SEAPAX Board Election Results

Our annual Board election results are in! Thank you all for participating, and congratulations to our 2023 elected Board members:

• President - Kathleen Sebastian
• Secretary - Lauren Ciesiensky
• Treasurer - Jim Medwick
• Director-at-Large, Service - John Berry
• Director-at-Large, Service - Jerome Siangco
• Director-at-Large, Service - Carolee Walters
• Director-at-Large, Events - Brianna Celaya

Non-Elected Board Positions & Committees

If you missed running for office this year, but would you like to get more involved with SEAPAX, consider leading or working with one of our committees. We have openings for a Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, Membership Chair and Mentorship Chair. Email info@seapax.org for details.

SEAPAX Holiday Potluck

We are excited to kick off the holiday season with our annual Holiday Potluck! Join us in celebrating good food, friendship, and Peace Corps service on Saturday, November 19 at 6 pm. This will be a potluck style event, hosted by a generous fellow RPCV at their home in Greenwood, Seattle. Please RSVP by November 12 via the SEAPAX Events + Activities Page. We hope to see you there!

November Happy Hour

This month we will be going out to sea! Come join us at The Octopus Bar in Wallingford on Wednesday, November 16 from 5 to 8 pm. Get your sea legs aboard their new "ship!"

Questions? Email Garrett at gmorkill@gmail.com.

International Calendars

2023 International calendars are available - get yours now for a holiday gift or just yourself!  Be sure to use our special code PC4SEAPAX when you order to get $1 off per calendar, plus SEAPAX receives 40% of the profits for our small grants program. It’s a win-win!

By highlighting the rich diversity of the world, the International Calendar is the cornerstone of the “Third Goal” efforts of the Peace Corps to help Americans understand the peoples and cultures of other countries, and is a wonderful way to learn about the world.

Order your calendars now >>

SEAPAX Merchandise

More holiday gift ideas - get that special someone some SEAPAX merch...t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, baby clothes, socks and more!

75% of all proceeds go toward our grants program which supports community-based projects in both Washington State and countries around the world.

Get your merch >>

Annual Support Campaign

As the holiday season approaches, we again ask our members to consider making a donation to support SEAPAX. Thanks to your generous gifts of time, in-kind contributions, and ticket purchases in 2022, we were able to get together in person more often, and we look forward to continuing that trend in 2023. We have learned to manage on a very lean budget since adopting a “dues-free” model, but hosting a website and publishing a newsletter entail real cash outlays. If everyone receiving this newsletter contributed just $3 a year, we would easily cover our basic expenses. Remember, SEAPAX is now a registered 501(c)(3), which means your donations are fully tax deductible.

If you have not contributed to SEAPAX this year, please consider doing so now. We suggest a $15 annual contribution, but any level of support is appreciated.

Donate here >>

Book Club

We need your input on books to read next year! Email SEAPAXbooks1@gmail.com by Thanksgiving with the names of 1-2 books you want to read with the club.

Service

The Service Committee had a great day volunteering in World Relief's Paradise Parking Plots on October 8. Six enthusiastic people weeded and amended the soil by spreading lime. Thank you so much to our SEAPAX team!

We look forward to another gardening opportunity in a few months to prepare the beds for spring. More news when the sun reemerges!

Advocacy

In October, ten former Peace Corps Directors who have served under Democratic and Republican administrations called on Senate leadership to pass the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act. This would be the most sweeping Peace Corps legislation in a generation, bringing reforms and support for volunteers as the agency seeks to meet the needs of a changed world. Please continue to message your representatives in the Senate and urge them to reauthorize the Peace Corps this year.

DEI Committee

As we approach the holiday season, it's important for us as RPCVs to recognize the land we currently live on and the meaning and dispelling of myths of holidays such as Thanksgiving. As we live, work, and reside on land that belong to the Coast Salish people, we should seek to understand the national day of mourning that exists for Indigenous tribes all across the United States. This is a great opportunity for us to print out holiday placemats, recognize and acknowledge the land which we celebrate on, and educate others as continued life long volunteers.

• The Myth of Thanksgiving
• What Does Thanksgiving Mean to Indigenous Peoples?
• Holiday Placemat - Real Rent Duwamish
• Consider Donating and Learning More About the Duwamish

Mentorship Program

New Members