Twenty homeowners got an early Christmas this year in St. Mary’s County. Hundreds of volunteers spanned out all over St. Mary’s County Saturday for the 22nd annual Christmas in April to do a blitz renovations of 20 homes of needy residents.
Volunteers come from businesses and organizations that run deep into the community and include many volunteers from Patuxent River Naval Air Station and individuals who just sign up to help. The Volunteers range from skilled laborers to people with no particular skill put to work at jobs that include yard work, cleanup and feeding the volunteers during the day.
A committee meets throughout the year to choose the homes that will be on the list. The homes are unveiled every year at an event for the volunteers at the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship.
According to their website, “In the past 21 years, Christmas in April * St. Mary’s County, Maryland, Inc., volunteers have repaired over 611 homes; 14 community nonprofit facilities have received help with repairs; 34,700 people have shared their time and talents; and have made free home repairs worth more than $5 million to improve the living conditions of the low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners in St. Mary’s County.”
The hard work every year is rewarded with an end-of-the-day feast at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds, with food donated from a number of restaurants and organizations. This year’s event was held inside because of the threat of the weather.
Congressman Steny Hoyer made his home county the first stop on a whirlwind tour of Christmas in April projects in the Fifth Congressional District. He visited the home of Paul and Betty Deckard which was being worked on by volunteers from several county schools and Wyle.
Hoyer was greeted at the home on North Sandgates Road by long-time Christmas in April Executive Director Mary Ann Chasen. While inside he talked to the Deckards about sponsoring the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mr. Deckard is disabled.
