Last December I received a call from Chris Wilson. At the time, Chris was a maintenance supervisor for a local property management company. We spoke often as Chris was a wonderful advocate for our mission and oversaw many donations to our ReStore. During the call, Chris asked if he could come by and speak with my boss and me. Little did we know; this meeting was going to lead to a very special donation.
Chris was the president of a local conservation club of which he had been a member for over forty years. As members had grown older, many had lost interest, and the property wasn’t being maintained properly and had become unsafe. It was time to make some hard decisions. Chris and other club board members began to dissolve the organization. Because it was a nonprofit, the club would need to transfer remaining assets to another nonprofit or to the government. When they decided to take a look at Habitat, Chris placed the call.
“The more we discussed Habitat for Humanity, the more excited we became,” Chris stated. “For me and my wife Julie, it was the thought of maybe breaking a cycle for someone. We’ve all seen people stuck in a lifestyle. What if we could help someone aspire to have a better life?”
Chris’s dreams will soon come true. After the donation, Habitat for Humanity of Springfield was able to sell the land and will be putting the $114,000 cash directly into the construction of a new home, which will help give someone new opportunities and put them in a life changing situation.
Ironically, Chris, our December caller, has a look that is somewhat familiar. Matter of fact Chris has stood in for the big guy for the kids at Boys and Girls Town of Phelps County and the residents of The Fremont Senior Living, where he now works as Plant Operations Manager. It is heartwarming to see his interaction with the residents there.
We at Habitat for Humanity of Springfield are so grateful Chris, his wife Julie, and the other board members of the conservation club who chose to make a difference in such a wonderful way.
Beth Hughs, Donor Ambassador
