RTS Supporters & Mariners Fans raise over $7,600 for homeowners in need!

On Thursday, July 26, over 250 Rebuilding Together Seattle (RTS) supporters gathered blocks away from Safeco Field at the 2012 Mariners Tailgate Fundraiser!  With the support of the Herche Family and volunteers, attendees raised over $7,600 for low income homeowners in need of essential home repairs. 

Highlights from the party included great food and drinks, custom RTS free koozies (donated by Kotis Design), and a special thank you speech by Program Recipient, Clara (pictured below).  To top it off, the Mariners beat the Royals and Rebuilding Together was pictured on the big screen! (photo above).

RTS sends a BIG thanks to the Herche Family, our event volunteers, event attendees, live auction donors, and Britt Barcroft for her hard work preparing for the event.  GOOOOOO MARINERS!

Program Recipient, Clara (our event speaker on July 26th)

Meet the 2012-2013 RTS Young Professionals Society (YPS) Executive Team!

Rebuilding Together Seattle is thrilled to introduce our 2012-2013 Young Professionals Society (YPS) Executive Team: Michelle Holst, Jenny Levesque, and Anne Timmermans!

As the group begins its 5th year, the new Executive Team is busy planning for a fun year ahead!  With the YPS Kickoff Social on September 7th, and the annual YPS Rebuilding Day on September 15th, the Executive Team already has great plans in store.

Let's meet these leaders!

MICHELLE HOLST: PRESIDENT

Tell me about yourself?  Where are you from?  Where did you go to school? 

Hey, I'm Michelle! I'm a kind of a mutt - born in Washington, but I'm half Californian, half Minnesotan and I've lived most of my life in California with stints in Hawaii, Wales, and Denmark. I graduated from high school near San Diego and from college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I've lived in Capitol Hill for 2 1/2 years and I get giddy on a sunny Seattle day. 

Name three words that describe yourself - GO!

Compassionate, resourceful, and genuine 

What do you do for a living?

I'm in the process of becoming a Registered Architect. I work for a small architecture firm in West Seattle doing a wide range of residential and some commercial projects. I've always been fascinated by how people live and I love working with people on their homes. 

How did you first get involved with Rebuilding Together Seattle? 

Shortly after moving here in 2009, I was trying to find a way to get involved with volunteering in Seattle that was hands-on and impactful. I'm not sure how I found the link, but I liked what I saw online and signed up immediately. I've been hooked ever since; covered in dirt, paint, and dust after a solid days work with a crew of amazing volunteers and homeowners. It doesn't require full-time dedication to help someone in the Seattle community who truly benefits from and appreciates a days worth of improvements from 20 willing sets of hands. 

Why do you believe in the mission of Rebuilding Together Seattle?  Why do you support the RTS Young Professionals Society (YPS)?  What are you excited for this year?

I see RTS as the perfect vehicle for giving a hand-up to those who need it most. YPS engages an age group that stands to benefit from the networking interaction in addition to helping others. YPS benefits RTS by being the face of the social media demographic and provides the opportunity to create lifelong members dedicated to RTS.

I also think that YPS is a wonderful opportunity to connect with post-college/mid-lifers who have a desire to serve their community and have fun doing it. I haven't come across a single person involved with RTS and YPS who didn't have a heart two sizes too big and a sense of humor to match. From the leadership side of things, I'm excited to engineer more opportunities for YPS to do what they do best - service projects - in addition to ensuring informative meetings and outreach. 

Tell us a bit more about yourself – what do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work and YPS, I like to adventure with friends, try out weird recipes, and trick myself into running long distances. And I'm a sucker for TV dramas. Game of Thrones/ Breaking Bad/ Dexter anyone?

JENNY LEVESQUE: VICE PRESIDENT

Tell me about yourself?  Where are you from?  Where did you go to school?

Jenny Levesque. Grew up in West Seattle, Washington. Attended Holy Names for high school, went to St. Mary's College of California for college, just recently got my masters from Seattle University.

Name three words that describe yourself - GO!

A hard-working, good-natured, multi-tasker  :-)

What do you do for a living?

