Symetra honors two for volunteer efforts

Published 11:48 am Saturday, February 16, 2013

Kim Sawtelle and Sammy Tiengkhamsaly have received Symetra’s 2012 CEO Service Award. The annual award recognizes Symetra employees for exemplary community service.

In 2012, Sawtelle organized a food drive for Hopelink food bank and made fleece blankets for the homeless as part of Symetra’s annual Week of Service. She also served as a floor co-captain for the Bellevue office’s holiday Adopt-A-Family activities.

In 2012, Tiengkhamsaly served as a team captain for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Bellevue. She recruited volunteers and helped with registration at Youth Eastside Services’ “Invest in Youth” breakfast. As an Adopt-A-Family floor co-captain, she helped raise $1,000 for Olive Crest, and for the fourth consecutive year recruited volunteers for Global Volunteers’ annual fundraiser.

As part of the award, Symetra will donate $1,000 to the nonprofit of each winner’s choice. Sawtelle is directing her award to the Sam Hicks Emergency Relief First Fund (S.H.E.R.I.F.F.), while Tiengkhamsaly has selected the Kindra Mylia Phengsavanh (KMP) Foundation, which will soon break ground on a new school in Laos.