Stitches from the Heart: Covenant Shores’ residents donate handmade baby items to those in need

Stitches from the Heart members knit and crochet blankets, baby booties and other items to donate to Neighborhood Care Clinic in Seattle and Eastside Baby Corner in Issaquah.
Photo courtesy of Debbie Friend Haynes

Ask any parent and they can tell you: babies require a lot of stuff. In addition to bottles and diapers, there are booties, sweaters and blankets – just to name a few things.  Fortunately for new parents who may struggle in providing basic necessities to their children, there is a group of retirees willing to lend a hand.

Stitches from the Heart, a club comprised of residents at Covenant Shores, a faith-based, not-for-profit, continuing care retirement community administered by Covenant Retirement Communities, handcrafts one-of-a-kind baby hats, booties, sweaters and blankets for families in need.

Seahawk QB Russell Wilson is a Real Role Model - Not MIA But Supporting New Teammate Jimmy Graham in Miami

[caption id="attachment_10267" align="alignright" width="300"] SEATTLE, WA - APRIL 23: (L-R) Seattle Seahwaks players Jimmy Graham, Doug Baldwin and Russell Wilson speak on stage during We Day at KeyArena on April 23, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images)[/caption]

Russell Wilson is a role model.  A GREAT role model.

Today the NFC Champion and America's Favorite Team, Seattle Seahawks begin OTAs (organized team activities) and every day, every meeting, every chance to compete is 'super' important to Wilson and this team.  Despite this being an important start to an important run towards the 2015 NFL season, Russell Wilson chose to fly to Miami with new teammate (and future favorite target) Jimmy Graham to support him at services for Tamara Myerson who was Graham's longtime mentor and manager, as well as an important mother figure in his life.

Condolences to Graham and the Myerson family.

Kudos to Russell Wilson for knowing what is most important in life - people.

Unfortunately, the kids at Children's Hospital in Seattle may have to wait until next Tuesday for Wilson to return to his regular visitation schedule.

Experts Encourage Families in East King County to Bring Back the Sunday Dinner

Bob Megargel from Bellevue is on a mission to see more families share sit-down Sunday dinners with their senior loved ones. The reason? New research shows that 50 percent of surveyed families living near senior relatives feel they do not share enough meals with older loved ones, losing an important family connection.*

“For seniors, it’s not what’s on their plate that matters most at mealtime – it’s who is at the table with them,” said Megargel, owner of the local Home Instead Senior Care office serving Bellevue and East King County. “When seniors share meals with a companion, they have a better mealtime experience – both nutritionally and emotionally.”

Almost 75 percent of the people surveyed said they only sit down for a family meal with senior loved ones for special occasions, events or holidays. They say a big part of the problem is time – both not having enough of it and conflicting schedules.

To encourage families to make time for these meals, the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation will donate $1 to Meals on Wheels America (up to $20,000 total through July 31, 2015) for each person that commits to regularly scheduling family dinners at www.SundayDinnerPledge.com. Pledging to have a sit-down dinner with loved ones will help to ensure other seniors will have a quality meal, friendly visit and safety check delivered by Meals on Wheels programs across the country.

“We hope families will make the pledge to either revive or begin new mealtime traditions with their senior loved ones,” Megargel said. “This small commitment can have a big impact on a senior’s well-being.”

To help families across the country host their own Sunday dinner, Home Instead Senior Care has partnered with celebrity chef and mother of four Melissa d’Arabian to develop easy, nutritious recipes. Additional resources include tips for how to involve seniors in meal planning and preparation, pre- and post-dinner activities and meal plans for healthy, inexpensive meals that all generations can enjoy.

For these free resources and more information on how you can bring back the Sunday dinner and reconnect with your senior loved ones, visit www.SundayDinnerPledge.com, call Home Instead Senior Care at 425-454-9744, or visit www.homeinstead.com/130.

Neighborhood Grill’s and Lunchbox Laboratory team up for a Cinco de Mayo, Margarita Marathon, with a goal to raise $10,000 for The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance!

Neighborhood Grills & Lunchbox Laboratory are teaming up for a Margarita Marathon to raise money for The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Cinco de Mayo Weekend, May 1-5, 2015.

