Community Projects

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

Its the time of the year that many look forward to. Coming together with families and sharing meals and memories. There are many who are unable to have the luxury of large family gatherings, much less large family gatherings with a bountiful food spread.

This is the time of year we team up with a teacher at one of our local private schools and we reach out to Food for Backpacks and ask what their holiday food need is. 

Both members collect and advertise to gather as many pieces of this request as we can. We know that whatever we collect is shipped out to over 1600 individuals and their families. Personally, this is something I am guilty of taking for granted. Many of these families were strongly effected during the beginning of COVID. Kids unable to go to school  and receive their daily hot meal.  

Food for backpacks kicked into high gear collecting to bless those who soul relied on these meals.

As Thanksgiving approaches, we encourage you to look up a local charity and see what the need is. Christmas is coming and there is always a need we can fill as community members.

Here are SERVPRO it is an honor for us to team alongside with local businesses and charities. We value our friendship with Food for Backpacks and are so blessed to have a partner in that gathering with this local teacher.

It helps us to connect on another level of compassion. As you prepare for a warm and loving holiday with family or friends, consider donating to Food for Backpacks.

Call today if you would like to here how we are teaming up with them this year!

253-851-6711

COVID Community Support

11/24/2020 (Permalink)

During this COVID year the Gig Harbor community has shown strong local business support.

Once the mandatory lockdown was announced, our business was one of such that could continue to operate. I remember it being such an uncertain time for us, as a business and as a family.

I remember our local businesses getting highly creative in their approach to keeping open and operating. Heritage Distillery began selling hand sanitizer to help businesses with the market demand of sanitizer. There would be a line down the street of customers waiting for the doors to open and purchase a bottle of locally made family business sanitizer.

Restaurants began approaching take out with a spin. Margaritas to go! Sign me up. Our local family owned restaurants jumped through several hoops to maintain a safe and healthy work environment but also serving the community in a large way.

Our office was able to reach out to many businesses to ensure a quick turn around if they should have a positive case. SERVPRO was able to develop at warp speed a proven and effective method for sanitizing local businesses. Our technicians jumped at the chance to help our community, we wanted to show how we too can be supportive to our struggling small businesses.

The great thing about being able to jump in quickly, we too have seen a large support in our community. It truly warms our hearts knowing that our local community members see a need and help to fill and support it.

We are grateful to our customers and everyone who refers our family owned and operated business. If you would like to learn more about having your business cleaned or sanitized by SERVPRO call our office at 253-851-6711

Ask us about a service agreement!

Giving Thanks

11/25/2019 (Permalink)

This month we are collecting canned meat for our local Food for Backpacks group. There are around 500 backpacks that go out with youth during the holiday school break. Have you ever had to go two weeks not knowing if you would eat regular meals? It's astonishing to think there are so many kids in school that rely on those meals throughout their week.

This is our second year partnering with Food for Backpacks and we love being able to provide and give back to the community. Last year we collected over 400 cookie and brownie packages as a treat inside the backpacks. This year we signed on to collect 500 cans of canned tuna and canned chicken.

Currently we have collected 180 cans and are hoping to grow that number. You can donate too! It’s as easy as selecting the below link, it will take you to our Amazon cart and make it even easier it will ship directly to us! http://a.co/ipeldT9

There are many ways you can help in our community to give back. We are also a drop off location for the JBLM Santa’s Castle, we are collecting toys for the Gig Harbor Chamber.

Looking for more ways to participate, many local businesses participate in events like this:

Treasures 4 Humanity across the street from Kelly’s is collecting coats and partnering with the Gig Harbor Lions Club with a Giving Tree. Toys must be dropped off by December 14th

Fondi’s is hosting their 3^rd annual clothing drive, they are also asking for diapers, hygiene kits and newly packaged undies. *Every donation through December 31^st receives a free flatbread.

Rush Companies is supporting “Be a Santa to a senior”- Rush Gives committee accepts a wish list from seniors in our local area and blesses them with their requests.

Chapel Hill offers Generosity Trees in the HeBrews lobby. Grab a tag and team up with one or more outreach partners. http://www.chapelhillpc.org./event/1682731-2019-11-23-generosity-tree/

These are just a few to name, be sure to check out your local businesses and participate in making someone’s holiday season. Remember to Give Thanks to someone you love or appreciate. You never know whose day you could make a special one.

Food for Backpacks

1/10/2019 (Permalink)

Marketing Rep. Nicole and a rep from Sound Credit Union. Sound Credit Union donated around 90-100 bags in their 12 days of giving champagne.

Welcome to the New Year.

Are you still recovering from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season? In December, here at SERVPRO we committed to helping a local organization. Our office contacted the wonderful ladies at our local Food for Backpacks group and asked how we could help give back this 2018 holiday season.

