History
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The Genesis of SANEWA
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SANEWA began in 2011 as a simple conversation amongst professionals in the community who serve seniors.  The feeling among many was that there was a need for a professional networking group that also focused education, senior issues, and community.

Similar professional groups existed outside of our area, including The Senior Action Network (SAN) on the west-side of the state and Care Net in Coeur d'Alene.  Founding members of SANEWA attended several meetings of these groups and were impressed with both organizations.

Several conversations took place between founding board members, and the more folks talked, the more the excitement built.   It was decided to choose a Board and start strategizing about how we could create a similar networking group in Spokane.  The Board members met and agreed that the SAN group in Olympia best matched the vision for a professional group in Spokane. SAN agreed to allow  the formation of a “spin-off” of their group, hence the name Senior Action Network of Eastern Washington (SANEWA).   This has proved invaluable, as founding members were able to adopt much of the existing information to build a mission statement, by-laws, etc.

The Board met from June to October working out details for the new chapter.  Then in November, an open forum meeting was held to discuss the new group and encourage membership enrollment to those with similar interests as SANEWA.  This first meeting was well-received by the attendees and since November 2011, SANEWA has grown from 14 to over 60 dues-paying members.

Since 2011, we have had many dynamic speakers, hundreds of referrals amongst members, and annual successful fundraisers to benefit seniors. We also plan and participate in community projects that enhance and enrich their lives. More information about SANEWA's activities and successes can be found here.

In 2018, SANEWA began a partnership with KXLY Radio Group to assist in the NW Senior Expo, a twice-a-year event at the Spokane County Convention and Expo Center.  In its first event in the fal of 2018, SANEWA received $4,200 (10% of the proceeds) in its efforts to secure volunteers, participants and attendees.