Wednesday, March 31, 2010

St. Anne School Supply Drive

RTS would like to thank St. Anne school in Queen Anne for their supply drive.  The whole school helped raise boxes upon boxes of donated cleaning supplies for Spring Rebuilding Day 2010!  An RTS supply box is used at each work site on April 24th.

Thank You St. Anne School!

These 7th grade boys helped us carry out all the boxes of supplies that the 
school raised for us- Thanks guys!

RTS will now have plenty of sponges, paper towels, 
cleaners, windex, etc. for our supply boxes!

O'Dea High School to Complete 2 SRD 2010 Projects!


Last April was O’Dea High School’s first Spring Rebuilding Day. They had so much interest and support from students and parents alike that their volunteer size has doubled for this year- O’Dea was able to commit to two project sites for Spring Rebuilding Day 2010! O’Dea is one of our champion fundraising groups. They recently received a generous donation from Swenson Say Faget for their SRD 2010 projects and continue to impress us with their fundraising zeal!

Thank you for all your hard work and for your giving spirit, O’Dea!!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Meet The Presidents: RTS Youth Board

Patrick del Valle

The Rebuilding Together Seattle Youth Board is a service group of high school students in the greater Seattle area who support RTS and its mission through volunteering year-round.

Patrick is a Junior at Seattle Prep High School and this is his first year as Co-President of the RTS Youth Board.

Patrick has been a volunteer with RTS for three years and on the RTS Youth Board for two. He first got involved with RTS when he joined family friends on Spring Rebuilding Day 2008. Patrick enjoyed himself so much he decided to sign up with the RTS Youth Board.

Patrick is drawn to RTS for the simple reason of liking to help out those who need it: “If I can sacrifice a few hours on a Sunday to improve someone’s living conditions, I am more than happy to do so,” Patrick explains. “There is also such a great sense of accomplishment during the rebuilding days…few other service projects I have done can match the satisfaction I get from completing a project with RTS.”

Patrick also likes getting to know students from other high schools in Seattle and enjoys seeing them come together for an organization like RTS. A lot of his friends who participate in service projects also support RTS: “I think they are surprised at how fun some of the rebuilding days are after seeing a job description like "paint east exterior wall" and instead of it being monotonous, it ends up being incredibly fun!”

Shop for a Cause on April 17th!


Our 2nd Annual "Shop for a Cause" at Curtsy Bella (Seattle) is only a few weeks away! Please invite your friends!

On Saturday April 17th from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Curtsy Bella Boutique will donate 10% of ALL SALES to RTS! Proceeds will be designated toward our Spring and Summer projects!

We thank you in advance for making a difference to RTS!

RTS' Tree Guy!



Adam Guy of AG Tree Service is RTS' go-to tree guy and has been volunteering with RTS since Spring Rebuilding Day 2009.  His company's services include emergency tree removal, cabling, stump grinding, fine pruning, power line clearing, and close quarter removals for both commercial and residential clients.

This year, AG Tree Service will be working on several SRD 2010 projects doing tree removal, stump grinding, pruning and hedge work.

Adam is always looking for ways to help out in the community and donates his services to a lot of organizations in the greater Seattle area.  He is drawn to RTS' mission partly because of his own backgroud. It wasn't easy for Adam's single mom to raise him and his four brothers so he is always looking for ways to give back to families in need:  "I enjoy helping people whenever I can.  The more I give the better I feel so I put a high value on giving back," Adam explained. 







YPS & YPG Social!

On Thursday, March 4th, members of the RTS Young Professionals Society and ABC's Young Professionals Group gathered at F.X. McRory's in an effort to raise funds for the YPS Summer 2010 Rebuilding Day. RTS thanks ABC for their support of our organization!





The YPS and YPG Presidents!

Monday, March 29, 2010

RTS Thanks J2 Building Consultants for Their Support!


Rebuilding Together Seattle welcomes new sponsor J2 Building Consultants, Inc. Mary Barnes, Volunteer Coordinator for J2’s Spring Rebuilding Day project, expands on why they decided to support RTS: “The service that RTS provides to those less fortunate in our area really hits home for our group. We work on defective buildings nearly every day,” Mary explained. “We felt that this was an area that we could apply our expertise and reach out to help others.”

Last April was J2’s first year working with RTS. They completed a project on Spring Rebuilding Day 2009 and had great feedback from their volunteers. Because it was such a positive experience, J2 has come back this year with an increase in the number of J2 volunteers.

