Real estate industry teams compete for charity

With the California housing market in a rut, real estate has turned into a competitive market of late — but when four dozen industry teams go head-to-head at the Newport Dunes Resort Friday, they won’t be vying for home sales.

Rather, they’ll be facing off in volleyball, basketball, kayaks and a water bike race, as the seventh annual Challenge for Children seeks to raise funds for the United Way. Proceeds from the event will go toward the nationwide charity’s Success By 6 initiative, which supports healthy development and school readiness for children aged 6 and younger.

The Orange County United Way and Buchanan Street Partners are hosting the competition, which takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the resort. All the corporations sending teams to the event, including Bank of America, Grubb and Ellis and Transwestern, are associates of Buchanan.

“It’s just fun,” said spokeswoman Kristin Bush. “These people are raising dollars and they know it goes to the charities.”

— Michael Miller