Dear KW Agents,
I am thrilled to share with you all that we have already honored 13 of our quiet heroes, in 11 offices.
Your Team Leaders have diligently helped us gather the information needed to turn this idea of respecting and honoring our special quiet heroes, into a reality. We have already had over 820 visits to our blog!!
I am so thankful to be in business with so many truly amazing people. I am even more thankful now, to have a place to honor those choosing “to do the right thing, at the right time” and make a positive difference in someone’s life.
Heroes give us Hope.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Expecting Nothing In Return – Carol Waters
Carol Waters works very hard, with no complaint, just with a heart to serve. She is a realtor in Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners (South Forsyth in Suwanee, GA). In addition to maintaining her real estate business, volunteering in several capacities in the office, and serving on various committees at her church, she is a single mom to almost 15 year old twins, Ben and Tory.
In 2008, she also served on the ALC (Agent Leadership Council), supporting her office in an important leadership capacity. Carol also participates in the South Forsyth Cares fundraisers and events that support many activities, including funding their holiday family.
Carol has been a giving, generous person and agent since she came to Keller Williams. She was the 2008 Kares 4 Kids Ambassador for her office, keeping the agents informed about their events and organizing them for their office.
She helped them get involved in building their first Habitat for Humanity home through Kares 4 Kids. She did all the research to get the office involved and was there, hammering away, on the "First Nail Day" in June 2008. Because of Carol's efforts, we helped the Rowland family have a home.
Through Kares 4 Kids, the office gives back to school bookbags to the Hill Center, which serves children who are homeless or in transition. Carol helped organize the office to fundraise for additional bookbags, so they could deliver over 560 bookbags to these special children.
She also worked tirelessly on the Black & Red Holiday Ball, selling tickets, collecting auction items, raising funds for the gift baskets, etc. This event funds Kares 4 Kids efforts for children in need for all of the following year.
Carol volunteers in several capacities at her church, as an active member of Daughters of the King, as well as serving on the finance committee. She has supported St. Jude's Children's Hospital for years.
Family is a big priority for Carol. As a single mother of twins, Ben and Tory, she provides dinner to their youth group every Wednesday night. She supports her boys in their activities: Tory is in the drama club and has many rehearsals, while Ben is playing lacrosse with frequent practices and games. Carol also has aging parents in Memphis whom she visits on a regular basis.
She currently serves on the 2009 Culture Committee and continues to work tirelessly for the causes her office supports. She has an awesome smile and uses it frequently to encourage others and brighten their days. As a true quiet hero, Carol does all of this expecting nothing in return.
Silent Contributers to KW Cares - Phil Pierce and Amy Wilson
Phil Pierce and Amy Wilson are realtors with Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners (Jacksonville, FL) who joined the company in February of 2008 and July 2008, respectively.
Last November, the Market Center fell short of its KW Cares donation goal for the month. KW Cares provides substantive assistance to Keller Williams associates and their immediate families. http://www.kwcares.org/ Its impact has been powerful, touching the lives of many by caring for our associates who have found themselves faced with unexpected hardships.
Without any fanfare, Phil went to the MCA, Nancy Freeman, and wrote a check for $200.00 to make up the difference. The office finished with a total of donation to KW Cares of $3051.08 on 12/31/08. Without Phil's silent contribution, they would not have reached their Market Center goal for the year.
Earlier this month (March 2009), Amy quietly wrote KW Cares a check for $228.30 to make up for shortages in the donations in January and February.
"Phil and Amy are both fantastic people to have in our Market Team Leader Mark Dilworth said. They contribute in many ways. Amy is part of the Agent Leadership Council, and (with the help of Donna Clarke) has taken their educational programs and new agent orientation program to new heights. Amy is an outstanding resource within the Market Center and always willing to assist their new agents.She has also been a great help to (Team Leader) Mark.
Phil was a top producer with his previous company and has a great presence in the Market Center as well.Not only do his sales make him a top producer with KW, but also his ability to think outside of the box to get things done.
Quiet heroes see a problem and fix it.No fanfare necessary.Phil and Amy believe in the importance of KW Cares and both, silently, made sure their Market Center’s commitment was fulfilled.
Last November, the Market Center fell short of its KW Cares donation goal for the month. KW Cares provides substantive assistance to Keller Williams associates and their immediate families. http://www.kwcares.org/ Its impact has been powerful, touching the lives of many by caring for our associates who have found themselves faced with unexpected hardships.
Without any fanfare, Phil went to the MCA, Nancy Freeman, and wrote a check for $200.00 to make up the difference. The office finished with a total of donation to KW Cares of $3051.08 on 12/31/08. Without Phil's silent contribution, they would not have reached their Market Center goal for the year.
Earlier this month (March 2009), Amy quietly wrote KW Cares a check for $228.30 to make up for shortages in the donations in January and February.
