The spotlight is shining even brighter on Greater Chattanooga Realtors President Steven Sharpe as he basks in the gratitude of the statewide association, which granted him its 2023 Good Neighbor Award during TNEX 2023 in Nashville this month.
Tennessee Realtors included a $5,000 donation to Camp Horizon in the award package.
Sharpe and his wife, Lindsey, founded Camp Horizon in 2005 to provide an empowering experience for children with physical handicaps.
In his Feb. 17 column in the Hamilton County Herald, Sharpe noted how his wife, a physical therapist at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital, believed her patients needed to experience life without the limitations their impediments imposed upon them.
He then explained how he and she acted on their conviction by inviting campers to “step outside their limits and challenge their horizons” with other children with similar issues during an annual camp.
“Many people graciously donate their time,” Sharpe continued. “For example, each camper pairs up with a doctoral candidate volunteer from the physical and occupational therapy programs at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.”
Camp Horizon started with seven youth in 2005 and by 2019 had grown to 45 participants. Sharpe and his wife postponed the program during the pandemic and then rebounded to serve 25 campers in 2022.
Camp Horizon will use the donation from Tennessee Realtors to improve accessibility to the host facility, Camp Lookout in Rising Fawn, Georgia, Sharpe says.
“Camp Horizon is thankful for the monetary support of Tennessee Realtors and for all the support of our volunteers that help make a difference in the lives of these children.”
Angela Shields, CEO of Tennessee Realtors, extolled Sharpe’s selfless contribution to the Chattanooga community as she presented the award.
“Many people don’t know about all the good Realtors do in their communities. Steven is an outstanding example of how agents touch the lives of others. He’s the embodiment of the Good Neighbor Award and we’re very pleased to support his work.”
In his column, Sharpe deflected praise to the past recipients of Tennessee Realtors’ Good Neighbor Award, including inaugural recipient and fellow Chattanooga Realtor Janice Robertson, who founded Snack Pack.
“While I’m thrilled to receive the honor, I feel humbled to be in the company of previous Good Neighbor Award recipients, all of whom have done a great deal of work in their communities,” Sharpe wrote.
Learn more about Camp Horizon at camp-horizon.com and read more about Tennessee Realtors’ Good Neighbor Award at tnrealtors.com/applications/good-neighbor-awards.
Sources: Greater Chattanooga Realtors; Steven Sharpe