Community service is good for business

Third of a four-part series

Community service is good business and many Realtors make the point of contributing to community service 52 weeks of year.

Jerilyn Von Flue, the sales manager of the Century 21 M&M and Associates office in Madera, has turned the Christmastime “Coats for Kids” promotion into a year-round campaign.

“After Coats for Kids we challenged every agent to bring in a coat a month,” said Von Flue.  “We already have a big container of coats.”

She said the 30-agent office has an active PR Committee, which organizes charitable participation for office and individual agents.  For example, the committee encourages agents to donate a dollar a month to purchase canned food for the needy.

The agents also participate in serving breakfast for the needy at a Madera soup kitchen.  “We serve anywhere from 150 to 350,” said Von Flue.  “They’ve served as many as 350 people.”

The Madera Century 21 M&M office also has made a difference at the Madera Relay for Life, an American Cancer Society fundraising event.  The Century 21 M&M group staged a raffle, had a booth selling snow cones and ice cream and overall raised $3,000.

The Relay for Life was a great community event, but it also was great exposure and a great opportunity for the public to see that Century 21M&M cares about their community and its people.

“When a name is in front of people all the time, they remember,” said Von Flue.  “Especially since we were the only real estate office in Madera that did the Relay for Life.”

Andy Krotik, manager of Coldwell Banker Gonella Realty in Atwater, also is a believer community service is good business.  He strives to get his entire office involved in the community.   He recommends the local Chamber of Commerce as the best place to start.

“I think the Chamber of Commerce opens doors to meet people,” he said.  “Right away you meet all the movers and shakers.”

While community service is good for business, Krotik said giving back to the community, not doing business, must be your No.1 priority.

“You can’t fake it,” he said. “You have to have a passion for it.”

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