Futurewise Celebrates 20 Years!

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20th Anniversary Celebration Futurewise GMA reunion

On March 20th, over 400 supporters stood and gave Governor Booth Gardner a long round of applause, thanking him for his work 20 years ago on the Growth Management Act. Governor Gardner’s standing ovation followed a heartfelt video message from Senator Maria Cantwell, and preceded impassioned remarks by former Speaker of the House Joe King, both of whom congratulated Futurewise on its 20th anniversary and commended us on our successes in preserving Washington State’s beauty. All three leaders received the 2010 Futurewise Community Champion Award.

The party began with a fun and lively reception featuring a small super silent auction and the opportunity to walk through a series of storyboards highlighting Futurewise’s most recognized accomplishments and programs. As the record-breaking crowd began to arrive it became clear that this was no ordinary celebration. The room was lit up with energy, buzzing with the chatter of hundreds of people who care about the future of our state.

Fisher Pavilion at the Seattle Center was once again decked out for the party, awash in spring colors with unique, homemade cake stands displaying donated desserts at the center of each table. Guests were treated to a locally inspired dinner by our good friends at Kaspars Special Events and Catering.

After a warm welcome from Roberta Lewandowski, Board President, three critical and dedicated people took stage – Mary McCumber, Jeff Eustis, and David Bricklin. Mary, Jeff, and David have been Futurewise’s longest-standing board members (since our founding!), and each played significant roles in the passing of the Growth Management Act (GMA).

Another highlight of the evening was a heartwarming and inspiring video created by Guenther Media, featuring a cast of current and future growth management superstars (watch the video here).

The program ended with invigorating words from Board member Bill Ross, who reminded us of the importance of Futurewise’s programs… for Washington’s current generations and for those to come.

Special thanks go to all of our sponsors and Table Captains who make this event possible each year. We are looking forward to raising our glasses to the next 20years!