ABOUT CHRISTMAS IN APRIL
Christmas in April * St. Mary's County, Maryland, Inc. is a local chapter of Rebuilding Together, a national volunteer organization that, in partnership with the community rehabilitates the homes of low-income homeowners, particularly the elderly and disabled, so that they may live in warmth, safety, and independence. We also provide help through work on community projects in St. Mary's County.
In the past 21 years, Christmas in April * St. Mary's County, Maryland, Inc., volunteers have repaired over 611 homes; 14 community nonprofit facilities have received help with repairs; 34,700 people have shared their time and talents; and have made free home repairs worth more than $5 million to improve the living conditions of the low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners in St. Mary's County.
Volunteer registration officially begins on January 1, 2012, however, we are always looking for volunteers to serve on our committees and help with various aspects of our program. Volunteer sign-up is on-going, but we ask prospective volunteers to contact us prior to April 2, 2012, since it takes a lot of logistical planning to prepare for each one of our National Rebuilding Days.
Summary of our 21 st National Rebuilding Day
On Saturday, April 30, 2011, over 1,300 volunteers shared their time and talents on site and repaired another 22 homes of low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners in St. Mary's County, MD. Several hundred other volunteers worked on-the-road and behind the scenes providing logistical, technical, food and beverages, and support services. Thank you everyone for all your help!
Not to be forgotten were the six (6) additional homes that received repairs prior to April 30th (between October 20, 2010 and April 2011). One of the homeowners receiving “emergency” repairs told us that because of Christmas in April's help, she and her family have hot water for the first time in five (5) years.
Over these past 21 years, Christmas in April * St. Mary's County (an affiliate of Rebuilding Together) has:
(1) Repaired over 611 homes and 14 community projects;
(2) Have totaled over 34,700 volunteers sharing their time and talents; and
(3) Have made free home repairs worth more than $5 million to improve the living conditions of the low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners in St. Mary's County, MD.
Upcoming Events
Present to October 2011, Distribution of our free 2012 Applications for Assistance, available to all low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners in St. Mary's County, MD.
October 9, 2011, 11 am, Tractor Parade Event to benefit Christmas in April * St. Mary's County, held in Leonardtown, on the town square. Volunteers are needed to help with traffic control and other assistance.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011, the CMI General Contractors, Inc. sponsored golf tournament fundraiser to benefit Christmas in April * St. Mary's County. Golfers and sponsors are welcome! Contact John Parlett, Jr., at CMI General Contractors, Inc., to sign up. His office number is (301) 884-4133; johnp@cmigc.com
Preparing for the 15 th Annual Golf Tournament
The 15 th Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser is quickly approaching. Please put Wednesday, October 12, 2011 on your calendar! The 15 th Annual CMI General Contractors, Inc. sponsored golf tournament fundraiser to benefit Christmas in April * St. Mary's County will be on October 12, 2011. Golfers and sponsors are welcome! Contact John Parlett, Jr., at CMI General Contractors, Inc., to sign up. His office number is (301) 884-4133; johnp@cmigc.com
What's Next
We are already preparing for our 22 nd year (2012) in repairing homes of low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners in St. Mary's County.
Our next National Rebuilding Day will be on Saturday, April 28, 2012.
We now have our 2011 Christmas in April * St. Mary's County Newsletter.
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THROUGHOUT THE YEAR...
Planning meetings are held in the evening on the third Wednesday of each month (except July and August), at the Burch Oil Company meeting room, located on Rt. 235 in Hollywood .
Volunteers are needed throughout the year. You don't need to be a carpenter or plumber to help with planning activities, offering office support (filing and typing), fundraising activities, or helping to distribute homeowner applications. Come and join us. Your help is welcome. Of course, if you are a plumber or carpenter, sometimes we need your help during the year too-for emergency repairs.
STARTING POINT
In preparation for our April 28, 2012 National Rebuilding Day, we are presently distributing copies of our free 2012 Application for Assistance through October 2011. The members of our House Selection Committee will begin their work in mid-October through December 2011, visiting all the low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners in St. Mary's County who apply for assistance from Christmas in April * St. Mary's prior to our application deadline.