"Phil and Amy are both fantastic people to have in our Market Team Leader Mark Dilworth said. They contribute in many ways. Amy is part of the Agent Leadership Council, and (with the help of Donna Clarke) has taken their educational programs and new agent orientation program to new heights. Amy is an outstanding resource within the Market Center and always willing to assist their new agents.She has also been a great help to (Team Leader) Mark.
Phil was a top producer with his previous company and has a great presence in the Market Center as well.Not only do his sales make him a top producer with KW, but also his ability to think outside of the box to get things done.
Quiet heroes see a problem and fix it.No fanfare necessary.Phil and Amy believe in the importance of KW Cares and both, silently, made sure their Market Center’s commitment was fulfilled.
Beautiful Woman Who Loved Dearly & Was Dearly Loved - Lesli Smith
It is with heartache that I honor this quiet hero: Lesli Smith, an agent with Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners (North Gwinnett in Buford, GA). She was the beneficiary of Teresa Smith’s efforts and friendship in our first blog posting (Miraculously The Sky Opened Up And The Sun Shone Down). To our great sadness, on Thursday 3/19/09, Lesli lost her battle with cancer.
Lesli was herself a quiet hero, not complaining about her circumstances, simply and courageously fighting her battle with cancer for two years. She fought out of love for her husband and her two beautiful daughters. Lesli's greatest joy and accomplishment was motherhood. Her memory makes those who knew her smile and laugh. She never gave up and neither will we; we will continue to fight cancer.
"A golden heart stopped beating; hard working hands laid to rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best" (from her Memorial Service). As a testament to how wonderful Lesli was, her family will continue to be surrounded and loved, as Lesli herself so cared about and loved others. www.supportlesli.com
Lesli was herself a quiet hero, not complaining about her circumstances, simply and courageously fighting her battle with cancer for two years. She fought out of love for her husband and her two beautiful daughters. Lesli's greatest joy and accomplishment was motherhood. Her memory makes those who knew her smile and laugh. She never gave up and neither will we; we will continue to fight cancer.
"A golden heart stopped beating; hard working hands laid to rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best" (from her Memorial Service). As a testament to how wonderful Lesli was, her family will continue to be surrounded and loved, as Lesli herself so cared about and loved others. www.supportlesli.com
“I Was Given My Son Back, So Now I Help Others In Need” – Pat Buice
Pat Buice has been a realtor for 27 years and joined Keller Williams Realty South (Fayetteville , GA)
Eleven years ago her son was unexpectedly, seriously injured. For two weeks after his injury, they did not know if he would make it. By all medical standards, he should not have lived, but he did. Pat said after this experience, no matter what challenges you now face as a result of an accident, "you count your blessings and you have to learn how to get on with your life."
He made a full recovery, after a few years of rehabilitation. Going through this experience, Pat found that many other people who deal with an injured family member, do not have the resources to get the attention they need.
So eleven years ago this month, Pat founded "Miracles Happen," a Brain Injury Support Group. Her objective through Miracles Happen is to provide positive reinforcement for people with traumatic head injuries or even strokes. She also seeks to help the families and caregivers around those who were injured. She shares and teaches the techniques they learned to help the injured and their family move to the next level in their life.
Pat is tied in with the Brain Injury Association of Georgia, which actually has 22 support groups around the state: www.braininjurygeorgia.org/ . She can also help people seeking financial assistance for brain injured patients.
For anyone who might be interested, Pat also leads the Peer to Peer visitation at Southern Regional Medical Center, which can always use volunteers.
Pat shows us what a quiet hero does: even when your life has an unexpected, very difficult turn, try to keep your eyes open for the opportunity in it. It is not easy, but it is possible. As MoAnderson (Vice Chairman of the Board, Keller Williams Realty International)
Eleven years ago her son was unexpectedly, seriously injured. For two weeks after his injury, they did not know if he would make it. By all medical standards, he should not have lived, but he did. Pat said after this experience, no matter what challenges you now face as a result of an accident, "you count your blessings and you have to learn how to get on with your life."
He made a full recovery, after a few years of rehabilitation. Going through this experience, Pat found that many other people who deal with an injured family member, do not have the resources to get the attention they need.
So eleven years ago this month, Pat founded "Miracles Happen," a Brain Injury Support Group. Her objective through Miracles Happen is to provide positive reinforcement for people with traumatic head injuries or even strokes. She also seeks to help the families and caregivers around those who were injured. She shares and teaches the techniques they learned to help the injured and their family move to the next level in their life.
Pat is tied in with the Brain Injury Association of Georgia, which actually has 22 support groups around the state: www.braininjurygeorgia.org/ . She can also help people seeking financial assistance for brain injured patients.
For anyone who might be interested, Pat also leads the Peer to Peer visitation at Southern Regional Medical Center, which can always use volunteers.
Pat shows us what a quiet hero does: even when your life has an unexpected, very difficult turn, try to keep your eyes open for the opportunity in it. It is not easy, but it is possible. As Mo
No Matter How Hard Times Get, We Are Still Capable Of Graciousness - Keller Williams Realty Grand South
Jamie Upchurch was an experienced mega agent when she joined Keller Williams Realty Grand South (McDonough, GA) in December 2008. She had only been with the office for a few weeks when her son sustained an unexpected injury.
