The Seattle Space Needle towered over the city that early spring of May 2019. The peonies and rhododendron around the seaport of 737,015, population (as of 2020), greeted 200+ Notre Dameans to the largest city in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Even Mt. Rainier, visible from the Hilton Courtyard where the association was billeted seemed to say, “Welcome to Seattle”. With its quaint tourist offerings – Pike Market, the Museum of Flight, Boeing Factory, Chihuly Garden of Glass and fields of tulips within the shadows of Mt. Rainier – our members came away with memories like no other.
The International themed Welcome Party was well attended, the General Meeting and Election of Officers proceeded smoothly, and the Gala Night highlighted the event as advertised. Two buses transported the group on the official tour of the Museum of Flight and the Boeing Factory where they witnessed the jaw-dropping sight of a 787 Jumbo Jet being constructed before their eyes.
The members voted for Boston/New England as the next venue. But due to COVID the 2021 Biennial Reunion was postponed. The venue was moved to Rhode Island. Please click the chyron (streaming text on top of the landing page of our website) to join the reunion. Your Executive Officers and the Members of the Board is looking forward to your visit.
Elected Officers for 2019-2021 & 2021-2023
President: Lulut Palacios Chan, NDL
Vice Pres: Rose Cababat Jackson, NDD
Secretary: Janet Zolina Racela, NDL
Treasurer: Bernadette Buensuceso Graham, NDD
Asst.Treas: Malut Diaz-Corlett, NDL
Auditor: Marilen Zabala Masanga, NDD
Board Members:
Noh Dalid Conrad, NDL
Bing Ferrariz, NDL
Juliet Nagnal Laughter, NDL
Orman Ortega Manansala, NDD
Lilia Salangsang Perez, NDD
Fatima Pinto, NDD
Shantal Biadoma Wigginton, NDD
Mazee Zabala, NDD
The “Colin Circle” & Seattle (2018–2019)
By 2018, my network of Damean friends had expanded dramatically. During preparations for the Seattle reunion, the Colin Circle Gang was formed—comprising President Lulut Palacios-Chan, Past Presidents Prima, Caloy, and Elena Gonzalez, Reunion Chair Shirley Zolina-Victa, Noh Dalid Conrad, Bing Ferrariz, and Honorary Member Darlene Dilangalen Borromeo. On June 30, 2018, we brainstormed the four-day Seattle itinerary, sparking months of collaborative planning.
The 2019 Seattle reunion proved wildly successful thanks to strong member participation, including a large delegation from the Philippines. We honored beloved mentors in attendance, including Ma’am Dori Dantoin, Ma’am Ida, Bro. James McKnight, Bro. James Adams, Bro. Pat Corpus, and Bro. Willy. We also welcomed a vibrant group of younger Dameans—our future leaders.
With better-structured scheduling, we enjoyed seamless time management and maximum fellowship. Who could forget the custom souvenir Hershey’s chocolate bars gifted by Reunion Chair Shirley? They brought smiles to everyone’s faces. During this reunion, I was officially elected to the Board of Directors, and expectations were high as we set our sights on Boston 2021.
AWESOME 2019 because this was the year my family literally participated other than my husband: my sister Linda from Alabel, my sister Narda from Germany, my sister from another mother Nemie from Killen, my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter: all of us joining the ALASKA cruise led by Lilia Perez, our cruise director. Then there were the Philippine delegation with Virginia Jugarap Quinol (Batch 71), Wilhelmina Aquino. That was a SEAMLESS reunion (as President Orman Manansala reiterated) with the SEATTLE experience really cementing its place in my memory bank: the Market, the Needle, the BOEING field trip, the luncheon after at a chic ASIAN restaurant. Thanks to Shirley Victa indeed and all the officers led by Elena Gonzalez. This one is for the books. THANK YOU!