Back in 1987, Oral Lee, an Oakland Realtor®, made a promise to a class of 23 first graders -- if they graduated from High School, she would pay for their college education. Nineteen went on to college, 14 graduated and 3 continued into graduate studies.

In 2003, the first Oakland Association of Realtors (OAR) sponsored Walk Around the Lake took place, raising money to send more disadvantaged children to college.