Prudential Preferred Realty and the Make-A-Wish Foundation® Make Families’ Dreams Come True

By Vanessa Orr

For more than 50 years, Prudential Preferred Realty has been in the business of making wishes come true. The company has a longstanding record of assisting hundreds of thousands of homeowners and homebuyers to achieve their real estate goals, and as a supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation for almost two decades, the company also helps to turn local children’s wishes into reality.

“I think it is extremely important for our company not only to give back to our community, but to involve our people with other aspects of the lives of the people we serve,” explained CEO Ron Croushore. “Our profession is a serving profession—we help people buy and sell their homes, one of the biggest investments in their lives. Serving them in other ways comes naturally to us.”

As a dominant player in both the North Hills and the greater Pittsburgh area, Prudential Preferred Realty makes it possible for families to find the homes of their dreams. As the listing agent for one of Cranberry Township’s newest upscale developments, Georgetown Square, they are continuing in their quest to provide buyers with high quality living options.

“Georgetown Square is a truly unique community for Prudential Preferred Realty to market because of its location, setting and distinctive exterior and interior details,” explained Marlene Sausman, ABR, CRS, GRI. “Its suburban location, which includes low Butler County taxes, offers easy access to major highways and appeals to those who are accustomed to a metropolitan lifestyle. The luxurious, carefree lifestyle that Georgetown Square has to offer makes it extremely well-positioned for the planned growth in that corridor of Cranberry Township.”

The first residential mixed-use development in Cranberry, Georgetown Square features 21 townhomes and 39 carriage homes with first floor owners’ suites. The development was created by Georgetown Square LLC, comprised of developer/builder Patrick J. Minnock of Minnock Construction and developer Larry Dorsch. “From the very beginning, we worked hand-in-hand with the township to get the site plan approved,” explained Minnock. “Larry and I spent a lot of time in the planning process working to create a nice mix of homes that would cater to a lot of different markets—everyone from early retirees to single folks and families.”

Impressive landscaping defines the 12-acre site, which features English gardens, fountains, a cascading waterfall and pond, walking trails, gas lamps and stamped concrete walkways. The English garden is even set up for Wi-Fi. Home interiors feature nine-and-a-half-foot ceilings, fireplaces, exquisite detailing in the custom cabinetry, doors and woodwork. Exterior maintenance and landscaping are provided by the Homeowners Association for the ultimate in carefree living.
“The quality of this development surpasses anything that’s out there,” said Minnock. “These are not your typical town or carriage homes.”

In addition to building beautiful homes and creating quality neighborhoods, Prudential Preferred Realty also believes in supporting the communities that they’ve helped to create. “In 1991, we looked for a cause that would allow our agents and employees to become personally involved with a charity that would directly benefit people in their neighborhoods,” explained Croushore. “The Make-A-Wish Foundation seemed like a perfect fit – we could help make wishes come true for kids diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions. Many were wishing for things that made their homes better for them – things like playrooms, bedroom redecorations and swimming pools.”

Now celebrating its 25th year, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has helped to grant hundreds of North Hills’ children’s wishes. “Our generous donors have helped us grant 230 travel wishes, 148 gift wishes and 22 celebrity wishes for children in this area,” explained Judith Stone, president and CEO. “The people of Prudential Preferred Realty are the absolute greatest; in the past 18 years, they’ve raised more than $825,000 for us and gotten every single one of their offices involved.”

The mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation is “to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.” They do this by fulfilling children’s wishes, whether that means taking a trip to Disney World, meeting Indiana Jones, being a superhero for a day, or in the case of Franklin Park’s Zack Abel, finding a dinosaur statue in his backyard.

“During Pittsburgh’s DinoMite Days, Zack saw all of the painted dinosaurs around town, and decided that he wanted a T-Rex at our home,” explained his mother, Natalie. “Make-A-Wish had the mold maker and a designer come out, and they worked with Zack to create his own custom-made dinosaur.”

Zack was named “paleontologist for a day,” and went on a dinosaur hunt starting at the Pittsburgh Zoo. “Make-A-Wish picked him up in a Hummer, and took him to the Komodo dragon exhibit,” said Natalie. “From the zoo, he went to the museum, where he got a behind-the-scenes tour of the ‘big bone room.’ Then he tracked the dinosaur to our house, where he followed dinosaur footprints from our driveway to the backyard. When he saw the dinosaur installed, he was just beside himself.”

According to Stone, this is the kind of reaction that Make-A-Wish hopes to inspire. “Our goal is to give kids something to think about other than their illnesses,” she explained. “We want to give them something to look forward to during the tough times. With the help of companies like Prudential Preferred Realty, we can continue to light up children’s lives.”

For more information on Make-A-Wish, call (800) 676-9474 or visit www.wishgreaterpa.org. For information on Georgetown Square, call Marlene Sausman at (724) 776-3686 or visit www.georgetownsquaretownhomes.com. Georgetown Square is located on Freedom Road in Cranberry.