A duck named Donald, a bear hiding in a cornfield, and a mountain lion on the loose were among the unforgettable characters featured at the March 28 edition of ‘7 Stories,’ a local storytelling event held monthly at the Highline Heritage Museum in Burien.
With the theme “Animal Tales,” seven community members took the stage to share personal stories — some heartwarming, others hilarious or harrowing — in a packed evening that celebrated the bond between humans and animals.
“If you go back in human history, we have painted on cave walls, we’ve etched pictographs, and over time developed language and other methods of telling our stories,” said Peggy Cummings, one of the event organizers. “It gives us a chance as neighbors and members of our community to share things from our lives.”
The evening opened with a land acknowledgment and welcome from museum events coordinator Charlotte Williams, along with a nod to South King Media for our longtime support and livestream coverage.
Among the night’s standout storytellers:
- Penny Tetter recounted her childhood bond with two ducks named Ronnie and Donnie, whom she raised in South Bend, WA. “They’d run to meet me when I got off the school bus in my red coat,” she said, reflecting on their eventual relocation to a nearby farm.
- Don West told a family camping story about a relative who spent three hours clutching what he thought was a rattlesnake in his sleeping bag — only to discover it was actually a dog’s tail. The audience roared with laughter.
- Gretchen Douma shared her journey with two smart, mischievous dogs and reflected on the unexpected intelligence and loyalty found in poodle mixes. “Jackson rang the bell for our older dog to go outside for years,” she said. “That’s a sibling bond if I’ve ever seen one.”
- Stephen Scheurich, who once worked at a wildlife sanctuary in Texas, closed the night with a suspenseful tale of a misfired tranquilizer dart, a runaway Capuchin monkey, and a terrifying encounter with a mountain lion. “Tim missed the macaque and darted me in the leg instead,” he said. “He was on the ground laughing while I was dangling with a monkey in my arms.”
Share Your Story
Please consider sharing your true story…in the spirit of community and friendship. Organizers will coach/help you as much as you would like. Sign up using this online form. To find out more about telling your story read the Rules & Guidelines.
For more info, please visit burienculturehub.org/7stories.
Video
Below is video of the Mar. 28, 2025 event, as filmed/edited by Scott Schaefer:
Chapter Markers:
To view specific storytellers, click on the time code below:
Event emcee Fred Swanson encouraged attendees to return on Friday night, April 25, 2025 at 7 p.m. for more stories – a continuation of the theme “Animal Tales” as well as “Hidden Truths.”
NOTE: If you can’t make it to this event in person, be sure to “Like” us on Facebook here to get a notification, as The B-Town Blog hopes to be streaming it live starting at 7 p.m.
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