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Shoreline Christian School Alumni Monthly E-Newsletter
January 28, 2016
IN THIS ISSUE...

Presidential
Report

We've had a great response to our 2015 end of year Presidential Campaign. Thanks to the generous support of donors like you, $205,702.92 has been raised to support Shoreline Christian so far this school year.

We still need your support though! Whether you can make a one time gift, or want to set up a regular, monthly donation, the link below will get you started. Please consider supporting our school with your donation today.




5K Run/Walk

Mark your calendar for the first ever Charger 5K! This year, in conjunction with the Elementary Jog-a-thon, we'll be hosting a 5K run/walk starting and ending at Matthews Beach Park in Seattle and going up the Burke Gillman Trail. The run will be on May 7th, watch the Lance for more details.




Reconnecting Over Chili
 
Recently, I saw a travel channel show touting some of the best chili in the nation. Surprisingly, they raved about a couple of spots in Seattle. I love spicy foods and chili is one of my favorites, so it was enough to encourage my curiosity.
 
Normally, my need for a chili fix is satiated at home. My wife makes my favorite chili, but she was out of town helping our daughter Rachel adjust to life with our newborn granddaughter. I felt I had an opportunity to expand my horizons. With the help of a traveling/tasting companion, we ventured out into Georgetown and Ballard on a quest to find the best chili in Seattle.
 
Though the food wasn't as amazing as advertised, the real "meal" began after a half a cup of chili was already gone. A gentleman seated at the table next us got up, walked over and asked, "Are you Tim Visser?" I was a bit taken aback. His face looked familiar, but the beard was throwing me for a loop. Finally, it came to me: the man in front of me was a graduate from more than a decade ago. It was a bit awkward for a few moments as our minds raced back to multiple meetings in my office, but those were soon replaced with the stories of today. It was a gift to be able to celebrate the joys and even the tribulations of a journey in which I had a brief part to play.
 
I've written before how much I enjoy reconnecting with graduates and hearing your stories.  I also recognize these encounters are not without awkward pauses or the occasional reminder of youthful indiscretions. In a flash, we are reminded who we were as opposed to who we have become. This alumn could have very easily kept his head in a bowl of chili, and I would have been none wiser. Instead, he took the time to reconnect. He may have been the one that was a bit uncomfortable; I was the one who was blessed.

We send out The Lance to help alumni and friends reconnect and to stay connected. We also want to tell your stories and to celebrate who you are becoming with the people who care about you. Email and let us know what is happening in your world. If you are in the area, visit school and come to an event. Our website and The Lance can help you find those connection opportunities.  One that I especially enjoy is coming up on Friday, January 29th: The Annual Chili Feed - 5:00-7:00 pm. I hope to see you there.
 
Tim Visser,
Administrator

Featured Alumni:  
Jennette (DeKoekkoek) Warner
 Submitted by Jennette Warner - Class of 2006

Since graduating from Shoreline Christian in 2006, I attended Hillsdale College in Michigan. I majored in Chemistry and took as many English classes as my schedule allowed. My junior year I was given the opportunity to participate in a summer research program. This not only affirmed my love for research, it bridged my interest from organic chemistry to a more biochemical interest in human health. After graduating from Hillsdale I moved to Colorado and attended the University of Colorado for graduate school. I worked in the lab of Dr. Amy Palmer studying biosensors and zinc. I met my husband Kegan on a hiking trip organized by our church, First Presbyterian of Boulder. In 2012 I graduated with my masters and moved to Denver.
 
My education at Shoreline Christian and the people I was surrounded by deeply impacted my life. I very often recall my volleyball coach Hoogerhyde reminding us that everything affects everything, Mrs. Montzingo encouraging us to paint with participles and to speak the truth in love, Mrs. Van Ornum making a patched clay teapot and calling it redemption, which connected to the idea that Mr. Bratt shared in English class-every  square inch of creation needs to be redeemed.      
           
I currently work as a clinical chemist at a forensics and toxicology lab in Boulder. My job isn't quite as exciting as CSI would lead you to believe, but the outcomes of urine and blood drug analysis have huge implications for people's lives so every screen and test matters. My attention to detail affects people's lives. Striving to be truthful and loving, I work to help redeem chemistry and the other square inches God has given me.    
 

Charger Golf Classic - Save the Date!

We'll be returning to the top notch Echo Falls Golf Course in Snohomish this summer for our annual Charger Golf Classic. This is a great event for teams as well as individuals, so maybe your office or company would like to join us for the day. We'll be teeing off on Thursday, June 23rd. Online registration will be linked here in the Lance later this spring.


Memorial Garden Plaques
In celebration of our 60th anniversary, a space was created for stories - past and present - a memorial garden. 

Now we need stories!  You can tell your story on a plaque that will be attached to the faces of the benches.  Learn more here.


Featured Alumni Stories:
Each month we like to feature an Alumni in our newsletter.  This is a great way for alumni to re-connect. We would love to hear from you about where you are and what you are doing now.  Share your story with us.

Would You Like to Know What's Happening on a Weekly Basis at SCS?
If you would like to know about sporting events, class fundraisers, and other weekly events at Shoreline Christian, email us to be added to our weekly electronic Charger News or check our our schools' website billboard.


Gift Matching
Does your company have a matching gifts program? Boeing, Microsoft, and Expedia are just a few of the many companies that offer this benefit to their employees.  With a match you'll double your giving to the school!  Check with your Human Resources Department to find out if your company's commitment to their community extends to donating money to non-profits.