POTOMAC BUILDERS & COLLEAGUES SUPPORT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
AT THE BALL GAME
 (7/17/2008)
Potomac, Maryland -- Hopkins & Porter Construction, Inc., a builder
based in Potomac, enlisted the help of its associates, sub-contractors,
and suppliers along with the Rotary Club of Potomac to join them
in making a group contribution to Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery
County (HFH-MC). On Saturday evening, July 3, Joseph Leonard,
Salesman for Hopkins & Porter Construction presented on behalf
of all the contributors a check for $16,000 to John Paukstis,
Executive Director of HfH-MD, during the opening ceremonies of
the Big Train Baseball game at Shirley Povich Field in Cabin John
Park, Rockville, Maryland. The 38 locally based companies that
participated with Hopkins & Porter were A A Ontko Plumbing and
Heating, AC & R Insulation, Alliance Benefits & Compensation,
Anto’s Custom Cabinetry, Arbor Care, Architectural Ceramics, Barrons
Building Supply, Contemporary Exteriors, Cultured Marble, Custom
Carpentry & Renovation, Davida’s Kitchen & Tiles, Downs & Associates,
Ferguson Asset Management, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery,
K. C. Company, Lea Allen Design, Mark Gollub CPA PC, Mike Goldsholl,
Murphy Decorating, Norco Technologies, Outdoor Illumination, PNC
Bank, Perrine Planning & Zoning, Polytech Roofing & Siding, Potomac
Horticulture & Lawns, Powerful Partnerships, Precision Roofing,
Quality Glassmith, Reliable Electric Associates, Rockville Window
& Door, The Rotary Club of Potomac, Stouffer Bobcat, Sun Services,
T A Bennett Masonry, Universal Floors, Vallefuoco Contractors,
and William Oshinsky, Esquire. “We want to be builders of strong
communities, in the same way Bethesda Big Train, Rotary Club,
and Habitat for Humanity are. We realize that as individuals we
can do only a little, but as a team we can accomplish a lot,”
said Guy Semmes. The Bethesda Big Train, a college summer wooden-bat
team that was created in 1999 and competes in the Cal Ripken,
Sr. Collegiate Baseball League (CRSCBL), defeated the Maryland
Redbirds 2-1 staying in first place in the league. The season
runs until the end of July, and the championship play offs begin
July 29. Information can be found at bigtrain.org.
This is the sixth year in a row that Hopkins & Porter has formed a partnership with its associates to raise funds for HFH-MC at the same time as sponsoring a ballgame at the Bethesda Big Train. In previous years, Hopkins & Porter Construction has volunteered for Big Train in many ways, designing, building, maintaining and recently restoring the hand-operated score board, bat and helmet storage, the dugout benches, the pitchers’ viewing platforms, and the trophy case. In 2007 they finished building an on-site radio and TV studio to broadcast the Big Train games via internet and cable. Hopkins & Porter is celebrating its 31th year doing quality residential remodeling, new home construction, and handyman repairs throughout Washington, D. C. and Montgomery County. During this period they have won numerous national and local design awards and awards for their community service.
 Habitat
for Humanity seeks to reduce substandard housing by providing
a hand-up rather than a handout to help families to realize the
dream of home ownership. Although Montgomery County, MD consistently
ranks among the most affluent counties in America, over 8,400
of its citizens live below the poverty line (a 1999 figure from
the 2000 Census). Low-income families remain in substandard, unsafe
living conditions because they cannot find affordable housing.
According to a recent Affordable Housing Census, more than 1,600
families live in dilapidated, substandard housing in Montgomery
County. According to the 2000 census, 1,122 households even lack
complete plumbing facilities. An affiliate of Habitat for Humanity
International, HFH-MC has finished 19 houses, all with volunteer
help. Their newest project is building 24 town homes in Burtonsville,
Maryland. Habitat homeowners must themselves invest 500 hours
of their own sweat equity into their own and into others’ homes.
Their no-interest mortgage payments are recycled by the Fund for
Humanity to build more Habitat houses.
L to R: Guy Semmes (H&P), Joe Leonard (H&P) with
the check, John Paukstis (Habitat), Peter Lukacs (Rockville Window
& Door), and Jim Reid (Consistent Cleaning). The little girl
on the ladder is Jim Reid's daughter, and the 2 little boys are
Joe Leonard's sons. |
