Story provided by the Stillwater Board of Realtors
It’s that time of year again – there may be a chill in the air but there is a warm, giving spirit in our hearts. It has become tradition that the members of the Stillwater Board of REALTORS donate toys and gifts to support Stillwater Junior Service League’s mission of Operation Christmas Store. JSL partners with Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency to provide gifts to income eligible families of Payne County. This year, there are 97 families with a total of 256 children (ages newborn to 18 yrs old) that will benefit from these donations from SBOR and other businesses, organizations, and residents of Stillwater to provide these families with a memorable Christmas morning.
Diana Holm is the 2019 Chair for Operation Christmas and has this to say about what this mission means to her: “Operation Christmas holds a special place in my heart. I believe every child deserves to have something on Christmas morning that says they are loved. This is a belief that Junior Service League holds true with this mission by helping families in Payne County have a Merry Christmas.”
Stillwater Board of REALTORS serves Stillwater and surrounding communities in a variety of ways through their donations throughout the year. Members volunteer for United Way’s Day of Caring, they coordinate and participate in a Bowling Fundraiser to benefit Habitat for Humanity, and you will see them ringing the bells for the Salvation Army. It is tradition that each November, REALTOR members and affiliates donate a variety of items for a fundraising auction held during their monthly luncheon. These items are presented by the entertaining auctioneer, Gregg Pickens, and the luncheon turns into a lively event of bidding. The funds raised at this auction are then presented at the December luncheon.
This year, it was decided to divide the money raised between 9 schools in the area to assist their students in need. The donations today will help in providing students with provisions they need to optimize their learning and comfort at school or even at home. The school representatives gave examples of how this donation helps their students – shoes, socks, snack packs, health and hygiene products, outfits for job interviews, and basically anything someone might need to get dressed and ready for the day. These schools include: Perkins, Stillwater, Ripley, Morrison, Glencoe, Cushing, Perry, Yale, and Agra. Each district being presented $1,195 from the Stillwater Board of REALTORS. When Kelly Hackler, President of the Stillwater Board of REALTORS, presented the school districts their checks, she said, “It was an absolute honor and privilege to make a difference for our children that would otherwise not have needed items for day to day living. Thank you to our members, my Board of Directors and affiliate members for your generosity in making this possible.”
Stillwater Board of REALTORS is honored to have members of the Junior Service League and the receiving school districts attend their December luncheon to be introduced, presented with their gifts and donations, and celebrate the spirit of the season.