Nonprofit Repairs Nine Loudoun Homes

By Charity Corkey (Contact)

Monday, April 27, 2009

Michelle Lipscomb's bathroom roof leaked steadily, and her back outdoor siding begged for repair. A single, working mother, the Lovettsville resident had neither the time nor the money to make the necessary renovations.

Fortunately for Lipscomb, her home was accepted as one of a few in the county to be worked on and upgraded by the local chapter of Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit that raises funds to repair homes.

"I had been praying to God that I would be chosen, and I was," Lipscomb said. "I was thrilled, thanking God for my blessings."

Each year, Rebuilding Together's Loudoun chapter receives applications from local residents detailing their needed home repairs. The group's board then selects the homes with the largest needs and raises funds through local sponsors to help with the repairs.

Each sponsor is asked to donate between $2,000 and $2,500. The board then pools the money together to purchase materials, said Phil Bzdyk, executive director of Rebuilding Together in Loudoun and owner of Apple House Carpentry.

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Rebuilding Homes in Loudoun

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Lovettsville resident Michelle Lipscomb received aid from Rebuilding Together with Christmas in April to renovate her home. From left, Gregory Lipscomb, Quentin Lipscomb, their grandmother Mary Dyson and mother Michelle Lipscomb stand in from of their house in Lovettsville. (Charity Corkey)

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Carter Morrow, a volunteer with Rebuilding Together with Christmas in April, works on the Lipscombs' back siding. (Charity Corkey)

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Volunteer Magic Kayhan of Purcellville resets the Lipscombs' bathroom floor. (Charity Corkey)

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Tom Coleman, a volunteer working at the Lipscomb residence, weeds and shovels the family's garden. (Charity Corkey)

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Walter Coleman assists with repairing the Lipscombs' siding on April 25, 2009. (Charity Corkey)

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This year, the nonprofit received 30 applications from Loudoun County homeowners and was able to select nine.

April 25 was designated as National Rebuilding Day, and at 10 a.m. on Saturday, six volunteers arrived at Lipscomb's house with tools and materials. Meanwhile, other volunteers – most of whom were from churches and contracting companies - spread across Loudoun County to work on other renovations in Lovettsville, Middleburg, Purcellville, Leesburg, Bluemont and Aldie.

"It's a great way to give back, because I've been blessed," said Bay Custom owner Carter Morrow, while working on Lipscomb's siding. "I get to hang out with good people and meet good people."

The youngest volunteer at the Lipscomb resident, 13-year-old Walter Coleman, was also having a good time.

"It sure beats getting a haircut," he said.

By the end of the day, the Lipscomb's little brick home bore fresh, new siding, and a dry bathroom free of leaks.

The repairs on the Lipscombs' home were some of the most extensive that were requested in the 2009 applications, Bzdyk said. The house with the next largest need was in Purcellville, where volunteers helped paint, install new gutters and upgrade the electrical system.

Although the work on each house is supposed to be completed by the end of National Rebuilding Day, occasionally the finishing touches will be done on a following weekend.

"If it's a big project like replacing a front porch or replacing a kitchen floor, the volunteers usually come back and continue to work on those things on their own," Bzdyk said. "There is a lot of dedication."

Tagged: construction, Lovettsville, volunteers

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