The annual cost-free program provides seniors with a friendly visit and free assistance with household tasks during a designated week each year in a hands-on effort by local Realtors and affiliate members. This year the small teams of volunteers will be working at each residence to perform desired and necessary health and safety tasks during the week of June 9­14. The deadline for sign-ups by seniors to request service is Friday, May 9.

Seniors can choose services such as changing light bulbs; painting house numbers on the curb; installing hand-held shower fixtures; trimming overgrown winter shrubs and tree branches for safety and visibility; moving or rearranging furniture; and moving items into or out of storage.

Other tasks Realtors will perform include washing windows; cleaning gutters; repairing leaky faucets or other minor plumbing tasks; flipping mattresses; replacing smoke detector batteries; planting flowers; and making walkways and pathways safe. The Realtors will also program the VCR, remove cobwebs, change furnace filters and strap the water heater.

"This program enables our seniors to stay in their homes for a longer period of time. This is one example of local Realtors giving back to the community in which they earn their livelihoods," said Judy Jarvis Ellis, president of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors. "Providing more housing is a national priority of both the national and California Association of Realtors. In our immediate area, our local association helps support this national goal by annually going out to seniors' homes and helping them maintain them."

The outreach program was adopted as the official association community outreach project last year by the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors and expanded to the San Mateo County Association of Realtors this year. The idea is to involve as many Realtors and affiliate members as possible to make a direct contribution to their communities. Last year 400 Realtors and affiliates serviced 280 homeowners.

Homeowners or renters who are advanced in years, disabled or otherwise challenged and live in Santa Clara County can sign up at the Los Gatos Senior Program, 208 East Main St., or call 408.354.1514. In Saratoga, seniors can sign up at the Saratoga Senior Center at 19655 Allendale Ave. or call 408.868.1257.

Information provided in this column is presented by the Realtor members of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors at www.silvar.org. Send questions on any topic to jnewton@jnpr.com.