Everett Gender Support Closing and Philosophy of Seattle Announcements added

While I like to deliver good news, I also have the distinction of delivering news that is on the bummer end of things as well. Please see the below letter that was posted on Ingersol's website that I have posted in it's entirety on the closing of the Everett Open Support Meeting.  Ms T.

Friends -
    
    After more than eight years and 444 consecutive weeks,  the Everett Open Support meeting of the Washington Gender Alliance will be held for the final time on August 25, 2010.  The meetings will be held as usual and without interruption through that date.  The Bellingham Open Support meetings are unaffected by this change,  and will continue weekly as they have for more than 14 years.
    
    Unfortunately,  we just don't have the resources necessary to maintain the meeting.  However,  everyone is welcome to join us in Bellingham each Tuesday  7:30 - 9 PM at St. James Presbyterian Church 910 14th Street (at Fillmore Street) in the Fairhaven district. For those who aren't able to travel to Bellingham,  but still need an in person support meeting, Ingersoll Gender Center offers one in Seattle on Wednesday nights. And we will continue to answer questions and offer support via e-mail at info@washingtongenderalliance.com.
    
    We're sorry if this presents any difficulty for anyone,  but we simply have no choice but to take this action.  Many people have come through the doors of the Everett meeting since 2002,  and hopefully they benefitted from participating in the Alliance.  The work will continue,  just further north where it all began in 1996.
    
    Please share this information with anyone you know in the gender community.  It is our sincere hope that everyone gets the word by August 25th so no one comes looking for the meeting after that date.  The reason that our support meetings have been held each and every week is so no one would ever find a closed door.  It would be a shame if after eight years someone first came looking for the meeting after it was closed down.
    
    We've always been proud of being the only gender organization in Washington that has held two weekly support meetings in two different cities 60 miles apart.  While we will no longer have that distinction, our Bellingham meeting has surpassed 735 consecutive weekly meetings without interruption, and counting.
    
    Rory Gould,
    President