2019 Year In Review
December 31, 2019
We can’t be the only ones that feel like this year has flown by! 2019 has truly been an incredible year filled with great memories, growth, and community. As we wind down 2019, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on all that we have done this past year. Here is what we at Windermere Kirkland were up to this year:
Artists Outside The Box:
Through our love of art and the community, we have partnered with Artists Outside The Box, a local organization that promotes local artists. We have enjoyed getting to know these artists through video interviews and blogs we have written about their work. But most of all we have enjoyed all of their wonderful art that has rotated throughout our office. Every two months we featured a new local artist on the walls of our building, that brokers, clients, and community members have had the privilege of enjoying!
Read more about these amazing artists and their own unique styles by reading & watching our interviews with them!
Diana Grant , Angelina Mayorova, Jodie Sarah Masiwchuk, Deborah Knetzger, Sherill Hull
Attain Housing Community Supper
Another organization that we are passionate about and have worked with closely this year is Attain Housing, who work to help end homelessness on the Eastside. One of the many programs they run is a weekly community supper every Tuesday at 6pm where everyone is welcome. A few times throughout the year our team here at Windermere Kirkland has had the opportunity to prep and serve meals for the Eastside community. We were so honored to be able to bring people together and provide a warm meal as often as we could. We are looking forward to continuing our dedication to this program in 2020.
May:
7 Hills of Kirkland Bike Ride -
We always look forward to the month of May because we are getting excited for the 7 Hills of Kirkland Bike Ride by Attain Housing. Filled with many fun traditions, this annual event attracts over 1,000 local riders and community members to raise money for Attain Housing. This year, we were proud to be gold level sponsors of such an incredible event that not only brings the community together but helps to prevent future homelessness by making sure that our community members can keep living in their homes. Our team here at Windermere is passionate about making sure everyone has a home and we are thankful to the Attain Housing, who can make that happen for our community here on the Eastside.
June
Windermere Community Service Day -
Each year, for one day, every Windermere office closes so that we give back and make a positive impact for the community, together. Over 10 states, there were about 6,500 people volunteering on June 7th. We love to press pause, be outside with our team, and all work towards a common goal - giving back! This year our team cleaned Juanita Bay Park. Come out and be part of a positive impact for this year’s Community Service Day on Friday June 5th 2020!
July:
Parades, fun, and fireworks come to mind as we anticipate the Kirkland 4th of July Parade! This annual event has attracted thousands of people each year for the past 20 years. With multiple parades and a firework show to end the celebrations, we wanted to learn more about what happens behind the scenes to bring this celebration to life so we interviewed Tessa Hansen and our Mayor, Penny Sweet. “It’s an event that has become a part of the fabric of this community,”
— Penny Sweet, Kirkland Mayor. Check out our interview here!
Bring your whole family and join us on the Kirkland waterfront this year on July 4th 2020!
September:
#tacklehomelesses Campaign -
Our fundraising effort was inspired by the Windermere partnership with the Seattle Seahawks, for every home game tackle they make Windermere Real Estate donates $100 to The Windermere Foundation.
At a local level, we partnered with Attain Housing, and pledged to donate $20 for every touchdown made by Lake Washington. At the end of the season we donated over $600 to Attain Housing to help end homelessness on the Eastside. A huge shout out to the Lake Washington Football team, parents, and community for helping us #tacklehomelessness. Go Kangs!
Breaking ground on new office building -
2019 was a huge year for our office, literally! We officially broke ground on our new office construction and have been making great progress so far. Our new building will have spacious conference rooms that will be equipped with the latest technology for efficient meetings. Additionally, open floor plans and moveable furniture will foster our continued collaborative efforts as a team. Our intention is to build an office that will be a pillar within the community - a place where you can do everything from plan out your next housing move, or attend an artist reception.
October:
We’ve Got You Covered Drive -
Our winter drive was launched in tandem with our #tacklehomelessness campaign. The goal was to collect NEW hats, scarves, gloves/mittens, and warm socks for all genders and sizes. These items were then donated to Mary’s Place, that provides shelter and resources for people in need. The support we received from the community was immense and we want to thank you all for helping us #tacklehomlessness!
November:
Kirkland Chamber Business After Hours & Ribbon Cutting -
We were so excited to host a business after hours for our friends over at the Kirkland Chamber. We spent the evening meeting new people within the community, enjoying all of the beautiful Artists Outside the Box art on the walls, and to top it off we did a ceremonial ribbon cutting for our new construction. A great night of fun, networking, and community! Thank you to everyone who attended. Stay tuned for more Windermere Kirkland event
December:
Assistance League of the Eastside Holiday Home Tour -
We were honored to be able to get into the holiday spirit with the Assistance League of the Eastside as one of the stops on their Holiday Home Tour! Participants were able to visit four beautifully decorated homes on a walking tour of Kirkland. The tour then led them to our office where people on the tour could purchase handmade unique gifts made by the artists featured on our walls from Artists Outside The Box. Part of the proceeds from the purchases made that day were donated back to the Assistance League of the Eastside, who is dedicated to serving the community. Since their start in 1997 they have give $5,854,291 back to the community. We had so much fun meeting all of the people on the home tour and we were honored to be able to help give back to such a great cause!
Attain Housing Giving Tree -
Our Giving Tree keeps on giving! Through our partnership with Attain Housing, and the help of broker, Rob Scarber, our team and members of the community had the opportunity to bring holiday cheer to someone in need. They simply picked a red tag off of the tree, each tag lists the age of the person, whether they are male or female and what gift they wanted. We are proud of our team for filling the bottom of our tree with so many gifts that brought so much joy! Thank You!
Kirkland Chamber Awards Luncheon -
We finished the year off strong as winners of the Merrily Dicks Community Arts and Culture Award for our support of Artist’s Outside The Box. The winner of this award is dedicated to promoting and preserving the creative and cultural components of Kirkland through the arts. It was an honor to receive this award and we are looking forward to supporting the arts and culture of Kirkland throughout 2020! Click here to learn more about the process and awards through our interview with Samantha St. John, Executive Director of the Kirkland Chamber.
Thank you to everyone who made our 2019 so special! We are excited to serve our community and keep growing as experts on all things Kirkland in 2020! #wearekirkland