$1 from each featured Margarita sold at all Lunchbox Laboratory and Neighborhood Grill locations during this time will be donated to The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

“Giving back to our community is extremely important to us. Cancer affects so many people these days and we are incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing facility right in our backyard that is focused on prevention and treatment.  Our goal is to raise money and awareness for this great cause," said Director of Operations Joanne Poulias-Schmidt.

The margarita marathon is taking place at Lunchbox Laboratory in Bellevue, Seattle & Gig Harbor AND Eastlake Bar & Grill, Greenlake Bar & Grill, Lake Forest Bar & Grill, Bremerton Bar & Grill and Maple Valley Bar & Grill.

Neighborhood Grill’s and Lunchbox Laboratory are locally owned by John B. Schmidt and his partners.

  

Neighborhood Grill’s Current locations include:

Greenlake Bar & Grill: 7200 East Greenlake Drive North, Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 729-6179

Eastlake Bar & Grill:  2947 Eastlake Avenue East, Seattle, WA 98102  (206) 957-7777

Lake Forest Bar & Grill: 17535 Ballinger Way NE, Seattle, WA 98155 (206) 364-1261

Bremerton Bar & Grill: 190 Pacific Avenue Bremerton, WA 98337 (360) 627-8081

Maple Valley Bar & Grill: 23846 SE Kent Kangley Road, Maple Valley, WA 98038. 425. 358. 7210.

 

Lunchbox Laboratory locations include:

Bellevue: 989 112^th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 (425) 505-2676

South Lake Union: 1253 Thomas Street, Seattle, WA 98101 (206) 621.1090

Gig Harbor: 4901 Point Fosdick Drive NW in Gig Harbor, WA (253) 432-4061

Matthew LaTurner Honored by ATT for Community Service

Bellevue resident Matthew LaTurner is being honored for volunteering his time year-round to help build strong, connected and thriving communities.  As part of National Volunteerism Week, April 12-18, LaTurner received the prestigious President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA).

Matthew LaTurner, a Senior Principal Architect , is among 4,500 AT&T employees nationwide being named President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) winners.  The PVSA gives U.S. Presidential recognition to individuals who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to volunteer service each year.

LaTurner, is a father of two boys and spends hundreds of hours each year volunteering for the Boy Scouts of America, the local Boys and Girls Club and the AT&T Aspire mentoring academy. A Scout Master , he organizes weekly activities for boys 14 to 16 years old.

Once a month his Boy Scout troop takes on challenges like hiking up 9,000 feet on Mt. Rainier and building snow caves. He mentors high school students and talks with them about careers in technology and AT&T. Finally, he is a dedicated basketball and soccer coach for his sons and their teammates.

“I volunteer because I want to be a positive role model for people,” said LaTurner. “I have been blessed all of my life with wonderful men who helped me become a good husband and father. I want to pass that along and make a difference in the lives of these young men.”

“We are proud to celebrate AT&T employees who volunteer their time, talents and passions to make a difference in their communities,” said Bob Bass, president, AT&T Washington. “I am inspired and encouraged by our President’s Volunteer Service Award winners for this year, and want to say thanks to Matthew Laturner for the service he provides to his community every day.”

More than 50,000 hours of personal time was given by AT&T employees and retirees in Washington to community outreach activities last year – worth more than $1.1 million based on a financial equivalent of annual industry standards from Independent Sector.

PVSA is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and is administered by Points of Light. With a shared mission of inspiring more to answer the call to service, PVSA celebrates the impact we can all make in bettering our communities and our world. The award is available on an annual basis and is an honor that every American – from youth to seniors – can participate in and be recognized by our nation’s president for their dedication to volunteerism.

To be eligible to receive the award, AT&T submits a record of employees' annual volunteer service hours to be verified and considered eligible for the award.

Seattle Native Jimmy Louangsyyotha Serves with Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-122

A 2010 Renton High School graduate and Seattle native is currently serving with the U.S. Navy’s Strike Fighter Squadron 122, also known as the “Flying Eagles”, stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Jimmy Louangsyyotha is an avionics technician with the squadron, which the Navy designates as VFA-122, and works with the Navy’s most lethal and versatile strike fighter aircraft, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

“I work on communication, radar, and weapons systems on fighter jets,” said Louangsyyotha.

