A true community is the process of deep respect and true listening for the needs of the other people in this community. REALTORS® are part of every local community, they are neighbors, parents, mentors, homeowners, customers and contributors to Making a Difference.
Please take a look at some of our REALTOR® members ideas and actions that change and influence lifes for the better in our community and beyond:
Victoria A. Heisel, Quest Realty Solutions Inc.
Our goal was to help just one family...
Suddenly there were six!
After Katrina, I was asked to lead our hurricane relief effort at Grace Church (UMC).
As leader of "The Starfish Project" I was to find one family housing, furnishings, help them get connected to jobs and schools, and get a fresh start... no strings attached.
Pastor Jorge Acevedo sent out a call to action to the congregation and the community at large. The response was over whelming! The Starfish Project was able to help six deserving families! What a joy it was to see church and community come together to help and love these families. It was life changing for us all.
Marilee Luchsinger & Donna Raymond, Prudential Florida WCI Realty
We support the Sunshine Kids Foundation to make a difference in the lives of y
oung cancer patients
Prudential Florida WCI Realty was recognized as being the #1 contributor to the Foundation this past year. For the sixth year in a row, associates throughout Florida organized fundraising events, and donated over $290,000; more than twice the amount raised the previous year. As a result of these efforts, thousands of children from hospitals across the country are enjoying group activities, adventure trips and receiving the emotional support they need during one of the most difficult times of their young lives. As REALTORS® we support the community and give back to the children because we want to make a difference in their lives.
Fran Armitage, Red Diamond Realty, Inc.
Two of my dogs are certified Therapy Dogs
volunteering at Lee Memorial Hospital
Every Wednesday afternoon, Misty, Willow, and I visit the hospital, hopefully to brighten someone’s day and help them through a difficult time. It’s amazing how easy a smile comes to the patients’ faces when they see a dog walk through the door. We visit the out-patient Chemo unit and the conversation turns to dogs and pets for 20 minutes. And when we visit the physical therapy unit, everyone reaches out to pet the dogs. And of course, the dogs just eat it up, they love the attention. It makes a great difference to each patient even if just for a few minutes.
Terry Tilley,RE/MAX
Island Coast AIDS Network (ICAN) Board Member raises
money & awareness
As an ICAN president and board member, I’ve volunteered my time & expertise to ensure its mission “To stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and assist individuals infected and affected in SW Florida.”
I am most proud of being a part of events like “Handbag Happy Hour” drawing the community closer together socially, fostering a sense of belonging & generating funds for ICAN to provide services. In this way, I can do my small part to enhance the quality of life of Lee County residents
Linda Biondi, Raso Realty, Inc.
Helping Teams meet their Relay for Life Goals
Relay for Life is an event where a community comes together to celebrate cancer survivorship and raise money for research and programs of the American Cancer Society.This Spring, the Cape Coral teams gathered for an 18-hour event on the playing fields of Mariner High School. It has been my pleasure, and honor, over the years to serve as
Team Recruitment Chairman and most currently as Team Mentor for all teams. Real Estate is a profession, being a REALTOR® means building relationships and caring about the community where you live and work.
Sunny Molle, Keller Williams Elite Realty
Serving as coordinator of the “Amazing Grace Makeover” was an honor, the ‘thank yous’
were the rewar d.
A retired pastor and his wife from Cape Coral received the generosity of approximately 50 volunteers in the‘makeover’ of their home. I devised the plan, invited church friends to get involved and to ‘get it done.’ Tasks included interior and exterior painting and cleaning, handyman services and pressure
washing. A total ‘makeover.’ Being a REALTOR® is about building relationships and helping people when needed.
Lenora Marshall, Century 21 Sunbelt Realty
Chairing the “Book Bag Project” for the Giving Alliance of Women was a very rewarding experience
The Giving Alliance of Women (GAW) is part of the Cape Coral Foundation. In addition to financial contributions, the group takes on one “hands on” project each year. The goal of the “Book Bag Project” was 50 bags for ACT to give out to students who are in their facility. ACT received 62 filled book bags, along with learning books and crafts for the preschool children. As a Founding member of the Giving Alliance of Women, I am blessed to have opportunities to give back to the community.
Deirdre Hanley Broker-Associate, ABR The Finn Team Realty, Inc.
This is my third year volunteering with the City of Cape Coral Biddy Basketball
I coach 6 to 8 yr. old boys and girls the basics about Basketball. We practice one or two times a week, and have 10-12 scheduled games over an 8 week season, with 2 seasons per year.
