Rudolph, three snow globes and even the Grinch himself came out to the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce’s first-ever Ugly Holiday Sweater party on Dec. 8 at the Rogue Issaquah Brewhouse.

The lunch, officially called the Recycle-Repurpose-Reuse Ugly Sweater Contest, served as both a festive holiday mixer and a chance to draw attention to the importance of recycling.

Waste Zero Managers Quinn Apuzzo and Elizabeth Szorad of Recology delivered a presentation on the company’s efforts to help the community live a more sustainable lifestyle.

The recycling company operates a store out of Gilman Village where people can come to buy goods made out of recycled materials, and get their recycling questions answered.

Apuzzo explained that the store, which is “the first of its kind in the nation,” is helpful for “residents and businesses” who “want the opportunity to ask questions and have things recycled.”

“The whole concept behind the store is to reduce waste,” she explained.

The store is also a place where people can bring in those tough-to-recycle items that they may not know how to deposit, such as broken Christmas lights, at no cost.

“Recology believes in a world without waste,” Szorad said. “Recycling gives life to items that would otherwise be sitting in a landfill.”

“Typically about 50 percent of what’s going in the trash could be recycled or composted as well,” Apuzzo said.

The event also saw the presentation of Recology’s annual Golden Dumpster Awards, which are given to businesses that demonstrate a commitment to recycling, composting and reducing waste.

This year’s Golden Dumpster winners from Issaquah were REI, Doubletake Vintage and Consignment, Lake Sammamish State Park and Bai Tong Thai Restaurant.

Issaquah Chamber Executive Director Kathy McCorry said that this was the first time the Golden Dumpster Awards had been presented at a chamber event.

“We were honored to host the Golden Dumpster Awards, and we really appreciate everything [Recology] does for the community,” she said. “They’re a great community partner.”

The Golden Dumpsters were not the only awards given out — at the end of the lunch, those in attendance voted for the wackiest sweaters in the room. It was a tough decision given all of the options, and in the end a few tied for the position. Winners received bottles of the brewhouse’s Roe Ale.

Springhill Suites Marriott Director of Sales Megan Matuszewski, Administrative Assistant Cameryn Mirafuentes and Group Sales Manager Rachel Arata won for their sweaters, which featured 3D, DIY snow globes showing the new Issaquah hotel inside. The festive crafters said that it only took “a couple of hours” to turn themselves into life-size snow globes.

The other sweater winners were double champs, taking home both Golden Dumpsters and ugly sweater prizes. Donna Androwski and Guiness Ayers of REI won for their bright red sweaters, which were covered in lit Christmas lights. On the opposite side of the Santa coin, Connie Marsh of Doubletake Vintage won for bringing along the mean one, Mr. Grinch, on her holiday sweater.

The ugly sweater constest was a first for the chamber this year, said McCorry.

“We were just trying to think of fun, festive things to do,” she laughed.

Activity is winding down for those at the chamber as the year draws to a close — McCorry said that she and her colleagues are “getting ready to enjoy the holidays.”

After the start of the new year, however, the chamber has plenty of plans. Next up on the chamber’s radar is the Issaquah Issues and Education luncheon with Issaquah Mayor Fred Butler and Issaquah School District Superintendent Ron Thiele on Jan. 11 at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Nicole Jennings/staff photo Cecilia Gambill of EZ Lighting shows off a slightly tamer holiday sweater.

REI Golden Dumpster winners Donna Androwski and Guiness Ayers are nearly brighter than the Christmas tree in their festive sweaters. Nicole Jennings/staff photo

REI Golden Dumpster winners Donna Androwski and Guiness Ayers are nearly brighter than the Christmas tree in their festive sweaters. Nicole Jennings/staff photo

REI Golden Dumpster winners Donna Androwski and Guiness Ayers are nearly brighter than the Christmas tree in their festive sweaters. Nicole Jennings/staff photo