Benefit nears 2021 goal, Directory is under way
From a month of benefit appeals, The Fig Tree now focuses on inviting support of advertisers and community partners for the Resource Directory.
"We raised total: $33,223 with pledges. as of April 1. We will continue appeals until we reach our goal of $34,000 for the virtual benefits," said Mary Stamp, editor. "We are pleased with the response and with the many comments of support and solidarity coming with the donations."
The promotional video and Zoom recordings of the speakers with the full comments of those in the video, plus the full Zoom recordings of the two events are online at thefigtree.org/Benefit2021videos.html. The videos, prepared by Nathan Slabaugh Media, may be viewed any time for inspiration or shared with friends, groups and congregations to inspire discussion and donations, fulfilling the benefit's goals of educating and raising support.
Costs for printing the directory will be higher this year, and the printer notified us of a new page size," said Malcolm Haworth, directory editor. "It will be published in color, so advertisers may pay a little more to run their ads in color and build the quality appearance of the overall publication.
"We are updating listings, as well as contacting advertisers and community partners to help underwrite the 2021-22 Resource Directory," he said. "Businesses and nonprofits wishing to place ads may contact us now."
The Fig Tree began distributing on 10 grocery store racks through the Inlander in February. In April, it will print 2,000 copies to distribute at 15 stores, increasing circulation.
For information, call 535-1813 or 535-4112, or email mary@thefigtree.org or resourcedirectory@thefigtree.org.
Faith Leaders seek image in art contest
Out of grieving about the violence against Temple Beth Shalom, the murders of Asian women and coworkers in Georgia, and shoppers in Colorado, the Faith Leaders and Leaders of Conscience (FLLC) of Eastern Washington and North Idaho has been seeking ways "to lift up our common humanity, while breaking through apathy and helplessness," said Gen Heywood, FLLC convener.
Looking for something in addition to vigils, statements and legislation to reach into "the heart of our communities," she said the group developed an art contest, to be followed by a short-story contest and later a photojournalistic contest.
For they art contest, they seek a color graphic image to put in windows of businesses and homes, on social media, signs, merchandise and other media to share the message that people of Eastern Washington and North Idaho "Celebrate Curiosity" through solidarity, inclusion, advocacy, accountability and truth.
Entries must be received by Wednesday, May 12, and a virtual awards ceremony is planned for Thursday, June 10.
The poster/graphic needs to communicate that all people—religious and non-religious, who are indigenous or new here, all genders, skin tones, sexual identities and differing abilities—are connected and are to be respected, supported and valued.
For information, email fllconscience@gmail.com or find Faith Leaders and Leaders of Conscience Eastern Washington and North Idaho on Facebook.
FAN will join in Lands Council tree planting
The Lands Council is offering opportunities for community groups and individuals—wearing masks—to help plant trees from 3 to 5:30 p.m., Thursdays, April 8, 15, 22 or 29, at its Marshall Creek site at 17607 S. Short Rd., between Cheney and Spokane.
That site is undergoing a restoration to revitalize the wetland ecosystem, said Kat Hall, conservation and education director with the Lands Council.
The Faith Action Network (FAN) of Washington is partnering with The Lands Council on Thursday, April 15, to plant trees.
The Lands Council is partnering with One Tree Planted for an Earth Day Tree Planting, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, April 24, at the Marshall Creek site.
The Lands Council provides seedlings and shovels for these COVID-safe, family-friendly events.
For information, email schubring@fanwa.org, or visit landscouncil.org.
Whitworth President Beck Taylor is leaving
Beck Taylor, Whitworth University president since 2010, has resigned effective May 31. On July 1, he begins as president of Samford University, a 6,000-student Christian institution in Homewood, Ala., where he was dean of the Brock School of Business from 2005 to 2010.
Whitworth has selected Scott McQuilkin, its vice president for institutional advancement since 2009, to serve as interim president starting June 1.
Under Beck, Whitworth added graduate and doctoral programs, campus capital projects and programs such as a student ambassador program.
Beck headed Whitworth's 10-year strategic plan, "Whitworth 2021: Courage at the Crossroads," to elevate Whitworth among Christian universities.
Scott, a 1984 Whitworth graduate in physical education with minors in math and religion, earned a master's in health sciences at Whitworth and a doctorate in exercise and sport science from Pennsylvania State University. He has served Whitworth in faculty, coaching and administrative roles. Currently he is responsible for fundraising, marketing and communications.
For information, call 777-4703 or email tcoder@whitworth.edu.
On May 4, Community-Minded Television (CMTV14), which has provided video training in Spokane since 2007, begins CMTV Academy, a five-week course on video production, said Lee Williams, CEO of Community-Minded Enterprises, the nonprofit home of CMTV14.
The academy will take students through the full video production process to produce original videos, said DaShawn Bedford, production manager.
It includes two-hour in-studio sessions with classes for youth ages 13 to 17 and adults on camera, audio, editing, lighting and script writing. CMTV14 staff and local professionals will teach it. For information, visit cmtvspokane.org/academy. Information on a teen summer camp series is at cmtvspokane.org/camp.
CMTV14's website, developed by Darrien Mack, the graphic designer, shows videos the station produces.
