News

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, celebrating the impact that volunteers have on our lives and encouraging 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 10 staff at Sno-Valley, the 235 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 uplifts our Snoqualmie Valley community to lead healthy, enriched lives through participation in diverse programs.

In 2025 alone, 235 volunteers contributed 14,516 hours of their time to making the Sno-Valley Senior Center the best it can be. To celebrate our volunteers, we are hosting a Champions of Service Volunteer Celebration on Tuesday, April 21 from 4:00-6:00pm. Taco bar, drinks, and desserts will be provided. RSVP at the Front Desk or send an email to kiraa@soundgenerations.org.

It’s Up to Us to make sure no senior in our community goes without a healthy, warm meal and that’s why our GiveBIG goal this year is to raise $15,000 in support of the Sno-Valley Senior Center daily lunch program, which will serve over 11,000 meals this year. Your donation will provide local seniors with nourishment, connection, and care, and thanks to the generous support of the Michael and Gina (Cambio) Fisette Charitable Trust, every dollar will be matched up to $7,500!

As we celebrate Older Americans Month and the theme to “Champion Your Health,” you can support the Snoqualmie Valley community by giving big(ger), starting on April 28 and culminating in 24 hours of giving on May 5! Give at the link: www.wagives.org/organization.snovalleyseniorcenter.

I want to say a big THANK YOU to our amazing Dinner & Dessert Auction crew. George and Denise curated and cooked a delicious Hawaiian-themed dinner. Dawn Board, our “Dessert Queen,” kept all the desserts organized and ready to be sold. And Jay Fiske stepped in to auctioneer this event for the first time. Special thanks to our event volunteers, bakers, and sponsor-Carol Kautz.

The big annual Plant Sale is coming up: May 1 & 2, with the First Picks Party on April 30. If you are looking to purchase sun or shade plant baskets or First Picks Party tickets, go to the back of the newsletter for the order form and a full page of Plant Sale Info!

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out at 425-333-4152 or email kiraa@soundgenerations.org.

Kira Avery, Executive Director

Spring is almost here, and with it comes better weather and some of the senior centers’ big events!

At the end of March, we’re hosting a delicious Spring Dinner & Dessert Auction on Saturday, March 28. Be sure to start thinking about what you’re going to bake, and get your tickets! Focus then turns to the Annual Plant Sale which will start with the First Picks Party on April 30, and then the popular Plant Sale on May 1 & 2.

More information is in this newsletter, and I hope to see you at both events.

In the next newsletter you will find our 2025 Gratitude Report, which includes a review of the year, where we ended financially, and a thank you to all of our sponsors, grant partners, and donors. Some of the most impactful donors to the Sno-Valley Senior Center continue to be our GEMs– those who Give Every Month. We have 52 households that donate every month, providing consistent funding that we can rely on to support, inspire, and uplift our community to lead healthy, enriched lives.

Why should you become a monthly donor? Our GEMs compound their impact with a consistent cash flow, which makes us a better, more efficient organization that is be more innovative and able to meet the needs of more people than ever.

We have 52 GEMs today, and our goal is to have 60 by the end of March. You can help us reach that goal! When asked why they give, one of our monthly donors said, “because I believe in the support and services the center provides to the senior community.”

 What can your monthly gift accomplish?
$100 provides 4 round-trip rides for seniors going to medical appointments, driven by a volunteer, every month.
$75 provides 15 hot, made-in-house lunches every month.
$50 covers the cost of hosting 2 free programs per month (ex. Movie & Popcorn, Armchair Travel).
$30 provides homebound seniors with 5 meals of nutritious food delivered to their door, each month.
$20 covers the cost for a senior to attend 2 classes per month (yoga, Zentangle, colored pencil basics).
$10 per month provides small supplies needed for our Home Sweet Home (minor home repair) program.

You’ll be receiving a letter this month with more information and a chance to give. Any amount makes a difference, and one-time gifts are also a wonderful way to support Sno-Valley Senior Center! If you start making a monthly pledge, we will send you a small gift, to show our gratitude for your support.

