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Christmas in April*Calvert County, Inc. www.ChristmasInAprilCalvertCounty.org
Volume 7 P.O. Box 2761 Prince Frederick, MD 20678 410-535-9044 Fall 2017
Board of Directors: Glenn Phelps, President
Bill Lloyd, Vice President
Randy Kozik, Secretary
Sean McGowan, Treasurer
Richard Alu
Russell Bowie
Steve Brooks
Barbara DeHenzel Lloyd
John Lee
Fred Mandrick
Carolyn Mohler
Karl Neddenien
Elizabeth Phelps
Wilberto Plaza
Patricia Pringle
Steve Sanders
Guffrie Smith
Resident Agent
Laurence W. B. Cumberland
Honorary Board Members:
Pat Buehler
Mike Burns
Linda Herdeman
Mike Herdeman
Christmas in April Calvert County has much
to be thankful for in 2017. We are forever grateful to
the more than nine hundred volunteers who donated
over 11,000 hours in one year to enable Christmas in
April to carry out its mission of working in partnership
with the community to repair and improve houses, as-
suring that low-income homeowners live in warmth,
safety, and independence. We were able to work on
sixty homes throughout the year, the most ever. Our
total number of homes and non-profit facilities im-
proved since 1991 now total 854!
This effort involves the need for monetary
support and the donation of supplies and materials.
Again, the community has been more than generous as
you will note in this newsletter. Donors of $2000 or
more are acknowledged as a sponsor of a house, as are
groups that sponsored a whole house, no matter the
cost. This year, there were fifty-one sponsors of
homes! All contributions, of any size, are most appre-
ciated.
Congratulations are extended to Patricia Prin-
gle, senior engineering analyst, who was the Excellence
Award Winner in the 11th annual Exelon Energy for the
Community Employee Volunteer Awards program.
Because of her dedication to Christmas in April and the
tireless support of the team of Exelon volunteers to this
program, Exelon donated the top award of $20,000 to
Christmas in April Calvert County. Pat said, “I am
humbled and simply overwhelmed by this opportunity
to give more back to the community. This award will
go a long way in providing and improving some basic
comforts that every family deserves.”
Christmas in April again participated
in the United Way Day of Caring in September 2016
and with the #Giving Tuesday campaign in December,
a global day dedicated to giving back. Additionally,
Christmas in April provided improvements to the facili-
ties of six non-profit agencies.
We are most thankful for changes made in the
lives of the homeowners who were part of this year’s
program. Please read the summaries of work done on
each home and of the impact it has had on each home-
owner. Never doubt that every contribution of time,
money, or supplies made by those in this generous and
caring community has a positive impact on a home-
owner in need.
Bobby Adams Adams Carpentry Service
Ken Anderson Concept Contractors
Denise Aud Prince Frederick Dodge
Rachel Boyd Calvert Memorial Hospital
Steve Brooks Calvert Lighthouse Church
Vada Brooks Calvert Lighthouse Church
Jim Brown Grace Brethren Church of
Calvert County
George Carter Concerned Black Men of
Calvert County
Larry Carter (3) Harvest Fellowship
Presbyterian Church
(3 houses)
Eryn Chaney Southern Maryland
Association of Realtors
Larry Clark Jesus the Divine Word
Knights of Columbus
Council #14775
Anjelica Eitel Developing Professionals
Bob Filipi Calvert County Government
David Fondelier Smithville United Methodist
Church
Mike Frederick Life Church
Michael Freeburger Early Bird Home Services
Kara Gilbert Exelon Generation
Everard Johnson Mount Olive United Methodist
Church
Tom Jones Calvert County Government
Randy Kozik Jesus the Good Shepherd
Catholic Church
Mandi Kuidlan IET Corporation
Lindsay Lavato Gateau Physical Therapy &
Sports Medicine
John Lee Prince Frederick Dodge
Susie Lopez Dominion
Jay Maisel Maisel Electric; Prince
Georges County Govt
Vince Maldonado Our Lady Star of the Sea
Knights of Columbus
Council #9258
TomMerkle Arrow Electric
Mark Mooney (10) Friendship Baptist Church
(10 houses)
Dennis Montana Exelon Generation
Randy Morgan Emanuel United Methodist
Church
Jen Murphy Mill Creek Middle School
National Jr. Honor Society
Brian Owens Calvert County Lions Club
Joe Penn Howlin Concrete
Jerry Peters IET Corporation
Glenn Phelps (5) Cave to Castle Remodeling
(5 houses); Jesus the Good
Shepherd Church
Laura Phelps Northern High School
Fellowship of Christian
Athletes
Wilberto Plaza (2) Exelon Generation (2 houses)
Patricia Pringle (3) Exelon Generation (3 houses)
Andrew Rappaport Calvert County Bar
Association
Krystal Ringley IET Corporation
Brian Ritter Calvert County Bar Association
Bob Robertson (2) Huntingtown United Methodist
Church (2 houses)
Adam Sanders (2) Systems Applications and
Technologies, Inc.(2 houses)
Steve Sanders Exelon Generation
Larry Settle Life Church
Joe Suarez Knights of Columbus Council
# 9254
Derek Taylor Howlin Concrete
RonThomas Exelon Generation
Jeff Trieber IET Corporation
Amanda Tyndall Calvert Middle School
National Honor Society
Ray Wilkerson Friendship United Methodist
Church
KeithWilliams (2) St. Nicholas Lutheran Church `
(2 houses)
DanWilson Wilson Properties, Inc.
Jeff York Exelon Generation
House Captains and House Partners
Christmas in April* Calvert County, Inc. in partnership with the community, repairs and im-
proves houses assuring that low-income homeowners live in warmth, safety and independence.
Thank You Christmas in April*Calvert County Partners: Volunteers, Businesses, Churches,
Organizations and Individuals, who donated money, material, time and skills for the 2017 work day.
Anonymous
A. H. Hatcher Inc.
Adam Sanders
Adams Carpentry
AIR Conditioning Services LLC
Amazon Smile
American Charities
Ann Wolfgang
Arctic Snow Management
Arrow Electric
Barbara Beers
BB&T Bank
Brothers Johnson Septic Service
Builders Care
Calvert Beacon
Calvert County Bar Association
Calvert County Board of County Comm.
Calvert County Board of Education
Calvert County Department of Social
Services
Calvert County Department of Solid
Waste
Calvert County Government
Calvert County Libraries
Calvert County Lions Club
Calvert County Office on Aging
Calvert Lighthouse Church
Calvert Memorial Hospital – Calvert
Health System
Calvert Middle School National Jr. Honor
Society
Carmel Glumac
Castillo Framing
Cave to Castle Remodeling
Cedar Point Federal Credit Union
Charles Nava
Chesapeake Auto Equipment
Chesapeake Current
Christa Conant
Christmas in April Board of Directors
Collinson, Oliff and Associates, Inc.
Combined Federal Campaign –
Chesapeake Bay Area
Combined Federal Campaign – National
Capital Area
Community Bank
Concept Contractors
Concerned Black Men of Calvert County
Cotton’s Septic and Portable Toilets
D.A. Hughes & Associates
Davis, Upton and Palumbo, LLC
Day of Caring
Dennis Grey
Developing Professionals
Dominion Cove Point (LNG)
Dominion Resources
Dunkirk Supply, Inc.
Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department
Early Bird Home Services
Edwin Plater
Ellen Berry
Emanuel United Methodist Church
Exelon Employees Retired
Exelon Foundation
Exelon Generation
Floor Systems, Inc. - Huntingtown
Friends of Calvert County Department of
Social Services
Friendship Community Baptist Church
Friendship United Methodist Church
Gateau Physical Therapy and Sports
Medicine
Gay Presbury
Gerry Hanken
Grace Brethren Church of Calvert County
Harvest Fellowship Presbyterian Church
HELP Association
Home Builders Care
Howlin Concrete, Inc.
Huntingtown United Methodist Church
IET (Integrated Electrical Technology
Corporation)
J&P Heating and Air
Jeffrey York
Jessi Tovar
Jesus the Divine Word Knights of
Columbus Council #14775
Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Church
John Potter Saw Mill
Joseph Sienkiewicz
Joseph Smiley
Joseph Suarez-Murias
Keith Hoffman
Kiewit Cove Point – IHI
Kiwanis Club of Calvert County
Knights of Columbus Council #14572 –
Jesus the Good Shepherd Church
Lemon’s Plumbing
Life Church
Lifework of Southern Maryland
Lowes
Maisel Electric Heating and Air
Mandi Kuidlan
Mary Johnson
Mary Klausner
Maryland Charity Campaign
Masterpiece Tub Refinishing
Matt Forsbacka
McCrea Heating and Air Conditioning
Mill Creek Middle School National Junior
Honor Society
Mount Olive United Methodist Church
Network for Good
Northern High School Fellowship of
Christian Athletes
Our Lady Star of the Sea Knights of
Columbus Council #9258
Pamela Dyson
Pamela Platt
Patricia Pringle
Patuxent Habitat for Humanity
Patuxent High School NJROTC
Paul C. Hayden & Sons Plumbing and
Heating, Inc.
Peggy Stringfellow
Pepco
PNC Bank
Prince Frederick Chrysler Jeep Dodge
Prince George’s County Government
Project Performance Improvement, Inc.
(PPI, Inc.)
Quality Built Homes, Inc.
Rex Bowling
Robert and Tatiana Gallagher
Robert Potts
Russell Bowie Project Management
Sarah Harrington
Sean McGowan, CPA
SMECO
Smithville United Methodist Church
Sneade’s Ace Home Center
Southern Maryland Association of
Realtors (SMAR)
St. Nicholas Lutheran Church
Steve Brooks
Steve Sanders
Suburban Propane
Susan Flint
Systems Applications and
Technologies, Inc.
Taylor Made Enterprises
TD Renovations
The Calvert Recorder
The Mark Frisco Team – Century 21
New Millennium
The McNelis Group Real Estate Services
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
United Health Care
United Way of Calvert County
Vada Brooks
W. H. Lloyd Construction
Walls Plumbing
Wilberto Plaza
William E. Cutlip
Wilson Properties
Young Digital Salesman
Young Professionals Network
House Sponsors
Arrow Electric 1
BB&T Bank 1
Cave to Castle Remodeling 4
Community Bank 1
Dominion Cove Point 4
Dunkirk Supply 1
Early Bird Home Services 1
Exelon Generation 7
Friends of the Calvert County Department
of Social Services 6
Friendship Baptist Church 4
Harvest Fellowship Presbyterian
Church 2
HELP Association 3
Howlin Concrete 1
Kiewit Cove Point One 3
Patuxent Habitat for Humanity 1
Patuxent High School National
Jr. ROTC 1
PNC Bank 1
Prince Frederick Dodge 1
Rex Bowling and Family 1
SMECO 1
Smithville United Methodist Church 1
Sneade’s ACE Hardware 1
Southern MD Association of Realtors 1
United Health Care 1
Wilson Properties 1
Tee shirt Sponsors
AIR Conditioning Services
Arctic Snow Management
Cave to Castle Remodeling
Cedar Point Federal Credit Union
Collinson, Oliff and Associates
Engineers, Surveyors & Land Planners
Cotton’s Septic & Portable Toilet Rentals
Dominion
Dunkirk Supply
Exelon Generation
Friendship Baptist Church
Howlin Concrete Inc.
IHI Kiewit ONE Cove Point
J & P Heating and Air Conditioning,
Inc.
Paul C. Hayden Jr. & Sons
Plumbing &
Heating, Inc.
PPI Inc. Project Performance
Improvement, Inc.
Prince Frederick Dodge
Quality Built Homes, Inc.
Rex Bowling and Family
Sean McGowan, CPA Tax &
Accounting
Sneade’s ACE Hardware
Taylor Made Enterprises
The McNelis Group Real Estate
Services
W. H. Lloyd Construction
Area Coordinators Bill Lloyd (W. H. Lloyd Construction)
Glenn Phelps (Cave to Castle Remodeling)
John Lee (Prince Frederick Dodge)
Pat Pringle (Exelon Generation)
Russell Bowie (Project Performance
Improvement Inc.)
Steve Brooks (Calvert Lighthouse Church)
Steve Sanders (ExelonGeneration)
Traci Peters (Sederholm Public Affairs)
Willie Plaza (Exelon Generation)
House Selection Committee
Carolyn Mohler, Chairperson
Richard Alu
Pat Baumann
Rick Branch
Steve Brooks
John Hofmann
Randy Kozik
John Lee
Jay Maisel
Mark Mooney
Karl Neddenien
Glenn Phelps
Wilberto Plaza
Patricia Pringle
Adam Sanders
Steve Sanders
Guffrie Smith
DanWilson
Logistics Committee
Steve Sanders, Logistics Coordinator
Russell Bowie
Rex Bowling
Steve Brooks
Barbara DeHenzel-Lloyd
John Lee
Bill Lloyd
Traci Peters
Glenn Phelps
Wilberto Plaza
Patricia Pringle
Adam Sanders
Thanks to all who offered support and encouragement to Christmas in April’s 2017 effort. We acknowledge
with gratitude those who wish to remain anonymous, or who were inadvertently omitted from the list of
supporters.
Shopping online with Amazon
When you are shopping online with Amazon, go to http:/smile.amazon.com and select
"Christmas in April Calvert County" as your charity of choice. Once you select
Christmas in April, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from any eligible
purchase made through Amazon Smile at no cost to you.
Calendar 2017-2018
For more details see website www.christmasinaprilcalvertcounty.org.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
August 2017
Promotion of application process for Christmas in April 2018.
September 2017
September 15 and 16: Christmas in April will work on a
home for the annual United Way Day of Caring.
September 30: Applications are due for Christmas in April
2018. (Applications can be submitted online at
www.christmasinaprilcalvertcounty.org, may be requested by
a phone call, or may be picked up at the churches, senior
centers, or libraries.)
October 2017
The House Selection Committee will visit the homes of
applicants.
November 2017
The Board tentatively approves houses to be repaired for
Christmas in April 2018.
December 2017
House captains are assigned to recommended houses.
January 2018
Homeowners will be informed of application decision.
