gmhTODAY 30 gmhTODAY April June 2020s | Page 31

volunteer of the year 2020 GILROY spice of life awards “I love my family at the Chamber, I love my family at Rotary, I love my family at South County Tail Waggers, and volunteering has allowed me to have all these extended families.” Written By Kimberly Ewertz Lisa L BLAGOF isa Blagof first made her way to Gilroy from Brookings, Oregon, in 1987. Since her arrival she’s immersed herself in giving back to a community she loves. Considering all that she’s accom- plished, it’s not surprising she received this honor. Lisa is an Ambassador for the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, recipient of the Ambassador of the Year award in 2018, Sergeant-at-Arms for Gilroy Toastmasters, Board Chair for South County Tail Waggers, a member of South County Realtors Alliance, a Gilroy Rotary Club member, and a Leadership Gilroy alumna, to name a few. But what started her on the volun- teer path was her involvement with Community Solutions and the Holiday Giving Program in 2012. That same year the nonprofit doubled its fundraising proceeds.  “I got more people involved, got more sponsorships, just went after it, hard, and pushed people,” Lisa said. What may surprise even those who know her is that Lisa has an adventurous side. Not long after earning her pilot’s license in 1992 she co-piloted a volun- teer group of medical professionals to a small town in Mexico to provide basic care to those in need. Having spent 14 years as a clinical laboratory scientist, Lisa was qualified to assist the doctors as well.  “It was a lot of fun,” she said. “I don’t speak any Spanish and you find out really quick that you don’t need it. It was a really, really great experience.”    After graduating from Oregon Institute of Technology she began her career in Gilroy as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist with an internship at Valley Medical Center. For the next 14 years she split her time between Natividad in Salinas, St. Louise and Good Samaritan GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN SPRING 2020 hospitals, and two medical groups. When Lisa found herself working a 70-work hour week she accepted the advice of her then-boyfriend and current husband, Ray Blagof, who suggested she try real estate. “I like new challenges and real estate does provide that more than most jobs do,” Lisa said. In 2001 she joined the staff of Coldwell Banker in Morgan Hill. Proponents of community service, their office holds annual fundraisers for Habitat for Humanity, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, and a number of local charities. Lisa was more than happy to pitch in and help. That same year, she and Ray married, making Lisa stepmother to Ray’s two daughters, and a four-time grandmother. She considers her decision to join the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce in 2016 a life-changing one. “I didn’t realize how involved they were…how much outreach they did,” she said.  “I had a real inside look. The people there are fantastic as are the opportunities they’ve given me.” After joining Toastmasters in 2018 she was elected Sergeant-at-Arms, and her primary role is that of greeter.   “Apparently that’s what I am at my core, but I didn’t realize it until Toastmasters,” Lisa said with a grin. For her, “volunteering is an incredibly fulfilling experience.” gmhtoday.com 31