12-12-2021 1:26pm

Valley Real Estate Services Business of the Week

Beth Callahan Editor

Carlisle, OH -- Little did Craig Harris know that starting Valley Cares in 2019 as a way to say thank you to the Carlisle residents for supporting and trusting his company Valley Real Estate Services, was a vision that was going to be truly needed in the near future.

Back in 2017, Valley Real Estate did a Trunk or Treat event to help promote a safe and fun way for kids to go Trick or Treating. Because of the weather, it was moved to the Carlisle High School where over 200 plus children came all dressed up in their costumes to get a few treats.

This showed Harris and his staff, along with pastor Eric Clarkson of Church of the Village, the need for community events for residents in the Carlisle School District.

“We were trying to find away to say thank you to this community we love,” said Harris whose wife Kim is a teacher in the Carlisle School District.

As Trunk or Treat became an annual event, he and his staff began talking about other things they could do for the community.

One of the realtors at Valley Real Estates Joe Campbell wanted to do a Christmas event that year where kids could come get their picture taken with Santa.

“I told Joe no. I really didn’t think people would stay here locally to get photos with Santa...but boy was Joe going to prove me wrong,” Harris said.

Then 2020 hit, and by March 11, the world began to close down. Schools were closed, restaurants shut their doors, movie theaters couldn’t open, churches were even shut. People were quarantined in their homes.

Easter came and seeing that things were still staying closed and social distancing maybe becoming the norm, Valley Real Estate Services, along with the Church in the Village, and Franklin Township Brian Morris got together to create a Social Distancing East Egg Hunt.

Then, summer came and people were still locked in their homes. Restaurants were trying to find away to survive and people wanted to congregate someway...somehow, but still be safe.

Carlisle Councilwoman Kim Bilbrey contacted Harris about holding Food Truck Rallies at the Old Pizza Hotline. Harris said yes and that he not only wanted to let them use the property, but he wanted to be a part of it.

Carlisle Councilwoman Kim Bilbrey checking to be sure she made it on the Good List!

Different food vendors would come set up on scheduled evenings so that people could buy food to either go or sit in their car and eat. He and Clarkson from the church would stay and clean up after each event.

Then, Christmas of 2020 came. How were children going to be able to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas or get a photo with him?

“I went back to Joe and asked him about his idea of Santa coming to the village. He said Santa was definitely in,” Harris said

Harris’s wife Kim set up a little set that allowed children to sit a few feet away from Mr. and Mrs. Claus to get a picture. And since they couldn’t sit on his lap to tell him what they wanted, a mailbox had been set up to take letters.

Kim Harris with her daughter Christa stopped in with the Grinch to see Santa and his wife.

“I think all the letters were answered,” Harris said, adding, “it took Santa many hours to answer all of them.”

By the summer of 2021, people were getting out again, but the Food Truck Rallies were such a hit the summer before, Valley Cares along with Church in the Village brought the event back... along with Drive-in Movie Nights.

“It’s been great being able to do this for the community. And, I have to add, it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Church of the Village and Kim. She has helped us work things out with the city so we could do these things. And, she makes the food truck schedules of whose coming and who isn't,” he said.

Last week, Valley Cares held its second photos with Santa, Mrs. Claus and the Grinch. But this year, the kids were able to sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted.

“We still had the mailbox too,” Harris said, adding that letters will be taken till Friday Dec., 17 at midnight.

Santa’s going to be busy writing back, but this year some of Carlisle’s athletes volunteered to help Santa out Harris said.

Wait till he grows up and finds out he could have just sent Santa a letter!

Valley Real Estate has been in Carlisle for over 20 years and has 10 realtors working to help sell houses and find homes for those looking to make a move. While Carlisle is Valley Real Estate’s home base, the realtors can help buy and sell throughout the state of Ohio.

For more info visit... www.valleyres.com