Working with the kids is great. They are very excited and willing to learn a new sport at that age. I have been lucky to have two of my own children on my team. They understand that “Mommy” is the “Coach” and is there to help the whole team. It is very worthwhile and important to give back to the community you work in!
Stacey D. Bohannon , P A, Gulf State Realty, Inc.
As a member of the Junior League I can give back to the community
where I was born and raised.
Currently, I am co-chair of the W.I.S.H. Committee, (Women Instilling Self-Worth through Hope and Encouragement). W.I.S.H. is a gender specific program that advocates the young girls in the Juvenile Detention Facility. We visit the girls twice a month offering positive reinforcement through our structured programs and our own life experiences. The girls really look forward to our visits and always offer us positive feedback for what we do. Last year, I logged over 260 volunteer hours and earned the Silver award for Volunteerism from President Bush. Volunteering brings me great satisfaction. I am proud to be a REALTOR ® making a difference in my community.
Karen Vanderburgh, The King group
Boo, my K9 partner and I volunteer with S.W. Florida K9 Search & Rescue
Boo was an abused bloodhound who would not go to anyone. We took her in and gave her a safe environment. After a year we are in training to be certified for search & rescue missions for a non profit organization. We do it to help others. We love being a part of something that can make a difference in someone’s life.
Deborah Krikorian, Market America Realty & Investments, Inc.
Making a Difference One Yard at a Time
Along with a team of 50 people from Riverside Church in Fort Myers, I traveled to South Africa on a mission trip to plant gardens in remote villages near Rustenburg. These “Never Ending Gardens” that included cabbage and spinach were the size of a door and could feed a family of 3 for three years. During the week, a group of 150 volunteers went out each day to different neighborhoods with tools, plants and an interpreter; and by the end of the week, we had planted 14,452 gardens in people’s back yards. With poverty all around you, it is overwhelming, but having the opportunity to help improve the lives of the poor in some small way was extremely fulfilling.
Robert Coscia and Sandy Ramseth ERA Tri Coastal Realty
Local REALTOR ® chosen to represent the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF)
in NYC Marathon
Robert Coscia & running/business partner Sandy Ramseth were accepted to run with the Lance Armstrong Foundation Marathon Team in this year’s 26.2 mile ING New York City Marathon. This Team of 92 runners was chosen to help raise funds for LAF cancer research. The Team raised in excess of $700,000 that will support continuing research and help subsidize people living with cancer cope with their daily medical and personal needs. This is an investment for our future, and our children’s future, as cancer will strike 1 out of 4 people. We were proud to be a part of the LAF team and the difference we will be making in so many lives.
Jerry Ruzicka, Just Right Realty, Inc.
Drug Awareness in Lee County Middle Schools is very important to me
As an officer of the Elks Lodge #2596 in Cape Coral, I also serve as co-chairman for the Drug Awareness Program.
My favorite program is the Poster Contest through Cape Coral Parks and Recreation.
All Middle Schools submit posters from students, which are then judged by Lee County officials, and Elks Lodge members. We also participate in Red Ribbon week, and the Lee County Drug House Odyssey program. These are all part of the Lee County Coalition for Drug Free Southwest Florida. Being a REALTOR® means also being involved with our future – the children of our community.
Debbie Cullen, Century 21 Sunbelt Realty
I am involved with the“Take Stock in Children” program.
This program is sponsored by The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc., and rewards selected high school students with a four-year college tuition scholarship. In addition to the students meeting all the required criteria, they must also sign a contract agreeing to stay drug-free and crime-free, maintain good grades and meet with a mentor on a regular basis. I have been lucky enough to be chosen as a mentor. I have seen my student grow and develop into a good citizen and an academic scholar. My role is to build a caring relationship with the student during our regular meetings atthe school. I am available to provide guidance and help. Mentoring is a special opportunity and I feel truly blessed to have the chance to make a difference.
Cynthia Shafer, Lahaina Realty
I have been active in the GuardianAd Litem program in Lee County for over 12 years.
As a Guardian I represent abused, abandoned and neglected children. I am the eyes and ears of the Judge in the home and the voice of the children in the courtroom. In 2001 my husband John and I started a program “Beds for Kids”, delivering over 160 beds in the first year to children who are in foster care or who have a Guardian Ad Litem. With the help of others, donating sheets, pillows, blankets, dressers, toys, and a trailer for delivery,this program has grown over the years. It is most rewarding to receive a hug, a thank you and a smile that would light up the city, to know that the children are appreciative.
Linda Shelman, Select Realty Associates, Inc.