Shane (25 yrs old) was playing in his second rugby game and took a few good hits, “but you know us hard-headed Upchurch's, he continued to play and was the MVP of the game.” Jamie reported.
However, by Tuesday he conceded that his head was really hurting and pain killers from the doctor were not enough. They took him to the emergency room, where they found that blood was between his brain and skull. He was rushed to Emory where they performed emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain.
Jamie emailed to keep everyone posted on Shane’s progress: "I want you to know that this has been the most traumatic time of our lives, and when I first saw him after surgery, I thought I was going to lose it...there was my baby with a swollen head, basically shaved on one side with stitches and blood on the entire side with a tube coming out to drain the blood from his brain...his eyes are shut and pretty much have been since this started...but I thanked God he was alive and knew no matter what happened that was all that really mattered."
New to her office and to Keller Williams Realty, Jamie was overwhelmed with dealing with Shane’s extremely serious injury. Her office rallied around her and her family. While the good news is that Shane will have a full recovery, the bad news is he was new to his job and did not have any sick days or enough insurance to help him completely cover the medical bills.
Quickly, the Keller Williams Realty office organized and hosted an "Open House" fundraiser, and welcomed over 100 guests to join them in raising money for Shane. Extraordinary help came from Patty Trabor, Amy Adkins, Christy Haddock, Elizabeth Head, Kathy Blalock, Melinda Maddox and even other people in the real estate business: Tammy Carlisle-House (a warranty rep), Bobby Fowler (a home inspector), Nikki Gilbert-Fernandez and Karen Devonshire (from an attorney's office).
One of Jamie’s friends who came to the Open House sent her an email afterwards: "I wanted to tell you how humbled I was by the outpouring of people that came to your open house this week. In this market, it was truly amazing to see how many people were ready to wrap their arms around you and your family to support Shane in this terrible situation."
Shane is on his way to recovery. He wrote "I never imagined I would see as many people as I did. Nor did I ever imagine we would receive so many donations in an economic time such as the one we are currently in. This experience has really opened my eyes to the goodness in each of us and has shown me that no matter how hard times get, we are all still capable of graciousness. My family and I are very blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people, and we truly appreciate everything that you all have done for us."
Keller Williams Realty Grand South demonstrated true quiet heroism.
Shane (25 yrs old) was playing in his second rugby game and took a few good hits, “but you know us hard-headed Upchurch's, he continued to play and was the MVP of the game.” Jamie reported.
However, by Tuesday he conceded that his head was really hurting and pain killers from the doctor were not enough. They took him to the emergency room, where they found that blood was between his brain and skull. He was rushed to Emory where they performed emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain.
Jamie emailed to keep everyone posted on Shane’s progress: "I want you to know that this has been the most traumatic time of our lives, and when I first saw him after surgery, I thought I was going to lose it...there was my baby with a swollen head, basically shaved on one side with stitches and blood on the entire side with a tube coming out to drain the blood from his brain...his eyes are shut and pretty much have been since this started...but I thanked God he was alive and knew no matter what happened that was all that really mattered."
New to her office and to Keller Williams Realty, Jamie was overwhelmed with dealing with Shane’s extremely serious injury. Her office rallied around her and her family. While the good news is that Shane will have a full recovery, the bad news is he was new to his job and did not have any sick days or enough insurance to help him completely cover the medical bills.
Quickly, the Keller Williams Realty office organized and hosted an "Open House" fundraiser, and welcomed over 100 guests to join them in raising money for Shane. Extraordinary help came from Patty Trabor, Amy Adkins, Christy Haddock, Elizabeth Head, Kathy Blalock, Melinda Maddox and even other people in the real estate business: Tammy Carlisle-House (a warranty rep), Bobby Fowler (a home inspector), Nikki Gilbert-Fernandez and Karen Devonshire (from an attorney's office).
One of Jamie’s friends who came to the Open House sent her an email afterwards: "I wanted to tell you how humbled I was by the outpouring of people that came to your open house this week. In this market, it was truly amazing to see how many people were ready to wrap their arms around you and your family to support Shane in this terrible situation."
Shane is on his way to recovery. He wrote "I never imagined I would see as many people as I did. Nor did I ever imagine we would receive so many donations in an economic time such as the one we are currently in. This experience has really opened my eyes to the goodness in each of us and has shown me that no matter how hard times get, we are all still capable of graciousness. My family and I are very blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people, and we truly appreciate everything that you all have done for us."
Keller Williams Realty Grand South demonstrated true quiet heroism.
Shares Her Commissions With A Fellow Agent Who Helped Her - Bonnie McCauley
Bonnie McCauley is an agent with Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners (Augusta, GA) since February 2008.
