| Northwest Neighbors Network News March 2025 | As a community focused on providing support and social engagement, we enjoy sharing the latest news with our members, friends, families and community:
- Message from the President of the Board
- Member Profile
- What is Happening in NNN
- March Events & Gatherings
- News You Can Use by Rita G.
- NNN Events Calendar
- March Birthdays
- Thank you to our Community Business Sponsors
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As we strive to fulfill our mission and serve the needs of our community, the importance of our volunteers cannot be overstated. So, I want to dedicate this month’s message to our volunteers. Your passion, dedication, and hard work have enabled us to achieve remarkable milestones. This February, we celebrated our 6th anniversary of service - a testament to your enduring impact and the vitality of our community. | | |
From organizing and running events to providing one-on-one support, you embody the spirit of generosity and compassion. It is your contributions that enable us to make tangible differences in the lives of our community members.
We appreciate the vital role you serve, and in kind, we always strive to create an environment where each of you know you are valued and appreciated. Early in March, please be on the lookout for an opportunity to give us direct feedback about your experience as a volunteer and share your ideas with us so we can better serve you. You will receive a brief survey via email. I ask that you take a few moments to provide your input - it is important to us.
I have another request. This year, as we look towards helping more people, we are going to need more people like you! I encourage each of you to amplify your impact by engaging your friends, family, and colleagues to volunteer with us. Sharing your personal invitation and your positive experiences can inspire others to contribute their time and skills. Together we can address the growing needs of our community and have a broader reach into our neighborhoods.
Again, thank you for being the driving force and spirit of our organization. Your dedication is my inspiration.
|  | | | | Growing up on a farm in rural Indiana, five miles from the nearest town, Lee Gresko says, “Families were strict. I learned about respect and responsibility. I always colored within the lines.” Her thirst for adventure came later. Over the years, she has uprooted several times from places, relationships and jobs, moving ahead fearlessly when it was time for the next chapter.
After high school, she left Indiana for nursing school in Chicago. There she grew and worked for the next 17 years, also getting married, having a son, and then going through a divorce. At that point, seeking adventure, Lee and a friend threw darts at a map and decamped-children in tow-to Kalispell, Montana. |  | | Lee In Action During a Meeting Break | | |
Lee had an interesting 14 months there, but restlessness began to set in. Going back east was not an option, so she headed to what sounded like an interesting place-Seattle. She arrived in Seattle in 1981, broke and jobless. “As I was driving over Snoqualmie Pass, I knew I was home. My heart told me so.” Her nursing license took months to transfer over from Illinois. She worked at odd jobs to get by until she could return to her field of work. She has since worked in nursing, counseled those recovering from substance addictions, and in juvenile detention facilities.
At 43 years of age, she decided to ride motorcycles-just for a change. Her career officially ended in 2013 with retirement. Since then, she has filled her time with CERT, the Red Cross, community, social justice involvement, and a bit of reading and reflection.
A few years ago, at the age of 72, good sense set in. Lee decided to give up her motorcycle riding. But the loss of those wheels has not slowed her down. She remains as busy as the proverbial bee on a tomato patch. As a NNN Board member, Lee helps to onboard new members. She finds this task to be enjoyable and rewarding. She takes on many service requests from members with her typical zeal and passion.
Lee loves this place, it’s mountains, forests, rivers and oceans, and the people. She continues to espouse that there is so much to do and to learn in this brief span of life which we have been given. She firmly believes in the aging-in-home concept, and the value of NNN in our community, and looks ahead to the day when she will depend on the help of other NNN members. Personally, I don’t see that day arising anytime soon.
~By NNN Volunteer Jack Hagel
|  |  | Registration is now open for NNN’s Annual Celebration for Members & Volunteers which will be held Saturday, June 7th from 12:00 p.m. to 2 p.m. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Crista Senior Living, this year’s gathering will be a luncheon held in the dining room (The Grotto) at the Cristwood Park Community in Shoreline. Space is limited to the seating capacity in the dining room, and reservations are required for anyone who attends. Details about this year’s theme and menu will be shared soon.
