The Megaphone - Seattle Milk Fund

The Megaphone
Winter 2013
SMF on the Front Burner!
FOUR TRUTHS ABOUT PASSION
By Cheri Zehner, SMF Member (Everett Nordstrom Circle)
Development Communications Committee Director
I’m an idiom-lover. At our last annual
luncheon I spoke about “putting a bug in
someone’s ear” about the Seattle Milk Fund.
Today, I’d like to remind everyone to keep
Seattle Milk Fund “on the front burner”.
What I mean by that is to always keep your
ears and mind open for opportunities to
network, reach out, pass on, pass out,
gather up, and collect for Seattle Milk Fund.
It is astounding how many resources our
members and volunteers have that support
this wonderful organization. We have had a
good year, exceeding our fundraising goals
in order to serve students and families.
However, we remain challenged with defining a business model in order to sustain and
mold SMF into a thriving and growing
organization.
This past spring the SMF Board of Trustees
engaged in strategic planning, using the
SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results ) method to clarify goals.
 Passion is The First Step to
Achievement – Your desire
determines your destiny. The
stronger your fire, the greater the
desire – and the greater the
potential.
Cheri Zehner, SMF Member and
Development/Communications
Committee Director
Board members whole-heartedly agreed
to more deeply serve students and families and to grow our organization.
It doesn’t take a lot of expertise or
talents to keep Seattle Milk Fund on the
front burner – just a little passion.
PASSION
MAKES
THE
IMPOSSIBLE
POSSIBLE – A person with great passion
and few skills always outperforms those
with great skills and no passion. (See
John Maxwell’s Four Truths About
Passion in the sidebar).
(Continued...)
SEE SMF PASSION ON PAGE 4
Grateful Grantees and Graduates
 Passion Increases Your
Willpower – If you want anything badly enough, you can find the willpower to achieve it. The only way
to have that kind of desire is to
develop passion.
 Passion Changes You – If you
follow your passion, you can’t help
becoming a more dedicated, productive person. In the end, your
passion will have more influence
than your personality.
 Passion Makes the Impossible
Possible – A leader with great
passion and few skills always
outperforms a leader with great
skills and no passion.
from The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a
Leader by John Maxwell
Contributed By: Mary Wymer, SMF Member (Jean H Shields Circle)
Circle Family Program Co-Chair
The many notes we receive from SMF
student grant recipients validate our mission of empowering families to achieve selfsufficiency. Personal contact with grantees
during the quarter greatly measures how
relieving financial stress in the lives of these
families enables them to focus on achieving
their educational goals.
As fall quarter draws to a close, it is a good
time to reflect on SMF’s Circle Family
Program (CFP) accomplishments. Our 11
committee members interviewed and approved 15 new enthusiastic and motivated
grant applicants for fall quarter.
Committee representatives play an
active role in SMF students’ success,
personally checking in with students
quarterly, and offering support and
encouragement. For some grantees,
we are their only outside support.
A typical day in the life of our students
involves so much more than attending
classes, studying, and completing
homework assignments. Factor in the
daily household chores, grocery shopping, meal preparation, and getting the
(Continued ...)
SEE ALUMNI SUCCESS - PAGE 3...
THANK YOU JAMIE CLAUSEN, SMF
MEMBER, FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING
VOLUNTEERISM IN COORDINATING OUR
THANKSGIVING BASKETS FOR
Seattle Milk Fund - Decreasing the Likelihood a Child Lives in Poverty
FAMILIES!
Page 1 of 6
EVENTS
Homecoming Touchdown!!
Contributed By: Debbie Geddes, SMF Member (Everett Nordstrom Circle)
Homecoming Table Captain Coordinator and Procurement Coordinator
The third annual Home-coming "Friend &
Fund Raising" event held in October at
Lynnwood Convention Center was a funfilled evening had by all. Guests and volunteers sported their favorite school's attire
while raising money for Seattle Milk Fund!
