Rebuilding Together Kent County Celebrates 20 Years!
On Saturday, October 12th, volunteers, friends and homeowners of Rebuilding Together Kent County (RTKC) came together for a “Family Fun Day” on a beautiful autumn afternoon at Piney Grove Farm. Food, drinks, live music and amazing interactions were a wonderful way to celebrate 20 years of the organization helping more homeowners in Kent County live in safe and healthy homes!
In September 2003, Hurricane Isabel swept up the Chesapeake Bay and across Kent County, devastating area homes - especially in Rock Hall. A band of concerned citizens, spearheaded by Dave Waugh, wanted to help local people recover from the storm. They went to the Chester Valley Minister’ Association for help, and the Presbyterian Church of Chestertown, led then by Reverend Sara Holburn, agreed to get involved. They applied to the national disaster fund, received a $10,000 grant, and were underway.
Linda Culp, Sue Basener, Richard & Leann Miller, Courtney & John Sjostrum, Rob Comfort, Dave & Sandy Waugh, Bob Schminkey, Gail Newman, Mickey Elsberg, Airlee Johnson and others joined the group and RTKC was officially formed in 2004. This grassroots, volunteer organization worked out of donated space at the Presbyterian Church for 19 years, making needed repairs to hundreds of county homes. Now, thanks to national, regional and local support, RTKC has built capacity to do more at each project site. As its Executive Director, Genevieve Croker, said, “At Rebuilding Together, we believe a healthy home is a human right. Through the dedicated efforts of many, we have been able to grow our impact for those we serve. Rising costs and relatively flat wages or social security payments make maintenance difficult, especially as folks age. We are proud of how far we’ve come and we know we still have plenty of work to do!”
We are Grateful to our Sponsors!
We appreciate the support of local businesses as we work to end substandard housing in Kent County.
