When Kari Knutson of Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty found out she was going to receive one of the highest honors the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) can bestow on its members she was excited and honored.
Knutson was recently presented with one of five Realtor Care Awards handed to the Island’s top realtors. The awards are presented to those individuals whose dedication to excellence has a profound influence on the quality of life in the communities they serve.
Winners are identified from VIREB’s six zones by an independent panel of judges and Knutson who has been a realtor in Qualicum Beach for five years said she never expected to get an award for her community work.
“When you do charity work you don’t do it to be recognized,” stated Knutson.
Three years ago Knutson helped head up a campaign by Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty to support the Haven Home, the local women’s shelter. She said they hold a garage sale to raise money and over three years they have raised $10,000 for the local shelter.
“It gets bigger and bigger each year,” she admitted and added they have already filled two storage lockers at Arrowmith Moving and Storage for the garage sale they will hold in May.
Knutson also assists in other local campaigns the real estate office supports including a toy drive for the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and sponsoring a day for the Salvation Army Kettle Campaign.
Before the award ceremony last Friday, Knutson went to the Borealis Hair Bar in Qualicum Beach to freshen up her hair do for the occasion.
Once inside the salon, she was persuaded by owner Virginia Worcester to get a complete hair make-over and participate in annual Borealis cocktail party on February 29 in which models present their before and after hair styles. Knutson was one of several women who had a complete hair make-overs. The former brunette said the cut and colour are a nice change and something different.
“People notice a big change. I didn’t have bangs before and now I have red hair.”
There was also a live hair show during the event which was held at the Thalassa Restaurant at the Qualicum Beach Memorial Golf Course. The four stylists at Borealis created four different bob styles on their hair models as guests were treated to cocktails, snacks and hair styling tips.
The make-over models showed their before photos as they circulated through the room wearing spring fashions from Close to You in Parksville.