Bonnie is a cancer survivor and supports her local cancer survivor organization, even hosting a fundraiser for them at her home. She is a source of inspiration at her office, with a positive attitude and a constant willingness to help anyone.
She recently had knee replacement surgery which put her out of commission completely and at home recovering for seven weeks. During that time, she had a real estate transaction that she needed extra help on to be sure that it closed.
Joe Loomer, a fellow agent in the Augusta office, stepped in to help her every step of the way. He helped her with forms and verbiage, as well as answering her questions on stipulations. Whatever she needed, he was only a phone call away.
When the transaction was closed and commission checks were being given out, Bonnie decided to give a portion of her commission to Joe. He did not ask her for it. She just felt it was the right thing to do. She gave it to him "for just being him!"
The Augusta office has supported "Camp Rainbow," a special summer camp for children with cancer, for several years now. Joe, upon receiving the unexpected commissions, immediately donated them to Camp Rainbow. Bonnie had no idea that Joe would give that money to a place that helped children afflicted by cancer, like she herself had been.
Bonnie's great example of giving someone an unexpected thank you, had an even bigger impact than she thought. But these things can happen when you choose to "do the right thing." Thank YOU, Bonnie, for demonstrating to us what a quiet hero is all about.
Bonnie is a cancer survivor and supports her local cancer survivor organization, even hosting a fundraiser for them at her home. She is a source of inspiration at her office, with a positive attitude and a constant willingness to help anyone.
She recently had knee replacement surgery which put her out of commission completely and at home recovering for seven weeks. During that time, she had a real estate transaction that she needed extra help on to be sure that it closed.
Joe Loomer, a fellow agent in the Augusta office, stepped in to help her every step of the way. He helped her with forms and verbiage, as well as answering her questions on stipulations. Whatever she needed, he was only a phone call away.
When the transaction was closed and commission checks were being given out, Bonnie decided to give a portion of her commission to Joe. He did not ask her for it. She just felt it was the right thing to do. She gave it to him "for just being him!"
The Augusta office has supported "Camp Rainbow," a special summer camp for children with cancer, for several years now. Joe, upon receiving the unexpected commissions, immediately donated them to Camp Rainbow. Bonnie had no idea that Joe would give that money to a place that helped children afflicted by cancer, like she herself had been.
Bonnie's great example of giving someone an unexpected thank you, had an even bigger impact than she thought. But these things can happen when you choose to "do the right thing." Thank YOU, Bonnie, for demonstrating to us what a quiet hero is all about.
A St. Patty's Day Fundraiser Helps Those Who Are Helpless - Heather Mullaney
Heather Mullaney joined Keller Williams Realty Traditions (Stockbridge, GA) in November 2008. She has been in real estate since 2005, starting in Macon, then moved to Stockbridge.
Heather spearheaded a St. Patty’s Fundraiser to benefit Haven House and Kares 4 Kids. The Haven House helps victims of domestic violence. Terribly, over 1000 women in Georgia suffer from domestic abuse on a daily basis. Haven House helps them with Crisis Prevention, Safety Planning, Shelter and more. Kares 4 Kids is a charity whose vision is that “We will positively impact kids today, and thereby strengthen our communities for tomorrow."
Heather is a caring, outgoing person driven to help others. People like to be around her. "Heather was our number one raffle ticket sales person, and she did a great job of building excitement about the event around the office!"
They sold 86 raffle tickets and are estimating a total of $700 was raised for Kares for Kids. In 2009, Kares 4 Kids was budgeted to help 1636 children; now they can help 70 more!
For Haven House, the fundraiser collected important essentials for the women they serve, many of whom are mothers: food, blankets, diapers and some toys.
While a committee at the Keller Williams office helped, and other vendors made great donations, Heather really led this fundraising effort.
What I have not told you yet, is that Heather did this eight months pregnant with twins! It was still important to her to do an outstanding job, even considering her personal situation. One of her fellow agents, Jim DeFee, shared that Heather was warned by her doctor to be careful and take good care of herself. “I kept telling her to slow down,” Jim worried, “we did not want her to have her babies in the office!"
Heather, a caring person and mother, reached out as a quiet hero, to help those in need. Being in the real estate business, Heather understands Haven House’s mission, “a home has no room for abuse.”
Heather spearheaded a St. Patty’s Fundraiser to benefit Haven House and Kares 4 Kids. The Haven House helps victims of domestic violence. Terribly, over 1000 women in Georgia suffer from domestic abuse on a daily basis. Haven House helps them with Crisis Prevention, Safety Planning, Shelter and more. Kares 4 Kids is a charity whose vision is that “We will positively impact kids today, and thereby strengthen our communities for tomorrow."
Heather is a caring, outgoing person driven to help others. People like to be around her. "Heather was our number one raffle ticket sales person, and she did a great job of building excitement about the event around the office!"
They sold 86 raffle tickets and are estimating a total of $700 was raised for Kares for Kids. In 2009, Kares 4 Kids was budgeted to help 1636 children; now they can help 70 more!
