Coming Together for Community Service Day

June 16, 2021

Last Friday we enjoyed one of our favorite Windermere traditions: Community Service Day (CSD). We teamed up with our fellow Windermere real estate agents to volunteer across Kitsap County. We always enjoy going out into the community and helping out. This year was especially fun since we weren't able to participate last year due to the pandemic. Our office worked with either the Bainbridge Island Land Trust or helped clean up the Boy Scout Hall in Kingston. Read on to find out more about what we were able to accomplish.

The History of CSD

Every year since 1984, Windermere offices close one day a year and the day is dedicated to community service. From local food banks to playgrounds, senior centers to animal shelters, our offices have volunteered in a variety of ways. We're proud of this collective effort and the impact it has had. Windermere's offices are located in 10 states and we have collectively logged over 1,000,000 community service hours.

Volunteering with Bainbridge Island Land Trust

This year we were proud to work with Bainbridge Island Land Trust. The Land Trust's mission is to "conserve and steward the diverse natural environments of Bainbridge Island for the benefit of all." Working with a variety of partners, Bainbridge Island Land Trust acquires land for preserves, trails, parks and restoration projects. Additionally, they help willing private landowners protect their land using conservation ea sements. Currently, there are 1,455 protected acres on Bainbridge Island, 1,102 acres open to the public, and 48 conservation easements.

During Community Service Day, we helped clean up some protected land and had fun working together out in nature. "We pulled scotch broom and blackberries with the goal of creating enough natives to lure butterflies to the area," said Tori Dotson, Owner and Designated Broker. "This island was heavily logged and we were able to see a lot of deserted vehicles from the logging days. That was a highlight, but really just us getting out of the office and working together was a huge highlight!"

Cleaning Up Kingston's Boy Scout Hall

We also worked in Kingston, helping with the Boy Scout Hall renovation project. After years of fundraising efforts, renovating the Boy Scout Hall is finally underway. Since the 1960s, the Hall has served as a haven for local young men. The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to "prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes", focusing on values such as kindness, loyalty, trust, and bravery.

For CSD, we helped clean up and restore the area around the historic building in Kola Kole Park and the grove of trees next to it, which were planted to remember the local fallen soldiers of WWII. Scout Hall itself is being restored by the Rotary Club. Property Manager Bobbi Neal really enjoyed helping. "We worked on the grounds pruning, weeding, and collecting trash and debris. My favorite part of the day was being with my colleagues while giving back to the community. I have really missed being around all my work friends, so that was awesome."

To get a glimpse of all our offices in action, watch our video from CSD.