People in Ashland will have a chance to help their neighbors in need. The city is hosting Repair Affair, a volunteer event dedicated to helping elderly homeowners who are no longer able to maintain their homes. The event has been a community tradition since its launch in 2001.
Catherine Utsinger, City Planner for Ashland, said the event receives strong community support.
“The community really enjoys doing this for their neighbors. You know, they look at this as a way to give back to their neighborhood, and help support those that maybe aren’t able to take care of things anymore on their own,” said Utsinger.
People of any skill level are welcome. More experienced participants may take on larger tasks, including building wheelchair ramps or repairing decks. Those with less experience can help with yard work, gutter cleaning, and painting.
Utsinger added people volunteering should register in advance.
“While we would accept volunteers on the day of, we really like to have them in advance because, you know, we need to know if we’re going to have enough volunteers to be able to take on a project and need to buy the supplies, and things like that. So, it’s really good if we know what volunteers we’re going to have in advance,” said Utsinger.
The event kicks off on May 17 at 7:30 a.m. in Central Park. The city will provide breakfast and lunch to people who participate. Painting supplies will be provided, but volunteers are asked to bring any tools needed for their assigned projects.