For Haven House, the fundraiser collected important essentials for the women they serve, many of whom are mothers: food, blankets, diapers and some toys.
While a committee at the Keller Williams office helped, and other vendors made great donations, Heather really led this fundraising effort.
What I have not told you yet, is that Heather did this eight months pregnant with twins! It was still important to her to do an outstanding job, even considering her personal situation. One of her fellow agents, Jim DeFee, shared that Heather was warned by her doctor to be careful and take good care of herself. “I kept telling her to slow down,” Jim worried, “we did not want her to have her babies in the office!"
Heather, a caring person and mother, reached out as a quiet hero, to help those in need. Being in the real estate business, Heather understands Haven House’s mission, “a home has no room for abuse.”
My Keller Williams Family is My Not-So-Quiet-Hero! Tammy O'Carroll
Tammy O'Carroll joined Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners (Northeast office in Snellville, GA) in 2002.
This "quiet hero" recommendation comes from Tammy:
I would like to recommend that we honor my Keller William's Family for the support that I received from them during my battle with cancer. Upon receiving my diagnosis, they quickly formed a team of six agents to cover my calls and other business that arose during surgery, chemo and radiation treatments.
I continuously received countless cards, phone calls, voice mails, and emails throughout my battle with cancer from several agents. I think many of the agents' prayers were answered, as I seemed to receive the strength I needed to continue on when I needed it most.
Luckily for me, my HEROES were anything but QUIET! As things turned for the worst, I battled depression as a result of the chemo. Yet my fellow agents said "NO!" whenever I said I needed to quit, or to put my real estate license inactive, etc.
They rallied around me to pick up my signs, call my sellers, take all my calls, answer all my emails, negotiate my contracts, go on listing appointments for me, complete price changes, and even go to my closings.
Further, the ALC (Agent Leadership Council) assisted in helping pay my bill for a couple of months. I am so grateful to have had the support of everyone and to be able to lean upon their strength as I was growing weak.
Seeing them continue to fight when I wanted to quit and seeing how high they set the bar, I realized that I could quit on myself …but not on them. So I kept fighting. They, along with my personal family, gave me the will to continue on and to return to "me!"
Now, thank God, I am back with my full strength and strong will! One should never have to take such journey alone. I am abundantly blessed each and every day to be in the company of truly remarkable people who give of themselves so others may succeed. Without a doubt, Keller Williams has a culture that words cannot fully explain. My Keller William’s Family is my not-so-quiet-hero!
MY SPECIAL THANK YOU’S INCLUDE:
I would like to especially thank the following: Janice Baldwin, Ann Turnure, Susan Ivey, Marcia Reese, Jay Handley, Stephanie Hedrick, Angie O'Shields, David Maxey, Charlene Smith, Wayne Peters, Julie Blair, Alicia Barnes, Gerry Tony, Carole Queen Hamby, Marci & Bryan Fair, Cheryl Sadoti, Kris Moran, Michelle Jones, Andrea Clay, Susan Prince, Kasey Prince, Carolyn Carnes, Crystal Cranford, Mike Davis and all the ALC Members.
This "quiet hero" recommendation comes from Tammy:
I would like to recommend that we honor my Keller William's Family for the support that I received from them during my battle with cancer. Upon receiving my diagnosis, they quickly formed a team of six agents to cover my calls and other business that arose during surgery, chemo and radiation treatments.
I continuously received countless cards, phone calls, voice mails, and emails throughout my battle with cancer from several agents. I think many of the agents' prayers were answered, as I seemed to receive the strength I needed to continue on when I needed it most.
Luckily for me, my HEROES were anything but QUIET! As things turned for the worst, I battled depression as a result of the chemo. Yet my fellow agents said "NO!" whenever I said I needed to quit, or to put my real estate license inactive, etc.
They rallied around me to pick up my signs, call my sellers, take all my calls, answer all my emails, negotiate my contracts, go on listing appointments for me, complete price changes, and even go to my closings.
Further, the ALC (Agent Leadership Council) assisted in helping pay my bill for a couple of months. I am so grateful to have had the support of everyone and to be able to lean upon their strength as I was growing weak.
Seeing them continue to fight when I wanted to quit and seeing how high they set the bar, I realized that I could quit on myself …but not on them. So I kept fighting. They, along with my personal family, gave me the will to continue on and to return to "me!"
Now, thank God, I am back with my full strength and strong will! One should never have to take such journey alone. I am abundantly blessed each and every day to be in the company of truly remarkable people who give of themselves so others may succeed. Without a doubt, Keller Williams has a culture that words cannot fully explain. My Keller William’s Family is my not-so-quiet-hero!
MY SPECIAL THANK YOU’S INCLUDE:
I would like to especially thank the following: Janice Baldwin, Ann Turnure, Susan Ivey, Marcia Reese, Jay Handley, Stephanie Hedrick, Angie O'Shields, David Maxey, Charlene Smith, Wayne Peters, Julie Blair, Alicia Barnes, Gerry Tony, Carole Queen Hamby, Marci & Bryan Fair, Cheryl Sadoti, Kris Moran, Michelle Jones, Andrea Clay, Susan Prince, Kasey Prince, Carolyn Carnes, Crystal Cranford, Mike Davis and all the ALC Members.