The Principal of J2, Jens Johanson, talks about RTS: “These are tough times! The media is full of global disasters and economic scandals that we have no control over…RTS allows us the ability to help our neighbors in our own community… An empty inbox isn’t all that rewarding, but nothing beats the smiles and thank you’s we receive from our RTS clients!”

J2 enjoys the enthusiasm and spirit of RTS’ staff and Board of Directors: “Your team provides support for those dealing with the difficult issues on projects, and encourages a sense of fun and camraderie,” Mary said.

RTS is excited to work with J2 again this year on Spring Rebuilding Day 2010 and thanks J2 for their continued support!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

RTS Volunteer of the Month: Laura Lee Dootson

Laura Lee and Juliet Dootson

Laura Lee first became involved with RTS while in high school. On her first volunteer project, Laura Lee was so enthusiastic about the work that she was asked to join the RTS Youth Board as a representative of Seattle Prep High School.

Laura Lee loves volunteering her time with RTS because, in her words, “It doesn’t even feel like volunteering! I have so much fun every time I work on a project."  She also enjoys the networking opportunities. “Being stuck with 100 other high school students gave me no other choice but to socialize,”  She explains.  Her favorite part about RTS, however, is seeing the appreciation that the homeowners have for the volunteers:

"I remember the first time I volunteered for RTS, I was on site for eight hours and when we were finished the owner of the house came up to each of us with tears in her eyes and gave us each a hug. After experiencing that wonderful moment, I was hooked on Rebuilding Together Seattle and all that it stands for."

This year will be Laura Lee’s fourth year on the Youth Board and is currently serving as an advisor. She hopes to continue her legacy with Rebuilding Together Seattle Youth Board through her sister, Juliet, an RTS Youth Board member, and hopes that Juliet becomes as passionate about Rebuilding Together Seattle as Laura Lee is.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

SRD 2010 Photo Contest!



On April 24th, Rebuilding Together Seattle will celebrate its 20th Annual Spring Rebuilding Day!

We invite ALL VOLUNTEERS to participate in our first official SRD Photo Contest!


Each volunteer may submit up to 4 photos from SRD (4-24-10). Photos must be emailed to sihrie@rtseattle.org no later than Monday, May 3, 2010.

Winners will be chosen in each of the following categories:
- Best Action Shot,
- Best Before & After Photo(s),
- Best Homeowner Photo, and
- Best Group Photo.

The winning photos will be announced in May and highlighted on the RTS Blog and Website!

Contest winners will receive special recognition and prizes!

Meet the Presidents: RTS Youth Board

Scott Ferron, RTS Youth Board Co-President


The Rebuilding Together Seattle Youth Board is a service group of high school students in the greater Seattle area who support RTS and its mission through volunteering year-round.

Scott is a senior at Seattle Prep and is Co-President of the RTS Youth Board. Scott first got involved with RTS his sophomore year, through a community service club at Seattle Prep.

After Scott’s first Spring Rebuilding Day one of his friends asked him to join the Youth Board. He enjoyed SRD so much that he jumped at the chance. “The best part about being on the Youth Board is seeing people from high schools all over the area come together to work on a project to help the community,” Scott explained. “RTS brings groups of students from different high schools together to do something meaningful to make our city better.”

Scott is enthusiastic about RTS’ mission because he believes that “everyone deserves a home that they can call their own and where they can be independent.”

Join the RTS Youth Board facebook page to be kept up-to-date on service projects throughout the year. To become a member or find out more about the RTS Youth Board, please contact Margie Thirlby at mthirlby@rtseattle.org or at 206-682-1231.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Let's Help CGS Raise Money for their SRD house!!

The Concierge Guild of Seattle is selling raffle tickets to raise money for their Spring Rebuilding Day 2010 project.  This RTS sponsor and volunteer group is excited to give some TLC to a house in Lake City.  Every project site does their best to get all materials donated by local businesses, however, some money is still needed to purchase the remaining necessary tools and building materials. 

Jump on this opportunity - these raffle prizes are quite impressive! See below for a full list. The tickets are being sold for $10/tkt; $25 for 3 tkts or $50 for 6 tkts. The Concierge Guild's goal is to raise $2000, $500 of which has already been raised. The drawing will be March 29, 2010. Winners will be contacted and do not need to be present to win.  To purchase a raffle ticket please send a check made out to Rebuilding Together Seattle (with CGS in the notes) with a name and contact number to Kirk Anderson by Friday the 26th of March. 

