help_outline Skip to main content
HomeEmailingsEmail Archive
Date: 12/13/2021
Subject: NNN New Hire, December News + New Games/Coffee/Classes
From: Northwest Neighbors Network



In this issue:
NNN Welcomes our first employee - Danie Belfield-Vigh
Danie@NorthwestNeighborsNetwork.org
 
  • Fun stuff we did in November (walks, talks, and food)
  • Fun stuff for the coming months (games, coffee chats, music)
  • Special Programs (Tiny Habits - perfect to start your new year off!)

It's Official! Welcome NNN's first employee, Program Manager, Danie Belfield-Vigh

Danie brings 15 years experience as a non-profit leader, focused on community engagement. She spent several years as a director of volunteer programs at Meals on Wheels San Francisco, organizing community support around homebound seniors, allowing them to age with dignity in their own homes.

In this role, Danie also launched an internship and service-learning program, and enhanced the Good Neighbor Program, which combatted isolation with a volunteer neighbor-senior matching program, as well as through a program to supply senior neighbors with items and services (mini-refrigerators, microwaves, smoke alarms, heaters, home, yard and safety services, and a grocery shopper matching program). 

Danie also brings with her a strong passion for food and housing equity. She expanded the Meals on Wheels Grocery program, where seniors could obtain fresh weekly groceries, assembled by volunteers and delivered by a matched volunteer driver. She also supported hundreds of community nonprofit programs by managing the volunteer and community efforts of the hub of hundreds of daily volunteers that contributed in the entire process of food rescue; from farm, store, or tree to the person in need. Danie collaborated to expand the community hub efforts towards addressing and combatting homelessness experienced by a growing number of neighbors.
Danie B

Social Committee News - What Happened in November? What’s Coming Up?

NNN offered twenty-six (26) separate social activities in November. We’d love to see more of you trying out some of the activities. Don’t see something that interests you? Let us know and we’ll try to add something new to our social calendar!



Learning Together: Avoiding Technology Scams


On November 16th, Board member Dr. Robin Fleming and some of her UW Bothell School of Nursing students led a very informative discussion to help us learn how to recognize and avoid falling prey to technology scams. The 30 minute Zoom presentation was so very helpful and full of information! If you missed the presentation, you can watch it here  or by pasting this address into your web browser:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZLzRehyraI. Many thanks to Dr. Fleming and her students for their continuing support of NNN!


Speaking of Learning Together ~ Learn How to Take Control Over Your Life ~ 

Register NOW for the Tiny Habits Workshop! Space is Limited!

If you are sick of having goals that never seem to materialize or if you are tired of feeling disorganized, consider learning to create TINY HABITS. Join fellow NNN member and certified instructor of Tiny Habits, Cynthia Orr, as she leads us in this interactive workshop offered over Zoom. In 3 one hour sessions, Cynthia will teach you how to create your own TINY HABIT "recipes" as she provides coaching and support to make the changes you want. And you will have fun celebrating your successes!


Learn more by listening to Cynthia describe the workshop! Watch here or paste this address into your web browser: https://youtu.be/QeN_NvxMjKQ


This unique opportunity is open to NNN members and volunteers, and registration is required. Class size is limited to 10 participants. The class begins on January 28th, 2022. Register through our Events page by following this link or by sending an email to social@northwestneighborsnetwork.org.

 

Walking for Fun, Good Health & Friendly Chats!

Continued thanks to Margaret Houghtaling, Anne Guthrie and Sandy Moy for leading 17 walks in November. Walks take place rain or shine. Walk at your own pace for as long or short as you want! We only had to cancel one walk in November due to seriously heavy rain. Check out the Events page on our website to confirm if any times, days or locations have changed. 


Lunching Together

URGENT: We Need Suggestions for Lunch Spots and/or Hosts for 2022!  Have a lunch spot you love or are curious to try out? Please email social@northwestneighborsnetwork.org. Interested in helping us host lunches with others? We could use your help! It’s easy, and we’ll help you every step of the way. The best thing about being a host? YOU get to pick the restaurant and YOU get to meet everyone! If you’re willing and able to help, please contact social@northwestneighborsnetwork.org today! 

