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| The Masaniai ladies cooking away! |
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| Preparing the food |
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| A family member helping out! |
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| Replacing the kitchen flooring |
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| New door! |
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| The fearless Project Leader, Erick Cruz! |
Stay tuned for more photos and updates!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
LIVE from South Park: Volunteers from Turner Construction in action!
WOW! What a beautiful day to rebuild a home! Volunteers from Turner Construction started bright and early at 6:30 AM this morning in South Park and are currently hard at work. The homeowners, the Masaniai family of 8, is working right alongside Turner by helping with painting and grilling food for the volunteers.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Register TODAY for the Beer and Wine Tasting 2012!
Calling all Rebuilding Together Seattle, wine, and/or beer fans! Registration is now open for the 3rd Annual Beer and Wine Tasting Fundraiser!
THE DETAILS:
Date: Friday, September 28, 2012
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Swedish Cultural Center (1920 Dexter Ave N, Seattle)
Your $50.00 ticket comes with complimentary beer and wine tastings, excellent food, access to great silent and live auction items, and a chance to help low income homeowners live in warm and safe homes.
SPACE IS LIMITED! Register online today or email bbarcroft@rtseattle.org to request a hard copy invitation to mail in your registration.
We hope to see you on September 28th!
Photos taken by Dana Questad (September 2011)
Questions? Email bbarcroft@rtseattle.org or call 206.682.1231
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
The RTS Volunteer Video CHALLENGE!
Introducing the first Rebuilding Together Seattle
VOLUNTEER VIDEO CHALLENGE!
We would like to challenge YOU as part of our amazing network of volunteers to send us a short clip of yourself addressing the following questions:
“Why do you believe in the mission of Rebuilding Together Seattle?” or “Why do you support Rebuilding Together Seattle?”
Step 1: Use your camera, webcam, iPhone, or whatever your electronic device of choice might be (as long as it takes a good quality video) to film yourself.
Step 2: Upload the video to your YouTube account. Don't have an account? Click here to set one up.
Step 3: Send the link to your video to Claire at coatey@rtseattle.org.
It's that simple.
Those who submit a video will have the chance to have their clip featured as part of future marketing materials for RTS! Plus, the winner of the BEST video will receive a gift card of their choice to either Target, Amazon, or Starbucks.
Videos must be sent to us by Friday, August 17th! Thank you!
...
We're pretty confident that our volunteers will show as much dedication to our challenge as these folks did for Ellen's Dance Dare:
RTS Supporters & Mariners Fans raise over $7,600 for homeowners in need!
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
Monday, August 6, 2012
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.
###
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
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!
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