Florida Realtors® Launches Military Phone Card Program

ORLANDO, Fla., June 28, 2010 — “To us, home is where we prop our feet up after a rough day” says 2010 Florida Realtors^® President Wendell Davis, a broker with Watson Realty Corp. in Jacksonville. “If ‘home’ to our service sons and daughters is a short phone call, then we, as Florida Realtors, should help them find ‘home,’ just as we help Florida buyers find a home.”

To honor our troops, Florida Realtors is donating money for phone calling cards that the USO will distribute to U.S. active duty troops. Contributions to this worthwhile cause are welcome from anyone. The USO has set up a dedicated webpage for credit card donations: http://uso.org/floridarealtors

“When your son is in Iraq or Afghanistan, he’s physically 7,000 miles away, but the distance is much, much farther emotionally,” says Patti Fitzgerald, Florida Realtors president elect. “Comfort is a single phone call home. That’s it – a single phone call.”

“I was able to talk to my wife and family from Afghanistan, thanks to the phone cards donated by patriotic individuals, such as Realtors,” says LCpl Joseph Fitzgerald, U.S. Marine Corps and son of Patti Fitzgerald, Florida Realtors president-elect.

Program details

• The USO will customize the calling cards with Florida Realtors^® logo, so every soldier knows who paid for the call.

• The USO receives and tracks all donations.

• Everyone is encouraged to donate – not just Realtors.

• Deadline for donations: Aug. 15, 2010.

Florida Realtors has dedicated a website page for the initiative. It includes downloadable fliers with donation information about the program and how to donate by check; downloadable cards that can be handed out; and a link to the USO’s Florida Realtors credit card donation page: http://www.floridarealtors.org/AboutFar/Support-our-Troops.cfm

Florida Realtors®, formerly known as the Florida Association of Realtors®, serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 115,000 members in 67 boards/associations. Florida Realtors® Media Center website is available at http://media.floridarealtors.org.

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Marla Martin, Communications Manager, or Jeff Zipper, Vice President of Communications

407/438-1400, ext. 2326 or 2314