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Key Bank will partner with Housing Opportunities of Warsaw in a fund-raiser and work day Sept. 9. Bank employees from branches in the region will volunteer to help HOW employees work on Upson House, a transitional housing unit for families in crisis from domestic or economic hardship.
According to HOW Executive Director Pam Kennedy, the volunteers will work on exterior projects: pouring concrete for a basketball hoop, landscaping in front of the house and painting the fascia in back.
"We want to work on jobs that the volunteers can see results at the end of the day," Kennedy said.
The project is a first for HOW, founded between 1997 and 1998. "This will be the first time we've had anyone pitching in to work on stuff with us, actually at the house donating their time," said Kennedy.
Key Bank also will take donations from now through Sept. 9 for Upson House at their branch locations.
In other news, Kennedy introduced Linda Beall, Warsaw Housing Authority's new deputy director, at a meeting of the board of commissioners Monday.
"Linda has a great personality, is community-oriented and is really good with accounting and figures. This job entails a lot of tracking of money. She has a background of working with grants, and our funding is grants," Kennedy said. "We will accomplish a lot for special need housing with her talent."
The board ratified a revision of the employee insurance policy in the Housing Authority's employee handbook. Under the revision, insurance will not be available to employees hired after Jan. 1.
The decision for the change was made by the board at the April meeting.
According to board member Pat Ellis, the change was made because the insurance offered was not being used by employees and the Housing Authority needed to cut costs.
Beall expressed concern that the revision could affect recruitment of new employees. She said that lack of insurance could make positions at the Housing Authority less attractive.
"It didn't stop me," she said, "but it could stop other people."
Board president Bob Kline said the revision could be changed again in the future if necessary.
Kennedy introduced a new project: the building of 10 one-bedroom duplexes on the southeast side of Warsaw for housing low- to moderate-income seniors. According to Kennedy, the project is still in its beginning stages and the details of location, grant amounts and contracts will be discussed at the board's next meeting Aug. 25 at 5:15 p.m.
Board members are president Bob Kline, Pat Ellis, Wayne Walston, Joel Curry, Father Brian Grantz, Dennis Cultice, tenant representative Jennifer Mitchel and Warsaw city council representative Bill Rhoades.
