WREN takes off for 2025

Networking and laughter were the highlights for an eclectic party of folks enjoying the January 3rd fundraiser at the CenterPlace Regional Events Center in Spokane Valley. The event was sponsored in part by Future 42 and Full Court Press, both non-profit organizations sharing the WREN’s dedication to returning common sense and civil engagement to politics in Washington.

After nine years of writing weekly columns for the Spokesman-Review, I finally retired in mid-October 2024. My friend, Jim Hedemark, suggested marking the occasion with a “retirement roast” to benefit the WREN and I said sure, why not. Jim got the contacts started and I left on a long-planned trip to New Zealand and Australia for four weeks.

Planning from eighteen time zones away proved difficult, as did finding a good date during the December holiday season. Volunteer event organizers Jenn Thomas and Sandy Wicht picked up the challenge and found a new date strategically set before Roast Committee members Representatives Jenny Graham, Suzanne Schmidt and Mary Dye had to leave for Olympia for the 2025 legislative session.

Front: Rep. Suzanne Schmidt,Sue Lani Madsen, Robin Ball
Back: Steve Ball, Rick Wilhite

Other members of the Committee included Robin Ball, former Spokane mayor Nadine Woodward, and Tim and Tracy Fitzgerald. Tim serves as Spokane County Clerk. Additional roasters were Spokane County Commissioner Al French, Spokane City Councilman Jonathan Bingle, retired WSU Professor Dr. David Wang, and Medical Lake Mayor Terri Cooper.

Isaiah Paine from the Spokane Homebuilders Association was all set to share the emcee duties with Nadine, who had to cancel when she came down with a bug Friday morning. Isaiah and Jenn rewrote the script, and Isaiah reminded the guests that nobody there tonight was a professional comedian so to give grace. “And if you like a joke it was mine, if you don’t like it, that was Nadine’s!”

The roasters were all pretty darn nice people who offered good natured teasing and a bit of banter. Jonathan set the tone by pretending he’d misunderstood the invitation and was ready for an end-of-life service instead of a live one. He hammed it up in his classic Johnny Cash man in black outfit and got the crowd laughing.

Besides several references to my apparent love of my thesauraus, there were goat related themes on ranching adventures, particularly from Robin and Mary, and a remark on being sent out to pasture from Tim (and we do have pastures!). Jenny and Suzanne were endearing in their humorous stories. So was Al, who entertained the crowd with real groaners in the category of Dad jokes.

Rep. Jenny Graham roasting Sue Lani on the hot seat

David wrapped up with a few comments about our collaboration on a textbook for architecture and interior design students on the realities of life at work. I was sure he was going to give me guff over the scene I left in one of our hypothetical case studies called “the slap,” inspired by a true story I told in one of my newspaper columns.

Then one last unplanned roaster approached the microphone, and how could Isaiah say no to my mother! She told a story about precocious three-year old me learning big words, after announcing “I’ve known Sue Lani longer than anyone here, and I’ll be 93 in February.” Mom, you’re amazing and an inspiration to all of us.

Craig Madsen, Sue Lani Madsen, Fran Wicht (aka Mom) and Sandy Wicht

While it was a good first fundraiser for the WREN, it was also a friend raiser and an opportunity to connect with new supporters and aligned organizations. I’m looking forward to more opportunities to coordinate with Future 42 and Full Court Press on civic engagement.

Plus it was an enjoyable way to kick off the new year. The sign of a good party is when people linger to visit after the event is over, and you have to nudge them out the door as the clean up crew moves in to take down the tables.

The event closed with announcements of opportunities ahead for 2025. On a personal note, I’ll be writing series of four dispatches from eastern Washington on the [Un]divided podcast with Brandi Kruse. And we have an ambitious agenda supported by the WREN Board for 2025 and seeking financial support:

*Participate with vigor in the legislative process. I’ll be testifying at hearings on behalf of the WREN and encouraging others to make full use of the remote hearing options to bring rural concerns to the legislature.

*Hold four town halls across the state on policy and regulatory issues where rural voices with good questions need to be heard.

*Commission a WSU study of the impacts of the Growth Management Act in rural counties and communities 30 years after the law went into place. We have a natural experiment going on with counties planning under GMA constraints adjacent to counties that chose to stay opted out.

The concept for the study is not to affirm a pre-determined conclusion, it’s a question that needs to be researched. Or as Terri teased me, I always wanted to be Nancy Drew and be a nosy investigator!

Watching Board member Rick Perleberg’s teams competing in the FFA Ag Issues competitions over the years is one of the inspirations for the WREN. Deep digging into contentious issues affecting rural communities, asking good questions and monitoring outcomes is essential to finding common sense solutions and necessary compromises to balance people, planet and profits.

Proceeds from the January 3rd event will go towards making these goals a reality. We’re kicking off a major fundraising campaign so the WREN can sing loudly to amplify Washington’s rural voices.

It might just have to be an annual party. I am committed in continuing to “flunk retirement” and support the WREN in amplifying rural voices.

 Sue Lani Madsen, President
Washington Rural Environmentl Network

 To donate: https://secure.anedot.com/washington-rural-environmental-network/donate

P. S. Terri also had a good story about me and my ugly feet (you had to be there to get the full effect of the story!), and how in the end my dear friend Earl Moore reassured me with this verse:

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
   who proclaim peace,
   who bring good tidings,
   who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
   “Your God reigns!”