FINANCIAL NEEDS
Christmas in April * St. Mary's County (an affiliate of Rebuilding Together) is grateful for every financial contribution (from $1 on up). For our major financial donors, we have three levels:
“Neighborhood Builder” – an individual, group, or company that donates at least $1,000 to become a co-sponsor of a home. They will receive recognition of this donation by having their name on a board outside the home they are helping to co-sponsor; their name on a large board at the volunteer picnic; their name listed in our thank you ad in The Enterprise newspaper; their name listed as a Neighborhood Builder in our yearly newsletter; and will be receiving a plaque stating their status as a Neighborhood Builder. In those cases, where the individual or group is a repeat Neighborhood Builder, they will be given a plaque insert to be added to the plaque they have already been awarded.
“Community Builder” - an individual, group, or company that donates at least $2,000 to become a sponsor of a home. They will receive recognition of this donation by having their name on a board outside the home they are helping to sponsor; their name on a large board at the volunteer picnic; their name listed in our thank you ad in The Enterprise newspaper; their name listed as a Community Builder in our yearly newsletter; and will be receiving a plaque stating their status as a Community Builder. In those cases, where the individual or group is a repeat Community Builder, they will be given a plaque insert to be added to the plaque they have already been awarded.
“County Builder” - an individual, group, or company that donates at least $2,500 to become a sponsor of a home. They will receive recognition of this donation by having their name on the back of the volunteer tee shirts; their name on a board outside the home they are helping to sponsor; their name on a large board at the volunteer picnic; their name listed in our thank you ad in The Enterprise newspaper; their name listed as a County Builder in our yearly newsletter; and will be receiving a plaque stating their status as a County Builder. In those cases, where the individual or group is a repeat County Builder, they will be given a plaque insert to be added to the plaque they have already been awarded.
All prospective County Builders need to let Christmas in April * St. Mary's County know of their upcoming donation prior to February 28 in time to get on the volunteer tee shirts.
MATERIAL NEEDS
Donations of new building materials are always welcome. Give us a call with your suggestions. We always need paint brushes, buckets, safety masks and gloves, not to mention trash bags, fire extinguishers (to leave with each home owner so that they may be more safe in their homes) and smoke alarms.
To volunteer, contact us at (301) 863-2905 or email mary.chasen@christmasinaprilsmc.org .
WE GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2011 MAJOR SPONSORS
+In-kind donations
County Builders (Donated $5,000 or more)
Administration on Aging Grant (Rebuilding Together)
+ Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship ( Paul Hall Center )
Lockheed Martin
+Mitchell's Supply
Sears Holdings Heroes at Home (Rebuilding Together)
St. Mary's College of Maryland
State of Maryland Energy Administration
United Way of St. Mary's
County Builders (Donated $2,500-$4,999)
+A&B Trucking
ADF Community Outreach Foundation
Boeing
Booz-Allen Hamilton
Burch Oil Co. & Employees
Century 21/New Millennium
+CMI General Contractors, Inc.
CSC/Computer Sciences Corporation) Range & Engineering Services
Constellation Energy
+Steve Dyson Hauling
+ Dyson Building Center
First Saints Community Church
+Great Mills Trading Post
Honeywell & Employees
Lexington Park Rotary Club
+ Maryland State Highway Administration
Mt. Zion United Methodist Church
Northrop Grumman
PNC Bank
SAIC Employees
+Southern Maryland Oil Co.
+St. Mary's County Public Works Department
St. Mary's Hospital Employees & Medical Staff
+United Site Services
+Waste Management of So. MD
Wyle
Community Builders (Donated $2,000-$2,400)
+Steve Arnold
+Lowes
+Mechanicsville Lions Club
NICCjv
Neighborhood Builders (Donated $1,000-$1,999)
Aviation Systems Engineering Co., Inc. (ASEC, Inc.)
AVIAN Engineering
+Hans Boecher
+Patrick Boecher
+Bob Green Siding Co.
+Bozick Distributing
+Robert T. Brown (Shop Cove)
+Buck Distributing
+Chaney Enterprises
Charlotte Hall Rotary Club
Chopticon High School National Honor Society
Compass Systems, Inc.
+Guy Distributing
+Tom Hayden Electric
Congressman Steny Hoyer
Knights of Columbus #9968 (Immaculate Heart of Mary Church)
Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School
Lexington Park United Methodist Church
+Mattingly Electric Co.
