You’ll be sick of hearing “Jacksonville is on the clock” but get ready: you’ll be hearing it until the Super Bowl ends around 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 6, 2004.
So, what will you be doing while we’re on the clock?
Of course, we’ll all be expected to do something which will impress The Outside World. The Super Bowl has gotten to be so much more than a football game that, well, it doesn’t have much at all to do with football.
It does have a lot to do with building houses, it seems.
The National Football League uses its big week to show its community spirit and a delegation from this area went to Houston last month at the behest of the national Habitat organization.
One of our folks was Randy Evans, late of CSX and a true fanatic when it comes to the work on HabiJax, as the Duval County affiliate is called.
Houston’s chapter was challenged to build 38 homes, matching the number of the Super Bowl (XXXVIII, in Super Bowl parlance.)
Can we build 39 (or XXXIX,) our people were asked?
This was like asking the Jags if they had any season tickets for sale - the Habitat people in this area pass 39 homes sometime around springtime.
“We have a wonderful organization with wonderful leadership,” said Evans. “We’ll build plenty of homes.”
It’s hard to argue against anything Habitat does. They build homes for people who can’t afford homes, but they aren’t just another giveaway charity - the recipient has to pay a reasonable (and affordable) amount on an ongoing basis.
Obviously, NEFBA is all over this.
“The builders association really doesn’t seen the glory but we couldn’t do the work without them,” said Evans. “It’s true enthusiasm.”
So let’s propose something here.
A. What we have:
1. A challenge to build 39 homes.
2. A builders association that’s bought into the program.
3. Reasonable funding.
B. What is needed:
1. More money.
2. An enthusiastic group to help put the arm on people with materials.
So, if we take A and assume we can get B, what could C be?
C. A possible result:
More than 39, a lot more. Let’s aim at 100 homes to be built between Jan. 24 - the start of the Super Bowl buildup - and Feb. 6 at 6:25 p.m., the scheduled time for the game’s kickoff at Alltel Stadium.
Let’s now identify No. 2 in the “What is needed” category.
The real estate community.
And why not? Agents like to get involved in community events and they seek the high-profile projects. Agents also have the ability and the moxie to put the arm on whoever needs it.
Plus, they’re reasonably easy to organize as long as a leader steps forth and sounds the charge.
The builders are in place. HabiJax and HabiClay and the others are in place. We’ll make sure there’s plenty of recognition.
Any takers?
- Fred Seely is the editor of Realty/Builder Connection and editorial director of Bailey Publishing & Communications In. He can be reached at [email protected].