We have the election results! The Groundswell NW Board officers were elected during our members meeting at the Phinney Community Center on January 29. Dennis Galvin remains our Treasurer, Sylvia Saracino Koodrich is our Vice President and Secretary, Renée Dagseth is our President.

Courtney Sullivan from the National Wildlife Federation gave the keynote presentation and announced that Seattle has been named one of the 10 best American cities for wildlife. The Board announced its matching grant challenge to the community group, Save the Ballard P-Patch, to raise $5000 by April 1st. The meeting was enlivened by a number of Ballard P-Patch gardeners showing up in their garden gnome hats. Courtney Sullivan and Jan Satterthwaite, a long-time GNW Board member, were named as Local Heroes.

At the end of the meeting, raffle winners picked up plants provided by Doug Gresham with Golden Gardens Forest Stewards.  Meeting attendees stayed around to enjoy food and drinks donated by the Ballard PCC Market and to meet with our partner organizations: National Wildlife Federation, Save the Ballard P-Patch, Sustainable Ballard, East Ballard Community Association, 6th Ave NW Greenway, and Salmon Bay Park Stewards.