by Erin McGann, Boys and Girls Clubs of Spokane County
EWI of Spokane Chapter President
If last month’s amazing scholarship banquet taught me anything it is that investing in people—young people as well as people young at heart—is always the right thing to do. And that’s what EWI does. We invest not only in students who are setting the world on fire, but we are actively investing in each other and in this great community. At the end of the day, only great things can come from such a concerted effort.
During the banquet, one of our scholarship winners spoke passionately about small appliances. If you were unable to attend the banquet, that might sound strange. But his point was to look at things differently for their intended beauty. How something could be designed and built to not do everything, but to do one thing really, really well. Sometimes, simple is best. An idea which perfectly aligns with EWI Corporate’s vision to “Keep It Simple” this year. Let’s not overcomplicate; let’s get back to our core values.
I think we all feel the heaviness of the chaotic world we live in. We find ourselves running—between work and family, between friends and obligations. But during this season of gratitude, find time to slow down, to keep things simple and focus on what is really important to you. Try to imagine you were one of the scholarship winners asked to stand in front of a room and give a speech beginning with three little, but powerful words, “This I believe.” What would you say? It’s a fascinating exercise—I encourage you to try it.
Also during the scholarship banquet, Latisha Hill (Avista), our amazingly funny and impressive keynote speaker, shared with us a few things that resonated with me:
1. Living in “integrity” is an action. Self-awareness is powerful and you have to be real with yourself. Strip things down to your core values; keep it simple, be authentic and you’ll be much happier.
And 2. Find your “giants.” The people who love and support you. Regardless of blood relations, find the people who are your “no matter what” team. Call them, thank them, love them.
I am blessed to be a part of this group and thank you all for enriching my life. Happy November!