After years of flying under the radar, Orland Park REALTOR® Carl Guzzy of Homesmart Realty Group was caught on camera by a television news crew from CBS TV Channel 2 in Chicago. Guzzy helped shovel 17 inches of snow from the cars, sidewalks and driveways of 75 senior citizens in West Englewood neighborhood of Chicago over three days in mid-February.  

“I believe the seniors are the backbone of our country,” he said during the interview. “They’ve worked so hard, they fought for our country and now they deserve to be taken care of.” 

The volunteers in this instance were organized by Chicago’s 15th Ward Alderman Raymond Lopez, who Guzzy says he admires for his commitment to helping others. However, the REALTOR® has been helping seniors in his immediate area for several years, distributing free pumpkin pies during Thanksgiving time and shoveling after significant snowfalls.  

During the past year, with public health officials urging Americans to limit their contact with others because of the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors have appreciated his offers to pick up their groceries and prescriptions, even if his offer initially sounded too good to be true. 

“Sometimes, they look at me like (my offer) must be a scam. But I don’t take a penny for anything I do,” he said. “I’m not looking for notoriety. I do it because people need help.”