Auction Helps Century 21 System Breathe New Life into Retired Mascot Costumes

RISMEDIA, Feb. 14, 2008-Century 21 Real Estate LLC announced that the Century 21 System has raised more than $9,000 for Easter Seals through a series of live auctions in which System members bid for the right to take home one of the Century 21 brand mascot costumes.

Created by Century 21 Real Estate LLC in 2003 as a part of a national sponsorship program, the mascot costumes, affectionately referred to as Houser and his brother Nestor, dutifully served as ambassadors for the Century 21 System, attending major professional sporting events and visiting numerous Century 21 offices across the country.

“After announcing retirement, Nestor and Houser wanted to find a place to call home and benefit Easter Seals at the same time. These auctions are doing just that,” said Tom Kunz, president and chief executive officer for Century 21 Real Estate LLC.

Since announcing the retirement in 2007, the Century 21 System has held two auctions in which Century 21 System brokers have bid against each other in the hopes of taking one of the costumes back to their local offices all in the name of charity. The third and final auction will be held at Century 21 International Convention 2008 where System attendees will have the chance to give the last of the mascot costumes a permanent home.

The first mascot auction was held in the summer of 2007 at a regional Century 21 System sales rally in Marco Island, Fla. Ruth Cabella, broker/owner of Century 21 Real Estate Champions placed a winning bid of more than $2,600 in order to bring Nestor home to her Madeira Beach based brokerage company.

The second auction took place during the 2007 Century 21 Leadership Conference in Puerto Rico in late October 2007. Rachel Broadhurst, broker/owner of Century 21 Broadhurst and Associates placed a winning bid of $2,300 in order to bring the feathered colleague home with her. William Kessler, broker/owner of Century 21 Affiliated, headquartered in Madison, Wis., also donated $2,200 to Easter Seals as part of this auction bringing the overall bid to $4,500 for the single costume.

The funds raised in these charitable auctions have and will benefit Easter Seals to support ongoing efforts to help people with disabilities gain greater independence.

Easter Seals is the official corporate charity of Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Since 1979, the Century 21 System has raised more than $91 million on behalf of Easter Seals and stands as the organization’s all-time leading contributor. Easter Seals will announce the Century 21 System’s 2007 fundraising total during Century 21 International Convention 2008.

For more information, visit www.century21.com.