More than 300
participants, excited to open doors
to better jobs and
financial stability
for
low-income
families, helped
raise more than
$183,000, boosting
Homecoming’s success by
nearly
20%,
which was over
and above last
year’s successful 50% increase!
The evening began with a silent auction,
wine toss and complimentary photo booth.
As guests took their seats, they received a
warm welcome by
Emcee, John Curley.
Auctioneer
and
Curley rallied guests, kicking off our
live auction, and inspiring some of our
strongest
supporters
to
bid
Left t
or
thousands in support of HomecomJessic ight: SMF
Alum
a, SM
ing’s first mini live auction. Items
na/Sp
F Int
Carol
erim
eaker
included a Holland America Cruise;
E.D./P
Wolle
,
resid
an African Safari that enticed multiAuctio nberg, an
ent,
d Em
neer,
cee/
John
ple winning bids; Seahawk Suite
Curle
y
Tickets; elaborate dinners; and trips to
Montana and Mexico. Adding a live auction component to the evening brought
much fun to an already spectacular event!
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR
As Curley stepped aside for SMF Alumna,
HOMECOMING SPONSORS:
Jessica, to take the stage and share her
GM NAMEPLATE - PLATINUM SPONSOR
story, guests were moved toward Raising
UCONS, LLC - GOLD SPONSOR
their Paddles and contributing to what
SUPPORTING SPONSORS:
was our highest grossing Fund-A-Need,
C
HATEAU
STE MICHELLE, FRED MEYER,
with multiple gifts from our $5,200 level to
NADINE GIRON, ANNE AND W AYNE
$50. All in all, guests and volunteers conGITTINGER, KEY BANK FOUNDATION, BLAKE
tributed to our most successful HomecomAND MOLLY NORDSTROM, BRUCE AND
ing yet. THANK YOU!
JEANNIE NORDSTROM, CONNIE RUSSELL
AND LINDA W ILLIAMS
Save Homecoming’s Date: 10/19/2014
Read Jessica’s full story: here.
MEMBERS, DONORS, SUPPORTERS
A Special Kind of Philanthropy
Contributed By: Jennie Rogers, SMF Member (Jean H Shields Circle)
Homecoming Graphic Designer, Former SMF President
Enhancing our membership structure, this
year SMF opened our doors for business
partners to join us in erasing the financial
barriers that prevent struggling parents from
pursuing a college education. This spring,
Jennie Rogers, longtime SMF Member,
began introducing Seattle Milk Fund to National Frozen Foods (NFF), by way of her
niece and longtime NFF employee Debbie
Heriot.
Debbie, who quickly became our newest
cheerleader, enthusiastically encouraged her
team’s volunteerism and NFF’s corporate
support. Making things happen from the moment the relationship began, NFF’s corporate
partnership has been nothing short of outstanding. Debbie rallied NFF and staff to:

Commit 20 volunteer hours including 3
individuals for Homecoming and 9 for
CookieFest (already exceeded!)

Sponsor an "Apple Cup" competition;
(Result - 47 COMPLETE Thanksgiving Food Boxes for SMF families,
allowing our families to receive food
that would last way beyond Thanksgiving!)

Donate to Homecoming (not only
their contributions but together with
their vendors):(4 Seahawks Box
seats {bringing in $1,700}; 4 Mariners tickets ($228 value); Table Host
to 10 guests; and graphic design
work)

Purchase 17 Holiday Wreaths

Adopt an SMF family for Christmas
and set up a "Giving Tree"
Hopping on board quickly was SMF
Alumna and NFF employee, Lindsey
NFF’s Nancy Jones & Debbie Heriot, at
SMF’s Luncheon @ Seattle Yacht Club.
Miller. Spearheading their adopt-a-family
project, Lindsay has been right alongside
Debbie and other NFF staff, making this
partnership truly remarkable. Believing
wholeheartedly in giving back, and embodying the spirit of competition alongside
great management, NFF staff participate
100% in United Way’s annual campaign.
