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Deal on a Napkin - Habitat's ReStore Story
By Betsy Allen
 When most of us hear the words "Habitat for Humanity," we envision good folks, hammer and nails in hand, working on the construction of houses for people in need within their communities. And while that's certainly the signature image, there's a lot going on beyond the home sites. In Loudoun, an exciting example of that is the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
The concept is simple, and works pretty much the same everywhere - ReStores are facilities that accept donations of used and surplus building supplies, appliances and other home-related items. These items are resold to the public at anywhere from 50 to 90 percent below what you might expect to pay at a retail store, and the proceeds are used to help with the purchase of property and materials for Habitat houses. There are multiple ReStore locations in nearly every state in the U.S. - 18 in Virginia alone - as well as locations in nine Canadian provinces.
James Wehr, chairman of Loudoun Habitat for Humanity's Development Committee, noted that depending on donations can introduce a bit of the unknown into the ReStore's profit equation. "It's a leap of faith," he said, "but it's a tried and true concept."
Loudoun's Habitat for Humanity was ready to take that leap, but first it needed a suitable, affordable habitat of its own - one that could serve as the store location.
"Can You Work With This?"
Scott Gustavson, principal broker with Windward Commercial real estate in Leesburg, was approached in early 2008 by Dave Boyd, a member of Habitat's board of directors. "He said, 'We're putting in something called a ReStore,'" Gustavson recalled. "It's sort of a Goodwill meets Home Depot."
It was, Gustavson admitted, a bit of a challenge. He had "to find a location that was so different than finding affordable housing sites. We just needed to get in and get it going. The sweet spot was between 20,000 and 25,000 square feet. We couldn't find the zoning to accommodate us. But I put on my thinking hat and got real creative." It was then that Gustavson thought of an old shopping center in Purcellville in need of tenants.
The space, centrally located at 751 East Main Street, had been the site of an old IGA/Safeway grocery store. "It was the right space, and the right zoning," he said. "We just had to negotiate the right way to fit it in our budget."
Gustavson remembers standing in the parking lot of the building with the landlord, Craig Bernstein of White Star Investments of Potomac, Maryland. The deal was hashed out there, on the spot, but Gustavson had to be resourceful because he had no paper on hand. "We wrote on a napkin - I think it was from Quizno's," he laughed. He worked out some figures on the napkin and showed it to Bernstein. "I said, 'Can you work with this?' and he said, 'I can work with that.'"
The "repurposing" of that lowly napkin was quite appropriate given the ReStore concept.
Gustavson went on to become a member of the Habitat board later in 2008. And once the deal was done, the old grocery store underwent a bit of its own repurposing, becoming the home of the Loudoun ReStore, which opened for business in April 2009.
"More Than a Store to Get a Cheap Light Switch"
Walking through Loudoun Habitat for Humanity's ReStore facility in Purcellville, you may first be impressed with the sheer amount of stuff inside. It certainly drives home the point that any abode, big or small, takes a lot of components - wood, hardware, windows, paint, insulation, appliances, everything and the kitchen sink.
Tim Gammon serves as the store's director, and works with two other paid staff members. All other help is provided by volunteers. "During the week, we usually have about two volunteers," Gammon said, "but Saturdays are busy days. We may have anywhere from five to 10 people - student, church and corporate groups come in. I give them a project. You never know what type of activity they'll be involved in."
Gammon, who has 14 years of experience as a general contractor and real estate investor, strives to develop relationships with area developers and building contractors. "I'm well versed in what things are for and how to use them," he said.
In addition, Gammon actively pursues and encourages donations from Loudoun's citizens who may have items or materials around the house that they don't need or use. In fact, he noted, currently more than 80 percent of their donations come from individuals. As such, he is always on the lookout for new opportunities to get donations and gain a little publicity for the store.
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In recognition of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce's 25th annual Valor Awards program in April, Talk Loudoun is working with Chamber President Tony Howard and Stu Plitman, president of The Valor Foundation, to devote a story each month in our "Behind The Brand" e-zine to honor the work and personalities of some of our county's fire & rescue stations. Talk Loudoun is proud to recognize all the everyday heroes who are willing to put themselves in harm's way for our safety. We thank them for their service.
