Agency receives new roof courtesy of Impact Aiken
Impact Aiken volunteers spent their Saturday lending a helping hand to a local agency that lends a hand to Aiken's disabled population.
The student-focused, multichurch service organization rehabbed the Tri-Development Center of Aiken County's facilities Saturday, reshingling the roofs of the center's buildings and tidying up the grounds. The work group of more than 250 people, some as young as 12, included members of Millbrook Baptist Church, Aiken Christian Schools' middle and high school classes, Bible Faith Holiness Church, Calvary Baptist Church, Cedar Creek Church, Christ Central of Aiken, Second Baptist Church of Beech Island, Solid Rock Baptist Church, St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church, Sweetwater Baptist Church and the Salvation Army.
"We've had tremendous budget cuts as a result of decreases in state funds available to agencies like ours. We needed a new roof in the worst way, and we got three bids on roofing and were just astounded by what it was going to cost," said Tri-Development Center Executive Director Ralph Courtney. "As a result we put in an application to Impact Aiken for their consideration of developing a project where area church youth and adults would come together to do a very worthwhile community project. Volunteer efforts such as this enable us to use more of our funds for direct services to people with disabilities in our county."
The workday concluded with a cookout on the Tri-Development Center grounds, and volunteers built a small bandstand off the parking lot for a worship concert to follow the dinner.
"We were a little overwhelmed with the scope of this project, but the support of all these churches is what made today possible," said Impact Aiken construction coordinator Robert Abshire.
"I've been on the roof all day. First I stripped off shingles, then put the weather sealant up, then carried the new shingles up, and now we're nailing in the new shingles," said Millbrook volunteer Bobby Miller. "I think we're going to just make it by the end of the day. The kids have been doing really well. This is my first Impact Aiken project, and I've been surprised by how seriously they're taking it. They're having fun, but they're working hard, too."
"I think everybody's having fun," said 17-year-old Madison Lightbody, a member of Millbrook Baptist Church's World Changers group. "Work like this brings us all together, it unites us. I learn something new every year. With World Changers projects especially, it opens your eyes to other surroundings, other kinds of environments."
Tri-Development Center board member Kim Daily was on hand Saturday.
"This is going to mean a big difference to us, in terms of keeping our resources for our clients, and it's a community-friendly way of doing things," she said. "The community's coming together for this. It's been amazing to see how it has mushroomed. Everybody has been very generous."
Contact Suzanne Stone at sstone@aikenstandard.com.