 

We enjoyed two lunches in November. Thanks to Marty Behnke for hosting our lunch at Claire’s Pantry in Edmonds and to Ro Berkley for arranging lunch at Jersey’s Great Food and Spirits. Members and volunteers appreciated the added boost of receiving $5.00 to help offset the cost of their meals, too!  


December lunch hosts are Don and darci Beacom. We met at the Family Pancake House in Edmonds on the 3rd. Our last lunch of the year will be at Third Place Commons, upper level. Select your lunch at one of the 3 restaurants inside the Commons: Honey Bear Bakery, Dumpling Generation, or Gyro Boss, or from one of the nearby restaurants/delis located in Town Square: Albertsons, Swirl Yogurt, Subway, Lake Forest Bar & Grill, or Mod Pizza. Look for us at a table on the upper level of the Commons. We’ll have our Northwest Neighbors Network table sign up. Members and volunteers will continue to receive $5.00 cash to help offset lunch costs.

 

NNN wishes a very Happy Birthday to our members and volunteers born in December: Bette Bell, Annie Bunten, Eileen Carter, Brian Harrington, Ellen Kester, Gretchen Munsey, Vince Ochs, Martha Orvis, Maggie Perme, Winifed Pristell, Virginia Sanchez, Kim Shogren, Kathy Silver, Liz Swanson, and Su Vathanaprida




Book Club


Seven members of the book club met as planned in November to discuss Still Life by Louise Penny. December’s book is The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd. Volunteer Eileen Carter is our book club host. The Zoom discussion is on December 27th from 1:00-3:00. Drop ins are welcome. Please visit the Events page or contact info@northeestneighborsnetwork.org for more information.


Monday afternoon Zoom Chats


We held 5 chats in November with 21 members and volunteers joining. Jerry Carriveau is our host. We have no set agenda, and we meet from 4:00-5:00 each Monday afternoon. Check out the Events page. No need to prepare!  We’re just friends talking with each other about whatever is on our minds. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2532372848?pwd=RmlBTUlCQWI1ZHpzZ2ExQ25ramRFUT09 



Calling all Volunteers! Join the Open Forum is Just for YOU!


Our next open forum is on Wednesday December 22, 2021 from 4:30-5:30 via Zoom. This is an informal Zoom forum only for current NNN volunteers to get to know each other while sharing volunteer experiences, asking and offering suggestions or ideas and learning what type of volunteer services seem to be most valued by our members. Grab a cup of coffee, tea, water - or come without. Let's have some fun and learn about our volunteer experiences! Click on the Zoom link to join. 


NEW Opportunities ~ Starting in December! 


GAMES WITH NNN: 

Join volunteer host Sharon Link on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at Third Place Commons in Lake Forest Park for GAMES WITH NNN AT THE COMMONS! We’ll meet twice a month in the afternoons from 1:00-3:00 starting on December 15th. We’ll have at least 2 games (board, cards, dice, Dominoes) to choose from each time. Bring your own games if you want to share. Don’t know the rules of a game? No worries! We’ll learn together.  


AFTERNOON COFFEE BREAK! 

Enjoy an afternoon break in the company of other NNN members on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month, starting on December 14th from 2:00-3:00. For our first meeting, let’s gather at Cafe Aroma in Shoreline. Join host NNN member Gini Paulsen (or one of our other volunteer hosts), grab your favorite beverage and maybe a small snack. We’re open to rotating venues for where we’ll meet, so bring your ideas and let’s plan!

 

 Free Seattle Wind Symphony Brass & Percussion Livestream Event: Dec. 15th at 7:30 p.m.
Seattle Wind Symphony
is proud to open their 2021-2022 concert season with a special mid-holiday broadcast/livestream performance featuring members of our Brass & Percussion sections. Join online on Dec. 15 at 7:30 pm! Copy and paste this link or type this address in your browser https://fb.me/e/TF5FdmPZ


November By The Numbers 

 

At the end of November, we had 163 people participating in NNN, adding six new members and six new volunteers

80 Full-service Members  

12  Social Members

71 Fully Vetted Volunteers (some of whom are also members)

 

In November, services continued to be a big focus for NNN.  Transportation accounted for 60%, while household help was 25%.  Visits, technical help, and home repairs filled out the last 15%.


253 237-2848