Vincent “Cap” Mona
Optimists of Mechanicsville
Seventh District Optimists
Southern Maryland Electric Co-op (SMECO)
+St. Mary's County Commissioners
+St. Mary's County Fair Board
+Sunshine Catering
Sun Trust Bank
+Tice Electric Co.
+Thos. Somerville Co.
Delegate John Wood, Jr.
Media Sponsors
+TheBayNet
+B&B Publishing Web and Graphic Design (Brandy Blackstone)
+The County Times
+The Enterprise
+The Tester, Public Affairs Office
+WMDM/WPTX Southern MD Radio
Logistical Support
In addition to the volunteers that worked on the
22
different sites for Christmas in April's National Rebuilding Day this year, and the 6 homes we helped repair during the year, were the people providing logistical support for each one of the sites. Work begins several weeks earlier when volunteers from SMECO visit each home and install safety covers on the overhead electrical wires where needed. SMECO volunteers also help on our National Rebuilding Day when the electricity needs to be turned off for safety and repairs and then turned back on after the work is done. Then United Site Services comes and places porto-potties at each one of the sites. Chaney Enterprises follows up with the delivery of the gravel needed at sites. We salute the following individuals, groups and companies for their assistance in providing this logistical support: A&B Trucking (Bonnie Sternack); Harold Berg (Berg & Son); George Erichsen , Richard Tarr, and Bobby Cooper (St. Mary's Co. Public Works Dept.); Barry King (Calvert Co. Public Works); Steve Dyson Hauling; Waste Management of Southern MD; Ray Carter and the other members of the Maryland State Highway Administration; Howard Thompson; Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, Paul Hall Center; and Bubby Knott, Great Mills Trading Post.
Golf Tournament Fundraiser
Unfortunately, due to our downturn in the economy, we were not able to have a 14th Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser. As one of our major yearly fundraisers, this event was greatly missed. Here's hoping everyone's business opportunities improve. We missed you all and all the wonderful support you have given Christmas in April over the past 13 years. You have helped us purchase numerous materials and supplies to repair the homes of low-income elderly and disabled homeowners of our community. We hope that the economy improves, and we can welcome back all the golfers and sponsors next year.
Salute to Former Homeowner Recipient
In April 2004, Loretta Rule received home repair assistance from Christmas in April * St. Mary’s. Mrs. Rule then volunteered her time, and over the next several months, hand-made crafts that she donated to Christmas in April for sale at the Southern MD Farm-Life Festival held in the Fall of 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. What a wonderful way to say thank you, and we truly appreciate Loretta Rule’s generosity!
Extra Thank You’s!
Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship (Paul Hall Center) for giving our House Selection Committee members a place to meet, for sponsoring our February house captain/area coordinator/skilled trade “kick-off” dinner meeting, for providing logistical support at the Farm-Life Festival, feeding volunteer crews lunch, providing trash pick-up services, and filling in where support was needed.
Darene Kleinsorgen for co-chairing the So. MD Farm-Life Festival
Burch Oil Co. for continuing these past 21 years in giving Christmas in April a home, where we could hold our monthly meetings
Alex Clarke and everyone at Wyle for providing us help with our 2010-2011 marketing materials.
Yvonne Furka of Booz-Allen Hamilton for all her behind-the-scenes assistance.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church for loaning us your hall for our house captain and homeowner meetings;
Brandy Blackstone of B&B Publishing for updating our web site
Norma Clarke for all the help in designing/layout of the tee shirts
The “Gift Camp” for including us in their program this year.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to make our 21st Annual Rebuilding Day a success.
Christmas in April * St. Mary's County would like to thank the Harry Lundberg School of Seamanship, Paul Hall Center for generously sponsoring our Appreciation Dinner held on February 5th, 2009. It was a wonderful evening, and a great opportunity to again express our thanks to the House Captains, Area Coordinators, Skilled Trades, Board of Directors and leaders on our Christmas in April *St. Mary's County Committees who volunteered their time and skills for the 2007 Christmas in April * St. Mary's County National Rebuilding Day.
2011 Christmas in April * St. Mary's Board of Directors
(as of April 30, 2011)
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