Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 14, 1991 TAG: 9104120283
SECTION: AMERICAN HOME WEEK PAGE: 16 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GENNY ELIAS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
As the afternoon sun warms the greens at the Hidden Valley Country Club on Monday, April 22, the Roanoke Valley Association of REALTORS will embark on its annual activities plan and address its social responsibility.
Starting at 1 p.m., the association will host a golf tournament to be followed by a cocktail party and raffle, with the proceeds going to benefit the Habitat for Humanity.
The association chose Habitat for Humanity, which helps construct housing for low-income families, because of the close association to the REALTORS' field.
"We are giving back in a line of work that we're in," said REALTOR Anne Lee Stevens, co-chairman of the community service committee for the association.
In its third year, the golf tournament will be captain's choice with a shotgun start, meaning that after each player of the four-member team has shot, the captain will choose the best shot and that all players will begin play at the same time, to help quicken the play.
Last year's tournament had 124 entries, and the event raised about $15,000, according to Stevens.
This year's committee, however, felt it was time for a change, Stevens said, and went with a $50 per ticket raffle after the golf competition, rather than the silent auctions of past years.
The winner of the raffle, to be held at the cocktail party after the tournament, will receive his choice of five trips, which all include air fare and hotel accommodations. The choices: Five nights in New York City for a family of four, as well as tickets to Radio City Music Hall; a three-night cruise on the Carnival Cruise Line M/S Fantasy; two tickets to the 1992 Super Bowl; two tickets to the 1991 U.S. Tennis Open; or two tickets to the NCAA Final Four tournament in 1992.
Both the tournament and the raffle are open to the public. Anyone interested in registering for the golf tournament or in receiving more information should call Stevens or the association office at 772-0526. Golf registration ends Thursday, April 18 at 5 p.m.
The tournament and raffle are not the only fund-raising events for the association. It also participates in Walk America, a fund-raising event coordinated by the March of Dimes.
Last year, the association recruited 82 walkers who raised $4,014.87, according to REALTOR Sharon Harwood, coordinator for the RVAR's portion of the event. She said the association hopes to raise closer to $5,000 in this year's effort in the Campaign for Healthier Babies.
"It's quite remarkable to see so many people walking for miles on a Sunday morning," Harwood said.
The highlight of last year's nine mile walk, Harwood said, had to be a small Boy Scout troop that walked with the REALTORS.
"That one little troop from Southwest county raised between $300 and $400," she said.
Walk America will be held next Sunday, April 28.
Rounding out the REALTORS' annual fund-raising events is its work with the Salvation Army at Christmastime.
Stevens said the Salvation Army gives the association stockings, which are then filled by participating members and distributed by the Salvation Army to needy children in the region.
Last year the REALTORS filled more than 800 stockings.
"We loaded up two pickup trucks to the brim and took them to the Salvation Army," Stevens said.
Each stocking is stuffed with either gender-specific toys, clothes or other items. Among the items that filled the stockings last year were G.I. Joe dolls, as well as watches, slap bracelets, gloves, hats and stuffed animals.
by CNB