The Rockford Area REALTORS® (RAR) showed their support for senior citizens in need by purchasing and donating personal care products, outerwear accessories and greeting cards for Lifescape Community Services in Rockford.

REALTORS® Give Back graphic with Christmas decorations“Each year, the RAR Holiday Committee selects a non-profit within the community to raise awareness through items or monetary donations,” said REALTOR® and Holiday Committee Chair Connie Kelly. “The committee selected Lifescape Community Services because of its commitment to elderly care. During the holiday seasons, there are many organizations that do amazing things for the community, but the elderly is usually an overlooked group. The Holiday Committee felt that they needed attention and members are collecting items such as toiletries, outerwear accessories and all-occasion greeting cards.”

Rockford Area REALTORS® collected the donated items at its Dec. 12 open house. The items will be delivered to Lifescape sometime after Christmas. Holiday Committee members included Kelly and Ashley Downing as well as affiliate members Pam DeSanti, Sarah Herschlag, Maggie Luke, Patrick O’Gorman, Lindsey Swanson and Jennifer Williams.

“There is something satisfying when you watch the real estate offices come together by way of giving back to the community in which we work and live,” says Kelly. “This year, with so many things being done for the next generation, young adults and children in our community, by selecting Lifescapes, a senior citizen organization, it is a double blessing. This is the generation that went before us and paved a way for us. A generation often forgotten when you think about giving, yet we wouldn’t be where we are today without them.”

Rockford Area REALTORS® are led by CEO Conor Brown, President Rose Schlickman of Key Realty in Rockford, President-elect Jerry Gibson of Keller-Williams Signature in Loves Park and Immediate Past President Shane Van Sickle of LandMark Real Estate Group in Rockford. The association serves 830 members.

(This is the 14th in a series of blog posts about charitable community work performed by local Illinois REALTORS® during the finals months of the year. Watch for more stories in the coming days.)

Seven volunteers pose for photo

REALTORS® and affiliate members helped the Rockford Area REALTORS® collect more than 600 items to donate to a local non-profit organization supporting local elderly. (l to r) Patrick O’Gorman, Ashley Downing, Maggie Luke, Connie Kelly, Jennifer Williams, Pam DeSanti and Marcia Ballard Fry.