Great Northwest Region News

Message from the Great NW Region Manager

Dear Great Northwest Region of ARMA members:

My, the 2004-2005 ARMA year has passed quickly! Of course, at the chapter level, it seems there is no relief, eh? As the current year winds down, there is hardly time for a breather as the next year gears up. I hope you will acknowledge the efforts of your chapter’s Board of Directors members. They are steadily working in their volunteer positions to serve you, your chapter, and your profession.

Please join me in thanking Dean Koga, Great NW Region Coordinator, for serving our Region so very capably the past two years. Sadly, Dean’s term as coordinator expires on June 30, 2005. He has worked closely with several chapters and will be sorely missed! His will be a tough act to follow!

Lately, I have had the pleasure of sitting in on the GNW Leadership Conference Committee meetings hosted by the Bellevue/Eastside Chapter of ARMA. Please know that the committee is well organized under the leadership of Fran Blaylock and they are ready to “rock ‘n roll.” I am truly looking forward to the event, which will be held June 10-11 in Bellevue. The Leadership Conference is especially designed for chapter leaders, but I am convinced that general chapter members can find significance by attending, as well. The skills one will learn at the Conference will be valuable in our workplace as well as our daily life. So, if you are interested in making a “late registration” reservation for this event, please do not hesitate to contact Fran Blaylock at fblaylock@ICOS.com or me at slord@vjglaw.com, or 253-383-3791.

ARMA International is gearing up for its 50th Annual International Conference and Expo to be held in Chicago on September 18-21, 2005. As in years past, our Region will be announcing a no-host luncheon get-together during the Conference. So, if you plan to attend the Conference, please keep your eyes open for information about that gathering.

Lastly, I would like to thank you for the efforts and contributions you have made to your local chapter, ARMA and the profession. I wish you a terrific and safe summer.

Very truly yours,

Susan M. Lord, Manager
Great NW Region of ARMA

Planning Meeting for Great Northwest Region Conference

You're Invited!

The Seattle Chapter of ARMA is the host for the 2006 Great Northwest Region Conference. It will be held March 13-15, 2006, at the Best Western Executive Inn in Seattle, in the shadow of the Space Needle.

NOW is the time to get involved with the Planning Committee, if you'd like to influence the content, context, and contests (OK-just going for a little alliteration) associated with this big event, drawing ARMA people from throughout the Region: Alaska, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. The title of our conference is "Keeping on Track in Century Twenty-One."

A planning meeting is happening at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, May 26. It will be held at the offices of PEMCO Insurance on Eastlake Avenue in Seattle. Our host is Susan Priebe. You can contact her at Susan.Priebe@PEMCO.com or phone her at (206) 628-7292 for information and directions.

This is definitely the time to get involved on the "Ground Floor" to help develop this Region Conference into a fabulous educational, social, and regional event!

P.S. - Calling all members of the US Procrastinators' Club - this may be our big chance to visit the 1962 World's Fair!

Can You Help? P-Patch Trust Seeks Records Help

Non-Profit Seeks Volunteer Help with Retention Policy and Schedule

The P-Patch Trust is a volunteer non-profit organization looking for professional volunteer assistance in developing a records retention policy and schedule. I have attached an organizational fact sheet (see below). Our web site can be found at http://www.ppatchtrust.org/

Contact. Ray Schutte, 206.499.3649 ray.s@ppatchtrust.org, for more information.


Thanks for posting our request,

Ray Schutte
"The truth of the matter is that the flower has cleverly manipulated the bee into hauling its pollen from blossom to blossom." The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan

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Fact Sheet

Mission
P-Patch Trust, a nonprofit organization works to acquire, build, preserve and protect community gardens in Seattle’s neighborhoods.

Through advocacy leadership and partnerships, the Trust expands access to community gardening across economic, racial, ethnic, ability and gender lines; promotes organic gardening and builds community through gardening.

We seek to break urban isolation by providing opportunities for people to garden together, learn from each other, develop a sense of neighborhood and create a more livable urban environment.

Board Members
Barbara Donnette
Pat Gibbon
Ryan Dwayne Hawkes
Wendy K. Hughes-Jelen
Mary Lou LaPierre
Michael McNutt, Treasurer
Cristina Mone, Vice President
Ray Schutte, President
Lindy Sheehan
Maud Sterling

Staff 0.25 time FTE, Accountant, Lance LaRowe

Partners
P-Patch Program
Rich Macdonald, Manager
Dept of Neighborhoods
700 3rd Ave, 4th Floor
684-0264
rich.macdonald@seattle.gov



Cultivating Communities Gardens
Seattle Housing Authority
And
SNAC
Seattle King County
Martha Goodlett
684-0540
martha.goodlett@seattle.gov

City of Seattle P-Patch Program
42 P-Patch sites
18 Cultivating Communities sites (In Seattle Public Housing)
2000 plots
5000+ gardeners

