This is from Kate Krauss. Her friend Maureen’s cat is still missing from the Windermere Court Apartments fire. Here’s a flyer (click to enlarge):

Update: Local 44 can’t handle any more donations. They need shoppers. Tell everyone and anyone you know who lived at Windermere to get over there now. The folks at Local 44 had to rent a U-haul already to store the stuff they inevitably will have left over.

Update: Craig wrote about another collection at IsShoes, Alice Burbage’s women’s boutique, at 120 s. 61st St. The store is collecting from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. today. Call for other times to 215-471-5555.

We know of two clothing drives for the victims of the Jan. 10 fire at Windermere Court Apartments in West Philadelphia.

Local 44 (44th and Spruce) will set up tables along Spruce Street outside of the pub to collect clothing donations from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Try to bring things that would be useful to folks now. So winter clothes would be best. Fire victims should stop by to get what they need.

A reader, Natalie, tipped us off to the clothing drive at Drexel’s Alpha Pi Lambda (33rd and Powelton). They are accepting cold weather clothing for fire victims from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The organization will accept donations of gently used hats, gloves, scarves, jackets and blankets at its house at 33rd and Powelton. Those who cannot give clothing can donate cash, which will be used to buy clothes for the drive. Those displaced by the fire who need clothing should stop by.

This is from Linda Lee concerning cats spotted near the Windermere Court Apartments over the weekend, nearly a week since the fire there.

I actually just got a text from one of the Philly officers who saw a
cat this evening on the 48th st side of the building (in the area
behind Windermere Courts). He thinks it had a collar on and gave the
following description: a small multi color grey cat with short hair
and 2 back white legs and a small white tip on the tail. The cat kept
coming out of the basement of the building for food. He was going to
try to catch it, but hasn’t had any luck…

Here are photos of two cats that have been spotted. Leave a comment if you know anything about these two and we’ll pass along the info:

The Inquirer has a fairly in-depth story today about the fight on Friday morning at the 46th Street El stop that left six West Philadelphia high school students, most of them college-bound, with injuries. The fight had been brewing for some time, the paper reports, and officials at both West Catholic and Boys Latin have met with their respective student bodies to call for an end to the violence.

The Inquirer quotes Boys Latin Chief Executive Officer David P. Hardy as telling juniors and seniors at his school:

“Anyone at this school who retaliates will be expelled. This is over,” he said. “Think about your future. . . . You don’t want to throw that away.”

For the complete story click here.

As we head into the weekend our thoughts and prayers are still with our neighbors who were victims of the devastating fire this week and its aftermath. We will continue to post any efforts we hear about  to help those folks.

Meanwhile, here are some things going on this weekend:

• Philadelphia Youth Poetry Movement (PYPM) and Friends at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.) on Saturday at 7 p.m. This is part of the PYPM Dream Big Literary Arts Festival. This is about youth using their voices and their talent to make positive change in our community. If you can’t get behind that, then what can you get behind? Tickets are $7. The Dream Big festival is going on all weekend with several events at the International House (3701 Chestnut) in addition to this one at The Rotunda. See the schedule here. Here is an artist you will see around, Safiya:

• The Five Minute Follies is tonight (Friday) at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.) at 8:30 p.m. This should be kind of wild – a bunch of wacky and cool five-minute acts. Organizers bill it as a “live, onstage variety extravaganza.” Among the performers will be Philly’s Queen of Rockabilly Kathia Jane. A $5 donation at the door is suggested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Organizers warn that some material may not be suitable for all audiences.

• If  “A girl like you” likes acts that are maybe a little more polished (and a lot more expensive) then 80s rockers The Smithereens are playing at World Cafe Live (3025 Walnut St.) on Friday. The doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30.50 to $40.50.

• idiosynCrazy Productions presents Flatland 2010 on Saturday at the Annenberg Center for Performing Arts‘ Harold Prince Theater at 8 p.m. The Annenberg Center (3680 Walnut St.) explains that the production: “is a physical theatre work that examines contemporary human (mis-)communication. This diverse cast of 11 athletic performers explores what happens to human relationships in a ‘flattened’ world of abbreviation and oversimplification, where the sound bite supersedes substance and the instant message overpowers the intellectual one. The great news on this one is that it is part of the West Philly Rush Hour program, which means people that live in 19104, 19131, 19139, 19142, 19143, 19151, 19153 and can prove it get in for $10.

From Lina: “I’m trying to find my cat, Deuce, who was in the fire at 48th and Walnut this Monday, 1/10/11. The firemen found his brother, but there was no sign of Deuce. We are hoping he escaped the building and may be trying to fend for himself. He is a medium orange tabby. He is up to date with all his shots, but has no collar on, as he has never been outside before. He is neutered, likes to play with string, suckle on fleece like material, and recently had his nails clipped because they were getting long. If you see him, please call me at 518.428.9907. It would mean the world to his brother and me to have him back after this terrible fire. I have also attached a picture. ”
Thank you all so much,
Lina