Here is Your Monthly Newsletter from Seabeck

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September 2024

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A Message from the Director

Hello,

Arnie and Jan just took down the purple martin houses. That is as sure a sign of fall as is pumpkin spice everything. Wow, this has been a seemly quick but very challenging summer! Operationally it was smooth sailing all summer. All the challenges seemed to come from the outside. As we approach Labor Day, I finally feel like we are starting to get everything under control.

We have an approved septic plan and we have hired a contractor. The project should be in the range of $800,000 when completed. I ordered the three fiberglass tanks and they should arrive in October. We hope to have it completed in November. Look for more information in a mailer coming out in late September. We are going to need some help paying for this mandated improvement to our property’s infrastructure.

Our Maintenance Director Monte, has an adorable daughter named Christine. When Christine heard we needed money for a septic upgrade, she immediately offered to run a lemonade stand to raise the money. She opened Buster’s Lemonade Stand during the Center for Spiritual Living stay here. Despite a heavy rainstorm, she raised $285! Thank you, Christine, and CSL!

Speaking of thanking CSL, Marilyn Gregory broke her own Staff Fund record again. She raised over $7200 for staff tips during her week here! Way to go Marilyn! THANK YOU!

I am also gathering bids on improved access to the Meeting House, bridge pier strengthening, and even the deck of the Inn. Once they come in, I will have a better idea of where we stand.

Congratulations to our long-time employee Lorraine. She became a U.S. citizen in August after a long process.

We are starting to plan the next Crafter/Seabeck Friends weekend this December. The Crafter weekend will start on December 12 and the Friends portion on the 13th. Come spend Friday the 13th at Seabeck! More details and registration material will come in October.

As I mentioned before we have incurred a large amount of back tax bills due to the loss of our tax-exempt land status. We are up to date on all property taxes and are now making sure there are no more surprises coming from the Department of Revenue. Once I get the septic system in, I will start working towards regaining our exemption at the Legislature. We are good people doing good work, so I think we deserve an exemption. I may ask for your written support during that process.

In the meantime, we remain a Federaly exempt 501(c)3 organization, so all gifts are still tax deductible.

Have a great September. I love the cooler weather and football coming soon!

Thanks,

Chuck

Detour to Seabeck Continues

We thought the detour for this Newberry Hill culvert project would only affect our summer groups, but we were wrong.

On Thursday, August 22nd the construction site was vandalized, causing so much damage that the road will not be opening any time soon. The vandals destroyed construction equipment and compromised the structural integrity of the retaining wall.

Any groups coming to Seabeck in September will probably need to follow the detour map below.

Annual Friends of Seabeck Holiday Weekend

December 13-15, 2024

This annual retreat for Friends of Seabeck is always a hit with the people who take a holiday break and spend it with us. There are holiday crafts, movies, and, of course, lots of food and snacks to make your holiday brighter.

Look in the upcoming newsletters for more detailed information on this popular retreat and sign up when you see it!

Annual Seabeck Crafter's Weekend

December 12-15, 2024

Pick your projects, gather your supplies, make a plan, then come out to Seabeck on December 12-15th and finish everything for the holidays. You will have nothing to do but craft, craft, and craft all day. We'll feed you and clean up after you. It will be nothing but crafts!

Details will be in the next few newsletters so watch for the upcoming information!

Fun Lemonade Fundraiser

Seabeck’s Maintenance Director’s daughter, along with her buddy Buster, took over the snack shack today for a fundraising lemonade stand. 100% of the proceeds were donated to the septic tank upgrade fund for Seabeck Conference Center!

If you missed the lemonade stand, and feel like making a contribution, you can do so at www.seabeck.org.

Snapshots from Seabeck

photo by Danielle Rye 8.12.2024

photo by Deborah Nelson 8.5.2024

photo by Kent Hamilton 8.25.2024

Ways to Donate to Seabeck

Do you 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.

Seabeck Conference Center

13395 Lagoon Dr NW

Seabeck, Washington 98380

360.830.5010 Email | Websi te