Behind the Badge
Pasadena Real Estate agent Rosie Bell was heartbroken after 9/11. As she watched the news and witnessed brave police and firefighters take the national spotlight for their heroism – she knew she wanted to say ‘thank you.’
Bell reached out to the Pasadena Police and Fire Departments and asked them if they would like to come to a party. The guest of honors?
Why, it would be them.
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage holds its 17th Annual Public Safety BBQ at La Casita del Arroyo, October 24th.
Bell and 100 other sales agents and administrative staff from Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage held the first Public Safety BBQ 17 years ago at La Casita del Arroyo in Pasadena. It was an instant success among the real estate team, police and fire officials who came for the food and found camaraderie.
“You could feel it in the room. Everyone was happy to see one another on an occasion when it wasn’t a catastrophic event,” said Bell. “So every year, right around the same time in September, we start planning our BBQ again. We love doing it. It makes us feel good.”
400 police and fire officials arrived for the afternoon event at La Casita del Arroyo.
On October 24th everyone regrouped at La Casita Del Arroyo for the annual BBQ for an afternoon of good eats and familiar friends. Bell and the team at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage have two rules when it comes to their annual event, everything must be homemade and everything must be donated by staff.
Staff and sales agents made everything from fruit salad to pasta salad, Tahdig (Persian crunchy rice) to a lentil salad. There was a spread of tamales from LA’s Tamale Man, 40 pounds of hot wings, 70 pounds of tri tip, and 40 pounds of chicken. Staff also donated drinks, desserts, decorations and time for this event.
Rosie Bell, Lori Ramirez, Diana Nikolof and Olga Neckelmann of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage at the BBQ.
“What they do for us every year is amazing,” said Interim Chef Police John Perez,who was one of the 400 public safety officials who attended the afternoon BBQ. “They put everything together and we just show up and everyone is here. We look forward to this event and it gets bigger every year.”
