2011 Hometown Spirit Award Recipient

From nominators:   

Keith Bliss moved to Cary in August 1995. He became a Real Estate Agent in 2001, starting his real estate business officially on September 11, 2001. What a time to be getting into the business! In 2003, Keith and Gioia Bliss were married at the Page Walker Arts and History Center in downtown Cary. They have three children, Carter (8), Cameron (5), and Sawyer (2). In 2006 he purchased and renovated an historic 1920s bungalow in downtown Cary and converted it into their real estate office, and in 2007 he purchased and renovated another historic 1900s cape across the street. His vision has delighted the residents who pass through this section of Cary every day.

Keith is very involved as a leader in the community through volunteering his time, energy, enthusiasm and unrelenting passion for bettering the Cary community with existing organizations, some of which include: St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Cary Chamber of Commerce, Heart of Cary Association, Friends of the Page Walker Hotel, Capital Area Preservation, Cary Visual Arts, Interfaith Food Shuttle, Advocates for Health in Action, Cary Parks and Recreation little league, and cub scouts. He has also served on Town appointed committees, including the Downtown Cary Steering Committee, Walker Street Public Artists Selection Committee, and Downtown Wayfinding Committee.

Keith created Cary’s Pocket Community Garden in the spring of 2010 through the help of donations from fellow realtors at Keller Williams Realty and other companies in related fields throughout the community. Cary’s Pocket is a garden that gives back to the community through the Interfaith Food Shuttle program. In their first season they donated over 500 pounds of produce to this program. Cary’s Pocket is a true asset to the local food movement.

Helps out neighbors and fellow Cary residents: Keith is a great neighbor, both during the day in downtown Cary and during nights and weekends with his family in the Tatton Place neighborhood – when he’s not at community meetings or, most recently, working tirelessly in Cary’s Pocket growing local food.

Demonstrates hospitality: Keith is a great resource for information about Cary and is always creating events to bring people together. His generous donation of the land for the community garden is a prime example.

Promotes and preserves traditional American past-times: Keith led the Heart of Cary Association to become a fixture in the Cary Band Day Parade with a float promoting the Ole’ Time Winter Festival.

Shows a concern for preservation and works to preserve traditions and the small town atmosphere in the community: Keith and Gioia received the 2008 Anthemion Award through Capital Area Preservation for the historic preservation of 115 Dry Avenue.

Promotes entrepreneurship through supporting locally owned business: Creating a business in downtown Cary initiated his involvement in the downtown Cary movement.

Promotes a sense of community in his neighborhood and all of Cary: By creating a community garden in the middle of the historic district, Keith’s work and involvement in the local food movement has helped many other business leaders and residents understand what it means to “eat local”.

Demonstrates patriotism through promotion and preservation of the country’s symbols and dedication to the US military, past and present: Bliss Real Estate was the recipient of the Heart of Cary Association’s “cutest” award for the Summer 2011 Downtown Spirit Award for their 4^th of July decorations.

Serves the community through business: Keith has been a realtor in the Cary community with Fonville Morisey and Keller Williams for the past 10 years. He helps people call Cary home and promotes Cary every day. He is highly respected and is consistently ranked in the top 5% of all Cary real estate agents.

More importantly than all the above, Keith is extremely blessed to have a very understanding wife and family. His leadership in the community is truly a gift of time that most of us take for granted. In his efforts to make Cary a better place for his family, he makes it a better place for us all.

Keith Bliss is deserving of receiving the Town of Cary 2011 Hometown Spirit Award.

Nominated by: Sheila Ogle and Paula Goldberg