For more than 10 years, 65-year-old Ethel Gaither has raised her three grandchildren on her own in her Cator Avenue home in Baltimore City?s Pen Lucy neighborhood.
Gaither has given so much of herself to her family, the time came for others to do something good for her.
As part of Rebuilding Together Baltimore?s 19th annual Rebuilding Day and HGTV?s “Change the World ? Start at Home” community revitalization program, volunteers on Monday worked to renovate Gaither?s home and beautify the Pen Lucy neighborhood.
“I?m so grateful ? it?s just a feeling you can?t explain,” Gaither said in her upstairs bedroom while volunteers worked on her home?s first floor. “Finally something is happening for me and my children.”
Gaither, who has lived in Pen Lucy for 14 years, struggles with arthritis and was having trouble moving from the home?s basement to the top floor. Volunteers were making changes so Gaither wouldn?t have to leave the first floor ? turning a family room into Gaither?s bedroom, converting a powder room to a full bathroom and moving new laundry machines into the kitchen. The value of the improvements is expected to beabout $80,000.
“It?s always nice to help people, especially when all of us have pretty nice homes,” said Baltimore resident Lou Kozlakowski, house captain in charge of the renovations to Gaither?s home. “You just take it one step at a time and keep going.”
On Saturday, as part of RTB?s Rebuilding Day, more than 1,000 volunteers helped revitalize more than 40 low-income homes in Pen Lucy and in Turner Station in Baltimore County. For the rest of the week, volunteers will continue to work on improving garden and park areas and homes in Pen Lucy as part of HGTV?s community revitalization week.
“We?ve had a really great turnout,” said Bonnie Bessor, RTB?s executive director.
“This has just been incredible for us,” said Angel Entner, president of the Pen Lucy Neighborhood Association. “Rebuilding Together Baltimore brings in resources that we alone would not have access to.”
The rainy conditions didn?t dampen spirits. “We just put the sod down [on new gardens in the community],” Entner said, “so this rain is terrific.”
