Wider Horizons

MEMBER SERVICES: MEMBERS DO THE THINGS THAT MANY CLOSE-KNIT FAMILIES AND FRIENDS DO TOGETHER: DINNERS, SOCIAL EVENTS, RIDES TO THE DOCTOR OR AIRPORT WHEN NEEDED, LIGHT HOME REPAIRS, HELP WITH GARDENING AND COMPUTER ISSUES, AND THE LIKE. WE HAVE FUN TOGETHER; WE TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER; WE LEARN NEW THINGS; WE HAVE ADVENTURES; WE FEEL ENGAGED AND WORTHY. WE ARE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR OUR NON-MEMBER VOLUNTEERS. ALL OF OUR SERVICES ARE RELATED TO ACQUIRING AND SERVING MEMBERS, WHO (ONCE THEY HAVE JOINED) ARE ENTITLED TO BOTH COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES (SOCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, OTHER) AND NEED-BASED SERVICES (PROVIDED BY OTHER MEMBERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND REFERRALS TO RECOMMENDED SERVICES). WHEN WIDER HORIZONS OPENED IN JUNE 2015, WE HAD 64 MEMBERS. WE NOW HAVE 105 MEMBERS, MOST OF WHOM LIVE IN CENTRAL SEATTLE (LAKE WASHINGTON TO LAKE UNION AND MONTLAKE TO I-90 ARE THE BOUNDARIES). MEMBERS RANGE IN AGE FROM LATE-20'S TO EARLY-90'S. THEY ARE FASCINATING, INDEPENDENT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO AGE IN COMMUNITY. MANY JOINED AS AN EXTENSION OF A LIFETIME OF CITIZEN ACTIVISM. 75% OF OUR MEMBERS ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER; MANY OF THESE ARE ENGAGED IN MULTIPLE WAYS. 27% OF OUR CURRENT MEMBERS RECEIVE A DISCOUNT ON THEIR DUES, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN OUR GOAL OF 25%. 1. COMMUNITY-BUILDING: COMMUNITY-BUILDING IS THE CENTRAL PRINCIPLE OF OUR VILLAGE. WE INCLUDE OUR VOLUNTEERS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY IN THIS EFFORT AND IT IS BOTH WOVEN INTO EVERYTHING WE DO AND CAN BE TEASED OUT AS FOLLOWS FROM SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS: WE HAVE A MAGAZINE GROUP, A BOOK GROUP, AND A WARM FOR WINTER GROUP (KNITTING HATS & SCARVES FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE), EACH OF WHICH MEETS MONTHLY... WE HAVE A MEN'S COFFEE GROUP ORGANIZED BY MEMBERS WHO ARE MEN AND A WOMEN'S WINE AND DINE GROUP ORGANIZED BY OUR WOMEN MEMBERS.... WE HAVE REGULAR MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS OF ALL MEMBERS, INCLUDING POTLUCKS AND PARTIES... PEOPLE MEET IN SMALLER, NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS CALLED "PODS" FOR SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES... THERE ARE SPONTANEOUS, OFF-THE-CUFF MUSIC, THEATER, AND WALKING GROUPS. 2. NEED-DRIVEN SERVICES: MEMBERS REQUEST SERVICES AT QUITE A LOW LEVEL (AVERAGING FEWER THAN 1 PERSON A WEEK MAKING A REQUEST); SOMETIMES THESE REQUESTS COVER MULTIPLE RIDES-FOR EXAMPLE TO PHYSICAL THERAPY OR GROCERY SHOPPING... SOME REQUESTS DEFY CATEGORIZATION OR HAVE A GREAT STORY WRAPPED AROUND THEM (FOR EXAMPLE, A MEMBER READING THE NEW YORKER TO ANOTHER MEMBER WITH LIMITED VISION)... MOST SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY MEMBERS TO OTHER MEMBERS, BUT WE HAVE SOME VERY TALENTED HOME REPAIR AND TECHNOLOGY VOLUNTEERS.