January/February 2018
House captains visit approved homes, determine work scope,
and develop supply list.
March 2018
Preparations continue for Christmas in April work on homes.
April 2018
The majority of approved homes will be worked on in April.
Congratulations to Pat Pringle!
Pat Pringle received the $20,000 Excellence Award in the Exelon Energy for the Community Employee Volunteer Award program.
The following information gives a brief summary of the improvements made on each home in 2017.
“My father has never had anyone do like that for him and he is 92! This just perked him up.”
“We are so blessed. Christmas came early. I cannot tell you the relief off my shoulders.”
“No more leaking roof and moving toilets. For me, being a senior citizen and here alone, this means so much.”
Quotes from April 2017 recipients
House # 1 Forty-three volunteers from IET, under the
supervision of Jerry Peters, Mandi Kuidlan, and Krystal
Ringley, house captains, made needed repairs for this older
homeowner. The old deck was removed and replaced with a
new deck, which is “beautiful,” according to the homeowner’s
daughter. It is so much safer for her mother to use. The
bathroom was refinished, with a new sink, ceiling fan, and
drywall. Siding was completed on the partially sided home
and five windows were installed. Facia and soffit were
replaced and general yard clean up took place, with new
flowers planted. “My mother is definitely happy with the
improvements,” said her daughter. This house was sponsored
by Exelon Generation.
House # 2 Additional work was completed on this 2016
Christmas in April home by Larry Carter, house captain from
Harvest Fellowship Presbyterian Church. The homeowner’s
sliding door leading to the front porch and deck was damaged
as the glass in this dual pane door had cracked due to the heat.
According to the homeowner, “two nice gentlemen replaced
the door and it is now secure and looks gorgeous!” This house
was sponsored by Dominion Cove Point.
House # 3 The Patuxent High School National Jr. ROTC, led
by first Sergeant Jeff Treiber, partnered with Exelon
Generation to perform needed repairs to the large deck which
included replacing some deck material and pressure washing
and recoating the deck with a non-skid paint. Ten volunteers
worked together to make these improvements. The
homeowner said, “The students did great!” This house was
sponsored by Patuxent High School National Jr. ROTC.
House # 4 Fourteen volunteers from Calvert Memorial
Hospital and the homeowner’s son worked on this home for a
one hundred percent bed ridden homeowner. Margaret Fowler
and Rachael Boyd served as house captains. These volunteers
were busy for eight hours patching holes in the roof, cleaning
gutters, painting the front deck, and replacing porch pickets.
During this time, much yard work was completed. This
consisted of trimming trees and bushes, raking leaves, cutting
grass, picking up trash, weeding and mulching flower beds,
planting flowers, and removing a trampoline and basketball
stand. A large dumpster was filled with yard waste and trash.
The front door and house numbers were replaced. Exterior
doors were painted. Inside the house, there was a thorough
cleaning of all rooms and windows. Mold spots in the kitchen
and bedroom were scraped, repaired, and painted. The
grateful homeowner said, “Everything was fine, perfect! I
thank God very much and I prayed for everyone who was
here.” She made a donation to Christmas in April to help
someone else. “My daddy always said you should pay it
forward.” This house was sponsored by the Friends of the
Calvert County Department of Social Services.
House # 5 This home was worked on soon after the house
selection process because of a safety issue with the heat pump.
An inspection of the heat pump revealed that a part was
missing and that the heat pump was still under warranty. The
part was ordered and installed. “It is doing just fine now,”
said the homeowner. Glenn Phelps from Cave to Castle
Remolding was the house captain. This house was sponsored
by Cave to Castle Remodeling.
House # 6 This year's Christmas in April project for the
Knights of Columbus Council 9258/ Our Lady Star of the Sea
Catholic Church was a great success, with Vincent Maldonado
and Joseph Suarez-Murias serving as house captains. There
were fourteen workers on Saturday from 8 am to 5 pm, eight
on Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm and five on Monday from 8
am to 11 am. The major project was to demo the old
wheelchair ramp which had a very steep slope and to build a
new wheelchair accessible ramp. The home owners were very
helpful and the grandmother was able to utilize the ramp
Sunday after church. Flower beds were weeded, some were
mulched, and miscellaneous yard clean up took place. This
was a great team effort. It was another successful project and
there couldn't have been nicer weather (except for the pollen).
The homeowner was “really, really happy” with the new ramp.
The family was also very pleased with the ramp as they like to
get their mother out of the house often and the new ramp
makes it much easier to roll the wheelchair up and down. This
house was sponsored by Community Bank.
House # 7 Adam Sanders, of Systems Application and
Technologies, Inc., led this team of ten volunteers to work on
the home of this veteran and his wife. The bathtub leak was
repaired and the vanity and sink replaced. The homeowner
said, “The people from Christmas in April have been super
great. You don’t know how blessed this is. They also put in a
humidifier and that is a blessing, thank God.” This work was
accomplished through the cooperation of volunteers from
Exelon Generation, Cave to Castle Remodeling, and Harvest
Fellowship Presbyterian Church with the support of the
Calvert County Department of Solid Waste. This house was
sponsored by the Friends of the Calvert County Department of
Social Services.
House # 8 Forty-three volunteers, including an army of
students, teachers, and parents from the National Junior Honor
Society from Mill Creek Middle School, busily worked around
this home and were guided by Jen Murphy who served as
house captain. This team worked in partnership with
Christmas in April, BB&T Bank, Dominion Cove Point,
Harvest Fellowship Presbyterian Church, the Calvert County
Department of Solid Waste, and Exelon Generation. The
students did an outstanding job painting the exterior of the
home, mulching, and planting flowers and seemed to have fun
and enjoyed what they were doing. The homeowner said, “It
looks like a new house outside.” One of the homeowner’s, a
recent amputee, would have to slide down five steps,
occasionally falling in the process, to exit his home. The fire
department had to be called to get him back in the house. He
now has a new ramp, making access to the home very easy for
him, and a new deck. When he was able to get out on the new
deck, the realization of it brought tears to his eyes. This is
Christmas in April and its partners doing what we do best,
bringing hope! Thanks to BB&T for helping sponsor this
home with the Friends of the Calvert County Department of
Social Services and to Patuxent Habitat for Humanity for
supplying all of the paint.
House # 9 Jon Gifford, serving as house captain, guided eight
volunteers mostly from Harvest Fellowship Presbyterian
Church with several community residents assisting. They put
down a new vinyl floor in the bathroom which the homeowner
describes as “wonderful, wonderful.” Additionally, they
adjusted a gutter and refastened it, replaced a hallway return
air vent, replaced an inoperable bedroom fan, and trimmed the
shed. The homeowner was so impressed that “someone would
come here and work for hours without charge. They were just
like our family. You sent us a nice group!” This house was
sponsored by Harvest Fellowship Presbyterian Church.
House # 10 Huntingtown United Methodist Church
volunteers, under the leadership of Bob Robertson, requested
to work on a home in the winter as well as in April. This
project was completed in January. The homeowner was most
pleased to have the old tile, which was coming up and
cracking in the hallway, replaced so that it is much easier for
her to use her power wheelchair. Her base kitchen cabinets
were refaced and “look amazing” and weather stripping and a
door sweep were installed on two exterior doors. A bottom
stair was fixed and other steps in the staircase reinforced.