The Definition of a quiet hero?
As we are building our quiet hero blog, some people have expressed questions about the “definition” of a hero. I think it is great that we are concerned that this blog is built on sharing stories of real, quality, “true” quiet heroes! In honesty, though we might each define a “quiet hero” a little bit differently, we will serve our purpose here by respecting many levels of heroism.
So I am here to reassure you that our purpose is to honor those who have “made a positive impact on the life of another.” While some of the quiet hero stories we will share here are BIG (like Holly’s and Teresa’s), all of our stories will be just as impactful and important.
A quiet hero is not a myth, an icon or a legend – it is someone who is solid, genuine and real. The critical factor is not scale of heroism, but in fact that someone chose to “do the right thing, at the right time.”
So I am here to reassure you that our purpose is to honor those who have “made a positive impact on the life of another.” While some of the quiet hero stories we will share here are BIG (like Holly’s and Teresa’s), all of our stories will be just as impactful and important.
A quiet hero is not a myth, an icon or a legend – it is someone who is solid, genuine and real. The critical factor is not scale of heroism, but in fact that someone chose to “do the right thing, at the right time.”
A Fine Example of Keller Williams Creed "God, Family, Business" - Valencia Walker
Valencia Walker joined Keller Williams Realty Perimeter East (Tucker, GA) in January 2008. She has been a licensed realtor since 1995, has received many honors, participates in several boards, is involved in the Women’s Council of Realtors, etc. She does all of this, in addition to managing her successful REO and foreclosure business with seven people on her team: The Exquisite Realty Team.
Valencia juggles far more than her busy business and team, however. She and her husband Donell have four children and 1 granddaughter. Valencia is heavily involved in her church and is also active with several non-profit groups, including supporting and sponsoring the Curvin B. Chance Foundation (a non-profit scholarship organization).
Valencia is a loyal friend and prayer partner, always available for counsel with family as well as friends. She is known for baking, particularly for baking her special pound cakes for family, friends, neighbors, and associates. She is very active in her children’s schools and their activities: anything they want to get involved in… if they are interested, she is too!
All the while she leads a busy life her beloved husband Donell has been fighting a battle with bone marrow cancer for the last eight years. She has been by his side during his chemo treatments and his bone marrow treatments. Anyone who has been through this knows how hard it is; for the rest of us, it is almost impossible to imagine.
It takes courage and focus to get up everyday and make positive things happen in your life and in your business. It takes a big heart to give to others when you are hurting. It takes faith to persevere in the moments of darkness.
Valencia embodies strength, courage and spirituality. She is a quiet hero and a fine example of Keller Williams Realty’s creed: "God, Family, Business."
Valencia juggles far more than her busy business and team, however. She and her husband Donell have four children and 1 granddaughter. Valencia is heavily involved in her church and is also active with several non-profit groups, including supporting and sponsoring the Curvin B. Chance Foundation (a non-profit scholarship organization).
Valencia is a loyal friend and prayer partner, always available for counsel with family as well as friends. She is known for baking, particularly for baking her special pound cakes for family, friends, neighbors, and associates. She is very active in her children’s schools and their activities: anything they want to get involved in… if they are interested, she is too!
All the while she leads a busy life her beloved husband Donell has been fighting a battle with bone marrow cancer for the last eight years. She has been by his side during his chemo treatments and his bone marrow treatments. Anyone who has been through this knows how hard it is; for the rest of us, it is almost impossible to imagine.
It takes courage and focus to get up everyday and make positive things happen in your life and in your business. It takes a big heart to give to others when you are hurting. It takes faith to persevere in the moments of darkness.
Valencia embodies strength, courage and spirituality. She is a quiet hero and a fine example of Keller Williams Realty’s creed: "God, Family, Business."
A Million Random Acts of Kindness...Leslie Kunkel
Leslie Kunkel (an experienced realtor licensed since 1986) and her husband Steve joined Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners (Sugarloaf Office in Duluth, GA) in 2005. In 2006, their son Andy joined their real estate team.
Leslie is one of those people who constantly look for ways to add value to the lives of others. She makes an effort to be available whenever she is needed and is always quick with a smile and a hug. When the market began to “Shift”, Leslie offered to teach “Success Principles” in the office on a regular basis, because she recognized the need for our agents to keep a positive attitude and keep some semblance of balance in their lives.
She may bring you a snack when she knows you have not had time to eat, or she may send you a text message when she knows you have had a trying day. She may offer a shoulder when you need a friend. She holds herself to a very high standard, both inside the office and in her community, and she epitomizes the culture of Keller Williams Realty. She is a blessing!
