The most common public vision of a real estate professional typically focuses on the intricacies of marketing a listing and getting it to closing. There’s a lot more. Realtors® have a long – sometimes overlooked – tradition of community service and volunteering that makes them strong threads in the fabric of their community.  

Earlier this month, Realtors® here in NE Tenn. and SW Va. joined a nationwide effort to put some focus on how they give back to the community. It wasn’t just a one-shot thing. Many in the Realtor® family make volunteering and community service a daily commitment. 

“Imagine the impact of 1.5 million Realtors® in every city and town across the U.S. giving back,” says Sara Geimer, manager of The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Good Neighbor Awards. “With our numbers and giving spirit, Realtors® have so much power to make the world a better place.”  

Here’s just one local example by Realtor® Andrea Puckett with an assist from some of her associates and Northeast Tennessee Association of Realtors® (NETAR) President Rick Chantry. They put together a sports camp for kids at Discovery Church in Bristol. And they hosted Reggie Williams of Youth Sports Camps International in Northern Virginia to put his professional touch on the day.  

Williams fits the vision of what you expect from a sports camp pro. He’s big and has an athletic demeanor. And he’s a gentle giant among the throngs of little people clamoring around him during the day’s events.  

Williams’ approach isn’t getting into the weeds of rules and regulations. There was no calk boarding that day at Discovery Church. It was all about participating and having fun in a way that awakens kids’ natural abilities. From baseball to some fundamentals of passing and catching a football to targeted Frisbee practice, it was a full day of fun and exploring. Reggie’s hope and dream is it kindled a spark that the participants would take to the next level in their participation and enjoyment of sports in its many forms. 

Volunteering is high on the professional and personal traits of Realtors® because it’s the glue that holds a community together. It allows them to connect to their communities and make them a better place. Often evens are helping with the smallest task makes a real difference in the lives of people and organizations in need of that little bit of extra help.  

NAR’s spotlight on Volunteer Days included various events. A sampling includes drives for food banks, Habitat for Humanity builds, dog shelters, and neighborhood cleanups. But there was much more. The list is almost endless. And includes a thumbs up to the legions of Realtors® who serve on planning commissions, school boards, and all kinds of community and religious associations. 

The Northeast Tenn. and SW Va. area has a strong tradition of volunteering. The most visible benefits typically focus on the individuals in need or the community issue that brings volunteers together. That provides an opportunity for those who volunteer to become closer to the community they live in and broadens their horizons by helping them understand the needs they a trying to help. Reading or hearing about issues is not the same as getting personally involved and experiencing the inner feeling that you’ve done something significant to another person. Realtors® do it because That’s Who We R. Check out video examples at  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ8nxcZniP61mv2xQYDYx5arbViRRng4K