“They did a wonderful job,” exclaimed the homeowner. This
house was sponsored by Kiewit Cove Point One.
House # 11 Amanda Tyndall was house captain for this group
of forty-two volunteers, which included twenty students from
Calvert Middle School’s Honors class, parents, retired Exelon
employees, and Exelon personnel. Friday was pre-work day
where the house was pressure washed, the shutters were
removed from the home (each had at least one wasp nest
behind it), and the gutters were cleaned. On Saturday, the
large group of volunteers arrived and hit the house like
locusts. All sides of the house were painted simultaneously,
shutters were painted, and yard work was done. The house
needed two coats of paint but nobody was discouraged and got
it done. “All had a good time, the pizza was good, and we
made some new friends.” The homeowner said, “The house
looks beautiful and I am really happy with that. The white
color is much nicer than before.” This house was sponsored
by Exelon Generation.
House # 12 Six volunteers from the Concerned Black Men of
Calvert County, led by George Carter house captain, made
needed repairs to this home. Dry wall repairs were completed
and the kitchen was painted. The gutters were cleaned and
gutter guards installed. The homeowner is glad he will not
have to worry about leaves in the gutters anymore. Safety
features were added with the installation of smoke detectors
and the electrical improvements that were made. The
homeowner exclaimed, “They did a wonderful job. Thank the
volunteers for me.” This house was sponsored by Dominion
Cove Point.
House # 13 This homeowner had trouble accessing her old
bathtub. Sometimes her leg would let her swing over and get
in the tub and sometimes it would not. Thanks to Dan Wilson,
house captain, and his team of ten volunteers from Wilson
Properties, Inc., she can now take a good shower. To replace
the shower with a handicap accessible unit, the existing
bathroom had to be gutted, the exterior wall removed and then
reconstructed, insulated, and refinished. The homeowner feels
“blessed and thankful to Christmas in April and proud and
happy to have had Christmas in April work on my home.”
This project was sponsored by Wilson Properties, Inc.
House # 14 Kenneth Anderson, house captain from Concept
Contractors, and a volunteer repaired the roof of this home. A
portion of the roofing paper and shingles were replaced, as
was a vent boot. After another company fixed a hole in
another part of the roof, this team completed drywall repairs in
the kitchen ceiling and removed the ceiling stain in the living
room. The homeowner said, “I have not seen any water
coming into the house. The roof is working fine!” This house
was sponsored by Sneade’s ACE Hardware.
House # 15 This 91 year old homeowner had been without
hot water for months. Christmas in April came to her rescue
and had a hot water heater installed for her. Her daughter,
expressing thanks for her mother, said, “It is so wonderful, an
excellent thing. They did a perfect job. Thank you so much.”
Appreciation goes to Glenn Phelps for making the
arrangements for the improvement.
House # 16 Vada Brooks, house captain, with Steve Brooks
and their eleven volunteers from Calvert Lighthouse Church
made major improvements in the bathroom for this
homeowner. The bathroom floor was repaired with a 2 x 6
support joist, ¾” plywood, and underlayment, along with a
new floor covering. A 2 x 4 was replaced around the tub with
new wallboard surrounding the tub. The satisfied homeowner
said that everything is going fine and they did a nice job. The
volunteers also mulched around the flowers and cut down a
little tree in the flower bed.
House # 17 Twelve volunteers from Friendship United
Methodist Church, guided by Ray Wilkerson, house captain,
made this home more secure and safer for the homeowner.
The kitchen floor was spongy and was described as being like
a diving board. Rotten joists were repaired and the kitchen
floor was removed and replaced, along with the molding. A
new kitchen cabinet was installed. The bathroom floor was
also removed and replaced. A galvanized drain was rusted
away and drain water had been going into the crawl space
under the house for years. This sewer line was repaired. A
flower bed was planted and two smoke detectors installed.
The homeowner described the work as “marvelous.” She said
that she has had people come to see what was done and that
they were amazed. This house was sponsored by Sneade’s
ACE Hardware.
House # 18 Over two weekends in April, a team of thirty-five
volunteers organized by Christmas in April and the St.
Nicholas Lutheran Church repaired a house in Prince
Frederick. Keith Williams served as house captain. A site
visit to this house showed that water was entering the
basement through the rear of the house. There were a
combination of factors that contributed to this water condition.
First the shingles on the house were installed incorrectly,
allowing water to leak next to the house and not exit the
gutter. Once next to the house, the water could not flow away
from the foundation due to a lack of slope away from the
house, likely due to settling over the years.
Solving water problems becomes a multi-level solution. First,
the roof was repaired and gutter guards installed to ensure roof
water exits the gutters where it can be directed away. Next,
one side of the house’s foundation was excavated by hand
digging to allow for waterproofing of the basement walls to
help prevent water from seeping into the basement if water
makes it below the surface. To help prevent that, a clay top
was layered into the backfill to help prevent water penetration
to the lower levels of the outside basement walls. Then,
additional fill dirt and grading was used to create two natural
water swells to allow for better drainage away from the house.
Final layers to prevent water seepage included interior
Drylock wall treatment, a couple of other rain-directing gullies
added outside, and a shingled roof over the rear basement
entrance. In addition to water treatments, additional roof
repairs, carport ceiling repairs, and exterior painting were
done to complete this project. The donation of a small tractor
for the day made quick work of grading and moving dirt.
The homeowner says she "was blessed" by the major work
done to prevent water from entering her basement. “It
worked beautifully. With the rain that we have had, I would
have had to dip water which was up the side of my shoes. I
would be walking in the water. After the first hard rain, I was
up all night to check on the basement. This is what I used to
do as I would have to go down and dip out water and use wet
vacs. But, there was no water inside! It was dry! Now I can
sleep when it rains!" This house was sponsored by Dunkirk
Supply.
House # 19 Twenty–seven motivated and self-directed
volunteers from Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Church
and the Prince Georges County government worked together
to accomplish the needed repairs to this elderly homeowner’s
house. Randy Kozik and Jay Maisel served as house captains.
The weekend prior to the workday, a team of five volunteers
power washed the house and three porches to prepare them for
the application of stain and preservative on the workday.
During the week, the cracked shower pan, walls, doors, water
damaged joists and flooring were removed and replaced with
new joists, a shower unit and vinyl floors. In addition, gutters
and downspouts were hung around the house and missing
shingles replaced. Friday evening, the required piping and
fixtures were connected and the toilet reset.
On Saturday, April 29th, work commenced at 7:30 a.m. with
the cutting down and hauling to the wood line the sectioned
trunk, large limbs and loped branches of a sizeable tree.
Chesapeake Automotive Equipment provided a stake body
truck with a winch and lift gate to help an eight person crew
excavate and haul away to the recycling company: two lawn
tractors, two lawn mowers, plows, discs, and numerous bags
of aluminum cans all totaling thousands of pounds of metal.
At the same time, several volunteers were cutting and
installing vinyl skirting to enclose the crawl space of the
house, others were replacing the railing and pickets at the end
of the deck, and still others were finishing up staining the
porches.
