By JOHN THOMPSON
Business Editor

As the leaves start to erupt in their annual show of color, many residents are getting their holiday calendars set.

With holiday thoughts in mind, many folks are wondering the best way to help the less fortunate in our community.

One of the community's bigger providers in the charity realm is the county's Realtors, and plans are already being made for a big holiday season to help two special groups in the county.

This Friday is the deadline for previous contributors of trees and wreaths to claim their priority reservations for the Fayette County Board of Realtors' fifth annual Noel November - A Celebration of Trees and Wreaths.

Due to the popularity of the annual event, the sponsoring organization has been forced to limit donations of trees and wreaths for the auction to 35 trees and 75 wreaths. Former tree or wreath contributors have priority reservation privileges until the Oct. 15 deadline, then the other slots will be filled from the community at large on a first come, first served basis.

Sponsorships for this year's event also are available. In the Fayette County area, Noel November is annually one of the highlights of the Christmas season.

The recipients of the proceeds from this year's event will be the Asden Johnson Youth Protection home and the Fayette Family YMCA. Through Noel November, the Board of RealtorsÆ has contributed a sum of approximately $35,000 to local non-profit charitable organizations in Fayette County over the last four years.

The board's major fund-raising event of the year, the 1999 Noel November is scheduled Saturday, Nov. 6, at the old fairgrounds on Redwine Road in Fayetteville.

The event features a public showing of the trees and wreaths during the day, followed by an auction that night. The items in the auction are contributed by local businesses, organizations and individuals.

The program will include special music of the season, holiday children's activities, and photographs with Santa. The schedule of activities, lineup of entertainers and other details will be announced later. Cochairmen for this year's festivities are Terri Kellerman of Coldwell Banker Fulton Realty and Dave Edmondson of Century 21 Southern Crescent Realty.

In addition to Noel November, the Board of Realtors also is a big backer of education in the county.

Realtors association executive Helen Garr said the board is a regular supporter of the county's mentoring program through the Partners in Education program.

The Realtors have conducted bowl-a-thons to help create videos and new brochures to help the mentoring program.

Additionally, the Fayette chapter of the Womens' Council of Realtors helped out Habitat for Humanity this year.

With help from the community, the Realtors are hoping this will be a big holiday season for everyone.