Realtor group donation helps women veterans
PENN TWP — The Butler County Association of Realtors presented a nonprofit that provides housing for women veterans with a $6,000 check Thursday.
The money came from a charity comedy night in October called Dine and Laugh. The cash is now in the hands of Robin's Home, a nonprofit launched earlier this year that provides stable housing for women veterans who experience homelessness, mental illness and trauma.
Mary Chitwood, the group's founder and executive director, attended the Realtor association's annual installation luncheon to accept the donation.
“It means a lot to me that everybody in the community has really rallied behind this housing program,” Chitwood said.
Robin's Home is a house on Pearl Street in Butler. It was born out of a need for support services for women veterans. Chitwood found the community lacking such comparable services for women as were already present for men. Robin's Home is named after Chitwood's friend, Robin Arnold, an Army veteran who died in 2017 and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and sexual trauma.
The home currently has four bedrooms and four women staying in residence.
The money from the donation will go toward ongoing efforts to update the third floor of the home. They want to open another two bedrooms, bringing in two more residents. The group hopes to not have to assign two women to the same bedroom, as the unique blends of personal traumas many have experienced can present difficulties.
Al Worsley, Butler County's Veteran of the Year and a member of the Robin's Home board of directors, said Thursday's donation was just one of several helping hands Butler has extended them.“The community has really stepped up to make this happen,” Worsley said.The group hopes to expand in the future, possibly adding more buildings if the need persists. Worsley said the board hopes to assemble enough regular revenue sources to bring Chitwood on as a paid director, rather than a volunteer. Residents who have some level of income pay a small amount to cover costs, but many have no income. The group is currently operating almost entirely off donations.“It's going to require that eventually,” Worsley said. “She's already putting tons of hours in.”Donating to Robin's House was pitched to Barbara Sutton by veterans at the American Legion Post 778. Sutton is one of the Realtor group's directors. From there, the comedy night fundraiser was born.Aside from the presentation to Chitwood, the Realtor group installed its new officers and directors during Thursday's luncheon.Ron Huber, the group's new president for 2020, addressed the room to close out the meal. He previously served as president in 2017.“We can do some amazing things together,” Huber said.Huber is replacing Julie Sebock as the county association's president. Other new officers are Kris Callen, vice president; Lorraine DiDomenico, president-elect; and Megan Rummel, treasurer.