She quickly stepped in to help teach KW agents in another office (Buford, GA) last week, when the Team Leader was unexpectedly called out for jury duty. She has been working hard to learn how to handle REO’s and short sales, and she generously shared her knowledge with the agents there.
Leslie has volunteered her time on the Agent Leadership Council, as an Ambassador for Kares 4 Kids, is active on several committees in the market center, as well as having been our Cultural Icon. In her community she is in charge of the church ministry outreach for the senior citizens at Delmar Gardens, to help them feel connected to the church.
For all the she has done and continues to do in the office, however, it is her spirit that serves as a light. A million random acts of kindness add up to her being a true quiet hero for all of us.
Leslie is one of those people who constantly look for ways to add value to the lives of others. She makes an effort to be available whenever she is needed and is always quick with a smile and a hug. When the market began to “Shift”, Leslie offered to teach “Success Principles” in the office on a regular basis, because she recognized the need for our agents to keep a positive attitude and keep some semblance of balance in their lives.
She may bring you a snack when she knows you have not had time to eat, or she may send you a text message when she knows you have had a trying day. She may offer a shoulder when you need a friend. She holds herself to a very high standard, both inside the office and in her community, and she epitomizes the culture of Keller Williams Realty. She is a blessing!
She quickly stepped in to help teach KW agents in another office (Buford, GA) last week, when the Team Leader was unexpectedly called out for jury duty. She has been working hard to learn how to handle REO’s and short sales, and she generously shared her knowledge with the agents there.
Leslie has volunteered her time on the Agent Leadership Council, as an Ambassador for Kares 4 Kids, is active on several committees in the market center, as well as having been our Cultural Icon. In her community she is in charge of the church ministry outreach for the senior citizens at Delmar Gardens, to help them feel connected to the church.
For all the she has done and continues to do in the office, however, it is her spirit that serves as a light. A million random acts of kindness add up to her being a true quiet hero for all of us.
William's Angel...Holly Meir
Holly Meir has been an agent with Keller Williams Realty Professionals (Peachtree City) since 2003. This past October 2008, Holly came out of a Home Depot in her area, and heard an elderly woman screaming hysterically in her car with her husband. He was unconscious. Holly started CPR and did not stop.
She gave her cell phone to his wife, having already dialed her husband (a Peachtree City Policeman), and told the woman to tell him to send help. Gary, Holly's husband, got help there immediately. When the ambulance arrived, the paramedics asked Holly to continue CPR! She was doing such a good job that they did not want any interruption while they worked to save this man’s life.
When they stabilized him and took him to hospital, the paramedics said the man would have died had Holly not been so effective. Holly had not taken CPR in years; she never thought she would be capable of saving someone's life.
William Mayner - age 83 is doing well. Holly went to see him the next day at the hospital and met his family. His daughter is a teacher in Peachtree City. They were incredibly thankful for her skills and quick thinking. His daughter and wife were overwhelmed with what she did and have named Holly their “Angel!”
She gave her cell phone to his wife, having already dialed her husband (a Peachtree City Policeman), and told the woman to tell him to send help. Gary, Holly's husband, got help there immediately. When the ambulance arrived, the paramedics asked Holly to continue CPR! She was doing such a good job that they did not want any interruption while they worked to save this man’s life.
When they stabilized him and took him to hospital, the paramedics said the man would have died had Holly not been so effective. Holly had not taken CPR in years; she never thought she would be capable of saving someone's life.
William Mayner - age 83 is doing well. Holly went to see him the next day at the hospital and met his family. His daughter is a teacher in Peachtree City. They were incredibly thankful for her skills and quick thinking. His daughter and wife were overwhelmed with what she did and have named Holly their “Angel!”
Miraculously, the skies cleared and the sun shone down on...Teresa Smith
Teresa Smith has been an agent with Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners (in Buford) since 2002. This past September, Teresa reached out to help a friend and fellow agent in her office - Lesli.
Lesli is a beautiful woman inside and out. If you did not know Lesli and met her, you would want her to be your life-long friend. She and her husband Jay have two lovely daughters, age 9 and 14.
In March of 2007, Lesli was surprised and distraught by a diagnosis of stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). After receiving chemo treatment at M D Anderson and flying back and forth from Atlanta every week, she had a mastectomy in December 2007. Within 10 days, she was given the amazing news that she was cancer free! She came home in March of 2008 after 6 weeks of radiation treatments and began the long process of trying to return to a normal life.
In September 2008, Lesli went for her 6-month check up. She was unhappy and had a constant sinus infection, as well as debilitating headaches. Upon her arrival in Houston, she was immediately rushed to the emergency room because her headache was so severe. They discovered that her cancer had moved to her brain. She had just grown her beautiful hair long enough to quit wearing her wig.... Lesli had to have brain surgery.
With their family struggling financially from her medical bills, and their business had dropped out of their control, Teresa Smith stepped in. She just could not stand on the sidelines and watch her friend and their family struggle, without trying to help.
