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Realtor Adriane Gallagher receives community service award

February 5, 2017

The management of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Gallo Realty announced the winner of its annual Community Service Award, presented to an agent or employee of the company who has donated his or her time and effort to help the community. The award was presented to Lewes Rental Manager Adriane Gallagher at the annual company conference in Bethany Beach Jan. 11. A $250 donation to the charity of her choice is part of the award. Gallagher will donate the award to Sussex Strong, the Sussex County Association of Realtors community service foundation.

Gallagher has tirelessly served as a board member in the assocation's Community Service Foundation for six years, since 2009, and on their Rental Affairs Committee from 2000 to 2008. She has also served on the association's professional standards and educational committees. For two years, as charity auction chair, Gallagher spearheaded major autumn events that culminated in the welcome receipt of warm coats, boots, essentials and Christmas gifts for hundreds of needy Sussex County children each year. First, she organized the realtor benefit auction, which raised funds for the second event, the shopping day which takes place at Kmart in Rehoboth Beach.

Finally, she coordinated the gift wrapping day and the gift transport to social service organizations for delivery to homes in time for Christmas morning. Incredible planning and coordination of resources and volunteers are crucial to the success of this event. Gallagher has also been instrumental in the development of many Sussex Strong programs. Following the National Association of Realtors 2016 Initiative for the Boys & Girls Club, Sussex Strong provided financial literacy classes for kids in many local chapters.

"Bringing the community-minded folks from PNC Bank together with the children in our local Boys & Girls Clubs gave both sides an opportunity to grow in understanding of the needs of our local families," said Gallagher. "To top it off, it was quite rewarding for our board members to participate in the education piece directly with the kids."

Seeing an opportunity to help others in her daily work, Gallagher assisted in creating a program that benefits the needy in Sussex County. Summer visitors now drop off any unused food from their vacation weeks when they return their rental keys to local real estate offices. Food that would have been thrown out is now donated to the Cape Henlopen Food Basket every weekend during the summer season.

Gallagher and Sussex Strong are also crafting a five-year partnership with Habitat for Humanity, currently in the planning stages. The partnership will revolve around increased financial support and volunteerism among the Sussex real estate community and beyond. "Housing for all residents of Sussex County is the primary goal for all Realtors. For the foundation to have an instrumental part in the facilitation of housing for the needy of Sussex County not only fulfills a piece of our mission, it fills that piece in each of us that wants to give back to the community that we live and work in," said Gallagher.

"Our company motto is 'Community-Minded, Customer-Focused,' and we have always encouraged employee and agent participation in community affairs," said Andrew Ratner, company vice president and broker. "Adriane exemplifies this ideal through her devotion to Sussex Strong."

Originally from Wilmington, Gallagher has lived in Lewes for more than 25 years and has two young-adult children. She earned her Realtor license in 1991 and began her career as a rental agent and cleaning coordinator. She joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Gallo Realty in 2006 as the Lewes rental manager.

 

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