West Seattle: Outreach training at Alki & Admiral
By Izzy Marvin
On Friday, July 14, Izzy Marvin, Cindy Safronoff, and David Matthew all worked together in West Seattle! Today was a unique day of outreach work because Izzy was primarily in the role of a trainer — training a team of two to do the kind of outreach she has been doing all summer.
The day started by picking up David Matthews from the Fauntleroy ferry dock. He came from Port Orchard via the Vashon Island ferry for the day of outreach.
Then they all heading to lunch at a cafe across from Alki Beach. After lunch the group hung out at Alki beach for a little while, walked on the sandy beach, and admired the views of Elliot Bay, downtown Seattle, and Magnolia.
Izzy had the opportunity to work with both David and Cindy again, but this time just as a trainer! Izzy showed Cindy and David the ropes of how to achieve the most amount of success when speaking to individuals in various businesses. Izzy explained it is best to keep the beginning pitch short, sweet, and to the point. She also explained the ideal locations for gift subscriptions and pointed out examples. Cindy and David worked together and separately and asked if businesses wanted sample copies and gift subscriptions. They were such quick learners!
The team covered two commercial areas. First they covered the beach area along Alki Ave SW. Then they moved to the North Admiral area in the heart of West Seattle around the intersection of California Ave SW and SW Admiral Way. The team agreed that West Seattle has something of California vibe to it.
Cindy placed a gift subscription all by herself!! YAY Cindy!
Both David and Cindy did an amazing job. Izzy had a great time training Cindy and David, and thought this was great practice for training future outreach workers!
David Matthews had this to add to our report:
It was a great opportunity for me to work with and learn from Izzy. She has amazing empathy and is able to sense even a glimmer of receptivity – so important when visiting dozens of businesses each day. The Monitor is a perfect instrument for outreach. It’s uplifting and focused on identifying challenges and suggesting solutions. One religious article at the back of each issue makes for a light touch. On self-reflection, I’ve been looking inward more than outward when it comes to sharing Christian Science, and my experience with Izzy opened my thought to not “light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick.” (Matthew 5:15)