The English Oxford Dictionary defines philanthropy as, “The desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes”. It is hard to argue that as a group, Realtors may be the largest collection of philanthropists in Canada.
Of all the industries, of all the business communities and of all the working associations it is by far the real estate industry is the most active, per capita. When it comes to doing good work and raising money, it is simply in the DNA of Realtors to be at the forefront.
Charity is so prevalent in real estate that years ago, REM had to create an entire section to report on all that is done. Every month the Good Works column in REM is full to the brim.
Most of the charity items featured in REM are not big social items. Realtors are involved in large scale grand fund raisers that you see on TV or hear on the radio, but by far most of the things that Realtors put on are small events. These are barbecues, golf tournaments, men walking in women’s high heels, car demolition derbies, yard sales, dances, baseball tournaments and many other events.
Every time I think I have seen or heard it all, something new rolls into the editorial department of REM, like that man who jumped off the top of a real estate office building in Toronto for charity and that staggeringly beautiful woman I saw years ago in Edmonton who was dressed up as Diamond Lil to raise money for those less fortunate.
All those small events, all that neighbourhood and local energy, they all add up. How much? Well, CREA’s estimate is north of $75 million. Knowing how conservative my pals over at CREA are I will bet you it’s around $100 million a year. That’s a lot of money.
A lot of that goes to the Realtors Care Foundation. The bottom line is that every single penny is for the good of others.
Realtors’ philanthropy goes further than simply raising money. The people in this business are full hands on, right up to their elbows, actively helping those in need. Go look at organizations such as Meals on Wheels, check out the coaches on the local hockey or baseball teams, ask the organizing committee of an event. I will wager that you will find at least one local Realtor involved at every event, time and time again.
So here’s what all these Realtors get for doing all they do and giving all they give: they get some incredible satisfaction from helping their neighbours and people beyond their community, like all those souls in Fort McMurray who had to flee their homes this year. The satisfaction of helping others grows sweeter by the amount that is done and given. Beyond that they get nothing. So much of what Realtors do across the country is rarely recognized or acknowledged, beyond the pages of REM.
The good people at the Realtors Care Foundation are stepping up this year to provide extra recognition to these extraordinary people. You are being asked to help and I hope that you will take action now and do it! You are being asked to nominate one good soul, one good Realtor, who best exemplifies all the qualities and goodness of philanthropy that exists in this business. The person selected will receive $5,000 for their cause.
Please go to realtorscare.ca/nomination form and provide recognition for the one person in your office or in your market area who is most deserving of recognition on a national stage. Please do it now, before you forget, because the deadline of Dec. 2 is almost upon us.
Heino Molls has been the Publisher of REM, Real Estate Magazine (formerly Real Estate Marketing), since 1989. Previous to REM, he worked as an executive at the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB), and at the Toronto Star. Contact Heino by email or call 416-425-3504 x2.
