"Number one authority on nothing"
Matthew Nash
Contact Matt at mnash@sequimgazette.com
Matthew Nash hails from Portland, Ore., and stumbled into writing for newspapers when his high school allowed him to write movie reviews. Nash is married to a kindergarten teacher. They have one child together who is named after two superheroes.

My first week in Sequim I found myself in a deep learning curve.

 

Following years in Oregon, I needed to know my territory. I explored the Dungeness Spit, the Miller Peninsula, the Olympic Discovery Trail, the Railroad Bridge, John Wayne Marina and more.

 

I introduced myself to some community leaders, ate at popular restaurants and kept my mind open to all things Sequim.

 

My editor at the time eased me in with some light stories to acclimate me. But I found myself in the dark about a certain mysterious man.

 

I was given a fax with slightly blurry lettering about a man holding a meeting. Sir Optimist.

 

Such a formal, yet unusual name. I've heard it before and the way people spoke of him made me curious.

 

Where was he from? Why were people gathering for him? Is he just an overly positive-thinking man?

 

I rolled with it and rewrote the press release into a news brief. A few minutes later the copy editor called my name.

 

“Have you met Sir Optimist?” she asked.

 

“No.”

 

“He's not real. I think you meant the Soroptimists.”

 

“Oh.”

 

 

Pardon my ignorance, Soroptimists, because not only did I get the gender wrong, but I thought you were only one person. The newsroom had a good chuckle at my expense, but I quickly learned the Soroptimist International of Sequim has been an institution in town for some time.

 

They work to bring domestic violence awareness to the forefront and stop sex trafficking.

 

The women also use donations and earnings from special events to award young women on their merits with college scholarships. Their annual Garden Gala is a big hit in the spring (I'm still hoping to win a chair some year) and even better their Gala Gift Show is this weekend.

 

The Gala Gift Show begins 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Sequim Boys & Girls Club, 400 W. Fir St. It features 45 vendors, food and beverages. For more information, visit www.sisequim.org/galagiftshow.html.

 

You can also learn more about the club at www.sisequim.org.

 

 

 

So hopefully this blog has earned me a pardon from the Soroptimists and the infamous Sir Optimist. Keep up the good work.