The 2020 CABR Good Neighbor Award was recently presented to Kelly Whelan of Star One Realtors for her work with Team Hughes. The Good Neighbor Award recognizes a Realtor who is making an extraordinary impact in their community. Whelan formed a team of volunteers, called Team Hughes, to help provide transportation, food, an academic advisor and more to the Hughes High School Basketball Team.
As part of the Good Neighbor Award, CABR presents a check to the winner’s charity. Last week, Whelan shared this honor with Team Hughes and the Hughes High School Basketball Team.
Whelan says, “The team wanted to say ‘Thank you’ and so do I. We started this program as a means of feeding the players for their basketball games. (They were lacking the nourishment to sustain four quarters of an intense basketball game.) However, our “TEAM” has developed into something much more beyond what we could have imagined providing the players with a second family (a large extended family) that serves much more than just food. This “TEAM HUGHES” serviced a plethora of needs, but more importantly this TEAM shows the players LOVE! The coach often told me that he teaches in an environment where promises feel more like unattainable dreams and having a TEAM full of accountable wonderful, caring and thoughtful adults has made an impact larger than any of us could have expected. Winning this award was an honor, but I have to tell you the award goes to the volunteers and the love and compassion they have shown for the years we have been together.
This program has given many of us an additional purpose in life. With all the negative news out there, these volunteers present to me an immense faith in the goodness of mankind.
From a grateful heart,
Kelly Whelan
Star One Realtors