By lunchtime, the crew was back from the recycling company
with the proceeds from their work, $128 in cash. At lunch, the
volunteers assembled to hand the surprised homeowner the
$128, who accepted it with “tears of happiness” as she
described them, welling and escaping down her cheeks. As
one volunteer explained, “The rewards we reaped were greater
than the work we did!” Thanks also go to Walls Plumbing
and Cave to Castle Remodeling for their support of this
project.
The homeowner describes the volunteers as “God’s angels.
Whatever they did was good. I love all of them and want to
thank everyone who did anything – even if they gave a
donation and I did not see them. Now, I can sit here and not
worry.”
This house was sponsored by the Friends of Calvert County
Department of Social Services.
House # 20 The replacement for this drain field was
organized by Glenn Phelps of Cave to Castle Remodeling.
The low income homeowners expressed their thanks in a card:
“I appreciate all the work you did. It takes a load off my
mind. I can’t thank you enough for all the help, time, and
energy for all the work and care you have taken. Also, I am
thankful that you care about us.” Thanks to Cotton’s Septic
for the installation of the septic system. This house was
sponsored by Dominion Cove Point.
House # 21 Fourteen volunteers from the Calvert County Bar
Association, led by house captains Andrew Rappaport and
Brian Ritter, made improvements to this home. This team
installed a new exterior door, pressure washed the house, and
painted the living room and dining room. They also replaced
a toilet, made necessary plumbing repairs, and installed a new
bathroom sink. Two interior doors were replaced. The
homeowner said, “I enjoyed what they did.” His daughter
commented that this work “takes some of the stress off of his
shoulders.” This house was sponsored by United Health Care.
House # 22 Laura Phelps, house captain and student, led this
group of volunteers from the Northern High School
Fellowship of Christian Athletes as they made much needed
home improvements for this homeowner. The homeowner
said, “Everything went very well. They painted the back of
the house and this really needed painting the most. They also
did the kitchen floor which looked very bad. Everything was
wonderful!”. This house was sponsored by Rex Bowling and
family.
House # 23 Christmas in April celebrated Veteran’s Day by
helping out this 72 year old veteran, his wife, and the young
granddaughter they are raising. Guided by house captain
Adam Saunders of Systems Applications and Technologies,
Inc., twenty-one volunteers performed tasks which included
replacing the attic fan, insulating the attic, installing a kitchen
fan and an entrance light, installing a new basement door and
drain tile, and cleaning out the basement and garage. Outdoor
improvements included cleaning the gutters, installing gutter
guards, removing dead trees, painting the soffit, washing the
house, and performing yard work. The grateful homeowners
said, “We were just so overwhelmed with the generosity and
the work that was done. We were just amazed and appreciate
the so many things they did.” Support for this project was
provided by Cave to Castle Remodeling, Exelon Generation,
Harvest Fellowship Presbyterian Church, SMECO, and the
Calvert County Department of Solid Waste. Lunch was
provided by Exelon Generation. This house was sponsored by
the Friends of the Calvert County Department of Social
Services.
House # 24 Twenty-one volunteers from Smithville United
Methodist Church, guided by Dave Fondelier, house captain,
made major safety improvements for this elderly homeowner
by replacing the front and side steps and adding grab bars.
They repaired the bathroom ceiling and the vinyl tiles in the
kitchen. Outside, the volunteers installed missing gutter
guards and did yard cleanup which included trimming,
mulching, and planting twelve shrubs. A basement wall was
water sealed and the exterior masonry walls were painted.
The homeowner’s daughter said, “My father has never had
anyone do like that for him and he is 92! This just perked him
up.” Smithville United Methodist Church sponsored this
project.
House # 27 House captains Mike Frederick and Larry Settle,
with thirty plus volunteers from Life Church, took on a major
project, working on a home with no running water, no
working bathroom, no working kitchen, doors and windows
that were not sealing, and many rooms with holes in the
drywall. Life-changing improvements were made for this
grateful homeowner. The first item was repair of the kitchen
floor. The floor joist and subfloor were replaced and a good
vinyl floor was installed. Next was the rebuild of the kitchen
walls with new electrical circuits in the kitchen. The
homeowner is so pleased to now have light in the kitchen – “a
light I can turn on and off and I also have a ceiling fan!”
Kitchen cabinets and new counter tops were installed. The
homeowner loves the “new kitchen with the beautiful floor,
light, and being able to use something besides the
microwave.”
The well was a shallow well which had very little water in it.
Many thanks to the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department which
brought 1500 gallons of water to place in the well to get water
running. Then, thanks to Hayden Plumbing, a new well pump
and pressure tank were installed to restore water supply to the
house. This meant running water in the kitchen and also the
bathroom. A master plumber got the bathroom functioning
again.
Two doors and five windows were replaced and trimmed out.
The chimney had a leak around the flashing that was replaced
and a roof leak was fixed. Eight dump trailer loads of trash
were hauled from the property. Yard work of flower planting
and bush trimming was performed.
“I appreciate the help I got, “ said the homeowner. “We had a
good time working together as a team.” Many thanks are
extended to the approximately 900 man hours of volunteer
work from the Life Church Men’s Group, the Dunkirk
Volunteer Fire Department, Paul C. Hayden, Jr. & Sons
Plumbing and Heating Inc., PEPCO, and Dominion Cove
Point LNG for giving this homeowner a much improved living
situation. This house was sponsored by the Friends of the
Calvert County Department of Social Services.
House # 28 Mark Mooney was house captain from Friendship
Baptist Church for the eight volunteers who made
improvements for this couple. The husband is legally blind
due to glaucoma and his wife suffers from two bad knees and
sciatica. The new ramp replacing the steps has made it so
much easier for the wife to access their home. It was hard for
her to use the steps as she had to stop to rest making her way
up the stairs. The steps and treads to the back deck were
replaced as there were rotten boards in the old steps. The deck
was stabilized by adding three 6x6’s and several 2x12’s. A
handrail was also installed. The wife said she had been afraid
to go out on the deck as it was really rocky but it doesn’t move
at all now. She is also grateful for the new flowers and
mulching. This house was sponsored by Friendship Baptist
Church.
House # 29 The job scope for this house was to reattach the
front and back gutters.. Mark Mooney, house captain, and the
three volunteers from Friendship Baptist Church found the
gutters to be in good condition. However, they proceeded to
clean out the gutters, clear and mulch the flower bed, and plant
flowers. This additional work is appreciated. This house was
sponsored by Friendship Baptist Church.
House # 30 Mark Mooney was also house captain for this
home with seven volunteers from Friendship Baptist Church.
A long handicap ramp was built for the husband who uses a
walker. It was difficult for him to climb the steps into the
house and he can now get in by himself. Previously, it was a
struggle for his wife to help him in and out of the house. The
job was long and in the direct sun, so a small crew went back
out on the following Monday to complete the project. This
house was sponsored by Friendship Baptist Church.
House # 33 The home of this 73 year old veteran will be
worked on in September 2017 for Christmas in April’s Day of
Caring project. The work scope will be to insulate and
drywall/panel interior walls of the mobile home. Additionally,
two doors, the floor covering in the living room and a couple
of interior light fixtures will be replaced. The exterior skirt on
the mobile home will be removed and replaced.
