We asked our Team Works teams to submit a team photo from their most recent project. Check them out!
Team Happy Hours Team Drink on
Team Blue Steel
Team BBC
Overachievers Your Mom’s Team even made a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOmGoasMLqw
Thanks to those teams that participated. You look great!
The YMCA mixed things up with this year’s AK Guy Award for community service. For the first time, instead of honoring one person or a family, they honored four individuals – Larry Gossett, Bob Santos, Bernie Whitebear and Roberto Maestas.
The Y said it best, calling this fantastic foursome “among the most influential and charismatic leaders in our community. Their activism for social justice and civic rights has changed the face of leadership in the Puget Sound region. Their vision for fully integrating minorities into the area’s social, economic and political life has inspired generations.”
Bonus: because these four have mentored so many emerging leaders through the years, Boeing and Microsoft sponsored extra tables so younger (and presumably broke-er) people could be there for the awards for free. Bring on a group from Seattle Works!
I knew a little bit about these four, but considered the luncheon to be not only a way to honor them, but a great local history lesson.
I mean really, would anyone ever have expected a hotel ballroom full of people in business attire recognizing people for civic involvement at an event where the words “black power” were mentioned?
I managed to video their acceptance speech, kicking off with ”Uncle” Bob Santos doing what else… but karaoke, his signature form of creative expression. (Somewhat) more serious remarks follow. Worth a listen.
Video is in two pieces due to YouTube’s 10 minute limit. It’s about 15 minutes total.
Also, if you’re interested in learning more, KUOW did an interview morning of the event: http://kuow.org/program.php?id=18759
- Tara
Thanks to everyone who joined us for Sunday’s Hot Project. Though it was rainining, we did set up an awesome new house. We set up office furniture and apartments for homeless people with The Low Income Housing Institute. This could be very helpful to our community.
- SungWoo (Seattle Works intern)
What makes for a great rainy Sunday afternoon in Seattle?
Seattle Works, Swank auction items, Seahawks, Sea Gals, and Kell’S.
Ok- some beers and appetizers don’t hurt either.
About 30 people came Sunday to Kell’s to cheer on the Seahawks, meet a Sea Gal, and have a chance to win an autographed Sea Gal calendar.
Thanks to those who purchased tickets for the event at Swank, our Team Works volunteers who came, Kell’s, and the Sea Gals for a fun afternoon.
Why? “I needed to just do something; I’ve travelled, and learned that it’s all about the personal connections you make, volunteering will offer that; as a geologist I was fascinated by the tsunamis of 2004 and my heart goes out to those that were affected; I’ve been to the Gulf Coast with Seattle Works and was inspired by others that have done the same to do this trip as well; I’m thinking about pursuing a “career” in volunteerism, thought this would be a good way to try it out.”
To do what? We’re traveling to the Andaman Sea, a beautiful area affected by the tsunamis, but not quite destroyed. As a result it’s been one of the areas slowest to rebuild as they were not eligible to receive government support. We’ll be assembling desks and helping to set up a school as well as harvesting mangrove trees in hopes that their fish population will come back!
Who all’s going? Team Captain Nora Robertson, Noelle Smithhart, Gordon Hofman, Andrea Eakin, Leigh Noble, Calsee Rob, Margaret Grove, Jan Burrell, Kevin Burrell, and fantastic Crooked Trail Guide, Todd Parks.
Thailand here we come!
A note and some photos from the E.B. Dunn Historic Garden Trust – where we did a Hot Project Saturday, November 7.
“Thank you and your Seattle Works crew for braving the rainy Seattle weather and coming out to the Dunn Gardens… We were thrilled to have so much help.
The beds look great, and the garden looks neat and ready for a winter rest.”
Our 2005.2010 Strategic Plan is getting near the end of its life-span. Time to look forward!
Step #1 = Saturday’s “mini-retreat” – a one day strategy session for our board (plus Alison, Jan and me). The agenda:
1) a thorough review of our 20-year history, to get us grounding in where we’ve been
2) four discussion topics – Millenial Generation, Volunteerism/Giving trends, Seattle demographics and Education as a focus issue area for Seattle Works. With each topic, a sub-group of board members did some reading prior to the retreat, then met with their group to debrief at the retreat and lead a group conversation on the topic.
3) update of our SWOT analysis – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Plus, a little bonding over a long lunch and sharing memories of where we each were in 1989, the year Seattle Works was founded. Kudos to Kathy for bringing her yearbook.
The board will continue to prep for 2010+ Strategic Plan over the next few months, leading up to a full weekend retreat in the spring where we finalizing things.
My conclusion: the board is smart, thoughtful and engaged. We’re in good hands.
- Tara
p.s. to see a full list of our board along with brief video bios, check out http://www.seattleworks.org/AboutUs/index.php/board.html
Thanks to the 30 folks who came to put their poker skills to the test in support of Seattle Works! We auctioned off spots to this tournament at Swank (our annual auction) and the tournament was Friday, November 6.
Additional thanks to Southwest Airlines and our friends Mike U, Rod C, Sup W and Dave E for contributing to the prize pool, as well as True Fabrications for ensuring everyone who played walked away with a wine-related accessory consolation prize.
BIG CONGRATS TO TOM R, who will be enjoying a trip to Vegas!
The Americorps launch on October 23rd at the Seattle Center was a way to bring together Americorps members from across the state of Washington. There was so much diversity in the crowd, who represented many different programs including CityYear, Washington Conservation Corps, Reading Corps, and of course, our very own Volunteer Centers of Washington. It was really great to see so many people, many of whom are not even from Washington (which includes Steph and myself!) who are willing to give so much time and energy to service in the community.
Over the years, I’ve watched major disasters unfold in the news. While I was glued to the TV, radio, and internet waiting for updates and trying to figure out what I could do to help those who lived so far away; in the back of my mind I was always grateful. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I was grateful that I didn’t live in a place that has regular incidents of hurricanes, tornado’s, or earthquakes. Part of me just couldn’t fathom why people would live in a place that was so dangerous.
At a recent disaster preparedness training put on by the Red Cross at an AmeriCorps event, I was reminded how wrong my thinking really was. Flooding, earthquakes, wildfires, earthquakes, volcanoes, drought, avalanches, severe storms, tsunamis, flu outbreaks, dam failures, nuclear plant failures- as for disasters, Washington is one of the few states that is pretty much susceptible to them all.
Once the reality that we actually live in a very dangerous place sunk in, the training reminded me that there are some very simple (and inexpensive) steps we can take to prepare ourselves. While there was a lot of really useful information at the training (and I highly encourage you to visit Red Cross Washington<http://www.redcrosswashington.org/index.htm> for more information), here are the top 10 CHEAP things I learned that you can do to prepare yourself for a disaster.
1. Disasters can, will, and do happen in Washington. Obviously some areas of Washington are more susceptible to certain disasters than others. Take some time to learn what disasters could potentially happen in your area.
2. Meet your neighbors. Such an easy thing to do and yet for many people such an easy thing not to do. Like many of my friends, I rely on Metro to get around- which means none of us have cars. In an emergency, is their a neighbor that has a car that would be willing to let you ride along? Is there someone to knock on your door if you live alone? Is there someone in your neighborhood that might need some extra assistance in the event of an emergency? Get out and meet the people, now.
