In very short order, Raymond and Mary Scott’s home in Wildwood will be sporting a new coat of paint on the exterior, improved landscaping and a new window unit that runs both air conditioning and heat. That’s all thanks to Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter’s Preservation and Repair program and the large team of volunteers who showed up to do the work.
“Not everyone is aware that refurbishing homes is also part of our program, not just building new homes,” said Habitat for Humanity site supervisor Travis Wofford. “Last year we refurbished 50 homes in Lake and Sumter counties.”
A large contingent of the volunteers came from the Amigos Sports Club in The Villages.
“We’ve been around for 10 years” said Amigos Sports Club founder and president David Lindsey. “We gather to do charitable work and also party once a month.”
The club has grown and currently has a waiting list of more than a hundred people on it. Among the group’s many charitable projects is their work for Habitat for Humanity, which they have done for several years. Lindsey said that his chief duty on this project, in addition to rounding up enough volunteers, was to make sure he brought the doughnuts.
Qualifications for the Preservation and Repair program are based on income and home ownership. The Scott’s are retired and have lived in their home for 21 years. Mary retired after 30 years in custodial services with the school board. While she was driving one day, she saw a Habitat truck and a house being painted. She got out and asked questions and started the application process.
“I feel God sent me that way on that day,” she said. “This means the world to me.”
She was excited to pick out new colors for her exterior. “I wanted something brighter than the brown we had always had,” Mary said.
She decided to go with light gray and a darker gray for the trim.
“Travis helped me with the shades of the colors,” Mary said. “The thing I am most excited about is the new window unit,” she added, pointing out that the one they had “didn’t work very well and didn’t have heat.”
Mary is from Wildwood and has lived there all of her life. “I call myself a country girl, because that is what Wildwood was when I was growing up, country,” she said
Both Mary and Raymond were helping out. Part of the Preservation and Repair program includes repairing the wooden trim and that’s where Raymond was hard at work.
“He can’t sit still,” said Mary, who provided lunch for all the volunteers.
Among the volunteers were Amigos Sports Club members John Radoll and Jimmy Reeves.
“We just really enjoy giving back,” Radoll said.
“You can have but so much fun,” added Terri Bowes. “We have plenty of fun in The Villages, but you also have to have a purpose.”
Volunteer Sandy Turnbull used to volunteer with Habitat in the Atlanta area and started again when he moved to The Villages.
“I love the camaraderie of working with like-minded people,” he said.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter, visit https://habitatls.org.
