Missouri REALTORS® are not only real estate professionals, they’re so much more. They dedicate their time to serving on school boards, in elected positions and volunteering their time to make communities a better place to be. They’re educators, serving on panels and facilitating industry discussions. Their philanthropic efforts are inspiring and the difference they are making within their communities is significant. Our Member Spotlight series highlights these efforts and introduces some of our wonderful members!
This month, we’re shining the Member Spotlight on Jennifer Winkelman, a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Jefferson City.
Over the past five years, Jennifer Winkelman has volunteered her time to train dogs for Puppies for Parole. Puppies for Parole is a volunteer organization that allows incarcerated individuals at the Tipton Correctional Facility to live with a dog and train it for the AKC Canine Good Citizen test where some of the dogs will then move onto becoming service dogs. Jennifer is an evaluator for the AKC and gives the dogs the test and assists them in graduating.
Tipton Correctional Facility dogs have had a profound impact on the Tipton area. Since the program's founding, 182 dogs have been adopted. Dogs have been in the Apple Festival in Versailles, MO, the Missouri State Fair Air Stream Camper Club Show in Sedalia, MO, and the Tipton Christmas Parade in Tipton, MO. Dogs have also been taken to the local Tipton Elementary School to work with developmentally disabled children.
Puppies for Parole isn’t the only organization that Jennifer volunteers for. She also volunteers for 4-H as a dog project leader, she is a dog show judge and serves as superintendent of the Cole County Fair dog show. In addition to all of this, Jennifer is also a therapy dog evaluator for Therapy Dog International.
If you’re in the community spotlight or know someone who is, let us know. We’d love to shine our Missouri REALTORS® Spotlight on you!