In COVID, the station shut down several months in 2020. As guidelines allowed, it re-opened, provided 60 members access to $300,000 of professional TV equipment and helped five nonprofits to do virtual fundraising. Later in 2021, it will launch a CMTV14 app.
CMTV14 has added two staff: production associate Michael Bethely and administrative associate Maddie Cattle.
For information, call 960-7452 or email CMTV@community-minded.org.
Nonprofit conference challenges thinking
The 2021 Washington State Nonprofit Conference on the theme, "Rethinking Place, Space and Time," will examine how theCOID-19 pandemic has challenged the dominant ways of thinking about place, space and time in personal and professional spheres, as well as across communities nonprofits serve.
In the virtual conference from May 17 to 21, participants will hear innovative and adaptive stories from the field in a week of virtual experiences and learning opportunities.
For information, visit wastatenonprofitconference.org.
Gonzaga opens academic climate center
In response to the threat of global warming and its Catholic, Jesuit, humanistic mission, the Gonzaga University is launching the Gonzaga Center for Climate, Society and the Environment in a Zoom event at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, April 22.
The center will serve students and the region by advancing innovative, interdisciplinary scholarship, teaching and consulting.
Panelists for the opening are Jay Inslee, Washington State Governor; Bill McKibben, founder of the global climate action group 350.org, and Keya Chatterjee, executive director of the U.S. Climate Action Network.
Brian Henning, the center's director, will give the center's first lecture, "Universities in the Ecozoic Era," outlining his vision for the center, at 5 p.m., Monday, April 26, on Zoom.
Brian, the center's founder, came to Gonzaga in 2008 as professor of philosophy and environmental studies.
For information, visit https://www.gonzaga.edu/center-for-climate-society-environment/events.
Local farm renamed Vinegar Flats Farm
Local farm changes its name from Urban Eden to Vinegar Flats Farm to clearly state they are in the Spokane city limits.
The farm was named "Urban Eden Farm" 15 years ago by a woman who lived on the farm to say it was an "urban eden."
"In conversation with our customers at farmers' markets, we were always explaining that the farm is located in the Vinegar Flats neighborhood of Southwest Spokane," said owner, Jim Schrock. "It only makes sense that we make the unique neighborhood name part of the farm's name."
In 2015, he registered the trade name, Vinegar Flats Farm, with the State of Washington's Department of Licensing and claimed the website VinegarFlatsFarm.com, before then, anticipating a name change.
Jim and the farm manager, Tarawyn Waters, decided to finalize the name change before the 2021 growing season.
"We have some big things going on this year and wanted to cement that name before the transition," Jim said. "We're doubling the size of our CSA this year from last year's record number."
CSA is shorthand for Community Supported Agriculture, which is typically a weekly or bi-weekly share of vegetables in season.
For the third year, the farm will have its Saturday morning farmstand.
It is also working on its organic certification.
"While we've been using organic methods for years, we haven't been certified," he said. "We haven't used herbicides, pesticides or other 'cides,'" he said.
This year they will start a transition to a "no till" philosophy and practice which he and Tarawyn believe will improve the health of the soil so they can grow even better vegetables on the historic farmland.
Jim invites people to become part of the farm's community by visiting the farm, eating the food they grow and coming to volunteer.
For information, visit VinegarFlatsFarm.com.
YWCA names new CEO
The YWCA Spokane's board of directors announced in March that Jeanette Hauck, interim CEO since August 2020, would begin serving as the agency's new chief executive officer immediately.
Jeanette has 10 years of experience as part of the agency's executive team, starting in 2011 as director of finance and serving since 2014 as chief financial officer. In that role, she led the organization from a staff of 60 to a team of more than 90 employees.
She is dedicated to advocating for women, youth and children. Her 30 years of nonprofit work include serving as director of finance for the Institute for Drug Development and the Cancer Therapy and Research Center in San Antonio.
A native of Colorado, Jeanette earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Denver and is a certified public accountant.
She has started a roundtable discussion series, "Pathways Forward," discussing topics related to the YWCA Spokane's work and mission.
For information, visit ywcaspokane.org.
Group plans essay contest, video on Holocaust survivors
The organizers at the 2021 Spokane Community Observance of the Holocaust are proceeding with their 15th annual Eva Lassman Memorial Writing Contest, which is open to middle and high school students in the Inland Northwest. Because of the pandemic, the in-person Holocaust Observance and the Art Contest will be on hiatus for this year.
They are inviting submissions on the theme, "When Character Matters: Preventing Genocide," with a deadline of May 2. Writers are asked to focus on the character traits of the "Righteous Among the Nations," individuals who protected their Jewish friends and neighbors during the Holocaust, and to identify traits they have that would enable them to intervene when they witness injustice. Scholarships of $75 to $400 will be awarded.
To inspire the essays, they quote Holocaust survivor and educator Elie Wiesel, who said, "We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere."
Hershel Zellman, co-chair of the committee, encourages faith leaders to promote the contest to their youth groups.
In addition, the organizers are partnering with KSPS Public Television to create an educational video preserving the stories of local Holocaust survivors and their families, as well as the stories of those who founded Spokane's Jewish community.
For information, visit https://neveragainspokane.wixsite.com/2021-contest or email neveragain-spokane@comcast.net.
