For almost as long as she can remember, Canadian REALTORS Care® Award 2022 recipient Lorna Hamm has been volunteering in some capacity.
Hamm, a REALTOR® and associate with RE/MAX Realty Professionals, became interested in lending a helping hand at a young age and, before she knew it, volunteering became an important part of her life.
“I think I realized that I was a pretty fortunate person,” recalled Hamm. “Giving back was what I could do, and I believe I was just a teenager at that time.”
Hamm, one of 47 REALTORS® nominated for the Canadian REALTORS Care® Award 2022, moved to Calgary in 1970 and turned to volunteering as a way to meet people in her new city.
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Hamm joined the Rotary Partners of Calgary at Stampede Park, and, for more than 40 years, has been involved with the clubs two annual fundraisers: selling Dream Home raffle tickets at the Calgary Stampede and the Stay-in-School Golf Tournament, which raises funds to help low-income students succeed academically.
In 1986, Hamm helped to establish the Children’s Cottage Society’s Crisis Nursery, which she refers to as her proudest achievement. The Crisis Nursery, which was the first of its kind in Canada, provides short-term refuge for children when a family is in distress, ensuring kids are safe from neglect or harm.
A few years later, the Calgary Home Builders’ Association was looking to take on a charitable project. When their leadership asked Hamm for advice, she didn’t hesitate to encourage them to fund the creation of a bigger and better Crisis Nursery.
In 1994, the current Crisis Nursery opened its doors, something that would not have happened without Hamm’s advocacy. To date, the Crisis Nursery has helped more than 40,000 children in Calgary.
As a member of the Children Hospital’s Aid Society (CHAS), Hamm works with a group of 75 dedicated women to raise funds for local children’s organizations. During her two-year stint as committee chair for the CHAS Charity Golf Classic, she helped raise more than $500,000 to fund life-changing treatment at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.
Though Hamm has given so much of herself to the community through these organizations, her affinity for volunteering is also prevalent in her professional and personal life.
Hamm has given back to the REALTOR® community throughout her career by volunteering with the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®). Seven years ago, she kicked things up a notch when she began serving as a director, which ultimately led to Hamm being named CREB®’s 2021 Chair.
She has also been known to lead her own passion projects. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamm led a grassroots initiative that provided thank-you packages to 600 intensive care unit nurses and hospital staff on the frontlines.
When asked how she balances it all, Hamm credits her can-do attitude, something many REALTORS® can relate to.
“I’m a person who does more if I’m busy,” she explained. “I think it just makes me happier to go from one event to another. I’ve been very fortunate to be in a lot of interesting and wonderful positions due to volunteer work, and I think I’ll probably continue doing that for some time.”
While keeping busy with volunteering fills Hamm’s heart with joy, her 50-plus years of volunteering has also greatly impacted the city of Calgary, which she takes great pride in. “I just feel like a little part of my heart is in all of these projects, and if I’m driving around the city and I see one of the buildings or one of the services in action I feel very proud to know that I played a role.”
CREA would once again like to congratulate Hamm for receiving the Canadian REALTORS Care® Award 2022, Proudly Presented by REALTOR.ca. Her story is living proof of the impact getting involved can make, both on one’s own life and for the community members who need it most.
Learn more about philanthropic initiatives led by REALTORS® across Canada on REALTORSCare.ca.
