Proud To Be A Part Of This Group

Two years ago Influence had their Christmas party at a swanky bowling alley. Last year we all enjoyed A Christmas Carol at the Hale Center Theater. Both events were really fun and lavish. This year we met at Washington Elementary school's cafeteria. Sounds lame, right? Yet it was the most fun of all.

Next week Influence Real Estate will be taking one of the most under privileged schools in the state and providing each kid with what we hope will be the time of their lives. We're calling it the North Pole Expess. Many of these kids are in the Road Home program, several are essentially homeless, and for many, Christmas will be just another day with no feast, no gifts, and no festivities because they lack the resources.

As a brokerage we wanted to make a difference. So we spent the past six months, planning, coordinating, fund raising, and essentially trying to bring people together to provide an awesome Christmas surprise for these 400 kids at Washington Elementary School. Next Wednesday (Dec 17th) we will be taking the entire school on chartered buses to Heber Utah to enjoy a ride on the North Pole Express. Not only do the kids get to enjoy a train ride, a chance to meet Santa, and hot chocolate, but thanks to several incredibly generous local donors we are also providing each kid with a killer lunch, a scarf, gloves, a hat, and chocolate caramel apples from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

So what does any of this have to do with our brokerage Christmas party? Last Wednesday late at night in the school's cafeteria we got together and wrapped 400 hand picked gifts for each kid in the school. These weren't just any gifts, these were dream gifts that each kid had told their teacher that they secretly wished for for Christmas. 400 hand picked, hand wrapped, and personalized for each individual at the school. The kids have no idea they'll be receiving a gift which makes it that much more exciting.

Needless to say we are over the top excited for next Wednesday and the entire experience has helped us all enjoy the Christmas spirit.

Annie Cannon, one of our awesome agents, and her husband put this together for the kids.

These are the incredible Influence team members who really shouldered the heaviest load in putting this event together.

Shawn Bair, the one behind the scenes making this entire North Pole express happen. She has put in countless hours...she's super woman.

Now we know what Drussel sleeps in at night.

We put our spouses to work. Tawny, working hard.

Just a few of the 400+ gifts taht we wrapped.

Not only did we wrap gifts, we also wrapped people into Santas for some competetive fun. Yes, our team won.