Realtors rally behind Habitat for Humanity

While real estate agents are known for their professional service in the buying and selling of houses, rarely are they known for actually building them. That, however, was the case as members of the Burbank Association of Realtors (BAR) took up shovels, hammers and trowels to assist in the construction of Centennial House — the Habitat for Humanity project underway on Eliot Drive near Earthwalk Park this past Friday.

Operating under the auspices of the association’s charitable arm — the Burbank Association of Realtors Community Service Foundation (CSF) — local Realtors and affiliates joined forces by passing on their business-as-usual suits and skirts and donning T-shirts, shorts, jeans and work boots to participate in the grittier side of the housing business.

Led by CSF president, Chris Habitz and Alexandra Kelly, who serves as the association president, nail-pounding, wall-raising and earth-moving board members included Chris Rizzotti, Dana Russo, Marion Chase, who donated the day’s lunch, Marty Del Cid, Karen Volpei Gussow and Dan Soderstrom.

“In addition to contributing $2,500 to the project, 20 BAR and CSF members wanted to actually be involved in this work day project,” said Soderstrom. “The response by our membership to get involved has been overwhelming. We could have had many more volunteers; however, Habitat for Humanity limits the daily number of any one organization’s volunteers to no more than 20.”

Among those who volunteered and others who stopped by to lend support were Eric Benz, Julian Munoz, Caleb Gonzalez, Paul Sessum, Beth Bowles, Tammy Tapia, Marion Goodman, Judy Tanke, Meegan BeVere, Melissa and Tiffanie Misner, Robert Clark, Melisa Mendigorin and Lisa Matzner.

The support of this project, by their financial contribution and sweat equity, is a continuation of the Burbank Realtors’ long-standing commitment to the community. BAR and CSF have been actively involved with numerous local charitable organizations and causes for many years. “We’re probably most noted for our large college scholarship program which has given literally thousands of dollars to Burbank high school seniors as they embark on their college educations,” said Soderstrom. “I believe the program is one of the most generous of its kind relative to similar scholarship programs.”