HOAP returns – RAHB’s eleventh HOAP project is underway!

Aug 14, 2012 | RAHB News, REALTORS Care® | 0 comments

 

 

The Home Ownership Affordability Partnership, or HOAP, is a unique approach to affordable housing in our community.  It is a partnership among the REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington, City of Hamilton and Scotiabank which helps families achieve their dreams of home ownership, revitalizes existing housing stock and opens social housing units for other families in need.

The idea is a simple one.

  • A qualified family works with a REALTOR® to purchase a home in need of repair; the home is purchased at the current market value.
  • Renovations are carried out by qualified general contractors, plumbers and electricians.
  • The new owner moves into a renovated property that is safe, clean and meets all building codes.

The current HOAP project is expected to be completed shortly, with a key ceremony to be held later this month.

Watch for more details in September’s edition of REALINFO.

REALTORS Care

Jun 12, 2012 | REALTORS Care® | 0 comments

Telling Tales:  A Family Festival of Stories

RAHB member Ellen Boyce (Royal LePage State Realty) continues her involvement in Telling Tales, A Family Festival of Stories, and is looking for support for the festival from RAHB members.  Now in its fourth year, this festival celebrates more than 20 of Canada’s leading children’s writers, illustrators, storytellers and musicians and, at the same time, raises awareness and support for literacy programs in our community.

Telling Tales is scheduled for Sunday, September 16, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Westfield Heritage Village. This festival is completely volunteer-driven and was the winner of the 2010 Tourism Hamilton Award of Excellence – Festival of the Year.

There are a number of ways members can support Telling Tales:  sponsoring the event, advertising in the festival guide or exhibiting at the festival; collecting and/or donating gently used children’s books for the Book Swap & Shop; volunteering to work at the festival or by simply attending.

For more information, contact Ellen Boyce at 905.648.4451 or visit the Telling Tales website at www.tellingtales.org for details.

 

Yard Sale for the Cure raises $30,000

On May 26, RAHB member Leslie Bullock (RE/MAX Garden City Realty Inc., Brokerage) and her crew of more than 100 volunteers raised over $30,000 in her Yard Sale for the Cure – $5,000 more than her goal of $25,000.

Leslie began her yard sale several years ago and the event has grown to be more than just a successful yard sale; it is now a community event with RE/MAX garden City hosting a nearby festival complete with live music, hot air balloon rides, bouncy castle for children, face painting and more.   The highlight of the yard sale:  the “Bra-O-Meter” which displayed, hourly, how much money had been raised toward the goal of $25,000.

Leslie finds her inspiration for organizing the event in the stories she hears from her volunteers and customers.  This year, she was particularly moved by the story from the woman who designed the Bra-O-Meter and dedicated it to her friend who succumbed to breast cancer five years previously.

The goal has been set for next year:  Leslie intends to raise $50,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

 

Royal LePage Burloak raises $34,000 for local charities

Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services, Brokerage celebrated its year-round commitment to supporting Halton Women’s Place and the Carpenter Hospice with a donation of $17,000 to each organization.

Funds were raised through events such as their Annual Charity Golf Tournament, Halloween Chili Bowl, Cupcake Fridays and through sales representatives’ donations.

Royal LePage Burloak has been helping restore hope and providing a safe haven for families in the Halton Region for close to a decade through their support of Halton Women’s Place and The Carpenter Hospice.

REALTORS Care Foundation

May 8, 2012 | REALTORS Care® | 0 comments

Two RAHB members recognized for their volunteer efforts!

Darlyne Mills (Jack Mills Real Estate Inc.) and Nancie Mleczko (Coldwell Banker Pinnacle Real Estate) recently received awards for their volunteer work in their communities.

Darlyne Mills was acclaimed as the Royal Bank Dundas Citizen of the Year for 2011 by the Dundas division of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, and received her award at the 2011 Dundas Community Awards on April 27.   Darlyne was nominated for her involvement in many local causes over many years- everything from sports teams, business groups, school and parish groups to service clubs and civic groups.

“Somebody put my name forward,” she said, “and I got the award.  It was very humbling.”  Darlyne wasn’t looking for accolades for her work in the community; she says she volunteers “because [she] wants to make a difference.”

Darlyne has been a volunteer at RAHB, sitting on the Government Relations Committee and the Charity Auction Task Force.  She is particularly proud of her work for the Christmas Tree of Hope, and said it is especially meaningful because the charity gives to children in the area.  In 2006, Darlyne was the first recipient of RAHB’s Outstanding Community Service Award.

 

Nancie Mleczko was named a Home Town Hero after her nomination by Neighbour to Neighbour (N2N). A Hometown Hero is a volunteer with a Hamilton social service organization who leads by example and goes above and beyond in the performance of their volunteer duties.

Nancie has been a volunteer in the Neighbour to Neighbour tutor program since 2006 and has also volunteered in the N2N Christmas Hamper program and bowl-a-thon.  In addition to her involvement with Neighbour to Neighbour, Nancie has also been involved on committees or boards with the Youth Justice Committee, YWCA, Big Sisters of Hamilton, the now-defunct Neuro-oncology Association, the City of Hamilton and Today’s Child.  She is a Certified Physical Activity Advisor and is active in four community theatres.

Nancy has also been very active at RAHB over the years, sitting on numerous committees and task forces.  She received her 25-year long service pin at the President’s Gala in January of this year

Volunteering is obviously important to Nancie.

“In this world of iPads, iPods and iTouches, it’s not really about “I”- it’s all about others,” she says.

Nancie received her award at the Volunteer Hamilton Community Builders Breakfast on April 20.

 

Motorcycle Ride for Charity

It’s that time of year again, when the motorcycles come out and REALTORS® RIDE for Charity.

This year’s event is a one-day ride from the OREA office in Don Mills to Niagara, with stops at the Guelph & District Association of REALTORS®, Kitchener Waterloo Association of REALTORS® and Niagara Association of REALTORS®.  The date is Wednesday, July 4.

All money raised through the REALTORS® RIDE for Charity goes to the REALTORS Care Foundation and supports shelter-related causes in communities throughout Ontario.  Local causes which have received support from the Foundation in the past include Mark Preece Family House, Wesley Urban Ministries, Housing and Support- Halton and RAHB’s own Home Ownership Affordability Partnership (HOAP) program.

So far, we know of three RAHB members who are registered to participate in the RIDE this year –Jamie Edwards, Bruce King and Sherry Police of J.M. Edwards Associates Inc.  -and they are all looking for sponsors. Go to http://www.realtorscareontario.ca/page/2012_ride_home sponsor a rider or to register to RIDE yourself.