Guardian Ad Litem Volunteers serve as the voice for children who cannot speak for themselves
I became a Guardian Ad Litem over three years ago, after traveling around the country with my husband, Eric, also a REALTOR®. He was speaking to child advocacy groups about his book, “Out of the Darkness: The Story of Mary Ellen Wilson”. This is the story of an 1874 child abuse case where a nine-year-old girl was rescued by the only organization at the time would save her, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (ASPCA) I met so many wonderful volunteers, that I felt I had to become a part of this unique group of caring people. Guardians Ad Litem provide a voice in court for children who have been removed from their homes and placed in foster care or group homes due to various types of abuse or neglect. A Guardian attends all court proceedings, and visits with the children, serving as the only person involved who advocates solely on the child’s behalf. As a REALTOR®, I can adjust my schedule to allow me time to help, and the effect on these
children’s lives is immeasurable.
Kevin Williamson, Realty World C Bagans First
Making A Difference In One Child’s Life
You know the old adage “You get what you give”? I have been given so much more than I could have imagined by sponsoring a child in El Salvador through Compassion International. Elmer Anibal Martinez Gonzalez is 11 years old and I have known him since he was 3 years of age. It is unbelievably rewarding to observe Elmer as he grows. In his latest letter he told me he enjoys learning English, and computer classes. He also enclosed a drawing of Tweety Bird. Compassion International focuses on the life needs of children - schooling, life essentials, health monitoring, skills training, and the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel. Their work aims to equip children for the future. I have been very blessed in my Real Estate career and I count it a privilege to be able to give back to others.
Bill Taylor, William A. Taylor Assoc., Inc.
Using Jazz To Heal Kids
Loving jazz music comes naturally to Bill Taylor… but combining good music and a good cause was true
inspiration. Through his dedication and support for the last seven years as the Chairperson of
“JAZZ ON THE GREEN”, music lovers and sick children have both benefited. The festival each year has over 6,000 attendees and is more than just a great concert and good time; it is a charitable event that exclusively benefits The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. To date, “Jazz on the Green” has donated approximately $300,000 to allow the hospital to provide specialty pediatric care to all regardless of their ability to pay. “Of course I don’t do this alone,” Bill modestly states. “We have 40 dedicated committee members, 70 local sponsors and over 400 event-day volunteers and vendors who all come together to create this event. Again this year on October 20th, world class jazz musicians will delight concert-goers and the community will benefit.” An event that includes good music, a good time, and helping The Children’s Hospital.
Judi Saint-Sommer & Cathy Ancefsky, VIP Realty Group
Helping Children and Families when they need it most!
I formed Friends of Families in 2004 with a group of friends to be able to give assistance to individuals
and families that typically fall through the cracks of other agencies’ assistance. Money donated, as well as furniture and household goods, goes to meet immediate needs or provide a special need the family or individual identifies. Friends of Families joined under the umbrella of Communities Reaching Out, when it was formed in March of 2005. As part of this community based non-profit, Friends of Families raises money to give special needs assistance to desperate families. This can help make the difference between keeping their children or losing them to the foster care system. This specialized help, without all the red tape, lets the group help people live a better life right here in our community. Judi Saint-Sommer is the current CEO. Our families are our most important asset, and as a REALTOR ® and a citizen I am happy to be able to give back and make a difference.
Diane Turrill, Century 21 Town & Country
Our Office has ‘adopted’ classes through a program called Lehigh Acres Elementary
School Business Partne rs
To date, 24 classrooms have been adopted by Century 21 Town & Country REALTORS® and other businesses in Lehigh Acres that have been recruited to help the school. The teachers are supplied with tools and materials for use in the classroom. At holidays, we provide gifts for the students that will benefit them in the classroom.
Gary Verwilt,Realty Executives of Fort Myers
One of America’s Volunteer Lifesavers
On evenings and weekends you may find Gary Verwilt, a Flotilla Staff Officer and Boat Crew Member,
with other auxiliarists patrolling the local waters in an attempt to promote boating safety and protect life and
property. Auxiliarists assist the Coast Guard in non-law enforcement programs such as public education,
vessel safety checks, safety patrols, search and rescue, maritime security and environmental protection and
Coast Guards Academy introduction programs for youth. The results of their efforts can be measured in
the low number of boating accidents that we have in a county of over 46,000 registered boats.
Water is a large part of the local lifestyle, and I am pleased and proud to be a part of the organization that helps to keep these waters safe - the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Roz Wegryn, VIP Realty Group
An Open Heart, Always
Roz Wegryn has been making a difference in her community since the mid 70’s. Roz and her husband opened a Medical Center on Sanibel in 1974 where they combined traditional medicine with alternative choices. Patients could be seen by anyone on their staff which included an M.D., a Chiropractor and an Acupuncture Physician. Hypnotherapy and therapeutic massage were also available. It was a concept clearly ahead of it’s time.
