President's Perspective

Giving Back/Paying Forward

Skip Weiler, 2004 President

Giving Back/Paying Forward
 
Woody Hayes promoted paying forward.  We are so fortunate in Columbus and we can never go back (or pay back) so we must pay forward.  Columbus is the best city in the world and the Columbus Board of REALTORS® is the best board of REALTORS® in the world. 

Columbus is the most caring community in the world. Year after year Columbus is ranked as the highest per capita city in giving to the United Way. There are many agencies doing great things in our city.  Everyone should get involved. 

To show our appreciation to those before us who paid forward to make all these wonderful things possible, we must pay forward. 

As REALTORS® in our community, we have achieved great success.  Now it is time to return the favor.  The Columbus Board of REALTORS® has created the REALTOR® Foundation Fund to pay forward.  It was established to assist in housing issues related to our community. 

The Foundation provides scholarships and funding to non profit, housing-related organizations.  Columbus Housing Partnership is one such organization that was founded by one of our past presidents, Don Kelley, and has a huge, positive impact on housing in our community.  A number of individuals purchased bonds when our headquarter building was constructed and are now in turn donating their bond back to the Foundation. 

Many other housing-related organizations also are deserving of your support.  I believe you should help organizations that you are passionate about with, at a minimum, your time or money.  I support many with both; I hope you are too.  You will receive far more pleasure from giving than you can possibly imagine.

The CBR Spotlight on Community Service award was not created to recognize only those whose contributions we might deem outstanding, but every day folks who are doing something to improve the standard of life in our communities.  Further, it is an effort by the Communication Committee to tell the public that REALTORS® are committed to our communities.

Opposite are the four members selected for the first quarter of 2004.  My congratulations and thanks to Mel Poeppelmeyer, Jack Travis, Paul Love and Della Lambert. You are helping to improve our communities and thereby, our lives.

Please get involved.  Do your part.  Continue to make Columbus wonderful.