SUBMITTED BY GENEVIEVE CROKER | REBUILDING TOGETHER KENT COUNTY
On Saturday, October 30th and Saturday, November 6th, small teams of Rebuilding Together Kent County volunteers mobilized to repair steps and ramps.
In Rock Hall, a senior neighbor living alone requested help with an aging wooden ramp that she uses to enter and exit her home. She has replaced several boards herself over the years but needed the expertise of our dedicated volunteers to do an extensive overhaul of the structure. Six people spent several hours removing and replacing rotting deck boards, spindles and handrails so Mrs. B could feel confident about getting in and out of the house. Most volunteers were local but the award for the longest traveler goes to Bob Haist, former Board President of Rebuilding Together Kent County, who traveled from his now-home in Pennsylvania to re-engage with an organization that has been important to him for many years.
When staff followed up with Mrs. B following the project, she said, “those young gentlemen were tremendous. Now I don’t have to worry about stepping on a board and falling through.”
The previous Saturday, a crew of five, including a local Washington College employee and her teenage son, repaired front and back steps at a home near Fairlee. Mrs. P and her adult daughter, who is living with disabilities, were nervous about the holes and general instability of the steps at both entries to their home. The crew, led by longtime Rebuilding Together supporter, Bill Ghio, was able to replace rotting deck boards and handrails in the front and almost entirely reconstruct the back steps.
The materials for both builds were purchased using gift cards donated by Lowe’s. Lowe’s continues to be a tremendous supporter of Rebuilding Together affiliates across the country and they are grateful to their National office for helping to secure these funds. When Rebuilding Together Kent County can leverage this in-kind support with the gifts of time and skill from their tremendous volunteers, they are able to reserve more federal and state grant funds to hire contractors for repairs requiring licensed professionals. They make these critical repairs to help neighbors remain in homes that are safe, warm and dry.
About the Kent County Chamber of Commerce
With more than 300 member businesses, nonprofits, and individuals, the Chamber is Kent County’s premier business-to-business facilitator. Through our many unique programs, events, and advocacy, we provide a platform for leaders from the private, public, and non-profit sectors to engage with each other to grow their respective organizations for the ultimate benefit of Kent County and its residents.
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