Giving back to the communities we serve is at the heart of RANW’s Community Service Committee. In August, the committee helped bring seven new benches to the Bellevue East River Trail in Brown County, giving residents and visitors more places to rest and enjoy the outdoors. After exploring local needs, the committee selected the project, applied for and received funding through the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Placemaking Grant, and worked with the Village of Bellevue Parks Department to make it happen. The goal? To foster a strong sense of Community and spaces that are accessible, comfortable, offer activities, and encourage people to connect. Committee members Molly Gutowski, Christina Kamuda, Lizzy Giddley, and Linnea Utecht worked on the project with support from RANW office staff Jessica Uecker and Paula Hall. A resident who lives near the trail has already called to express their gratitude, describing the benches as “an absolute delight.” Hearing that appreciation makes the effort especially rewarding, and the committee is already looking ahead to a grant project for 2027. Thank you to everyone involved, and to our RANW members, for helping make a lasting contribution to the community. RANW members play a large part through our dues to support the work that makes community projects like this possible.