Marketing/communications specialist for BergerABAM, a civil/structural engineering company

How did you first get involved with Rebuilding Together Seattle?

Very first time I got involved with RTS (then still Christmas in April) was when I volunteered to help with a project in high school. But more recently I served as the Vice President of YPS in 2008-2009.

Why do you believe in the mission of Rebuilding Together Seattle?  Why do you support the RTS Young Professionals Society (YPS)?  What are you excited for this year?

I support RTS because I firmly believe in the importance of all people having a safe, warm place to call home. Somewhere that they can live their lives in peace and without worry. I support YPS because I think that it is important for younger people (young professionals) to reach out and help the elderly or low income homeowners in this mission for safe housing. I feel that YPS brings a fresh perspective and a new group of people to the mission of RTS. I also think that young professionals are able to reach out and network and help spread the word about RTS in a way that other groups cannot.

Tell us a bit more about yourself – what do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy playing lacrosse and soccer. And I love to travel! I just got back from a trip to Costa Rica with my sister.

ANNE TIMMERMANS: SERVICE CHAIR

  

Tell me about yourself?  Where are you from?  Where did you go to school?

Bakersfield, CA, but have lived in Seattle almost 12 years.  I went to the University of Washington (gooooooooooooooo HUSKIEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS) for undergrad in 2000 (Geography major, 2004) and went back for my Master’s in Construction Management degree from 2008-2010.

Name three words that describe yourself – GO!

Astute, gregarious, assertive

What do you do for a living?

Project Manager at Heery International, Inc. I am usually the Owner’s Representative on large, public projects starting in design, construction, and occupancy. I just wrapped up 6.5 years on the Port of Seattle’s consolidated rental car facility that opened May 17th.

How did you first get involved with Rebuilding Together Seattle?

Gayle Roberts (current RTS Board Member) needed volunteers to serve as Project Manager for an RTS/Sounders high school revitalization project in 2010 at Franklin High school. I thought ‘wow, what a great organization’ and immediately signed up to volunteer even though I was wrapping up my graduate thesis and really had no spare time.  I worked with Anne Quiqq (former RTS Board Member) on getting a lot of the landscaping details and provided a ton of manual labor that day, and had such a great time that I had to return.  Then, about six months later, my friend and I co-PM’d a Veterans Rebuilding Day project in Burien.

Why do you believe in the mission of Rebuilding Together Seattle?  Why do you support the RTS Young Professionals Society (YPS)?  What are you excited for this year?

Often times, homeowners experience circumstances that make them decide between house upkeep versus health, wellness, and other costs of living. RTS does the communities a great service by re-instilling hope in homeowners who have had unexpected loss, health issues, or sudden disruptions to their income. 

YPS is a great branch of RTS since it taps into all of the up and coming professionals in the Puget Sound. YPS often supplies a lot of the volunteers that work on the projects, and it is a great way to stay in communication with the volunteer base.  This year I'd love to see more fundraising opportunities, growing the volunteer base within YPS, and possibly syncing up with other design or construction industry organizations for projects.

Tell us a bit more about yourself – what do you like to do outside of work?

Go wine tasting (and SOMETIMES, I even drink the wine), go for road trips, organize outings with my friends (brunches, wine tasting, bbqs, girls’ night out), collect cowboy boots, collect vintage crystal party sets, avid reader, listener of lots and lots and lots of music, and perpetual sun seeker in Seattle (while wearing sunscreen of course!)

WOW!  What a great team.   Thank you, Michelle, Jenny, and Anne!  We're excited to have you on board!

ABOUT YPS!

YPS is a service organization of Rebuilding Together Seattle that was founded in August 2008, in an effort to develop a greater support network of young professionals who could support the organization and share their professional talents and connections.   YPS hosts service projects and social events on a quarterly basis, and has approximately 40 active members.  To learn more, visit http://rtseattle.org/yps.php or visit the YPS Facebook Group.