The Super Hornet takes off from and lands on Navy aircraft carriers and is capable of conducting air-to-air combat as well as air-to-surface combat. It is approximately 61 feet long, has a loaded weight of 51,000 lbs., and a max speed of 1,190 miles per hour.

Operating from the sea aboard aircraft carriers, the Super Hornet gives the Navy the power to protect America’s interests anywhere, at any time. The versatile jet has the ability to destroy targets located hundreds of miles inland, without the need to get another country’s permission to operate within its borders.

“I enjoy the camaraderie here at VFA-122,” said Louangsyyotha.

Louangsyyotha said he is proud of the work he is doing as part of the squadron’s 1140-member team, helping to protect America on the world’s oceans.

“My job is vital because we are the ‘eyes’, ‘ears’, and ‘fingers’ of the jets,” said Louangsyyotha.

Sailors’ jobs are highly varied in VFA-122. Approximately 220 officers, 660 enlisted and 260 civilian men and women make up and keep all parts of the squadron running smoothly — this includes everything from maintaining aircraft airframes and engines, to processing paperwork, handling weaponry, and flying the aircraft.

“The Sailors here are the epitome of a team,” said Cmdr. Ernie Spence, VFA-122’s commanding officer. “Everyone here is professional, skilled in their job, and they are great team players which enables us to accomplish our mission.”

The Flying Eagles are the Navy’s West Coast Fleet Replacement Squadron for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. They train aircrew and maintainers to prepare them to go to the fleet and join the squadrons that fly the Super Hornet. VFA-122 trained aircrews have flown combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve.

“The Navy gives me the opportunity to travel, work on jets, and build new friendships,” said Louangsyyotha.

Give Rides to Change Lives! Volunteers Needed!

[caption id="attachment_9918" align="alignright" width="300"] Geraldine Mensink and Linda Bauer are all smiles as they head off for a ride on a sunny day.[/caption]

87-year-old Geraldine Mensink does not know what she’d do without Volunteer Transportation.  When she decided it was time to give up her keys two years ago, the program saved her from feeling helpless and stuck.  She uses the service regularly to get to appointments and says, “I love all of the volunteer drivers!  They are wonderful.”

Since 1975, Senior Services’ Volunteer Transportation drivers have accumulated “miles and miles” of positive impact throughout King County.  Using their own vehicles, volunteers pick seniors up, take them to their doctors and drive them home again—offering valuable transportation with a personal touch.  Clients of the program often refer to them as their “heroes,” “guardian angels” or “life-savers.”  In a very tangible way, volunteer drivers make a difference in the lives of vulnerable members of our community.

Volunteer Transportation currently faces the grim reality that it cannot serve all seniors in need of rides to important medical care.  More volunteer drivers are needed!  If you have a reliable vehicle, a clean driving record and some weekday availability, this is the role for you.  Visit the program’s blog to read more of its stories; contact Hilary at (206) 748-7588 or hilaryc@seniorservices.org to find out more; or fill out an online volunteer driver application to sign-up.  Help more seniors like Geraldine get “on the road” to improved health and peace of mind!

Attend Attain Housing's FIGHTING HOMELESSNESS BENEFIT LUNCHEON at Westin Bellevue This Friday

Attend Attain Housing’s 6th Annual Fighting Homelessness Benefit Luncheon “Ignite Your Imagination”, with Guest Speaker Thach Nguyen, Author, Entrepreneur & Philanthropist.

Summit at Snoqualmie Pass Sales to Benefit Northwest Harvest This Cyber Monday

What: Today, Cyber Monday The Summit at Snoqualmie, located at Snoqualmie Pass, WA., will be donating funds to help fight hunger from season pass sales. In the spirit of the holidays The Summit will be donating $10 to Northwest Harvest for every single Big S Season Pass sold on December 1st, 2014. The Summit is also encouraging people who’ve already purchased a pass prior to Cyber Monday to contribute as well.

Who: The Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Resort for Northwest Harvest.

