I have been fortunate to call Issaquah Highlands home for nearly 11 years. You will likely see my husband, Matthew, and I chasing our three-year-old daughter, Lauren, around the local parks. When we are not chasing our toddler or trying to catch up on sleep, our family enjoys traveling, playing tourist around the PNW, and spending time with friends and family.
My husband and I constantly talk about how lucky we are to live in a community with so many wonderful areas for our daughter to play, not to mention the community members we see on our walks who make this place truly our home. Having grown up in the greater Seattle area, and after brief stints in California, New York, and London, I am so pleased I decided to settle down in the Highlands.
It is easy to get involved in the Highlands because there is always an event or activity being planned. Or you are “volunteered” by your friends! I had the thrill of dressing up as a Highlands Day mascot for two summers in a row, as well as helping with lots of fun events at Blakely Hall over the years. My favorite thing about dressing up at Highlands Day is interacting with all the children who are so excited to be there.
For the past year, I have been a member of the Issaquah Highlands Community Association (IHCA) Architectural Review Committee (ARC), which assists residents in ensuring their home improvement projects adhere to community guidelines. It has been wonderful to see all the ways my neighbors are taking pride in their homes, as well as getting to know more people in the process.
The ARC committee is just one example of how neighbors are helping to ensure we all continue to live in a beautiful community. Our current goal is to make sure the guidelines are easier to understand, and in turn, provide a more streamlined and consistent process.
Photo: (left) July’s Volunteer of the Month, Elizabeth Parker Gregg with husband, Matt, and daughter, Lauren. (Top right) Elizabeth dressed as our iconic Highlands Day bear mascot to celebrate Issaquah Highlands’ 20th birthday at 2018’s Happy Birthday Highlands Day! (Bottom left) In 2019, Elizabeth got in touch with her inner gamer as Mrs. Pac-Man at our GAME ON! Highlands Day. The costume was made by our 2019 Volunteer of the Year, Aline Bloch, who also made the cardboard cake in the previous photo. (Bottom right) Elizabeth helps check people in for our first Beach Bingo night at Blakely Hall in 2018.
