LVAR Announces Red Cross Heroes 5K Fundraiser

The Lehigh Valley Association of REALTORS® (LVAR) has announced that it will hold a fundraiser for the Heroes Campaign to benefit the American Red Cross Greater Lehigh Valley Chapter.

The Heroes Campaign is conducted by companies, individuals and schools to raise money for local Red Cross services. The Heroes Campaign donations help the Greater Lehigh Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross provide invaluable programs and services to over 709,000 people in Lehigh, Carbon and Northampton Counties.

The LVAR 5K Race/Walk will be held on October 27, 2013, but the excitement has already begun. Students from the Bethlehem Area School District’s Broughal Middle School, East Hills Middle School, and Nitschman Middle School have submitted designs for the fundraising event T-shirts. A total of 165 unique designs were submitted and LVAR staff narrowed down the selection to 20 of the best designs.  The Association is inviting the public to help in the final selection by viewing the submissions and voting for their top 10 designs at http://bit.ly/14iZD49. Voting ends at 5:00 p.m. on July 31, 2013.

“As Realtors®, we believe in giving back to the community we serve,” says Therese Kelley, president of LVAR. “Getting the children involved in the design of the T-shirt was a great way to give kids a chance to express themselves while also learning about community service. The lucky student winner will be standing at the 5K Run/Walk and will see hundreds of people running by wearing their design.”  According to Kelley, the LVAR 5K Task Force will select the winner from the top ten designs that receive the most votes. The student with the winning design will receive a $50 gift card and recognition at the event.  All of the 165 submitted designs will be posted along the route for participants to enjoy.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Red Cross Heroes Campaign. The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters and supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply. The not-for profit organization also provides support for members of the military and their families.

Peter Brown, Executive CEO of the American Red Cross Greater Lehigh Valley Chapter said, "We are thrilled that the Lehigh Valley Association of REALTORS® is holding a fundraiser to benefit the American Red Cross Greater Lehigh Valley Chapter.  A 5K race is an excellent and healthy way to involve all ages of our community while supporting our Heroes Campaign.  It is fundraisers like these that help the Red Cross to provide lifesaving services and programs throughout our community." 

The fundraiser will begin with a free Kids Race at 9:45 am, followed by the 5K Run/Walk at 10:00 am. The starting point is located at LVAR headquarters, 10 S. Commerce Way, Bethlehem. Participants are encouraged to dress as their favorite hero or wear a Halloween costume. Prizes will be awarded in several categories including team and age group awards. Pre-registration is $15 and registration the day of the race is $20. LVAR members should register at http://ims.lvar.org; the general public should register at www.lvar.org/LVAR5K.

About Lehigh Valley Association of REALTORS®: The Lehigh Valley Association of REALTORS® is a not-for-profit trade association that provides professional development and training resources, competitive market information, legislative advocacy, a peer review and mediation process for members, and a dispute resolution service for consumers. LVAR owns and operates the Lehigh Valley Multiple Listing Service (MLS), the Lehigh Valley Real Estate Academy, and is publisher of Lehigh Valley Real Estate Weekly. Members of LVAR pledge to uphold the National Association of REALTORS® code of ethics, a criterion of excellence and professional conduct.  For more information, visit: www.LVAR.org.

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.