It’s a Dream Come True: Clearwater Resident Wins National Contest to Become a First-Time Homebuyer
CLEARWATER, Fla., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ — A Clearwater resident wrote her way into her first home, and on Thursday she accepted a $10,000 check in the first home purchase of her life. It’s a dream come true.
Elena “Elle” Borneman entered the third annual Own Your First Home essay contest sponsored by the national publication, BLACK ENTERPRISE. For the contest, she wrote a poignant essay about what home ownership means to her and her sentiment earned her a $10,000 prize to go toward the purchase of her first home.
Earl G. Graves Sr., founder and publisher of BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine, presented Borneman with a “supersized check” at a special ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 17, at the new Borneman residence in Clearwater.
BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine is a business-service publication that provides 3.9 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers and financial management. The Black Enterprise Own Your First Home Contest awards $10,000 to a qualified first-time home buyer to use toward the down payment on a home. The goal of the contest is to inspire more African-Americans to pursue home ownership as their primary means of building personal wealth. While the number of African-Americans who own homes has risen in recent years, there remains a sizeable gap between the percentage of black homeowners and homeowners of other racial groups.
Borneman also qualified for the city of Clearwater’s Homebuyers Program. Both the city and county have made affordable housing a priority and are working to make the dream of home ownership a reality through various programs and partnerships.
“We are proud to welcome and recognize Ms. Elle Borneman as a Clearwater first-time homebuyer,” said Clearwater Vice Mayor John Doran. “Through her personal efforts, supplemented by the Black Enterprise Own Your First Home essay award and the City of Clearwater’s First-Time Homebuyer’s program, she has realized this very important part of the American Dream.”
For BLACK ENTERPRISE, contact Andrew Wadium at 212-886-9598 or wadiuma (at) blackenterprise (dot) com
BLACK ENTERPRISE, your ultimate source for wealth creation, is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine provides 3.9 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. A multimedia company, be also produces radio and television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content, and digital media. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the definitive source of information for and about African American business markets and leaders, and the authority on black business news and trends.
Contact:
Mary Burrell
Communications Department
(727) 580-7732
SOURCE Pinellas County
© 2007 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.
