West and South Area

Regional Director’s Message

Last month I had the honor and privilege of attending the NW Associate Board’s Carnaval for a Cause, their annual Mardi Gras party to raise funds for NPH. It’s become a running joke that I haven’t attended in years past, mostly because I’ve been leading trips to NPH or attending NPH meetings. Wow – I can’t believe what I’ve been missing! 300 fabulous young professionals, dressed to the nines and wearing beautiful masks, filled Axis Seattle and didn’t stop dancing until 1am. DJ Rudy played a non-stop playlist of terrific dance music, including some personal old favorites. One of the Seattle leadership students, David Garcia, shared a few words about his love of NPH and gratitude for their support. Guests bought dozens of raffle tickets and played “heads or tails.” By the end of the night, over $23,000 was raised to support the children of NPH! I loved volunteering at the registration table and coat check, and mingling with guests to hear more about their interest in NPH, their community, and the world. I left so impressed by our dedicated Associate Board and grateful for their many friends and sponsors who came together for such a great night. A special thank you to Carnaval Co-Chairs Leah Matteo and Wyeth Larson for their leadership in planning this event. We can’t wait to see what the Associate Board does next. If you’d like to learn more about our Associate Board for young professionals, please visit their webpage here.

Carnaval 2017

Looking ahead, there’s a lot going on with NPH USA here in the Northwest this spring, and we hope to see you at one of our upcoming events:

  • On Friday, March 24th, we will welcome NPH Guatemala National Director Christopher Hoyt back to Seattle for our annual Faces of Hope luncheon in Bellevue. Chris was recently appointed Chief Operating Officer of NPH International and will share NPH’s educational philosophy and work with us, along with his wife Katie, the coordinator of special education programs in Guatemala, and Digyana Hernandez, the director of the Montessori elementary program in Honduras. One of the Seattle Institute students will also be sharing her story of transformation at NPH with all of us. Today is your last chance to register to join us for this special and inspiring event!
  • If you live in the Portland area, please join us on April 22 for a Cheers for Children Portland event at a local brewpub to benefit NPH. Come gather with other NPH supporters in the area and learn about our programs in Honduras and beyond.
  • Come play golf at our third annual NPH USA NW Golf Classic on June 1 at Newcastle. We’ll be playing on two courses with games, food trucks and beverages aplenty, followed by an awards banquet to finish the day. Register as a corporate sponsor or foursome, or sign up as an individual player today!
  • Sign up for our trip to NPH Guatemala July 1-7, 2017, led by NPH’s Director of Family Services, Donna Egge, and the Northwest team’s newest member, Ross Egge, who recently returned from an 11-year stint working in the NPH homes. This will be a special opportunity to visit one of our most beautiful homes, with the guidance of Northwest natives and NPH experts! You can also tack on a couple of days to visit Antigua and other sites before heading back to the U.S.

Beyond these events, we look forward to partnering with many businesses, schools and faith communities in the coming months, and to working with all of you, as we join together to transform the lives of the children at NPH and beyond. We always welcome your calls and visits to our office, and we love meeting our donors for coffee, lunch, even a walk. Please feel free to reach out to us anytime with questions, concerns, feedback – or just to say hello.

With gratitude,

Katie Hultquist