From the RE (Religious Education) Scheduling Coordinator: Hi there! I’m Tracye Hirasawa. The RE Council is looking for more adult and youth volunteers. Youth are paid! If you are interested in becoming part of this very important team, please email me! We are hoping to have two RE rooms each Sunday, one for preschoolers and one for elementary-aged children. With a handful more adults, each adult will only need to help one Sunday every couple of months. Passing a background check is required. Training provided. Please let me know if you want to help or if you have any questions. Thank you! My email is tracyehirasawa11@gmail.com.
Thank you so very much for hosting yet another series of blood drives in September! We are thankful to you for opening your doors and sharing your space with the Woodinville community. Another three days of sleeves being rolled up in the name of saving lives! Below are the results of our collaboration, and we look forward to working together with you again.
Thank You for Your Support! You are always appreciated.
Blood Drive Results for: Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church
For the September 11-13, 2023 blood drive, you had a total of 115 people check in to donate blood, and 104 units were successfully collected. We welcomed 7 first-time-donors to Bloodworks Northwest – we hope it was a positive experience, and that they will consider giving again. And, looking further into the year, we already have 81 donors booked with appointments for your November 13-15 events!
The blood that was collected at your event will go to local hospitals, impacting and saving lives of patients throughout the Pacific Northwest. This blood is critical to maintain a stable blood supply for surgeries, medical emergencies, and for supporting patients battling life-threatening illnesses like leukemia and other cancers.
We thank all of the donors for taking time out of their day to give their gift of blood, and we thank you for the extra time and support you put into coordinating the logistics, that made the blood drive possible. On behalf of patients in our community’s hospitals, I wish to extend our thanks. Bloodworks Northwest is the primary supplier for over 90 hospitals in the Pacific Northwest.
We do this because, Someone’s Tomorrow Needs a Blood Donor Today! Check out the Bloodworks Northwest Blog for patient stories and more.
Those who donated at this blood drive will be eligible to give again in 56 Days!
Thank You,
Karen Chernotsky Community Engagement Liaison
Bloodworks Northwest 19723 Hwy. 99 #F Lynnwood, WA 98036 BloodworksNW.org
Summer is passing quickly and it’s time for us to gear up the Totes to Go program for the 23-24 school year!
Just to review, Totes to Go is a program that provides weekend food supplies for kids who are at risk of missing meals on the weekend, when school meals aren’t available. We collect food items for a month of weekends and deliver them to Maywood Hills Elementary. The school identifies the students who need support. We provide for fifteen students.
WUUC has generously supported Totes for many years. We collect food items in baskets located across from the church kitchen. We ask for donations of twelve types of non-perishable food. Donations can be made at any time. I send out a message explaining the last minute needs. Deliveries are made shortly before the first of the month.
This year, I’m promoting the idea of signing up for a regular monthly donation. For example, someone might agree to donate 30 granola bars each month. Amazon offers multi-packs of several items that we collect and may be hard to find. The price is often a bit better because you are buying more than a single item. You can even have them delivered on a monthly basis, which gives you a small discount. Many of our donors get supplies at Costco, and grocery stores carry most items as well. I would love to be able to plan on receiving a certain number of cans of tuna (or peaches, or ravioli…) each month. Then those of our donors who like variety in their contributions can fill in the rest.
Please let me know if you would like to make a particular donation each month. I can let you know which items are most helpful and be sure we don’t have overlapping orders.
Many thanks go to our donors, who have come through month after month. Many are anonymous; others identify themselves. Whoever you are, your contributions make a big difference! Hungry kids can’t learn well. We help prevent that.
Questions, comments and signups can be sent to Grace Simons or John Hartman, co-coordinators.
After the worship service on June 18th, we are having our Annual Congregational Meeting, where we will vote on the proposed 2023-24 budget and for the candidates for the elected positions on the Board of Trustees, Endowment Committee, and Nominating Committee. The members of the Nominating Committee are grateful the following members have agreed to serve on the following committees. We propose the following slate of candidates:
Board of Trustees Candidates
Azure “Blue” Forte
Nominated for Board, 3-year position
In 1977 Azure and her two young children found a spiritual home when first attending the UU Society of Amherst, MA. Many years that followed included serving as Facilitator of the Young Adult Group; Ministerial Search Committee member; Choir member; Minister’s Support Committee member and participant in the Earth-based Pagan Group. In connection to her professional work in Sociometry (the study of interpersonal relations) Azure gave sermons entitled, “A Microcosm of Peace,” and “What is Magic? Does it Really Exist?” With the collective talents of the high school youth group she organized, produced and directed a live production of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The nearby UU Rowe Camp and Conference Center included Azure’s leadership as a Certified Practitioner of Sociometry, Psychodrama and Group Psychotherapy for several week-long retreats.
