What, No Barn-Raisings?

The second annual Good Neighbor Awards, a partnership between the Northeast Florida Builders Association and Jacksonville Homebuyer, was held in late July. And, just like last year, I came away from the event prouder than ever to be affiliated with the homebuilding industry.

The event was designed to recognize homebuilders who go above and beyond-and I mean considerably above and beyond-in making Northeast Florida a better place in which to live.

It's a feel-good function, for sure. But what amazes me is how easy it is to find companies that deserve to be honored. In Jacksonville, builders don't just write a token check to a worthy organization and then go back to business as usual.

They fund scholarships. They build shelters for neglected children, showhouses for cancer research and medical facilities for the uninsured. They repair homes for the disabled. They collect food for hurricane victims and toys for needy children. They donate school supplies.

And if you're having some sort of charitable walk-a-thon or golf tournament, you can be sure that builders will turn out in force-not only to participate, but also to volunteer for the grunt work.

I haven't heard of any barn-raisings taking place this year, but I'm quite certain that if a deserving individual needed a barn, some builder would get on the phone, enlist the help of his or her subcontractors and build the prettiest, biggest one you can imagine.

That kind of thing happens so often, and so automatically, that we've come to take it for granted. In fact, it was a little difficult to get some particularly deserving recipients to participate for fear that they'd be perceived as "tooting their own horns."

But the purpose of the Good Neighbor Awards goes beyond recognizing companies with a social conscience. It's also designed to show other industries that, both collectively and individually, they can make a difference.

See who's making a difference now in the photo spread you'll find on pages 100 and 101.

Also in this issue, we have a profile of one of the most respected people in the real estate sales industry. Naomi Lumley, sales and marketing manager at Palencia, is a friend, a mentor and an inspiration to a generation of industry pros.

Plus, we look at the launch of Green Built Homes of Florida, an initiative of NEFBA and JEA. We'll review the program and show how environmentally friendly building is a win-win approach for builders and buyers.

So, this issue of Jacksonville Homebuyer is another big one-for us and for you. Enjoy it-and most important, enjoy using it.