Want to get involved? Contact: michelle.m.holst@gmail.com

This Saturday RTS will partner with Turner Construction to restore home for family of eight in South Park!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Claire Oatey – (206) 786-6236

coatey@rtseattle.org - www.rtseattle.org

 

Volunteers to transform home for family of eight in South Park

 

Seattle, WA – On Saturday, August 11, from approximately 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Rebuilding Together Seattle (www.rtseattle.org) will partner with roughly 30 volunteers from Turner Construction Company to clean, rebuild, and repair the home of a family of eight in the South Park area.  In an effort to help others live independently in warmth and safety, Rebuilding Together Seattle focuses on providing low-income homes and non-profit facilities with critical repairs, modifications and energy-efficient upgrades at no cost to the individuals served.

Volunteers will be helping the Masaniai family, who applied to Rebuilding Together Seattle earlier this year for assistance. Faamomoi and Tautalafua Masaniai live with and care for their two sons, two daughters, niece, and nephew, all under the age of 21. On August 11, volunteers will patch the roof with new shingles, remove the existing chimney flu, patch up drywall, paint the ceiling, install new linoleum flooring, supply energy-efficient baseboard heaters, replace windows, replace the washing machine, install grout and new tile in a bathroom, replace the threshold and weather stripping on the front door, install new door locks, paint the exterior of the house, and replace the garage door. These repairs will allow the Masaniai family to live in the safe and comfortable environment they deserve.

For more information on the Turner Rebuilding Day through Rebuilding Together Seattle, please email coatey@rtseattle.org or call (206) 682-1231 or (206) 786-6236 on day of event. Project address: 1236 S Donovan St, Seattle, WA 98108.  This event will offer exceptional visuals and ample opportunity for interviews; all interested media are encouraged to contact RTS for more details.

About our Sponsor: Turner Construction Company

Turner Construction Company provides construction services to clients who value diligence, resourcefulness and creativity in a partner. Since 1976, Turner has been committed to helping shape Seattle's communities. We believe Turner's responsibility to the city of Seattle and region goes beyond the business of “bricks and mortar,” and are honored to support the mission and continued success of many local community organizations. Turner was the first major builder in the nation to establish a formal community affairs department and every year our employees participate in numerous community programs. For more information, please visit www.turnerconstruction.com/seattle

About Rebuilding Together Seattle

Rebuilding Together Seattle was established in 1989 and is part of the national Rebuilding Together organization with over 200 affiliates in 50 states. Rebuilding Together Seattle is a volunteer, charitable organization that repairs homes and non-profit facilities at no cost to the individuals served.  RTS serves the elderly, disabled, families with children, and veterans in need.  For more information, please visit www.rtseattle.org.

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Volunteer of the Month: Jeff Berry

Jeff Berry (Center) pictured on the Sounders Rebuilding Day

Choosing this month's outstanding volunteer was an easy choice for the RTS office. The honor goes to Jeff Berry from Wilcox Construction for his exceptional leadership and hard work as the Project Leader for the Sounders Rebuilding Day! Jeff was chosen to manage the Sounders Rebuilding Day, which took place at the end of June, after playing an instrumental role as a volunteer in an RTS project the year prior. Thanks to Jeff's thoughtful planning, the big day went off without a hitch at United Friends Group Homes for residents with developmental disabilities.

Rick Massey (Program Director, United Friends Group Homes) shared this story about the fruits of Jeff's hard work: 

"We are more than happy with everything. As an example of how much everybody enjoys the improvements…picture this: Tracy arrived back from her Hawaii trip late one night but couldn’t sleep. I happened to be covering an overnight shift so I witnessed the whole thing…she opened one of the cabinets and when it closed tightly, she squealed just a little bit. She then had to test out each cabinet; after each one closed tightly, she said “Wow!” By the last cabinet, she was clapping and laughing."  

Now, let's hear from Jeff!

1. How did you get involved with RTS?

The owner of my company, Matt Lessard of Wilcox Construction, has the biggest heart and is always willing to help out whenever he can. He sent out an invitation last year asking for volunteers to participate in the annual rebuild event and I gladly signed up. The project was a big success due to the leadership of Jim Broadlick and I was very happy to take a supporting role. Apparently, the Wilcox volunteers did such a good job we were asked to lead the Sounders Rebuilding Day this year.

