Building for the Future
ROCKWALL, TX (Jan. 26, 2015) The Meals on Wheels Senior Services of Rockwall County headquarters are about to receive some much-needed renovations, thanks to the Leadership Rockwall Class of 2015. The goal is to raise $30,000 to refurbish the MOWSS offices by April, and save the charity an estimated $90,000 over the next three years. This will allow more money to be used for mobile meals for senior citizens in the community.
Each year Leadership Rockwall selects a major service project based on needs within the community, and LR member Holly Lyons said the conditions at the Meals on Wheels building made it an obvious choice.
“We chose the MOW nonprofit because we see the growing need for the senior citizens in Rockwall County,” said Lyons. “We wanted to free up Meals on Wheels from paying higher rent and utilities. Instead of having to move, this is going to save them lots of money.”
Meals on Wheels currently resides on the Helping Hands property (the Williams Street campus). However, its building has reached such a high level of deterioration that soon Helping Hands will have no choice but to tear it down. As a result, MOWSS would have to find a new location and pay a much higher rent per month, according to Lyons.
“We’ll be fixing it up instead of tearing it down,” Lyons said.
Lyons said several local contractors donated both labor and materials to help curb the cost of the renovations.
Williamson Foundation Repair will assist with structural problems, Milestone Electric will replace faulty and disheveled sockets and update electrical wiring, Steam Pro Carpet Cleaning will remove carpet stains, Total Plumbing will update the hot water heater, Stronghold Pest Control will exterminate rodents living in the air ducts, and Lyons Air Conditioning and Heating, which is owned by Holly and her husband Johnny Lyons, will re-duct the damaged ventilation systems and continue to tune up the heating and cooling systems over the next several years.
ABH Roofing will serve as the general contractor for the project, and they will also be providing a new roof, demolishing and replacing the deck and porch, and repainting the building.
Whitmore Manufacturing will provide a free storage space for documents and supplies, allowing MOWSS to save $1,000 previously used for storage.
Lyons said the total value of the labor and supplies donated by the contractors combined with the amount of monetary donations from individuals and organizations so far is approximately $15,000.
Along with the aforementioned businesses, Texas Health Resources Presbyterian Rockwall, Home Depot Rockwall, English Insurance Group and American National Bank all contributed money and/or supplies as well.
MOWSS Executive Director Margie VerHagen said she is “extremely grateful” for the renovations.
“This is so exciting,” VerHagen said. “The improvements are going to help us to produce and deliver more meals, reduce our costs and increase productivity overall throughout the organization.”
Lyons said while the first phase of the project to raise $15,00 is complete, Leadership Rockwall is still searching for more donors to help raise the remaining $15,000. The class’ fundraising deadline is Feb. 27.
Meals on Wheels will host a Victory Celebration on April 9 to reveal the renovated building and to recognize and thank all of the donors who made it possible. As further incentive to donate, MOWSS offers various levels of advertising depending on the amount donated. These range from print name recognition in the Blue Ribbon News for donations of $100 or more to a feature article in the monthly MOWSS newsletter and recognition as a Rubber Duck Regatta sponsor for donations of $10,000 or more.
By Julie Anne White, Blue Ribbon News staff writer and reporter.
Leadership Rockwall and Meals on Wheels thank the following businesses that have contributed to the renovation project (as of press time):
Whitmore Manufacturing
All-Mold Pro
Texas Health Resources Presbyterian Rockwall
Blue Ribbon News
Williamson Foundation Repair
ABH Roofing and Contracting
Home Depot Rockwall
Total Plumbing
Lyons Air Conditioning and Heating
Milestone Electric
SteamPro Carpet Cleaning
Stronghold Pest Control
English Insurance Group
American National Bank
Rockwall Economic Development Corporation
RELATED VIDEO:
Leadership Rockwall project to provide much needed renovations for Meals on Wheels offices
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