Gardeners’ obligations are a small rental fee plus 8 volunteer hours per gardener to maintain gardens, public areas or P-Patch office administrative tasks

Ownership
P-Patch Trust—6 (8% of all P-Patch sites)
Pinehurst—1976
Judkins—1986
Hillman City (+3leased Plots)—1994
Greenwood—1997
Fremont—2000
Baker—2004

Other ownership
Parks—13
City Light—4
Street ROW—6
DON—1
Metro King County—3
Leased from landowner—10
School District—1
Seattle Housing Authority—18

Trust Services
§ Funds Gardenship Fund that provides garden fees for low income gardeners
§ Site Improvement Fund, a small grant fund of $300 or less.
§ Grants to organizations that foster healthy available food to food banks and low income residents. Currently providing funds to Lettuce Link, a program of the Fremont Public Association and Cultivating Communities, a program of the Seattle Housing Authority.
§ Liability insurance for all the P-Patch and Cultivating Community gardens, over 70 projects.
§ Fiscal Agency services for community gardens and parks.
Yesler Community Garden
Republican P-Patch
Thistle P-Patch
University P-Patch
Angel Morgan P-Patch
Roosevelt P-Patch
Snoqulamie P-Patch
Queen Pea P-Patch
Hillman City P-Patch
Charleston Hillclimb
Lincoln Park P-Patch
Picardo P-Patch
Judkin's Park
Ballard P-Patch
Evanston P-Patch
Colman Park P-Patch
Fremont P-Patch
Friends of NE Queen Anne Parks
Interbay Site Fund

Memberships
American Community Gardening Association
Food Resource Network Federation (FRNF)
Seattle Tilth
WA Toxic Coalition

Accomplishments
Five-Year Strategic Plan with P-Patch Program
Acquired 6 gardens between 1987 and 2004.
In 2004 the Trust provided over $16,000 in funding for community gardening and healthy available food projects representing 33% of the Trust’s total expenses.

05/05/05 Auction - Fun for All!

With gift baskets, Mariners' tickets, gift certificates, and an amazing basket stuffed with wonderful things chosen by the Board at the Puget Sound Chapter, the Greater Seattle Chapter held its Cinco de Mayo scholarship auction.

Susan Priebe and Roger Winters

President of the chapter, Roger Winters, served as auctioneer, decked out in a huge sombrero (note the bullets, too - now we know why it's called "ARM-A"). Susan Priebe assisted with displaying the many goods up for bids.

Andrea Bettger (front), organizer of the auction, peruses silent auction items

"The credit for this successful auction belongs to Andrea Bettger," Roger said, asking the attendees to acknowledge her contributions. "She organized almost every aspect of it herself, with help from some other good people!"

The chapter's scholarship fund supports members in accessing educational and professional opportunities they could not otherwise use. A scholarship application, available on the chapter Web site is completed by the member and submitted to any one of the Board members. The Board reviews the request, seeks additional information if needed, and makes the scholarship award decision. "We hope more members will take advantage of these resources as we continue to build them up with events like the auction," Andrea said.

The Greater Seattle Chapter of ARMA also uses scholarship resources to ensure that its Chapter Member of the Year (MOTY) can attend the ARMA International Conference. If the winner's company covers the costs, chapter funds are not required. Otherwise, the chapter underwrites the basic costs the MOTY needs to attend. (Last year's winner, Roger Winters, covered his own registration costs through being a speaker at the conference; the chapter helped with transportation and lodging.) "We have resources to support our members in many ways, as they develop themselves professionally," Roger said. "Our meeting raffles, the auction, and other activities, along with chapter membership revenue, make this possible."

The Cinco de Mayo event was a great deal of fun for all who attended. Everyone got a special "Pay-So" worth $5 for one of their bids, as an incentive to keep bidding for a favorite item. It had a picture of "El Presidente" (Winters), noting the 05/05/05 date of the event.

A final tally of the auction proceeds will be published as soon as it is available. Thanks to everyone who donated and to everyone who bid.

A good time for a good cause!

Remember the Great Northwest Region Jobs Blog!

LEARN ABOUT OR POST INFORMATION REGARDING JOB OPENINGS OR JOB SEEKERS IN OUR FIELD

The Great Northwest Region of ARMA, International, has organized a centralized listing for jobs in records and information management - the Great Northwest Region Jobs Blog! Its purpose is:

(1) to list employment opportunities and

(2) to list employment-like opportunities, such as requests for consultant services, and

(3) to serve job-seekers by providing a location where they can let the members of this region of ARMA know what they are looking for and how they are qualified.

To post your position announcement, resume, or notice you are seeking consultant help, send it to Roger Winters or to the jobs coordinator for your local chapter. Roger will be glad to try to answer your questions about the blog.

If you request that something be posted and it becomes outdated (e.g., you fill the job), please let us know so we can remove the item from the Blog!

Thank you!

Roger Winters, President
Greater Seattle Chapter
Coordinator, Great Northwest Region Jobs Blog