The City of Huntingburg in Dubois County was named a 2014 Stellar Community Designee last week. The grant supports Indiana communities with million-dollar funding gaps on development projects.
WNIN found one story about a collective act of kindness that illuminates why this town may have made the cut.
Huntingburg resident, Connie Evans, was driving around town and noticed a blue tarp hanging over a home on Main Street.
It was the home of Michael Wright, 50. For nearly three months, he and his family lived without a roof over their heads.
“He had started to get his roof repaired, but the people that agreed to do the roofing quit coming and kept the money,” Connie said. "So he tried to pick up where they left off and ended up breaking his leg and not being able to do it."
When Connie heard this story, she made a few calls to assemble volunteers to put the new shingles on the Wright’s home.
A Vincennes non-profit said they would take the job. So Connie and a representative from His Helping Hands Ministries knocked on Michael’s home to say they wanted to help – that was last Wednesday.
“He could not believe it," Connie said. "I don't think they've ever been on the receiving end of so much anonymous love, and that's what it was, nobody wants anybody to know who they were who worked on it."
Volunteers from Huntingburg United Methodist Church, Christian Church of Jasper and His Helping Hands started to rebuild the roof on Friday. They tacked on the last shingle Saturday afternoon.
A few minutes later, Connie says, the sky opened up and began to pour.