OUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY

My first introduction to ZGiRLS was through an invite to their annual fundraising gala. As a girl-dad of teen twins I resonated with their mission to equip girls with the tools and perspective they need to be confident, centered, and courageous. The need for improved confidence for young women is apparent, but I was curious about the resources available for parents to support their daughters through this pivotal age. The stats on adolescent girls are alarming: 7 in 10 girls don’t believe in themselves and the CDC reports that girls fared worse than boys - across nearly all measures - with mental health challenges, experience of violence, and suicidal thoughts and behaviours. It’s ZGiRLS vision to create a world where all girls and women live with zero limitations, which is an ambitious goal that I can get behind. Former U.S. Ski Team member and coach, Jilyne Jarvis saw first-hand how young girls were negatively affected by their self-doubt and unhelpful self-talk. She searched for an organization that could help improve their self-esteem but found none. Determined to fill this gap, she co-founded ZGiRLS to give girls the mental skills they need to knock down any internal barriers that hold them back from pursuing their dreams and passions. With the help of psychologists, the ZGiRLS Curriculum™ was built to equip girls with the power of confidence. Their transition to their online program has allowed them to reach young women nationwide and has attracted the top female athletes in the world. Their champions include professionals, Olympians, ESPN hosts and even a Hollywood Stunt Woman, who were all drawn to support their programs and participate in the curriculum citing their own confidence struggles through adolescence. If you’re already signed up for the annual ZGiRLS Gala on March 21, 2024 at the Washington Athletic Club, I look forward to seeing you there. If you can’t make it, there is still an option to participate virtually. I’d love for you to help out in one of three ways: 1) sign your daughter up for their program; 2) share this blog with your network; and 3) consider donating to their program to keep their program free and accessible. I challenge you to find another program addressing this critical need to equip young women to live confident lives with zero self-limitations.

As someone who believes in the immense value that arts and athletics have on young adults, I proudly sponsor the LWHS Booster Club. Most people are probably aware that school budgets and student participation fees cover the core elements of the 16 participating programs at Lake Washington High School, but I wanted to learn more about the necessary extras that the Booster Club provides for our student athletes and performers. While you might first think about football, basketball and other name brand sports of any school’s extracurricular portfolio, the LWHS Booster Club also supports theater/drama, music and dance. This provides opportunities for development outside athletics for students whose strengths and interests exist beyond the ballfield or court. Lake Washington High School has a great tradition of excellent performance as exhibited by the many walls of trophies throughout the campus. From state championships to performances at the highest professional level and even representation in the Olympics. Booster Club funds typically cover out-of-season training, travel, tournament fees, extra equipment, banquets and awards and often come with a tax advantage for the contributing business or individual as it is a 501(c)(3). Many local companies also offer matching donations or pay nonprofits directly for employee volunteer hours served with the organization. Donations to the primary LWHS Booster Club that support all 16 programs or you can have funds directed to a program you have a personal passion for. Programs include Diamond Club (Baseball & Softball), Boys Basketball, Boys Golf, Boys Soccer, Cross Country & Track, Dance, Gridiron Club (Football), Girls Basketball, Girls Golf, Girls Soccer, Gymnastics, Music (Bank, Choir, Orchestra), Swim & Dive, Theater/Drama, Volleyball, and Wrestling. Visit www.lwhsbooster.org to get involved today. Special thank you to the Moss Bay Hall for contributing prizes to our halftime contestants from the Lady Kangs Varsity Basketball team.

Ranked #3 Best Places to Live, Kirkland is known for its walkable downtown with boutique shops and chic restaurants. Each year the Kirkland Downtown Association and Kirkland Chamber make the season even more special with the Winterfest featuring Gingerbread House Competitions, Winter Markets, Tree Lighting in the marina, holiday carolers and even Google spreads cheer with their 10,000 LED lights, all synchronized to a custom-programmed holiday music show. But my personal favorite Winterfest event is the Kirkland Holiday Wine Walk, a partnership with Seattle Uncorked. We have proudly supported this special event the last four years and were able to greet every visitor in the luxurious lobby of the Heathman Hotel. We were able to catch up with Beth Gale, VP Sales & Marketing with the Kirkland Chamber to hear about the amazing wineries, cideries and distilleries and the downtown businesses that opened their doors for the tastings and pours. Don’t miss out on some of her favorite spots as Beth and the Chamber host three wine walks throughout the year. In addition, our winner of the halftime field goal contest at LWHS Senior Night made it out for a night on the town as winner’s of the Kirkland Wine Walk tickets and an overnight stay at the Heathman. We have such a great community, there’s no place I’d rather live and work. Happy holidays from our family to yours! Cheers to Kirkland. #kirkland #realestate

