Community Engagement Director Rose Davis said, “We are grateful for every member of Leadership Greenville for their passion and commitment to serving neighbors in need of a safe home. Their fundraising and advocacy will help Rebuild Upstate raise more awareness for families living in unsafe conditions.”
In total, Leadership Greenville volunteers gave three days on site constructing ramps for homeowners in need. One homeowner who was served with the ramp donated by 84 Lumber is an older adult living with cancer and limited mobility. She was using a walker to get down six brick steps every time she needed to enter and exit her home. The handrails were unstable. With frequent trips to doctor appointments, those steps were both inconvenient and unsafe. She watched from her porch while Leadership Greenville volunteers built a ramp that she could use with her walker that same day.
Class member Grant Blackwell (Candid Home Inspections) said, “The opportunity to be a part of combining two programs like Leadership Greenville and Rebuild Upstate was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. Through Leadership Greenville, we identified affordable housing as one of the biggest needs in our community, and by partnering with Rebuild we were able to actually take action to help accommodate and improve that need.”
Leadership Greenville found other ways to support Rebuild Upstate outside of labor and fundraising. Mathew Hubbard of Group Therapy Pub & Playground created a “What to Expect” volunteer video guide for new volunteers to view before stepping onto a Rebuild Upstate build site. The video will be featured on our Volunteer Resource Hub in the coming days. This will be a helpful tool for years to come in recruiting and preparing volunteers for our work.
Leadership Greenville’s 50th Class will graduate from the program in May, which aligns with Older Adults Month. Rebuild Upstate recognizes and celebrates the great impact these Upstate leaders have made on older adults living in unsafe conditions in our communities with the construction of accessibility ramps and fundraising support. We are grateful for each class member who has raised their voice to advocate for home preservation.
Thank you to the following LG50 class members who supported Rebuild Upstate:
- Andrew Eckenbrecht, Brasfield & Gorrie LLC
- Amber Wilson, Fluor
- Bernie Crawford, Mavin Construction
- Bethany Winston, Kidding Around Media
- Chuck Carnes, McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture
- Crystal Hendrickson, Pinnacle Partnership
- Kathy Dickson, Apprenticeship Carolina
- Emily Fournier, Emily’s Table
- Ebony Sullivan, Suga Pie Honeybun
- Grant Blackwell, Candid Home Inspections
- Holly McKissick, HOLLIS Strategic Communications
- Jessie Amos, The Children’s Museum of the Upstate
- JD Redman, ITIC
- Jay Gresham, 13th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office
- Julie Selof, Trulian Federal Credit Union
- Kayla Kernich, Thomas & Hutton
- Kim Mogan, GirlUp GVL
- Martha Armstrong, Gateway House
- Matthew Hubbard, Group Therapy Pub & Playground
- Megan Young, City of Greenville
- Cameron McDowell, Eastside Family YMCA
- Mike Yearout, Greenville Police Department
- Ron Acker, Countybank
- Sandy Jordan, Able SC
For the full list of class members, visit Greenville Chamber’s website.
A special thank you to Christi Powell, Alex Lacovelli, and Spencer Smith of 84 Lumber for their donation of lumber and materials to complete a ramp for a homeowner in need.
About Leadership Greenville
Launched in 1973 by the Greenville Chamber, Leadership Greenville is a premier leadership development program designed to develop informed, committed and qualified leaders for Greenville County. By taking an intensive look into the issues affecting the area, Leadership Greenville prepares and motivates graduates to provide quality, dynamic leadership. The program has graduated more than 2000 alumni since 1973, many of whom have served in key positions, including school board, city and county council seats, members of the General Assembly and Congress, judges, and business leaders.
