Posted on Sep 29, 2016 in
FEATURES
Susan and Hunter Garczynski with Leslie Bolton and Conner Garczynski.
Meet Susan of the Susan Garczynski Team of KWSW. Garczynski has been with KWSW for over seven years, and while a native Houstonian, she has been a Fort Bend resident for the past 25 years.
Garczynski is an avid supporter of many local charitable organizations, but one is particularly near and dear to her heart. The Autism Playgroup of Fort Bend County was established in 2008 by Garczynski after the diagnosis of her now 12 year-old son, Conner. The diagnosis had a huge impact on her family as a whole and on each individual family member in different ways. Because children with autism generally have difficulty socializing, family life can become very reclusive. The goal of the Playgroup is not only to give autistic children an opportunity to socialize in a safe, interactive environment, but also to give families with autistic children an environment in which to socialize with other families. “It’s designed for the families to come so that the parents and typical siblings can see that there are other families that are just like theirs.”
Garczynski and her 10 to 20 volunteers organize up to seven playdates per year at one of the area parks with plenty of activities for the children, including sensory shaving cream activities, playdough, coloring and arts and crafts. Aside from park playdates, they also organize Easter Egg hunts and visits from Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
The Playgroup was a grassroots project, started and funded by friends, family and with help from local businesses. Currently, there are 450 families who have participated at one time or another, and the playdates host approximately 125 people per session.
First Colony Dream League volunteers Hunter Garczynski and U.S. Representative Pete Olson with Connor Garczynski.
But Garczynski’s commitment to children with special needs doesn’t end there. She was an active part of bringing Waves of Impact to the Texas Gulf Coast. This organization provides free surf camps for children with special needs and disabled veterans throughout California and on parts of the East Coast, but also now in Galveston and Corpus Christi, with two free surf camps per year. Their philosophy is that the ocean and surfing provide a great way to wash away stress and minimize sensory overload.
Garczynski is also heavily involved with the First Colony Dream League, which is a local baseball league for children with special needs. She has been a Challenger Division Coach since 2012 and a Buddy Ball Basketball League sponsor for First Colony.
When asked about how she manages her career, family life and plays such an active role in community volunteerism, Garczynski stated that a huge part of it is the flexibility in her career. “It’s family first and giving back to the community, and I’ve always been blessed with the financial rewards of increased clients because of that exposure. When customers hire me as their agent, they know that customer service is number one and my ability to get the job done and respond to them is the number one thing. It’s the same with my charity work. I’m blessed to have a career that is enjoyable like a hobby. I don’t take that lightly.”
For Garczynski, there is a personal satisfaction that comes from pleasing others and helping meet their needs. “In Real Estate, it’s the same thing: Can you serve their needs, which are to help them buy or sell a house? And it’s all about customer service.”
Susan Garczynski: Another KWSW Community Crusader, building careers worth having, businesses worth owning and lives worth living.
For more information on The Autism Playgroup of Fort Bend County, Waves of Impact and First Colony Dream League, contact Susan Garczynski at Susan@susangar.com and visit www.wavesofimpact.com and www.fcdreamleague.com.
<
