Washington, DC – February 28, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The National Association of Realtors® is currently accepting applications for the 12th annual REALTOR® Magazine Good Neighbor Awards. The awards recognize Realtors® for their dedication to volunteer service.
Five winners will be announced in the November issue of REALTOR® Magazine. Each winner will be recognized at the 2011 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Anaheim, Calif., and 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.
“Realtors® play a significant role in our nation’s communities,” said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. “The Good Neighbor Awards highlights NAR members who spend time and energy to help others. They also remind us that Realtors® not only help people purchase homes, but also they work to improve the quality of life in those homes.” Phipps was a Good Neighbor Award recipient in 2001 for his work with the Tomorrow Fund.
Last year’s winners contributed a combined total of nearly 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 New Orleans. The 2010 winners were Keri Kidd Cannon and Pam Kidd, Fridrich & Clark Realty, LLC, Nashville, Tenn., for Children of Zimbabwe Fund-Village Hope; Cathie McGregor Critchlow, The Franklin Group Morgan, LLC, Morgan, Utah, for The Women’s Retreat House; James T. Elcock, Elcock Properties, St. Charles, Mo., for Kids Against Hunger; Dave Philp, Coldwell Banker Burnet, Chaska, Minn., for Ridgeview Foundation/Ridgeview Medical Center; and Wendy and John Rocca, Century 21 Commonwealth, Watertown, Mass., for Operation American Soldier.
“REALTOR® Magazine always looks forward to recognizing Realtors® who volunteer in their communities,” said REALTOR® Magazine Editor in Chief Stacey Moncrieff. “The Good Neighbor Awards allow us to celebrate those members, as well as inspire others to help those in need.”
Previous Good Neighbor Award winners say their charities have benefited from the grant money and the increased public exposure. “Winning the Good Neighbor Award benefitted our work in Zimbabwe in so many ways,” said 2010 Good Neighbor Award winner Keri Kidd Cannon. “The grant provided tremendous relief in a time when raising money can be a bit of a challenge. More importantly, we also received an outpouring of support from the Realtor® community.”
Good Neighbor Awards entries must be received by Friday, May 20, 2011. For more details and a nomination form, call 800/ 874-6500, visit www.REALTOR.org/gna, or see the March 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, a 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 1.1 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