Kirk Anderson
Cosmopolitan Condominiums
819 Virginia Street
Seattle, WA 98101

Questions? Call Kirk at 206-903-0414 or email him at CosmoManager@comcast.net


Raffle prizes:


1. Wine Tasting Event for 2 at Columbia Tower Club

2. 4 Gift Certificates for Wine Classes at The Local Vine

3. 2 tickets to upcoming performance of Teatro ZinZanni

4. 10” Tiffany’s cushion crystal bowl

5. A pair of Mariner’s tickets (game tbd)

6. A wine & glasses carrying case

7. One-night stay at B&B

8. A haircut and style provided by Salon Azur (male or female)

9. A Coach handbag

10. 2 tickets aboard any Waterways Signature Cruise during 2010 season

11. 2 tickets to 5th Ave. Theatre production of On The Town (Wed., April 28, 2010)

12. One-night stay at Pan Pacific Hotel with dinner for 2 at Seastar Restaurant

The Veterans of Spring Rebuilding Day 2010

At the beginning of the year, RTS decided to set a goal of helping at least five veterans this year, through our new Veterans Program.  Well, what comes from hard work, good spirit, and a giving attitude?  One thing for sure- SUCCESS!  RTS is happy to announce that we will meet this goal on Spring Rebuilding Day- April 24th, 2010.  Five veterans are recieving donated home repairs from several generous sponsors and the help of approximately 200 volunteers.

The veterans of SRD 2010 include Wayne, Marilyn, Donald, Robert, and Catherine. 
  • J2 Building Consultants volunteers will be working on Wayne's house,
  • Volunteers from Honeywell will be doing the work on Marilyn's house,
  • Volunteers from S.D. Deacon and the Veterans Conservation Corp volunteers will complete work on Donald's house,
  • General contractor Mike Santopolo and the Veterans Conservation Corp volunteers will be working on Robert's house, and
  • Volunteers from Assumption Parish and Premier Builders NW will be completing work on Catherine's  house. 
It's going to be a great day for these five veterans and we hope to surpass our goal (maybe even double it??) by helping even more veterans throughout the rest of the year! 

Meet the Presidents: Young Professionals Society


Christian Nossum: Young Professionals Society President


The Young Professionals Society (YPS), sponsored and staffed by RTS, is a service organization of young professionals who support RTS and its mission.  Along with service events, YPS also has several social events throughout the year.

Christian became involved with Rebuilding Together Seattle when his friend, Michelle, brought him to the first YPS meeting in 2008.  He was immediately hooked and hasn’t missed a YPS meeting ever since! Christian became the President of the Young Professionals Society in June of 2009. 

There are two things Christian loves: “Homes and helping people- it’s my job!”  As a real estate agent, RTS was a natural fit for Christian.  He sees YPS as an easy way for young professionals to gather and be like-minded about giving back to the community.  “Most people that volunteer their time are usually really good people, so it’s fun to see the dynamic of these people getting together for a cause and getting to know each other," Christian explained.  "It’s a great way to meet people who are all in the same place in life and share a passion for giving back to the community.”

Christian loves that RTS is not only about helping homeowners, but also about helping communities:   “The way we help these individual homeowners is by improving their homes, and by improving their homes we are helping out the community and, essentially, RTS volunteers make up that community, so it’s this great cycle of giving and improvement.”

To join YPS or learn more about the group, contact Christian at Christian@DealsInSeattle.com or visit the facebook page here to become a fan to get updates on socials and service events throughout the year.  Christian is a Seattle Real Estate agent- visit his website at http://www.dealsinseattle.com/!  Christian has committed to donating $500 to RTS for every person that uses him as their real estate agent to buy or sell a home that is an RTS volunteer, Board of Director, or staff member (Donation based upon the successful closing of the transaction).


Christian and Brenda volunteering at a YPS service project in West Seattle

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Meet The Presidents

We decided here at RTS that it would be a good idea to get to know the President of the RTS Board of Directos, the President of the RTS Young Professionals Society, and the President of the RTS Youth Board.  Keep your eye out for these three posts in the near future!!


