Recognized for giving back to their community, Annette Lipkovits of Century 21 Assurance Realty (Kelowna) and Dino Gini of Realty Executives of the Okanagan (Kelowna) are the 2012 recipients of the REALTORS Care® Award for the Central Okanagan Zone of the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB).
Many REALTORS® give of their time, money and expertise, and this is the seventh year OMREB has recognized the exemplary volunteer efforts of its member REALTORS® in the Central Okanagan. The presentations to Annette and Dino were at the Central Zone’s annual holiday luncheon on Friday, December 7, 2012, and Board‐wide recognition will occur at OMREB’s Annual General Meeting in March, 2013.
“Annette and Dino are very worthy recipients of this award,” notes OMREB President and active Vernon REALTOR® Rob Shaw. “Their energetic and ongoing support for worthwhile causes in the Kelowna area exemplifies those REALTORS® who have made long‐term contributions to the communities in which they live and earn a living, and promotes public awareness that our members care deeply enough to be actively involved.”
Annette Lipkovits is recognized for tirelessly and selflessly donating her time to many volunteer and fundraising efforts at home and away. She is the heart behind every fundraising event at her Century 21 Assurance office in Kelowna, especially the local chapter’s Easter Seals campaigns ‐ striving to surpass the previous year’s donations as well as challenge her office to continue to top their own record for BC in order to send disabled children to a special camp in Winfield every year. Annette is also one of the driving forces behind the 24‐hour Relay – not only helping to organize the event but a catalyst in promoting it among her colleagues to create a strong turn‐out every year.
Near and dear to her heart is The Umbrella Foundation, an organization committed to assisting displaced children in Nepal with their studies and after school activities, and keeping them off the streets so they can have the childhood they deserve. Last year, Annette and her daughter Kelsey spent three months volunteering in two Umbrella homes, and she returned again this year with her husband for another extended stay. Locally, she hosts an annual Umbrella Golf Classic fundraiser and is planning a charity New Year’s celebration this year.
Besides being OMREB’s Kelowna MLS® Tour coordinator for many years, Annette also finds time to volunteer with the Kelowna YMCA/YWCA and has begun to work with the BC Professional Firefighters Burn Fund. This is the second time in five years that Dino Gini has received a REALTORS Care® Award for his deep rooted commitment to supporting community sports in Kelowna. Recognized for mentoring young athletes and his significant role in financially supporting many sports teams and leagues in the Okanagan, Dino first received the Award in 2007. He continues to passionately devote 15 to 20 hours per week towards the development of up and coming athletes, as well as raising funds through his successful “Adopt an Athlete” program.
Dino sponsors, advocates, coaches and promotes the dreams and desires of our young athletes. In 2005, he received one of BC’s Coaches of the Year awards for leading the senior girls basketball team at Kelowna’s Immaculata Regional High School to their third provincial championship. Over the years, Dino has supported many teams including the Kelowna Rockets, UBCO Basketball, Kelowna Minor Basketball, Mustangs Senior Girls Basketball, and Pinnacle Elite Athletes. A former squash player, as well as an avid hockey, baseball and basketball fan, Dino landed a job as manager of the Courtplex Fitness Centre when he first arrived in Kelowna in 1988. He has generously given back to the local sports community ever since.
During the slowdown in the economy, the need for volunteers and engaged community citizenship has never been greater. Once again, our REALTORS® rose to the challenge. This year there were a total of nine nominees ‐ the largest number of nominations the OMREB Central Zone has received since the local launch of the program in 2006. Seven very worthy 2012 nominees recognized for their outstanding community involvement and contributions to their Central Okanagan communities are Ken Bessason of Royal LePage Kelowna, Craig Broderick of RE/MAX Commercial Solutions, Alice Hooper of Realty Executives of the Okanagan (Kelowna), Mark Jennings‐Bates of Realty Executives of the Okanagan (Kelowna), Michael Loewen of Royal LePage Kelowna, Joel Sherlock of RE/MAX Kelowna, and Todd Simpson of Royal LePage Kelowna (Westbank).
“Congratulations to the winners and all nominees for being good public citizens, and truly caring about the local and global communities they live and work in,” says Janice Myers, Executive Director of the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board. “It is amazing to see the diverse ways our REALTORS® give back, the leadership they take, and the good example they set for others. Their community spirit remains undeterred.” As the Okanagan moves towards further economic recovery and market stability during 2013, local REALTORS® look forward to continued involvement in their communities.
The Central Zone of OMREB covers an area from Peachland to Lake Country and east along Highway 33 to Westbridge (including the Christian Valley). The Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB) is comprised of 1,030 member REALTORS® and 94 real estate offices in the Southern Interior of BC.
Pictured (top): REALTOR® Annette Lipkovits and the residents of The Umbrella Foundation’s Gauri Shankar children’s home in Nepal.
Pictured (bottom): Dino Gini (far right, back row) with one of the many youth basketball teams he coaches and supports – the UBC Okanagan Junior HEAT.
