It may still feel like summer, but Christmas may come sooner this year for some local homeowners.
Christmas in Action is accepting applications through Nov. 15 for the group’s April 10 community workday where they will repair homes of the low-income, disabled or elderly.
“I work for the city as a health inspector and we saw the need of people who were elderly and disabled that just couldn’t physically or financially repair their houses that they were living in,” said CIA board secretary Teresa Richardson. “So the program was started with coordination from the main headquarters out in Midland, where the program started.”
Since the program arrived in Johnson County 10 years ago, Richardson said the group has repaired, repainted and refurbished about 56 houses in the county, including locations in Cleburne, Rio Vista, Alvarado, Joshua, Keene and other surrounding cities.
Anyone may apply, but most who are chosen are elderly or disabled homeowners. No rental property or mobile homes are considered.
“There’s a house selection committee made up of one of the ladies that runs Meals-on-Wheels; we have a physical therapist that serves on our board [and] some construction people,” Richardson said. “So, they look at the repairs that are needed and determine if it’s something that the group can do.”
Most of the renovations are done by volunteers, but the organization must raise money to pay for electricians, plumbers and other skilled laborers. Those major projects are started in advance and finished up on the scheduled day when between 200 and 300 volunteers arrive, with 50 or 60 people swarming each home.
“Usually we do anywhere from three to five houses, this year we’re shooting for three, but it just depends on the funds,” Richardson said. “Last year we did four, and we do emergency repair service throughout the year, like installing wheelchair ramps.”
Richardson said Huguley Memorial Medical Center often contacts her to help provide wheelchair ramps for those who have trouble getting into their home after a hospital stay.
In April, volunteers installed a new roof, cabinets, a shower, linoleum flooring, carpeting and electrical work at the home of the Rev. Lewis Jones. Jones, who was born and raised in Cleburne and has been retired for 20 years, said he couldn’t count the number of volunteers working on his home.
“Every time I think about it, I just want to cry,” he said, explaining that the effort by Christmas in Action meant so much to him. “It still does; I don’t want to get it out of my mind how good some people are in this mean old world.”
Cleburne
Christmas in Action hoping to lend dozens of hands for community
- Cleburne
-
-
A very welcome surprise
-
Government employment unchanged
According to government employment data in a U.S. Census Bureau report released last week, the nation’s 89,526 state and local governments employed 16.6 million full-time equivalent employees in 2009, statistically unchanged from 2008. Part-time employees numbered 4.7 million, the same as 2008.
-
One swept away, still missing near low-water bridge
Cleburne residents can thank their lucky stars for flood control work performed by the city of Cleburne in the mid 1980s.
-
Rescue workers pull body from water
Alvarado and Cleburne firefighters pulled the body of a man from moving water near County Road 607 caused by rain about 1 p.m. Wednesday. The man attempted to cross a high-water crossing in his truck and became stuck, Cleburne Fire Chief Clint Ishmael said. According to reports, rescue workers saw the man in the water earlier Wednesday morning but were unable to reach him. The identity of the man has not been released.
-
Former Cleburne grad Gee takes no-hitter into sixth for Mets
WASHINGTON -- Gee, that looked pretty good.
-
Full steam ahead
The rope circling the cab is cut, but surprisingly otherwise intact and largely unfrayed. Pulling it fails to produce the desired result, however. That is until Mark Rickerman walks down the chassis where he finds and corrects the offending entanglement.
-
Burglars hit Joshua, Venus and Alvarado
Bond was set at $1,500 Friday for Timothy Hungate, a 50-year-old Burleson man charged with assault bodily injury.
-
Chamber: Come one, come all to the business expo
The Cleburne Chamber of Commerce is banking on a little change doing the Business and Outdoor Exposition a little good.
-
Court rules for woman
The Texas Supreme Court on Aug. 27 ruled that a Joshua woman paralyzed in a 2005 crash can pursue a contempt-of-court action against Toyota Motor Corp. for allegedly hiding information about automobile defects, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
-
Robertson retires from recreation
- More Cleburne Headlines
-
