Eunice Gillis, a realtor at the Oro Valley/Marana office of Coldwell Banker Realty, has been recognized by the office of Congressman Juan Ciscomani with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition. She received it in appreciation of her dedicated service on the Tucson Realtors Foundation board of directors.
The award honors individuals who have demonstrated exceptional service and commitment to their communities. Gillis was recognized for her collaboration, leadership and unwavering dedication.
“We always get a lot of support from (Ciscomani’s) office,” Gillis said. “He’s the only one I’ve seen that has ever presented us with that.”
The certificate came as a welcome surprise to Gillis.
“I was just tickled to have received it with our group,” she said. “You can’t do it alone.”
Members of the foundation, who are either realtors or affiliate members of the Tucson Association of Realtors, raise money throughout the year with events such as a golf tournament and ticket sales for the annual Jim Click raffle. The foundation then gives the money organizations that work in one of two spaces.
“We primarily are focused on those who help offer education and housing support because as realtors that’s our primary focus,” Gillis said. “We have a big event every year where we select a beneficiary tied to the local community that helps our local veterans with either education or housing.”
Through a grant application process the foundation selects a different organization to benefit. The monies raised last year will go to Esperanza Tucson, a 35-year-old organization that serves homeless veterans and their families here in Tucson. It strives to provide a path from crisis to stability and independent living through. Esperanza will receive a check later this spring but Gillis won’t say how much.
“We are very excited to make that presentation to them,” she said, but… “We haven’t announced the amount as of yet that we will be contributing. We want that to be a surprise.”
The money Esperanza receives will be well spent. The organization provides transitional housing and supportive services to unhoused veterans and their families on its 14-acre campus. This year those houses need work.
“The big thing right now with them is they have to retrofit these homes now with sprinkler systems and this fell into their lap very suddenly,” Gillis said. “Now they are scrambling and some of the houses they aren’t able to utilize because they have to fit them with these sprinkler systems and the expense is exorbitant so we have put even more emphasis … on helping them with their fundraising efforts.”
Gillis has been a realtor since December 2019 and has been on the board for the last three years.
“It’s been a great way for me to give back to the community, especially coming from my background,” she said. “When people say statistically speaking, coming from a household with a single parent we tend to have not so good odds to make it in this world.”
Gillis herself is Hispanic, she said, and an immigrant from Mexico. She credits her mother with her success.
“When you do something regardless of what it is, I’ve always been raised by my mom that whatever you do you do it well whether you like it or not until you find something that you really love,” she said. “I’ve just always carried that with me and excelled at everything that I’ve ever applied myself to comes out very well (whether) it was my most favorite or not my most favorite with many mistakes along the way. You take those as life lessons and you keep moving forward.”
It’s this philosophy that informs her work at the foundation.
“Even though we didn’t have a lot we always gave,” Gillis said. “I’ve always believed that no matter how bad my circumstances are, someone else is having even a worse time.”
Despite a very hard year personally, Gillis keeps going. The certificate made her happy.
“I am honored to be recognized for my role in advancing the Foundation’s charitable mission and expanding its impact throughout the Tucson community,” said Gillis. “This distinguished honor underscores my ongoing commitment to service, leadership and excellence within the real estate industry and throughout my broader community as well as highlights the important role realtors play in giving back and leading with purpose.”