We at Windermere Real Estate Poulsbo are deeply honored to have been selected by the Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce as the recipients of the 2014 Business of the Year award at the awards banquet at Kiana Lodge, Jan. 24.

As branch manager of the Poulsbo office, I am sincerely grateful for the recognition from our local business community.

I must admit I was a bit stunned when I learned about our nomination. Without false modesty, I feel that the other nominees, Dahlquist Fine Jewelers and Kitsap Bank, were equally worthy of this award. Part of my surprise at receiving the award is because being good community citizens is just something we normally do as part of everyday business — from our annual Community Service Day projects, to the Windermere Foundation, which has donated more than $24 million back into our local communities throughout the west.

Windermere’s Community Service Day is on June 5 this year, and that is when all Windermere offices close and the agents, managers, owners and any other volunteers we can bring along with us (usually a gang of 6,000-plus people) go out in to our local communities and spend the day fixing, painting, landscaping or what have you. If you know of, or have any good ideas for, a civic project for Poulsbo for this year’s event, please contact us. This year’s Community Service Day director at the Poulsbo office is broker Liz Bailey. You can reach her at 360-779-5205.

I want to express my gratitude to my agents, who have whole-heartedly supported these events in Poulsbo for the past 24 years and work tirelessly every day to make our operation successful.

Thank you, Poulsbo Chamber, for your choice and for your trust in Windermere. We will always do our best to justify your trust and endeavor to continue to support local Poulsbo businesses with the products, purchases and services of our company. Thank you all.

Casey McGrath
Windermere Poulsbo

P.S. We invite local vendors to come so short presentations on their services at our office meetings. Please call me if you would enjoy doing that. 360-779-5205, ext. 201.