Veteran III: Wayne

Wayne is a 63 year-old Vietnam War veteran who lives with his wife and son in Everett, WA. Wayne was enlisted on January 27, 1964 as a Truck Driver, Medic, and Dental Unit Assistant in Vietnam, Fort Lewis, and Boston, and returned home on January 27, 1967.

Wayne's home is in need of numerous repairs and improvements, including a major bathroom overhaul, (new tub enclosure with grab bars, handicap toilet, and new vent) a full exterior painting, electric work, and miscellaneous repairs (stove, molding, kitchen door). Wayne and his son both suffer from a chronic back condition and the family is unable to complete the repairs independently.

Wayne's home repairs will be completed by J2 Building Consultants on April 24th, 2010 (Spring Rebuilding Day!).

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Alpine Mortgage's RTS Mortgage Donation Program reaches $1,000!!

Michelle Wilson has been volunteering with RTS as a member of the Young Professionals Society since 2008. Michelle’s Rebuilding Together Seattle Mortgage Donation Program, through her company, Alpine Mortgage, has already reached over $1,000 in donations this year!!

The program donates $50 for every loan that Michelle finances. Michelle decided to start this program because RTS “is a great organization providing a needed service in the Seattle Area,” and she likes to see the impact that RTS has on homeowners through RTS's projects throughout the year. Michelle shares about RTS when she meets with new clients to let them know how Alpine Mortgage is giving back to the community. The program does not involve any additional cost to the client.

Michelle is happy to have chosen RTS for giving back: “I like that RTS is a local organization that helps homeowners in need," Michelle said. "As a community, it’s very important to help take care of everyone and I think RTS does a great job reaching out to elderly and disabled to ensure their needs are being met as well.”

If you are considering a home purchase or refinance, contact Michelle about the RTS Mortgage Donation Program to find out how using Alpine Mortgage will also make a difference in your community! “The great thing about RTS is there are so many ways that people can get involved and yet, there is no pressure. People want to get involved and I think that’s what makes all the difference.”

For more information about the RTS Mortgage Donation Program contact Michelle Wilson at Alpine Mortgage at 206-261-1498 or at Michelle@AlpineMtg.com.  Visit her website at: http://www.wilsonhomefinancing.com/

Monday, March 15, 2010

Progression of a Ramp

On Saturday, Wells Fargo Advisors built a ramp off the back deck for four wheel-chair bound residents in Shoreline:


Demolition

Re-alignment of stones
Beginnings...
Hammering in the new boards
Resident thanks the volunteers- look at those great
skid shingles, donated by Home Depot!
Yah!  Beautiful....


The Wells Fargo Advisor Volunteers:

Video Clip from Saturday's Rebuild Day

Saturday was Wells Fargo Advisor's rebuild day in Shoreline- check out the video clip on Komo 4!!

Friday, March 12, 2010

RTS Welcomes J2 Building Consultants, Inc!


RTS welcomes new MAJOR SPONSOR, J2 Building Consultants, Inc!

J2 will sponsor a home on Spring Rebuilding Day 2010 (April 24th) to assist Wayne, a veteran in Everett, WA.

WELCOME, J2! RTS thanks you for your great support.

SHOP FOR A CAUSE!


Curtsy Bella Boutique is hosting a fundraiser for Rebuilding Together Seattle!

Rebuilding Together Seattle will be Curtsy Bella’s April “Shop for a Cause” charity! On April 17th, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Curtsy Bella will donate 10% OF ALL SALES to Rebuilding Together Seattle!

STORE ADDRESS: 2920 NE Blakeley St, Seattle, 98105

Please invite your friends, colleagues, and RTS volunteers to stop by for a fun time! This event will be held 1 week prior to our 20th Annual Spring Rebuilding Day on Saturday, April 24th. Thank you to Curtsy Bella for their 2nd year of partnership!

Please call Curtsy Bella at 206.523.3221 to learn about their great gift options!

VIEW OUR FACEBOOK EVENT!

Thank you, Swenson Say Faget!


RTS sends a special thanks to Swenson Say Faget for their company's generous donation toward Spring Rebuilding Day 2010 and the O'Dea High School projects.

Thank you, Swenson Say Faget, for your support!

Veteran II: Donald

Donald is an 81 year-old Korean War veteran who lives alone in White Center, Seattle. Donald served in the Military from 1947 to 1963 with the Air Force and Army Reserve, and was stationed at the Center for Strategic Air Command during the Korean War.

