Officers of the Ashe County Home Builders Association presented a check to Director Julie Landry (far right) of the Ashe Center of the Cooperative Extension Monday for the Children’s Christmas Project in the amount of $1,650. Photo by Fawn Roark Ashe County HBA Donates $1,650 To Children’s Christmas Project By Fawn Roark The Ashe County Home Builders Association donated $1,650 to the Children’s Christmas Project Monday morning following the decision at the group’s last meeting. President Darrel Hamilton addressed the group at that previous meeting and mentioned the importance of community support as well as the Interagency Children’s Christmas Project that is now underway. There was discussion among the group and one member said he would donate $100 and several others said they would donate that amount as well. The meeting ended with $800 committed that evening and additional money continued to come in until a total of $1,650 was reached. “As home builders, we have been very blessed to have to opportunity to earn our living in Ashe County. This donation is a small way of giving back to the community that has given us so much. As president of the Ashe County Home Builders Association, I am overwhelmed by the generosity of our members,” Hamilton said Monday. Director Julie Landry of the Ashe Center of the Cooperative Extension, the organization that is the lead agency on the Children’s Christmas Project, said she is very appreciative of the donation. Below are several ways that you can help: -Groups to Wrap: Please call and schedule this as early as possible. During the day, individuals can just show up to help. Wrapping will take place at Family Central (old Ashe Central High School site) beginning December 6th. Wrapping begins at 10 a.m. and ends around 5:30 p.m. It is preferred for groups to be 15 in number or less. -Coats that are slightly used and clean will be accepted at West Jefferson Post Office and Ashe Really Cares from December 1-10th. Used coats are not given as presents, but they are available to families on distribution day on December 15th. -Boxes of Candy Canes: A box of candy canes are given to each family. (No other food or candy items, please.) -New Books: The goal is to see that every child gets a new book that they can read or a parent can read with them. Please drop off new books at Ashe County Library or McDonalds. -New Toys and Clothes: If you or your group would rather provide toys and clothes in general and not “adopt” a particular child, this is also welcomed and appreciated. “This donation from the Ashe County Home Builders Association will have a tremendous impact on our ability to meet the needs of the 2004 Children’s Christmas Project,” Landry explained. “Contributions such as this can make the difference between the project meeting its goal or not. A big ‘thanks and a happy holiday’ goes out to all of the individuals who helped to make this donation possible.” The mission of the Ashe County Home Builders Association is to be a powerful and effective voice for the Home Building Industry in Ashe County. The Home Building Industry is the single largest industry in Ashe County, annually pumping millions of dollars into the local economy, according to the Association’s website found at www.ashehomebuilders.com/. Since the first reorganizational meeting in September, the Homebuilders Association has grown from seven members to over 60. Demographics suggest that an eventual membership of 350 members is very feasible, according to organizers. Based on the growth to date, the Ashe County Homebuilders Association is in the running for the Most Outstanding First Year Homebuilders Association in the nation. This prestigious award is handed out annually by the National Homebuilders Association. The next meeting for the Ashe County Home Builders Association is planned for Thursday, December 9th (the second Tuesday of each month) at 6 p.m. Meetings are held in the meeting room of the Ashe Services for Aging Building located at 180 Chattyrob Lane in West Jefferson. For more information or reservations for the upcoming meeting, call Donna Hamilton at 336-982-4845 or the membership chairperson Dick Workman at 336-384-8840. Reservations can also be made online at www.ashehomebuilders.com/.