In a six-month period, Patty Lackman was fearful of what lay ahead. 

Six months after the death of her mother, her husband lost a battle to cancer and died in June 2009.

Though she owned a graphic design business, it was designed to provide a supplemental income to the family. All of a sudden she was a widow living off her late husband’s pension and barely able to make her monthly house payment.

“It was a daily struggle,” Lackman said.

Fortunately, there was help.

Thanks to the Community Home Repair Ministry, a program began last year by College United Methodist Church in Warrenton, a portion of Lackman’s home was renovated and converted into an apartment to provide extra income.

Volunteers from College United Methodist closed off the apartment from Lackman’s own living quarters. From there, they repainted the entire apartment and built a kitchen area completed with a donated stove, refrigerator, cabinets and countertops.

Lackman had a tenant living in the apartment from February to June. However, after she left, Lackman had trouble finding another tenant and eventually relocated her business to the renovated area.

Since the project was completed last October, Lackman has been thankful for the assistance.

“They did an excellent job,” she said. “They were very dedicated. It was a real blessing with what they did.”

Since the Home Repair Ministry program was formed a year ago, volunteers have built multiple wheelchair ramps for disabled residents needing improved handicapped access to their homes and fixed skirting and steps on a mobile home. 

Last Saturday, volunteers from College United, Central Grove and Smith Creek United Methodist Churches began work on repairing a leaky roof at a Wright City residence where a single mother and her teenage daughter live.

The ministry came to fruition after congregation members from College United had gone out of state on a mission trip and performed similar projects. Families in need of assistance must be referred by Agape Ministry and meet income guidelines.

“Mission trips overseas and to other places are great and they are a wonderful experience, but we have a lot of needs right here in town and this area,” said Dave Current, who is organizing the ministry’s efforts.

The ministry, however, is looking for more help from local churches, nonprofit groups or individuals looking to participate. Congregation members at College United have done the brunt of the work, but other churches — St. John’s Lutheran and Central Grove United — have also adopted projects and chipped in as well.

Current said projects are open to anyone to adopt. Assistance will be provided depending on the volunteer’s experience and depth of knowledge on the scope of work.

Projects that have yet to be adopted can be reviewed at the church’s Web site (www.collegemethodist.org).

“If we can expand the volunteer base, we can do so much more,” Current said. “It can be much stronger with community support.”

Current sees volunteers relishing the opportunity to help others out. Since the ministry began last year, Current estimates that several hundred volunteer hours have been recorded and more than $5,000 in materials and other items have been donated.

As projects get completed, more get added to the list.

“You don’t realize how much need there is right here in this area that goes unrecognized,” Current said. “We have a need right here.”