The Scarsdale Keller Williams office partnered with the Westchester office of the New York Blood Center for a blood drive. Thirty-seven associate signed up to donate and 32 pints were collected. Several other agents volunteered to give blood, but most were unable to do so because of donation restrictions such as recent visits to certain countries or previous health conditions. Of that group, 15 agreed to provide blood at a future date.
The blood drive turned out to be an interesting experience for the agents, who discovered that there was much more to the process of donating blood than they realized. "I had no idea that going abroad for vacation would have prevented me from giving blood," said Johan Tola, associate real estate broker, Keller Williams Realty Group, "but I can do so next year."
Also as part of RED Day, Bronx associates spent the day making dreams come true for 90 kids from the Phipps Neighborhood Transitional Housing Facility homeless shelter near the Keller Williams office in the Bronx. The kids had submitted dream catchers, wish lists, of gifts they wanted and the 80 associates fulfilled their wishes by buying the gifts and presenting them to the kids. An additional 75 children who did not submit specific wish lists were treated to gifts as well.
The dream catcher project and the blood drive were only the latest community volunteer programs in which the Keller Williams Realty Scarsdale team participated. In previous years, the team has cleaned up a local lake, assisted at a local senior citizens center, and have continued the tradition started four years ago by its corporate parent.
"RED Day is built on the belief that people can and should come together to achieve extraordinary things to help others," said Team Leader Jamal Hadi, principal broker, Keller Williams, Scarsdale and the Bronx. “We can’t tell you what an impact it made on each of us personally to fulfill these kids’ wishes and to alleviate the shortage of blood in Westchester County. We all know that filling all the gaps in our communities can't be accomplished by serving just once a year. RED Day just happens to be the one-day expression of the ongoing state of the Keller Williams culture. We see a need, discover who can meet it and get it done.”
Since the first RED Day in 2009, Keller Williams associates have given almost a half million hours of community service through activities ranging from food and blood drives to cleaning up trash in public parks, revamping gardens at nursing homes and rebuilding homes and schools for community members in need.It is one of the largest events in the real estate industry. For more information about RED Day, visit www.kw.com/redday.
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