Kent, Washington, November 10, 2011 – Realtor® Marti Reeder of John L. Scott has pledged a donation of $5,000 to the Kent Parks Foundation in support of its Access to Recreation Initiative. This new program was developed by the City of Kent to provide scholarships to local kids who can’t afford to participate in youth or adaptive recreation.

Each year more than 9,000 kids participate in the city’s parks programs, but the need for scholarships grows along with Kent’s population. With 29,000 new residents from the Panther Lake annexation and a growing economic need, scholarship requests have increased by 30% since 2008. Marti Reeder wants to help meet that need.

“As a Kent resident and mom whose children participated in many Kent Parks sports activities and classes, I know how important it is for kids to have access to sports and other activities,” Reeder said.

“So does my son, Anthony Cantu, who has worked for Kent Parks in their afterschool and summer programs for the last four years. We are grateful that our city offers so many opportunities for our children, particularly those who don’t have the money to participate,” Reeder added.

As a result of Reeder’s donation and those of other local businesses, eligible children can qualify for scholarships which cover up to 50% of a program’s fee for parks classes, sport leagues, adaptive recreation and youth and teen courses. For more information about this program or to join Reeder in making a donation, call the Kent Parks Foundation at 253-856-5099. Donations can also be made online at www.KentParksFoundation.org.

About Marti Reeder:

Reeder is a broker/real estate agent with John L. Scott in Kent-Covington. She is an award-winning Realtor®, earning presidential honors from John L. Scott the last four years and named “Best in Kent” three years in a row. Last December, Reeder also received the “Five Star Real Estate Agent, Best in Client Satisfaction” award from Seattle Magazine.  Reeder is active in the Kent community as a member of the Kent Chamber of Commerce, Kent Downtown Partnership and Noon Kiwanis Club.

For more information about Reeder, visit http://www.marti-realtor.com. You can also find Reeder on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Biznik and YouTube.

For more information, contact:

Marti Reeder, John L. Scott
17115 SE 270^th Pl., Ste. 102
Covington, WA 98042
253.859.8500 (office) or 206.391.0388 (cell)
martireeder@johnlscott.com
www.marti-realtor.com

The Morford Family Carousel will soon become a welcome summer fixture at Town Square Plaza, located on the corner of 2^nd Avenue and Harrison Street in downtown Kent.  The season opens July 17^th and runs through August 30^th.  The carousel will also be open for its final spins Labor Day weekend, September 5^th – 7^th.

Public hours are Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.  The carousel may be available for private bookings during its scheduled closed days.  If interested, contact Victoria Andrews at Kent Parks, 253-856-5113 for more information.

For its debut summer season, the City of Kent is partnering with two local non-profits, DOS FC Premier Soccer Club and Kentwood & South Elite Cheer Boosters.  Proceeds raised from the $1.00 donation per ride will support the organizations’ ongoing missions serving youth.

The Morford Family Carousel is a 1940’s classic Venetian-style carousel with 19 beautifully painted, carved horses and three special seats, designed by the famous Bertazzon Carousel Company of Italy. In 2006, the Kent Parks Foundation invited the public to purchase the “naming rights” for individual carousel horses. These funds, along with donations from other sources, helped the Foundation purchase the carousel, which was then given to the City of Kent.

For more information, call 253-856-5110 or visit the City’s website at www.ci.kent.wa.us

The City of Kent is the fourth largest city in King County, Washington with a population over 88,000. As a culturally rich destination, Kent’s dynamic quality of life features captivating neighborhoods, award-winning parks and nationally accredited police and fire departments. In recent years, Kent has experienced impressive economic growth, and is nationally known as a prime location for manufacturing. For more information, visit www.choosekent.com.

About the Non-profit Carousel Operators

Dos FC Premier is the only premier soccer club in Kent providing the opportunity for over 400 boys and girls to play soccer at the highest level available in Washington state.

Kentwood & South Elite Cheer Boosters: Nationally ranked Kentwood Cheer comprises over 50 male and female athletes and is the largest high school program in Washington.  Their competitive teams are six-time state champions and have been featured on ESPN.  South Elite All-Star Cheer is home of the 2008 World Champions, with nearly 200 athletes of all ages and skill levels from all over the Puget Sound.