Thru the Lens: Glenwood's fundraising auction

For the second year in a row, Glenwood's leasing team has dedicated their annual holiday gathering to charity by hosting a fundraising auction. Doubling the previous year's success, the 40-person team raised $5,500 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, a nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases. Guests of the holiday party and auction, which was held at the leasing office of Glenwood's newest luxury rental building, Emerald Green, donated items varying from clothing and jewelry to household items and even a fishing trip. Steve Maschi, vice president of leasing for Glenwood, served as the auctioneer, leading the boisterous event. "It's heartwarming to see our leasing staff display such selflessness and generosity as they are essentially overpaying for items they could have purchased in a store anyway," Maschi said. "We started this as a unique way to give back and help those less fortunate, but it turns out we also benefit as the auction brings out some friendly competition and camaraderie." Last year, the leasing team raised $2,500 for Smile Train, an international charity that provides cleft lip and cleft palate surgery to children in need. "In this strained economy it is incredibly uplifting to know that our team eagerly donated to this cause, let alone that they raised more than double last year's impressive amount," Gary Jacob, executive vice president of Glenwood, said. MDA was established in 1950 by a group of adults with muscular dystrophy, parents of children with muscular dystrophy, and a physician-scientist studying the disorder. From MDA's earliest days, well-known entertainer Jerry Lewis has energized fundraising, acting as the number-one volunteer and national chairman.