Recognized for their community service and leadership, Darryl Reuter of Royal LePage Kelowna and Don Miller of Century 21 Executives Realty in Vernon are the 2014 recipients of the Realtors Care Awards for the Central and North Okanagan Zones of the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB).
A recent finalist for the City of Kelowna’s Fred Macklin Memorial Award for Man of the Year, Reuter supports fundraising events for individual benefits, community initiatives and national causes but is also known for random acts of kindness to put a smile on someone’s face or to help out in a small way, says the board.
He founded Rainmaker Charity and has organized various fundraisers like the Homes for Hounds golf tournament and the Longhaul Adventure Race to raise funds for addiction issues. He recently formed Impact Kelowna. The group’s Food Fight raised 2,000 pounds of food for the food bank. It also organized three major fundraisers to aid in the treatment of a young paraplegic and to assist a paralyzed athlete, raising more than $130,000.
The board says Miller is a life-long volunteer who is always ready to lend a helping hand, or taking time to make someone happy with a card, gift, smile or magic trick.
He has played an integral role in many of the Silver Star Rotary Club’s fundraising efforts and community events, assisted with Century 21 garage sales to raise funds for Easter Seals and local children needing medical assistance and equipment, and participated in pancake breakfasts and hot dog lunches to feed the homeless.
Always involved in the annual North Okanagan Food Bank Drive, Miller also regularly organizes his own initiatives to raise food for the local food bank. He can be seen at every Vipers hockey game selling 50/50 tickets for one organization or another, says the board.
Three other nominees were also recognized for their outstanding community involvement and contributions to their Central Okanagan communities: Jane Hoffman of Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty, Kelowna, Brent Pay of Century 21 Assurance Realty in Kelowna and Jerry Redman of Re/Max Kelowna.
