HOWARD COUNTY, MD, August 30, 2021 - To promote safety awareness for its members and their clients, the Howard County Association of REALTORS® (HCAR) recently partnered with the Women’s Council of REALTORS® of Howard County to host the 2021 REALTOR® Safety Month Kickoff event.

 

HCAR was awarded a $2,500 grant from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) to hold this event, which featured the Maryland-approved Continuing Education class “Your Safety is Non-Negotiable: The Beverly Carter Story”, taught by Carl Carter of the Beverly Carter Foundation, as well as a Krav Maga-based self-defense class, taught and sponsored by Jason Bojonny of American Financial Network and Watchdog Krav Maga.

 

“It’s the goal of HCAR and every REALTOR® association across the country to provide its members with the tools they need to come home safely to their family every night,” said HCAR President Shirley Matlock, CRS. “We encourage all of our members to help cultivate an industry-wide Safety Culture by talking about safety, creating and following a safety plan, and encouraging their colleagues to do the same.”

 

Carl Carter is an Arkansas REALTOR® and the founder of the Beverly Carter Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving real estate agent safety. Carl’s mother, REALTOR® Beverly Carter, was kidnapped and murdered in 2014 by a married couple posing as clients. Since his mother’s death, Carl has dedicated as much time as possible to spreading the message of safety to REALTORS® across the country. Carl’s class “Your Safety is Non-Negotiable: The Beverly Carter Story” not only tells his mother’s story, but also provides valuable information on how real estate practitioners can stay safe in an industry that relies heavily on trust and interaction with strangers. For more information on the Beverly Carter Foundation, visit www.beverlycarterfoundation.org.

 

Jason Bojonny is a volunteer instructor at Watchdog Krav Maga in Columbia and a mortgage lender with American Financial Network. Krav Maga is a form of martial arts that is based on self-defense. Watchdog Krav Maga not only offers self-defense training at its Columbia facility, but also fitness training and weapons defense training. During his class at the REALTOR® Safety Month Kickoff, Jason focused on situational awareness and how to defend yourself when caught off-guard. For more information, visit www.watchdogkravmaga.com. 

 

NAR’s Safety Grant is provided to REALTOR® associations to help implement a Safety Program or feature for their members, and to encourage ongoing awareness of REALTOR® safety. HCAR was one of 23 associations from across the country to receive a 2021 grant. NAR and all REALTOR® associations observe September as National REALTOR® Safety Month to help our members understand the risks they face through knowledge, awareness, and empowerment. HCAR will continue to promote this important topic throughout the month by sharing safety information with its members via social media and member communications.