2. What do you enjoy most about working with our organization?

RTS is very passionate about helping those in need and I am equally as passionate about construction, so it seems like a perfect fit to me. The people I worked with at RTS were great at keeping me focused on my construction tasks while they led the overall event. It would've been very easy for RTS to micro-manage this project but they let me do what I do best and that is run the construction process. The staff at RTS exhibits an incredible positive nature that is truly a joy to work with.

3. What do other volunteers say about RTS?

The volunteers I worked with were equally as impressed by RTS as I was. We were given the freedom to tackle the tasks at hand and never felt like we weren't doing enough. RTS was very supportive of everyone's efforts and I believe we will have many returning volunteers next year.

4. Why do they want to volunteer their time?

Life is too short to not help out. Everyone's lives are so busy that we often forget about the people who can use our help. I realize I work with a bunch of construction workers but secretly we all get a sense a joy from helping others and seeing the smiles on their faces. I think too many people have forgotten about warm fuzzies. Please do not share this with anyone but I think the volunteers I worked with kinda cherish warm fuzzies too.

5. What about RTS' mission are you most drawn to?

As a person in the construction industry I have always valued my job of creating spaces for people to live and work in. Some spaces were often a bit nicer than others as money can buy certain amenities. And this is where RTS' mission comes into play. Everyone deserves a chance to live in a home with warmth, safety and independence. Sometimes these very basic necessitates are overlooked and this where RTS' financial support comes in. RTS helps us all focus on what is truly important....and EVERYONE is important.
 

  Thank you Jeff for your high energy, can-do attitude, and keen sense of humor!

 

Safe at Home Highlight!

Three members of our Safe at Home Team (David Kimelman, Mike Santopolo, and Bob Stocco) teamed up to build an interior ramp for residents with developmental disabilities at one of Parkview Services' group homes in North Seattle!

"Gary and I visited the NE 128th St, Seattle house today to look at the new interior ramp and make final decisions about the covering. We were greeted by Lisa who grasped my hand and smiled from ear to ear when I asked how she liked the new ramp! The on-site staff are thrilled as well. Many, many thanks for helping to significantly improve the quality of life for Lisa as well as Sandra and Leanne. Your volunteer efforts on their behalf are greatly appreciated. Wonderful job, just wonderful." (written by Linda Roche, Director of Affordable Housing Program, Parkview Services)

The new indoor ramp!

About the RTS Safe at Home Program

In the fall of 2010, Rebuilding Together Seattle launched a new program to address homeowners' repair needs year-round. The Safe at Home program (formerly Year-Round Program) is volunteer-driven and is achieved by individuals or small groups of volunteers. Typically, Safe at Home projects consist of safety-related repairs that often require skilled volunteers. Along with individual and small groups of volunteers, RTS relies on our Safe at Home Partners, consisting of local businesses that donate their time, skills, and materials to help homeowners with specialty or highly skilled projects.


Fore more information on Safe at Home, visit http://rtseattle.org/safe_at_home.php.
To join the Safe at Home Team, email Claire at coatey@rtseattle.org or fill out a volunteer form.


                        Thank you David, Mike, and Bob!

Introducing Brittany Barcroft! (RTS Program & Events Coordinator)

RTS is excited to officially introduce Brittany (Britt) Barcroft (pictured above, left) to the RTS community!  Britt joined our organization as a Special Projects Intern in April 2012, just in time for Spring Rebuilding Day 2012.  Britt was eager to support RTS, sharing her (previous) experience in the affordable housing sector and a true passion for the nonprofit industry.  

On July 9th, Britt was hired as the Program and Events Coordinator at RTS to support major program and fundraising events, including the RTS Mariners Night (July 26th), the South Beacon Hill Revitalization Event (August 28-29), and the RTS Beer and Wine Tasting Fundraiser (September 28th).  RTS is thrilled to have Britt's enthusiasm, passion, and organization at our office!

 Britt (top, center/left) with her friends on her wedding day!

LET'S HEAR FROM BRITT!

