As I sit and reflect on this past year, I cannot help but feel a combination of pride and sadness. 2020 certainly has not been the year we had planned, but I am so proud and grateful to be part of such an amazing Association. Our Staff, Leadership Team, and Members stepped up to the plate, and we were able to pivot in order to create a pathway for you to work safely. We saw your RPAC dollars hard at work with the securing of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program. These benefits normally are not made available to the self-employed. Our Advocacy efforts were able to secure real estate as an essential service, allowing you to continue to serve your clients and customers. As you can imagine, there were so many conference calls and virtual meetings to ensure that you had the support and resources you needed during these most challenging times. Although we were not able to see everyone in person, every effort was made to connect with you virtually, and I hope you found the value in our communications.
I have seen how our Members care about each other and their communities. Whether you were sewing masks, serving meals to those in need, or checking in with your neighbors, you defined what it means to be a REALTOR® and AFFILIATE! I hear people say that they can’t wait for 2020 to be over, as though when the calendar rolls over to 2021, all of this will be behind us, and we can start fresh. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if that were the case? Our work is not done, and each and every one of us needs to continue to support one another in the coming months. After all, THAT’S WHO WE R®!
Although this year didn’t look like anything I could have ever imagined, I will always remain grateful that I had the opportunity to lead our Association during this time. I wish that we had accomplished what we had intended, but I know that our incoming Leadership Team shares those visions and am confident that they will continue to work towards those goals. Our Bylaws and Policy Task Force has made great strides during our numerous virtual (and long) meetings, and we hope to be able to wrap that up over the next couple of months to present to our membership. These condensed and updated versions were long overdue, and it is a challenging process, but the task force has worked tirelessly to get the job done. Committee meetings have also continued virtually, and we managed to figure out how to make it all work. Kudos to our Staff for adapting and keeping it all straight!
As I end my year as your President, I want to thank each and every one of you for your support. It is a year I doubt any of us will ever forget. My wish for you is that you and your loved ones stay safe and, most of all, stay positive! I look forward to the time when I can see everyone’s maskless faces! Happy holidays and here’s to a happy and healthy 2021!
My best,
Sue Drumm
