Safe Haven

A SAFE HAVEN

Through hosting must-attend themed galas, three Vancouver-area offices have been able to give back to children in need.

BY HALEY SHAPLEY

AFTER TOURING THE ARTHUR D. CURTIS

Children’s Justice Center in Clark County, Gerry Dowdy Latshaw knew it was an organization she wanted to support.

“I don’t think there’s any bigger cause than abuse against children,” says Dowdy Latshaw, a designated broker who is the Windermere Foundation rep for Windermere Stellar, which has three offices in the Vancouver, Washington, area.

The nationally accredited Children’s Advocacy Center provides a safe place for victims of child abuse. “It was plain to see this organization had a compelling need,” she says. “They got some money from grants, but that was just for the basics, and anything extra, they really had to look to the community for.”

To raise funds, Windermere Stellar started with a casino night and a bazaar before moving on to what would become their signature event: a themed gala and auction.

“We were really ambitious that first year, probably not realizing how much it took to put this on,” Dowdy Latshaw remembers. The inaugural gala in 2013 had a Parisian theme and included wine and local art for auction. They raised about $35,000—“which wasn’t too bad for not knowing what we were doing,” she says.

Over the years, the galas have featured a variety of eye-catching themes, from Mardi Gras and Monte Carlo to The Great Gatsby and Alice in Wonderland. By 2019, the last year they were able to host the full-blown event, more than 220 people attended and they pulled in about $250,000 before expenses. All combined, they’ve raised more than $1.1 million over the years.

Those dollars have gone toward worthy needs at the Children’s Justice Center. One year, they were able to help fund the hiring of translators and forensic social workers, who help bridge the gap between social work and the legal system. Another year, they contributed to purchasing special camera equipment so that victims did not need to be repeatedly interviewed. “We wanted to make sure kids only had to tell their story once and it’d be admissible in court instead of having to go through someone else,” Dowdy Latshaw says.

Windermere Stellar recently announced a merger that will double the number of agents, from about 100 to 200. With the expansion comes the potential to raise even more for the Windermere Foundation in the future.

Learn more about the Windermere Foundation at windermerefoundation.com.