Realtors return with reign of the reindeer

BELMONT — It’s going to be difficult to include many, if not all, of the usual holiday traditions this year. So, why not pick up a new one? Mitch Hamel has just the tradition in mind.

Hamel, a Realtor who works out of the Belmont office of Berkshire-Hathaway Home Services, said that last year he was trying to figure out how he and his co-workers, team “Verani Reindeer,” could raise funds for the Pub Mania event that benefitted the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction. He was struck with inspiration when he was selling a house in Weare that had some pink flamingos in the yard.

“There were some that were still hanging around, some of them had moss on them,” he recalled, adding that it brought to mind other fundraisers that involved placing flocks of fake flamingos on people’s lawns.

He took that concept and put a festive twist on it.

“We have a team of three reindeer, with a sleigh attached. For a minimum donation of $20 we will go to people’s houses and place them there and pick them up the next day,” he said.

Hamel and the Verani Reindeer started the fund raising project last year, and were surprised by reaction. He thinks that with the pandemic in effect for this Christmas, the reindeer will be in even greater demand.

“We sold out last year and we had requests that rolled into this year,” he said. The team now has three sets of reindeer, and Hamel said that people can pay to have them placed in their own yard, in someone else’s yard, or both.

“We’re hopeful that, in spite of the times that we’re in, this will be an opportunity for people to provide some much-needed smiles on people’s faces,” he said.

For information about how to arrange for a visit from the reindeer, contact Hamel at 603-387-7027, or any of the other team captains: Deb Peverly at 603-387-2452, Greg Peverly at 603-393-5100, or Susan Cummins Harris at 603-387-1010. Inquiries may also be sent via email: deb.peverly@verani.com, susan.cummins@verani.com, greg.peverly@verani.com, mitch.hamel@verani.com.

All proceeds will be donated to the Children’s Auction. Hamel said that they raised $3,600 last year.

“I’m hoping that we can raise more than that this year,” he said.