Twelve Days of Goodness 2021, part 1

*The following is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.

We are touching the hearts of our seniors for the twelve days of goodness on the answers for elders podcast network. Get to know what we’re up to this season of two thousand and twenty one and welcome everyone. It’s December and guess what happens in December for answers for alders? We are actually getting ready for our great, big, huge holiday event where we get to touch the hearts of seniors throughout greater puget sound with seahawks legends, and we have been so thrilled to be back. Let me tell you everyone we have a full calendar lined up that Seahawk legends are going to be visiting seniors in senior communities such as senior centers, and we’ll go through kind of the calendar of that. If you were over sixty five and vaccinated, we would love to welcome you to these events and to tell you a little bit more about it. We’re very lucky this year because we have the president of the Central Council of the official Booster Club of the Seahawks, and that is called the seahawkers. You lawndon Morgan. I’m so glad you’re with US welcome. Thank you for having me, Susan. You know, we’re really thrilled you’re here because this is the first year. I mean, you guys have always been helping us with twelve days of goodness for a long time and of course this is our ninth year doing the events. Believe it or not, even though it’s our eighth event, we weren’t able to do it last year for obvious reasons with the pandemic. But we also want to make sure that we are honoring and having an opportunity for our seniors to connect and you know they have been in quarantine for a long time, probably more than any of us, and you know it’s so great to be back. I mean, I’m telling you, I’m getting so many phone calls from the senior centers and the communities that there’s this really happening? Are we really doing this? This is so exciting and you know, we’ve got full houses, sold out events and things like that across the area. And so, with a few extra precautions we are taking, and we’re going to talk a little bit about that in this show. Yolanda has been pretty much my right hand through all of this effort, and so, first of all I want to say thank you to all with the seahawkers have been doing for us and we’re going to get into all of the things you guys are doing, which is so cool, but welcome, and tell us a little bit, you land, about the seahawkers themselves and how you guys all got started. Well, in one thousand nine hundred and seventy six, of course, when the team was even put together, we had some fans who actually we’re talking about possibly putting together a booster club. They went to John Thompson, who is, of course, I’m the general manager. They actually modeled after the Indianapolis Colts Has Booster Club, which I don’t even though really yeah, which I don’t even know if that even still exists. I’ll have to take a look at that, Huh. But that’s what they modeled it against. And so in the very beginning it was kind of interesting because they were literally they were invited to, of course, the airport to see the players off, and we still do that today, of course, you know, without an invitation, we just kind of go and then we of course welcome the players back, win or loose, where there you know, of course, welcome, welcoming back with cheers and happy faces and all. But back in the day, when this first started, they actually helped with flat tires, they helped with dead batteries, they helped with anything, everything that you possibly imagine, you know. So they were literally kind of helping the players out, making them feel welcomed into the community and going through some of the history and some of the things that they had done within the community. One of the other things that they actually had in place too, was an event where they put together a fashion show where they welcomed the new new players wives, you know, can you players are coming Ay, and then the existing wives who were either, you know, they were either still, you know, they’re their husbands are still on the team, or they were basically going to be moving out. They basically recognize those women who, of course, Garry. I mean, I got admit, they’ve got to be a backbone to the player as well to have a strong absolutely. So that’s something that I really would like to maybe bring back, is able to tie in with the wives and maybe you a fashion show, you know, maybe in the next maybe in the next year or so, you know, depending on what the this pandemic does to our our social amazing. Well, I’m, you know, looking back at how it started and everything. The other thing that they did during the Christmas holidays was without dirting the holidays, was they rented out a space, I think out and out by Sam Point, and they threw a Christmas party specifically for the Oncology Kids at Children Ah, my goodness sakes, that was years ago. That was years ago, you know, and nowadays, I know, since the pandemic we haven’t been able to do that, but are you know, our seahawkers have gone to children’s Hospital and have made meals for the families are staying at Ronald Mcdonald House and provided for them, you know, and I don’t think we’ve been able to do that since two thousand and four, yeah, since two thousand and nineteen. So I’m certain that they’re probably looking forward to this whole thing kind of going away, at least decreasing and allowing us to be able to those things again. But you know, with us being forty four strong, we have forty four chapters worldwide. Five of them are actually, sorry, eight of them, because I forget that. Of course Canada’s considered international. Yeah, we have eight international chapters. We recently made or voted in Slovakia and Czech Republic as a trial chapter. Wow, and also Spain. So those are the two international chapters that are about our trial at this point. And then we have heartland, which is Midwest. That is also a trial