Greeners gather in Seattle on December 10th

On December 10th, 2014, winds projected up to 60 miles per hour didn’t stop 24 Greeners from turning out to The Ballard Loft in Seattle. The event, which was hosted by the upstart Alumni Circle in Seattle, was attended by Greeners from the ’70s and as recent as 2014, all showing up to meet and network with other alumni and friends.

Serendipity was a theme, with several instances of people knowing each other, but not knowing they were both Evergreen graduates! Several people that attended Return to Evergreen just two months ago were also in attendance, including Kelsye Nelson ’04 and Robin Stanton, both session facilitators from the October 18th reunion.

Glen Kriekenbeck ’89 addresses the group

The new Association, short for the Associated Alumni and Friends of Evergreen, was a topic of conversation. Glen Kriekenbeck ’89, a Seattle resident and Foundation Governor, inspired discussion after briefly addressing the energized group. In just five minutes, Kriekenbeck expounded on the goals of the Association and encouraged everyone to consider joining the recently launched membership organization. He also spoke to his experience serving on the Board of Governors, beaming while recalling a recent vacation to Burlington, Vermont and the meetings he had with inspiring alumni on the trip.

By the end of the evening, the conversation always seemed to come back to the question, “Is there going to be another event?” The short answer to that is a definitive yes! Like all Alumni Circles, the Seattle group’s events are planned by volunteer alumni organizers. If you would like to get involved in planning, and even hosting alumni events in Seattle or wherever you live, contact Evergreen’s Office of Alumni Programs.

If you’re in the Seattle area, join the Seattle Greeners Facebook Group or the Evergreen Alumni in Seattle Meetup Group.