APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – At the end of July, Pillars received its largest singular addition to its property portfolio, courtesy of a legacy donation from lifelong Appleton resident and former landlord Richard ‘Dick’ Reetz.
Reetz’s estate made a legacy donation, giving 20 units across 10 different properties, which will help Pillars in its mission to relieve people from homeless shelters and give them stable housing.
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Reetz’s stepson Joe Frank cited the passion and fairness that his stepfather showed in his over 50 years as a landlord.
“Dick gave people a chance when others would not,” Frank said in a release. “He cared about his tenant’s stories and wanted to help get them on their feet. He had a genuine interest in people.”
One of Reetz’s final actions in his life was to donate the units to Pillars, as he didn’t want to displace people by selling his properties to developers, and the organization expressed its gratitude.
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“Pillars is very proud to carry on Richard’s legacy of providing housing to those who need it at an affordable level,” Executive Director Lisa Strandberg said via a release.
