Building A Better Community
Giving back to the community has always been a part of Duke’s. We have contributed to thousands of charities over the years, and we feel it is our obligation to help out where we can. The following is just some of what we do for the community. As I recall, the first organization that we helped financially was the Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs. My dad had coached at the Bellevue Boy’s and Girl’s Club, and I had grown up there. I always felt I owed a debt of gratitude for all I had received in my many hours at the Club. Another organization we helped early on was Children’s Orthopedic Hospital. My son John had been born premature, so he spent the first six months of his life there. I will always feel the tug at my heart for the great work this organization does.
Early on in our history (mid 1980s), we entered the Seattle Chowder Cook-Off that benefited the Seattle Alzheimer Association. The three first-place ribbons displayed in these pages were the result of our effort to help another worthwhile organization. We also like to help the Veteran’s Hospital. My dad was a veteran who served 35 years in the Navy. He was the original Duke who was a Navy pilot in World War II, and he barely survived an airplane accident when he flew into a mountain in a thunderstorm during training in Phoenix, Arizona. Unfortunately, his co-pilot was not so lucky and did not survive. The Veteran’s Hospital got him back to functioning normally. I thank God and bless the doctors at the Veteran’s Hospital for helping my father to heal.
My heart goes out to each and every veteran. The Veteran’s Hospital Mission Statement is “To fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to care for him who shall have borne the battle . . . .” It certainly fulfilled that mission for my dad. Now, on International Chowder Day (proclaimed by Mayor Nickels) we donate a portion of our sales for the day to benefit Seattle Veteran’s Hospital. Each year, all day on or around Veteran’sDay, we serve up thousands of gallons of our three-time champion Award Winning ClamChowder to guests who come out to support Veterans.
Join us each year for International Chowder Day. We celebrate International Chowder day on or around Veteran's Day. A portion of sales on the day go to benefit Veterans. Check back for the date or call any one of our locations in November for your reservation.
When the community of Oso had a tragic mudslide, we held a fund-raising dinner to raise funds for the benefit of the survivors, including a baby named Duke who had, along with his mother, been severely injured, yet survived and our now thriving.
At the New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim at Alki Beach in West Seattle, we serve free Chowder to all the participants and spectators, too. It creates a sense of community to all of us involved and brings us all closer together.
I have personally planted trees along the banks of the Snoqualmie
River to help rebuild the habitat for Salmon. My son and our Duke’s team accompanied me as we did our part to bring back this incredible resource to its glory days when Salmon proliferated in our local rivers. We continue to support Salmon Safe in this endeavor.
We also contribute to Long Live The Kings, another great organization that is working hard to restore Salmon to Northwest waters. Even though Duke’s buys its Salmon from Alaska, I am keenly interested in sustainable fisheries everywhere and especially the Northwest where I have grown up and lived. I know we can restore the runs, and we intend to do our part to make it happen.
Recently, we set out to help the Southwest Seattle Historical Society to preserve the history of the area and promote related research and educational efforts. I meant what I said, “We are always happy to help where we are needed. It’s wonderful to be a part of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s efforts to preserve our history.”
Thank you for supporting our efforts to build a better community!