SMF is lucky to have NFF on board.
Contact: Heather@SeattleMilkFund.org for
information on Corporate Membership
Read more about NFF
To Make a Gift - Visit: www.seattlemilkfund.org
Page 2 of 6
COMMUNITY
Community Makes a Difference
By Heather Giron Fritts, SMF Development Director and SMF Member
For decades, SMF friends have found
unique and personal ways to fundraise for
SMF. In 2013, contributions came from
Corporate Member, GM Nameplate’s numerous onsite employee fundraisers, Seattle Athletic Club’s bike-a-thon, and Parker
Smith and Feek’s employees purchasing
over 40 wreaths.
Everett W Nordstrom Circle and
friends, at 50 North Restaurant for
their upcoming:
Collaboratively, our community decreases
the likelihood a child is raised in poverty
through these unique Volunteer Fundraisers. Helping to better the lives of our grantees, these partnerships provide access to
higher education and quality childcare.
SMF Guest Bartenders will earn donations
and "tips" for SMF and 10% of drinks sold
in the bar! Spread the word and bring your
friends along to join us for this fun evening,
to celebrate families and a new year!
An upcoming opportunity to participate in a
Volunteer Fundraiser is by joining hosts,
GUEST BARTENDER NIGHT
February 26, 2014
NO RESERVATIONS & FREE PARKING
(See Save the Date Below!)
NEED MORE ‘GUEST BARTENDER NIGHT’ INFO?
CONTACT DEBBIE GEDDES:
SPIZZA@AOL.COM OR 206.459.5856
ATTENDING VOLUNTEER FUNDRAISERS
OFFERS YOUR SUPPORT TO FAMILIES JUST
LIKE MANUEL’S!
FUN FACT: MANUEL’S CHILDREN ARE TRI-LINGUAL.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Alumni Success (continued from Cover)
The gratitude expressed by SMF students
is sincere:
Contributed By Mary Wymer
kids dressed and dropped at their childcare
facility or facilities, then picking them up
after classes are over for the day. Some
students rely on public transportation, and
many of our students also have part-time
jobs. With all this on their plates, our
students remain highly motivated and many
achieve academic recognition.
Our quarterly student success percentages
are always high. This most recent quarter,
89% of our students successfully completed their academic quarter, confirming
SMF’s significant role in attaining their
goals, one quarter at a time, by lessening
their financial burdens.
Serving on the CFP Committee is definitely
a win-win situation and an extremely
rewarding way to volunteer. Our goal is to
expand the program, adding additional
representatives and students. You can
help us accomplish this! Please give serious consideration to becoming a committee
member. For more information contact
SMF’s Christina Hannan at 206-526-7944
or Mary Wymer 206-546-0163.
“Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Wow,
the past year of my life has been full of so
many blessings. With the support of
Seattle Milk Fund I have gained the
education I longed for. I passed my state
board exam in October – it is official – I’m
an RN. I truly owe much of my success to
the fact that I knew my children had quality
childcare. Again, thank you for all of your
support...I look forward to a time that I will
be able to give back to SMF. My education
means so much to my family and sets a
good example for my children”
Bonnie, SMF Alumna
SAVE THE DATES!!!
February 26, 2014
Spring 2014
50 North Restaurant
(5001 25th Ave NE)
6:00 - 9:00 pm
Join Us at Guest Bartender Night!
May 17, 2014
SMF Annual Luncheon
at Washington Athletic Club
Give and Watch Your Gift Grow!
Learn About and Support SMF!
SAVE THE DATES...GIVE A GIFT...BE THE DIFFERENCE!
To Learn More - Visit: www.seattlemilkfund.org
Page 3 of 6
ALUMNI SUCCESS STORIES
Welcome Back Lindsay!
