Housing-related community service and volunteer projects from Illinois REALTORS®:

• Jeff Merrinette, the father of three ­children adopted from Korea and an IAR local ­Government Affairs Director, volunteered in the kitchens of Camp Pride Korea, a week-long day camp for children adopted from Korea.
• The Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS® sponsored the 11th Annual Children’s Independence Day Parade in Bloomington.
• The DeKalb Area Association of REALTORS® is sponsoring its sixth annual backpack drive. Backpacks will be given to the Salvation Army, the Federated Church in Sycamore, Hand-in-Hand in Rochelle and the Genoa-Kingston-Kirkland food pantries for distribution to qualifying children. Last year's drive provided more than 200 donated backpacks to needy children in the community.
• Six member firms of the RE/MAX Northern Illinois real estate network recently were honored by Children's Memorial Hospital with its Outstanding Citizen Award. Each of the six firms raised at least $13,000 for Children's Memorial during 2008.
• The Chicago Association of REALTORS® and its members repacked bulk food products for the Greater Chicago Food Depository to distribute to food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters throughout the Chicagoland area.
• The Chicago Association also hosted a clothing drive, collecting more than 1,500 articles of clothing. In another volunteer project, association staff spent a day ­painting and gardening at the South Chicago YMCA.
• Sarah Powers, President, Kankakee County Association, helps build homes and organize projects for area Habitat for Humanity projects
• Sam Theodore, Olympic Realty, Chicago, uses his social worker expertise to help REALTORS® understand homeless programs
• Kristen Jungles, Ryan Hill Realty, Naperville, and 15 members of Ryan Hill Realty helped build homes in Pass Christian, Mississippi
• Richard Quick, Black Bear Real Estate Services Inc., Elgin, serves as the Mass Care Lead for the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago
• Joan P. Hill, Joan Hill REALTORS®, Dolton, volunteer speaker at ACORN first-time homebuyer seminars and court-appointed child foster care advocate
• Nancy Sobol, Re/Max Traditions, Woodstock, delivers Meals on Wheels for 10+ years and a Red Cross Disaster Assessment Officer
• Mabel Guzman, Century21 SGR, Chicago, volunteers for a Homeless Ministry/Chicago Temple and IAR Gulf Coast Recovery
• Tammie Fleming, Prudential One Realty Centre, Granite City, leads a local chamber committee that organizes free mortgage assistance and homebuyer/seller seminars
• Michael Ritchie, @properties, Chicago, led an alumni group that raised $750,000 to save the 75-year-old home of the Sigma Nu Fraternity, University of Illinois
• Ron and Kat Becker, Century 21 Roberts and Andrews, Antioch, sell homes for military personnel free-ofcharge (www.FreeForOurMilitary.com)
• Marissa Hopkins, Coldwell Banker, Highland Park, organizes free seminars for homeowners to make their existing homes more “green”
• McHenry County Association teamed up with county government for a Feb. 13 Housing Crisis Forum on foreclosures