Thank you, Lindsey and Jennifer!
Lindsey Pinkston~
I love bringing people together and planning community events, so when I saw the opportunity to work with Highlands Council to put on a Shop Small Saturday event, I jumped at the chance.
Jen and I met shortly after she moved to IH in the community book club and have been friends ever since. I knew we’d be able to plan a great event together. We really wanted to create an opportunity for the community to come together around the holidays, offer fun for the whole family, raise money for the Issaquah Food Bank, and also help support all of our residents with home-based businesses.
Thanks to everyone involved (especially Highlands Youth for staffing the event). The day was a huge success! With Elsa, crafts, and cookie decorating, the kids had a blast. As a home-based business owner myself, I not only got to shop and enjoy the festivities, I was also able to share my business and help others get their holiday shopping done. Through sales of Zeeks pizza, raffle tickets (there were amazing prizes offered!), and vendor donations, we were able to raise over $500 for the Issaquah Food Bank, plus about 50 books for their Holiday Gift Barn.
I am already excited for the 2016 Shop Small Saturday event, and hope to have some fantastic new ideas for the community to enjoy. Volunteering in Issaquah Highlands is such a rewarding experience on so many levels – I encourage everyone to get involved!
Jennifer Kodosky ~
In August of 2014, my husband and I moved here with our two boys from Cleveland, Ohio when he took a new job. It was a tough move for me initially. Being so involved with the community where we lived, I wasn’t sure what sort of opportunities would come my way living in a new city. I was pleasantly surprised by all of the ways you could be involved here in Issaquah.
Volunteering has become an important part of my life, especially since having kids. As a parent, I think it’s important to volunteer my time in the schools. I believe it shows my children that I value their education and how important it is to take it seriously. I joined the Grand Ridge PTSA and was excited to help plan the Fall-o-Ween and Summerfest events last year, and also serve as an art docent for my oldest son’s class. I also volunteer in my sons’ sports.
When Christy asked for help from residents to plan a community event for small business owners, I was excited to get involved. Lindsey and I decided to team up to plan the details for the Shop Local Bazaar. It was an amazing chance to help local residents like myself showcase their home-based businesses and be supported by the community we live in. We were so pleased with the overwhelming turnout the day of event. It goes to show that community spirit.
Getting involved has been a phenomenal way for me to meet and interact with new people. I’ve been able to meet so many great people in the short amount of time I’ve lived here in Issaquah. I encourage anyone, especially those that are new to Issaquah, to volunteer their time. Whether it be with the schools, sports, church or a community event, there are so many ways to get involved.
