Each year on the second Thursday of May, the Keller Williams headquarters in Austin, Texas, goes quiet. So do Keller Williams market centers across the country and around the globe. Instead of booting up their work computers, you’ll find thousands of Keller Williams’ associates starting the day in work boots and gloves.
From Canada to Paraguay and Spain to Japan, this day is set aside to step away from the office and go RED — ‘Renew, Energize and Donate’ within their communities.
“Widely known as RED Day, this annual day of service took shape in May 2009 in celebration of Keller Williams board member Mo Anderson’s birthday,” said Rebecca Bryant, CFO and office manager of the Keller Williams South Shore (KWSS) office. “Fifteen years later, it continues to grow in momentum as the Keller Williams family unites under a shared commitment to philanthropy.”
Over the years, associates have joined together to build homes, plant gardens, distribute food, clean up parks, support animal shelters and more. With an average market center size of more than 200 agents, that makes for a massive impact on a global scale.
“Keller Williams South Shore opened our doors in Apollo Beach in 2007 and soon added a business center in Sun City Center,” Bryant said. “We are the largest producing brokerage with an office in the SouthShore area with a market share that far exceeds our competitors. We believe this is because we are a brokerage focused on serving our community.”
Since Bryant and her team at Keller Williams focus on their community, they chose the Sun City Center Emergency Squad as part of a giving-back day.
“Every year, our agents nominate local charities,” said Keller Williams South Shore’s career consultant, Mandy Cassiano. “This year, the Emergency Squad won the popular vote amongst the agents. In years past, we’ve helped many deserving charities, including Mary Martha House, C.A.R.E., veteran groups, Lighthouse Gospel Mission, ECHO, Boys & Girls Club and more. It’s a great feeling to take an entire workday to help people in the community. Whatever we are doing, we see the smiles it brings to both the recipients and the agents. Educating the agents about the charities in the area also helps them be more knowledgeable agents for their clients.”
Keller Williams South Shore agents painted a shed, washed cars and made lunch for the volunteers who work for the squad.
“Our market center, KWSS, also raised and donated $736 for this amazing group,” Cassiano said. “Learning they are the only 100 percent volunteer EMT service in the entire state of Florida is amazing.”
If you’d like to learn more about the Keller Williams South Shore office, you can visit its website at www.kwsouthshore.com or call 813-641-8300. The office is located at 109 Harbor Village Lane in Apollo Beach.
