Swedish Center News September 2011 Swedish Cultural Center
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Swedish Center News September 2011 Swedish Cultural Center . Seattle . Washington An Auction for the Ages ith our Wbuilding’s golden anniversary Our Mission this year, we’ve been looking back To promote better understanding to the era of skinny between the United States and ties, wide skirts, the Nordic countries, with and bomb shelters. emphasis on Sweden, and to We hope you’re perpetuate Nordic culture coming on Satur- and traditions through the day, Sept. 24, to our annual fund- teaching, observance, practice raising auction, and celebration of this culture “Seattle in the and its traditions. ’60s”—a party 50 years in the making. The Center’s annual auction is our biggest fundraiser Auction co-chairs Judy Cooper (above) and and our best Kelly Hughes (left) are preparing a celebration, fun-raiser of 2011! the likes of which you haven’t seen in 50 years. How can you Don’t miss the SCC’s most important fundraising help? We still need event of the year! fabulous items to such as ours, liquor sells like, well, hotcakes at our auction off—and pancake breakfast, and we can use as many bottles decorations too. of liquor and wine as our friends will donate! We Maybe you’ve got also need help decorating and setting out the items some tourist items for the auction during the week of Sept. 18. Call from the Seattle the office and let us know if you can help or if World’s Fair, or you have an item we can use. newspapers and What to wear? Either choose festive attire or magazines from the ’60s? A lava lamp or a dress in ’60s fashion. The fun begins with a free ’60s-era television or radio to loan us for the martini bar from 5 to 6 p.m., along with games and evening? We’ll gladly take what you donate for the silent auction. Chefs Ann-Margret Lightle and auctioning off, or borrow what you will loan us Malin Jonsson will create an authentic Swedish for decorating. And if you don’t have items from smörgåsbord. And Ingemar Palmqvist is coming the ’60s, how about some good wine—or that from Sweden to be our master of ceremonies. You bottle of liquor you picked up on the trip to may remember Ingemar for his famous IKEA slogan: Sweden that you’ve never opened? At an auction Continued on p. 3 swedishculturalcenter.org Swedish Cultural Center Executive Director’s Notes 1920 Dexter Avenue North Seattle, WA 98109 y now, you’ve learned the measures we’re has donated enough funds to keep us going. 206-283-1090 Club Business Btaking to find our way to the other side of Lucky, lucky us. But one person’s generosity is 206-283-1078 Rentals the financial forest of last year. 2010 was a year not a sustainable model. We have now reached 206-283-2970 FAX of increased expenses related to Sweden Week, the point where we need to either change the [email protected] the Crown Princess’s visit, and the turnover of ratio of our three-legged stool or ask others to [email protected] our Executive Director, etc., as well as de- rise up and support the club. On the staff side, www.swedishculturalcenter.org creased income from fundraising and rentals, we’re working hard to increase rentals by Office Hours assuredly the result of the economy. 2011, on employing exemplary customer service, seeking Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. the other hand, is a year of decreased expenses, wedding planner endorsements, aggressively Board of Directors particularly reduced salaries but also a myriad collecting our accounts receivable and Vice President Erik Pihl Treasurer Don Wahlquist of other cost-saving measures. We’re picking up showcasing the club in other promotions. On Secretary Carl Westerdahl every rock and looking underneath for savings. the member side, this leaves two choices: Past President Karl Larsson And savings we’ve made! New board members raising the dues or getting more donations. Directors Terry Anderson Bob Blair are helping us with our IT needs; Monday And that, obviously, is where you come in. Judy Nilsen Cooper volunteers process memberships; Friday Shall we increase our revenue from dues or Michael Edlund Jahn Hedberg volunteers handle our Happy Hour tasks that donations? No one wants to raise dues. One Sara Lightle staff might do otherwise. We’re also tightening reason for our club’s admirable growth is that Bud Saxberg Erik Sundholm up our accounts receivable from rentals and the dues are manageable for young singles as Laura Wideburg slashing our budget for various in-house well as retirees. Shall we expect more individu- Peter Wigren expenses—everything from light bulbs to toilet als to step up and donate? Yes, we think so. Center Operations paper. We’ve gone from monthly to quarterly Again, this is where you come in. We are Executive Director Kristine Leander Facilities