chapter that we have on board. But the rest, in addition to the forty four, or is that including? That is including the forty four. Yeah, thought it okay, all inclusive in that. And then, you know, we, I mean we’ve had chapters that have been involved in this, in this Organization for years. The the ones that were first established were what they called East, North, South End, metropolitan and south sound. Now, out of all of those, the the one that’s still in existence is south sound, yeah, the one that is located in our Lakewood area, to coma area. So I mean it’s really interesting reading about the history of this organization when some folks don’t even really know about us. And so right in the in the in the first two years that of course, I’ve been president, we’ve been able to of course spread the word of, you know, the seahawkers, more so with with this now partnership that we have with the Seahawks, which has been absolutely wonderful. They’ve counted on us to participate in many of the things they’ve they’ve got going on within not only the community, but also how we can welcome or bring in our chapters that are, of course, located remotely. So that’s been absolutely wonderful with with what we’ve been doing with them so far. And, you know, like, like you said, we’re we’re doing numerous things within the community and each chapter has their own specific charities that they of course focus on based on the makeup of their members. And it could possibly be because, like, for instance, in Houston, they have a member there who of course, has had an issue with kidney disease. So they pretty much will raise funds and will of course, the proceeds will go directly to the PKD foundation down there in the Houston area. So it’s it. Yeah, it’s vast. I want to say I was trying to get the numbers for this last month in regards to how many members we have so far, and I believe we have close to tenzero right now. Wow, while and my goal is so that stadium holds over Sixtyzero fans. That’s all, you know. I know it’s a huge goal and it might be a little much, but I mean I’d like to see, you know, more than Tenzero, you know, but at the absolutely my presidency, you know. But I know it’s interesting that you say what you say, you Landa, because I remembered, see, I’m a senior now, I’m sixty five, so I’ll want our listeners know that. But I remember when I used to go to the Games in the Kingdom with my dad. He was original, see, season ticket holder, and I remember sitting there seeing all these banners up there like that’s would say Alaska seahawkers or, you know, all these different types of you know, north you know, Watkin County seahawkers, and all these different signs that were up there. But I didn’t really understand what it was. And I think one of the things that most of us it’s. It’s interesting too, because people will say, oh, that that’s just the twelve. No, they are an exclusive elite, you know, organization that is pulled from twelve. Yes, everybody, you know, we’re all twelves. But to become a seahawker it’s really more of an endorsement by the seahawks. It’s a affiliation with the seahawks and the team and I think most importantly, it’s collaboration with the community outreach efforts of the Seahawks, which really, I think is so valuable in what’s happening in our community and especially in the culture that we have with the team. So, and you have a very, very big role to play with this, being the president of the Central Council, because you’re a governing council. Is that correct? How do you interact with all the chapters? We actually meet once every other month. The even months are when we have our central council, what we call Central Council meetings. So we now, I’ll meet virtually so there is approximately forty four representatives. That then that’s saying that. That’s not including my board, and there’s about ten of are on my board. So that’s saying that’s about over fifty. Fifty folks on a call that we meet with every other month. And then we have leadership meetings every month and those are condatory based on the topics they they can hop in or decide not to hop in based on what we’re discussing. In fact, last August we had a special guests. In fact we had the president of the Seahawks, Chuck Arnold, join us so that was absolutely amazing to have him participate with the leaders and give us his input in his journey into because he started out as an intern, which was absolutely amazing, and then to see him. Yes, he’s an amazing human being and and you know, I always say the seahawks are an exceptional organization and you know, we are so blessed to have them and certainly have the people like you out there that are helping to year. And we’re going to talk a lot about our partnership this year with twelve days of goodness and you Landa and I are going to go into a little bit more history as well. Is talking a little bit about twelve days of goodness and what we’re up to. So in the meantime, you LAWANDA, if somebody’s interested in becoming a member, how did they reach you? It can actually go to our website, which is ww doot seahawkers dot org, and pretty much click on chapters and from that page they can choose a chapter and review which chapter is closest to them. But pretty much anybody can join any chapter. They don’t have to necessarily join the chapter that’s close to them. They can join UK Frands, they can join any I can go any well, there, bowing. Yeah, you can join numerous chap I was going to say, and they can be a member, let’s say, for example, of more than one chapters. That correct. That’s correct. That is great. So, anyway, everyone, y Landa, and I will be right back right after this. This podcast was brought to you by our sponsors, Humana and care partners. We are so grateful for your sponsorship, as well as all the senior providers that came forward to make our events happen over the twelve days of goodness to each and every one of you. Have a happy holiday season. In Two thousand and twenty