Welcome to the website of the Greater Seattle Service League! We are a group of mid-century women (last century, not this one!) who have combined our long-standing friendship with our passion for life-long learning and community service.

For over thirty years, we have been working together to support Childhaven, a King County nonprofit organization that serves children between the ages of one month and five years who have been abused or neglected, or are at risk.

For more photos from our September 9, 2012 Fun Walk for Childhaven, click here.

 

CHILDHAVEN ANNUAL CELEBRATION LUNCHEON

March 7, 2013

 

This year, the Greater Seattle Service League’s (GSSL) main fundraising effort was to support the March 7, 2013 Childhaven Luncheon at the Seattle Convention & Trade Center. The event raised over $641,000 towards Childhaven’s mission of providing therapeutic childcare to infants and toddlers in the Greater Seattle area. GSSL donations (both at the luncheon and from members and friends who were unable to attend) were added to the GSSL Endowment Fund for the benefit of Childhaven.

The audience first listened to a moving story from a woman who had turned to Childhaven for help in coping with her then 3-year old emotionally damaged grandson, whom she and her husband were raising after removing him from an environment of chaos, drug abuse, and violence. Ishmael was so angry and out of control that his grandparents feared he would have to be institutionalized. “Childhaven rebuilt Ishmael’s trust. He got a very rocky start in life, but thanks to Childhaven, he now has a life that is full of joy and a future ahead of him that’s full of promise. I think God for Childhaven every day.”

Frederick Norris - 2013 Childhaven Luncheon

The inspirational keynote speaker was Norris Frederick, who came to Childhaven as a toddler in 1989. He survived a childhood scarred by abuse to become one of the most successful high school and college track and field athletes in history. Now a professional athlete training for the 2016 Olympics, Norris talked about how grew into the man he is today with the support of caring adults — a Childhaven teacher who became his godmother, middle and high school teachers who believed in him, and coaches who never let him give up on himself.

A complete video of the Childhaven Celebration Luncheon presentations is at
Childhaven Luncheon - 3.7.13

Greater Seattle Service League members and guests at the March 7, 2013 Childhaven Celebration Luncheon with Washington First Lady Trudi Inslee (back row, 4th from left).