Earn This T-Shirt

WWJD?

Well, for one, He'd want you to sign a team up for Christmas in April 2008.

....and, honestly, don't you want to own a shirt like this?

“Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds.” Hebrew 10:24 (NCV)

Christmas in April is nearly a month from now… would you like to spend a day that will bless you with memories for a lifetime?

The Christmas in April Board of Directors have selected 54 homes to be worked on this year, and already have over 20 teams signed up to renovate homes of low income, elderly families living in owner occupied homes in the area.

The Chairman, Walt Harvey, says that there are still homes needing teams, “We’d love to have more!”

The mission first began in Midland, Texas in 1973 by an oil scout named Bobby Trimble and a group of his friends who saw a need in their community to renovate homes of the needy in a group effort, a “barn-raising” idea that caught on. There is a national headquarters in Washington, DC, and now volunteers in over 240 towns in all 50 states in America participate in this worthy event.

xxxxxxx first Christmas in April was in 1989, and since that time over 12,500 volunteers have refurbished 550 homes and a non-profit day care. The residents of the selected homes are unable to maintain repair and upkeep on their homes due to limitations of their health and finances. They have gone on to maintain their renovations, and give thanks to the generosity of their neighbors for lending a hand.

If you have a team of cheerful workers willing to give a Saturday (or perhaps a few Saturdays!) to take on a Christmas in April, here are some general facts to consider:

Attire: dress in clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty or paint on; shirts and shoes are required, work gloves and safety glasses recommended.

Promptness: all work teams will report to their house by 8:00 a.m., and each volunteer is vital to insure the crew can finish the job.

Tools & Equipment: Each team must provide their own tools and equipment, marked with their names and phone numbers. The tools needed will vary for each home, but usually each team needs paint brushes, pans, rollers, sandpaper, rags, drop cloths, masking tape, paint remover, broom, tape measures, scrapers, screwdrivers, hammers, hand-saws, etc.
Materials: teams are encouraged to pick up their materials the week before the Christmas in April day to avoid a “traffic jam” that Saturday. Large lots of lumber or roofing can be delivered to the site, but arrangements must be made ahead of time. There is no warehouse to store materials, so plan on finding secure storage before that Saturday. Projects requiring storm doors and windows should be measured by the supplier and ordered as soon as possible.

Teams are encouraged to contact a Board Member with questions about their projects well in advance of the actual work day.

If you have a group of co-workers, friends, softball team members, Sunday School class members, civic group, or just a great group of neighbors willing to roll up your sleeves for a day, give a the Chamber of Commerce at xxxxx ASAP! The final house assignment meeting will be Friday, March 28.

Hartsville Christmas in April Board Members for 2008 are:
Willie & Patsy Alcorn, Winky Black, Adlena Graham, Walt Harvey, Levi Johnson, Mike McConnell, Bob McWatty, Ed Rothe, and Grady Sullivan. Members Emeritus are Carl Bacote and Buster Love.