Tag Archive for: #rebuildinghopeinc

Over 160 Gather for Week-Long Servants on Site Mission

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-Information and photos courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

More than 160 youth and their leaders took part in Rebuilding Hope’s seventh annual Servants on Site week.

The summer mission camp provides opportunities for teams to use home repairs to meet the physical needs of people in the community while sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Youth and their leaders gather on the first day of camp to hear instructions for the week. (RHI photo)

The 2019 workload included replacing 13 roofs, building six wheelchair ramps and making three home repairs.

“By sharing the gospel through both actions and words, we seek to demonstrate the hope and power of the living Christ,” said RHI coordinator Randolph Wilson. “Our goal is not only to rebuild homes, but also to rebuild lives and hearts.”

Participants, who were organized into 16 crews, came from around the state and South Carolina

The group from Windy Gap Baptist Church in Franklin, N.C., numbered 23.

Brian Browning, a Windy Gap member, says SOS has “tremendous value” as it “lets kids have the opportunity to work together. The greatest opportunity is sharing Jesus.”

Mitch Callaway and 13 others came from Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church in State Road, N.C.

SOS teens and leaders build a wheelchair ramp on Hargrove Street in Henderson. It was one of six ramps campers built in our communities. (RHI photo)

Clarence Bigler from Norlina Baptist Church participated in his first SOS.

“I’m impressed and enlightened,” he said. “I’ve been so many places and seen so many things, and this is encouraging.”

Students enjoyed themselves, too.

Dillan Carter from Norlina Baptist Church, on his first SOS mission, said, “I find it very joyful. I don’t mind the hard work and doing for people who can’t.”

Carson Ball from Franklinton Baptist Church, also on his first SOS trip, said, “People have an abandonment feeling and our job is to tell them they’re not alone.”

Abby Callaway of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church in State Road has been to all seven camps. “I’ve grown up doing this,” said Abby, who is now a crew motivator.

Reiley Green from Newman Chapel Baptist Church in Franklin was on her third SOS mission. “I like it. Meeting new people and having fun while learning about Christ.”

Following dinner, campers gathered for a time of praise and worship at Central Baptist Church. (RHI photo)

Younger SOS participants are seventh through twelfth graders. Older participants through college-age serve in leadership roles. Lodging is provided at Crossroads Christian School in Henderson. The SOS staff includes security and medical personnel.

Breakfast and dinner are provided at Central Baptist Church, where evening worship services are held. Host churches provide lunches at the job sites.

SOS is an extension of Rebuilding Hope Inc. and is a tool for churches to mobilize, equip and disciple students and adults in an evangelistic effort to impact a lost and fallen world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

 

Larry Leach Named Rebuilding Hope’s June Spotlight Volunteer

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-Information courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

“I am the drywall mudder of choice,” says Larry Leach with a grin. “When the drywall goes up, I get the call to come and tape and mud.” Larry began offering his services to Rebuilding Hope, Inc. several years ago.

After retiring from IBM with 30 years of service and 15 years as a contractor for the company, “I was looking for a way to use my time and experience to improve the houses of Henderson,” said the St. Louis, Missouri native. “Seeing so many houses in need of attention made me sad.”

Larry Leach named Rebuilding Hope’s June 2019 Volunteer of the Month. (Photo Credit: RHI)

“I wanted to volunteer at some organization doing repairs and improvements to homes in Henderson.”

Larry said he watched the progress of RHI’s fundraising for the Coca-Cola building, and after it was purchased in 2017 he stopped in to explore the opportunities – one of which turned out to be finishing drywall.

“The other thing that honestly just comes naturally was the unpacking of the stuff moved from the old [RHI] location on North Oliver Drive,” he said.

Larry unpacked and determined where to store plumbing and electrical supplies, screws, nuts, bolts, nails, roofing, paint, tools, office supplies, and even some kitchen items.

“Since then we have received boxes from organizations and individuals, and I dig into them and do my best at locating a place for the stuff,” he said.

Larry’s volunteering doesn’t stop at RHI.

“I am involved with GRRO (Green Rural Redevelopment Organization), a nonprofit organization that is revitalizing the landscape in Henderson by converting empty city-owned lots in the middle of the city into gardens,” Larry said.

“My wife Belinda and I manage one of these gardens and offer up the produce to various food bank organizations. We’ve planted a variety of seeds and also have installed some patio swings.”

Larry and Belinda also volunteer at Second Thursday packing food boxes for distribution, providing fresh produce to the citizens of Vance County.

Leisure time finds Larry enjoying yard work, home improvement and repairs, reading, walking his dogs and vegetable gardening.

Larry and Belinda have been married for 19 years and between them have five children and seven grandchildren.

