Foundation Northwest Lends Helping Hand
The start of a new year is a time to examine our successes - and failures - of the previous year and then set goals for changed or improved behaviors during the new year.
In some ways, it might seem silly to pick one day of the year to set goals. But then again, it’s better to set goals on at least one day a year than not at all.
Not all goals are personal or even within our individual ability to reach. Many look to each new year with a hope for peace in the world, for the end of famine and the beginning of prosperity on a global basis.
We have high hopes that this will be the year that cures are found for cancer, AIDS, SIDS, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and all the other diseases that ravage humankind.
Naive? Perhaps.
But think of all the accomplishments throughout history that would never have been achieved if it weren’t for high and possibly naive goals and hopes.
Agency grants give hope: Foundation
Northwest, a community foundation serving the Inland Northwest, recently awarded more than $230,000 to various nonprofit agencies to help them reach their goals and hopes.
The grants, received by 15 social service and cultural agencies in the Inland Northwest, were made at the culmination of the first of two annual grant cycles.
Some groups that received a helping hand this year include Childbirth and Parenting Alone of Spokane and Community Action Center in Whitman County, the Spokane Council of Ecumenical Ministries, Camp P.E.A.C.E. and Hermosa Child Care of Pullman.
Others were Whitworth College, the Children’s Ark, Family Service Spokane, Single Parent Outreach Connection and Pioneer Square, a Catholic Charities senior housing program in Pullman.
The Children’s Alliance, the Spokane Food Bank and the YWCA of the Palouse also received help, along with KSPS-TV, the Kettle Falls Historical Center and the Spokane Symphony Orchestra.
In the 20 years that Foundation Northwest has made grants, more than $7.3 million has been distributed to the community.
“We are very excited about the grants we have made so far this year,” said Robert D. Fukai, chairman of Foundation Northwest. “The high caliber of grants this organization is making adds energy to the celebration of our 20th anniversary.”
A sparkle of wine gives hope: Center Pointe and Caterina Winery invite the public to help Center Pointe, a non-profit agency, reach its goals and hopes by attending An Evening with the Wine Maker on Jan. 21. The event begins at 6 p.m. at Center Pointe, N1408 Washington.
Center Pointe, formerly the Spokane Rehabilitation Center, offers classes and activities based on the principles of recreation therapy to people with disabilities who live in the greater Spokane area.
A five-course gourmet meal, accompanied by Caterina wines, will be served. Mike Scott, Caterina wine maker, will tell about the art of winemaking.
Formerly the Steven Thomas Livingstone Winery, Caterina is located in the historic Broadview Dairy building.
Tickets are $50 and seating is limited to 200. Reservations may be made by calling the center at 325-5451.
Union credited for Christmas party: Cancer<x Patient Care clients and their families enjoyed a holiday party at the Spokane Teachers Credit Union.
Hazel Gehrke, Cancer Patient Care’s receptionist, and union employees prepared a meal served by Gonzaga University Setons and union volunteers. The Mead High School drama department provided entertainment.
Coffee, donuts and Itron: Johnny Humphreys, president and chief executive officer of Itron Inc., will speak at Gonzaga University Dean’s Business Forum breakfast at 7:15 a.m. Thursday in the Jepson Center auditorium on the GU campus.
His topic will be “The Itron Story,” addressing several topics, including vertical marketing, being a change agent for customers and creation of a new market.
Itron began manufacturing hand-held utility meter-reading equipment that has evolved into the automatic meter-reading equipment.
Cost is $6 in advance, $8 at the door. For more information, call 328-4220, ext. 3402.
Native Americans explain dances: Plateau tribal traditions will be honored at a “Friendship Dance” on Saturday. Elders of the Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, Kalispel and other regional Plateau tribes will gather at the Masonic Temple, W1008 Riverside, to demonstrate and explain their tribes’ traditional dances and songs.
Lunch will be served from noon to 1:30 p.m., followed by dancing from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
The event, sponsored by the Cheney Cowles Museum and its American Indian Advisory Committee, is intended to provide a forum to pass on the Plateau’s cultural traditions to regional tribal youth and others.
At 7 Saturday night, traditional and contemporary expressions of regional tribal cultures will be staged in The Met.
Lawrence Aripa of the Coeur d’Alenes will tell his tribe’s story of Spokane Falls, Pauline Flett of the Spokane Tribe will sing in her native language and Jim Boyd of the Colville Tribe will sing his original contemporary songs expressing personal feelings relating to his people, his reservation and his hopes.
Both the Masonic Temple and The Met events are open to the public free of charge.
The day’s activities will be underwritten by grants from Foundation Northwest and The Joel E. Ferris Foundation, with support from the Washington Water Power Co. and Eastern Washington University’s American Indian Studies Program.
Academic drawing: The Cheney Cowles Museum will offer a class in “Academic Drawing” from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Jan. 14. Academic drawing - drawing likenesses of plaster busts - has been practiced since the mid-17th century.
Pauline Haas, a retired Whitworth College art professor, will teach the class, which is open to 15 students, from 9 years old to adult. There is no cost to museum members; nonmembers will be charged $3.
Preregistration and prepayment are required. To register, call Judy Grollmus beginning Tuesday at 456-3932.
‘Works of Heart’ auctioned: Reservations are being taken for the 10th Annual Cheney Cowles “Works of Heart” auction party on Feb. 4.
“Works of Heart” will feature 100 original works of art created and donated by artists who have previously exhibited at the museum.
The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with an hour of hors d’oeuvres, drinks and silent bidding, followed by a live auction and dinner. A dessert buffet at 9 p.m. will conclude the evening.
Tickets are $30 and only 200 are available. Reservations may be made by calling 456-3932 to charge with a credit card or by sending a check to “Works of Heart,” Cheney Cowles Museum, W2316 First, Spokane 99204.
All proceeds will go toward “The Jesus Corner” as part of the museum’s art acquisition fund. “The Jesus Corner” is a tableau by the late Ed Kienholz and his artist/ partner, Nancy Reddin Kienholz.
Women discuss health: It’s not too early to make reservations for the annual Holy Family Women’s Health Conference on Feb. 7-8 at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park.
Begun in 1968, the conference has sold out the past several years.
Connie Podesta, Jennifer James and Jackie Pflug will be this year’s keynote speakers.
At a dinner Feb. 7, Podesta will stage her one-act play, “Journey Through a Woman’s Life.”
James, whose advice column appears in The Spokesman-Review, will be breakfast speaker Feb. 8 on the topic, “Women: Our Past, Present and Future.”
Pflug will discuss “Choosing Your Road to Success” at the Feb. 8 lunch.
The conference will also include workshops by James, Podesta, Dr. Paul Quinnett and Margo Long.
For registration and more information, call 482-2477.