The Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors used its annual coat drive to honor a late member who had a deep connection with the area.

The Realtors last week presented dozens of coats and hats to the Panther Valley School District to distribute to students in need.It’s an annual tradition that started back before the creation of the GLVR, which combined Realtor groups in the Lehigh Valley and Carbon County.“Well I know I appreciate it. I know the kids and the families appreciate it,” Panther Valley Superintendent Dennis Kergick said.“It’s important. People have no idea.”This year, the Realtors collected dozens of new coats, hats and gloves from their members. On top of that, the group’s outgoing president, Christopher Raad, donated $500 in the name of Jim Zurn, a Realtor who worked in the Jim Thorpe area.“Jim had a special connection with Carbon County and the people who live and work there,” Raad said.“It was important that the money be donated to this cause in honor of my good friend.”Zurn was the owner and associate broker for the Coldwell Banker Hearthside branch in Jim Thorpe.He died unexpectedly last February, just a few weeks after he was sworn in as the group’s president.Joining Raad to present the coats were Cass Chies, the group’s current president, and Justin Porembo, who is a Panther Valley graduate.“This is something the Carbon group has done, a coat drive to help disadvantaged youth in Carbon, and as greater Lehigh, we wanted to continue that,” Porembo said.