On Saturday, September 14, Hawaii Realtors^® had its second annual Realtor^® Action Day (RAD). The RAD event is a statewide community service event that promotes volunteer action in the community. Realtors^® coordinated with principals, local businesses, and community members to serve schools by accomplishing their campus improvement projects.

Earlier this year, Hawaii Realtors^® invited schools to submit an application for campus improvement. From there, 13 projects were selected: Kauai (Kekaha School), Maui (Lahaina Intermediate, Maui High, Pomaikai Elementary, Waihee Elementary), Molokai (Kilohana Elementary), Hawaii Island (Keaau Elementary and Konawaena Elementary), and Oahu (Jefferson Elementary, Kaiser High, Ilima Intermediate, Waiahole Elementary, and Ewa Makai Middle).

Projects varied from yardwork, painting, and gardening. Volunteers at Keaau Elementary School assembled and filled garden beds with 12 tons of soil so students could start inquiry-based learning projects. At Ilima Intermediate, Realtors^® raised money to purchase a washer and dryer for students without access to clean clothes. With donated help from Fast Rooter and electrician Shannon Oshiro, these appliances were installed for students to enjoy when they return to school.

“Realtors^® wear many hats, and one of our strengths is mobilizing our network of community organizations and businesses to accomplish a job. The laundry facility at Ilima is an example of this. Similarly, Hardware Hawaii heard about RAD and offered to donate supplies to nearby Waiahole Elementary. Other Realtors^® mobilized their personal networks to get volunteers at labor-intensive sites,” said John Harris, President of Hawaii Realtors^®

About 450 volunteers helped successfully complete 12 of the projects on Saturday, with Molokai’s event to occur on a different day.

“The success of RAD is a testament to the strength of our communities and how we can achieve dreams when we collaborate,” said Harris.