Clarksville, TN – A few weeks before Christmas; on a cold December morning, a crowd gathered at the Coldwell Banker Conroy, Marable & Holleman office on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard. 15 Families had been selected to receive a wonderful Christmas gift. One child from each family would soon be boarding the Coldwell Banker Clarksville Olde Town Trolley to shop for Christmas presents for their families.
“It’s great,” said Mark Holleman. “I think it’s fantastic. And like I said, I think the agents will receive as much out of taking these kids shopping, as the kids will get out of shopping for their families.” The realtors mission was to give back to the community by ensuring that these kids and their families had a wonderful Christmas.
Each of the kids were at risk of slipping through the social support systems cracks. Coldwell Banker drew recommendations from one of the guidance counselors at Byrns L. Darden Elementary School, who submitted the name of five children; and the other ten were clients of Radical Mission.
Once the trolley was loaded, the kids and the agents who on hand to assist them sang Christmas carols as owner Mark Holleman navigated the trolley through the Saturday morning traffic.
In no time at all we pulled up to the Walmart on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard. The kids and their realtor assistants disembarked.
“This was the first time that we have done this,” Leah Colclasure, a member of the Christmas committee for Coldwell Banker Conroy, Marable & Holleman. “We tried to get elementary school age children to be the shoppers for the family. For example Gabrielle, the young lady that I was assisting was Christmas shopping for a family of nine. For each of her siblings and her mother she was able to buy a gift.”
She continued, “We started out with the goal of raising $25.00 per individual, and we ended up being able to to raise $40.00 per individual; and so we were really excited about that! While we were at Walmart, the store manager was able to give us a $20.00 gift card for each of the families. So that was really nice. He also donated the cookies that the kids are currently out there enjoying.”
When the kids were done shopping there was a pizza party at the real estate office waiting for them. The kids will also going to get to meet Santa Claus, who gave each of the shoppers their own gifts. The kids had been doing the for their families, and not themselves. “We wanted to give them the experience of giving for Christmas; and they ended up giving just as much to us! What an amazing experience it was!”
In addition to the shopping spree for these kids, the agents also sponsor 10 of the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Christmas Assistance program families. “We have been working all year long to raise the money needed to support these programs in our community”
We raise the money in various ways. We had a bake sale of a Halloween where all of the agents made different desserts. We had a cakewalk and that sort of thing. We sold hamburgers and hotdogs at the opening of a business. There were several different fundraisers throughout the year. Plus we had agents throughout the year who as they had closings would donate money from the sale. It came from many different sources.
“Everyone who experienced it said that they were thrilled to be a part of it and thrilled to be able help these children.” concluded Colclasure.
There are already plans to continue this program next year Colclasure told me, “and we are hoping to raise even more money so that we can help more families!”
I got an opportunity to speak with Gabrielle. “It was fun!” she said. “I don’t usually get to go shopping for all of my brothers and sisters, so it gave me a chance to do that. “I got some toys for the little ones, for the older girls make-up,” said Gabrielle. Leah added, “for her older brother she got Titans pajamas, and a football” Gabrielle said “I want to say thank you to the agents of Coldwell Banker Conroy, Marable & Holleman for making this possible! I am so glad that I actually went!”
I most definitely agree!
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