Media Releases

RELEASE DATE:
November 21, 2006

CONTACT:
Greg Berkemer
760) 346-5637
(Media Only) John Hussar
PRNewsWorks (760) 567-8073

NEW ORLEANS — Members of the California Desert Association of Realtors® (CDAR) were among more than 2,000 Realtors® who rolled up their sleeves in a wide range of volunteer reconstruction actitivies during the 2006 REALTORS® Conference & Expo here, November 10-13.

Desiree’ Otero, CDAR president, Emily DiSimone, 2007 president-elect, Judy Ziegler, Judy Gaudiano, Ed Otero and Greg Berkemer, CDAR executive vice president, lent a helping hand to the ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts in New Orleans following the devastation from Hurricane Katrina.

“We painted a house that had been devastated by Katrina. You could see where the water marks were half way up the house. It was unbelievable,” said Desiree’ Otero.

“Realtors® care about our communities and remain committed to helping New Orleans and the Gulf Coast rebuild," she said. "By bringing much needed money to the local economy and volunteering our energy and skills through our many community projects, we hope to breathe new life into this great city."

In addition, CDAR members Health Hilgenberg and Leslie Munger also attended the national conference, which included seminars on the economy, public policy, equal opportunity and diversity, land use and property rights, the environment and international real estate and housing opportunities.

“This was a very exciting and informative conference to better help our buyers and sellers maximize their options to buy or sell a home,” DiSimone said. “We also got a peek at the latest technology and industry tools to help us help our clients.”

Former Presidents Clinton and George Bush Sr. thanked the real estate professionals for their volunteer work in the reconstruction of the Gulf Coast.

Realtors® volunteered for various community projects during their stay in Crescent City. NAR convention attendees chose from volunteer activities ranging from building and rehabbing homes to sorting food and restocking bookshelves at the public library.

More than 200 Realtors® were on hand for the dedication of an NAR-Habitat for Humanity House at 2131 Mazant Street and assisting with building Habitat homes in the Musician Village, a community in the Upper Ninth Ward conceived by New Orleans native musicians Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis for displaced New Orleans musicians and families.

An additional 150 Realtor® volunteers assembled in City Park, one of the nation’s largest urban parks and home to the New Orleans Museum of Art, to prune trees and shoreline grasses, clear weeds and debris, plant trees, and hang holiday lights and decorations for the Celebration in the Oaks holiday display in the Botanical Garden.

Another 100 Realtor® volunteers partnered with nonprofit organization Rebuilding Together to complete residential renovations and a neighborhood cleanup in the historic St. Roch community. Hundreds of other Realtors® cleaned and painted the cafeteria, theatre and numerous classrooms at De La Salle High School, paint and refurbish St. Joan of Arc School, sort books for the New Orleans Public Library, and work at the Second Harvest of Greater New Orleans food bank.

In addition to volunteering, Realtors® are helping New Orleans rebuild in other ways. NAR and state and territorial associations of Realtors® are sponsoring the construction of 54 Habitat homes in the Gulf Coast area, including seven in the Musicians’ Village, as part of the Realtor®-Habitat Partnership for Gulf Coast Recovery program.

The California Desert Association of REALTORS®, The Voice for Real Estate® for the Coachella Valley, represents more than 4,000 estate professionals from Palm Springs to Coachella.

For more information, please call (760) 346-5637 or visit online at www.CalDesertRealtors.com