As a reminder, I’m available by phone, email or in-person to discuss questions, suggestions, or concerns. You can contact me at kiraa@soundgenerations.org or 425-333-4152, or stop by my office, as I’m most often here Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm.

Kira Avery, Executive Director

Thank you to everyone who attended the Annual Membership Meeting! As a member of the Sno-Valley Senior Center, this event each year is a chance for you to learn about accomplishments in the previous year, ask questions of the Board of Directors, and let us know what you want to see in the future.

In 2025 we saw the installation of new doors at our East and West entrances, automatic door openers installed in our upstairs restrooms, and a year of celebrating our 50^th Anniversary! To end the year, Re-in-Carnation Thrift Store completely reorganized their space, to make shopping easier and more fun. As a reminder, the store is 50% off on the first Wednesday of the month for members, and RIC is an essential fundraiser for the center, so all purchases and donations go right back to supporting our programs!

The March Newsletter will include our 2025 Gratitude Report, with more updates and information about how we ended the year financially. Due to uncertainty around funding and new sales tax implementation in 2025, we are expecting a deficit for the year, but great support from our donors, new grants coming through, and Re-in-Carnation Thrift Store increasing their revenue AGAIN, has kept the deficit small.

In 2026 we are looking forward to modernizing or replacing our elevator, installing a new dishwasher and refurbishing our ovens/ranges. We are also starting up a transition team as our partnership as it currently stands with Sound Generations comes to an end in the next several years. If you are interested in being a part of this team, please email kiraa@soundgenerations.org.

Thank you for being flexible as we navigate the addition of sales tax to many of our classes. One way you can support us in this change is to pay at the front desk with a card, check, or bring exact change. We remain committed to keeping our programs accessible and we are continuing to advocate with our representatives to exempt non-profits from ESSB 5814.

Do you want to be more involved at the Sno-Valley Senior Center, but can’t volunteer every week? We are looking for help at events like Rainbow Bingo, the Annual Plant Sale, Spaghetti Dinner, etc. These fundraisers provide crucial revenue to the senior center and it’s a fun way to help out for a few hours. The volunteer application for Sno-Valley Senior Center can be found on our website and at the front desk.

In the back of the newsletter, you can see that we are hosting the Spring Dinner & Dessert Auction on Saturday, March 28. If you are interested in volunteering at this event, please email kiraa@soundgenerations.org and be thinking about what desserts you’ll be bringing to be auctioned off.

As always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact me at kiraa@soundgenerations.org or 425-333-4152.

Kira Avery, Executive Director

Happy New Year! I hope you have had Happy Holidays and are looking forward to a fun and exciting year.

As we reflect on the past year and look forward to 2026, I’m encouraged to be sharing with you some of our accomplishments from the past year, and goals for the coming year.

• We currently have 506 members at the Sno-Valley Senior Center, almost 10% more than at this time last year.
• We saw over 26,300 instances of participation at the center, meaning 110 people per day are coming through our doors.
• We served over 10,500 made-in-house meals, averaging more than 44 meals per day.
• We delivered 2,293 frozen Meals on Wheels, helping local, homebound seniors and their families receive regular deliveries of nutritious food.
• 216 individual volunteers have given over 11,800 hours of their time.
• 1,419 individuals came through the Sno-Valley Senior Center for services or to participate in programs.

As we look ahead to 2026, our contract is almost finalized to modernize or replace our elevator thanks to the King County Community Development Block Grant. We are excited for this project, but also know that it will mean a lot of construction and possible center closures throughout the year. Thanks to a grant from the Boeing Employees Community Fund, we are also updating our kitchen to start the year!

The 2026 Board Ballot and nominated Board Member bios are included in this newsletter. Please return those ballots before our Annual Member meeting!

I hope you’ll join us for that meeting on Wednesday, January 28 at 12:30pm. At this meeting you’ll get to discuss with Board Members your priorities and questions for the Sno-Valley Senior Center, learn about the goals for 2026 and how we ended 2025. Be sure to sign-up for lunch at least a day in advance at 425-333-4152.