To register, log in to the NNN website and then go to the event calendar for June where you can register and request transportation. Priority registration will be given to active NNN members, staff and volunteers. Guests may be able to attend, but their names will be placed on a waiting list until we know if space will be available. If you hope to bring a guest, please email Social@NorthwestNeighborsNetwork.org and ask to have your guest’s name and contact information added to the waitlist. If you need help registering or would like to volunteer to help us with this year’s celebration, please email Services@NorthwestNeighborsNetwork, call or text 253-237-2858.
|  | The NNN Social Committee has begun a pilot program to engage with members and volunteers by sending cards of encouragement, thoughtfulness, or just thinking of you. If you become aware of someone where a handmade, heartfelt card would be welcomed, please email Social@NorthwestNeighborsNetwork.org and let us know the name of the person and any details you can share of the circumstances, and we will prepare a card to send to them.
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Please join us! NNN members host a variety of events, gatherings and online chat groups. Throughout the month check out the website calendar for new or changed events as well as the monthly event descriptions/links. Click on this link to view our Events page. Note: NNN members may request transportation to any NNN hosted event. | |
Walk with Friends
Every Tuesday
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Terrace Creek Park
48th Ave W & 233rd St SW |
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Other Days & Venues
We would love to add more weekly or bi-weekly walks. If you are interested in helping do that, please let us know. |
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| NNN Lunch
Friday, March 14
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Shay's Restaurant & Lounge
15744 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98133 |
| NNN Lunch
Friday, March 28
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Dough Zone Restaurant
19702 Hwy 99,
Lynnwood, WA 98036 |
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| Coffee with Neighbors
Thursday, March 7
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Richmond Beach Coffee
1442 NW Richmond Beach Rd, Shoreline |
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Our volunteer lunch hosts request that you let us know you are planning on coming so they can let the restaurant know how many to anticipate. You can register online by going to the events calendar and clicking on the event. Or you can call/text 253-237-2848 or email Social@NorthwestNeighborsNetwork.org. | Games at Third Place Commons
Wednesdays, March 5 & March 19
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Upper Level, Third Place Commons
17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park
Join games enthusiasts and host Sharon L. for an afternoon of games and conversation. Bring a snack and beverage, or buy at the Commons, if you like to nibble while you play. Look for our NNN table sign. All are welcome. Just play for fun! Lots of choices and no cutthroat competition. |  | | Mahjong
Every Monday
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. (one hour latter on the 4th Monday)
Meeting location varies.
We are filling two, somethings three tables! Additional players are welcome.
Quiddler
Every Saturday
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
We meet in a NNN member's home. If interested in joining us, please let us know.
Games in Your Home or a Spot Near You?
Would you like to participate in games, but prefer not to travel, or not travel far? If you are interested in having one or more NNN members come to your place to play a specific game line Canasta, Cribbage, Mexican Train, etc., let us know and we will see if we can make that happen. Maybe even on a regular basis. Or if you are interested in playing in just a small group of 2-4 people, we might be able to match you up with a few others. | | Book Club
March 27
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
March read: Humankind by Rutger Bergman.
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| Conversations and Camaraderie
Every Tuesday
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Zoom (check the Events calendar for the link) |
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 |  | -The Shoreline Library is offering an in-person Microsoft Word Level 2 class on Monday, March 3 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Must have Level 1 proficiency. Registration required: https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/v2/events?q=computer%20class%20shoreline
-Operation Art to Heal is having a FREE painting event for veterans at the Mountlake Terrace Library on Thursday, Feb. 27 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event focuses on the use of arts as a therapeutic reprieve from post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.Materials are provided; a canvas, various sizes of paint brushes, acrylic paints, paint palettes, rinsing cups, paper towels, and an easel. The event will be taught by veteran Rebecca Murch. No artistic experience needed. For more information, contact Jim Armstrong at pnwvetassist@gmail.com.
-On Thursday, February 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Recology is hosting a pop-up location to drop off hard to recycle items for Shoreline residents. LIMITED quantities of hard to recycle items (listed below) may be dropped off at Shoreline City Hall 17500 Midvale Ave. N. Fluorescent bulbs, Textiles, Books, Electronics, Small appliances, Styrofoam, Small propane canisters. Item limits do apply and are listed here: https://www.recology.com/recology_news/recology-shoreline-store-update-july-pop-ups/ -
-Beginning March 1, Community Transit bus riders who are eligible for reduced fares will pay $1 instead of $1.25. Community Transit will also begin accepting the Subsidized Annual Pass program, which allows qualified participants to ride for free. People who are eligible for reduced fares include: those who have ORCA LIFT (income-based qualification), those 65 or older, those with disabilities, those who receive Medicare benefits. You must have an ORCA card to be able to pay the reduced fares. After March 1, the monthly pass will drop from $45 to $36.