1. Where did you go to school? What did you major in? What are some of your hopes for future career aspirations?

I'm a proud graduate of Michigan State University (go green!), where I graduated last Spring with majors in both Psychology and Community Relations, and a minor in Religious Studies.  I'm interested in both the management side of non-profits and the direct services side, so I'm currently trying to gain experience in both worlds by working at RTS and as a shelter counselor at ROOTS Young Adult Shelter.  I've set my sights on completing a Masters in Community Counseling with a non-profit management certificate in the next five years.  My goal is to build a well rounded set of skills that I can apply in creative ways to address poverty (in particular: inter generational poverty, homelessness/affordable housing, and at-risk youth).  I don't know exactly where I want to end up, but I want to make sure that I'm fully prepared to jump in with both feet when I find something exciting! 

2. Why do you believe in the mission of Rebuilding Together Seattle?

When a person is dealing with lack of access to basic resources, it is incredibly difficult to find the time to work on other important factors in their life such as physical/mental/emotional/spiritual health. Helping someone to maintain a safe living environment provides a solid foundation that will give them the freedom to truly thrive. You can watch this transformation happen while the volunteers are working: the homeowner starts standing up straighter, speaking with more confidence, and has a twinkle in their eye. Perhaps even more importantly, the volunteers who complete these repairs are living proof to the homeowners that people care about them, and some of the most incredible benefits of RTS come simply through flourishing relationships. I truly believe that RTS has the power to transform lives and empower our community.

3. What are you excited about the most in regard to your internship position with RTS?

Do I have to pick just one thing? The staff, board, and volunteers at RTS have created such an upbeat and loving environment, so I can’t think of a better place to gain job experience. I love being greeted by hyper puppies and friendly co-workers every morning! I’m excited to be a part of the chaos, creativity, and hard work that goes into providing such an important service to Seattle residents. Furthermore, in college I worked for Appalachia Service Project, a non-profit emergency home repair ministry operating in rural coal-mining regions such as Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. I’ve always found this type of work to be magical; it is unbelievable how big of an impact you can make by doing such simple things. I’m really excited to be a part of the magic once again!

4. Tell us a bit about yourself – what are some of your interests outside of work?

I love music, and although I'm rusty on several of my instruments at the moment I can still play the piano and guitar decently well. I also love to sing…in choir or in musical theatre, whatever I can get my hands on! I’m a pretty big nerd, so although I do enjoy reading I often choose books on nutritional theory, psychology, or other non-fiction. My favorite way to spend a Friday night would probably be playing board games with friends and relaxing, or going to the movies. I also enjoy traveling, yoga, and long distance running. It's been on my bucket list for a while to run a marathon, so I'm hoping to do it in the next year!

 THANK YOU, BRITT, FOR ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO RTS!

A CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: Volunteer of the Year!

Former Board President, Arnie Mondloch (R) presents 2010-2011 Volunteer of the Year Award to John Hanks (L)

Do you know of an outstanding Rebuilding Together Seattle volunteer that has gone above and beyond in his or her volunteer contributions to our organization?  If so, nominate that person TODAY for Rebuilding Together Seattle's 2011-2012 Volunteer of the Year Award!

Last September, Rebuilding Together Seattle presented our first Volunteer of the Year Award (given to John Hanks) at our annual Beer and Wine Tasting Fundraiser.  This month we are asking our supporters to consider nominating volunteers for our 2011-2012 award, which will be presented at our Beer and Wine Tasting 2012 on Friday, September 28, 2012 at the Swedish Cultural Center.

To nominate a volunteer, please complete our brief online form.  Nominations are due by Tuesday, July 31st.  Please be sure to review the following Volunteer of the Year nomination criteria prior to submitting your nomination:

1. Nominee's volunteer contributions should exceed more than one day of volunteering during the past fiscal year (July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012)

2. Examples of outstanding volunteers include (but are not limited to): Project Managers, Volunteer Coordinators, Safe at Home Volunteers, Site Preview Team Members, Committee Members, Former Board Members, and Young Professionals Society Members.

3. Unfortunately, nominations of current RTS Board Members will not be accepted.

RTS is lucky to have over 3,000 volunteers support us each year!  Thank you ALL for making a difference!