By JACK HOPKINS
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Tukwila has an unofficial mascot, "Awesome Possum."

Former Navy deep sea diver Al Frank, recreation supervisor at the city's year-old, $8 million, 49,000-square-foot community center, is mostly responsible for that.

The possum idea came up while Frank was having a discussion with parks supervisor Paul Surek about three years ago. Frank was looking for a way to teach kids to respect the city parks.

They came up with an imaginary possum who ate a magical hazelnut and assumed mystical powers. Frank, a cartoonist, drew possum-oriented coloring books for the kids and even dons a possum costume during visits to the Tukwila schools.

"We have had a great response, especially from the younger ones," Frank said.