House tour adds charity drive

Dec. 9—Tina Doyel said some local realty professionals wanted to add a charity drive to help the local youth shelter for the holidays.

The Keller Williams Realty agent said this month's house tour also brings a charitable element with a charitable drive benefiting the Youth Emergency Shelter in McAlester.

"We decided to add a little bit of a fundraiser to it to try to help the youth shelter," Doyel said. "They have a need for hygiene items, shampoo, deodorant, socks, under garments, everything."

Doyel said the idea originated from a previous lending closet at Parker Intermediate Center in McAlester. She said a teacher funded it to provide items for students in need and Doyel wanted to do something similar.

She said the group wanted to support the youth shelter to help children get on a good path.

"When they're young, that's when you can make a difference," Doyel said.

The drive is part of a monthly house tour that Doyel said she wanted to bring back a few months ago to help local realty professionals work together more closely.

Each house tour provides realty professionals involved with Southeastern Oklahoma Association of Realtors with some in-service training, presentations, and tours of houses to discuss ways to help get them sold and other aspects.

She said the house tour will be open only to people involved with SOAR and realty professionals — who are also encouraged to donate.

"We're trying to reach out and get everybody together but we really wanted to see if people could help us help the youth shelter on this one," Doyel said.

Organizers said they asked realty professionals to bring any items with them to the house tour.

Anyone can drop off items in boxes available at Keller Williams Realty at 216 E Choctaw Ave., Suite 102; in addition to Arvest Bank at 101 S. Third St. and Apex Title at 118 E. Carl Albert Pkwy.

"We're involved in the community and try to help people with a lot of different things," Doyel said. "Hopefully people can help us with this too."