Saratoga News
Homes
Grateful seniors get help, thanks to local Realtors
RSVP is a real hands-on effort
By Jean Newton
Realtors and affiliate members of Silicon Valley Association of Realtors were greeted with smiles and tears of happiness during the annual Realtor Service Volunteer Program in Los Gatos and Saratoga from thankful homeowners and renters who received help with household tasks and repairs.
The community outreach program provides cost-free assistance to senior citizens and the disabled during a designated week each year. This year more than 70 Realtors and professionals from the real estate industry participated in the program to help 42 homeowners in Los Gatos and Saratoga.
For Realtor C.T. Harris of Coldwell Banker in Los Gatos, it was all about giving something back by volunteering his time to clean gutters, trim hedges, flip mattresses, program VCRs or change batteries and smoke detectors. He and team members Brian Crane and Kate Adams from Intero Real Estate Services in Los Gatos spent one full day helping two different homeowners.
"This experience is amazing because the homeowners are so thrilled to receive our help with simple things that they once were able to do but now can't do," said Harris. "One homeowner who is 99 years old was teary-eyed and gave me a big hug because she was so happy we were there."
Valerie Brand, a Realtor with Village Square Realty in Los Gatos, coordinated the local effort with assistance from Matthew Spencer of Alain Pinel Realtors in Los Gatos and Chris Mazzucco of Financial Title in San Jose.
"We had more requests this year than last. We were inundated with calls because more people know about the program and love it. The seniors get so excited. It's an opportunity for them to get work done but also to spend time visiting with someone," Brand said.
Teams of three volunteers gather cleaning materials and supplies to go out to the identified homes and spend several hours completing a variety of tasks for the homeowner. When a specific task is beyond the capability of the team on site, Brand calls on volunteer Dan Turkus of Turkus Real Estate for his handyman expertise.
"I have been doing RSVP since its inception and was on the board of directors when we recommended the institution of the program. All the people needing help are extremely thankful to get the work done," said Turkus who helped at four different homes this year.
Sometimes the tasks performed are a matter of safety. One woman, who uses a walker, just wanted some windows cleaned and her roof downspouts cleaned out.
"The downspouts were all clogged with gravel caused by the heavy rains. I was able to take them off, clean out the gravel and reinstall them," Turkus said. "I also noticed she had a smoke detector mounted on the wall instead of the ceiling and recommended that it be raised to the ceiling. In case of a fire, she would get at least an extra five- to 10-minute warning so I relocated the detector."
Turkus also received a call from a team member to help strap a water heater that was located in a closet without much space between the walls and the unit.
"We were able to improvise a method of getting the screws into the wall studs in extremely tight conditions. This was the hardest one so far, but so rewarding when the homeowner smiled and thanked us," Turkus said.
Another woman in Los Gatos had a ramp installed at her front door, but it was barely wide enough to accommodate her wheelchair, which made her caregivers nervous when rolling her in and out of the house. Turkus was able to widen the ramp by using some extra plywood he had left over from another project.
"The lady was so happy and thankful, as were her caregivers. The entire job just took about 15 minutes, but the smiles and thanks really touched my heart," Turkus said.
Launched in 2001, RSVP is a hands-on effort organized by the members and affiliates of Silicon Valley and San Mateo County Associations of Realtors. The local trade associations cover an area on the Peninsula and South Bay from South San Francisco to Los Gatos. Working in cooperation with various community organizations and senior centers, RSVP serves 270 homeowners with 450 Realtor and affiliate volunteers providing services. During the designated week, seniors can request to have light bulbs replaced, house numbers installed, furnace filters changed, windows cleaned and other similar household tasks. Volunteers also handle minor plumbing tasks, plant spring flowers or help with recycling.
For more information about the annual program, contact Silicon Valley Association of Realtors at 408.200.0100.
