24 Years of Support- Repair Affair Helps Community Members In Need

24 Years of Support

Repair Affair Helps Community Members In Need

Lisa Patrick

The Ashland Beacon

Repair Affair started in 2001 and has been helping the elderly and disabled in the Ashland area ever since. Applications are accepted from homeowners who need repairs and/or work around their homes but are unable to complete it themselves due to physical or financial limitations.

This year, Katherine Utsinger took over as the Program Coordinator for Repair Affair and realized that it was “quite an ordeal to put it all together,” but “everything worked out.” She “got people to the jobs that were applied for, and it’s been a good thing.”

There were originally 40 projects submitted, but some were “very simple” and just needed pressure washing. Utsinger said that the city had the parks department workers take care of those. She was able to match 25 projects with 25 teams of volunteers. Unfortunately, there were about six projects that didn’t have enough volunteers this year. Utsinger “picked the ones that needed it the most,” and the people who weren’t able to get their projects done were encouraged to apply again next year.

At a house on 31st Street, Citywide employees worked to repair a porch. This was their second year participating in Repair Affair. They ended up completely removing the old porch because it was rotten and collapsing, then rebuilt the entire structure, complete with stairs and a handrail.

The Kentucky Power crew worked on a house on Herman Avenue in Ashland. They installed a metal handrail and painted the porch for a disabled homeowner. Amanda Clark from Kentucky Power said this is the third year the organization has been involved in Repair Affair, although she and her husband have participated for many years. Clark said she loves participating in the program because “I think that if we’re able to help our neighbors, we should.” It’s “so rewarding to be able to come out and see people that really need help and be able to help them in some way.”

Clark thinks that Repair Affair is “an excellent project for the city—especially coming out of the code enforcement office because they kind of know where the issues may be.” “For the city to put so many resources into this day for the last 24 years kind of tells how important it is to the city,” and “everybody’s here to help and it’s a really great thing.”

On Blackburn Avenue, the Everett family also worked to replace an old porch. Joe and Mary, along with their 14-year-old daughter Susan and their 16-year-old son Michael—both students in the Ashland Independent school system—were participating in Repair Affair for the first time. Joe said they had been “wanting to get our kids involved in some community service. They’re getting older and we want them to be part of the community when they’re adults.” Joe is a carpenter in the carpenters union, and the Everetts have spent time renovating their own home and helping family members with renovations, so they were up for the challenge of replacing a porch. Mary stated, “we work better together and if we’ve got the manpower to do it and the knowledge, let’s do a bigger project.”

Angela Morrison-Rakes, the homeowner on Blackburn Avenue, was thrilled to have her old porch replaced. She said that having people come to do this for her means “everything.” Rakes stated she just “can’t do it and can’t afford to do it” anymore because she is now disabled. She has had two brain tumors, two brain surgeries, a round of radiation treatments, and takes numerous medications daily. Rakes “went from making $65,000 a year to making $13,000 a year and it really stinks.” “Having these people volunteer their time and their talents means a whole lot.”

Rakes also commented that “the community coming together is really what this day is all about.” “We’re all so divided now,” and “everyone coming together to help people out is the purpose of this life—to help where you can.”

City Commissioner D.J. Rymer, former program coordinator for Repair Affair, had this to say about the program: “Repair Affair is a testament to the power of community, where each volunteer’s hands and hearts come together to uplift our neighbors in need. In our 24th year, we celebrate not just the projects completed, but the bonds forged, and the hope restored. A heartfelt thank you to each and every volunteer who participated, and a special thanks to the many businesses around the community that generously donated needed supplies. Together, we prove that we can transform lives one act of kindness at a time.”