2017 marks her geographic move from Amherst, MA to Woodinville, WA. The WUUC Choir became her first step, guided by WUUC’s unique Kimbrough Café, Auction, Rummage Sale and all the welcoming amazement. But WUUC’s work, to achieve Inclusion in both community and the wider world, touches the depth of Azure’s heartfelt study and purpose, “I am most honored to be nominated for a Board position. I want to engage in shared learning, creative ongoing discovery in the work of healthy community, and healthy inclusion of all individuals.” In 1977, the year Azure first attended a UU church, she also began employment in a small school for children suffering emotional distress. Her co-workers nick-named her Blue. A feeling of connection comes with the nickname, much appreciated by Blue.
Trina Roulet
Nominated for Board, 3-year position
“I moved into the area in 2008 and started attending WUUC that fall. My volunteer service with WUUC began with the kitchen Sunday coffee prep, after a few years I then joined the finance committee first as a general member and then co-chair and finally chair. I’ve also been involved with the BAG garden zones, adopting a zone. I still continue to garden in my zone and enjoy spending outdoor time at church. I am looking forward to continuing to volunteer and welcome the opportunity to join the Board.”
Kermit Sprang
Nominated for Board, 3-year position (second term)
Kermit has been a member of WUUC since 2017. Current church involvement: Board of Trustees (Treasurer); Building & Grounds Committee (co-chairman); Finance Committee; Tech Team (video); Choir.
Jeff Anderson
Nominated for Board, 1-year position
Jeff is a 62 year old fresh retiree who lives in Marysville and has lived in Snohomish County for 30 years with his wife Kim. He previously worked in the field of geographic information systems (GIS) as a “Digital Office Geographer” for Snohomish County, Sound Transit, and Community Transit. For the last five years he traversed the country commercially driving 18-wheeler semi-trucks as what he calls a “Mobile Transportation Geographer”. He’s been a UU in some form for about 20 years. He enjoys scuba diving and traveling and taking care of his home with his wife and their schipperke dog Cerci. Together, Kim and he have 4 grown children (a daughter, son, foster daughter, and Godson) that they stay connected to in the best way that they can.
Endowment Candidates
Carol Taylor
Nominated for Endowment Committee, 3-year position
Carol Taylor has been an active member at WUUC for 25 years. She has served as a nursery volunteer, RE teacher, RE committee member and chair, Board member and Secretary, Nominating committee member and chair, Stewardship committee member and chair, Social Justice team member, leader of workshops and discussion groups, and Designer/Builder of several versions of wuuc.org web site and newsletter. She brings management skills from a professional career in technology development, and fundraising experience from her work on previous pledge drives. “I believe it is important to have a continued progressive presence in our local community. I hope that WUUC can continue to be that place for as many people as possible for many years to come.”
Stephana Ditzler
Nominated for Endowment Committee, 3-year position
“I am Stephana Ditzler and am a charter member of WUUC. I have enjoyed many roles over the years. I joined the first choir our church had and am still a member. Other roles have included board president, membership committee chair, volunteer office administrator, and Golden Girls coordinator. Because I strongly believe in our church and what it stands for, I’m very happy to have been nominated for a position on the endowment committee and look forward to serving.”
Johnna Ebanks
Nominated for Endowment Committee, 1-year position
Johnna is a long time member of WUUC and beloved by all. Our committee failed to nab her bio in time for the newsletter.
Nominating Committee Candidates
Charlotte Benson
Nominated for Nominating Committee, 3-year position
Charlotte has been a member of WUUC for ten years. She steps up and helps where she is needed. She helps in the kitchen, with BAG, the auction and the rummage sale. The Nominating Committee is excited to have her join as Charlotte’s long time service in the kitchen means she knows everyone. 😀
– Grace Simons Photo of Rana helping unload our donations.
June is here and school will soon be out for the summer. The WUUC “Totes to Go” program is looking back on a very successful year! We provide food for 15 students at Maywood Elementary for weekends, when school meals are not available. Thanks to the many WUUCies who have donated to the program this year, and other years as well. Your generosity means that “our” kids don’t show up at school on Mondays hungry and less able to learn.
This year, we have provided over 600 servings of milk, juice, fruit, snacks, 1-dish meals, cereal and granola bars. (That’s 600 of each item!) We’ve also sent 300 sleeves of crackers, 150 cans of meat and fish, about 80 jars of peanut butter and 75 jars of mayonnaise. We’ve added in small treats for several holidays during the year. Wow! That’s a lot.
Totes to Go makes a big difference for kids and their families. Thank you for supporting it!