-Enjoy a FREE in-person lecture on Wednesday, March 5 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Shoreline C.C. in the 9000 Pagoda Union Bldg.,(Room 9208) Quiet Dining Room. Presented by underwater archaeologist, Ana K. Celis, from Mexico. In a highly interconnected world, it is important to consider the history and values of the local communities where we travel. This lecture will present a grassroots approach to preserving the world's largest underwater cave systems and its connections with the natural and cultural heritage of the Yucatán Península (México). Parking is FREE and map of campus: https://www.shoreline.edu/map/campus-map.aspx Registration required: Click here.
-FREE Wisdom Cafe sessions are offered in-person on Thursdays from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Richmond Beach Library 19601 21st Ave NW, Shoreline. No registration required. These are ongoing and facilitated conversations about issues affecting all people as we grow. Reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities is available by request. Email access@kcls.org at least seven days before the event. The next session topics are: Caregiving-Yours, Mine, and Theirs, Thursday, March 13, Who Knows You, Thursday, April 10, Learning Across Generations, Thursday, May 8.
-Enjoy a FREE Art Journaling workshop on Thursday, March 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Heart Art Studio 22002 64th Ave. W suite 2B in Mountlake Terrace. You will create an individual page about any topic using simple collage and mixed media. All supplies are provided. The class is designed to provide a supportive environment to reflect, express, develop your creative voice and empower yourself. Registration required. https://www.heartartstudiowa.com/heart-soul-art-journaling
- Enjoy a look at the Edmonds Farmers Market, via a short video sponsored by the Edmonds Historical Museum. It includes an interview with one of our NNN members, Bette Bell, who founded the Farmers Market with her late husband Fred. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n52ipVaCeY The winter market will be open from 10 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 29 and April 26. It’s located on 5th Ave. N,. between Main St. and Bell St. Summer hours will resume every Saturday, beginning May 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-FREE introduction to self-care exercises using the Breema principles of harmony will be taught by Erde Sun. Class will be held at the Shoreline Lake Forest Park Senior Center in the Wellness Studio on Monday, March 31 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. These gentle, nurturing and energizing self-care exercises can bring balance to the body, vitality to the mind and cultivate connection to the heart.Exercises can be done sitting or standing. Registration closes one week prior to class start date. Please call the Reception Desk to register (206) 365-1536.
-The Power of Deep Rest can benefit our physical and mental health. A UC San Francisco-based team led by Alexandra Crosswell, PhD, and Elissa Epel, PhD, has woven together their own research for an understanding about how we can shift our nervous system from stress to deep rest.https://magazine.ucsf.edu/power-deep-rest
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Want to see if something’s been added or changed before you lock in your plans?
We encourage you to visit our website at www.NorthwestNeighborsNetwork.org. Our main page has a side column that includes NNN planned activities for each day and coming weeks. You can also find a month at a glance calendar of upcoming activities by visiting the Events tab on our website. To view the Events calendar, click on this (or type this address into your web browser) https://northwestneighborsnetwork.org/content.aspx?page_id=4001&club_id=571198. Here’s an ‘at a glance’ calendar for planned events in January as of the time of this publication. Hint: It’s easier to review when you look at it on the website from your computer or Smartphone.
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Join us in wishing our NNN members and volunteers born in March a very happy birthday month! We hope each of you finds something that makes you smile, as we smile with you.
Happy Birthday to:
Mikel A., Pam B., Jerry C., Patti C., Shannon C., Susan C., Samarth D., Anil D. Barbara D., Louise E., Ellen F., Jan F., Pat G., Jack H., Jean H., Rich J., Michael L, Sharon L., Janet L., Laura L., Chingshu M., Nona M., Hing-Kwan M., Barbara M., Amanda M., Melinda N., Ritika P., Gini P., Cindy R., Hollie R., Claudia S., Ruth S., Hosung S., Jackie S., Gloria S-M, Pat T., Abdulrab T., Reyn U., Ken W., Emily W., Nancy Y.
| We are grateful to our Sponsors for their support to help sustain and expand our organizational efforts to meet the community need. | |
Marella is a Senior Real Estate Specialist, Windermere Real Estate. Visit https://marellashomes.com/ Call: 206-914-9989 or Email: m.alejandrino@windermere.com
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Interested in Becoming a NNN Community Business Sponsor? Learn more Here. Email: info@northwestneighborsnetwork.org or call 253-237-2848 to leave a message.
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