By Heather Giron Fritts, SMF Development Director and SMF Member
A California youngster, Lindsay’s family
included a young mother with a junior high
education, a father whose business degree
blossomed into 30 plus years with Haagen
Dazs, and five siblings, with Lindsay in the
middle.
Finding herself expecting at 17 and not
wanting to disappoint her father, Lindsay
followed her older sisters to Seattle. Migrating across two state borders, she was
young and expecting, yet truly unsure of
what to fully expect.
Moving in with her older sister Rebecca,
Lindsay quickly began planning her future.
Learning that in order to plan a future for
her and her child, and attend college with
any level of affordability, she had first to
achieve her resident status (a 2 year process).
Putting a date on her calendar, she quickly
found work, commuting via public transportation, two plus hours daily. By 2002 Lindsay had saved money, applied to North
SMF Passion
We have passion for the Seattle Milk Fund
mission. We make a tremendous impact in
parents’, children’s and families’ lives, not
for just a month or a quarter, but for years
to come.
Let your contacts know about your passion
for Seattle Milk Fund. You can’t start a fire
in your organization unless one is first burning in you. Let’s keep Seattle Milk Fund on
our front burner.
Seattle Community College (NSCC)
and found an apartment for her and her
daughter. Sharing her financial struggles with her enrollment counselor, she
was referred to Seattle Milk Fund. Reflecting on her interview with SMF, she
recalls a couple of ladies, that felt like
they were aunts and made the process
comfortable and easy. SMF covered
childcare and books for two years.
Although fulltime studies and single
parenthood progressively became more
challenging, throughout her schooling,
Lindsay chose to focus on the positive
aspects of life. Nearing the end of her
education, Lindsay chose to take a hiatus from school and through the help of
her sister’s assistance, Lindsay was
offered employment at Seattle’s National Frozen Foods.
Five years later, Lindsay has returned
to NSCC and successfully completed
her final credits toward her Associate’s
SMF Annual Luncheon
Sponsorships Available
Support SMF’s spring luncheon and
increase community awareness to the
great work we do. Advance volunteerism, as we thank our many wonderful
volunteers and acknowledge their dedication to Seattle Milk Fund’s successes!
Reaching families from cradle to college, SMF supports the whole education
spectrum, and helps to raise families
out of poverty.
SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE:
Premier Sponsor - $5,000
Platinum Sponsor - $3,000
Gold Sponsor - $2,000
Silver Sponsor - $1,000
For more information on Individual or
Corporate Sponsorships Contact:
Heather@SeattleMilkFund.org
Lindsay Miller, SMF Alumna,
with her family.
Degree. She plans to continue her education and is already giving back to her
community through both volunteerism
and philanthropy made possible with her
employer and their SMF Corporate
Membership.
Read Lindsay’s full story:
www.seattlemilkfund.org
Learn more about National Frozen
Foods SMF Membership: ‘A Special
Kind of Philanthropy, Page 2
SMF History Moment
Captured By: Heather Giron Fritts
1977 held SMF’s 3rd Dinner Auction,
and reflected the efforts of then Chairman, Joan Gerdes (Nona L Mackie Circle). Held in the NW Design Center’s
Atrium, both silent and ‘verbal’ bids were
made. The Atrium walls were lined with
white cloth covered tables holding bidding sheets and a silent auction with 185
items. “Oral bidding” started at 8:30 pm,
with James
Murphy, Seattle’s best
known professional auctioneer. Roger
Gerdes was masters of ceremony. 460
tickets were purchased and a beautiful
fur coat was raffled, bringing in $1,802
alone, with the event grossing just more
than $16,000. See how far we’ve come
with our Homecoming Touchdown
article, page 2.
Excerpt from 1907 History of Seattle
Milk Fund 1992.
