The Suquamish Foundation is looking forward to the year ahead and building of the new Suquamish Museum and Arts Center.  Please check back often for updates on the Building for Cultural Resurgence Capital Campaign and events that the Suquamish Foundation has coming up!

The Foundation is very pleased with the progress of the new Museum and Arts Center—both in fundraising, and with the leaders stepping up to make it a reality.

The Suquamish Foundation is excited to announce that we raised over $20,000 at the 4th Annual A Time To Gather for the new Museum and Arts Center. Thank you to the many attendees, volunteers and supporters who helped make this event such a great success!

Our theme was Celebrate the House ~ Build the Museum to honor the life of Sgwәdzadad qәł ?altxw, the House of Awakened Culture and to turn our focus and momentum to raising money for the new Museum.

The evening began with heavy hors d’oeuvres catered by Kiana Lodge and the program started with the blowing of the conch shell by Chief Keoni. We honored all of the donors and supporters that have helped bring the House to life and singled out Ed Kocott for his work in bringing corporate donors to our campaign.

We heard the eloquence of Noel Purser and Marilyn Wandrey on what the new Museum will mean to them personally and to the Suquamish Tribe and honored Frances Malone for her generous gifts to the Capital Campaign.

R. Carlos Nakai and Keola Beamer moved us again with their humor, their spirituality, and their great musical gifts. Their return to the House marked a completion of the circle started with the blessing of the ground on which the House of Awakened Culture was born. The House is a living place for Suquamish culture to thrive and we are so glad our friends Nakai and Beamer could be here with us again to help send it on its journey.

One of the most exciting moments in the evening came at the auction of the Waterspirit flute donated by Jack Wright. The flute retails for $400, but R. Carlos Nakai increased its value by telling us about how his friend, Ken Light, makes these flutes. He also played it for us. After heated bidding, Bryan Gladstone one the day with a bid of $1,450! Thank you, Bryan, for your generosity and we know that the flute will bring you good energy from A Time to Gather.

The evening also gave us a chance to introduce the newly appointed Museum Board members. Mary Ann Youngblood, Barbara Santos, Robin Sigo, and Pat Baillargeon were announced to great applause. The Foundation is excited to work with all of you to launch the new Suquamish Museum and Arts Center.

The Museum Board will start its great work by hiring an Executive Director. We hope to have a new member of the team within a few months.

The Foundation also participated in the Natives in Philanthropy Institute and the Council on Foundations. Specific areas covered include: Full Community Involvement, Strategic Communication for Fundraising and Success, Youth Leadership, Internships for Tribal Members, Development Around Tribal Traditions and Values, and Building Partnerships.

For more information about the Suquamish Foundation, please call Michael Felts at 394-8457 or Greta Stough at 394-8453.