Photograph by George Sakkestad
Local Realtor Myrt Bauer washes the outside of the window while Realtor Diane Olson works on the inside as they help out area seniors with their house cleaning chores.
Lending a hand to those who need help
Realtors give something back to the community by helping out seniors
By Jean Newton
In the middle of an active spring real estate market, local Realtors and affiliate members of Silicon Valley Association of Realtors are taking time out of their busy schedules to help senior citizens with home repairs through the Realtor Safety and Service Volunteer Program (RSSVP).
With hammers and mops in hand, more than 250 Realtors and affiliates assisted seniors in more than 215 homes in the communities of Los Gatos, Saratoga, Mountain View, Los Altos, Redwood City, Menlo Park, Atherton, Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Portola Valley and Woodside. The cost-free program was launched last year to provide a hands-on effort in the communities served by the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, a nonprofit trade association.
In the Los Gatos and Saratoga area, more than 70 Realtors and affiliates went out into the community to help seniors in 50 homes during the weeklong community outreach program held May 18-26. Small teams of volunteers washed windows, cleaned gutters, turned mattresses, changed smoke detector batteries, strapped water heaters and performed other desired and necessary health and safety tasks.
Locally the event was coordinated by RSSVP committee chairman Bill Marr of Bank of America Mortgage and committee members Margo Jenks of Home Guard Inspections, Dana Luce of FiNet in Saratoga and Realtor Glenn Baxter of Coldwell Banker in Los Gatos. The committee worked with local agencies to find seniors and others who needed assistance in their homes and helped coordinate the Realtor volunteer effort.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for us to give something back to the communities where we live and work," said Maar.
The program was designed especially for homeowners or renters who are advanced in age, disabled or otherwise challenged, and is held once a year during the spring. Those interested in participating in the program are asked to fill out an application for services. Seniors can choose from a variety of tasks that need to be performed, including painting house numbers on the curb, installing hand-held shower fixtures, cutting and pruning overgrown shrubs and tree branches, moving or rearranging furniture, repairing leaky faucets, removing cobwebs, and even programming VCRs.
For one team of volunteers--Dennis Byron, Myrt Bauer and Diane Olsen Strocchia--the hours spent washing windows, cleaning gutters and making small repairs reminded them of their own parents' needs.
"My mother is 90 years old and lives in Missouri. I can't be there, so I am here," said Bauer as she washed windows at the home of a Los Gatos senior. Bauer, a Realtor for 31 years, is with Windemere Properties in Los Gatos.
Byron, a broker at Byron and Associates in Los Gatos, said he thought about his parents as well while he worked to fix a spot where a rock or brick was sticking up on the patio. Wearing safety glasses, he hammered and chiseled to smooth out the area so the homeowner could walk safely without tripping.
"I know there are lots of things my parents can't do and there are many tasks seniors aren't able to take care of around the house," he said. "Many seniors are on limited incomes, even though they may live in a neighborhood with nice homes. Hiring someone to wash windows, for instance, would take a big bite out of someone's income."
Washing windows inside the home, volunteer Strocchia, an associate Realtor with Byron and Associates, said she joined the volunteer effort because "it's a good idea to volunteer and it's time well spent."
The senior citizen they were helping was extremely grateful for their presence and called the program a "wonderful help." Although she didn't want to be identified, she was pleased to get assistance; the upkeep on her home has become difficult because she can't do things by herself and she can't afford to hire someone to do the chores.
One 85-year-old senior from Palo Alto summed up her appreciation for the RSSVP program in a letter thanking the volunteers "who came to my house to help me with tasks in my home and garden that I'm no longer able to do. They were all gracious and helpful, and I feel they all deserve a medal for their efforts."
The RSSVP program is funded by the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors Charitable Foundation through direct donations from Realtors, affiliates and friends. The Charitable Foundation is a wholly owned 501(c)3 subsidiary and makes grants available to organizations in the community. Through charitable contributions and member involvement, the foundation strives to help create more productive and enriched communities.
As the RSSVP outreach concludes its second year, Silicon Valley Association of Realtors President Alicia Tuvell said the organization is pleased with the good response.
"We're very excited to see the RSSVP program continue to branch out to reach more people who need help," said Tuvell.
The Silicon Valley Association of Realtors (SILVAR) is a 3,000-member nonprofit regional trade association serving Realtors and affiliate members from Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Los Altos in Santa Clara County to Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Atherton in San Mateo County. An information resource for both Realtors and consumers, SILVAR provides ongoing education programs and training, Internet access and online networking, as well as mediation programs and legislative advocacy. For more information check out www.siliconvalley-realtors.org.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
