The Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS® (BNAR) donated $12,526 to the Promise Council organization in mid-November, to help area students get the community resources they need to succeed academically.

This is the third in the REALTORS® Give Back series by Illinois REALTORS®, highlighting the way local REALTORS® help their communities during the last two months of the year. In this annual BNAR project, the president chooses the cause to support earlier in the year.

REALTORS® give back graphic with leaves and pumpkins“I chose the Promise Council as my Charity of Choice because I love its commitment to helping kids in our local districts succeed,” said BNAR Immediate Past President Danell Moberly. “Promise Councils succeed by connecting caring adults and community resources to meet the specific needs of students. It is truly a fabulous organization.”

The donation was raised through ticket sales, silent auctions, live auctions and individual donations made by REALTORS® and affiliate members at the BNAR President’s Charity of Choice Lip Sync Battle on Sept. 5 at Bloomington’s Castle Theater. More than 120 members participated.

How does the Promise Council work?

The Promise Council uses teacher feedback to identify students who can benefit from adult mentors, educational experiences, food, clothing and shoes. Thirteen Bloomington-Normal schools have set up Promise Councils, with the goal of fulfilling five promises to students:

  • Caring adult relationships,
  • Healthy childhoods,
  • Safe surroundings,
  • Effective education and
  • Opportunities to serve others.

“We are thrilled and honored to receive this support from Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS®,” says Linda Bowman, Vice President of the Promise Council. “The work we do in our communities’ schools could not be accomplished without partnerships like this one. These funds, from the Bloomington Normal Association of REALTORS®, will help us meet physical needs, provide more mentors and increase parental engagement in our schools. We are so grateful to the real estate professionals and affiliate business people in our community who donated their time and treasures to this cause.”

In 2020, BNAR is led by President Penny Wilson of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group of Bloomington, President-elect Brandon Shaffer of Berkshire Hathaway Snyder Real Estate in Bloomington; Treasurer Jessica Devore, Green Acres Realty in Clinton; Immediate Past President Danell Moberly of Keller Williams Revolution in Bloomington-Normal; and CEO Diane Cote. BNAR has 471 members.

(This is the third in a series of 2019 “REALTORS® Give Back” blog posts about the community involvement of Illinois REALTORS® during November and December. If your local association or brokerage has story idea to submit, please complete an online REALTORS® Give Back Form.)

Image019
(l to r) REALTORS® Amber Cook, Jacob Cielecki, Shelly Bozarth, Megan Sargent, Jeff Reedy, Danell Moberly, Tim Barnes, Chad Evans, John Harris, Jacqui Miller and Dawn Peters.
Image009
(l to r) REALTORS® Caroline Bird, Kirsten Shroeder, Kerry DuFrene, Anne Bliss and Ellie Bliss.
Image007
REALTORS® Jessica and Steve Devore.
Image005
REALTORS® Doug and Becky Gerig.
Image013
Willie Holton Halbert
Image011
(l to r) Jan Meadows, Taunia Leffler, Promise Council Vice President Linda Bowmen, Promise Council President Willie Brown and REALTOR® Danell Moberly.
Image001
Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner.
Image003
(l to r) BNAR CEO Diane Cote and REALTORS® Penny Wilson, John Armstrong, Bradon Shaffer and Danell Moberly.
Image017
(l to r) REALTORS® Camill Tedrick, Jackie Guin and Marie Denzer-Farely.
Image015
(l to r) REALTORS® Karen Stailey-Lander, Amanda Wycoff, Blake Heffernan, Brandon Shaffer, Erica Epperson and Peg Donaldson.