Seven Gables agent, Doug Willits, is incredibly well known in the Town of Orange community. Not just for his incredible work as a Seven Gables Real Estate agent, but even more so for the tremendous amount of community service and involved project work he does to make sure Orange is always becoming a better place. Think leading home restoration projects, preparing the annual Field of Valor as a Veteran himself, serves on the Board of Directors for the Community Foundation of Orange, the list continues.
Within the City of Orange there are many accolades given each year, but few are more distinct and honorable than the Citizen of the Year Award. During the State of the City Luncheon on March 22, Seven Gables Agent and 2017 Recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award, Lisa Blanc, presented the 2018 award to none other than her colleague and good friend, Doug Willits.
“If there is hard work to be done or charitable giving to be offered, this person is always on the front lines,” Blanc spoke highly of Willits as she presented the award at the Luncheon. “As an active member of many community groups and boards, Doug has a long history of civic involvement.”
This award is presented to one person each year and is an award that holds a lot of weight. Willits’ involvement with the Foundation Games, Community Foundation of Orange, once the past President of the City of Orange Public Library Foundation, an active member of the St. Joseph Hospital Foundation, a member of the Orange Elks and American Legion, Willits is no stranger to giving back to Orange. As a postgraduate of Leadership Orange, The CERT Program and the Citizens Academy for the City of Orange Police Department, he also lends a hand with the annual Community Clean-Up Projects for those in need.
Willits has served on the Board of Governors for Chapman University since 1999, the Executive Board of the Alumni Association and has been a member of the Dean of Educator’s Special Advisory Board.
In 2010, Willits was awarded the Alumnus of the Year Award and is currently a City of Orange Planning Commissioner. To say Willits does it all would be an understatement. To earn the Citizen of the Year Award should come as no surprise for Doug, but of course, his humble demeanor might tell you otherwise.
The Citizen of the Year Award is voted on by a committee of past Citizens of the Year and this year, it was a unanimous vote to provide Doug the honor of the award this year.
