Tallahassee Board of Realtors
Photo Courtesy of Kimberly Lisenby
For 10 years, the Tallahassee Board of Realtors has sponsored the construction of a Habitat for Humanity house through funding and dedicated volunteer hours.
One of its primary fundraisers is an annual 5K run-walk, which took place Saturday at the Centerville Conservation Community
The race started at 8:30 a.m. sharp and went on until about 11 a.m., sponsored by many favorite local businesses.
The 5k race proceeds help support the 2019 TBR Habitat Building of a new home. Participants got the chance to experience a beautiful venue, specialized course, shirts, and great awards for the top finishers.
The Tallahassee Board of Realtors, the voice for real estate in the greater Tallahassee area, provides programs, services, continuing education, research, and legislative representation to more than 1,400 members in the region. The organization was established in May 1935.
Kimberly Lisenby, the event’s coordinator and education manager for the realtor’s club, was over the event Saturday morning. This is an event that she and many of her colleagues have grown quite fond of since it first began five years ago. Back then the race was created under the leadership of Mariela Santurri, another member of the Board of Realtors.
“I saw a way for us to get the message out to members of the board and the community about this project, along with creating a fun environment to fundraise. It’s been a pleasure to see it continue to grow and come this far,” said Santurii.
Participants ranged in age from 15 to 75. Approximately 26 awards were given out.
“The highlight of my day is always getting the chance to see our participants’ faces once they cross the finish line. We have such a wide variation of ages who participate from 15-75 years old. To see their motivation towards this cause is always nice,” said Lisenby.
Sara Lewis has participated in this race for the past three years and she plans to continue supporting in the future.
"I already love staying active and participating in races, so this isn’t new for me. The fact that I get to do it with friends and family just makes it even more fun,” said Lewis
The board was able to raise $3,000 from the event Saturday which helped it reach its target goal of $10,000. The proceeds will help them in building another habitat home in the Big Bend. Participants were able to order shirts online weeks before the event, which came with a T-shirt and race packet. Last minute runners were still able to register the day of the race as well.
But the fundraising doesn’t stop here. The board specializes in many events geared toward creating funds for this project. They are currently working with the Boys and Girls Club to raise funds for that organization. The event is set to take place in early April, right around the start of Springtime Tallahassee.