Last week, our company held its annual meeting. This is a bit unusual for a real estate brokerage company, but then our attitude toward our agents is more one of partners than as contractors. While I did most of the presenting of facts and statistics, I was blown away by some of the things brought to the meeting by our branch managers and our Charitable Trust committee.
The ERA Key Charitable Trust is funded by agents contributing a portion of each of their commission checks. At the end of the year, the company matches the donations by the agents. Next month, the Agent/Trustees will decide who will receive the money. They have a total of $46,000 to disburse to legitimate charities. I am very proud of our team of agents who have been so generous and caring about others.
But that was only the tip of the iceberg. Several of our offices participated in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Together they raised over $15,000. The lion’s share of that came from the Milford office. Two of those agents directed the entire Relay for the Milford area. That event raised $232,000 to help fight Cancer.
Agents in our Spencer office collected Toys for Tots. It is truly an office wide event with the donations from the community flooding every nook and crany. Over $6,000 worth of toys were collected for area kids.
The Worcester office made a major contribution to the Worcester Board of Realtor Coat Drive. They collected coats, hats, scarves and mittens from friends, family, and clients to help those less fortunate than themselves.
Our local representative from Muscular Distrophy was at the meeting too. He spoke emotionally about the great good and the thankfulness of those who receive the benefits of our fund raising. During the past year, ERA Key Realty Services donated over $54,000 to MDA. ERA has been a national sponsor for MDA for 30 years.
Those were the big ones, but the list of causes, charities and commitments went on and on. Vice President Mike Seaver and his church sponsored fund raisers for Hurricane Katrina victims including sending teams of workers to the Gulf to help the rebuilding effort. Local food pantries, historical societies, Catholic Charities, school groups, girl scouts, boy scouts, little league teams, cheerleaders, after prom parties, Lions clubs, and on and on. Hard to believe.
I am very proud of this group of Realtors and all of the good work that they do. What is even more amazing, is that they are going to do it again this year.