Page 4 of 6
COOKIEFEST SUCCESS
Cookies, Cookies and More Cookies
By Heather Giron Fritts, SMF Development Director and SMF Member
Back by popular demand, CookieFest 2013 was a one stop cookie shop
this holiday season. By 9:00 am, we hit a record high with 130 customers in line. Surpassing our immediate past few years, by more than
20%, cookie lovers eagerly awaited Macy’s Stewart Street Room doors
to open.
And, with no surprise, our first shopper held his ‘first in line’ spot, once
again bringing with him family and friends. Between them, they left
cheerfully with dozens and dozens of cookies.
From the youngest to the eldest shopper, eagerness spread through
Macy’s as CookieFesters shopped. Many customers participating in the
festivities for years, some coming since they were children with their
folks, this year bringing with them friends, family and their own kiddos.
CookieFest has officially become a family and friend tradition!
Welcoming new bakers, including Shorewood Culinary Program and
Tom Douglas Catering, this year we also joined Macy’s in welcoming
Chef Johnny Iuzzini. One of the country’s most celebrated and innovative pastry chefs, Chef Johnny held a baking demo following the CookieFest shopping experience. Appearing on Top Chef as a guest judge
and numerous television appearances on The Today Show, The Martha
Stewart Show, and Today in NY among others, Chef Johnny was welcomed by nearly 100 guests as they observed his demonstration and
sampling of lime shortbread, salted fudge cookies and Johnny’s Sugar
Cookies. Tom Douglas Catering provided Chef Johnny’s Salted Fudge
Cookies for purchase by CookieFest customers as well.
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR BAKERS:
Alki Bakery, Arctic Club, Bothell High School Culinary
Arts, Chef Johnny Iuzzini, Columbia City Bakery, Grand
Hyatt Seattle, Hoffman’s Fine Pastries, Le Cordon Bleu
College of Culinary Arts in Seattle, Little Rae’s, Macy’s
Catering by Chef Toni, Morfey’s Cake Shop, Newport
High School Culinary Arts, On Safari Foods,
PCC Natural Market, Renton Tech College Professional
Baking Program, Schwartz Brothers Bakery, Seattle’s
Own Shortbread, Shorewood High Culinary Program,
Sugee’s Box Lunch, Tom Douglas Catering,
West Seattle High School ProStart and WOW Baking
Company!
Please frequent our supporters this holiday season
and beyond - your support helps them support us!
MACY’S FRANGO’S COOKIES RECIPE
OUR GIFT TO YOU - PROVIDED BY CHEF TONI
Ingredients:
All in all, our supporters came through in flying colors
to support Seattle Milk Fund and the families we reach.
Raising more than $19,000 through cookie and raffle
purchases, and in-kind contributions from our bakers
and Macy’s, we have once again hit a record high!
Thank you for the festive support.
See You Next CookieFest:
December 13, 2014






1 1/4 Cup
1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon
1/2 Cup
1/4 Cup
1/2 Cup



1
1 teaspoon
1 Box
Flour
Baking Soda
Salt (Optional)
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar
Buttery Flavored Crisco Shortening
(no substitutions)
Egg
Vanilla
Frango’s (Any Flavor)
(cut into 4 or 5 pieces each)
Instructions:
1.Cream together sugars and shortening.
2.Add egg, baking soda, salt, vanilla and flour.
3.Mix well, hand mix in Frango pieces.
4.Drop teaspoon size balls on non-stick cookie sheet.
5.Bake at 350° for 8—10 minutes.
6.Enjoy!
Seattle Milk Fund - Decreasing the Likelihood a Child Lives in Poverty
Page 5 of 6
SMF Welcomes New Executive Director
We are pleased to announce we have hired Inga Paige as our next Executive Director. Inga comes to
us with several years of Executive Director experience, at Tessera, Clothes for Kids Snohomish
County, and Northwest Infants Survival and SIDS Alliance. She has experience as well in development
and marketing. Inga will start on January 6th. Welcome aboard Inga!
www.seattlemilkfund.org
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