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Rutherford Housing Partnership Inc. (RHP) hosted a fundraising event on Sept. 15 to benefit RHP's mission to provide safe and livable housing in Rutherford County. The BBQ Bash was held at the First United Methodist Church in Rutherfordton.
The evening included a barbecue dinner, music by Wiregrass and a special award presented in memory of the late Rev. Billy Honeycutt.
The Rev. Billy Honeycutt Lifetime Service Award was presented to Rev. Larry Gregg, representing Honeycutt's legacy of servanthood and was then given back to RHP.
"Honeycutt, one of RHP's founders, long-time board president, and a dedicated volunteer for 28 years and left an indelible mark on the organization and the community," said Executive Director Mel Ailiff.
His legacy of compassion, dedication and servanthood continues in the hearts of those with whom he worked and those he served as a volunteer and minister.
The award featured an inscription from Honeycutt's wife, Terry Honeycutt, "Billy's work with hammer and nails yielded more than solid roofs and safe ramps. He believed that each volunteer project not only met an immediate need but demonstrated the care of this community to each homeowner. Billy would be pleased to know that his lifelong commitment to service and his legacy of caring continues."
RHP also celebrated success in the year of housing repairs across Rutherford County. Data says that by the end of the year, 160 home repair projects will be completed,
Ailiff, emphasized the vital role of community support as RHP moves forward.
"At RHP, if we really want to make more of a difference, we need more of the community to show support. We need church groups, individual volunteers, and we need more donations. The cost of building materials has gone up, and the number of people in need has gone up; now we need the community support to also increase." She added, "Every volunteer and every donor matters. When we get contributions of time or money, or both, we can help even more families, which helps improve all of Rutherford County."
During the evening Brenda Simpson of Spindale talked about the repairs that had been made at her home by RHP. Floors were repaired, new windows installed and doorways were widened in order to accommodate her motorized wheelchair.
"I was so depressed when I was talking about the needs my home had. Now, I am just so thankful," she said on a video.
There is a dire need for volunteers to assist with the year-round housing repair projects in order to provide safety for homeowners.
Donations for RHP can be mailed to Rutherford Housing Partnership, PO Box 1525, Rutherfordton, NC 28139, or made through the website at www.rutherfordhousingpartnership.org or call the office at 828-248-3431 or Ailiff at 856-266-5157.
Rutherford Housing Partnership Inc. began in 1995 when a group of concerned citizens recognized a need among senior adults for urgent home repairs. The local crisis intervention nonprofit, the Yokefellow Service Center, was receiving a growing number of calls from senior adults needing handicap ramps or reporting leaky roofs and rotten floors that they just couldn't afford to get repaired on limited fixed incomes. Recognizing that need was outside their capacity, the directors of Yokefellow organized a meeting, and Rutherford Housing Partnership (RHP) was born.