Rebuilding Hope Names Tom Hall May’s Spotlight Volunteer

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-Information courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

Tom Hall’s contribution to Rebuilding Hope’s work touches every aspect of the ministry, from ramps to roofs, renovations to records.

Tom keeps the computers running.

He signed on as a volunteer three years ago when Martha McGowan, RHI’s SOS secretary, told him about the ministry’s computer needs.

Tom Hall named Rebuilding Hope’s May 2019 Volunteer of the Month. (Photo Credit: RHI)

“I’ve built or refurbished 12 work station computers (for RHI),” says the retired IBM system programmer. He’s also built, implemented and donated a server (with help from his son, Greg, Microsoft Certified) for the ministry.

“The opportunity to support the other volunteers with computer needs, and they, in turn, help others in need is the most rewarding part of my work,” said Tom, a native of Penderlea (Willard, N.C.).

Tom said his computer experience keeps him busy as a volunteer.

“Currently, I provide volunteer computer support to five churches. I also provide computer support to some 104 private individuals, three businesses and one fire department.”

Tom, a Vance County resident, is a member of Swift Creek Baptist Church in Raleigh, but locally attends services at First Baptist Church.

Tom and wife Linda have been married for 20 years. They have two children and five grandchildren.

Rebuilding Hope to Hold BBQ Chicken Fundraiser – Fri., April 26

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-Information courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

The grills heat up on Friday, April 26, 2019, as RHI prepares for the 12th consecutive year of its spring barbecue chicken dinner fundraiser.

The $7-a-plate dinners will be cooked and served at 414 Raleigh Road, the location of RHI’s office and warehouse in the former Coca-Cola building. You’re invited to eat in or take out from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Delivery of five or more plates to one location is available.

Purchase your tickets at our office or from one of our many volunteers.

Preparations begin the day before the event as volunteers fill cups with barbecue sauce and bag bread.

At about 4:30 a.m. on the last Friday of every April, volunteers fire up more than a dozen mobile grills to cook about 2,300 chicken halves. The menu includes green beans and potatoes.

A much-loved part of every plate is Roger Bibee’s barbecue sauce, which is also available for $5 a pint.

The event marks the third spring fundraiser held at the Raleigh Road location.

Rebuilding Hope Names Bob “PlumBob” Demarco April’s Spotlight Volunteer

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-Information courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

When retired plumber Bob Demarco relocated from Maine to Warrenton, N.C., in 2012, he found “the perfect place for me to serve and be able to use the talents and gifts God has blessed me with.”

That place? Rebuilding Hope.

“I was immediately embraced by so many exceptional men and women who mentored and directed me to serve in several different capacities, including plumbing, welding and construction. I took an instant liking to my newfound hobby and even started publishing some battery backup sump pump reviews on the internet,” Bob says.

Bob says he connected with RHI through a member of Central Baptist Church, where he and wife Chris were attending.

Bob Demarco named Rebuilding Hope’s April 2019 Volunteer of the Month. (Photo Credit: RHI)

“I reached out to Charles Granger, asking if he might know of a need as I had a stove and refrigerator to donate,” he says. “Charles told me of Rebuilding Hope and explained the mission and work. It was amazing that God delivered me to Rebuilding Hope so quickly.”

Bob says that “the work I have done at Rebuilding Hope has been the most gratifying and fulfilling work I have ever done.

“One of my favorite events is Kids Camp where I teach younger boys and girls plumbing and drywall construction.”

One camper, Bob says, really paid attention.

“My heart was touched by a young boy who after class went home and looked under the kitchen sink and, with amazement, asked his mom and dad if they knew they had pipes there.”

Now a resident of Johnston County and a member of Wilson’s Mills Baptist Church, Bob continues his volunteer work at RHI.

Recently, his skills were put to use plumbing bathrooms and showers for second-floor bunk rooms.

“To volunteer at Rebuilding Hope fills the needs of the community and fills my soul and heart,” says Bob, who’s affectionately known as “PlumBob.”

At his new church, Bob serves on the Community Service Committee and in the prayer ministry. He also works with Serve the Need of Johnston County, whose work is similar to that of RHI.

In leisure time, Bob says he enjoys reading and drumming.

He and Chris have five children, 18 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Rebuilding Hope Names David ‘Doc’ Ayscue March’s Spotlight Volunteer

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-Information courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

The variety of backgrounds among Rebuilding Hope, Inc. volunteers includes a retired teacher, David “Doc” Ayscue.

After 31 years of teaching high school health and physical education in Vance and Granville counties, Doc was invited by friend, fellow church member and RHI volunteer Steve Cannon to visit the ministry.

“I’ve been here ever since,” said Doc, who left the classroom in 2010. “And it’s been fun.”

