A HOLIDAY MESSAGE FROM REBUILDING TOGETHER By Tim Clarke

What can you say about the holidays that hasn’t been said a hundred times…. the season of giving and goodwill. Sometimes you may not receive the satisfaction you once felt. Well, I’ll tell you something that will give you the greatest feeling of year, the spirit of volunteering to help neighbors in your own mountain community. Rebuilding Together furnishes this every year with Rebuilding Day on the last Saturday in April. Each year we start by accepting applications from low-income homeowners to perform repairs on their homes for free to keep them warm, safe, and dry. Every year contractors, skilled craftsmen and volunteers make neighbors dreams come true. This year we must select from 14 homes, and this means we will have to have to say no to some who have applied. When it comes right down to it, we have neither enough contractors to head up the work or enough money to finance it. Nonprofits must have a nest egg to carry on year after year, so we must whittle down needs in order to be in line with our budget. Snowmageddon proved that and taught us that no matter the need we must survive to work another year. So, if you don’t get picked this year apply again next year. If your needs are urgent enough you may be selected for our Emergency Repair Program which has its own budget.

Many of the no’s are notified by our long-serving secretary Sue Parks who is the most empathic person I know. Sue receives a lot of calls each year from people outside our service area of Cedarpines Park to Green Valley Lake. Calls come in from other nearby counties, and one came in from another state on the east coast. Sue listens to and comforts her wayward callers suggesting possible points of help in their communities. Sometimes this is what they need to hear to feel hopeful and they hang up having found a new friend.

So, if you want to help click above to sign up for Rebuilding Day, give a donation or get further information. You can also call the office.

e-mail: info@rtmc.build

Rebuilding Together Mountain Communities

P.O.Box 3540

Blue Jay CA 92317

Phone: 909-336-3910