Manager Kyle Feldman newsletters. And so on. And it’s working. asking all of our members to donate. We’re Financial Manager Debbie Smith But how did we get to the point of calling the campaign “We are the Swedish club.” Ladies Auxiliary needing this financial first aid and what We will announce it through letters, events, Chair June Anderson Evanoff happens next? This is where it’s etc. We think you’ll respond to our Vice Chair Jean Wirch helpful to stand back and take a challenge by donating to the club. Secretary Aina Oscarsson Treasurer Bonnie Orr long look at our club. Organiza- Seattle’s Swedish consul, Lars Sewing Jean Wirch tions that have buildings, such as Jonsson, has gotten into the Swedish Women’s Chorus the Swedish Cultural Center, swing of things by offering Geri Damm [email protected] Nordic Heritage Museum or the dinner at his home to everyone Svea Male Chorus Bob Reetz [email protected] Rainier Club, depend on most of who donates at least $1,000 to the their revenue coming from three club. Big donations in the thousands of Swedish Center News sources. Think of it as a three-legged stool: dollars are really, really important, but equally Editor: Kristine Leander Copy Editor: Martin Stillion one, membership dues and programs; two, important is the goal of a huge participation. In Swedish Center News (USPS 533- rentals, food and bar; and three, donations and fact, our goal is for 51 percent of our members 750) is published as part of yearly endowments. (Some organizations have a to respond and donate. membership dues at $12 per per- son, per year, by the Swedish fourth leg, grants. Thus far, getting a grant has We feel so strongly that we’re willing to Cultural Center, 1920 Dexter Ave. been difficult for our small organization to send a “We are the Swedish club” pin to N., Seattle, WA 98109-2795. Tele- accomplish.) The ratio among those three— everyone who donates by the end of the year. phone is 206-283-1090. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, Wash- membership dues, rentals and donations—may In the end, of course, a club is nothing ington. Postmaster: send address vary from organization to organization or from without its members. By seeking your partici- changes to Swedish Center News, 1920 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle, WA year to year, but mostly, this is where the pation in “We are the Swedish club,” we’re 98109-2795. money comes from. Unbeknownst to most of simply asking you to acknowledge an existing Deadline for material for you, the SCC has been the fortunate benefi- fact. Thank you for your donations. the next issue is Nov. 15. ciary of one person’s generosity, which has Bring articles into the office or fax upheld one leg of the stool for the past few KRISTINE LEANDER to 206-283-2970. You may also years. Since we started the strategic planning Executive Director, Swedish Cultural Center e-mail articles to [email protected]. that led to our explosive growth, one person [email protected] 2 september 2011 AUCTION Continued from p. 1 “Lifetime” basketball system “You don’t have to be rich, just smart”—which is true whether Nine-hole golf round for four you’re shopping at IKEA or bidding at our auction! If you lived One hour of college consulting through the ’60s, or if you just wish you had, you won’t want to One hour of pianist Tim Kennedy at your party miss “Seattle in the ’60s” on Sept. 24. Orrefors Residence Bowl Our Web site will soon start taking online registrations and Pearl and emerald pendant and chain payments—by the time you read this, we hope. If not, keep checking! Photo or ad of your choice on the front cover of the SCC newsletter Here’s a partial list of what you’ll be bidding on at the auction: Power Mat wireless charger Reserved parking for pancake Sundays for a year A day at the races for four Rick Steves “Get Ready to Travel” package A night of urban luxury at Hotel Ändra Ride the Ducks of Seattle AAA Classic Membership Rosa Ljung candelabra Admission for four to the Seattle Children’s Museum Round trip for two to Victoria, B.C., on the Victoria Clipper Admission for four to Washington State Historical Museum Set of Bing & Gröndahl dishes Ann-Margret’s princess torte Sit-down dinner for four at Casa Hermosa Antique evening purse Slow cooker Antique jewelry Swedish Volvo chauffeur to an event of your choice, or ride in Antique Swedish carpenter’s plane Ballard’s May 17 parade Art deco lamp Tant Ellys Kaffekalas Bathroom vanity Tickets to the Seattle Repertory Theatre Beehive gift certificate Tour of the historic Fremont Bridge Brother fax machine Tour of the award-winning Spokane Street swing bridge Cargo carrier Two antique chairs from the estate of Lars Warme Collection of seven Dalahäst (Dala horses) Two tickets to an ArtsWest mainstage performance Conair foot spa Two Jazz Extravaganza