This post, New Years Re$olutions, can be read on our new blog by clicking this link.
Boise - Both for Business and Pleasure
When I graduated from college with a degree in advertising and triumphantly announced that I was going to move to Boise, Idaho, I was met with many puzzled looks and bewildered responses. Common questions: “WHY would you move to such a small city ‘in the middle of nowhere’ right out of college?”, “I thought you were really passionate about advertising?”, ”Seriously!?”, “Do you have family there or something?”
At Balihoo, many of my coworkers experienced similar reactions and comparable questions from friends and family; however, for most, the decision was made largely for the same reason: the amazing atmosphere and lifestyle that Boise provides (being able to enjoy outdoor sports of all varieties 365-days a year is pretty fantastic - as are the kind of people attracted to such a lifestyle)! National Geographic, CNN Money Magazine, Kiplinger, U.S. News & Report and MSNBC all agree.
Check out this quick video by the Idaho Department of Commerce (featuring our CEO, Pete Gombert and VP of Marketing, Shane Vaughan - plus some glimpses of our office):
Customer Service and Your Bottom Line
Balihoo ‘Rakes Up Boise’
Boise isn’t called ‘The City of Trees’ for nothing. And no time of year earns the city that title like the fall. It’s a beautiful season with brilliant splashes of purple, red, orange and yellow decorating Boise’s already stunning backdrop against the Rocky Mountains. When the leaves start falling and the crisp autumn breeze tosses them around in a kaleidoscope of color, I doubt there’s a person out there who can’t admit to enjoying the change of pace from the blistering summer heat. With this scenic makeover, however, comes a looming task for anyone with a few nearby deciduous trees and a yard of any considerable size. Raking leaves might be an enjoyable chore for some, but for others, like the elderly or the sick, the burden is just too much for them to take on alone. Thankfully, Neighborhood Housing Services of Boise organizes a great volunteer event each fall called ‘Rake Up Boise’.
On Saturday, a team of inspired Balihooers met up in the north end of Boise to give back to their city and help their neighbors. The timing of the event was, well, less than timely. The day happened to fall on the same day as our biggest college football rival game: Boise State versus the University of Idaho. It was a home game scheduled to start at 1:00 with plenty of tailgating to be done beforehand. Mother Nature thought she’d also spice things up with our first measurable snowfall of the year. But we were a determined crowd and had no option but to start the day in the crisp hours of the morning, well-prepared to do equal amounts of snow shoveling as leaf raking.
From our hours spent in the snow-laden yards, we discovered a variety of ‘best practices’ when it comes to raking leaves in winter-like weather and sequentially getting the piles of leaves and snow from the ground into the large brown bags we were supplied. I believe the pictures below do the best to describe the various techniques.
The event was a fun experience for all of us. We couldn’t help but feel that we’d accomplished a great thing when we saw the smiling faces of the homeowners. Our only concern, at the end of the day, was how the bags would hold up when the snow melts. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for the pick-up crew.
