Housing Madison County’s homeless are Betty Miler’s top priority, but it becomes more of a struggle every day.
Miller, who serves as director of Richmond’s New Liberty Family Homeless Shelter, is hosting the facility’s annual fundraiser Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at The Betty Miller Center, located at 325 Estill Avenue.
Tickets are $5 for the all-you-can-eat chili supper, which also will feature peanut butter sandwiches and homemade desserts. Carry out orders will be available.
Tickets can be purchased at the door before the luncheon or by calling 623-4564.
The New Liberty Family Homeless Shelter has six, two- and three-bedroom apartments equipped for families with children.
The facility operates as a partnership between Kentucky River Foothills and the New Liberty Baptist Sunday School Convention.
It is funded by the Sunday school convention, the city of Richmond and the Kentucky Housing Corporation.
However, more than 65 percent of the shelter’s funding comes from local fundraisers and personal donations, Miller said.
Local churches, grocery stores and other local businesses do what they can to help the shelter, but with a full house and 25 families on a waiting list, that help only goes so far, Miller said.
“This is my big (fundraiser) for the year and I’m hoping I’ll get a good crowd,” she said.
The shelter needs a variety of materials and services to function efficiently, including maintaining the physical upkeep of the building, as well as preparing the residents for life outside the shelter.
“When they move out, they need furniture, bedding and things to furnish a house,” Miller said. “We need people to help give these people housing after they move out. Right now, we just need help in the upkeep of the place. When you move people in and our every six months, the big thing is keeping it painted.”
Miller encouraged Madison County residents to become more aware of the homeless problem and its seriousness.
“They need to come out and see where the homeless really are,” she said. “They need to come and stay all day and see what it’s like.”
Call the shelter at 623-4564 for more information about how to volunteer.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 624-6608.
Local News
Helping homeless
Chili supper benefits local family shelter
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Friday at library : Lecturer to portray founder of Berea
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As the son of a slave-holding father, Fee witnessed firsthand the benefits of having slaves and the profits that could be made from their labor. When he graduated from college and enrolled in Lane Theological Seminary, he began to understand the inherent wrong and destructiveness of slavery. -
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A Berea woman, Tommie Johnson, 60, died Tuesday evening in a Laurel County crash, according to the the Laurel Sheriff’s Office.
The accident took place about 7 p.m. at the junction of Maple Grove Road and KY 363 south of London, as Johnson was attempting to turn onto the state highway.
Laurel County Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore said Johnson’s Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out in front of a Dodge Durango driven by Charles Joseph, 19, that was traveling south on KY 363.
After being extricated from her vehicle, Johnson was transported to St. Joseph-London hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Joseph also was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the accident report. -
Finally February
Ian Rosser, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Lexington, clears snow from his car parked on campus Wednesday
morning after about an inch of snow fell in Richmond. Temperatures are forcast to be in the upper 40s today. Kentucky has seen a lot of rain in the past few months, as was predicted by the Farmer's Almanac, but very little snow has fallen. -
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The Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be hosting two, one-day volunteer training workshops for those interested in helping others with special needs.
The volunteer orientation days will be Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but only one day of training is required, according to Mark Martin who co-owns Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center (AFTEC) with his wife Cheryl.
The all-volunteer organization, which is based in Jackson County, uses horses to help humans deal with physical and emotional challenges. -
Man accused of holding samurai sword to girlfriend’s throat
A Madison grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of threatening to cut his girlfriend’s head off, and attacking her father with a samurai sword.
Russell M. Masters, 42, of Richmond, is charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, which is a Class D felony, and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence with minor injury) and resisting arrest, which both are Class A misdemeanors. Masters could receive one to five years in prison on each wanton endangerment charge, and the misdemeanors both carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail. -
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Richmond police have made an arrest in connection with property stolen from two homes last fall.
A woman reported to police Monday that she had discovered several items that were missing from her home on South Killarney Drive and her grandmother’s home on Raintree Drive, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock. The items were a set of gold hoop earrings, a white Sony Vaio laptop, a yellow gold heart pendant, a gold tennis bracelet and a ladies’ wedding band with a diamond setting.
The complainant said the belongings had gone missing sometime between August and October. -
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Public defender Meena Mohanty questioned Richmond police officer Nicholas Duvall during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Madison District Court. Her client, Jeffrey W. Nester, 46, of Fourth Street, was arrested in connection with a Jan. 23 copper theft. He is charged with second-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglary tools and failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation. These charges are all misdemeanors that, at most, carry a sentence of one year in prison. -
Judge weighs constitutionality of legislative redistricting
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Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week.
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Couple recovering from injuries suffered in weekend house fire
A couple was hospitalized after their home was set ablaze Sunday by a spark from a cigar, according to a county fire official.
County Fire Chief Jim Cox said the city and county fire departments were called to the home at 111 Concord Road in the early afternoon. Waco Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Fire Department also responded.
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