Food for Backpacks is a local organization that is able to put together backpacks for kids who may not have the resources for regular meals. After speaking more and more with the organizers of F4B, our eyes were opened to the fact that there is a large percentage of kids who go to school to be provided with daily hot meals within our very community. When the holidays come into view, these kids who receive daily meals would now have to figure out daily meals at home for the holiday breaks to come. How scary!

When speaking with Food for Backpacks, we were met with enthusiastic feedback and asked to collect 400 cookie and brownie mixes. 400 seemed like a large number, in fact we were worried we wouldn't be able to collect that from people.

Our marketing department posted on social media platforms, such as: Facebook, Instagram and Linked in. We made flyers and sent them out to our local contacts and business, we let our weekly networking groups know of our goal and deadline. One of our employees even posted on their neighborhood Facebook page to ask their neighbors if they were interested in helping.

It's so amazing how the holiday season brings a community together to support those who don't have much of anything. Word spread and before you know it our office was seeing local neighbors, business owners, people who had heard from the grapevine bringing in bags and boxes. Out of state relatives got onto Amazon and had deliveries made to the office.

Here at SERVPRO we were overwhelmed by the generosity of others, who have a large heart to give back to these very deserving kids. No one should have to worry about their next meal, especially a child.

We can't wait to be involved in something like this again and look forward to the next opportunity to give back to the community.

Thank you to those who donated and a BIG thank you to the amazing volunteers and organizers at Food for Backpacks.

If you are interested in reaching out to help, check out their link:

http://foodbackpacks4kids.org/

Fall into Fall with us

9/19/2018 (Permalink)

Here at SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/N. Tacoma we love our growing community. There is no place the Pacific Northwest during the fall. I can't begin to describe the beauty of all the colors. Deep crimson, apple red, rusty orange, pumpkin orange, and marigold yellow. My personal favorite are the maples that do a spectrum of colors as the season changes. Although we would absolutely love partaking in all the different season events we can’t be everywhere at once, so we thought we could fill you in on some of our favorite upcoming Fall events in Gig Harbor.

Cider Swig – The Cider Swig is schedule for September 29^th between 12:00PM and 5:00PM. This event is located at one of our favorite local parks, Sehmel Homestead Park. Approximately two dozen different regional cidermakers will be present, and there will be upwards of ninety different hard ciders to sample! Along with the fantastic cider there will be live entertainment! Yum.

NW Glass Pumpkin Patch – The NW Glass Pumpkin Patch is taking place on September 29^th from 9:00AM to 3:00PM. There will be a new location this year, the patch will be held at the Peninsula Market (Old Peninsula Gardens). Admission is free, and it is such an amazing site to see! Wander through a spectacular array of one of a kinds of glass pumpkins in every shape, size, and color imaginable! Each of the glass pumpkins is hand blown by local glass artisans.

Scarecrow Festival – The Scarecrow Festival is scheduled for October 6^th between 10:00AM and 4:00PM. Once again, this event is located at Sehmel Homestead Park, and would be a great time for the entire family! This is an autumn celebration with all sorts of different decorated scarecrows, live entertainment, farm animals, hay rides, camel and pony rides, a hay maze, and fun food and fair treat vendors!

Trick or Treat in the Harbor – Trick or Treat in the Harbor will take place on Halloween October 31^st, from 3:00PM to 6:00PM. There will be so much going on all at once… The Harbor Dance will be performing a “Spooktacular Surprise” at 4:30PM and 5:00PM in front of Skansie Brothers Park. The Harbor Wildwatch are presenting the Mad Scientist Laboratory at the Skansie Brothers House. Trunk or Treat will be at the Church of the Nazarene with fun carnival games and an inflatable bounce house! The also provide hot coco or spiced cider for a small price. Don’t forget to bring the kids to visit Paradise Theatre’s Haunted house from 4:00PM to 6:00PM.

Rain or shine all the above events are going to be a blast! We here at SERVPRO LOVE the fall and can’t wait to see you at all these wonderful events! SERVPRO is your locally owned and operated fire restoration, water mitigation, flood water extraction, mold remediation, biohazardous cleaning, carpet cleaning, content manipulation and content cleaning company. We hope that in the case that you are in need of any of those services you’ll call upon your local Gig Harbor specialists! With pumpkin spice in our coffees, and the leaves starting to change and fall there is no better place to live. We take pride in our community and want our community to take pride in our company. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns!

Spring Fever and Easter Sunday

3/26/2018 (Permalink)

Spring is finally in the air, with the recent Groundhogs day news of 6 more ongoing weeks of winter. We are finally anticipating more sunshine, flowers, new life and a light at the end of our cloudy and endless rainy tunnel.