As a parent of teenage daughters, I’ve become more cognizant of milestones our kids achieve. It can be cliche to hear that “they grow up too fast” or for parents to “cherish every moment”, but my time at Senior Night for the LWHS football game vs. Liberty High School last month reminded me of the hard work the student-athletes and their parents put into the training and hard work that led to the last Friday night lights for many of these players and cheerleaders. As one of the two Platinum Sponsors for the LWHS Booster Club, along with Evergreen Hospital, I had the pleasure of hosting a halftime contest to celebrate the parents of the graduating seniors, with the winner receiving a Kirkland Wine Walk Package including two tickets to the Kirkland Wine Walk, an overnight stay with $50 F&B credit to the Heathman Hotel and a gift basket.  Competition and challenges are what makes youth sports such a positive experience and great preparation for the rest of your life, which is why I proudly support the Booster Club that enhances the athletics, activities and arts at Lake Washington High School. Our halftime competition showcased two finalists tying multiple times before our winner kicked the winning 27-yard field goal just inside the left upright. We’re looking forward to celebrating with them at the upcoming Kirkland Wine Walk on December 1st. If you have a passion for contributing in a meaningful way to the next generation of leaders or fostering our local community through activities and events, please consider supporting the organizations that directly impact our local youth and businesses. There’s no place I’d rather live, work and play than right here on the Eastside.

In this episode of Eastside Elevated we hear from our own “Diamond Club” (slowpitch, fastpitch and baseball) Booster Club President, Corky Trewin, at Lake Washington High School about the impact community members can make when supporting the arts, activities and athletics in our local schools. As the latest Platinum sponsor, along with Evergreen Healthcare, I’m proud to support all of the programs funded by the LWHS Booster Club. If you’re looking for ways to get involved with the 501(c)(3) that powers the 16 participating programs, click the link below: https://www.lwhsboosters.org/. Your company may match donations or volunteer hours to maximize your contributions. Go Kangs!

Proud to call Kirkland, Washington home, Max Rombakh and his family are passionate about the community and committed to giving back. Our commitment includes a portion of every closed transaction is donated to local non-profit organizations, sponsorship of community events such as the Kirkland Wednesday Farmers Market, and The Market By Max Rombakh, a pop-up shop selling home goods, proceeds benefit the Windermere Foundation. As well as several Community Service Day partnerships throughout the year.

The storied LWHS softball and baseball programs, led by Head Coaches Jodee Hull and Derek Bingham, have graduated countless collegiate student-athletes with a handful being drafted and playing at the professional ranks. This year’s programs are living up to their sterling reputation as they head toward the KingCo 3A Playoffs with both teams ranked in state with aspirations of adding to the trophy case. Kirkland's rich history provides an inspiring backdrop for the young athletes at Lake Washington High School. The achievement of the 1982 team in the Little League World Series featured on ESPN+ “30 for 30” highlights just how deep these roots go. Plus, the ongoing tradition of hosting the annual Juniors Softball World Series at Everest Park in late July further cements the area's commitment to nurturing top-tier talent of future Kangs. The success of these foundational experiences has undoubtedly contributed to the legacy and accolades earned by the LWHS Diamond Club teams. With multiple state championships and numerous KingCo & district titles, the commitment from past and present community members, coaches, and players continues to make a significant impact for the LWHS Softball & Baseball programs. For anyone passionate about fostering local talent through team experiences, getting involved with the LWHS Booster Club is a great step. Thank you for sharing this exciting news and for supporting the diverse range of programs at Lake Washington High School. Go Kangs! Special thanks to all the 2024 Diamond Club Sponsors. Open Road RV Sabatini and Associates, Ltd Kirkland American Little League Monster Mini Golf Hit Time Sports Max Rombakh, Windermere Real Estate Yarrow Bay Restore Hyper Wellness, Kirkland Kitagiato Orthodontics Scampers Daycamp for Dogs Ford of Kirkland GLY Construction Moss Bay Hall Performance Power Elevate Planning Partners Risan Athletics Velotech Baseball Merchants Baseball & Softball Lake Washington Pediatric Dentistry Andrew Allred, American Pacific Mortgage The Natural Ballplayer Strother Dermatology Janelle Barrow Photography Wing Dome Taco Del Mar