REALTORS® Establish Relief Fund: Tornado Victims Will Be Among First to Receive Assistance

Wisconsin, January 8, 2008 – REALTORS® in Kenosha, Racine and Walworth counties have established a relief fund to aid victims of the storm system that produced destructive tornados yesterday, destroying and damaging many homes in southeastern Wisconsin. “This is something we can do that will make a difference for some of the people who were most affected by the storm,” said John O’Day, President of the Kenosha REALTORS® Association. Storms that produced three tornados tore through Walworth, Kenosha and Racine counties, leaving a path of destruction and damage. Dozens of people were injured, thousands were without power, 25 homes were destroyed and nearly 60 were damaged. “This really puts things in perspective,” added Fritz Cape, President of the Racine Board of REALTORS®. “While the housing market has faced some challenges, it’s tough to imagine what a family goes through while losing their home in a natural disaster. As REALTORS® we often talk about the American Dream of home ownership. When a nightmare, like these powerful storms takes away that dream, we feel compelled to help.”

The relief fund is a joint project between the Kenosha and Lakes Area REALTORS® associations, and the Racine Board of REALTORS®. “With nearly 2,000 members of the three local organizations, we can combine our efforts to help these families,” said Lakes Area President Sharon Seguin. “We will encourage our members to donate, as well as the public.”

Donations to the Tri-County REALTOR® Relief Fund may be made at any M & I Bank location. The sponsoring organizations will work with local agencies to identify storm victims needing assistance. In the future, the fund will be used for other charitable purposes approved by the founding organizations.