Why: To raise awareness and funds with The Summit at Snoqualmie’s skiers and snowboarders for Northwest Harvest’s fight against hunger, particularly now that the winter weather is in full effect.

When: Contribution period starts at 12:01am Monday, December 1, 2014 and continues through 11:59pm Monday, December 1, 2014

. The Summit will contribute $10 from every single season pass sold in this time-frame.

Where: The Summit at Snoqualmie’s website: www.summitatsnoqualmie.com/tickets-and-passes/season-passes. Season pass purchasers can also buy their pass in person at The Summit at Snoqualmie, Snoqualmie Pass at the Summit West Guest Services office from 9am to 5pm on Monday, December 1, 2014.

About Northwest Harvest: The mission of Northwest Harvest is to provide nutritious food to hungry people statewide in a manner that respects their dignity, while fighting to eliminate hunger. Our vision is ample nutritious food is available to everyone in Washington State.

‘Hope Starts Here’ Breakfast Benefits Bellevue’s LifeWire

As high-profile cases of domestic violence draw the attention of people across the country, Bellevue’s LifeWire is bringing local awareness and resources to the issue at its ‘Hope Starts Here’ breakfast on Thursday, October 2, 2014 in Bellevue. “We are at a pivotal moment within American culture in which domestic violence, so often a taboo subject, is being addressed on a national level,” said Barbara Langdon, LifeWire Executive Director. “America needs to know that domestic violence is an insidious crime and a national epidemic.”

Langdon cites recent cases involving NFL football player Ray Rice, and stunning video of him hitting his fiancée inside a casino elevator, knocking her out. NFL players Greg Hardy and Adrian Peterson have also been arrested in separate cases of abuse. Local women’s soccer player, Hope Solo, has pleaded ‘not guilty’ and is awaiting trial on charges that she assaulted her half-sister and 17 year old nephew. And newly crowned Miss America Kira Kazantsev, a domestic violence survivor, made headlines with her pageant platform of domestic violence awareness.

For 32 years, LifeWire has been addressing the complex issue of domestic violence. “Many of these victims call our helpline and walk through our doors in desperate need of help,” said Langdon. “Domestic violence and sexual assaults account for more than 200,000 visits to hospital emergency rooms across the country each year.” National police statistics show that nearly half of women murdered by their intimate partner had visited an emergency room within two years of the homicide.

Janine Latus, award-winning journalist and author of the book, If I Am Missing or Dead: A Sister’s Story of Love, Murder and Liberation, will deliver the keynote speech at the ‘Hope Starts Here’ breakfast. Latus will share her story of being in a series of abusive relationships for both her and her sister, Amy, which eventually ended in Amy’s death. The LifeWire breakfast will be held at Bellevue’s Meydenbauer Center on Thursday, October 2^nd. Jean Enersen of KING 5 News, will emcee the event. Register to attend at www.lifewire.org.

If you are reading this and need help, call LifeWire’s 24- Hour Helpline at 425-746-1940 or 1-800-827-8840.  If you are reading this and want to support our work send your check to:

 

LifeWire

P.O. Box 6398

Bellevue, WA  98008

Agilysys Donates Movie Tickets to Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Agilysys, Inc. a provider of innovative information technology and hospitality software and services, is donating 500 AMC movie tickets to Boys & Girls Clubs of America in conjunction with its rGuest ™ 'World Premiere' product launch, held during HITEC 2014 in Los Angeles.

Each time a HITEC attendee visited the Agilysys booth and viewed the rGuest demo, a movie ticket donation was made. The tickets will be distributed among Boys & Girls Clubs located in most of the U.S. locations where Agilysys maintains an office — Atlanta; Bellevue, Wash.; Las Vegas; and Santa Barbara, Calif.

"We are grateful to Agilysys for giving our kids a fun and memorable experience," said Carolyn Brown, executive director of Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara. "More than 60 percent of our members live at or below the poverty level, so it's a treat for them to see a movie in a real theater."

In the Las Vegas area, the movie tickets will be given to teen club members who helped raise approximately $20,000 for the organization by selling fireworks the week prior to the Fourth of July. "These dedicated young people worked very hard to raise money to help fund field trips, leadership events and programs for the coming year," said Ken Rubeli, chief executive officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada. "A night at the movies will be a great reward for them as well as a way to show our appreciation for their efforts."

