The Deer Park Kiwanis Club’s WinterFest 2023 Committee has named local business and community leaders Deron and Jessica Schroeder as its Honored Citizens of the Year.
Deron and Jessica Schroeder were recently selected as Honored Citizens of the year for the annual Winterfest 2023 celebration. The couple was “legitimately floored” and absolutely honored to be chosen.
Born and raised in Deer Park, Deron periodically left the area for jobs and personal opportunities in Oregon and California. One of his dream jobs was working with North by Northwest in Spokane. However, he always found his way home to Deer Park. For him, the comfort and sense of belonging he feels in Deer Park are unequaled. Deron met Jessica through a mutual friend who had gone to high school with Deron. After getting married to Deron, Jessica moved to the Deer Park area in January 2012. She sees that Deer Park is growing but appreciates the tight-knit community that is still present. This couple believes strongly in loving God and loving people and seeks to be active in their church and community. It is what they feel brought them together as a couple. Two of their three children still attend school in Deer Park, and their third adult daughter has two children. They attend Zion Lutheran Deer Park. They both believe their parents had the most significant impact on who they became. Deron felt his parents were an example of faith, endurance, and grace. Jessica was impacted by how incredibly hard-working her single mom was. They want to help where it is needed with different projects and now see how their business can foster those goals.
Deron and Jessica are owners of the local business, Bicycles By Deron, and are committed to offering quality products and services. What started as a hobby became their passion. They are proud to have created a generation of happy customers and look forward to continuing their work for years to come. Their business has allowed them to host Community Wednesday and Full Moon rides and plan trips to places like Hiawatha Trail for the community. The Schroeders love that by having a business in Deer Park, every sports team and group stops by wanting the Bicycles By Deron’s logo on their team t-shirt or program. They organize gatherings on the front grass of their business to cheer and celebrate state competition-bound sports teams as their buses pass by. They want the youth to remember that their community loves and recognizes the hard work the students have put in.
The couple says they tend to work with groups they are part of, like church, BMX track, and schools. As a young family, they spend most of their time and energy on kids and youth-related activities. Deron is currently on the Spokane BMX board of directors. He just accepted a position there for this next year. Previously, he had been on the Deer Park Chamber Board. Jessica has been active with the schools and is the Arcadia Parents, Teachers, and Community Association (PTCA) vice president this year. In addition, she stays involved with P.E.O., a women’s philanthropic educational organization, raising money for scholarships for girls.
Future Goals Toward the Community
The couple emphasized their desire to continue supporting community initiatives and improving recreational opportunities for children and families. Specifically, they wanted to see identifiable biking locations like bike parks or pump tracks. They also mentioned their involvement in the local park committee, working to improve their park area through volunteer work and community support. The park project they have focused on for several years has been getting bike tracks at Library Park, located on Forest Ave in Deer Park. They are thankful to all those who have volunteered time and materials for this idea to come together. Despite the challenges of working on a volunteer-based and resource-constrained project, the couple appreciates the city’s continued support and belief in their ongoing efforts.
Advice For Getting Involved In the Community
The Schroeders didn’t feel you do not need to look far to get involved in your community. They advise people to ask around their local coffee shops or grocery stores about who needs help. People can also get on social media community group pages. They suggest contacting the Deer Park Chamber of Commerce. They also invite people to come into the bike shop and talk to them about volunteering.
The Schroeder’s dedication to their community and commitment to working to make it a better place for future generations is why they were chosen as honorees for the Winterfest Citizen Awards.
