Community Events and Charities

It's the start of a new school year!  Excitement is in the air for students, parents, and teachers,  with a new year ahead, full of possibility.  When I began thinking about this blog post and the first day of school, the main thing that struck me is how awesome my kids' schools have been.  It's not just me - they've been recognized nationally. Our elementary school, Sunset, was named as the 425 Magazine Best Public Elementary School, and Issaquah was just named one of the Best Towns for Families by Family Circle Magazine mainly due to the schools.  What makes Issaquah schools so special?

ISF grant winners.

Besides great kids and fantastic teachers, I believe it's because of the community support our schools receive.  And the biggest champion for our kids is the Issaquah Schools Foundation (ISF), which bridges the gap between state-provided basic education funds and the dollars our schools need to prepare students for success in school and life.

The Issaquah Schools Foundation was formed in 1987 and has given over $3 million dollars toward programs that encourage academic excellence, support struggling students and promote professional development of teachers.  Personally my children have benefitted directly from foundation funding through after school library hours and support to the arts, specifically orchestra.

The badges we create for the Issaquah Schools Foundation.

Every year ISF hosts a "Nourish Every Mind" luncheon and breakfast where partners attend to support the foundation.  It's the biggest fundraiser of the year!  They order ribbons for their staff, volunteers and donors.  We also create name badges for their staff, executive committee and board members.

To find out more about the Issaquah Schools Foundation and what they do for students, visit issaquahschoolsfoundation.org. Thank you to all of the volunteers and staff who serve the foundation and our kids.  Hats off to the great work you do. It's wonderful living in Issaquah and I wish students a great school year ahead!

Cheers!
Jessica

Meet the contestants at Sunday's race!

Join the Trophies2Go team for the most anticipated event of the summer - the 19th Annual STAR 101.5 Wiener Dog Races! Come to Emerald Downs in Auburn, WA this Sunday, July 12th to view the action! Gates open at 9am, horse racing begins at 2:15pm, and the first Wiener Dog Heat will take place at approximately 3:30pm.

Two dozen dogs compete, but only one will win the coveted Wiener Trophy!  Once again, we are proud to be the Official Awards Sponsor of the event. The ultimate wiener dog trophy and cute doggie-sized medal will be going home to a deserving 4-legged athlete.

Only purebred dachshunds can enter the race. The two preliminary races are first, followed by the final heat, which decides the top dog. The action is complete in the blink of an eye, with local celebrities Kent and Allen announcing which dachshund comes out on top.

Vote for your favorite now!

Back again this year is the Fan Favorite! Click HERE to vote for your favorite dog, with the winner featured at Sunday's race.

Bring your whole family! Kids under 17 get in free and there are plenty of activities for the entire family to enjoy, including free cupcakes at the STAR 101.5 tent, face painting, bouncy houses, pony rides and more!

This event guarantees lots of laughs in a family-friendly atmosphere. Hope to see you there – we’ll be the ones with the trophies!

Cheers!
Jessica

Honor A Special Teacher Today!

Want to do something special to acknowledge your outstanding teacher? Nominate him or her for the STAR 101.5 Elementary Teacher of the Week!

Last week's Teacher of the Week was 4th grade teacher Mrs. Vaver from University Place Primary School!

We love teachers! Trophies2Go loves being a sponsor of the STAR 101.5 ‘Elementary Teacher of the Week’ program again this 2014-2015 school year.

What is Teacher of the Week?This program allows students to recognize local, deserving teachers for their commitment to the quality education of children.

What teachers are eligible? Your child’s current teacher, grades Kindergarten through 5th grade, can be nominated for the contest.

What does the winning teacher get? Prizes include a $100 check, a $100 VISA gift card and a personalized plaque from Trophies2Go (that’s us!). The teacher also receives a makeover from Blanc ‘n Schwartz Salon.

What do the kids get? A classroom party, with a goody bag of prizes! They will also be on the radio and TV!

September winner Mrs. Nuez, who teaches 3rd and 4th grade at Green Gables Elem in Federal Way.

Each Friday winners will be announced live on Star 101.5 radio and the winning class will be featured on KOMO News at 4pm. Find out more at the Star101.5 website: Elementary Teacher of the Week.

If you have a special teacher you’d like to nominate, complete an entry form online now at STAR1015.com!

Cheers!
Jessica

How do we give back to our community? Each quarter, our staff chooses a charity to support through our 'Awards for A Cause' program. For Q4 2014, we have chosen Hopelink as the program recipient.

What is Hopelink?

Hopelink is our Q4 'Awards for a Cause' Charity.

Since 1971, Hopelink has served homeless and low-income families, children, seniors and people with disabilities. Their mission is to promote self-sufficiency for all members of our community; they help people make lasting change.

Hopelink emergency service centers are located in Bellevue, Kirkland/Northshore, Redmond, Shoreline and Sno-Valley. See the areas of service they serve.

Hopelink is funded by diverse sources including public and private foundations, United Way, government support and by donations from individuals, organizations and corporations in the community. Hopelink runs efficiently by keeping expenses low. With administrative costs at only eight percent of the budget, a full 92% of financial support goes directly to helping families in crisis and preventing homelessness.For more about Hopelink, visit https://www.hope-link.org.

Trophies2Go will make a donation to the Hopelink based on selected product purchases. To see the trophies and awards that will benefit the charity go to our 'Awards for a Cause' page.

Thank you customers for supporting worthwhile charities in our community by purchasing 'Awards for a Cause' products!

Cheers,
Jessica

We love what we do and it's wonderful when our work makes a difference. Here's the story of the Cody Project and the custom awards we created for their recent golf tournament. With custom awards, you can create a truly unique trophy specific to your organization.

The Cody Project

The Cody Project is a wonderful tribute to a little baby boy who's life ended much too soon. His loving family keeps his memory alive through the Cody Project, a non-profit organization that supports children's charities, including the United Cerebral Palsy Foundation. The Cody Project is personal—it originates with the inspiration of one family and is maintained with family and friends. Many of the people associated with the project, including some board members, work uncompensated for their efforts. This ensures that donations support children and families.

Memorial Golf Tournament

Awards for the Cody Project 2014 Golf Tournament.

Russ Foster, founder of the Cody Project, recently came to us with a request for custom awards for a memorial golf tournament, which is also a fundraiser for the charity. He wanted the Cody Project logo be featured on the awards. Our president Jeff worked with Russ on the design, and together they created custom acrylic awards featuring the Cody Project logo. With graduated sizes for 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, and other categories for tournament winners, these custom awards were the perfect way to acknowledge players at the tournament. What makes a custom award a winner for an organization? By having the logo incorporated into the award, every time the recipient looks at it, they are reminded of the organization. Many times an award recipient is a donor to the organization; the charity says top of mind, reminding the award winner to give, adding to the longevity of the award.

The Outcome?

The winners!

With 129 participants attending the event, Russ's tournament was able to raise $10,000. Proceeds from the tournament will support charities including the NICU at Swedish Hospital and Provail, along with the Cody Project Endowment. It’s great that we can help wonderful organizations and charities, such as the Cody Project, raise funds to continue their work. Thank you Russ for sharing your story with us!

Cheers, Jessica