A Bird’s Eye View for 2027…

In 2027 with your help, we will publish “From My Town to My Country – How Money Moves Around” In 2027 with your help, we will also plan and present two economic educational events for the Whatcom County Area. In 2027, we are excited to present a new Idea: Captains of the Economy and their Power Compass.

Where is the Economics Workbook? It’s almost done. We have completed 34 lessons, with 3 more lessons to complete. We discuss how people, businesses, financial institutions, government, and charities all help to move money in the economy. We have designed the workbook to be interactive with the instructor, other classmates, and their family and friends.

Here’s a small sample of what is in our economics book,

“From My Town to My Country…”

	Talk About It. Each lesson has prompts for discussions with the instructor and classmates.
	Each lesson ends with a summary. Each lesson has a homework assignment for the student to explore the lesson concepts further.

Lesson 1 - What is an Economy? An economy is like a life cycle. An economy is made up of people, banks, businesses, governments, and charity. They need each other to survive.

In 2026 SAVE added new board members and had one special board member return.

Meet the Board…

Dave Courtney Throughout his life, Dave has remained passionate about education, especially economic education. He believes that people are never too young or too old to learn how the U.S. economy works. In his view, the earlier someone begins learning about economics and financial opportunities, the more prepared they will be to make informed decisions and build a successful future.

Bill Knutzen Young people deserve practical knowledge and real-world preparation. I am passionate about helping the next generation understand economics, free enterprise, and the opportunities that come from hard work and personal responsibility.

Karl Uppiano Professionally, I have worked across both small and large organizations, gaining firsthand insight into how economic forces and public policy affect businesses and individuals alike. These experiences have reinforced my belief that a stronger foundation in economic education can empower people—especially young people—to make more informed decisions and better understand the world around them.

Our Treasurer Corinne Thorsen Every young person deserves to know that opportunity is still within reach. Too often, students hear that their future is limited by circumstances beyond their control. I believe just the opposite. With education, determination, and a willingness to keep learning, people can create opportunities for themselves and achieve meaningful goals.

Our Secretary Kristen Keyes-Halterman When people understand what makes an economy tick and recognize the many faces of economic activity, our whole community benefits.

Our Vice President Ed Kilduff SAVE’s mission connects with the values I learned growing up. Young people benefit from understanding how work, business, and local economies really function. Economics is not just something found in textbooks. It is part of everyday life, and understanding it helps people make better decisions and create opportunities for themselves and their communities.

Our President Lorraine Newman For me, SAVE isn’t just an idea—it’s a heart project. It’s my way of passing down the knowledge I’ve gained and offering the next generation a head start. Through SAVE, I hope to give them something I once took for granted: the ability to understand, navigate, create, and thrive in a vibrant economy

To Learn more about these amazing volunteers
check out our website https://savenw.org/join-our-team

Education does not happen in a vacuum.
We appreciate your continuing support.

Donate at Savenw.org. https://savenw.org/donate-today
or by mail to PO Box 29753, Bellingham WA 98228-1753

Many people say that they donate to charitable causes to “give back” for being successful in business or their life.  We assume that their success was due to luck or rich parents.  Yet if you look at their circumstances more closely, it probably was because of hard work, ethical principles and choosing an education that prepared them for success.

We give because we can.  Many causes and many people need our help.  We are privileged to be able to pick and choose which endeavors match our philosophies of life.  We choose to give locally to organizations that serve where we live.  It is not because we dislike the big national charities.  It is because we can see where the money and time is going and the good that it is doing.  A dollar given locally will probably be spent locally for goods or services, which means that it is going to benefit the local economy as well as benefit the charity.

We support organizations which cater to our young people.  The better the start a child can get through exposure to ideas, education and cooperation the better chances they have to make a good life for themselves. 

We support organizations which cater to adults who find themselves on the fringes of society.  If we can provide an environment for mental and physical wellness to happen, then education and skills have a chance to be shared as well.  To learn more about SAVE’s business education courses for organizations like the Lighthouse Mission, below are some short videos about the need for this program:

SAVE Interview with Hans Erchinger-Davis

This is our interview with Hans Erchinger-Davis, the Director of the Lighthouse Mission regarding the importance of SAVE’s Economic Education program.

 SAVE Interview with Bridget Reeves

This is our interview with Bridget Reeves, the Program Director of the Lighthouse Mission, regarding the importance of SAVE’s Economic Education program.

 SAVE Interview with Jennifer Sefzik

This is our interview with Jennifer Sefzik, a Whatcom County community leader, regarding the importance of SAVE’s Economic Education program.

 Finally, we support local food drives simply because no one in our community should go hungry.

We don’t give for recognition. Sometimes we do not want the recognition because we fear our mailboxes will explode with more requests, but mainly it is because we understand that charitable help comes from people working together, not just a sole provider.  We know that if the cause is important and matches our interests, then we will find them and combine our efforts with others in our community to help.

We each have our own needs, interests and life philosophies.  We are grateful to be in the position to have the ability to share some of our wealth (time or treasure) to support local organizations. We understand that more than anything the ability to give back (no matter the size) is the true measure of success in being a member of a community.

Sometimes you must look around to see who is fulfilling your community’s needs. 

Sometimes you just need to open your eyes and they are right in front of you.

Wishing you all the feeling of success!

~Dave Courtney, SAVE Board Member, retired