West Seattle Hi-Yu, a non-profit organization, established in 1934 by West Seattle's service clubs to produce a summer festival to promote the West Seattle Community and whose royalty and volunteers have served the community for those 82 years may be dissolved. Perhaps the victim of changing times, the organizations history of talent shows, Spring Tea's, queens and princesses as part of Seattle's Seafair celebration has seen diminishing support and declining membership. Hi-Yu President Jay Murray and wife Joanne Murray shared a public announcement on the future status of the organization:

"The newly elected West Seattle Hi-Yu, Inc. officers on the board have decided to not have the Hi-Yu float go to the Issaquah Salmon Days parade on Oct. 1st and discontinue attending the Fauntleroy Fall festival and Alaska Junction Fall festival and not have any of the Jr. Court, Teen Ambassador or Sr. court scholarship programs this upcoming year.

Due to the lack of volunteers and West Seattle community and business financial support the West Seattle Hi-Yu, Inc. will be taking a break from all activities for a year or more to reorganize.

Unless there is a lot of community support the West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival will have had it's final year ending on Sept. 30, 2016, after 82 years of existence,

The archives of West Seattle Hi-Yu, Inc. history will be turned over the West Seattle Historical Society.

Thanks to all of the past Hi-Yu volunteers and court members for their involvement over the years. The scholarship programs will be discontinued. We know the experiences have been beneficial to those who have participated in the various community events and parades over the years.

We wish the best to the reorganizing team.

Jay Murray, West Seattle Hi-Yu president 2014-2016
Joanne Murray, West Seattle Hi-Yu historian, 2014-2016

Chris Henggeler – President-elect of Hi-Yu said that "no decisions have been officially made regarding the future of Hi Yu other than our participation in upcoming events in October.
You are welcome to join us Monday evening. Note, the library is north of the Metropolitan Market, not Thriftway.

Any formal announcement(s) regarding future Hi Yu activities will come from the 2016-2017 Board."

The next meeting will be on Monday Oct. 3, 2016 at the West Seattle Library in the Admiral district at 7 pm in the community room on the lower level. If you are interested in the future of West Seattle Hi-Yu come to the meeting and voice your opinion.

The agenda for the October General Meeting is as follows:

• Installation of new officers
• Distribution of Awards
• 2016-2017 Budget
• Applications for Junior and Senior Courts and Ambassadors

The meeting will be at the West Seattle Public Library on Monday evening, October 3 at 2306 42nd Avenue SW (north of Thriftway on Admiral)

Michelle Edwards shared this response regarding the potential impact on the West Seattle Grand Parade:

"Despite the possible reorganization of West Seattle Hi-Yu, the West Seattle Grand Parade will continue to be produced by the West Seattle Rotary Club Foundation and will be held on July 22nd, 2017 at 11am. The only impact to the West Seattle Grand Parade will be the possibility of losing visiting festival parade floats and entries, as there will no longer be a West Seattle float attending festivals around the region. This impact will be addressed by the West Seattle Parade Committee in 2017. We wish the best to the West Seattle Hi-Yu team. - West Seattle Parade Committee"

-Michelle Edwards
On Behalf of the West Seattle Parade Committee