From Trash to Treasure – CENTURY 21 Seaside Realty Ltd. hosts its first annual Shred-A-Thon fundraiser for Easter Seals

White Rock, BC, July 2018 – For Stephan Rill of Century 21 Seaside Realty Ltd., giving back to community and being a champion for disability and accessibility issues comes naturally to him because for over 27 years, Stephan has been tirelessly advocating for his son, Shawn, who among many things – holds a 5th level Master black belt in Tae Kwon Do, is an aficionado of all things Japanese, and was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when he was a child.

Left to right: Julia Thompson, Ann Thompson, and Stephan Rill of CENTURY 21 Seaside Realty Ltd. in White Rock, BC, celebrate the success of their first annual Shred-A-Thon

In July this year, Stephan partnered up with his long-time colleagues from CENTURY 21 Seaside Realty Ltd., Ann Thompson and Julia Thompson – a mother-daughter duo – to organize their first annual Shred-A-Thon fundraiser for Easter Seals and the C21 Kids to Camp Program. According to Julia, “The idea for the Shred-A-Thon came as we were chatting with an elderly client who had paperwork that she needed to get rid off but didn’t have a secure way of doing so. Coincidentally, we have a shredding machine at the office, so we put the two things together and quickly decided to organize our first annual Shred-A-Thon fundraiser.” Ann enthusiastically added that, “In addition to providing a tangible service, the event is also a happy and non-threatening way to get in touch and reconnect with our clients. They’re invited to make a donation to Easter Seals and the C21 Kids to Camp Program for the service, and to also sit down for a chat and catch-up over tea and refreshments with us when they drop off the materials for shredding.”

The trio felt that the fundraiser was an easy way for them to give back to community. “We wanted to start on a small scale, and not have to spend a lot of energy and time to get it going,” says Ann. While not everything went as planned – weather and a local bicycle race affected road access to the office – the encouraging support and feedback they received from the community however have already gotten them thinking about next year’s Shred-A-Thon event when they hope to involve more local businesses, secure sponsors, put out ads in the local papers, potentially extend the event to a week, and hold a barbecue to make it a community-oriented event.

“We are going to do it again. Look out for the 2019 Shred-A-Thon coming next year,” says Stephan empathically. “Giving back to community is part of our responsibility.” Julia and Ann agree. “For us, it’s all about the children. They are our future. Giving back is a selfish thing because it also makes you feel so great. It fills our heart with joy.”