House # 35 Glenn Phelps, of Cave to Castle Remodeling,
served as house captain for this job which was handled as an
emergency repair. Approximately one-half of the home was
without power. Glenn and his team made needed repairs to
ensure existing electrical service to this home was safe while
also restoring electric to the entire house. The relieved
homeowners said, “This is a God send. We are so blessed.
Christmas came early. I cannot tell you the relief off my
shoulders. I was always thinking – Is my house going to catch
fire? Every night I prayed for the safety of my home. I feel so
different even inside now – even spiritually.” This house was
sponsored by Cave to Castle Remodeling.
House # 36 This homeowner had to have her septic tank
pumped every couple of months. She had to be very careful
about flushing the toilet and used the dishwasher and washing
machine sparingly. “Everything is great now,” she said.
Glenn Phelps, house captain, led this team from Cave to
Castle Remodeling, Exelon Generation, and Cotton Septic
Service in replacing the septic tank and constructing an above
ground filtration system. The team also back filled and
capped the old well. Cotton’s Septic installed this septic
system. Exelon Generation sponsored the home and provided
lunch.
House # 37 Thanks to McCrea Heating and Air Conditioning,
house sponsor, and Glenn Phelps of Cave to Castle
Remodeling, this homeowner now has heat in all of the rooms
of her house. Duct work had been destroyed by animals, only
enabling 40% of the heat to actually get in the house. Repairs
were made and the homeowner said, “Heat is going through
all the vents now and is doing wonderful. This is a wonderful
way to start the New Year!”
House # 38 This elderly homeowner was the recipient of an
improved septic system installed by Cotton’s Septic. The
septic was backing up in her bathrooms and she even had to
plunge out the bathtubs. The septic was also backing up in her
yard and it could be smelled in the summer time. Due to the
coordination efforts of Glenn Phelps, house captain, she no
longer has to worry with these issues. She says, “O Lord, I’m
so proud of that septic. I couldn’t do it myself. Thank you for
helping me out.” This house was sponsored by Kiewit Cove
Point One.
House # 39 This 86 year old homeowner had had a recent fall
on her steps and could no longer use her outside steps. This
team of twenty volunteers, led by Joe Penn from Howlin
Concrete, arrived on a brisk Saturday morning and promptly
started removal of the existing sidewalk and landscaping in
preparation of constructing a ramp and concrete sidewalk to
afford the homeowner safe access to and from her house. The
homeowner’s daughter expressed her thanks by writing, “No
words can express our gratitude…Because of your kindness
and compassion, my mother can leave her home and continue
to keep her appointments with doctors and visit with family
and friends.” The propane gas tank was relocated by
Suburban Propane. Support was also provided by Howlin
Concrete, Dunkirk Supply, Castillo Framing, Harvest
Fellowship Presbyterian Church, and Brothers Johnson Septic
Service. Howlin Concrete was the sponsor for this home.
House # 40 A wooden back porch that was leaning created a
safety hazard for this older homeowner. Willie Plaza, house
captain from Exelon Generation, led this team of six
volunteers in removing and replacing the porch/deck. The
homeowner describes the new porch as “just fine!” Thanks go
to Exelon Generation, Harvest Fellowship Presbyterian
Church and the Calvert County Department of Solid Waste for
a successful project. Appreciation is also extended to Exelon
Generation for sponsoring the lunch and to Kiewit Cove Point
One, house sponsor.
House # 41 Fifteen Calvert County Lions Club members,
including friends, family, and one Patuxent high school
student, were led by Brian Owens, house captain, as they
braved the extreme heat and completed work on this home. A
deck and wheelchair ramp, including all the railings, were
replaced, taking care of a couple of structural deficiencies in
the process. Many branches were trimmed off a large tree
hovering over the house, gutters were cleaned out, and a new
storm door was hung. All this work was completed between
7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 29th
, at times with
temperatures exceeding 90 degrees. Lunch was donated by the
Lions Club and delivered by two club members along with
two additional cases of water which barely held out before
they were finished for the day.
Four members of the crew returned to the house on Sunday,
May 7th
to install gutter guards and replace the soffit on the
front of the house. Everyone worked hard and had a fun time
in the process. The homeowner said this work was “a
blessing” for her and that the volunteers “were wonderful, a
very nice group. I am very pleased with the work.” This
house was sponsored by the HELP Association.
House # 42 The twenty volunteers from Grace Brethren
Church, with Jim Brown serving as house captain, are thankful
for the opportunity to serve the community, taking on this task
to serve others in the name of Jesus Christ. Here are some of
the many jobs that this team accomplished:
*major plumbing job ( Owner’s comment: " It may seem
archaic to say it's nice to be able to take a bath again.")
*replacing flooring in foyer (She had been concerned about
falling through to the basement.)
*painting hallway and doorways and trim and hand rails
*repairing sliding glass door ( It had been difficult to open.)
*replacing fire/carbon monoxide detectors
* power washing deck, house, concrete patio, front walkway,
and front porch
*installing all new gutter guards
* replacing outdoor electrical outlet
* yard work – mowing the lawn, raking the yard, trimming
trees and bushes, mulching and planting some flowers.
The elderly homeowner, who is in poor health and has a
husband in the nursing home, was overjoyed with all that took
place and was extremely appreciative for all that was
accomplished on her behalf. These things needed to be done
and gave her peace of mind, relieving her of a lot of stress and
anxiety. She said, " I felt like I died and went to heaven." The
volunteers are grateful that “we together could make her home
a healthier and safer place to live and that she can now relax
and enjoy it.” This house was sponsored by PNC Bank.
House # 43 Tom Merkle served as the house captain for this
team from Arrow Electric. The crew replaced the bathroom
vanity and faucet and repaired the plumbing. Two kitchen
cabinets and a range hood were also replaced and three new
windows and trim were installed. The homeowner admired
the efficiency of the team and said all work was excellent.
She is happy that the new kitchen cabinets match the others
perfectly. This house was sponsored by Arrow Electric.
House # 44 Tom Jones led this team of sixteen Calvert
County Government employees to make needed repairs to this
homeowner’s deck and porch. The foundation of the home
was scraped and painted, gutters were cleaned, gutter guards
were installed, and a new motion light was added for security.
The front porch steps were removed and replaced. The
homeowner said, “So much stuff that I didn’t think would be
done was done. They did a wonderful job!” Dominion Cove
Point sponsored this home.
House # 45 Ten volunteers from Emmanuel United Methodist
Church were guided by Randy Morgan, house captain, as the
old, unstable deck was torn down and rebuilt. This project
took most of the day. “The new deck is beautiful,” expressed
the homeowner. “Everything is beautiful! The roof was
repaired and the homeowner has seen no water leaking in the
house since Christmas in April day. Dry wall was repaired
where there was water damage. The gutters were cleaned and
properly secured. The homeowner was most enthusiastic
about these improvements. This home was sponsored by the
HELP Association.
House # 46 This fortunate homeowner received a new septic
system, thanks to Bay Restoration funds and Christmas in
April. Water is no longer flowing back into the basement of
this home. Appreciation goes to Glenn Phelps, house captain,
who coordinated the efforts for the installation and to Cotton’s
Septic for installing the septic tank.
