A Personal Message from the Director |
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After two years away, we just spent a rainy Memorial Day Weekend with our traditional group from Unitarian churches. The group size was a little lower than average, but it really seemed like a real summer group. We are building up to great summer this year. We can’t wait to have you join us.
We are slowly building our staff levels. We have lots of young staffers working their first jobs ever. I have been listing jobs at all the local colleges. I got an email today saying they had over 87,000 people that matched our listing. We have yet to have one apply. Cooking and Night Services are still an ongoing need. We have ended up hiring a cleaning service to replace our housekeeping staff. We still have a month before summer starts so we still have a chance. We will make it work at whatever staffing level we end up at.
I am still looking for a golf cart to buy to rent to groups. I am confident that I will have one for the start of summer. Who knew the world of internet golf cart sales was such a sketchy place? In the meantime, I have closed the sidewalk between the Pavilion and the Meeting House to golf cart traffic. All golf carts will stay on the road from now on. The new Pines changed the traffic pattern up on that side of campus.
Speaking of Pines, I find a large part of my day is made up of having to listen to compliments on the new building. It’s a task I am willing to endure on a daily basis. It’s so gratifying for me to see the building being used exactly as we envisioned. I love walking through and seeing the conversation areas being used, or a person reading in a quiet little nook in a comfy chair.
We will spend this month getting ready for summer as we host more and more groups. We are in the midst of 23 days in row with guests on campus. We have two empty days in June and then we host 73 straight days of groups. Our next empty day is August 27th. It’s great to be busy again.
Stay safe and come see us soon!
Chuck
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Life Vests Needed for Lagoon Activities
Donations are Appreciated
Adult, Youth & Child Sizes Needed
We are in need of usable, in good condition life vests for the swim
beach and boat dock. If you have any, you can bring them when
you come to your summer retreat.
Newspaper for the Fire Circle
With the news online we don't get the newspaper anymore and have
found a shortage to start the fires at the Fire Circle.
Leads on Golf Cart for Sale Needed
We are currently looking to purchase a golf cart that we can rent to our guest groups. Apparently, there is a golf cart shortage right now and they are very hard to find. We need an electric golf cart in good shape. If anyone has any leads on carts for sale, please contact Chuck as soon as possible
at 360-830-5010 or email him at seabeck@seabeck.org
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Three families of geese and a new fawn born 5.21.2022 |
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This quilt has been given to Seabeck by Quilts From the Heart. It is hanging in the dining room and it's beautiful. There are so many details on this including Reeser, the clock, rocking chairs, the pig weather vane that sits on top of the new Pines building, the baby deer, the dining room fireplace, the bridge, and a quilted replica of the eagle photograph by Jan Viney that hangs in the lobby, plus so much more.
Next time you are at Seabeck check out the quilt. The blocks were made by various quilters and there is a sign hanging by the quilt showing the names of the quilters who created each block. This quilt took three years to complete (some due to the pandemic) and a month to do the quilting. Amazing!
Thank you Quilts From the Heart. We very much appreciate all the work that went into this. It will be a cherished part of Seabeck for years to come.
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8 Steps to Mindful Eating |
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This ancient practice can transform the way you think about food and set the stage for a lifetime of healthy eating.
Like most of us, you've probably eaten something in the past few hours. And, like many of us, you may not be able to recall everything you ate, let alone the sensation of eating it. According to a 2011 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American spends two-and-a-half hours a day eating, but more than half the time, we're doing something else, too. Because we're working, driving, reading, watching television, or fiddling with an electronic device, we're not fully aware of what we're eating. And this mindless eating — a lack of awareness of the food we're consuming — may be contributing to the national obesity epidemic and other health issues, says Dr. Lilian Cheung, a nutritionist and lecturer at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
What is mindful eating?
Mindfulness means focusing on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations." The tenets of mindfulness apply to mindful eating as well, but the concept of mindful eating goes beyond the individual. It also encompasses how what you eat affects the world. We eat for total health," Dr. Cheung says. That's essentially the same concept that drove the development of the 2015 pro-posed U.S. Dietary Guidelines, which, for the first time, considered sustainability of food crops as well as the health benefits of the foods.
Although the ideal mindful-eating food choices are similar to the Mediterranean diet — centered on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and vegetable oils — the technique can be applied to a cheeseburger and fries. By truly paying attention to the food you eat, you may indulge in these types of foods less often. In essence, mindful eating means being fully attentive to your food — as you buy, prepare, serve, and consume it. However, adopting the practice may take more than a few adjustments in the way you approach meals and snacks. In the book Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life and companion website, www.savorthebook.com, Dr. Cheung and her co-author, Buddhist spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh, suggest several practices that can help you get there, including those listed below.
1. Begin with your shopping list.
Consider the health value of every item you add to your list and stick to it to avoid impulse buying when you're shopping. Fill most of your cart in the produce section and avoid the center aisles—which are heavy with processed foods — and the chips and candy at the check-out counter.
2. Come to the table with an appetite.
But not when ravenously hungry. If you skip meals, you may be so eager to get anything in your stomach that your first priority is filling the void instead of enjoying your food.
3. Start with a small portion.
It may be helpful to limit the size of your plate to nine inches or less.
4. Appreciate your food.
Pause for a minute or two before you begin eating to contemplate everything and everyone it took to bring the meal to your table. Silently express your gratitude for the opportunity to enjoy delicious food and the companions you're enjoying it with.
5. Bring all your senses to the meal.
When you're cooking, serving, and eating your food, be attentive to color, texture, aroma, and even the sounds different foods make as you prepare them. As you chew your food, try identifying all the ingredients, especially seasonings.
6. Take small bites.
It's easier to taste food completely when your mouth isn't full. Put down your utensil between bites.
7. Chew thoroughly.
Chew well until you can taste the essence of the food. (You may have to chew each mouthful 20 to 40 times, depending on the food.) You may be surprised at all the flavors that are released.
8. Eat slowly.
If you follow the advice above, you won't bolt your food down. Devote at least five minutes to mindful eating before you chat with your tablemates.
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Attention all Quilting & Sewing Groups!
We have Design Walls
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We now have 10 design walls available for quilting and sewing groups to borrow. The money to purchase them was donated by Gloria, Chuck, Maggie Downing, and the Featherweight Club of Skagit Valley.
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The assembled size is 72x72 inches; collapses down to 5x5x22 inches. Go to the Seabeck office when you get here to see if any are available. There is no charge to use these. |
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Q: Why couldn't the sesame seed leave the casino?
A: He was on a roll.
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UPDATED COVID-19 Precautions
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Ways to Donate to Seabeck |
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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, 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.
In-Kind Donation
We are always in need of furniture, lighting, rugs, and much more - the market value 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.
Life Insurance and Savings Accounts
Same as retirement plans, except those payments made to Seabeck Conference Center
are exempt only from estate taxes.
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).
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.
All gifts are welcome. Seabeck Conference Center is a 501(c)(3) 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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