfair will be held at Argonne Elementary School, 17th Avenue and Cabrillo, from 10am until 3pm.

Sarah B.

Photo by Telstar Logistics

This Saturday, the Richmond Village Beacon is hosting the 3rd annual Family Fun Fest at Presidio Middle School from 12noon until 3pm.

Stop by to enjoy a free family carnival complete with games, snacks. giveaways and other fun for all ages. Presidio Middle School is located at 450 30th Avenue at Geary.

The Richmond Village Beacon is part of the Richmond District Neighborhood Center.

Sarah B.

This Sunday from 1pm until 5pm, the Friends of Mountain Lake Park Playground (FMLPP) are hosting a playground party to kick off their upcoming renovation project.

Sunday’s party is a chance to have fun, meet other neighbors and also find out more about the plans for the playground renovation.

Activities will include face painting, a special appearance from a SFFD fire truck (1:30pm), live music from Enzo (3-3:45pm), free ice cream courtesy of Toy Boat Dessert Cafe, and a raffle with prizes like free tickets for the SF Giants, Conservatory of Flowers and Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park.

The FMLPP, a volunteer organization, is working with the Neighborhood Parks Council, Friends of Mountain Lake Park and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Council to raise the necessary funds for the renovation, which they hope to complete by 2013.

FMLPP volunteer Jennifer Fetner estimates that the renovation budget will be in the range of $1.5 – $2 million dollars. The group hopes to raise half of the money in grants and the other half from private donors.

The party will be held at Mountain Lake Park Playground, which can be entered at 12th Avenue and Lake Streets.

Sarah B.

The main play structure at Mt. Lake Park Playground

Photo by dorsalfin

Next Monday, the Richmond District branch of the SF Public Library is hosting a special Little Explorers Mobile Petting Zoo event.

Stop by at 11am to hang out with some sure-to-be-adorable goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, rabbits, guinea pigs, alpaca, pot belly pigs and a giant tortoise.

The event will be held outside the back of the library on 10th Avenue. If it’s raining, head inside to one of the program rooms. Rain or shine, the animals will be there!

The library is located at 351 Ninth Avenue between Clement and Geary. The event is free for everyone.

Sarah B.

We have not one, but two big Easter celebrations going on this Saturday here in the neighborhood. Take your pick!

Spring Eggstravaganza in Golden Gate Park
Saturday, 11am – 3pm
Sharon Meadow in Golden Gate Park (near Stanyan)
The SF Recreation and Park Department invites you to their annual Eggstravaganza, where there will be egg hunts, carnival rides, giant inflatable, arts and crafts, entertainment, and food for sale. Cost is $5 per person.

Richmond District YMCA Family Fun Day
Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Meet at YMCA, 360 18th Avenue, then hike to Mt. Lake Park
All families are invited to meet at the YMCA at 10am, where you’ll make Easter Egg baskets and bonnets. Then at 11am, a Golden Gate National Recreation Area Ranger will lead the group on a guided tour to Mountain Lake Park where you’ll learn about the Anza Trail and much more. Picnic lunch at noon (pack your own) followed by an Easter Egg Hunt at 1pm. Cost is $10/family. For more information call 666-9603 or email mroth-cramer@ymcasf.org.

Happy Easter everyone! I hope your basket is filled with lots of pretty eggs. And if it’s not, poach some from someone else’s basket. It’s how I used to boost my egg stats as a kid.

Sarah B.