April Directors Letter
First, I want to say Thank You to Valerie Stewart, for her hard work as the Veteran’s Seniors Human Services Levy Program Coordinator for the past 3 years. Val has helped to bring programs and resources to the Sno-Valley, Mt. Si, and Issaquah Senior Centers, that otherwise would not have happened.
Thanks to Val, SeaMar is going to each of those senior centers every week to bring Spanish Speaking programs where there haven’t been in the past, POCAAN is coming to Sno-Valley and Mt. Si twice a month, to offer free health care services, and Indian American Community Services was able to host there first in-person Chai and Chat groups, which saw over 15 people at Mt. Si and Sno-Valley.
Val’s ability to create relationships, especially within three entirely different senior centers will be missed. We wish her luck as she starts a new position on the peninsula!
I also want to congratulate Mindie Ribail for being chosen as one of Keep it Local Snoqualmie Valley Employees of the Quarter! Mindie consistently goes above and beyond in her role, and is being acknowledged for her kindness, patience, and work ethic, as well as the contributions she makes to the Sno-Valley Senior Center.
April is also Volunteer Appreciation Month, celebrating the impact volunteers have on our lives and encourages active volunteerism in generations to come. The work that Sno-Valley Senior Center does, and the impact we have on the community would not be possible without our volunteers!
With only 11 staff (including two Hyde Shuttle Drivers and one Chef) at Sno-Valley, the 140+ volunteers that help in all areas of the center are the reason why we are successful in our mission to cultivate a welcoming, inclusive gathering place that supports, inspires, and our Snoqualmie Valley community to lead healthy, enriched lives through participation in diverse programs.
In 2022 alone, 147 volunteers donated almost 11,000 hours of their time to making the Sno-Valley Senior Center the best it can be, which was recognized by the Snoqualmie Valley Record as “best Senior Facility” in the Valley! To celebrate our volunteers, we are hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Event on Wednesday, April 19 from 4:00-6:00pm. Drinks and dessert will be provided, and you are encouraged to bring a dish to share (no shame in store bought)! To RSVP, you can add your name to the list at the Front Desk or send an email to kendram@soundgenerations.org.
We have now had evening programming at the Sno-Valley Senior Center for 1 year, and we are so encouraged by the participation we’ve had. We are staffed Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings to offer the programs listed below (and we are always looking to add more!). I hope you will stop by to try something out, especially now that it’s staying lighter, later in the day.
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Current Events Meet-Up: Every other Monday from 4:00-6:00pm
- Zumba Gold: Every Monday at 6:30pm
- Functional Fitness with Laura: Tuesdays at 4:30pm
- Social Dance Class: Thursdays at 7pm
Various programs, such as basket making or chocolate making are occurring more often in the evening, check the calendar!
If you have comments, questions, or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me at kiraa@soundgenerations.org or 425-333-4152.
Kira Avery, Executive Director