By John Beltramea, Broker/Owner of EXIT Eastern Iowa Real Estate Corridor in Cedar Rapids, IA
EXIT offices across Iowa worked together to support Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) in conjunction with the statewide Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI). SHP is a volunteer funded organization operating in 40+ states in the US and Canada. The organization has raw materials donated to make beds as well as bedding donations. All labor is also volunteer based.
The event was an internationally-attended journey from Sioux City, IA to Davenport, IA. It spanned 500 miles and attendants rode bikes, jogged, walked, rode skateboards or pedaled scooters. Among the participants were EXIT’s very own, Max and Tina Coleman from Hamilton, MT with a party of 8 riders and a dog! They made the trek across the state in an effort to bring attention and garner donations for SHP.
With the support of EXIT Realty Upper Midwest and EXIT Realty Corp. International, EXIT offices across Iowa setup booths at various locations along the route to spread word about SHP, gather donations, hand out cooling towels, brochures, water, suntan lotion, lip balm, etc. to the RAGBRAI participants and the accompanying public. They also set up signs along the route and sent out flyers with text codes sending people to a donation landing page linked to SHP. EXIT Realty was the only real estate company in the state of Iowa to sponsor the fundraiser. Our donation will have almost 4 dozen kids who may be sleeping on the floor this evening in a bed of their very own!
A portion of every transaction fee received by EXIT Realty Corp. International is applied to its charitable fund. Through the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program, EXIT offices and associates can raise money for local, approved, registered charities and apply to EXIT’s head office to have those funds matched from the company’s pool of funds. John and his fellow EXIT Associates raised $6,142.13, which EXIT’s head office was proud to match, for a total donation of $12,284.26 to Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
“We look forward to growing our relationship with EXIT Realty brokers and agents involved in this promotion and in fact, a new chapter in Davenport, IA may blossom from this promotion. Thank you for your support and efforts in helping us ensure, ‘No kids sleep on the floor in our town!’”, said Meredith Davies-Vogt, Chapter President, Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