Philomont VFD: Faithfully Serving the Needs of a Changing Community
By Nancy Croft Baker
 It truly takes a village to support the efforts of the Philomont Volunteer Fire Department. When the urgent wail of its emergency siren echoes in the wee hours of the morning, residents in the surrounding community say a little prayer for one of their neighbors - yet unknown - and for the fire and rescue personnel who are already on their way.
The siren is a poignant reminder that the community still depends on its firehouse volunteers, even as their numbers are dwindling. But this rural VFD, sandwiched between the Philomont Community Center and the Philomont General Store on Jeb Stuart Road, is holding fast to the traditions of the past while adapting to meet the growing demands of a changing community.
The people of the Philomont Volunteer Fire Department (also known as Loudoun County Fire & Rescue Company 8) are an amiable mix of eight career firefighters and roughly three dozen volunteers who serve in various capacities - from active duty responders to the Ladies Auxiliary to administrative members who help in the office or balance the books from home. Established in 1956, the Philomont VFD is the heart of the community. Its cavernous social hall remains a popular gathering place for birthday parties, wedding receptions, Cub Scout meetings and fundraising dinners. And you can still set your watch by former fire chief Stanley Lickey, who drops by the VFD faithfully at 8:30 a.m. each day for coffee and to check on the crew. Lickey received the Fire & EMS Hall of Fame Valor Award for his 35 years of volunteer service to the community.
Both volunteer and career staffs are on a first-name basis with most of the neighbors, many of whom still prefer to call the firehouse directly in an emergency rather than 911. No call is insignificant - from rescuing a curious kitten trapped in a wall to extracting a car stuck in the snow to responding to a home with a reported gas leak that turned out to be a skunk letting itself in at night through a cat door.
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Until recently, there was never a shortage of neighboring farmers and merchants who could drop what they were doing to respond to an emergency call at the firehouse. But as those farms have been replaced with affluent estate homes, the tight-knit core of folks who run the VFD have had to re-evaluate how they will perpetuate their ranks.
"I've seen a lot of change in the community and how we need to respond," says former fire Chief Bill Schwartz, a 30-year volunteer firefighter who has received two Valor Awards for outstanding leadership and long-time service. "More people are getting up at 6 a.m. and commuting to their jobs in D.C. and don't have time to get involved. It's a struggle for us in Western Loudoun to recruit new volunteers."
 Next door at the Philomont General Store, owner Madeline Skinner (who also serves as president of the Ladies Auxiliary) and post master Laura Pearson (a 50-year charter member of the Auxiliary) encourage new neighbors registering for postal boxes to help the Philomont VFD by baking cookies for an upcoming fundraisers or becoming an administrative member if they can't volunteer for active duty. "We've had to divide and conquer to get people involved," Skinner explains. "With fewer people able to volunteer, we've had to find new ways for people to fulfill support functions."
The department is supported by a board of directors, an administrative staff, an operational staff and the Ladies Auxiliary, as well as 13 standing committees that perform specific responsibilities of the fire department. In an effort to entice more of the men no longer on active duty into becoming involved with the Ladies Auxiliary, Skinner advocated dropping the gender reference. The tactic has worked, with more men pitching in to sling hash for Auxiliary fundraising brunches. Dennis Godfrey, husband of Blue Ridge District school board supervisor Priscilla Godfrey (also an Auxiliary member), "is really great in the kitchen," Skinner says. "We'd like to get more men in there."
There have been changes in the types and volume of calls the station receives as well. The number of emergency calls has skyrocketed from 100 per year on average to nearly 500 last year - still a small number comparatively, but enough to warrant a full-time staff of career personnel from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. The career staff is led by Captain David "Woody" Woodard, who joined the Philomont VFD six months ago. The volunteer staff is led by Chief Pete West.
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Let Us Help:
We're happy to get the word out about any volunteer or fundraising needs your organization has, or information about your special event. Check out the Events/Needs link on Talk's website and follow the listed guidelines, hit Submit and we'll take it from there - that's our promise to you. |
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