Local Orillia REALTOR® Mike Stahls has been selected as a 2016 recipient of the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation (ORCF) Spirit Award.  Established in 2007, the award is given to real estate professionals that go the extra mile with outstanding fundraising events in their community.

Mike is a long-time supporter of Green Haven Women’s Shelter in his community, serving as the only male in a committee capacity on the fundraising committee since 2012.  In working to raise awareness of the issues affecting abused women, Mike has raised significant funds for the shelter. In 2014, Mike organised a night of entertainment both to raise money for the shelter, and for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.  The event was such a resounding success that it was held again in 2015.

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and violence prevention programs.  Mike’s fundraising efforts on behalf of this important cause took him to trek Peru’s famous Inca Trail to the lost City of Machu Picchu in 2015. The Machu Picchu Challenge saw Royal LePage Realtors from across Canada raise over $495,000.  Mike was able to exceed the required $5000 fundraising goal for the Foundation to join the trip with the proceeds for Green Haven in Orillia.”

The Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Spirit Award is a nomination-based award given to real estate professionals by the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Board of Directors. The criteria for successful nominations are focused on the importance of local Realtors supporting their communities with volunteer leadership in shelter-based charity organisations. Mike’s work with Green Haven, and his long-standing position on The Lakelands Board of Directors as a key decision-maker have given him lots of opportunity to support his community and his profession with great skill.

“The Lakelands Association of REALTORS® membership and Board of Directors is delighted to congratulate Mike on his recognition by ORCF”, says Association President Tom Wilkinson.  “As a leader in volunteerism, and for his great work in the community of Orillia, Mike has always been a stand-out contributor to professional real estate.”