by Vanessa Pillmore
The Fayetteville Regional Association of REALTORS®, Inc. (FRAR) is a professional trade association serving the interests of over 1,400 REALTOR® members and business professionals. A real estate agent is considered a REALTOR® when he or she is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), The Voice for Real Estate®, which is the world’s largest professional association.
With over one million members today, NAR consists of REALTORS® who are involved in residential and commercial real estate as brokers, counselors, and several others engaged in all roles of the real estate industry.
Each REALTOR® member of the FRAR is also a member of the North Carolina Association of REALTORS® and NAR. Chartered on November 12, 1946, FRAR’s vision was, and still is, “To provide trusted leadership by promoting the highest level of professionalism and ethics among members ensuring their respect and success within the community” (http://www.fayettevillencrealtors.com/about.html). The local FRAR office is located at 2412 Raeford Road in Fayetteville. The FRAR is not only comprised of talented real estate professionals, but ones who enjoy supporting the community as well.
It is essential for the FRAR to support the public and learn more about the community and its people. Giving back to the local area helps the FRAR meet the needs of its customers. The FRAR needs the knowledge of what the market is like for patrons in order to assist them in finding homes. The FRAR has several programs and charities they are engaged with. The Public Relations Committee has a list of continuous projects they work on year after year to support the community. Below are some of the programs and activities the FRAR is involved with:
Citizenship Award for Community Service
Blood Drives
Cape Fear Valley Friends of the
Children Golf Tournament
Fayetteville Beautiful
Suitcases for Kids
Book Bags for Homeless Children
Sunshine Fund BBQ
AUSA
Annual REALTOR® Cup
Teddy Bears for Friends of the Children
Food for Needy at Second Harvest Food Bank
Beanee Weenees for Alms House
Fort Bragg Armed Forces YMCA
Habitat for Humanity
Swamp Dogs Trunk or Treat & Corporate Angels Program
FRAR holds a luncheon each month with its members; the purpose of the luncheon is to welcome new members to the FRAR and to collect bags with goodies for children. One of the main goodies in the bags are cans of Beanee Weenees.
“The schools assist students with food throughout the week, but we don’t always know what the students lives are like at home, so we create these goodie bags so the children have something to look forward to on the weekend,” said Willie Snow, Vice President of the Public Relations Committee. “This way we know they have some meals on the days schools are not in session.”
As mentioned in the list above, the FRAR is a supporter of the Fort Bragg Armed Services YMCA. Just in this non-profit alone, the FRAR supports several programs within the Fort Bragg Armed Services YMCA; including Kids Olympics, Healthy Kids Day, Mother/Daughter Tea and Fashion Show, Car seat giveaway, Trunk or Treat, the Fishing Derby, golf outings and the Baby Bundle program. The Baby Bundle program is for mothers who give birth to children at the Womack Hospital on Fort Bragg are given bundles of gifts for their newborns. The purpose of this program is to help military families, ranked E4 and below, to get a head start when a newborn comes into life. Approximately 2,000 baby bundles are supplied each year.
Mr. Snow’s personal favorite event that the FRAR holds is the Sunshine Fund BBQ. This occasion benefits the FRAR members. The Sunshine Fund BBQ was created to provide relief in the unfortunate event that one of the members and their families suffer from a catastrophe. In the past, the Sunshine Fund BBQ assisted with members’ homes that were caught on fire and helped members with long-term illnesses where medical coverage could only go so far and numerous other heartbreaking cases. This event is typically held in the beginning of fall.
“We love our Fayetteville community,” stated Mr. Snow. “Our military, youth and the community as a whole are incredibly important to us and we love to show our support by giving back to them.” Mr. Snow said this list is always expanding and the FRAR is in the process of working on other endeavors to give back.
A major project that is in the works for the FRAR and the Fayetteville Police Department is improving security in the Fayetteville neighborhoods by creating a Crime Prevention Unit. Signs will be put up in neighborhoods alerting the home-owners, renters, and visitors that the vicinity is being watched. A big crime in Fayetteville neighborhoods are the daytime break-ins. Robbers like to break into homes during the day while no one is home due to being at work or school. By having these signs put up in neighborhoods and with help of the Fayetteville Police Department being on watch, this program will help diminish crime in local areas.
Queen Wheeler, President of the FRAR, explained how membership is imperative to the company’s needs for the community. “Our membership is made up of real estate professionals who are not only aware of the needs and challenges of our neighbors, friends and clients but are actively engaged in making a difference,” said Ms. Wheeler. “You will find REALTORS® volunteering their time by sitting on many of the boards and committees of local organizations as well as participating in community outreach. Several community outreaches have been organized and started by REALTORS®, such as Scarf It Up and Save the People; both were created to serve the needs of the homeless.”
The FRAR is packed with hard-working and caring people who love their jobs and are proud to be part of and support the Fayetteville community, especially the youth and military. The FRAR enjoys building relationships with the community by showing their support through a myriad of programs and charities. The endeavors done for the community not only make the FRAR professionals grow closer, but they also come together in changing the world for the better. The FRAR’s goal is to make a difference in the lives of others.
