The London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® (LSTAR) celebrated Christmas in 2012 with donations to its principal beneficiaries:
- $1,000 to Mission Services of London, bringing the total the Association has raised for Mission Services since 1992 to $271,506;
- $1,000 to Violence Against Women Services Elgin County, the women's shelter in St. Thomas, bringing that total to $28,009;
- $1,250 to the Women's Community House for a total of $28,828; and
- $20,400, raised through the Association's Christmas Gala to the Unity Project, for a total of $106,504.
"The holidays are a special time of the year when we gather to celebrate home and family and belonging," says Doug Pedlar, LSTAR's 2013 President. “Homelessness has got to be doubly hard during this season. We only hope that our donations make the Christmases of those people who must spend them in a shelter a little brighter."
This year at least 90 REALTORS® came out in force to man Christmas Kettles for the Salvation Army - London and succeeded to raise $14,397.97 for them. "It was a great turnout for a great cause," says Paula Hodgson, who organized the REALTORS® Man the Kettle Day for the third year in a row.
Thirty five REALTORS® from St. Thomas got together to raise $1,685 for Christmas Care in that City. It was the fourth year in a row the St. Thomas REALTORS® have participated in this drive, which provides Christmas hampers to needy families and individuals. “So many families registered to receive a Christmas Care hamper this year,” explains St. Thomas REALTOR® Earl Taylor. "Giving back – that's the meaning of Christmas."
