NORTH WEBSTER — The annual Kosciusko County Board of Realtors Christmas party is more than an evening of realtors and associates gathering for a celebration of Christmas and finding out who received the Associate of the Year and Realtor of the Year awards. It is an evening to help one of the non-profit organizations in the county.

This year’s event was held at The Owl’s Nest, North Webster, with more than 175 realtors, affiliates and their families.

LeAnne Francis, left, was received the 2019 Affiliate of the Year, while Linda Goshert, right, was named the Realtor of the Year.

This year the KBOR committee choose the Beaman Home. Attendees were invited to bring diapers and gift cards (which gave them a chance to win a gift in a drawing). Members could also donate mystery boxes for the silent auction and/or donate a themed miniature Christmas tree for the live auction. Attendees also had the opportunity to take part in the ultimate mystery box by purchasing a box containing an ornament and an opportunity to win one of three ultimate gifts.

When the evening was over, KBOR donated $10,000 to the Beaman Home. There was more than $280 given in Aldi gift cards, $70 in cash donations and a truck full of diapers. The 19 silent auction themed gifts raised $2,680 and the seven themed mini Christmas trees brought in $4,400. The remainder of the funds were raised through several company or individual donations. All 20 of the ultimate mystery boxes were purchased raising $2,000. The winner of the electric motor double-drive kids toy Porsche and Panda driver was Jill Raines. The instant pot and accessories was won by Brian Powell, and the Holiday Day wagon full of favorite holiday spirits was won by Todd Clark.

Dr. Jennifer Hayes, executive director of the Beaman Home.

Dr. Jennifer Hayes, executive director of the Beaman Home, briefly spoke about the organization by sharing a story of a woman she called “Sarah.” The woman who had a broken spirit stayed at Beaman home for four months, twice as long as normal. During that time she obtained a job, received a promotion and moved in to her own apartmen. “She is one of our best success stories,” Hayes stated. “It’s breathtaking to me how she came so far in a little time. Without the help from the community we would not be able to do this or help any of the others.”

The evening was also a night to recognize the affiliate and realtor of the year recipients. The winners were announced by last year’s recipients, Susie Wert, affiliate of the year and Jan Orban, realtor of the year. LeAnn Francis was named the affiliate of the year and Linda Goshert, the realtor of the year.

Wert revealed the affiliate of the year through the use of numbers. Wert noted the recipient (Francis) has had 13 plus years in the industry, seven years of being married, one of eight siblings, has four kids, and forever years the number she has lived within the county. The number two was also noted as the number of volleyball players on her team she has jinxed, one with a broken ankle, the other who happened to be her husband, who suffered a ruptured achilles tendon.

Francis grew up in Kosciusko County, outside of Milford, and graduated from Lakeland Christian Academy. She is the wife of an officer with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office, is a dedicated and doting mother.

Orban noted information on Goshert was obtained through information from her “real” family and her work family. She noted both families described her with the same words: optimistic, caring, compassionate, humble, first to help, always giving of herself, kind hearted, supportive and full of grace. Goshert, who graduated from Elkhart Memorial High School and Olivet Nazarene University, has lived the majority of her life in Kosciusko County. She is a pastor’s kid and has a blended family of five children and six grandchildren.