“It is important for everyone to understand their impact on our planet. Only then will we ensure it is still a great place to live in the future. ” – Rachele Turnbull, CEO and Founder, Clark Construction

IslandWood supporter, Rachele Turnbull, CEO and Founder of Clark Construction Inc.

How did you first get to know IslandWood, and how have you been involved?

I became aware of IslandWood when I first moved to Bainbridge in 2003. I have only been involved through my company’s relationship with IslandWood. Clark Construction has many employees with children who have attended IslandWood programs. We have held meetings and parties at IslandWood and have supported some of the great programs… and of course, Dinner in the Woods. It is great to be able to purchase your auctioned events and give them as benefits to our employees while supporting such a great cause.

Why did you choose to support IslandWood?

My husband was born and raised on Bainbridge and he introduced me to IslandWood through his own love and respect for it. He knew my interest in sustainable building (even back then) and knew I would want to know more and create a relationship. So, later, after I founded Clark Construction, I knew that my vision of supporting like-minded and synergistic programs, both locally and globally, in lieu of spending a bunch of money on marketing and advertising, needed to include IslandWood.

Can you tell us a little about your experience with learning outside and why you care about these issues?

It is important for everyone to understand their impact on our planet — only then will we ensure it is still a great place to live in the future. As a builder, we sometimes get a bad reputation for creating new buildings or for removing old ones that people love. Or for removing vegetation to place new structures. While we do this work for our clients, we also support programs designed to make building better, to reduce our impact, and our footprint on the planet. We work hard to educate and direct our clients and partners towards sustainable solutions. We strive to make sustainable building more attainable to everyone no matter their budget, and to help build the kind of community we want to live in. And we enjoy living in a community that respects the outdoors and maintains, protects, and enhances it.

What’s your favorite IslandWood memory, place, or program?

My favorite memory was a tour we set up for employees. Learning about everything that was built on your campus that still respects and protects the land it is on. It was incredible to learn about the buildings, the programs, and the outreach to those who may not otherwise have a chance to learn and experience Islandwood.

What are your hopes for IslandWood in the years to come?

I hope IslandWood continues to operate as they have – to educate our youth in understanding and caring for our land, and in living more sustainably.  I hope we will continue to see the younger generations advocate for more sustainable solutions from our governing bodies at every level – to hold our leaders accountable to keep the planet we all live on functioning in a manner that will allow many more generations to enjoy it as we have. I hope IslandWood will continue to inspire our underprivileged youth to hope for something better and help them to understand what is attainable for them, too!

Anything else we should know about you and/or Clark Construction?

Clark is not just a construction company, it is a group of people, a family, who have chosen to build careers they can be proud of together, and to work alongside people they enjoy seeing everyday. It is a place where they, too, can have a stake in the ownership of the company, build a life in a great place where they want to live, and to build a life and a future for their families. We support our community so that it continues to be the community we want our families to inherit for generations to come.

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