ENGELHARD — Octagon House Restoration Inc. is asking for the community’s help to restore and preserve one of Hyde County’s greatest treasures.

On Nov. 28, the nonprofit will participate in a Giving Tuesday event, in which the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will match up to $2 million of funds for nonprofits in the United States through charitable donation tools on Facebook. Donations to registered nonprofits can be matched up to $50,000, with a maximum of $1,000 per fundraiser and/or donate button, according to an OHRI press release.

“Other nonprofit organizations who have participated in this event in the past have stressed the importance of timely contributions, because the matching funds run out quickly,” stated Walter Baum, chairman of the OHRI Board of Directors, in the release.

Those interested in donating are asked to log onto the Octagon House’s Facebook page to donate as close to 8 a.m. Nov. 28 as possible, which is when the donation period opens. Matching funds from the Gates Foundation are expected to run out quickly.

Funds raised on Giving Tuesday will go toward the Raise Up the Octagon House campaign, which seeks to complete the second phase of renovations on the historic structure. The first phase involved replacing the roof with red-cedar wood shingles, a task that was recently completed. OHRI is now shifting its focus to work on the house’s elevation and chimney foundation and install new pier footings, according to the release.

“Our Raise Up the Octagon House campaign will certainly benefit from all funds raised, and to be able to have those funds matched is a golden opportunity for us,” Baum stated.

Dr. William T. Sparrow built the Octagon House in 1857. Although historians are unsure of the exact reason for the unusual layout, some believe it might have been built to withstand hurricane-force winds.

Hyde County’s Octagon House is one of only two octagonal homes, built during the antebellum period, still standing in North Carolina. The last full-scale restoration of the house took place roughly 30 years ago, about 10 years after OHRI’s inception. Weather and time have since begun to wear on the structure.

To contribute to the Raise Up the Octagon House campaign, patrons should visit the Octagon House Facebook page, click on the “Donate” button and proceed to payment through PayPal. Supporters are not required to go through PayPal, however, and can use debit or credit cards to give money.

Visit www.facebook.com/octagonhouse.nc/ to donate Nov. 28 at 8 a.m. For more information, email octagonhouse.nc@gmail.com.