From Our New Youth & Family Ministry Director, Charlie Manger:

I am happy to serve Seattle Unity as Youth & Family Director! I’m planning a kickoff “pizza party” after Easter with parents, youth and staffers to sync up and brainstorm the path forward.

I grew up in Seattle when the Space Needle was being built for the 1962 World’s Fair. My wife Terez and I have lived and worked around the world; and have two adult kids Hannah (24) and Henry (21). We discovered Seattle Unity from our meditation teacher, Kathleen Bohlken – a long time member and enthusiast of Seattle Unity – and are excited to find ways to be more involved in the community.  This past year we started hosting the 1st Sunday Hospitality Hour each month.

Just a couple weeks ago, I was thinking about ways to get more deeply involved with Seattle Unity. I recalled growing up in Maple Leaf Lutheran Church and serving in various ways there; then being a youth director at Sand Point United Methodist in northeast Seattle for a few years during grad school; and being an outdoor camp counselor for Seattle School District’s outdoor education program for elementary & middle school courses on marine biology, forestry, and ecosystems up in Deception Pass and Orcas Island. When I heard about the Youth & Family program opening I felt the timing was right to jump in.

Already I’ve had some really good conversations with parents, youth, members and staff about things they’ve enjoyed in the past and ideas for what they’d like to see in the future. I look forward to growing Seattle Unity’s supportive network of people young and old to engage and grow together through the Youth and Family programs. If you’ve ever been a youth or part of a family, reach me at 206-818-8515 voice/text or youth@seattleunity.org to meet-up, grab coffee, share ideas, and more.

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