During two of the weekends in March, you could find a group of InvitedHome team members outside, glowing with sweat and pride in our volunteering partnerships with the Flatirons and St. Vrain Chapters of Habitat for Humanity, which proved a #soulawakening time for everyone involved. Not only was it perfectly appropriate that the People Behind InvitedHome experience first-hand how homes are built, but the volunteering was also an opportunity to bond within the company, interact with the Habitat for Humanity representatives, and learn about the families for whom the homes were being built.

It was there on the sites where “all aspects of hierarchy and departmental barriers fall away,” according to Keegan Swihart. Keegan remembers his volunteer experience as being “comical and fun,” and was elated by the amount of team member bonding he experienced while volunteering. He recalls that “everyone [was] working towards a common goal, in a no-pressure environment; when you're both a novice at installing drywall, you're immediately placed on an even playing field. This allows for a stronger bond to be formed with one another, ultimately making the company culture and work environment more open, resilient and family oriented.”

The People Behind InvitedHome also spent time chatting with the Habitat for Humanity Representatives as they were working. Patrick Wilkinson happily recalls his interactions with the reps: “[t]he Habitat representatives were hilarious. Their wisecracks and jovial nature kept things lighthearted and fun.” Patrick also appreciated the out-of-the-office interactions he witnessed in fellow team members: “it's always nice to interact with our teammates outside the office, but it's even better that we could improve our local community while doing so. The Habitat partnership will strengthen our ties to our community, which will strengthen our ties to each other as well.”

Although the team member bonding and partnership with Habitat for Humanity were certainly very strong successes from the weekend, the team agreed unanimously that the most #soulawakening element of their time volunteering was learning about the families for whom they were building the homes. Team member Amanda Hendrix-Black reflected upon this, saying “it's incredible to know that we are giving the InvitedHome experience in a different way. I think it's important for the company as a whole to feel united on many fronts. We often get busy working on our own projects, but working together for a tangible, common goal is really powerful. I feel more connected to the people that I got to work with during Habitat… I'd love to do it more!”

Please join us in wishing a very happy birthday to Maite! Practically every InvitedHome team member can look into their past and pinpoint the exact moment they fell in love with traveling; Maite's happened when she was visiting family in the region of Basque, and traveling around to its neighboring countries as well. She fondly remembers seeing the Eiffel Tower for the very first time. Since then, Maite has excelled as our Telluride Director of Operations, drawn to the area for its absolute diversity of culture. Telluride's incredible art, food, and adventures-to-be-had make it one of the best places on Earth. Maite especially enjoys being able to ski in the morning and mountain bike that same afternoon in the desert. Telluride offers something for everyone, which is why it makes such a great vacation destination.

If you're planning a trip to Telluride, Maite highly recommends floating down the river that runs directly through the downtown area, whether you choose a stand-up paddle board, kayak, or tube as your transportation of choice. Then, embark on a mountain biking adventure from Ophir to Sawpit (while enjoying views of old mining sites along the way). Finally, enjoy a post-adventure beer at one of the many breweries around the area.

Maite hopes that her next vacation will bring her to Fiji, and we know we can't wait to hear about all the adventures she has there! Happy birthday, Maite. Thanks for all you do!