Run to Feed the Hungry 2011

What better way to feel good about the mass quantities of food about to be consumed than to start the day with a run with 27,000 of your neighbors. That's right, 27,000 people showed up on a cold and RAINY thanksgiving day morning to raise money for the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, which I believe was around $850,000. Amber and Brian ran the entire 5k... a huge feat considering there was very little training involved. Due to parking troubles... Lauren ended up running a 5k just to get to the race on time, then ran the actual 5k of the race!

27,000+ people... incredible.
Amber and her aunt before the start.

-Brian L.

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It's Parade Time!

Everybody sing: "Nobody, no nobody............is gonna rain on my parade!"
The rain threatened all day but right around parade time the skies cleared, the streets of downtown Roseville started to get crowded just in time to see our annual holiday parade. The event is co-sponsored by the Roseville Chamber of Commerce and the City of Roseville. Filled with floats, marching bands, horses and classic cars it is pure Americana and a fun time. Post-parade, activities included outdoor movies, food, performances by local theaters and even a fruitcake toss, all leading up to the tree lighting. The parade is named after a long-time Roseville resident (dare I say icon?) Sylvia Besana, who organized the parade for as long as anyone can remember. When she passed away a few years ago her friends wanted to continue the parade in her honor. I'm sure Sylvia is proud of the legacy she left behind. I have been a judge for 3 years and every year the rain threatens, but it is always clear parade-time. I say with great love that the rain is probably afraid to rain on Sylvia's parade!

-Naaz

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Hot Pink 5k

After months of planning and tireless hours spent sending sponsor letters, creating graphics and organizing booth layouts, this year marked the 4th Annual Hot Pink 5K. I had the honor of being a Co-Chair of the event this year. The last three years, the event has started/finished in Historic Old Town Roseville. Last year, we out-grew our space…a nice problem to have. So this year, we made the move to the Fountains and the event got even bigger!! We had over 1,100 runners, hundreds of spectators and raised over $16,000 for the Placer Breast Cancer Endowment. It was a tremendous accomplishment for a run that started out as a small way of supporting breast cancer research. With the success of this year, we have high hopes for next year and big plans to improve on an already successful event.

Kim N.

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Drawing Safari

Last weekend I participated in what is known as the Drawing Safari. Local Architect Saxon Sigerson organizes this loosely formatted sketching experience a few times a year. The gist is this... meet somewhere in midtown where Saxon supplies paper and pencils (without erasers) and assigns a place to go study and sketch. This time we studied the stairs of old Victorians in midtown. We split up into teams of 2 and headed out to pre-determined locations to get lost in plans, sections, elevations and perspectives. After a few hours we met back up, enjoyed our brown bag lunches, taped our work on a few old doors and discussed our findings. Given that actual hand sketching is quickly becoming a lost art in the profession, it was nice to put lead back in my hand and let the mind wander as it may. Felt like I was back in design studio in college... if only for a few hours on a beautiful Saturday morning.

-Brian L.

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Rebuilding Together

And so the day begins...
Tom and Brian tearing off the fascia and eave sheathing

Brian trimming some overgrown trees

Regina and Yingxi playing in the dirt

We have conquered the eaves! Now on to painting...

Regina and Yingxi still hard at work while Amber supervises

Isn't tampering with a federal mailbox a felony? Amber was a Jill of all trades... painter, taper, dissembler, re-assembler, etc...

Regina reliving her Nebraska youth days by riding in the bed of a truck.

More painting...

Tom, Yingxi, Regina, Amber and Brian were on hand, to lend a hand at this years Rebuilding Together house. We were part of a huge crew that included high school students and Raley's supermarket corporate employees, as well as many other helpers. It was a beautiful day and by the end of it the owners were on their way to having a beautiful house once again.

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SPCA custom dog house(s)

The above renderings were for the other firms submissions.

A conceptual rendering of our design

Process photos of the construction

The finished table complete with inlaid chess board, toy storage compartment, remote control storage, magazine rack, inlaid coasters, and a dog bed.

Dan Richards here at WP spearheaded an effort to team up local architectural firms with contractors to design and build custom dog houses. The challenge this year was to design a dog house that could also be a piece of furniture. They were auctioned off at the SPCA's annual fundraising event. A big thanks to Dan as well as Regina and Lauren for their input.

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MERGE

The first (hopefully annual) MERGE fashion event was this past weekend. The event was put on by our local chapter of the IIDA (International Interior Design Association) and WP was well represented thanks to remarkable volunteer efforts of Jeff, Kim, Tom, Yingxi, Lauren, Amber and Brian. The Fashion show consisted of gowns made from materials donated from some of our product reps... carpet tile, vinyl wall covering, textiles, solid surface, and ceramic tile. Each team was given their materials upon arrival and given 2.5 hours to assemble a wearable gown that a team member had to model. THANKS LAUREN!!! It was a great team effort with each member chipping in to put their touch on the dress. To top the evening off we WON the top honor of Judges Choice. Well done team!!!

Jeff and Kelli cutting countless triangles of MDC wallcovering which were then folded and attached to the dress

Tom and Kim HAND SEWED the corset top using Momentum Textiles.

Lauren and Yingxi making the structure of the skirt out of an old belt, irrigation pipe, staples and muslin... that is some creativity!

Brian and Kim gluing the mosaic pattern of Crossville tile to the corset with only seconds to spare.

The finished skirt awaits its model.

That's Amber making a few last minute tweaks to the dress. We didn't have time for a test fit so it was all or nothing when Lauren came out of hair and makeup to try it on for the first time.

The Team from left to right Kim, Tom, Yingxi, Lauren, Amber, Brian and Jeff.

A little shimmy in front of the judges before throwing them bouquet of flowers made from the origami pieces from the skirt.

The corset top was hand sewn and laced up with ribbon

Lauren ROCKING IT on the runway!!!

Other submissions below

-Brian L.

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Relay for Life - IIDA

This past weekend I traveled out to West Sacramento to participate in the Relay for Life in support of the American Cancer Society. The local chapter of the IIDA had a booth and tents set up and were definitely in it for the long haul. Each booth had various ways of raising money... some had water guns for sale, a raffle for cruiser bike, but the biggest hit was the dunk tank. The IIDA had a Mary Kay rep come out and give makeovers for a few hours. Although they really wanted me to, I opted out of the makeover and spent my time logging miles on the track. A worthwhile event for anyone who's life has been touched by cancer

- Brian L

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Thanks MTA!!!

WOW!!!
A great BIG heartfelt “Thank you” from all of us here at Williams + Paddon to everyone at MTA! It was an especially difficult fundraising year for us and your generosity and effort have officially helped us meet our goal of $5000!!

We thank you and the children of Sierra Forever Families thank you too.

A Million Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

WP

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