Habitat receives donation from Light Up Blue Ridge

BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – Habitat for Humanity of Fannin & Gilmer Counties received a $1,250 donation from Light Up Blue Ridge at the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce Friday, Jan. 5.

The donation, Pam Fink, vice president and chairwoman of Light Up Blue Ridge, explained, was a remainder amount from the donations Light Up received from the community during 2017. Fink stated because Light Up is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, any remainder amount the organization has at the end of the year after the annual holiday events’ expenses are covered goes to another charitable organization.

This year, Fink said, they chose Habitat for Humanity with the caveat that Habitat provide a representative to help coordinate Light Up Blue Ridge’s holiday events and activities. Habitat agreed, and Thomas Arp served as that representative on the Light Up committee. Fink spoke highly of Arp’s willingness to help Light Up Blue Ridge during the past year saying, “The man only knows one word: ‘Yes.'”

Of the partnership Habitat and Light Up shared in 2017, Habitat Executive Director Chris Hall said, “It’s nice to be involved with the Light Up committee. (Habitat has) never, as far as I know, been involved in a downtown event like that, and now because of our mailbox playhouse, with the letters to Santa idea, we get to do that annually. So, it’s not only a great partnership, but it was really a step up in the direction that we’re raising more awareness in the community.”

[Featured image: From left, Ron Pace, Habitat volunteer, Hank Chapman, Habitat volunteer, Ed Steers, Habitat volunteer, Chris Hall, executive director for Habitat for Humanity of Fannin & Gilmer Counties, Debbie Peterson, Habitat volunteer, Pam Fink, Light Up Blue Ridge vice president and chairwoman, Kit Miracle, Light Up treasurer, Kim Deutsch, Light Up member, Alan Schulman, Habitat volunteer, and Thomas Arp, Habitat volunteer and representative on Light Up Blue Ridge committee.]