KW Agents Unite and Give Back in Park Ridge

After 30 local Keller Williams Realtors descended on Park Ridge resident Jane Moody’s yard on a rainy and cool Thursday, a grateful Moody said her corner of the world never looked better in the 55 years her and her husband lived there. That’s because, despite the weather, several Park Ridge Realtors from Keller Williams Realty Partners helped to brighten things up for Moody and another family in need May 13 as part of its second annual Red Day.

Red Day, an acronym for Renew, Energize and Donate, is held May 13 in honor of Keller Williams Vice Chairman Mo Anderson’s Birthday. The goal is to give back to the local community. This year, Keller Williams agents serving on its KW Cares Committee decided the best way to do that was to find a Park Ridge family that needed help with yard work. After organizing a campaign to find a local family – agents from Keller Williams found two – both seniors who are currently having difficulties keeping up with the physical labor demands of their yard work.

For assistance, the KW Cares committee also reached out to local businesses, which were more than willing to help. Specifically, Ace Hardware, Lurvey’s Landscape Supply and Garden Center and Home Depot and donated lawn bags, garden supplies, flowers and mulch. Liberty Landscape hauled away the debris and Home Depot also donated items for a Red Day car wash that was cancelled because of the rain. Houlihan’s restaurant donated food for the Keller Williams volunteers and donated 20 percent of sales to KW Cares on that day for customers with a Red Day coupon.

Although Park Ridge Mayor David Schmidt had declared May 13 “Red Day” in a proclamation at a recent city council meeting, the agent volunteers knew they would earn their pat on the back when they arrived at Moody’s home, 211 Lake Avenue about 9:30 a.m. that day.

“It was cool out and raining, which presented a challenge, but we just started working and didn’t pay much attention to it,” said Keller Williams Realtor and Red Day volunteer Sally Haynes.

“It probably made us focus and definitely created a bond,” Haynes said.

KW Realtor and volunteer George Metinidis said the entire experience of volunteering together created a bond that he would like to savor.

“It was very rewarding to dedicate some of our time to give back to the community. It really was wonderful,” Metinidis said.

Agents cut the grass, trimmed and shaped bushes, pulled weeds, cleaned out overgrown vines, spread mulch and planted flowers. And when they were finished, they moved on to the Beery home at 508 S. Greenwood to do it again.

As morning turned into late afternoon and the agents approached the end of their task on their final stop of the day, a thankful Stephanie Beery sat on a chair on her front steps, admiring the finished product, saying she was at a loss for many words.

“I just think it’s wonderful,” she said.