Local couple take leap of faith to help nonprofits globally

It takes a lot of gumption to voluntarily leave a good job with a reputable company to pursue work that you are passionate about.
Trading a steady paycheck and security to embrace the uncertainty of an unconventional approach is not for the faint of heart.

However, that’s the choice made by Nathan Getzin, who works at North 40 Productions, and his girlfriend, local consultant Ada Ketchie.
Getzin and Ketchie, who are both Wenatchee natives, are preparing to follow their passion for helping thought leaders, charities and non-profits to better market themselves through film, graphic/web design and facilitation so that their work increases reach and impact. They hope to work internationally.

Ketchie has rich experience overseas doing peace and reconciliation and community development work in places like Northern Ireland, Guatemala, and Kenya. She has a master’s degree in strategic leadership towards sustainability. She’s an accomplished facilitator who has built a global network of colleagues. Getzin has honed his skills as a photographer, videographer, writer, producer and actor while at North 40 Productions. He’s also an instructor at iLa Yoga.

They are passionate about helping organizations that are doing life-changing work and are willing to work cheap, donating their skills and time, for purpose-driven organizations that would be willing to cover their travel and living expenses.

They told me the time is right for them to take on this kind of adventure. They have no mortgage, no kids and they are willing to live with the uncertainty of creating this purpose-driven dream as they go. They are confident their offer is compelling and believe they can make a real difference.

So many organizations are doing great work but have little to spend on sharing how their work is making an impact, Ketchie told me. Professionally produced video or captivating websites are a powerful way to share one’s message and yet often out of reach for many organizations because of a lack of skills or financial wherewithal.

Visual communication is the social currency of the day and nearly an essential for achieving success.

They are networking with various organizations to nail down possible jobs and have already completed a project with the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies based in Cambodia.

For Getzin, this endeavor presents an opportunity to use the skills he has developed and give back to society.

Taking the leap requires a certain amount of faith and some local support, Getzin said. To fund the equipment to make this effort possible, they have launched a crowdfunding effort through the generosity.com platform.

Here’s a link to their site: generosity.com/volunteer-fundraising/help-launch-northern-flicker

The site has a video of the two of them talking about their project and a list of perks that donors will get for giving at various levels. There are some really cool things that have been donated by sponsors, including a docu-style commercial produced by North 40, coffee from Caffe Mela, and a cooking class and cider pairing event cohosted by Cheffy K and CA’s Cooking School and Snowdrift Cider Co (including live music sung by Nathan and Ada). So far, they’ve raised more than $3,000 of their $13,000 goal.

Ketchie and Getzin admitted that it feels vulnerable asking their friends and community members to support this effort, but they hope that their emphasis on doing purposeful work for no profit will resonate with folks.

They chose the name, Northern Flicker, because of the flash of brilliant color that the bird shows when it flies. They hope to share the flashes of brilliance of nonprofits doing meaningful work around the globe.

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