MARYSVILLE – For the past decade, Windermere in Marysville has placed first or second in a competition with other real estate offices in the amount of food it has given to its local food bank.

Managing broker Dan Peterson finally shared its secret Wednesday.

The 50 agents don’t just bring in a bunch of food to donate. The business puts on a bunch of fun events to raise money – and they buys the Marysville Food Bank the food it needs.

The biggest thing the business does each year to raise money is an auction. This year it raised $10,000. Many of the items donated for the auction came from agents. But they also called local businesses for donations. Items auctioned off include: auto detail, golf for four, vacation condos, helicopter rides and a boat trip to go crabbing. The auction item that brought in the most money was a trip for eight on a 42-foot yacht for $1,200.

The business also hosts soup lunches during October to get donations.

Agents also seek donations of money at food at the local Haagen’s store on certain dates.

They also raffling off two tickets to the Seattle Seahawks-San Francisco 49ers game Dec. 2. Tickets are $20 each.

Peterson said the past three years the business has brought in 100,000 pounds of food for the food bank.

“It’s important to us. Our people get behind it,” he said.

Pam Perez, sales transaction coordinator, said their food drive is the No. 1 contributor to the Marysville Food Bank.

She added that anyone can be a part of their fund-raisers through Oct. 31.

“It’s not just us at all,” Peterson said.