About 20 years ago the Federal Way community came together to build the original Family Funland Children’s  Playground in Steel Lake Park.

It was a fabulous time when citizens volunteered to do both fundraising and actual construction. During the construction period, I was one of the people who had never before used an electric screwdriver but ended up learning how and then spent a day using the tool to help create the play structure. Other community members did a lot more work. The result was that after a few days of “barn-raising” type community construction, the playground was completed.

We volunteers could look at the Family Funland and see what a good thing we accomplished. It was a wonderful time, an experience that actually made me feel sorry for those who were not there and did not participate. They didn’t have the heart-swelling moments that participants had, of being together as a community, working for the betterment of Federal Way and completing an extraordinary project as a team.

On Saturday evening, I had another heart-swelling moment. We attended “Shindig,” the Federal Way Coalition of the Performing Arts benefit for the Federal Way Performing Arts and Conference Center. The venue was packed with people and they were not disappointed.

Professional talent, some who grew up in Federal Way, such as Robert MacPherson, Dohee Kim, Maria Valenzuela, John B. Cooper, Leon Christian and Glenda Williams performed for us. The first four artists showed their vocal talents with beautiful solos and combined songs. Leon Christian played some incredible pieces on his classic guitar and Glenda Williams supported the singers on the piano.

Being in the audience was both a wonderful and unforgettable experience. And hearing these artists perform and realizing that both they and all these other local Federal Way people were interested in supporting the Performing Arts and Conference Center made me very, very proud. Thank you also to the many individual Federal Way residents and businesses who made generous and thoughtful donations of auction and raffle items, whose proceeds will go to the center.

It was such an enjoyable event that I was also sorry I had not bought more tickets and brought more friends along. It was another moment when I was proud to be part of something in Federal Way that would support the community and make it better for us all.

When the center is completed, we will be able to have more opportunities for fabulous performances. What a great thing to look forward to and what a great thing for our community.

Congratulations to everyone who volunteered their services, both artistic and organizational to make this happen.

Margaret Nelson, Federal Way