SUMTER, S.C. — A medical condition left yard and woodwork at Charlie Bells’ Sumter home undone.
“I had another stroke, you know,” Bells said, “and I can’t hardly get out; I walk with a walker.”
On Saturday, many of those projects were completed by roughly 90 volunteers from churches around the city.
“It meant a whole lot,” Bells said.
Bells’ home was one of around 14 different stops the group Sumter Together made, which consists of area churches and community volunteers.
Student Pastor Caleb Yoder of Christ Community Church is the event organizer.
“We put in some handrails for an elderly couple and their house and we were able to help out there. We did some painting,” Yoder said. “We did a lot of landscaping and yard work and clean up at a variety of different houses... and then just some odds and ends different things that people had.”
The group partnered with Sumter United Ministries, which offers crisis relief services like food and shelter, to complete the jobs.
“They were real nice and friendly,” Bells said, “and I told them I appreciate it.”
Pastor Yoder said they hope to do other community service days in the months ahead.
“When God speaks about people gathering together for his name that there’s really good things that happen,” Yoder said, “and so I think we, again, we saw that.”
Those interested can connect with Sumter Together on Facebook here.