Courtesy Photo Banner Realty Owner/Broker Margie Haaxma stopped by on Thursday to drop off a donation. Pictured here are Friends Together Executive Director Melissa Burns, Margie Haaxma, and Shelly Gibbs.

ALPENA — Margie Haaxma, Broker/Owner of Banner Realty, stopped by Friends Together on Thursday to make a generous donation in memory of Judy Burns, founder of Friends Together, for her outstanding dedication to the Alpena and surrounding communities that have been affected by a cancer diagnosis.

Haaxma stated that Judy’s promise to her daughter Dawn, who passed away from colon cancer in 1995, has not gone unnoticed. Haaxma made special mention that one of the Banner Realty agents had come to a Friends Together support group where it changed her life and gave her encouragement to fight her diagnosis and today is a proud cancer survivor!

Haaxma also wanted to honor Shelly Gibbs, a Friends Together staff member. Gibbs worked side by side with Haaxma and the Banner Realty team from April 1990 until December 2018. In January 2019, Gibbs began her career with Friends Together – helping in the mission that no one faces cancer alone.

Banner Realty’s hope and prayer is that cancer will be no more.