Each Christmas, 4,000 children from low-income families receive gifts donated to the Surrey, B.C. Christmas Bureau, but hundreds of teenagers are left empty-handed. When the team at Sutton – Premier Realty discovered this three years ago, they decided to “bring on the balls” – specifically balls for soccer, basketball, volleyball and other sports. This year they delivered 364 balls to the bureau.
“The day we delivered items they had entirely run out of gifts for ages 13 to 18,” says office administrator Manny Sraw.
The brokerage also donated 40 wireless Bluetooth speakers and 40 jigsaw puzzles for the teenagers. Each holiday season, the team adopts several families through the bureau and fills hampers full of gifts and food for breakfast and a traditional dinner of turkey and all the fixings. To raise money for these projects, salespeople donated $20 to $250 plus, and throughout the year they host fundraisers such as a comedy show and poker nights.
The logistics of delivering 364 sports balls was a bit daunting until sales associates Rami Hanna and PJ Cheema lent their large vehicles to the cause.
“I’ve invested in a Sprinter van, but before I put it to use for my business, it was only fitting to use it for the delivery of the balls and other donations,” says Hanna. “I’m lucky to work with a group of people who continue to go above and beyond.”
