Civitan on the Pamlico News Release

In a display of esprit de corps, Civitan on the Pamlico members repaired The Blind Center’s deck Saturday.

The repairs came in time for the crafts show Friday and Saturday.

For several hours, a dozen Civitan volunteers removed and replaced several hundred linear feet of damaged and deteriorating deck boards and handrails to make the structure safe and secure for the fundraiser, said Kay Summerfield, president of Civitan on the Pamlico, noting that volunteers would later power wash and restain the deck.

The Lowe’s Home Improvement store in Washington donated lumber for the deck improvements, and members of the New Bern Civitan Club, which sponsored the local club, assisted with the repairs, Summerfield said.

Restoration of the deck was the club’s initial community-service project, which was undertaken as an expression of gratitude for the courtesies extended to the club by The Blind Center, which allowed the club use of its facilities for weekly organizational meetings during a three-month period.

Sally Moler, director of The Blind Center, praised the Civitans for their services.

“The community is fortunate to have such dedicated individuals who give unselfishly of themselves in the interest of promoting the quality of life in the community by aiding the disadvantaged and others with special needs,” Moler said. “It was a particularly generous act of kindness for the volunteers to do the work on a holiday weekend so the deck would be ready for the crafts show, and their sacrifices on our behalf will not be forgotten, nor will we forget the generosity of Lowe’s in donating the lumber.” Repairs to the deck were made by Mike Sloan, Steve Moler, Bobby Windley, Lloyd May, Sonny Jackson, Luke Jackson and Kay and Ed Summerfield, with support from Barbara LeBarbera. They were joined by Leigh Wilkinson, governor of North Carolina Civitan District East; Clark Saylor and Gene Cesca of the New Bern club and Ben St. John, a member of both clubs.

The club will hold its Civitan International Charter ceremony Friday at Flair by Sharon.