Our Staff
Director
Karen Sisson
Read the Director's Report
Administrative Assistant
Laurie Hastings
Activities Coordinator
Carol Johnston
Volunteer Coordinator
Margie Williamson
Enhance Wellness Social Worker
D'Vorah Kost
Site Coordinator
Gay Johansson
Foot Care Specialists
Wade Schwartz, Blanc’n Schwartz Beauty Shop in Kent
Stop-n-Shop Manager
Aylene Kandappu
2012 Senior Center of West Seattle Board
Current Board Members
- Colleen Barnes
- Inez Burt
- Lee Carte
- Twala Coggins
- Jane Conrad
- Burke Dykes
- Peter Gallagher
- Velma Johnston
- Rebecca King
- Roger Low
- Alan Mendelssohn
- Dave Robertson
- Helene Robertson
- Nancy Sorensen,
- Dorothy Streiff
- Patricia Throop
- Sandi Wilkinson
Director’s Report
Welcome 2012
We are looking forward to the many challenges 2012 will bring to us. Along with that budget tightening, we are also looking forward to doing all scratch meals for the kitchen this year. We will start as of February 2012. There will be no caterer that will be working with us, Gay will be buying and preparing all meals from our kitchen. This means we will be in charge of meal planning as well. We look forward to your suggestions, although I think we have a pretty good idea of the winners and the losers when it comes to menu planning. Any suggestions will be considered however, so don’t be shy.
Welcome to the 2012 Board
This year we would like to say thank you and good bye to Wairimu Kiambuthi who has served 2 years on our Board. Wairimu, we wish you well with your new teaching venture with Bellevue Community College. We appreciated your interest and input as a Board member of our Center.
At this time we welcome to our Board Peter Gallagher. Peter works for SASH here in Seattle. He loves his work with Seniors and assisting with their housing needs, and is looking forward to working with the board to further the services and goals of the Center.
Welcome Laurie Becharas to our staff.
Laurie has been hired to work in the homes of seniors that have been referred to the PEARLS Program. These are people identified on the COPES program, that have issues with some depression, where we can help them welcome a life of wellness by following steps that are agreeable by the client and counselor. We will be able to also carry a few clients that do not qualify for COPES as well, we will absorb the cost of these. This will be taken on a case by case basis. Laurie will also lead the Life’s Journey group on Mondays.
Gail Ann Photographer
Gail was here on November 18th to take photos of members and their animals if they wanted. There was Christmas cards also that could be ordered. What a fun day it was with the little doggies – and big doggies coming in and out to get their smiles embossed forever for their families. I also want to thank Norma for being our shining example of our Clientele, she was our model on TV with a 45 second ad on NW Cable News. Thank you Norma, you are our Star!
California room leased as of January
Due to the budget needing financial support that we are not currently getting, we will be leasing the California room to Sound Advice, which is currently located a block south of the Center. This business is a cell phone provider, and we feel we will have a win win relationship with them. The classes and services we have currently provided out of that facility will be relocated in other parts of the facility. Thank you for being understanding of this move to help our bottom line.
Non-Profit Senior Centers to possibly qualify for an Annual Liquor License.
Our Senior Center has been working with Sharon Nelson and Joe Fitzgibbon to write a new bill that would allow non profit Senior Centers to have an annual license to allow for all the fundraisers and activities we offer. The Senate bill is S-3217.
We are trying to attract the baby boomers into our Center, and with this, goes a glass of wine with dinner or the dance. Currently we can only have 12 events per year, which is not enough. All not for profits in the state will benefit from this. It will allow us to help ourselves.