House # 47 Larry Clark, from Jesus the Divine Word Knights
of Columbus Council # 14775, led efforts to make
improvements on this house for an infirmed homeowner. This
home was missing a number of closet doors. Some were
replaced with new bifold doors and others repaired. A sliding
glass door in the basement was replaced. Existing smoke
detectors in the home were no longer working so six new
smoke detectors were installed. Some temporary electrical
service was cleaned up. The homeowner was very happy with
these repairs. This house was sponsored by SMECO.
House # 48 Ten volunteers from the Mt. Olive United
Methodist Church Men’s Group made many improvements for
this homeowner, under the direction of Everard Johnson,
house captain. Their day began with a gathering at IHOP for
fellowship and breakfast. At 8 a.m., they arrived at this home,
were met with a smile by the homeowner, and began work.
Their jobs consisted of replacing the bathroom sub floor and
floor, stopping the roof leaks, replacing the ridge vent and
vent pipe flanges, and repairing the deck rails and power
washing the deck. The homeowner is also very grateful for the
grab bars by the toilet and in the tub. She now feels
comfortable taking a shower without the fear of falling.
A crew member grilled lunch while they appreciated the
homeowner supplying water and other goodies. As they left,
the homeowner expressed thanks for “no more leaking roof
and moving toilets.” That, in itself, made for a very good day
for the group. “For me being a senior citizen and here alone,
this means so much. God bless them,” said the grateful
homeowner. This house was sponsored by Patuxent Habitat
for Humanity.
House # 49 Glenn Phelps, of Cave to Castle Remodeling, led
this emergency effort to replace the failed septic system for
these senior homeowners. The homeowners had been paying
$200 monthly for the past three years to have the septic
pumped. The family had raised money on their own to pay for
a portion of the septic but needed Christmas in April to
supplement their funds. Appreciation also goes to Cotton’s
Septic for work on this project. This house was sponsored by
Exelon Generation.
House # 50 Denise Aud, house captain, was responsible for
fourteen volunteers from Prince Frederick Dodge, who made
repairs for this couple in their seventies. They replaced the
back steps which improved safety for these homeowners. The
wife said that the old steps were so far apart that she was
always afraid her foot would not hit the next step and she
would fall. The front door and storm door were replaced as
the former door often went off track when opened. A dead
bolt lockset was installed for safety. Three new light fixtures
were added. The old fixture in the kitchen was so dim you
could hardly see and the one in the dining room kept blowing
out, according to the homeowner. Additionally, the toilet was
replaced and eighteen plants were added to the yard with
topsoil and mulch. The homeowner said, “Everything was
beautiful, beautiful.” Thanks also to Arctic Snow
Management and Lemon’s Plumbing for assistance with these
tasks. This house was sponsored by Prince Frederick Dodge.
House # 51 Larry Carter, house captain from Harvest
Fellowship Presbyterian Church, guided this team of thirteen
volunteers over a two day period to perform this emergency
roof replacement for a single mother. Volunteers removed the
old roof, replaced rotten wood, and re-roofed the house. The
homeowner expressed her thanks by saying, “This means the
world to me. It has given me a lift. Water would come into
the laundry room during a heavy rain. Thank you so much.”
Technical assistance was provided by volunteers from Cave to
Castle Remodeling and Prince Frederick Dodge. Lunch was
provided by Cave to Castle Remodeling and Exelon
Generation. This house was sponsored by Harvest Fellowship
Presbyterian Church.
House # 52 Bob Robertson was house captain for the group
of fourteen volunteers from Huntingtown United Methodist
Church who made repairs for this eighty-two year old
homeowner. To improve her safety, they installed railings on
her front steps. Previously, she would not even attempt to go
down these steps as she was afraid she would fall. Now, she
feels secure using these stairs. Her gutters and soffits were
cleaned and the volunteers planted flowers to beautify the
yard. There was a spot in her yard which was sinking. This
area was leveled off, grass seed was planted here, and straw
was placed over the seed. “The yard looks very good now,”
said the homeowner. Additionally, the aluminum siding was
attached on the front of the house where it was sticking out.
“They did a good job,” praised the homeowner. This house
was sponsored by the HELP Association.
House # 53 Glenn Phelps led this team of four volunteers
from Cave to Castle Remodeling, Harvest Fellowship
Presbyterian Church, and Exelon Generation to complete
needed repairs on the home of this senior lady. Repairs
included reanchoring and painting the front door surround,
replacing the storm door, repairing kitchen cabinets, repairing
and painting a porch rail, and trimming trees. The homeowner
said, “Everything went wonderful. I especially appreciate the
trimming of the tree as my tree was overhanging the deck on
my neighbor’s property.” This home was sponsored by Cave
to Castle Remodeling
House # 54 Christmas in April welcomed first time volunteer
group, the Young Professionals Network, as eight volunteers,
under the direction of Anjelica Eitel, house captain, performed
much needed yard work for this homeowner. Volunteers from
across the county were able to clear out brush and debris from
around the home and open up access to the backyard so the
family can pick up where they left off and continue to work to
get their yard back. They also power washed the front of the
home and even had time to squeeze in some bonus weeding
and mulching. “They worked so hard and made my house
look so attractive,” exclaimed the homeowner. ”I can’t say
enough kind words about the work that they did.” Thanks also
go to BB&T (materials), The Mark Frisco Team – Century 21
New Millennium (water), and Your Digital Salesman (lunch)
for project support. This house was sponsored by BB&T
Bank.
House # 55 Eryn Chaney, house captain, led ten volunteers
from the Southern Maryland Association of Realtors along
with John Lee of Prince Frederick Dodge. This older
homeowner expressed her appreciation often of the work
Christmas in April was doing in making her deck safe. She
said she would not allow people to walk on it because she
thought it was not safe. The homeowner says, “The new deck
is great!” She made sure a lot of family members were on
hand to help where needed. Volunteers removed the existing
floor portion of the deck, replaced the steps, and made some
minor repairs to the handrails and ramp. The crew also
replaced the front storm door with a new door. “I am 100%
satisfied and sure appreciate the volunteers,” said the
homeowner. “It was a privilege to have you all come out and
to have everything done I prayed for.” This house was
sponsored by the Southern Maryland Association of Realtors.
House # 56 This home had been worked on last year by
Christmas in April but was still in need of insulation and a
heating/air conditioning system. There was no insulation in
the attic. Individual air conditioners were in every room, with
two in the living room, and they ran all of the time. Space
heaters were used for heat. Glenn Phelps, of Cave to Castle
Remodeling, assisted this couple in applying for a
weatherization grant which covered the insulation, a new
furnace, air conditioning system, and a new hot water heater.
The homeowners are very grateful and expect to see big
improvements in their electric bill.
House # 57 Lindsay Lavato, house captain, led eight
volunteers from Gateau Physical Therapy as they did much
needed yard work for this seventy-eight year old homeowner.
This group, new to Christmas in April, removed weeds from
several flower beds, refreshed and/or replaced mulch in
several areas of the yard, and raked. Flowering perennials
were planted, as well as some annual plants for some
immediate curb appeal. The satisfied homeowner said, “They
did a wonderful job! They also planted a lot of flowers and I
didn’t expect that.”