In only a few weeks, Teresa convinced Aqualand Marina to host a fundraiser for Lesli's family. Even though she is a very busy realtor, Teresa worked day and night to gather over 15 food vendors and people to rent over 30 booths to sell their crafts, jewelry, services, etc, with half of all proceeds going to Lesli's fund. Businesses gave gift certificates for raffles, local bands entertained for free, more than 40 donations were given for a Silent Auction, and a Cake Walk was held. Hall Of Fame Pitcher, Phil Niekro (former Atlanta Braves player) autographed pictures and donated all the proceeds. There was face painting, pumpkin painting, moonwalk jumping and paintball activities for the kids. People came from everywhere to make this event a success for Lesli.
Teresa’s goal was to hopefully raise $10,000, but more than $22,000 was raised for Lesli and her family through Teresa’s extraordinary efforts. Lesli's husband J said "It was unbelievable and humbling to watch Teresa make this happen. Words are not enough; she is a god-send, sent to us straight from heaven."
Weather reports called for a cold, rainy Saturday for the day of the event, but when morning came, the skies miraculously cleared and the sun shone down on this event and our special, quiet hero, Teresa Smith.
Lesli is a beautiful woman inside and out. If you did not know Lesli and met her, you would want her to be your life-long friend. She and her husband Jay have two lovely daughters, age 9 and 14.
In March of 2007, Lesli was surprised and distraught by a diagnosis of stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). After receiving chemo treatment at M D Anderson and flying back and forth from Atlanta every week, she had a mastectomy in December 2007. Within 10 days, she was given the amazing news that she was cancer free! She came home in March of 2008 after 6 weeks of radiation treatments and began the long process of trying to return to a normal life.
In September 2008, Lesli went for her 6-month check up. She was unhappy and had a constant sinus infection, as well as debilitating headaches. Upon her arrival in Houston, she was immediately rushed to the emergency room because her headache was so severe. They discovered that her cancer had moved to her brain. She had just grown her beautiful hair long enough to quit wearing her wig.... Lesli had to have brain surgery.
With their family struggling financially from her medical bills, and their business had dropped out of their control, Teresa Smith stepped in. She just could not stand on the sidelines and watch her friend and their family struggle, without trying to help.
In only a few weeks, Teresa convinced Aqualand Marina to host a fundraiser for Lesli's family. Even though she is a very busy realtor, Teresa worked day and night to gather over 15 food vendors and people to rent over 30 booths to sell their crafts, jewelry, services, etc, with half of all proceeds going to Lesli's fund. Businesses gave gift certificates for raffles, local bands entertained for free, more than 40 donations were given for a Silent Auction, and a Cake Walk was held. Hall Of Fame Pitcher, Phil Niekro (former Atlanta Braves player) autographed pictures and donated all the proceeds. There was face painting, pumpkin painting, moonwalk jumping and paintball activities for the kids. People came from everywhere to make this event a success for Lesli.
Teresa’s goal was to hopefully raise $10,000, but more than $22,000 was raised for Lesli and her family through Teresa’s extraordinary efforts. Lesli's husband J said "It was unbelievable and humbling to watch Teresa make this happen. Words are not enough; she is a god-send, sent to us straight from heaven."
Weather reports called for a cold, rainy Saturday for the day of the event, but when morning came, the skies miraculously cleared and the sun shone down on this event and our special, quiet hero, Teresa Smith.
A Quiet Hero is...
...someone who has done something selfless, someone who has helped another person in trouble, someone who cared enough to stop and lend a hand, or someone who just did the right thing at the right time.
A Quiet Hero inspires us to acts of kindness, as well. In this pattern of helping, we make the world a better place and our time on this planet more fulfilling. Many times it is the smallest acts of kindness, the ones that lift your spirits or make you smile when things are difficult, that can be strongly impactful, as well.
I believe there are a lot of Quiet Heroes out there, and there are many in Keller Williams Realty. Their stories should be told.
Do you know a Quiet Hero? Please share their story with us; it will make us all better and more thoughtful people. It can be a chance to say "Thank you" to someone who helped you, or to share how another person significantly impacted someone else. Most importantly, their story will be an inspiration to the rest of us to look for our opportunities to do the right thing, at the right time.
"It is in impacting the lives of others, that we deeply impact our own." mf
A Quiet Hero inspires us to acts of kindness, as well. In this pattern of helping, we make the world a better place and our time on this planet more fulfilling. Many times it is the smallest acts of kindness, the ones that lift your spirits or make you smile when things are difficult, that can be strongly impactful, as well.
I believe there are a lot of Quiet Heroes out there, and there are many in Keller Williams Realty. Their stories should be told.
Do you know a Quiet Hero? Please share their story with us; it will make us all better and more thoughtful people. It can be a chance to say "Thank you" to someone who helped you, or to share how another person significantly impacted someone else. Most importantly, their story will be an inspiration to the rest of us to look for our opportunities to do the right thing, at the right time.
"It is in impacting the lives of others, that we deeply impact our own." mf
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