In a single day, Shepherd's Gate, a local shelter for battered or homeless women and their children, received some extra loving that will help make the temporary shelter feel more like home for its residents - not just today, but far into the future.

In a nationwide effort, Windermere Real Estate challenged its franchises to roll up their sleeves and go out into their communities and make a difference. The challenge was to be met on June 17.

"We were brainstorming ideas for how we could do something for the community and when Shepherd's Gate's needs came up, we jumped on it," said Cheryl Gonzalez, who co-owns Discovery Bay's Windermere Signature Collection franchise with her husband Jaime and Janice Spencer.

The trio of owners, assisted by Windermere agents and a bushel of others, got busy and erected not just one project for the facility, but three: a vegetable and fruit garden (complete with a watering system), a brick barbecue pit and a playground set.

Gonzalez gives a great deal of credit to her real estate associate, Trish Daley, who helped put the project together. With the support of everyone in the Windermere franchise, Daley began asking local businesses for help.

"The wheels just started turning," Daley said, "and we started contacting different places and it (the project) just grew and grew." Perez Nursery donated plants, Silva Masonry offered to build the barbecue pit, Countrywide Home Loans supplied the stainless steel grill, Action Enterprises donated the garden sprinkler system and Windermere and its agents pitched in the funds to purchase the play structure. A multitude of other local businesses also contributed to the effort.

"Oh, we were completely blown away by what they (Windermere) did for us," said Shepherd's Gate Office Manager Terri Dominguez. "It was far beyond our expectations. We can't thank them enough and praise God for sending them to us."