“WK Real Estate helped us provide free transportation from the parking lot to the festival, and when you’re seeing about 10,000 people come through the gates in one night, and it’s the first experience your attendee has at your event, it’s one of the most important parts,” said Samantha Calhoon, Rhythm on the River program coordinator, City of Longmont. (Photo courtesy: David Harwi).
“We simply could not produce the BOLDERBoulder at this high level people expect without the support of our sponsors… and we love working with and partnering with local businesses such as WK Real Estate,” said Alice Swanson, director of sponsorships for the 2022 BolderBoulder. (Photo courtesy: BolderBoulder 2022).
Boulder County is best known for the gorgeous mountain and Flatirons views, abundant outdoor activities, award-winning restaurants, craft beer and local communities that blend city amenities and culture with a passionate outdoor lifestyle. We are all fortunate to call Boulder County home.
Home is more than where you park your car, cook your meals and rest your head at night. Home is where people come together to create community, and the residents of Boulder, Longmont and the cities and towns in Boulder County do that in a number of special ways.
A famous movie line is “if you build it, they will come.” When communities plan and hold significant events, people come together, and municipalities are better for it in so many ways. In Boulder County, spring and summer bring the BolderBoulder, July 4th celebrations – including Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast, Rhythm on the River in Longmont as well as the Boulder County Fair to name a few. Over the years these key events have served to unite residents and visitors in the spirit of community, and that in turn reinforces the stability, safety and appeal of our communities.
Homeownership also plays a vital role in helping to build strong, stable communities. In addition to facilitating a healthy local economy through taxes, research shows that homeownership provides many social benefits such as increased volunteerism, improved health and lower rates of certain types of crime.
As the largest, most established and one of the last remaining family owned and operated real estate companies in Boulder County, WK Real Estate has been helping area residents achieve goals of homeownership, real estate investment and building wealth since 1976. The company’s leadership, staff and associates know how important these legacy events are to maintaining our strong communities and that is precisely why WK supports these events financially and with volunteerism.
BolderBoulder 10K
Alice Swanson, director of sponsorships for the BolderBoulder in 2022 knows first hand what kind of impact that the BolderBoulder and its sponsors and volunteers have on something so important to the community. “Since its start in 1979, over a million participants have experienced America’s All Time Best 10K. The economic impact the race has on the community is huge – more than $8 million – but the impact it has on the people who look forward to the race and Memorial Tribute each year is priceless. And 43.4% of participants are Boulder County residents.”
As far as the volunteers, Ms. Swanson emphasized “their involvement was fantastic… everything from their activation with the Legends of the Lawn Contest to the volunteers that helped us so much during the race. To sum up this partnership – two iconic companies in our community coming together to help make tradition return.” WK broker associate and volunteer Lynne McDougal was integral to the race’s Legends of the Lawn contest. “This contest was a perfect fit for WK to sponsor. The cheering spectators in their yards, the lawn displays and entertainers – all important to what makes the BolderBoulder the BolderBoulder – and local folks like us. At WK it is our intention every day to be of service to our clients and community, and I am proud that WK is one of the sponsors of the Bolder Boulder!”
WK newcomer Katie Kuosman affirmed “The Bolder Boulder is very dear to my heart, in large part because of the wonderful memories I have of participating in it with friends and family throughout my childhood. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to join WK, and WK’s decision to sponsor the BolderBoulder event only further affirms that WK is an organization that cares deeply about engaging with and giving back to the Boulder community.”
Rhythm on the River (ROTR)
This Longmont summer staple is another Boulder County event that draws both locals and visitors to the second largest city in Boulder County, for the 25th time in 2022. As Samantha Calhoon, program coordinator for the event and City of Longmont describes it “ROTR is special because Longmont is special. It’s diverse, scenic and fun – all of which we try to reflect with Rhythm on the River.” Rebecca Weihe from WK’s Longmont office agrees “Longmont is a special place that provides so many cultural and community events throughout the year to its residents. Events like Rhythm on the River bring joy, pride and connection for Longmont to everyone who participates. As the community grows in love and excitement for the events Longmont puts on, the community as a whole flourishes!”
The temperature topped 100 degrees for the 2022 event but that didn’t deter participants and volunteers from enjoying the musical entertainment and food and visiting the many small businesses’ booths. WK staff member Janelle Cliff was an integral part of WK’s volunteer crew. “WK’s participation in local events is a significant reason why I joined their brokerage. There are many real estate companies out there that are successful, but for a local, Boulder-based company to volunteer its time and money into local charities and actively want to be a part of the local community events such as Rhythm on the River made the decision for me.”
More local events plus the involvement of local companies equals local benefits
The combination of signature events, sponsorship and volunteerism elevates communities, and there are many more local events that define our area that WK Real Estate is also involved in. Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast at CU’s Folsom Field has been on hiatus since 2019 due to pandemic restrictions and recent fire danger. The City of Boulder, Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau, the University of Colorado and WK Real Estate are working hard to plan a “new and improved” event for the community in 2023.
WK will also be present as a sponsor and participant in Longmont’s Unity in the Community this month, celebrating the arts, culture, people, civic leadership and businesses that make the city of Longmont one of the fastest growing areas along the Front Range. According to the Longmont Chamber of Commerce “Unity in the Community is about creating community connection and Longmont pride.”
Our nation’s founding fathers linked the notion of property ownership to security and overall happiness. Today homeownership is still the cornerstone of the American Dream – it provides individuals and families with emotional and financial stability and, historically, boosts wealth through equity and appreciation over time. The housing market directly benefits local economies through construction and manufacturing, as well as the goods and services that homeowners purchase in their communities.
When aspiring homeowners and home sellers work with locally owned real estate professionals, like WK Real Estate, even more resources are funneled back into the local communities by the associates that live, work and play here. It’s not hard to see that locally spent dollars come back in the form of things like sidewalk and road improvements, more hiring for first responders and teachers, and recreation areas and facilities for all to enjoy, all of which make huge differences in a community.
WK associate Lynne McDougal says it best “WK’s sponsorship of events like Bolder Boulder is such a good fit as we are a local, hometown company who has also grown and expanded from our humble beginnings 46 years ago. WK also has global reach but maintains our hometown values of service to our clients and community.”
For more information on WK Real Estate and its community involvement, visit www.wkre.com/our-story#community-scroll.
