Renew your membership with AAJA in 2011

The Year of the Rabbit is underway. And that means time to renew your membership! Our 2011 membership drive is on and runs through the end of March.

If you’re wondering whether you are current on your membership, just look in the far right-bottom corner for a list of chapter members in good standing. The list is current as of Feb. 11, 2011.

To renew your membership or join us for the first time, please visit aaja.org/membership.

We had a memorable Lunar New Year Banquet at the Tea House in Renton. More than 65 people attended our annual fundraiser, including members of the Seattle Glee Club — courtesy of AAJA member Athima Chansanchai (thank you).

And our karaoke contest featured several brave souls, including Candace Heckman’s daughter Evelyn singing “Yellow Submarine,” David Boardman with “All the Way,” Karen Gaudette Brewer and Athima with “Son of a Preacher,” and Sanjay Bhatt with “Brown Eyed Girl.” Of course, Evelyn stole the show, winning the karaoke contest. Way to go, Evelyn!

Our Silent Auction, in addition to dinner ticket sales, raised more than $2,000 in funds for the chapter’s programs and operations. Many thanks to all the donors. Our youngest donor was Peter Sessum’s daughter, Anna, who blogs on cooking and donated a home-cooked dinner.

Check back here later in the week for photos, courtesy of student member Ava Van, who runs her own photography business. Thank you, Ava!

We’ve got some cool plans for 2011. Your membership is a vote of confidence in AAJA’s mission to sustain diversity from newsrooms to boardrooms in the media industry. Your chapter is what you make of it, so if you have ideas for programs or events, please e-mail us at aajaseattle@gmail.com.