Doc, a Henderson native, said he was attracted to the ministry because it helps others, and the volunteers are “good Christian men to work with.”

David “Doc” Ayscue named Rebuilding Hope’s March 2019 Volunteer of the Month. (Photo Credit: RHI)

Encouraging others to volunteer, Doc said, “There is no other way to get the feeling you get by helping someone.”

Doc, who also coached middle and high school baseball, basketball and football in Vance, recalls one special experience.

“We were fixing up a mobile home for someone, and I painted every room a different color,” he said. “I called it the Joseph house.”

At RHI, Doc, now a self-employed painter, runs the paint room, helps build ramps and replace roofs, does a bit of carpentry and is a runner during SOS.

“I try to work at least one day a week at RHI,” he says. “Seeing the expressions on homeowners’ faces and knowing I’ve been able to help someone is rewarding.”

Doc’s voice is familiar, too. He’s a WIZS sports commentator on Monday afternoons and broadcasts Friday night football games.

A member of New Sandy Creek Baptist Church, Doc is a deacon, a member of the choir and the building and grounds and counting committees.

Doc and wife Brenda have been married for 40 years. They have three children and a grandchild.

Rebuilding Hope Registering Participants for Servants on Site Week

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-Information courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

While the deadline for registering for this summer’s Servants on Site is May 1, 2019, over half of the 200 openings for participants have already been filled.

RHI coordinator Randolph Wilson reports that 109 Early Bird registrations have been received for the June 22-29 event and that a theme for the Servants on Site week has been chosen.

This year’s theme is “I.D. Identify Defined.”

Encourage your youths to take part in this mission endeavor. If you know of any churches or youths you feel would be interested, call our office with contact information.

The cost is $150 per participant. Youths must have completed sixth grade.

Keep in mind that for every five youths, we require one adult of the same sex.

Financial Support for SOS Projects

Churches provide financial support to purchase materials that a crew will need for the work project at their work site, and they provide lunches to the crew and homeowner during the week. Churches serve the crew and the homeowner, but they will tell you that they are also blessed by both.

Crew partners could number as many as 15 participants from as many as eight of our different registered groups. The crew, and often the homeowner, worship with their sponsoring church on Sunday morning and have lunch with them afterward. This is the first time the crew members meet together as a crew. It is a great time for all the partners to begin knowing each other.  Crews serve the homeowner and the church, and they will tell you they are blessed by both.

The homeowners are also both blessed and a blessing.

We expect the partnership of a sponsoring church, an SOS crew, and a homeowner to provide a rewarding experience for everyone. We have seen that the relationships that are built last beyond the week of SOS.

SOS will have worship services at Central Baptist Church at 7:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday, June 23 – June 28, with the exception of Wednesday. We hope many will join us as often as possible.

Rebuilding Hope, Inc. Names Cuthriell February’s Volunteer of the Month

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-Information courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

“There are a lot of broken lives all around us,” says Bryan Cuthriell. “And if I could do or say anything that might help or at least be a source of encouragement, then that’s what I want to do.”

Bryan has followed up on that mission for the last 10 years as a volunteer at Rebuilding Hope.

At a Brotherhood meeting in 2009 at Central Baptist Church, Bryan and brother-in-law Cliff McClanahan, also an RHI volunteer, heard a presentation by Randolph Wilson, the RHI coordinator.

“I was greatly impressed with the mission of RHI, and I committed to being a part of these services in any way I was able to contribute,” he recalls.

Bryan Cuthriell named Rebuilding Hope’s February 2019 Volunteer of the Month. (Photo Credit: RHI)

After an accident in 2001, Bryan says he’s been unable to do heavy construction work and focuses on encouraging those who do the heavy work.

“For the most part, I have manned the phones and served as a greeter to individuals who call or visit RHI,” says Bryan, who has also assisted with fundraisers and other events and cleaned and sorted supplies coming into the warehouse.

“I find particular satisfaction in being able to witness and share Jesus with everyone who comes into contact with me at the desk,” he says.

Among his volunteer experiences, Bryan recalls one that stands out:

“We had a preacher in the area come in looking for a project. Going over the worksheet we found a woman who needed work done on her front porch.”

“Seeing the address, the preacher realized that she lived across the street from his church, but he had never noticed the porch or visited the people who lived there. He took on the project, and it’s my understanding she is now attending that preacher’s church.”

Would he encourage others to volunteer at RHI?

“Absolutely, yes,” Bryan, a native of Chesapeake, Va., says. “The fellowship with other Christians is phenomenal alone. There is a lot of fun and laughter and sharing, and the food is good, too. I think any volunteer will tell you that you get far more back than you will ever be able to put in.”

