Local Realtor® associations raise $42,000 for communities

Realtors® throughout the Commonwealth joined together last month to help out their local communities as part of PAR’s sixth annual Realtors® Reach Out Month. Nearly 800 members from 18 local associations sponsored auctions, 5K races, charity Oktoberfests, food and coat drives, beer tastings, dinners, collected coins, held blood drives, and participated in community work days across the Commonwealth. Realtor® associations raised approximately $42,000 and collected more than 1,100 pounds of food though Realtors® Reach Out.

“Realtors® Reach Out is a wonderful time for our members to give back to their communities and they’ve done so in many unique ways,” said PAR President Bette McTamney. “Our members are generous in giving of their time and financial support to a variety of charities. We all can make a difference when we work together.”Reading-Berks Association of Realtors® President Peter Champagne said, “It’s great to see our members coming together and creating an event that has such a positive impact in the community.” The association hosted its second annual R-BAR Oktoberfest raising $12,000 for Habitat for Humanity.

“The Lebanon County Association of Realtors® presented a check in the amount of $10,692 to Habitat for Humanity of Lebanon County,” said association President Sally Weise. “The check represented proceeds from our annual Homecoming for Habitat Benefit Auction, and does not include the countless volunteer hours our members contributed to prepare for this annual event.” During the auction’s 18-year history, the association has raised more than $157,208 for Habitat for Humanity of Lebanon County.

Local associations participating in Realtors® Reach Out included:

• Beaver County Association
• Bucks County Association
• Butler County Association
• Carbon County Association
• Central Susquehanna Valley Board
• Greater Harrisburg Association
• Greater Philadelphia Association
• Greater Scranton Association
• Greater Wilkes-Barre Association
• Lebanon County Association
• Lehigh Valley Association
• Pike/Wayne Association
• Pocono Mountain Association
• Reading-Berks Association
• Realtors Association of York and Adams Counties
• Schuylkill County Board
• Suburban West Association
• West Branch Association