That feeling when...

You know that feeling when (#TFW) you’re having the worst morning and then you find out that the person in front of you in the Starbucks drive-thru paid for your latte? If you’re like me, you feel surprised and are taken aback by the fact that someone else would treat you to your daily dose of caffeine! Small acts of kindness like this can have the most profound impact.

AAGO’s Golden Key Nominee pinning process invokes similar emotions for many individuals who have been lucky enough to be part of this longstanding tradition. If you’ve been following AAGO’s social media lately, chances are you’ve seen some of the posts honoring this year’s Golden Key Awards Nominees. The Special Events Committee volunteers took time out of their busy schedules to perform random acts of kindness around central Florida to surprise this year’s Golden Key Nominees. Committee members showed up unannounced to deliver a Golden Key Award Nominee pin to this year’s honorees and celebrate this special achievement.

When asked what it felt like to receive his nomination, Maurice Williams from BG Multifamily said, “Being nominated again this year was so exciting. Last year, I was nominated for my Apartment Management Role and this year I was nominated for my Apartment Supplier Role. Being surprised at FAA with my nomination pin and letter was so amazing.”

Kelly Brown with Real Floors had a memorable experience receiving her nomination as well. " I had no idea that someone nominated me for a Golden Key Award until my surprise pinning at the FAA tradeshow,” Kelly said. “It means a lot to me that not only does someone think I'm deserving of an award, but they also took the time to go through the nomination process too. I've had the privilege to pin nominees for the last two years while on the Special Events Committee and being on the other side of the pinning process this time was quite memorable."

Barbara Sheridan, Account Manager at ForRent, was one of the many individuals who volunteered to make this year’s pinning celebrations a success. When asked about her experience Barbara explained, “Bonnie Smetzer (JMG Realty) was so excited to receive her pin. It was perfect timing to be able to give her the pin at FAA so her colleagues could be a part of it.”

The magic of the Golden Key Awards doesn’t stop once someone receives his or her nomination. The anticipation and excitement continues to build in the weeks leading up to the awards ceremony in December. Angela Soto, a Golden Key Award Nominee who works at Parks at Hunters Creek, reflects on the special nature of this annual event when she explains, “It’s wonderful to celebrate our achievements and show appreciation for everyone's hard work and dedication.”

Please join us in thanking this year’s Special Events Committee volunteers who made the nomination process memorable for our 2017 nominees. This event wouldn’t be possible or without all of your hard work!

As we prepare for the Golden Key Awards celebration on December 2nd, we encourage you to use #AAGOGKA and #TFW (That feeling when) on social media to share your favorite memories from the event or express support for a nominee.