This article brings up fundamental current and future questions in modern Real Estate. Many professionals have come together to answer the questions of the people and give their expert opinions on these issues. The ways to progress in the Real Estate industry are also established through these successful professionals. One being John Connolly exploring the importance of giving back;
“You have to give back and you can’t always take.” It’s a motto that John Connolly, VP at SUCCESS! Real Estate in Braintree lives by, and it shows in his actions. In addition to leading dozens of running races for charities over the years, he’s organized 13 different charitable fundraisers to support Homes for Our Troops, the American Diabetes Association, the American Leukemia Foundation, and others. “I got into fundraising when I needed to raise money to participate in marathons,” says Connolly, who hosted a “reggae beach party” smack in the middle of winter to raise funding for the race. Connolly, who spends 40-50 hours planning and organizing each event; networking; and raising funds for the events, took his volunteerism to a new level when another Realtor® threw down the gauntlet and told him that if he raised $100,000, he’d be able to “join” their club. “I was only bringing in $7,000 to $8,000 a year on average at the time,” he recalls. “But during my 13th year of doing it, I hit $100,340. It was a proud moment.” But it still wasn’t enough for Connolly, who after complaining about a minor problem—and having a friend tell him that he was “pathetic” if that was his biggest issue—connected with the Saint Rock Haiti Foundation, an organization that provides healthcare, educational opportunities, and community outreach programs to the country’s citizens. After learning of the great need for dental and medical supplies in Haiti, Connolly decided to collect those items from Realtors® and other community members and personally deliver them to Saint Rock on an annual basis. On his most recent trip, Connolly found himself playing dental assistant in a region where electricity is sporadic and public water is nonexistent. “Their dental chair is a rocking chair that’s tilted backwards with a 5-gallon bucket underneath it,” says Connolly. Every day, roughly 40-50 people line up at the clinic’s door to get teeth extracted and other dental services, but most of them have to deal with the aftercare and pain without the help of pain relievers. “They really appreciate the Tylenol and Advil,” says Connolly, who typically brings along five or six suitcases filled with dental, medical, and personal hygiene supplies. The fact that the bulk of those supplies are donated by his local real estate community fills Connolly with pride. “I’m only giving up a week’s vacation to do this, but when everyone shows up with bags of goods that they bought at CVS, it’s a great feeling,” he says. “I’m very proud of my fellow Realtors® and how they help me out.”
This publication is ‘The Inside Issue of Bay State REALTOR®’