Donald is disabled, recovering from shoulder surgery, and unable to complete repairs to his home independently.  His home is in need of many improvements, including replacing his bathroom floor, constructing a stand up bath tub, repairing his garage, removing clutter at his home, and providing other miscellaneous interior and exterior improvements.

Donald's home projects will be completed by volunteers from S.D. Deacon and from the Veteran's Conservation Corp on April 24th, 2010 (Spring Rebuilding Day!).

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Newsworthy

On Saturday, March 13, from 8 am to 4 pm, Rebuilding Together Seattle (RTS) will partner with 40 volunteers from Wells Fargo Advisors to clean, rebuild and repair the home of four residents of Parkview Services in Shoreline.

Parkview Services (http://www.parkviewservices.org/) is a King County based non-profit organization that supports people with developmental disabilities and their families. Earlier this year, with the help of Parkview Services, RTS identified a residence that qualified for the organization’s maintenance and repair services including a full yard clean-up, ramp construction and gutter cleaning Through RTS and the Wells Fargo Advisors’ generous donations of materials and time, four residents of Parkview Services will experience their own one-day, extreme home makeover.

For more information on the Wells Fargo Advisors’ Rebuilding Day through Rebuilding Together Seattle (RTS), please visit http://www.rtseattle.org/ or call (206) 682-1231.

Komo 4 will be checking us out so watch for us on the news on Saturday!  Go to Komo's website to read their blurb about the project: "Extreme home makeover" of sorts for Shoreline residents

RTS would also like to thank two local Starbucks for donating coffee to our volunteers, 7-Eleven for providing donuts and breakfast burritos, and the Ballard Fred Meyer for their donation of bottled water!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Veteran I: Robert

As promised, RTS will be posting short profiles of those veterans who RTS will be helping this spring, and first up is Robert.

Robert is a 67 year-old Vietnam War veteran. Robert served as a General Supply Specialist in Vietnam from August 19, 1964 to January 18, 1970. He lives with his wife, Fredda (64) in Kirkland, WA. Robert is a quadriplegic and dependent on his ventilator to live at home. Fredda provides 24-hour support for Robert, as their family is unable to afford full-time care.

RTS plans to create a safe and accessible home for Robert by installing rubberized flooring, constructing a wheelchair ramp, and building a deck in the back yard. This project will be completed on Saturday, April 24th, 2010 (Spring Rebuilding Day!) by members of the Veterans Conservation Corps.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Shout Out!

RTS wants to give a little shout out to M.A.D. Pizza in South Lake Union for their donations of delicious pizza for various evening meetings RTS has held in the past year.  RTS employees, board members and volunteers want to thank you, M.A.D. Pizza, for your continued "in-kind" donations! :)

Monday, March 1, 2010

New Spring Sponsor!

Rebuilding Together Seattle wants to thank Howard S. Wright for becoming a sponsor of Spring Rebuilding Day 2010.

A Howard S. Wright Project Engineer, Whitney Evans, will lead a HSW team on April 24th for Spring Rebuilding Day. "The Project Engineers at Howard S. Wright wanted to get involved in a community project. Rebuilding Together was a perfect community project that would allow us to utilize our building knowledge and resources to help individuals to safely stay in their homes," Whitney explained. "A Rebuilding Together Day project combines my two favorite things, helping people and construction."

The HSW team will be helping Rebuilding Together Client client, Wesley, by building a wheelchair ramp, fixing several roofing issues, and with various other household projects that Wesley is unable to do on his own.  At the age of 14, Wesley contracted polio, resulting in his lifelong dependence on crutches. Soon after his illness, Wesley's family had to relocate from South Dakota to Washington to find work to support him. Eventually, Wesley recovered enough to find a job in television repair work. He is currently retired and lives alone. The HSW team will be preserving Wesley's independence and improving the safety of his home.

Last year, RTS was grateful to HSW for their project management on a Spring Rebuilding Day 2009 home. Howard S. Wright looks forward to building their partnership with RTS and helping many more homeowners in the future!

Become a Fan on Facebook!!

Connect with us on Facebook!!

Rebuilding Together Seattle has a new fanpage; click here to become a fan!

You can also follow our blog from your facebook page.  Just go here on the fanpage and click "Follow"!!

RTS also has two groups: the Young Professionals Society and the RTS Youth Board. Please click here to become a member of YPS on facebook or here for more information on how to join and here to learn more about joining the Youth Board!

Thank you for your continued support of RTS!!

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