It was great to see volunteers turn out last weekend to provide assistance to one of the community’s great helpers.

About 15 members of the Rich-Mar Rotary spent part of Saturday and Sunday painting, laying flooring and replacing ceilings at the Penney House on East Brady Street.

The site is operated by The Lighthouse, an organization that offers six transitional housing locations and an interim housing facility for single adults and families who are down on their luck. The organization also operates the largest weekly food pantry in the county.

The Penney House specifically offers up to a year to 18 months of free housing for men as they find a job and get on their feet before transitioning to their own housing.

Like so many organizations these days, volunteer work can go a long way toward helping a place like Penney House, which is named after Dave Penney, a former Lighthouse board member.

Douglas Snyder, The Lighthouse’s director of operations, said the Rich-Mar crew of volunteers likely saved The Lighthouse thousands of dollars by performing free repairs and updates to the property.

The Rotary paid for the work through a matching $1,500 grant from Rotary International. Each year, the club’s president suggests a project that can be completed to provide an example of the Rotary’s mission of “service above self.”

We’re glad to see the Rotary choose this particular organization that helps people in the region who are struggling; the last couple of years have given rise to many people facing diminished living situations.

The crew’s renovations included removing old furniture; tearing up worn carpeting; priming and painting the site’s kitchen and living and dining rooms; placing new laminate flooring in the living and dining rooms; and installing suspended ceiling tiles.

“Our members are selfless and concerned enough about their fellow man to make sure somebody else’s living situation is improved,” said Dan Goss, president of the Rich-Mar Rotary.

Their work is much appreciated, and we look forward to seeing which county organization will benefit from next year’s project.

— NCD