House # 58 Christmas in April work on this home was led by
Glenn Phelps, house captain, and was completed by four
volunteers from Cave to Castle Remodeling, Harvest
Fellowship Presbyterian Church, and Exelon Generation. The
team removed an existing deck which presented safety
hazards, hauled away the debris, and assisted with the
preparation for the foundation for the second story deck. The
homeowner said, “The Christmas in April work was
wonderful and done correctly and quickly.” The Calvert
County Department of Solid Waste supported this project and
Exelon Generation provided lunch. Exelon Generation was
the sponsor for this house.
House # 59 This home was a late addition for this Mark
Mooney team of seven volunteers from Friendship Baptist
Church. The homeowner had several minor needs. A hole
was patched in her bedroom ceiling which was caused by a
leaky air handler drain pan, some gutters were cleaned and
reattached, a down spout was attached, flowers were planted,
and an outdoor flood light was repaired. The homeowner was
thankful to have these improvements made on her house. This
house was sponsored by Friendship Baptist Church.
House # 60 This homeowner received a new septic tank and
drain field through the assistance of Glenn Phelps, house
captain. Glenn worked with the county to navigate the permit
process and secure a septic tank through the Bay Restoration
program for the homeowner. Thanks also go to Cotton Septic
Systems which installed the septic tank and the drain field and
to Howlin Concrete. The homeowner said they had to stop
using their septic from November until it was fixed in March.
They did not use the washing machine or take showers at
home but washed up in the sink. The homeowner said, “The
Lord will provide if you only wait. God is good!”
Non-profit organizations Our wonderful volunteers also
found the energy and time to devote to the improvement of
five non-profit agencies, working for Calvert Hospice on two
occasions. Events took place on the Day of Caring and dates
surrounding the Day of Caring, for Giving Tuesday on
November 29, and during the Christmas in April work day in
April.
Project # 61 Steve Sanders led fourteen volunteers as they replaced old siding on the barn for Calvert Hospice, restained the barn,
cleaned out the barn, cleaned gutters, and painted iron handrails. All of the lumber for this project was donated by the John Potter’s
Saw Mill with stain donated by Sneade’s ACE Hardware. This project was sponsored by Cave to Castle Remodeling, with lunch
provided by Calvert Hospice. Volunteers were from Exelon Generation, Cave to Castle Remodeling, and Harvest Fellowship
Presbyterian Church.
Project # 62 Additional work was completed for Calvert Hospice at their Prince Frederick Office with Jeff York house captain for ten
volunteers from Exelon Generation. This team repaired two bathroom floors, painted three bathrooms, and painted all office area on
the first floor. This project was sponsored by Exelon Generation.
Project # 63 Kara Gilbert led this team of ten volunteers from Exelon Generation who performed needed clean-up of the Calvert
County Humane Society. The group painted all interior kennels, added mulch and gravel to exterior kennels, cleaned gutters, installed
gutter guards, made repairs to the porch, and performed general yard work. Exelon Generation provided lunch for this team. This
project was sponsored by Exelon Generation.
Project # 64 Dennis Montana, house captain, guided three volunteers from Exelon Generation who performed needed repairs and
stained a wheel chair accessible ramp at the East John Youth Center.
Project # 65 In celebration of Giving Tuesday, this team of thirteen volunteers from Exelon Generation, Cave to Castle Remodeling,
and Harvest Fellowship Presbyterian Church made needed repairs to a shed roof and porch steps and did exterior painting and general
clean-up at the Calvert Food Bank. Steve Sanders and Glenn Phelps led the team and Exelon Generation provided lunch.
Project # 66 Michael Freeburger served as house captain for this team of eight volunteers from Early Bird Home Services who made
improvements to the United Way of Calvert County House. They removed and replaced a toilet, sink faucet, and meeting room light.
The team also made repairs to the front entry way door and window sills, performed exterior painting, and did an extensive amount of
yard work. Thanks also go to the Calvert County Department of Solid Waste and Habitat for Humanity for their support of this
project. This project was sponsored by Early Bird Home Services.
Christmas in April*Calvert County, Inc. A United Way Member Agency
P.O. Box 2761
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Telephone: (410)535-9044
www. christmasinaprilcalvertcounty.org
Yes! I (We) would like to volunteer. Please contact me at:
_____________________________________________________________
I would like to donate the following material:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please contact me at: _________________________________________________________________________________________ _
Please remember us during the annual United Way campaign code : 44840; or Maryland Charity Campaign code 4919.
Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Telephone: ____________________________________ Email: _____________________________________________________
Christmas in April*Calvert County, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions may be tax deductible. Consult with your tax
adviser. Copies of the current financial statement are available on request by writing to or calling Christmas in April*Calvert
County, Inc., P.O. Box 2761, Prince Frederick, MD 20678, Telephone: 410-535-9044. For the cost of copies and postage, documents
and information submitted under this title are available from the Secretary of State.
Preparations Take Place Year Round for the April Workday
Applications are accepted year round for the work day the following year, the last Saturday in April. Normally, the application
deadline is September 30 of the prior year. Applications may be found in the churches, the senior centers, the libraries, and with a
number of non-profit organizations. Applications may be requested by calling 410-535-4606 or may be printed off or submitted
online at www.christmasinaprilcalvertcounty.org. The application can be submitted by the homeowner or a family member, a
neighbor, or by an organization with the consent of the homeowner. All of the legal homeowners must live in their house. All work
and materials are supplied free of charge to the selected homeowner.
Once applications are received, the House Selection Committee meets and members of the committee, including a skilled labor
volunteer, visit application sites in October to determine the homeowner’s eligibility and the feasibility of repairs. The committee
then makes recommendations to the Board based on the need and Christmas in April’s ability to do the work. Homeowners will be
informed in January of the decision, once Christmas in April knows it has a House Captain and group to do the work on the approved
homes.
Parallel to the application process runs the selection of House Captains and groups to do the work for approved homes. Many of
these House Captains and their organizations have supported Christmas in April for many years. The next step involves lining up
House Captains with the different projects. The House Captain then meets with the homeowner to determine the work required.
Together they will determine a list of priorities. Based on the priorities, the House Captain then makes up a list of the supplies needed
for the workday, which will be ordered by the Home Logistics Committee and delivered to the home one to two days prior to the
workday. Homeowners who need more work done on their house than can be completed in one day are encouraged to reapply the
following year.
On the workday, hundreds of volunteers, providing skilled and unskilled labor, meet at the different work sites. Others work
behind the scenes, preparing lunches, and supplying logistic support. The planned amount of work is based on an eight hour workday.
Every House Captain will complete a report on the work done and the number of volunteer hours. A month later, members of the
House Selection Committee contact all homeowners to determine if all work was completed. The Board follows up until all work is
finished.
Funds for the workday are solicited throughout the year through the writing of grant applications, a mail campaign to the public,
events, and through the generosity of many businesses, organizations, and individuals.
Christmas in April*Calvert County, Inc.
P.O. Box 2761
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Telephone: 410-535-9044
www.christmasinaprilcalvertcounty.org