Meet the Voice Behind the Magic (and the Baby Dragons): The One and Only Shannon Day

She’s the kind of person who, if the mood struck, might wrap you in a bear hug when you first meet her. Warm, effusive, and ebullient, she radiates personality. There is the quirky sense of humor that makes others feel they’re also in on the joke. Then, there is her charisma.

Shannon is something of a firebrand, or what southerners might lovingly call ‘a firecracka,” though her sass, sparkle, and wit are more likely to brighten a room and its occupants than to blast through the roof. Statuesque and stylish, the red head can channel her voltage in a way that makes people feel like, or genuinely wish to be, her new best friend. This is one of the reasons she is so beloved in the Bellingham community.

“We start fires with sparks. I do what I do because I give a damn about my work,” she said. “I have the voice to move things forward, and I love seeing an organization succeed.”

And this is why Shannon Day is a sought-after emcee. The Canadian native who has called Bellingham home, along with her husband and cats and dogs, for nearly three decades knows how to hold the attention of a room.

“When I was younger, I asked myself: ‘What can I do that’s not about me, that’s about me?’” she laughed. “I wanted to do something in my community to make life better.”

That’s one of the reasons she works as a financial planner by day and an emcee and auctioneer by night, hosting galas and other fundraising events for many regional non-profits.

Shannon’s “secret/not so secret mission” as she refers to it, is to help the organizations and people she cares for, to thrive. So far, she’s been successful, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for non-profits committed to doing good in the world. Her clients include KulshanCLT, Lydia Place, Animals as Natural Therapy, the Northwest Therapeutic Riding Center, DVSAS, and many more.

Her success is not just because she is charming, charismatic, funny, or skilled at reading a room. She is all of those things, yet her success is due to her fearlessness and her unabashed generosity of spirit.

“I make the unapologetic ask,” said Shannon. “I give donors the structure to help make the connection between their gift and the organization. When I emcee, I am a part of your organization. I am not an I. I’m a we.”

This is part of the magic that Shannon brings to each event.

“We are all there for the organization. I work with group mind,” she said. “There are often hundreds of hearts in the room, and each person and their gift joins a community, a collective we. Together, we have the power to make change, to make a difference in people’s lives.”

A genuine desire to see people thrive is at the heart of Shannon’s personal mission. She wants good people and good organizations to succeed.

“I grew up in Prince George, British Columbia. “My mom cleaned houses, my dad worked in construction, and my parents struggled in a depressed economy,” she shared. “Physical safety, housing, and food security are my issues. If you have these, you are starting at a baseline. Without them, how can parents be expected to work, and children remain in school?”

Even months after a fundraiser, Shannon will reflect on stories that touched her heart and remain with her. The single mother of three who worked multiple jobs until she was able to purchase a KulshanCLT home and secure some ease for herself and her family. The woman who escaped domestic abuse and now has the courage to share her story publicly and to volunteer for the organization that aided her.

Shannon genuinely cares. Sometimes, she will slip one of her beloved dragons into the hand or pocket of someone who needs a little guardianship or support. She gave away at least a dozen to guests and homeowners who touched or inspired her at KulshanCLT’s wildly successful Magic of Belonging fundraiser this past spring. It’s hardly surprising that Shannon’s spirit animal would be a mystical and mighty fire-breathing creature known for its protective nature.

“My legacy is what I’m doing in this community,” she said.

KulshanCLT is also very much about legacy.

“I like KulshanCLT because it’s inherently fair. The process to apply for homeownership is fair. Nothing is given, there is no handout,” she reflected. “Each homeowner worked for their home.”

So, what’s next for our favorite emcee and financial planner?

“I’m excited to be building a beautiful new closet at home, and to be traveling to Ireland soon. She will support Saoirse DVSAS in Dublin, mirroring DVSAS Whatcom’s work.

“I’m very excited to connect their work in Bellingham with women in Dublin. We are all connected and we all need support when it comes to so many issues. I’m glad to play a role in making those connections.”

So are we.