Director's Message - April 2024

by Dave Tosch
Executive Director

Spring is finally here!

We have raised well over $100,000 locally for our building fund and have made a great leap forward toward our $400,000 goal for matching funds. As stated previously, matching funds are needed in order to qualify for state and federal funding. We are developing plans for additional building fundraising events over the next several months.

In the meantime, as promised, there will be another crab feed this year. On Saturday, June 15 at 6 p.m. one of our biggest events of the year returns
and tickets ($70) are now available. Stop by the reception desk or call 509-662-7036 to get your tickets. For those of you who have never attended, it is an all-you-can-eat Dungeness crab feast. There will be menu alternatives for those who prefer not to eat crab. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. We will have seating for up to 200 guests and tables may be reserved for groups of eight on a first come, first served basis. I strongly recommend you get your tickets early as we will sell out quickly. We have heard that the commercial crabbing season this year has been excellent, and we’re prepared to take advantage of it. Proceeds from this event will be designated for operating funds for the senior center.

​Members have been asking about having another event for shredding sensitive paper documents. Once again this year, Norma Jean Jessup with Berkshire Hathaway | Jessup Real Estate is hosting a shredding event at her business location in East Wenatchee. This event is scheduled for Saturday, April 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot located at the corner of Eastmont Avenue and Grant Road. Do not attempt to drop off documents outside of the scheduled hours. We thank Norma for the advance notice so we can get the word out to our members.

Our annual meeting and election is scheduled for Wednesday, June 19 at 1:30 p.m. in the Social Hall. Our Nominating Committee will accept applications for board membership through Friday, May 10. This year, we are accepting nominations for two board positions expiring at the end of June. The 2nd Vice Chair and Director A positions will be voted on. If you are interested in serving in one of these positions, please pick up an application packet at the reception desk.

Once again, it’s time to vote for the “World’s Best Thrift Store.” This will be our seventh year competing and thanks to you, we have won each year! It’s a great way to promote our Second Chance Thrift Shop and we obviously want to extend our winning track record. Voting begins April 17 and ends April 28. To do this, go to wenatcheeworld.com/contests/worldsbest, click on “Retail & Shopping” and then scroll down to “Thrift Store.” There is also a QR code on the front of the printed version of our Livewire newsletter. You may vote one time per day so make sure you return each day to cast your vote. After all, we all know that we do have the best Thrift Store so we should take credit for it. Please vote!

Karin Lenard, our AmeriCorps volunteer, is available during lunch to answer quick tech questions.

In the previous paragraph, I mentioned scanning a QR code to vote for our Thrift Store. Don’t know what a QR code is or how it works? Come to lunch and Karin Lenard, our AmeriCorps member, can help you learn more about your smartphone. Karin has also been calling our membership to update our records, especially asking about email addresses so we can better communicate with our members.

Speaking of smartphones, Bob Clarke will return this month on April 9 and 10, in Suite B, with his classes on using mobile devices. Bob’s classes have become the most popular educational activities we offer. If you plan on attending, make sure you contact the reception desk and provide your name and the type of device you will bring (iPhone or Android). Doing so will help the classes go much smoother. There is a limit of 20 people for each iPhone and Android class. 

We have partnered with the Wenatchee Sunrise Rotary Club to help them sell raffle tickets for their Road Apple Roulette fundraising event
during this year’s Apple Blossom Festival Grand Parade. Tickets are $5 and available at our reception desk or at the festival office (2 S. Chelan Ave.). This event has become well known in our community but many people haven’t known how or where to purchase the tickets. We thought we could help and also raise extra money for the senior center. The grand prize is worth $10,000 along with four $500 prizes. What is the Road Apple Roulette event? For more information, go to the Wenatchee Sunrise Rotary Club website at wenatcheesunriserotary.org and click on “Road Apple Roulette." The bulk of the proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Rotary Discover Scholars Program that supports and mentors teens at risk of not completing their high school education.

We are trying to keep Thrift Shop staffing levels to a minimum on Saturdays and ask that you do not bring donations there that day. Now that spring has arrived, we have seen an uptick in the number of visitors trying to drop off donations on Saturdays. We appreciate your cooperation and please help us spread the word. Enjoy the blooming flowers and warmer weather!

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