Here in the PNW we have 9 months of brutal weather and it can dampen ones spirit. Spring gives us that small reprieve of what's to come. It also helps us gear up for Summer: family vacations, constant activity, outdoor projects, etc.

With that said, Spring is a great time to assess your outside perimeter and observe projects that can be done before the hustle and bustle of Summer and before Autumn and Fall months. Its a great way to stay on top of your house but also see how you can prepare and avoid those nasty disasters and damages that are an everyday threat in Winter months.

Here at SERVPRO Gig Harbor/N. Tacoma we want you to be proactive not in a pickle.

Take time to enjoy the sun and warmth as it fast approaches us. 

Our sweet little harbor is starting to ramp up in their community activities. Mark your calendars for the Maritime Festival the 1st Saturday of June. Where you can enjoy our one and only parade purely devoted to Pirates and harbor spirit. That same weekend also kicks off our Trolley system. 

Relay for Life is approaching May 5th in our Uptown shopping center in Gig Harbor.  

This coming weekend is Easter weekend, the official kick off to Spring. If you are looking for a place of worship this Sunday simply search Easter Services for the city in which you plan to attend. Some larger churches try to get a RSVP to account for larger services. We would also suggest showing up 10-15 minutes early for parking and getting situated for Sunday school.

Here at SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/N. Tacoma we hope you enjoy what's to come in your sunny future. Leaving these winter months in our dust and treating them "Like it never even happened."

Gearing up for Halloween

10/6/2017 (Permalink)

Halloween is just around the corner and we will be surrounded by trick or treaters in your work offices and neighborhoods. Who doesn’t love seeing cutie patooties running around in cleverly thought up costumes, polyester fabric as far as the eye can see, sugar crashes for the next two to three weeks? I mean, who doesn’t love paying for the rest of the year in cavities one incurs on this evening of candy? I do enjoy hearing what my littles want to be next year for Halloween before we even say good night on Halloween.

As a parent, Halloween isn’t all about sneaking my favorite candies while my kiddos dream of next year’s costume possibilities. I get extreme fear and anxiety over all the potential threats our children face in this short 24-hour period. So please take a cautionary moment to read my forewarnings. There is a chance it may not happen BUT if it were you can say you are prepared.

• Tip #1- your child may not be the only “Darth Vader” or “Belle”- surprise, I know. If your little one chooses a popular costume for this year, make sure they have a name and contact number somewhere on their costume or for one night written on their arm. You can also put it on their candy bucket or pillowcase, whatever their collection bag of choice is.
• Tip# 2-Make sure if they are wearing dark colors or a lot of black and you may be out- please be sure to invest in some reflectors or glow sticks to be able to catch drivers eyes.
• Tip #3- If you have a large landmark you can appoint for a meet up in case you get separated.
• Tip #4- After your sugary loot is collected and accounted for, as parents we need to make sure it all looks legit and not shady. Check for sharp objects, choking hazards, or maybe some candies that look like they have been previously opened. And as a parent who has had to deal with food allergies, you know to check for any potential anaphylactic producing candy.
• Tip #5- Try to stay on the sidewalks as much as possible. If this isn’t an option, make sure an adult is walking on the outside of where cars are passing.
• Tip #6- If all of this seems way to daunting to even leave the house for the day, there are many day time ‘Trick or Treating’ opportunities. The best thing about this, they are typically blocked off from traffic or are indoors. Score!

Trick or Treat without the all-night expense:

• Chapel Hill Preschool Park- Thursday October 26^th 10-12:00pm: Great for the littler kids who may not make it past 7:00pm. Wear your costume, meet other Gig Harbor Mommas, no candy but there is usually a plentiful supply of Goldfish and water. Suggested $1 donation for the family.
• Sehmel Park Scarecrow Festival- October 6^th (I know this one has passed but it’s a great one to mark your calendar for next year.)
• Macaroni Kid here in the Harbor is advertising the 1^st annual Trunk or Treat- Saturday October 21^st 4:00-8:00pm @ Gig Harbor High school. Canned donations are being collected. Come in costume and ready to get candy.
• Trick or Treat in the Harbor Tuesday October 31^st 3:00-6:00pm: Trick or treat on our local business strip. Businesses close to hand out candy to our community kids, the fire department and police station represent as well. Grab a coffee and stroll with your kids and enjoy a stress-free Trick or Treating experience.
• And there is always the easy and most comfortable route: dress like an old person in their jammies and hand out candy to young whipper snappers until 5:00pm. Then it gets dark and it’s time to nestle up to the fire place with the candy you failed to give away and watch your favorite Halloween themed movie.

We hope this article is of some use to you this Halloween season. Take care, be safe, eat candy in moderation, or don’t. We won’t judge but unfortunately, we cannot make those calories or cavities “Like it never even happened.”