Compassion Cottages Launches First Home:  The Send-Off and Celebration

On Monday, November 26, 2007 the hands and hearts of two communities were joined in a mission of compassion -- a journey to restore hope to the hurricane victims of Pass Christian, Mississippi.  This day was designated to celebrate the completion of the first cottage built by Compassion Cottages with Barrington volunteers handing the keys over to Reverend Ramsey Gilchrist of Family Restoration Coalition and an entourage of Mississippi leaders who travelled all the way from Pass Christian just to thank our volunteers.   A small group and representatives of local press gathered at the corner of Main and Hough Streets in downtown Barrington to celebrate and give thanks for this expression of God’s wishes to help those in need and the relationship building between and within our two communities.  The afternoon ceremony kicked off the national tour of this first Compassion Cottage model on a fund- and consciousness-raising tour for the continued rebuilding effort of Pass Christian.   

Mayor Chipper McDermott from Pass Christian tied a ribbon with Barrington Mayor Karen Darch as a symbol of our new community partnership. Mayor Darch also presented Mayor McDermott with a key to Barrington. We were privileged to have as guests not only Ramsey Gilchrist from the FRC (Family Restoration Coalition), but also Jeff Redding, the Board President of HANDS (Helping American’s Needing Disaster Services), Cindy Cheeks, the HANDS Director, and Leisha Pickering, Founder of HANDS and wife of Congressman Chip Pickering of Mississippi. And the press was also on hand, resulting in a front page article in the Daily Herald on Tuesday the 27th.  http://dailyherald.com/story/?id=84666

Later that day the group plus many other volunteers and area residents gathered at the Barrington Village Hall to hear the long-term vision for Compassion Cottages as well as recognize and thank all the volunteers who have worked on the project since early Spring 2007. 

 

Compassion Cottages, Inc. funds are handled through the Barrington Area Development Council (BADC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  For more information contact us at info@compassioncottages.org

Copyright 2008, Compassion Cottages, Inc.