Diantha Shaffer

Local Oak Park area specialist, Diantha Shaffer of Troop Real Estate, recently made several donations to Oak Park Unified School District teachers, fulfilling their technology “wish lists.” She hopes others will be inspired to find their own ways to contribute.

Recognizing that, due to continued budget cuts, our community teachers often lacked the basic technological tools and devices that many of us take for granted, Troop Real Estate established an annual fundraiser to provide cash grants to teachers to fund their technology wishes. Four years ago the Annual Troop Real Estate Adopt-ASchool Technology Program was started by Donna O’Leary, a corporate employee of Troop Real Estate. In 2005, through contributions from Troop agents and an annual golf tournament, more than $90,000 was raised and used for technology grants to teachers and classrooms. Not every request is able to be funded, and that’s where individual agents like Diantha Shaffer get involved.

Shaffer requested copies of the grant applications from Oak Park teachers that were unable to be fulfilled and she set out to personally fund their requests. Thanks to Shaffer’s generosity, Ms. Harrison of Oak Park Independent School now has subscriptions to several online resources for teachers; Ms. Williams, a special education teacher, now has software programs that will assist her with teaching students the value of money, how to count coins and make change; Ms. Handfinger, a Spanish teacher at Medea Creek Middle School, now has a DVD/VHS player so she can help students learn the language; the entire English department at the high school now have laser printers at their desks and no longer need to use time outside of class to print and retrieve documents; and Ms. Litten and the science departmenhave a new 32” flat TVDVD/VHS player and the Classroom Jeopardy! System.

Prior to starting her career in real estate, Shaffer volunteered many hours to her children’s schools, often using her lunch hour to help out with fundraising efforts. Among other things, she served on the board of directors for the Athletic Booster Clubchaired the annual Hall of Fame dinner, served and chaired local scholarship committees, and was an active member of the Track Improvement Fund, every year helping to successfully raise the funds to build an all-weather track at the high school. She has also established an annual $1,000 scholarship in honor of long-time Oak Park teacher and coach Kevin Smith. As her ability to financially contribute has increasedshe’s given thousands of dollars more and continues to do so. “ Being an Oak Park parent, I am inspired by the dedication of our local teachers,” Shaffer said, “and I believe very strongly in giving back in time and also financially out of respect and appreciation for the exceptional job they do.”

Shaffer hopes that others will realize they can make a difference, too. “Many business people advertise they will donate in exchange for referrals or with purchases, but I say why wait, give back now and start making a difference today.”

Westlake Village Troop Real Estate office manager Patti Hepple praised Shaffer for her continued involvement in her Oak Park community. “Diantha is the type of agent that others look up to and it is truly a pleasure to see the example she sets by contributing to our local communities and continuing to represent Troop Real Estate’s ideals.”

Shaffer is a local realtor with Troop Real Estate with a background rich in contract negotiation, marketing and community service. She lives in Oak Park with her two sons, Scott, 19, and Cody, 15. Shaffer’s clients compliment her innovative marketing and strong work ethic. She serves the Oak Park community and surrounding Conejo Valley area.

For more information about the annual Troop Real Estate Adopt-ASchool fundraising efforts, or how to personally fund local teachers’ wishes, call Shaffer at (818) 292-2002 or contact her online at www.Dreams2Life.biz .