Nearly 50 real estate professionals gathered on Wrightsville Beach on Tuesday, April 4 to help plant sea oats, part of the Realtor Action Day that saw more than 500 industry professionals work on community projects.
The community works event, sponsored by Cape Fear Realtors, is one of the projects that helped the organization earn a national award for community outreach, said Chief Operating Officer Shane Johnson. It’s part of the organization’s shifting focus on community outreach that impacts neighborhood, Johnson said, tying together the sea oat planting with the organization’s advocacy efforts on beach renourishment.
“The sea oats stabilize the dunes and act as one of the best ways to guard against storm damage,” Johnson said. “The beaches are an economic engine for this part of the state. That’s why we as an association are leading the charge to make beach renourishment a top priority. It’s important to us as Realtors and as a community.”
The event was one of more than 20 around the region, including putting in community gardens at New Hanover Regional Medical Center and First Christian Church, and adding marsh grass in Carolina Beach.
“We hope people will come there, relax and get some fresh vegetables,” Johnson said of the community gardens.
On March 18, the National Association of Realtors awarded Cape Fear Realtors with the Community Outreach Award, one of only six out of 1,300 state and local Realtor associations to win the award. It was the only association in North Carolina to win the award.
The National Association of Realtors cited the hosting of the Mayor’s Roundtable on Housing Affordability and 2015 Water Summit were specifically mentioned during the award presentation ceremony. Cape Fear Realtors said it leads the state in grant and advocacy dollars awarded in grants from the National Association of Realtors on a per member basis in the past three years.
“We are in the top six percent nationwide for awarded dollars,” CEO Jerry Panz said.
Cape Fear Realtors recently changed its name from Wilmington Area Realtors Association. Johnson said the change reflected the expanded MLS system and the organization’s goal to represent the larger region.
Panz also acknowledged Johnson for his work on leading the community outreach efforts.
“His grant-writing efforts, tireless promotion of Realtor Action Day, and leadership in strengthening CFR’s advocacy efforts were noted by NAR. It is a high honor and distinction,” Panz said of Johnson.
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