Washington, DC – February 28, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — Realtors® work hard to help people buy and sell homes, while also dedicating their time and efforts to improve the quality of life in communities across the country. The National Association of Realtors® recognizes these Realtors® who devote themselves to volunteer service through REALTOR® Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards, which is currently accepting applications.
Five winners will be announced in the November/December issue of REALTOR® Magazine. Each winner will be recognized at the 2012 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Orlando and will receive a $10,000 grant for his or her charity. Winners will also receive travel expenses to the conference and national and local media exposure for their community cause. In addition to the winners, five honorable mentions will each receive a $2,500 grant.
“This year marks the 13th annual Good Neighbor Awards,” said NAR President Moe Veissi, broker-owner of Veissi & Associates Inc., in Miami, Fla. “The program is significant not just because it spotlights members who have a strong commitment to helping others, but because it reminds us that Realtors® build communities in more ways than one. The awards signify the dedication and passion Realtors® have for helping others in need.”
Last year’s Good Neighbor Award winners contributed a combined total of more than 8,000 hours to their causes and drew a standing ovation from more than 6,000 Realtors® and guests during the conference’s general session in Anaheim, Calif. The 2011 winners were LeRoy J. Bendickson, Edina Realty, Edina, Minn., for National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Minnesota Chapter; Marta Karpiel, Alain Pinel REALTORS®, Carmel, Calif., for Freedom Fields USA; Vito A. Pampalona, Vito Anthony Homes, Rochester, Mich., for the Yellow Ribbon Fund; Judy Pitt, Wright Kingdom Inc., Boulder, Colo., for Kazi Yake (In His Hands); and Wayne J. Shaffer, Shaffer and Associates, Santa Cruz, Calif., for St. Francis Catholic Kitchen, Siena House Maternity Home, and Jesus Mary Joseph Home.
Previous Good Neighbor Award winners say their charities benefit from the grant money and the increased public exposure. “We don’t do what we do to get awards,” said 2011 Good Neighbor Award winner LeRoy Bendickson, who won for his work with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Minnesota Chapter. “But the national attention that resulted from winning the Good Neighbor Award has increased awareness of the disease and I can see that the fundraising will be advanced and that this year’s team will be larger than ever. Now I look at awards differently—they can be a huge help in furthering the cause you are fighting for.”
Good Neighbor Awards entries must be received by Friday, May 18, 2012. For more details and a nomination form, call 800/ 874-6500, visit www.REALTOR.org/gna, or see the March/April issue of REALTOR® Magazine.
REALTOR® Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards is sponsored by Lowe’s and HouseLogic. In addition to the grant money, each winner will receive a $2,000 Lowe’s gift card and each honorable mention will receive a $1,000 Lowe’s gift card.
Lowe’s (www.lowes.com) has worked with customers to maintain and improve their homes since 1946. Lowe’s is proud to support the Good Neighbor Awards. Lowe’s is a proud supporter of Habitat for Humanity International, American Red Cross, SkillsUSA/SkillsCanada, and The Nature Conservancy, in addition to numerous nonprofit organizations and programs that help communities in North America. In 2009, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $30 million to support community and education projects in North America. Lowe’s also encourages volunteerism through the Lowe’s Heroes program, a company-wide employee volunteer initiative. Lowe’s, an NAR Realtor Benefits® Partner, brings Realtors® exclusive benefits to help build relationships with their customers, generate referrals and expand their client base. The benefits program is featured on www.LowesRealtorBenefits.com.
HouseLogic (www.houselogic.com) is a free source of information and tools from the National Association of Realtors® that can help home owners make smart and timely decisions about their home. With content covering home improvement, maintenance, taxes, finance, insurance, and even ways to get involved in and enrich their community, HouseLogic can help home owners increase and protect the value of their home by helping them make confident decisions.
The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
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Information about NAR is available at www.realtor.org. This and other news releases are posted in the News Media section.
Contact:
Sara Geimer 312/329-8296
Leanne Jernigan 202/383-1290
