HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Sustainable West Seattle celebrates 10 years

It’s been 10 years since Sustainable West Seattle launched (found this in our archives!) and the group is getting ready for the next decade. SWS sent the following update after its annual meeting and election of new board members:

Sustainable West Seattle’s new board is set to tackle projects in 2017!

On February 27th, Sustainable West Seattle held its Annual Meeting at the Senior Center of West Seattle. The membership elected a new board, discussed the focal points and alliances for 2017, and celebrated the 10-year anniversary of Sustainable West Seattle, SWS.

Stu Hennessey, Sustainable West Seattle’s new president, suggested that members no longer be required to pay annual dues, which was approved. SWS is transitioning to an open-membership policy and is currently considering all persons who participate in SWS meetings to be members of the organization. Tax-deductible donations to Sustainable West Seattle are appreciated and help fund operational expenses and events like Green Life at West Seattle Summer Fest.

The new board has hit the ground running and is currently working on a spring newsletter and the Green Life festival lineup (2017 schedule coming soon!). The strategic goals for 2017 have largely been set. The Green Life Festival, the transition to open membership, communication (via newsletter, website, and social media), and getting members involved in on-going projects and events, are in the focus of this year’s board. SWS’s mission is to educate, create and advocate for urban sustainability in our local community. It does so in cooperation with allies such as the West Seattle Timebank, the West Seattle Tool Library, Tox-ick.org, Community Orchard of West Seattle, Hate-Free Delridge, West Seattle Bike Connections, DIY Bikes, and West Seattle Meaningful Movies.

This is Sustainable West Seattle’s new board:

Amanda Goodwin
Position: Secretary

Amanda has been on the board of Sustainable West Seattle previously for 3 years from 2010-2012. Amanda is a dancer and choreographer and has collaborated to create a multi-disciplinary art project called Illuminatio. She is a certified Spanish translator and interpreter and has translated Illuminatio from its original Spanish (originally titled Illuminatio: Yo soy.) She also translated the stormwater presentation of Tox-ick.org into Spanish. She has taught ballet and Spanish to children. As a mother, she cares intensely about healthy living conditions, now and in the future.

Jon Grant
Position: Treasurer

Jon is a 11-year resident of West Seattle and has been volunteering for Sustainable West Seattle for most of that time. Jon is looking forward to working on the exciting projects SWS has coming up and maintaining SWS’s web presence.

Stu Hennessey
Position: President

Longtime West Seattle neighbor, lifetime Seattle resident, and Seattle native! Growing up surrounded by trees, mountains and seas, the instinctive feeling of being one with nature will never leave my consciousness. I am on the core group of several Sustainable West Seattle endeavors. Carbon-free transportation associated with West Seattle Spokespeople and DIY Bikes as well as growing food locally at COWS are my passions and commitments to a healthier and happier community. My day job is the owner of Alki Bike and Board in the Admiral District. Typical of a gardener/farmer, I like to plant seeds of change in our community, and watch them grow.

Hildegard Nichols
Position: Board member, Social Media

A resident of West Seattle for the last 10 years, Hildegard studied political economics and journalism in Mainz, Germany. She worked for many years as a free-lance journalist for public TV stations, mostly in Berlin, focusing on economy and ecology, with a special interest in rivers. Hildegard has been active in the Green Party of Seattle and looks forward to help her friends at Sustainable West Seattle get the message across, through social media.

Ibrahim Osman (no photo provided)
Position: Board – Graphic Artist

I am Ibrahim Osman, a Somali-American design student who has lived in West Seattle for 2 years. The idea of sustainability to me is pretty new, it’s not something I really thought about before. By joining Sustainable West Seattle, I hope to gain a lot of knowledge on what that means and grow in the process. I also hope to help out SWS with the skillset that I have.

Watch sustainablewestseattle.org for word of upcoming meetings and SWS projects to get involved with!

2 Replies to "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Sustainable West Seattle celebrates 10 years"

  • Kathy March 19, 2017 (11:55 pm)

    Congratulations and kudos to all the wonderful Sustainable West Seattle volunteers. Sorry I missed your party  on the 27th I was “snowed in”.

  • AlkiStu March 20, 2017 (3:40 pm)

    In a society that is producing harder and more selfish hearts the gathering of communities for the greater good is like a softening massage. The hope that we as individuals feel after being involved with community, friends and efforts for a better place gives us the energy todo more.

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