August 2020 News & Views
Look for News & Views in your inbox every month to see what's happening at Seabeck
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Happy August. I guess. When this whole mess started, I thought we would be welcoming groups by summer, maybe even Memorial Day. The way the numbers are going, I'm not sure of anything right now. I know we will open when we can legally and safely host our guests. We still hope to do some weekends of open programming this fall. I don’t know any details yet but know that the Seabeck staff will move heaven and earth to get groups here safely.
Thanks to everyone that responded to our unprecedented appeal letter last month. Your support means the world to us. Every dollar helps. I work every day to figure out how we can finish Pines and protect the future of Seabeck. FPH,, our construction company, and Kerry Chamberlin in particular have been great to work with. The Board and staff are working on plans to secure a little extra financing to complete Pines and restore some of our reserves. We should know for sure in September.
In the meantime, I have worked out a schedule with Kerry that will allow Pines to continue at a little slower pace. We will complete the dry walling of the rooms, the siding on the outside and finish the electric service upgrade. We will delay the paving and elevator installation until the finances are more secure. It kills me to do anything but go full speed ahead, but there are things somewhat out of my control. I also want to give a big thanks to our Board for their support, the finance committee chaired by Treasurer, Peter Henrickson, and former Board member, Clark Burkheimer, for their help and support during this unbelievable stressful time.
I know how hard this has been on you as well. It is equally unimaginable for most of you to miss your scheduled time at Seabeck. I know every time I sigh and say, “I should be heading to the beach right now, you are somewhere thinking the same thing. Hang in there. We are keeping the rockers ready for you. We will not lose the traditions and friendships by missing one year. I think it will make us all appreciate our time here even more in the future.
We will emerge from this crisis stronger than ever. Because we worked hard to build reserves, this is the only time in Seabeck’s history that we could have survived a drop of $1.4 million in revenue (so far.) We built reserves with strong financial management and we will rebuild them the same way. When we do reopen, we will have a state of art building that will be the premier non-profit meeting space in the Northwest.
Thanks,
Chuck
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Experiences at Seabeck...
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This is a post written by long Seabeck Family Camper Alec Burheimer. It is reprinted without his permission, but I know his momma would let me.It talks of specific things he experienced at Seabeck Family Camp. I think it will ring true to many of you as well. Thanks for capturing the Seabeck experience so well!
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As I lie awake in a small camp trailer surrounded by the sleeping sounds of Camden, Cale, and Theresa I reflect on what this week of the year means to me. I have had the privilege of being a part of the Seabeck family since the age of 10. I have grown with this family, made lifelong friends, many cherished memories, laughed, loved, cried, cheered, competed, swam (I think at nearly every hour of the day), run, rowed, swung on the rope swing, shot hoops, played ping pong, cribbage, tennis, trivial pursuit, corn hole, horseshoes, all camp relayed, been scared on Thursday night (but never as much as Matt Dickson), scared little kids,talked with the generations before me, and played with the generations after me, been a child, been a between the hiller, and now a parent. Though the optics of camp have changed the joy is still the same. The Sunday arrival of camp is still filled with sweat, swearing, hugging, happiness, and a calm that makes the sweat and the swearing worth it.
I miss all of these things because they are fun, but also they are a part of who I am. This week has been amazing with my wife and children exploring a beautiful part of our country, but it also has felt empty without singing songs, throwing eggs, eating mystery meat and Seabeck pizza. Staying up to late, but still managing to be up early for another day of new memories doing the same things.
And yet when I think back on what is being missed this year I think that I miss the quiet moments when the camp is calm, the water is quiet, and bikes are parked. The little moments throughout the week when I know we are all living our best life’s. The challenges and dreams are resting to let us regather our energy and reflect on another year gone by. Seabeck is when the calendar changes for me since this is where I reflect on my growth, that of my children, my wife, my parents, my grandparents, and my friends. This is the beginning and the end of my annual circle and I miss it. Next year the kids will be two years taller, two year sassier, two years more educated (although not the typical curriculum and let’s face it Burkheimer Home School is not getting a 5 star rating on the book learning).
When I see you all together again some will be gone, some will be new, some will still wear tie-dye, some will be taller, some shorter, but all of you will be cherished and all of you will be hugged, the stories of Seabeck pasts will be repeated, the games will be played, the music will fill our ears, the dance moves will still be amazing, and the snacks will all be unhealthy. Until that time I will say thank you for being my friend, my family, and for watching me grow. Your kindness, compassion, and laughter has helped shaped who I am.
Seabeck 2020 has been a weird one, but in my mind each day had the same schedule as always, with meal bells, sunshine, hugs, laughter, tears, scrapped knees, porch talks, and Fir nights.
I miss you all, love you all, and look forward to Seabeck 2021!
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Looking Back at the Seabeck Staff
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We are looking forward to seeing all of our staff soon!
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The Pines Capital Campaign
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We have a desire to continue to offer our services for many years to come. Seabeck Conference Center is happy to serve people like you, and we invite you to be a part of our legacy. Your donation will help us build a new Pines (ready by Fall 2020) that will be a place for future generations to gather.
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WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT
SEABECK CONFERENCE CENTER
Want to help us lay the foundation for the next decade of Seabeck Conference Center?
There are many ways, not all of them involving huge disbursements of cash.
Here are some creative ideas you might not have thought about:
Cash Donation Today
Tax deductible gifts via check or credit card, in person or online. Please consider
upping your regular gift by another 10 percent.
Automatic Monthly Payments
Gifts can be deducted periodically from your bank account, making larger donations
easier by spreading them over time.
Low-Cost Appreciated Stock
Avoid paying the capital gains by giving full-market value to Seabeck Conference Center.
Qualified Charitable Distribution
(QCD)
A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from your IRA custodian, payable to a qualified charity. QCDs can be counted toward satisfying your required minimum distributions (RMDs) for the year, as long as certain rules are met. You must be 70 1/2 or older to be eligible to make a QCD.
In-Kind Donation
We are always in need of furniture, lighting, rugs, and much more - the
market value which is tax deductible.
Multi-Year Pledges
A great way to ensure support will be there when we need it year after year.
Designated Gifts
Donate to a targeted project or capital campaign.
Commemorative Gifts
Donate a bench or rocking chair in honor of someone or something important to you.
A Bequest in Your Will
Your gift can be a specific sum or a percentage of an estate after other bequests.
Just add an addendum to your existing will.
IRA's and Retirement Plans
Your estate receives a charitable deduction for the full gift amount on estate and income
taxes, while we receive full donation value. Non-charitable heirs receive only a part of
the value (since inherited assets are subject to estate and income taxes).
Life Insurance and Savings Accounts
Same as retirement plans, except that payments made to Seabeck Conference Center
are exempt only from estate taxes.
All gifts are welcome. Seabeck Conference Center is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and your contribution may be tax deductible. If you have any questions, please contact our Executive Director, Chuck Kraining at (360) 830-5010 or email him at
chuck@seabeck.org
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Seabeck Conference Center
13395 Lagoon Dr NW
Seabeck, Washington 98380
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