Letter from VAR President Peter Tucker
Dear Member:
I am writing to update you on the status of REALTORS® around the state and our plan of action going forward. It is now clear that this is a disaster unprecedented in Vermont’s history. What is amazing to me is the specificity of the event. Many parts of our state have escaped relatively unscathed while other areas have received devastating damage.
Member offices in Wilmington, Ludlow and Quechee have been completely destroyed. I am sure that there are other offices that we are not yet aware of that have been impacted by the storm. Of greater concern is damage to our member’s homes as well as the homes of their neighbors and friends in the affected areas.
After 9/11 the National Association of REALTORS® established the REALTORS® Relief Foundation to assist homeowners directly affected by disasters. I have been in touch with NAR President Ron Phipps and Treasurer Bill Armstrong to discuss how our association can work with NAR on relief efforts in Vermont. They have recommended that we apply for a grant from the REALTORS® Relief Foundation (RRF) and on August 31st we submitted that application.
The parameters of the foundation are very specific. Funds can only be provided to primary residential homeowners for damages not covered by insurance. For more details on the program you can visit this link: http://www.realtor.org/topics/relief?wt.mc_id=rd0212.
Of greater importance from my perspective is our ability to create a cooperative program with the REALTORS® Relief Foundation. Currently, VAR does not have 501(c)3 status to collect donations for charitable purposes. By affiliating with RRF, we will be able to create a dedicated recipient for donations specifically for Vermont relief efforts. Due to the fact that this program is already established, we believe we can be up and running in a matter of days. We will notify you as soon as it is established.
In closing, we need to keep in mind that our role in our community is to provide stability and guidance in this uncertain time. I received an email from Meg Streeter whose office has been ravaged by the Deerfield River. She just had a buyer cancel a contract because of their perception that Wilmington will not recover for years. It is critical that we point out the resiliency of Vermonters and the incredible efforts that will allow our communities to recover quickly from this event. Vermont is open for business and taking it all in stride.
Thank you,
Peter
Peter Tucker
President, Vermont Association of REALTORS®
802-598-5813 cell
.jpg)