 Please Note: Due to changes under Washington State’s ESSB (Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill) 5814, certain programs are now considered “live presentations” and are subject to state sales tax. Sno-Valley Senior Center has been subsidizing this sales tax since October 1, 2025, however starting January 1, 2026, you will notice that most paid classes offered will be charged an 8.8% sales tax, and this will also include things like our membership and hall rentals. One way you can support us in this change is to pay at the front desk with a card or check, or bring exact change.

We remain committed to keeping our programs accessible and appreciate your understanding as we implement this change. We will also continue to advocate with our representatives to exempt non-profits from this bill.

Don’t forget! There is still time to make a tax-deductible donation to the senior center! We know that there are a lot of options when it comes to your year-end giving. By sending in your donation today, you’re connecting community members from across our wonderful valley to friendships, programs, and support they need to age well. You can also use the link to donate:

https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/gp_Riw?vid=1noku6

As a reminder, our Board of Directors meets every other month, and the meetings are open to the public. Our next meeting is Monday, January 5 at 5:30pm in the Senior Center Great Room.

As always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact me at kiraa@soundgenerations.org or 425-333-4152.

Kira Avery, Executive Director

Happy Holidays!

The holiday season is my favorite time of the year and I hope that you have a happy holiday season knowing that your support as members, donors, volunteers, sponsors, etc. makes the work of the Sno-Valley Senior Center possible!

As many of you know, Sno-Valley Senior Center has been affiliated with Sound Generations for 45 years, most of our time as an organization. After completing their strategic planning work over this past year, Sound Generations has made the decision that the three remaining senior centers partnered with them, Sno-Valley, Ballard, and Shoreline, will transition to full independence over the next 3 years.

Sno-Valley Senior Center is well positioned for this next chapter, with our own 501c3, a building we own, and a healthy financial reserve. There will be no immediate changes to our programs or operations, and Sound Generations has committed to supporting a thoughtful, gradual transition. If you have questions, I am happy to answer them, and if you are interested in joining our transition committee, please let me know.

Be looking for a Board Ballot to be mailed soon! A benefit of being a member of the Sno-Valley Senior Center is that you can vote on the new Board slate each year and vote on bylaws changes at the annual meeting. There are Board Bios included with the ballot for the 2 prospective members. I want to say THANK YOU to our current Board President, John Moore, who will be going off the Board at the end of the year. John stepped in to the role for his last year on the Board and has been a great advocate for the senior center throughout his entire 6 years of service.

I hope you’ll join us for the Annual Member Meeting on Thursday, January 28 at 12:30pm. At this meeting you’ll get to discuss with Board Members your priorities and questions for the Sno-Valley Senior Center, learn about goals for 2026, and how we ended 2025.

Right now, we are getting ready for the Annual Steak Dinner & Pie Auction and I want to say a big thank you to Dawn Board, Denise Crutchfield, George Englund, and Tom Bandy for making this event a success. Of course, so much thanks also goes out to all of the volunteers, attendees, and bakers!

We’ve kicked off our end-of-year giving campaign, celebrating 50 years of home, health, friendship, and peace of mind here in the Valley. As we enter the holiday season, I hope you’ll consider a gift to help us finish our 50th year strong.

GivingTuesday is December 2, and we’ve set a goal of raising $3,000 to support the fun, active, and engaging programs that so many older adults rely on. A gift of $50 for our 50th year is a powerful way to make an impact; and every dollar stays right here in our community.

You can give online at:
https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/fKEdwQ?vid=nqvby or return the donation envelope included in this newsletter. If December 2 slips by, don’t worry! Our end-of-year campaign continues through December 31. Thank you for helping us finish this milestone year strong.

As always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact me at kiraa@soundgenerations.org or 425-333-4152. As a reminder the center will be closed for the holidays from December 24 to January 4. We look forward to seeing you in the new year on January 5!

Kira Avery, Executive Director