Roz hasn’t stopped there. She continues to volunteer, and is active with the Lee Country Chamber of Commerce -
Lee County Business Women’s Organization which offers support for abuse counseling and treatment, therefore
touching more lives. She is also a strong advocate of affordable housing, a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and a member of Rotary Club of Fort Myers South. “Although I know, like Mother Theresa,that I can do no great things, just little things with great love, it has always been my goal to make a difference.”
RE/MAX® REALTORS®
RE/MAX® REALTORS® help children and families in the community where they live and serve
RE/MAX ® Sales Associates in Southwest Florida raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) in a variety of ways including a unique program called the Miracle Home Program, which allows each associate to make a contribution to CMN from each real estate transaction. CMN is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals. Each year, 170 CMN hospitals provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind. RE/MAX ® sales associates in the Florida region raised more than $975,000, helping boost CMN-RE/MAX ® ’s annual campaign to more than $9.9 million last year.
Liz Paul, RE/MAX Realty Group
I have been involved with the Southwest Florida Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) for over 15 years.
CAC works with abused children and survivors of abuse, and under one umbrella, offers services to help the healing process. They also offer prevention and community outreach programs. Over the past 15 years, I have assisted with fundraising activities, participated in the annual Christmas ‘Adopt a Family’ program, collected stuffed animals, and provided supplies for the center’s After School programs in Pine Manor, and other areas. In 2003, the “Elizabeth Paul Award” was established by CAC and is presented each year to an individual or group who goes above and beyond for the benefit of the Children’s Advocacy Center and the kids. I was honored and humbled to be the first recipient of this award. I am happy to be able to give back, and in some small way, make a difference in a child’s life.
Matt Finn, The Finn Team Realty
Raising Funds for “Barbara’s Friends” – The Children’s Hospital Cancer Fund
For the past four years, Matt Finn of the Finn Team Realty has supported Barbara’s Friends as a Platinum sponsor
for the annual Lexington Golf Club’s Barbara’s Friends Charity Classic. This has evolved into a two day event to
include a golf tournament, with over 150 competitors, a casino night and a silent auction. Matt Finn donates monies
and also a lot of his time – being hands on at the annual event. Prior to the event, he actively recruits other
sponsors, and vendors to donate their time and auction items. “Seeing how much the Finn Team and Lexington has
done for this great charity was touching to me, a person who has reaped the benefits personally” said Eric
Hogrefe. “This is an excellent example of a Realty firm’s commitment to helping their community by supporting a
cause they truly care about.” “Next time we think of REALTORS®, let’s not just think of people who help buy and
sell houses, let’s think of people who care about their community, and are willing to do whatever it takes to help
those in need.”
Sandra Castillo, Century 21 Prestige Realty
REALTOR ® involved in ‘Adopt a Student’ program developed by Abuse Counseling and Treatment Center (ACT)
Sandra Castillo has given her time and energy to support ACT. Most recently she participated in the ‘Adopt a Student’ program and encourage d others to join her in this worthwhile undertaking. ACT provides shelter and counseling for mothers and children who are victims of domestic violence and abuse. Many times it is necessary for these victims to flee with just their lives and not much else. The ‘Adopt a Student’ program helps these children at ‘back to school time.’ Clothing and shoe sizes, age and grade of school is provided, and contributors shop for school clothes so that these children have self esteem and personal respect when starting the school year. Sandra also stays involved with ACT throughout the year, helping with food drives and participating in fundraising events.
Terry Walsh, Florida Gulf Coast Realty Group
Kids Go Fishing With C.A.S.T.
Terry Walsh is a volunteer with “Catch A Special Thrill”– C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation. This year there have been
several events held in southwest Florida, including Sanibel/Captiva, Fort Myers Beach and Cape Coral.
The Fort Myers Beach event on October 13th was a special day for 30 disabled and disadvantaged kids. They each
received a rod, reel, tackle box, t-shirt and hat, and boarded boats with local volunteer boaters, captains and
guides for a fun-filled day of fishing. Afterwards, a picnic was enjoyed by all, along with an awards ceremony with a
presentation to each child. “It was great to see these children having a super time. What a wonderful opportunity
for kids who normally would never have the experience of a day boating and fishing.”
As REALTORS®, we care about the community we live and work in, and we are pleased to be a part of this worthwhile program.
