Windermere works wonders for Children's Village
Realtor Tom Davis trims a shrub in the front yard of a house at Children’s Village during Windermere’s Community Service Day on Friday. LOREN BENOIT/Press
Post Falls Realtor Frank Keiser fills a bike tire with air at Children's Village during Windermere's Community Service Day on Friday. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
From left, Windermere Realtor Jeff Andersen, Managing Post Falls Windermere Broker Jennifer Smock, Realtor Ryan Keller and Derrin Halliday with Pioneer Title Company remove weeds and rake the volleyball court at Children's Village during Windermere's Community Service Day on Friday. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
By DEVIN WEEKS
Staff Writer
COEUR d’ALENE — At 96 years old, Windermere Coeur d'Alene Realty has no problem doing a young person's work.
"This is the 96th anniversary of our business in Coeur d'Alene," said Windermere Coeur d'Alene owner Pepper Smock. "We’ve been serving the citizens of Idaho every day for 96 years."
They're happy to do that work for young people, too. On Friday, more than 80 agents and staff members gloved up and pitched in to help Children's Village with whatever the nonprofit needed done.
From the entrance on back, Windermere people planted flowers, raked leaves, power-washed sidewalks, disinfected toys, picked up sticks, hauled yard waste, fixed bikes and put all of their positive energy into helping an organization that's all about helping kids in crisis.
"Kids are important," said Windermere agent Kathy McNamara. "If they have a good base, then they become good citizens. And it’s my future! My future is in their hands, so I want to give them as much support as I can."
Kathy and her husband, Mike, picked up sticks and cleared space behind the new counseling and education center. Mike has never missed a Windermere Community Service Day in his nearly 22 years with the company. This was Windermere's 19th year dedicating the day to Children's Village.
"It’s always a pleasure helping out at Children’s Village," Mike said, adding that when the community service day is done, "I feel like I’ve done something good with my time, and I’ve done something for a very good cause."
Smock said the Windermere Foundation had a heart for Children's Village even before Children's Village was established; Windermere agents were involved with helping to get Children's Village started.
"This is a follow-through for us," he said. "We've been here since the beginning."
It's part of Windermere's mission to give back to the community, he said.
"This work is altruistic, and the proof is, we’re helping people who are not our customers," he said. "We’re helping kids. It's our Windermere Foundation. It's our Windermere way to help women and children and homeless people.
"What we do is sell real estate," he continued. "But who we are is this."