Charlene Brennan is one of 10 finalists for the National Association of Realtors’ Good Neighbor Award.
Charlene Brennan is one of 10 finalists for the National Association of Realtors’ Good Neighbor Award. The program recognizes Realtors who improve the quality of life in their communities through volunteer work. Brennan has years of experience. For the past 27 years, she has traveled to Belize to help assist in providing orthopedic care for Belizean children under the age of 18. The Belize Children’s Program was established by her uncle, Gene Verdu, in 1977.
Five winners for the Good Neighbor Award will be selected in October. Brennan recently talked to business writer Will Buss about being a finalist and metro-east Realtor:
How did she get involved with helping children in Belize?
This is a fine example of realtor’s from other parts of the world giving selflessly to help others in developing countries such as Belize. What makes this story so interesting is the length of time the Brennan’s have bee aiding children in Belize — over 30 years! The Brennan’s were actually coming to Belize when it was still known as “British Honduras”, quite an accomplishment.
Ms. Brennan says it all started when her father volunteered as a missionary, and they have since helped over 340 children over the years.
We wish Ms Brennan luck in her nomination for the Good Neighbor award, and hope her wonderful example of helping others in developing countries is followed by more realtors!!!!
A large part of the program is identifying suitable candidates for further help back in the United States with the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, says Ms. Brennan. The program travels down to Belize with specialists such as orthopedic surgeons and pediatricians to provide cursory care which might not normally be available in Belize.
Ms. Brennan has been a realtor and broker in Illinois since 1980, and says it’s a job she really loves since she’s constantly in a position to help others, especially first time homebuyers.
