Beach Realtor named best in Florida
Lahaina Realty’s Cynthia Shafer, a member of the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach, recently added another award to her crowded mantel when she received the 2009 Florida Associate Realtor of the Year Award. She has worked for Lahaina since 1993.
Shafer, a Fort Myers resident, has served her local association on many levels as a member of most committees and as chair of the Professional Development, Community Relations, Affordable Housing, Communications and Leadership committees. She was president of the former Fort Myers Beach Board in 1998 and a member of the Merger Task Force; that same year, the board recognized her as its Realtor of the Year. The Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach honored her with its Humanitarian award in 1999 and its Realtor of the Year award in 2000.
Shafer volunteers for many community organizations, particularly one that benefits children and affordable housing. She has been a child advocate for 36 years, representing abused, abandoned and neglected children in Lee County as a Guardian ad Litem volunteer.
“It ranks right up there,” said Shafer about earning the Florida Association of Realtors’ highest award. “It isn’t so much the award as it is the more people that know about abused children because that’s what I’ve been involved with as a Guardian ad Litem in Lee County for 15 years. The more people that know, maybe every once in a while someone’s cry will be answered. That’s how I look at it.”
On the state level, Shafer has been involved with FAR since 1998, serving on many committees, councils and forums, including District 5 vice president, chair of the Board Leadership Forum and as an FAR director. On the national level, she has been a NAR director and served on the NAR Transportation Work Group, State and Local Fiscal Affairs and Housing Opportunity committees.
Almost three years ago, she and her husband John -a fifth generation Floridian whose family has resided on the Beach since 1955- started a Beds for Kids program; since then, they have delivered more than 498 beds, sheets, pillows, blankets and stuffed animals to children in the foster care system. FAR recognized her as Humanitarian of the Year in 1998, and NAR presented her with a Good Neighbor Award in 2002 for her Beds for Kids program.
“In 2001, my husband and I started Beds for Kids,” said Shafer. “Anyone who wants to donate can call me. I pick up donations and, every Saturday, we deliver them.”
To donate to the worthy cause, you can reach Shafer at 850-4388.