Asheville – A group of 10 Robbinsville athletes and a coach traveled to Asheville on Dec. 30 to prepare and serve meals to homeless veterans at a shelter there.
The athletes – nine football players and one track athlete — volunteered much of the day at Veterans Restoration Quarters, a church-based facility that houses and rehabilitates homeless veterans.
Dale Farr – a teacher at Robbinsville Middle School, who is also assistant football coach at Robbinsville High School – said the volunteer time was an effort to “give back to the community.”
Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry created a shelter for veterans in 1994, after a Marine Corps veteran was found frozen to death under a bridge in the Asheville area.
The ministry enhanced the program and renamed it “Veterans Restoration Quarters” in 2008. The facility provides 160 beds of transitional housing, 40 beds for emergency shelter and 50 units of permanent supportive housing, for a total of 250 beds.
The facility reports that 8-out-of-10 leave it with
a living wage job and permanent housing by providing four developmental phases called “Steps to Success.”
These include Stabilization, with all the basic necessities provided; Life Skills Training, with over 60 volunteer courses to choose from including Bible studies; Education and Professional Training Certifications that lead to living wage jobs; and Reintegration that leads to permanent housing.
“We work to provide each man with stability, personal skill building, educational and training opportunities leading to employment and housing along with the restoration of personal dignity, faith and strength,” according to its website.
Coach Farr said the athletes arrived at about 9:40 a.m. and helped prepare meals, served food and then filled drinks, while mingling with residents.
“It was a good experience for both sides,” Farr said.
The group finished up at 12:30 p.m. and returned home.
Farr said his athletes provide other services to the community, inspired by an “I am a Difference Maker” project in Georgia.
Some of the athletes
previously spent time visiting and helping a 93-year-old Robbinsville woman, and are collecting firewood to distribute to those in need.
“We want to keep doing things to promote team building and unity,” Farr said. “We plan on doing more stuff nearer to home. We’re trying to make a difference in the community.”
Farr said anyone needing help can contact him at Robbinsville Middle School, at (828) 479-9840.