"We are pleased to play a role in bringing happiness to some of the kids in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America," said Michael Buckham-White, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Agilysys. "We are especially gratified to work with an organization that does so much to promote the welfare of children and teens in need, giving them a helping hand and enabling them to reach their full potential. Through this donation, we affirm our corporate commitment to giving back to the communities where we live and work and encourage our employees to do the same."

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America have enabled young people in need to achieve great futures as productive and responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located throughout the country and on U.S. military installations worldwide, providing fun, friendship, caring adult mentors and high-impact youth development programs that emphasize academic success, healthy lifestyles, good character and citizenship. Boys & Girls Clubs of America is headquartered in Atlanta.

About Agilysys

Agilysys is a developer and marketer of proprietary enterprise software, services and solutions to the hospitality industry.

Peter Diamandis Launches Global Learning X-Prize!

I just got an e-newsletter from Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Planetary Resources, Peter Diamandis and feel the need to share it with our readers:

I'm writing to tell you about the boldest XPRIZE I've ever launched.

...and I want you involved.



There are nearly one billion illiterate people on Earth.

Two-thirds of them are women.

250 million of them are children.

These are kids who can't read, write or do basic math.

And there is a HUGE cost to society here: 250 million minds are going to waste.

We know from hard research that educated populations have lower growth rates, are more peaceful and add to the global economy.

The best way to create a more peaceful and prosperous world is to educate these kids.

But how?

To meet the demand of 250 million illiterate children would requiretraining over 1.6 million new teachers by 2015.

There is NO WAY to teach enough teachers and build enough schools.

The old way just doesn't scale.

It's time to stop thinking linearly...

So here's a solution. It's the MOST important XPRIZE we may ever launch.

It's called the $15M Global Learning XPRIZE.

We are challenging hundreds (perhaps thousands) of teams around the world to build a piece of software that can take a child fromilliteracy to reading, writing and numeracy in just 18 months.

Imagine such software preloaded onto every phone and every tablet.

Imagine software that incorporates A.I. as the facilitator -- providing on-demand, personalized knowledge and learning when and where it is needed.

This isn't designed to replace teachers. It's to create an educational solution where little or none exists.

If there was one tool to create a more peaceful and vibrant world, one tool to empower humanity, this would be it.

I want to URGE you to check out this XPRIZE and get involved.

Do you have kids? Nieces, nephews, younger siblings?

Would you like access to the most powerful learning software ever created for your local elementary school?

If you do, then get involved and get access. Please check it out here.

This may be the most important and bold issue I've ever attempted to tackle.

Join XPRIZE in this mission. Let's Change the World!

All the best,
Peter

Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue Receives Grant for Education Center

The C. Keith Birkenfeld Memorial Trust, managed by The Seattle Foundation, has pledged $500,000 to support the construction of the planned new downtown Club.

“We are thrilled to receive this generous grant”, said Kathy Haggart, President & CEO for Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue. “We know Mr. Birkenfeld was a teacher in Bellevue and involved in numerous civic efforts for more than 20 years. What a fantastic legacy to leave.”

Mr. Birkenfeld, a member of a Kitsap County pioneer family, passed away in 2005, leaving his substantial estate to be distributed through grants made annually to deserving non-profit organizations for the purpose of building a lasting impact on the communities they serve. His intent was to inspire others to give through his generosity. The Trust is designed to make grants annually, expending all funds within a twenty-year period. 2014 marks the ninth year of funding with a total of $8.1 million in grants made to date.

Specifically, the grant will be used to fund the Education Center in the new Club. It will be named the C. Keith Birkenfeld Learning Center, in recognition of this gift.

About Boys and Girls Clubs of Bellevue
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue was established in 1952. Currently the organization has 12 sites throughout the City of Bellevue and serves children 2 ½ - 19 years of age. Club programs include the Project Learn after-school program, structured recreation leagues, preschool, and teen specific programming. For the past 62 years, the Club has provided the young people in our community with something they need and want most - a safe environment where adults respect and listen to them, and where they can have fun! Our mission follows that of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.