Community Highlights: Latest Acts of Service
Bike MS: Deception Pass Classic
For the third consecutive year, we joined Team GLY for two-days of cycling at Bike MS. Structural Engineer, Tyler Weinbrecht spearheaded Coughlin Porter Lundeen riders at the Deception Pass Classic. Held at the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mt. Vernon, riders opted for routes between one and one hundred miles, all in the name of supporting MS research.
An impressive series, Bike MS rides span the nation and have raised more than $1.3 billion for the National MS Society, whose mission is to rid the world of Multiple Sclerosis. The GLY Team Fundraising Page is still open if you’d like to donate, learn more, or consider riding with us next year!
Habitat for Humanity Build Day
This August, Coughlin Porter Lundeen’s Wood Task Group partnered with Habitat for Humanity for a Volunteer Build Day in Pacific, Washington. Lead by Structural Engineer, Rachel Vranizan, the team donned their tool belts and helped construct homes earmarked for veterans. It was unanimously a great day of teambuilding and a rewarding experience.
A global nonprofit housing organization, Habitat for Humanity partners with local communities to help families in need secure affordable housing. Habitat homeowners help build their own houses alongside volunteers. Curious about supporting Habitat or participating in a Build Day near you? There are lots of opportunities to volunteer and support!
NAIOP Community Enhancement
NAIOP Community Enhancement events bring together volunteers of all ages – from AEC and beyond – to lend a full day of support and manpower to local causes. It’s amazing what an impact one day of work and a team of willing volunteers can have! This year more than 400 volunteers (including more than 40 from Coughlin Porter Lundeen!) worked at Burien’s St. Bernadette’s Parish School. Teams updated signage and provided landscaping and overall beautification efforts, all designed to instill pride in the school’s multicultural student community.
Each Community Enhancement event is carefully chosen by a NAIOP committee and community centers, schools and nonprofits can all apply. Each is large too, requiring extensive planning, fundraising, budgeting, and coordination of up to ten, simultaneous day-of projects. Structural Principal, Garo Pehlivanian is a committee member and regularly serves as a project lead onsite. Structural Project Manger, Eric Dixon leads internal efforts as well. Past Community Enhancement Days have brought us to Farmer Frog, where we reclaimed county trails (in record time!) and New Start High School in Burien, where we updated the Salmon Creek Campus. It’s hard work, but surely worthwhile to the community. Plus, team members agree that it’s consistently one of the most fulfilling days on their calendar.
Plymouth Housing Supper
Plymouth Housing works to eliminate homelessness and address its causes. Following the Housing-First philosophy, Plymouth Housing provides residents a safe, quality home, believing that housing is the first step in helping those who face homelessness transform their lives. Their more than 16 buildings in the Seattle area provide residents not only a safe place to live, but support, hope and opportunities to stabilize and improve their lives.
After hearing about Plymouth Housing’s mission at an in-office lunch session, Structural Principal, Garo Pehlivanian, was inspired to get involved. Invited to contribute a meal to the residents at Saint Charles Apartments, he organized our team. All preparation needed to be done offsite, so some team members brought in desserts and baked goods, some gathered side dishes, salads and beverages, and others managed a slew of slow cookers for pulled pork. (Our office kitchen has never smelled better!) Team members not only managed all food preparation, but also delivered and served the meal at Saint Charles Apartments, then sat and visited with residents.