Letter 

The garden has often been used as a metaphor for life. Such is the case for the garden at our company. Vibrant, creative, ever-changing, sustainable and requiring care to be healthy, it is a perfect reflection of our individual selves as well as the company. Sustainability is perhaps the most important facet of all, a goal we pursue daily in how we do business and how we live our lives. From offsetting our company energy consumption with green energy investments to supporting charitable organizations in our community, we are always looking for additional ways we can be good stewards of the environment as well as good neighbors, both locally and globally.

In this issue we will be telling you about some of our newest sustainable practices as well as our efforts to give back to the community. We'll also tell you about some upcoming events, new clients, and happenings right here at the office.

Which brings us back to the garden. As many of you know, our garden at Parsons Public Relations is a very special place that captures beautifully the spirit of our company. We're pleased to announce that our garden, designed by Exteriorscapes, is featured in this month's issue of Seattle Homes & Lifestyles and an upcoming edition of Garden Ideas from Better Homes & Gardens next year.

Enjoy the beautiful colors of the fall season!

New clients

Vetrazzo

Vetrazzo, LLC transforms recycled glass into artful surfaces for home and commercial applications including countertops, tabletops, walls, and flooring. Vetrazzo surfaces use only recycled glass, which comprises 85% of the product by weight, and is from a wide variety of sources including traffic lights, windshields and beverage bottles.

We will be launching this green building product nationwide, including a media tour and other media relations efforts, focusing on consumer and trade media outlets. To learn more about this gorgeous, sustainable and versatile product, please visit www.vetrazzo.com.

Seabrook

Seabrook is a new beach town on the picturesque Washington coast. Unlike other vacation home communities on the coast, Seabrook is designed with "New Urbanist" principles to foster a true sense of community in a pedestrian-oriented neighborhood. Environmental stewardship is also at the heart of the design and building process of this unique and forward-thinking development.

We are delighted to have the opportunity to introduce Seabrook to the Pacific Northwest and the rest of the country. The Seabrook story is compelling and we know that it will be widely showcased in consumer and trade publications. The emphasis on sustainability and development that is healthier for residents and the planet is perfectly in tune with the Parsons Public Relations philosophy. For more information please visit www.seabrookwa.com.

Goodworks

Some big changes are happening with Parsons GoodWorks, our company community service and charitable giving program. As you know, since its inception in 2003, we have undertaken a broad range of projects under the Parsons GoodWorks umbrella both locally and globally. Moving forward we are establishing a new bi-monthly event called the Parsons GoodWorks Social Hour, and will also be undertaking a new effort in Costa Rica.

The Parsons GoodWorks Social Hour!

Introducing Parsons GoodWorks Social Hour: A good cause to have fun! Each Social Hour will serve as a small fundraising event for a not-for-profit social service organization. Our first event will take place on Tuesday, September 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. The featured organization for our inaugural soiree will be Futurewise, a statewide public interest group working to promote healthy communities and cities while protecting farmland, forests and shorelines today and for future generations. For more information, please visit www.futurewise.org. To RSVP, click here.

More Help for the Turtles: Our Global Commitment

We are excited to announce a larger fundraising effort in the works for the Sea Turtle Education Center in Costa Rica. Funds raised will be allocated to the following needs:

New sleeping quarters: The existing quarters are in extreme disrepair and it is imperative that new facilities be built this year to accommodate the many student groups that visit year-round. We are working with architecture firm Lehrman Cameron for the design.

Land purchase: We need to preserve the land currently owned by Estacion Las Tortugas so that more turtles can be saved. Approximately 300 hectares are available for sale through a variety of owners. Action needs to be taken quickly because banana plantation owners are looking at purchasing the land for their operations, which include practices that are potentially harmful to the turtle population.

Equipment: The main need is for a new outboard motor as the only way to access the Center is via boat. Our plan is to purchase at least one motor as well as other equipment as funds allow.

We will provide you with more details as they become available.