REALTORS® MAKING A DIFERENCE IN 2012………Something that all Real Estate Professionals have in common is a focus on making a difference locally. Every participating Real Estate Professional has a unique way to give back to the community.
For example, Keller Williams Realty held their 4th annual “Red Day,” one of the biggest events in the real estate industry to assist with clean-up and construction activities for the Erin Kimball Foundation’s Bracken House, raised over $3,000 for the Dove Center from their “Death By Chocolate” event, and hosted its first annual American Red Cross Blood Drive, with the biggest turnout ever by a first time participant.
Prado & Kramer Real Estate held two barbecue events this year, raising over $3,100 for both the Erin Kimball Foundation and Color Country Community Housing. Prado & Kramer agents worked a booth at the “Spooky Town Fair” raising nearly $400 for the Washington County School District.
ERA Realtors volunteered to help landscape a home for Lindsay, a 20-year old art student at Dixie State College who has been unable to use her hands or legs since birth. Southern Utah Home Builders Association started their 2012 Home Builders Care service project for Lindsay by constructing a 1,560 square foot home equipped with handicapped accessible features. ERA REALTORS® also helped with the “Spooky Town Fair” raising $650 for the local school district.
The Washington County Board of Realtors® annual golf tournament in July raised over $4,000.00 in donations for the “Children of Hope Academy.” And in September, REALTORS® from various brokerages assisted homeowners with the clean up from the Santa Clara flood of 2012.
Brian Musso with Morley & McConkie Appraisers, and Chair for Coins for Kids, has worked alongside Greg and Annette Basso with Basso Group Realty in helping to raise $125,000 for Coins for Kids, and by collecting names and distributing Christmas gifts for thousands of families over the past ten years. Throughout the years, Greg and Annette have also helped to raise over $10,000 for Backpacks for Kids. Greg has been a member of four boards that deal with needy children, and operates his own charity donating time to needy families.
The Susan Hansen Realty Group has sponsored the 3rd Annual Coral Canyon Elementary School Supply Drive to help the local community school and kids at the mid-year mark. As a former Middle School Principal, Susan Hansen, Owner/Broker knows that the mid-year mark is when all tissue, hand sanitizer, paper, pencils and other critical supplies are depleted. A large percentage of Coral Canyon Elementary population is from outside the community and the school has a high number of students on the “Free and Reduced” program.
Lonnie Thamert, a REALTOR® with Prudential St George Realty, has served on the Board of Trustees for Dixie Care & Share for several years now. Lonnie and her husband, Larry, also a REALTOR® with Prudential, have been involved with Dixie Care & Share’s annual Christmas Dinner which is held every year at the Dixie Center on Christmas Day feeding over 1,500 adults and children. Lonnie was also instrumental in helping to raise over $27,000 from Dixie’s Care & Share first Annual Dinner and Silent Auction event this past November. For several years now, Lonnie has been involved with the production process of Dixie Care & Share’s Christmas CD. Proceeds from the sale of this CD benefit both Dixie Care & Share and the Dove Center.
Many real estate professionals love animals and support rescue efforts and adoption programs. LeAnn Walters a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty has been fostering for H.A.R.T. (Homeless Animals Rescue Team). So far this year, LeAnn has fostered ten dogs, with the majority of them being adopted by families. All of the dogs that LeAnn has fostered were saved from shelters where dogs and cats are euthanized at a rate of 5 million per year across the United States.
Steve and Theresa Joers, REALTORS® with Prado & Kramer Real Estate have volunteered their time with several animal rescue groups, and have served on numerous fundraising committees for animal organizations such as H.A.R.T. (Homeless Animals Rescue Team) and P.A.W.S. (Providing Animals with Support). Prado & Kramer Real Estate held a cat food drive in 2012 to benefit One More Chance – an organization that traps and neuters feral cats.
Year after year, and throughout the holidays, a number of local Real Estate brokerages continually help with donations for Toys for Tots and Coins for Kids organizations, by wrapping and distributing toys during the holidays to less fortunate children in the community.
We are fortunate that in our area, we have many hardworking REALTORS® who give generously to the causes that mean the most to them. Why do they do it? Most are self-employed business owners who could easily say they don’t have enough time to participate in good causes. Yet they choose instead to be generous with both their time and their money. – By Linda Mattson – PR Committee Member
WCBR’s Public Relations Committee is continuously looking for stories about Realtors® giving back. Tell us when you are doing “good deeds” locally, by donating your time and money to charitable organizations and/or causes. Send in your Press Releases to Linda Higgins at tours@infowest.com.
We invite you to take advantage of this annual opportunity during the Utah legislative session to spend a day at the state legislature. This experience allows REALTORS® to get involved in the political process as they meet many of their state legislators in a casual environment, hear speeches from Utah’s political leaders, learn about current legislation that affects the real estate industry, and convey their thoughts and opinions on key issues to their representatives. 