Bryan says he enjoys visiting with family and “telling the same old stories over and over, boring my wife and family to death, listening to good music and church fellowship, particularly when we sing the old hymns of the faith. I love that.”

A member and deacon at Central Baptist Church, he is retired from the Naval Base Norfolk Fire Department where he served for 30 years.

Bryan and Joan will celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary in May. They have two children, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

‘Busy Year’ Ahead for Rebuilding Hope, Inc.

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-Information courtesy the Rebuilding Hope, Inc. February 2019 Newsletter

Rebuilding Hope, Inc. volunteers for 2018 numbered 646. That number and others make up a year-end report that also shows that the volunteers worked 20,638 hours, building 31 wheelchair ramps, replacing 13 roofs and completing 19 other projects. Among the other projects was hurricane disaster relief in Jones County.

“This is going to be a busy year, too,” said RHI coordinator Randolph Wilson.

While dates have been set for annual projects, Randolph says that RHI wants to build a portable shower trailer that can also be loaned to churches and ministry groups. Roof repair for offices and warehouses and building a shelter for RHI vehicles are other projects eyed for 2019.

RHI’s first annual project is the Spring Barbecue Chicken Fundraiser on April 26, 2019.

Registration is already underway for the June 22-29 SOS (Servants on Site), which brings together hundreds of youth each year for a week of hands-on ministry projects in our communities.

“In August we have our Kids’ Construction Camp,” Randolph says. “Once again we’ll teach basic construction skills.” The camp is set for August 5-7.

The Fall Barbecue Chicken Fundraiser is set for September 27.

The Men’s Ministry Weekend is slated for October 25-26.

“We welcome volunteers who have a heart for ministry to join us,” Randolph says.

For more on the annual events, call the RHI office at (252) 438-5132 or go to www.rebuildinghopeinc.org.

Areas Where You Can Serve at RHI:

AC/Heating ~ Accounting ~ Office ~ Carpentry/Framing & Finishing ~ Carpet/Vinyl Installation ~ Cleaning ~ Computer ~ Cooking ~ Doors ~ Drafting ~ Drywall ~ Electrical ~ Evangelism ~ Internet ~ Organization ~ Painting ~ Plumbing ~ Ramps ~ Reception ~ Roofing ~ Siding ~ Secretarial ~ Telephone ~ Windows ~ Welding/Sheet Metal ~ Writing

Overby Recognized as Rebuilding Hope’s First Outstanding Volunteer of the New Year

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-Information courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

In over a decade of volunteering at Rebuilding Hope, Bill Overby has found a story behind each project.

“Over the years I have been involved in roofing jobs, steps and railings, floor repairs, and probably 50 or 60 ramps,” says the retired engineer. “I have come to realize that there is a story behind each one of these projects – often difficult and heart-rending stories.

“Understanding that helps remind me to reassure those we assist that Jesus loves them and is present even during their most difficult times.”

Bill began his service to the ministry when RHI coordinator Randolph Wilson spoke to the Baptist Men at West End Baptist Church (WEBC), where he was then a member. Soon after, a lady in the church needed a ramp.

Bill Overby named Rebuilding Hope’s January 2019 Volunteer of the Month. (Photo Credit: RHI)

“I called Randolph to get some direction about design, permitting and construction requirements,” he says. “After that initial experience, I supervised and hosted the WEBC youth for a DNow (Disciple Now) project and the rest is history.”

That history for Bill, a native and resident of Warren County, includes leading teams from various churches in projects, coordinating through assessment and construction of RHI efforts for Warren County and serving on the RHI board of directors.

“Initially, after retirement, I wanted some way to serve that would utilize my professional experience and training while affording opportunities for Christian fellowship and witness to the communities we serve.

“After hearing Randolph’s vision for sharing Christ while working to solve people’s physical needs, I realized God’s perfect timing and preparation for my retirement,” Bill says.

Because his mother was in a wheelchair for the last 15 years of her life, Bill says he had an up-close look at the difficulties that people with mobility problems encounter in their lives every day.

“I think that has given me a special desire to assist with those kinds of projects,” he says.

Special experiences for Bill include helping an amputee who couldn’t leave rehab because he couldn’t get in or out of his home; a 15-year-old who needed a ramp before he could get a wheelchair; an aged dialysis patient who had to navigate steps to go to her appointments; and an amputee on dialysis who lived alone and navigated chest-high steps at his home to get to therapy three times a week.

Bill encourages others to volunteer, “When we make ourselves available, the Lord will give us the abilities we need.”

A member of Enterprise Baptist Church in Littleton, he is director of the church’s Baptist Men’s ministry.

Bill and wife Linda have been married for 55 years and have one son.

In his leisure time, Bill volunteers for RHI and church projects and occasionally shows a 1965 Shelby Cobra that he built.