An example from one of our Rock Stars, Thomas who asked his network to support Seattle Works during our annual campaign. It’s a good read!
The Ask, Year Three!
December 1, 2011
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is that time of year again: the air is cold, the lights are in the trees, and I come to you asking for money for Seattle Works. If you don’t need to hear more, here is the link to give: https://seattleworks.ejoinme.org/RockStar. I ask you to give an amount with which you are comfortable – no amount is too large or too small. For those of you who would like some convincing or would like to hear some more about Seattle Works, I invite you to read the following treatise.
Today marks the start of Seattle Work’s annual campaign and the 22nd year of Seattle Works building community in Seattle. It also marks one year since I joined the Board of Directors of Seattle Works. It has been a great and challenging year for Seattle Works. Our big yearly events went very well. Seattle Works Day was a success with over 1,200 volunteers spread across the city on a single day. Seattle Swank moved to a new venue and was infused with a new energy that already has folks excited for next year – in addition to bringing in more than $158,000 for Seattle Works. Our core volunteer programs – Hot Projects and Team Works – are helping folks get their hands dirty with organizations all over the region. From food banks to homeless shelters to schools to parks, Seattle Works volunteers completed hundreds of projects this year that allowed the organizations we serve to accomplish their fundamental missions. Our leadership training programs – the Bridge and Hands-On Leadership – are continuing to train emerging leaders in our community in board service and project management. Bridge alumni are sought by dozens of organizations across the region – anything from senior centers to street yoga organizations – for their knowledge of non-profit management and their leadership skills. Hands-On Leadership alumni are using their training to plan and execute service projects to assist organizations of their choosing. In short, we have had a busy and effective year.
On a personal note, it has been a great year for me as well. I have been more involved with Seattle Works this year than in any year past. In a sense, through serving on the board,
I have seen the Seattle Works sausage being made. Rather than being repulsed (as I think I would be by actual sausage), it has been an inspirational year. In addition to board service, our volunteer team has been chugging on strong. January 2012 will mark five years since the founding of the team. We have been all over the region this year but probably nowhere as impactful as PAWS in Lynnwood. PAWS is an animal shelter and, after our project there, two beautiful kittens went home with one of our teammates and an awesome black dog joined another of our team’s families. We are on course to have more animals than people on our team (which makes planning for team snacks far more difficult). It is a small but concrete example of how Seattle Works affects all of us as much as we affect the organizations we serve.
It is not all sunshine and puppies though. As you are aware, the economy is keeping everyone on their toes and Seattle Works is no exception. Some formerly reliable funding sources have gone away. Others have cut back. As such, our annual campaign has grown in importance – when the people who know Seattle Works give, it provides a reliable source of funding that is unlikely to go away and allows us to plan for our future endeavors with confidence and ambition. In this environment, our gifts to Seattle Works are more important that ever.
Seattle Works occupies a very special place in my life. Laura and I moved to Seattle a little over five years ago. As that anniversary passed earlier this year, I reflected on what that move has meant for us. One thing that struck me is that, with a few exceptions, almost everyone that I spend time with I either met through Seattle Works or we have served on Seattle Works projects together. I am an example of how Seattle Works takes someone, gets them involved, and puts them in a position to make their community a better place through service and leadership. I could not be more thankful or feel more indebted to Seattle Works. However, my story is not unique – this is just what Seattle Works does, over and over again.
So, I have written you a novel instead of an email. Sorry about that. I really appreciate you reading and, hopefully, giving to Seattle Works. Please give today. Here is the link again: https://seattleworks.ejoinme.org/RockStar.
Thank you very much,
Thomas
