From time to time, we invite new members to Crosscut to have some free coffee, pastries, and a chance to talk to the editors and writers. Next up is Thursday (6/24) at 8 am. I'll be there along with writer Judy Lightfoot, our new deputy editor, Joe Copeland, and associate editor Michele Matassa Flores. (Good chance to tell the editors about stories we're missing!).
All you need to do, as a new member, is let us know you're coming, rsvp@crosscut.com, or 206-382-6137. Location is Street Bean, 2702 Third Ave (at Cedar) in the north end of Belltown. Street parking is easy. We'll be serving java and pastries until 9:30 am.
Looks like we'll have a few slots open for regular Members of Crosscut, so if you joined before this winter, just RSVP as above. If you aren't yet a Member, you can join at the door (cash, check, or credit card); annual membership is $35 for the basic level. As you can well understand, Crosscut Public Media, a 501-c-3 tax-exempt nonprofit, depends a great deal on support from its individual Members. You'll enjoy benefits, such as these coffees, parties, discounted tickets, and other free-to-Members "backstage" events.
Crosscut, now three years old, is a member-driven medium, which means it's rooted in the needs of our community and our dedicated readers and members. So these get-togethers are very valuable times for me and others to get advice, suggestions on stories and even the odd compliment or two. Websites are interactive, and these meetings are very much a give and take, made better by being face-to-face. I very much look forward to meeting some of you next Thursday morning.
Speaking of which, we had a very nice gathering of Members, staffers, some VIPs, and others at our third birthday party last month, held at the Tilikum Place Cafe, another of our favorite neighborhood places. We very much like being in this new (to us) neighborhood of north Belltown, a lively district with lots of media companies, new-economy businesses, and residents. Street Bean, where we have our new-member coffees, is a fine example of Belltown values. It helps train young people and works in conjunction with a teen-service agency, New Horizons Ministries, right across the street. It has a nice, free community meeting room, which is where you'll find us next Thursday. Do come.
