RED Day 2014

     RED Day (Renew, Energize, & Donate) is an annual event celebrated by all Keller Williams associates around the globe that represents the Keller William’s year-round commitment to improving local communities. RED Day occurs on the second Thursday in May each year. On that day each Keller Williams Market Center participates in a different project based on a need they see within their community.  Projects include rebuilding homes, cleaning up local parks, assisting food shelters, hosting blood drives, and much, much more.

The Keller Williams Premier Realty Lake Minnetonka office celebrated RED Day by helping the Big Woods in Wayzata. The Big Woods is 14 acres and is the last metro remnant of a forest that once covered all of central Minnesota.

The Wayzata office was roaring and ready to help out on RED DAY, May 8^th 2014, but unfortunately the weather was not in their favor. It rained in the morning and left the woods a giant mud puddle, so the Wayzata office was not able to get out and help that day. But to show their commitment to RED Day and to the community they rescheduled it for the following week and helped then instead. This goes to show that RED Day isn't just a one day event, but can be celebrated any and every day of the year!

So once they got out to the woods the office helped by pulling out Garlic Mustard weeds. Garlic mustard is an invasive species that is infecting the Big Woods. The Big Woods was once filled with trillium bloodroot, Jack-in-the-pulpits, ferns and other wildflowers, but these are disappearing as Garlic Mustard crowds them out and releases a natural herbicide into the soil. This is a problem not only because it is taking away the beautiful flowers and plants, but also because birds, butterflies and other wildlife depend on such native plants to survive.

So KW agents, dressed in red, got out there and pulled up as much of the weed as they possibly could. They worked all morning, only to stop for a group picture and a snack. Then they got back to work until lunch time. Marketplace Home Mortgage, Keller Williams Premier Realty's preferred mortgage vendor, brought in a delicious lunch from D’Amico & Sons for the troops. Even after full stomachs the team got back to pulling more Garlic Mustard.

In the end, the day was a huge success, the Big Woods was extremely grateful, the KW agents had fun bonding and team building, and the weather held up… the second time around. 

This was the 2^nd year that the KW office helped the Big Woods and we hope to be back there next RED Day to keep the tradition going and keep the woods clean! 

“RED Day isn't about cleaning up a park. It is a one-day expression of what happens 24/7 in the Keller Williams culture. It is seeing a need, discovering who can meet that need and then getting it done."