Directors letter – December 2022
Exciting news! The Sno-Valley Senior Center Board approved Kira Avery to be the next Director of the Senior Center starting January 2023! Congratulations to Kira!
I will continue as Director Emeritus half time (20 hours per week until June 2023 when I will retire.) I will focus on seeing the senior housing to its closing hopefully this spring and will assist Kira with fundraising and grant writing.
We are also very excited to hire Eve Chasengnou as our new chef! Eve grew up in Carnation and is part of the local Hmong farming community. She volunteered in the kitchen with Jennifer. Jennifer encouraged her to apply for the job when she saw what a great volunteer Eve was.
Chef Eve said “I’m a native of the Pacific Northwest. Grew up in the town of Carnation, and graduated from WSU. Lived and worked in Asia until recently (still can’t speak any Asian languages proficiently). Some of my favorite hobbies include cooking, gardening, flower arranging, reading, and pc gaming. I am looking forward to this opportunity and hope to create a welcoming dining hall for all the warriors of life who walk through (can’t wait to hear all your battle stories by the hearth with a bowl of hot soup!).” Welcome Eve! We already love your cooking!
Let me also introduce you to our board candidates which you will have the chance to vote on this month. Please return your ballot by the end of December!
Many of you already know Nancy Gass as she comes to the Senior Center to provide pro bono legal counsel each month. She is located downtown Carnation at Tolt Legal Services. Nancy comes with a diverse background. She started in the US Forest Service, then became a CPA, then a software developer writing a professional tax preparation software. She
graduated from UW Law School with a Masters in Tax Law. Nancy is deeply involved in the community and is a board member with the Carnation Chamber of Commerce. We are thrilled she is providing her expertise to the senior center.
Carole Teshima is our other board candidate and a senior center volunteer! Carole is recently retired from WWU (Western Washington University) where she managed a complex building remodel. She also managed large events and a scholarship program. She has served on many boards and has curated museum exhibits. Carole is new to the Snoqualmie Valley, formerly a longtime resident of Whatcom County. She is an avid reader, knitter and has an interest in local history and her Japanese American roots. She enjoys the Handwork and Brain Fitness classes at the senior center. We are excited she is providing her experience in event management to the board!
Gift Ideas: Christmas is coming! The senior center can provide the gift of experiences! Please consider buying a membership for a friend – $60 for an individual or $75 for a couple or family. (For December only, you can get $5 off the memberships price!) Also, consider buying the gift of health with a gift certificate to a fitness class or reflexology appointment. Or buy a meal card for someone for $50 for 10 meals. You will empower yourself, your family and friends to lead a healthy, enriched life through the programs at the Sno-Valley Senior Center. We also have Re-in-Carnation Gift Certificates available for purchase!
Thanks for being part of this wonderful family of people. If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to contact me or Kira at anytime at Lisay@soundgenerations.org or KiraA@soundgenerations.org or call 425-333-4152.
Lisa Yeager, Director Emeritus