| Honoree’s Name: Sherri Lex
Why This Volunteer is Extraordinary:
Sherri Lex and Chris O’Connor are the driving forces behind the RSM Cares Community Food Pantry. Lex spends her afternoons racing around Rancho Santa Margarita picking up food donations and loading them into the back of her car. Before the coronavirus, the RSM Cares food pantry’s biggest day was serving a walk-up crowd of 150 people. On May 6, with the coronavirus shutdown in place, RSM Cares gave out food to 235 cars, some full of people. Food will be given away to each car until 4:30 or until everyone is served. They give away bags that include milk, eggs, fruits, vegetables and as much meat as they can find. They also include canned goods and bread. Each carload comes away with between 50 and 60 pounds of food, O’Connor said. Lex has a series of stops she makes every day. If she gets meat, she races to put it in the freezer at the SAMLARC Beach Club. She has pick-up stops at Starbucks where she collects breakfast sandwiches, wraps, burritos and pastries. She volunteers for the food pantry after she works full days as an agent for EHM Real Estate. She has 15 donation bins where she gathers up canned food. Sometimes, she feels bad because she doesn’t collect what some people need. “One person came up to me and said, ‘Do you have any cat litter?'” she said. “Another person asked if I had diapers. That broke my heart.” She contacted pet stores and was allowed to place bins for pet food in front of their stores. “It’s a little crazy right now,” she said. “I think our demand is going to grow. I don’t think we’ve seen an end to the layoffs.” Lex’s most important contribution, O’Connor said, is her outreach to seniors who are isolated because of the coronavirus. Before Lex, RSM Cares did not have a senior program. Lex started a program in which she packages up meals and takes them to seniors on the days after the food pantry is held. “Her work with seniors is outstanding,” O’Connor said. Lex said anybody can do what she does. “If people would see the faces I see, their world would change,” she said.
Honoree’s Name: Lynn Clancy Why This Volunteer is Extraordinary:
In Pennsylvania, she volunteered at Woman Against Rape. That included, being called by the police to meet them at the hospital and sitting with the victim during the process. She says it was challenging, but necessary. When she moved to CA, she got involved with the CASA organization. She was one of their long-term volunteers. She was partnered with two kids, one at a time. She saw one child from second grade to High School. She is still in contact with these two but now they are adults. Ten years ago, she partnered with some dedicated peers to help veterans. For ten years, they have been visiting monthly this group home for Vets, they cook dinner and share conversation. In most cases, they are the only people outside of the VA that these guys see regularly. It has grown into a valued relationship for all of them. This home is the last home for these warriors before moving to hospice or the hospital. She is also running for the Board of Directors at Lake Forest Sun & Sail Club. She has been on one of the committees at the association and sees the positive impact of getting involved. She says it feels great to see hard work pay off in results. She is also the facilitator for a Real Estate weekly broker preview. She says she values the contribution that she is able to make at Orange County Realtors.
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Sherri Lex will never forget the helplessness, the sadness she felt when her son was in the hospital with a brain tumor. She would come home and there would be meals waiting for her, made by complete strangers.
Lynn Clancy is a Philadelphia native, and moved to California almost 25 years ago.| Honoree’s Name: Anita Glasser
Why This Volunteer is Extraordinary:
Selling Orange County Real Estate for more than 20 years, Anita takes great pride in providing her clients with exceptional service. In fact, her clients become her extended family. For the past 10 years, Anita and her husband Rick, have held the Surf City Charity Golf Classic Tournament. The Tournament gives back to Make A Wish Foundation Orange County and Inland Empire Chapter, First Tee of Orange County, and Newport Beach 1st Battalion 1st Marines Foundation. It is a labor of love for Anita to give back to these charities and fills her with so much gratitude.
Honoree’s Name: Heidi Stoops Why This Volunteer is Extraordinary:
Heidi loves the flexibility in her schedule to have the time to follow her passion, which is giving back to others and her community. Heidi currently sits on 3 boards; on the executive board for Saddleback Memorial Care Hospital Foundation, a director with the Orange County Realtors, and is on the board and 2024 president-elect for the Aliso Viejo Chamber of Commerce. This will be her second term since she was the chamber president back in 2018. She is also the events chair and has been volunteering since 2007 for the Aliso Viejo Community Association and participates in all the in Aliso Viejo events throughout the year. She was the 2015 Citizen of the Year for the City of Aliso Viejo, was presented by Congresswoman Michelle Steel a 2021 Community Partnership Women of Distinction Award and was also the 2021 Volunteer of the year award from the Orange County Realtors. Heidi and her husband Adam are proud parents of their daughter Jessica, son-in-law Josh and their three grandchildren, Holly, Jett and Jayden.
Honoree’s Name: Stuart Thomas Why This Volunteer is Extraordinary: Stuart Thomas is a proven leader and successful entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience. He earned his degree at Stanford University. He is the Broker Owner of RE/MAX Select One since founding it back in 2003. He has led the office through many different real estate markets including the mortgage meltdown of 2008 and the pandemic of 2020. With the help of his leadership, RE/MAX Select One was named office of the year in 2008 by RE/MAX of California and Hawaii and RE/MAX Select One was named Western Region Office of the year in 2020 by RE/MAX International. Additionally, Stuart was named Broker of the year in 2009 by RE/MAX of California and Hawaii.
Stuart recently gave the keynote speech on Leadership at the Robert Mayer Leadership Academy. As the leader at RE/MAX Select One, Stuart has created an environment where it has evolved from simply recruiting top agents to gain market share to something much more. It is a place to give people the space and the care to grow. His message is clear. Promote yourself. Advertise as much as you want. Negotiate your own commissions. Decide your own deals. Grow your business the way you know how to grow it. Without restrictive barriers but the support of others dedicated to their success, the agents have the ability to succeed beyond what they have ever thought possible. It is a view of the world in which everybody wins. And it is a belief that we can make the world a better place. In his most important and coveted role, Stuart is the father to Grant Thomas who will be graduating this May at NYU before heading to law school.
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In 2010, Stuart created the “Every Kid Deserves a chance” fundraiser which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support different organizations that benefit the youth in Orange County. These events benefitted, Colette’s Children’s Home, Habitat for Humanity, Project Self Sufficiency, Make A Wish Foundation, CHOC and for the past several years, they raised money for the Huntington Beach Police and Community Foundation. Stuart has served on the OC Realtors Board of Directors and was named 2020 Volunteer of the year by that board. He also served as master of ceremonies the past two years at the Board of Realtor Installation of Directors event. Since 2009, RE/MAX Select One has been named a Miracle office with CHOC and Stuart has served as Chairman of the RE/MAX advisory committee to CHOC. Stuart received the prestigious Miracle Maker award from CHOC. RE/MAX Select One was named CHOC Champion in 2021 and 2022 as the highest donor to CHOC for RE/MAX offices in Orange County. Stuart has written and sent out his Monday’s Cup of Motivation email every Monday for 12 years.