2016 Hometown Breakfast

Feb. 18, 2016

Thank you to all those who attended and sponsored the 2016 Hometown Breakfast on Feb. 18, the largest we've ever had. 

Award Winners:

Heart for the Homeless: Bob Hansen

Bob Hansen has been contributing to the creation and maintenance of programs that benefit those experiencing homelessness in our community for more than 30 years. Bob helped fund and develop the PATH Outreach Program, Safe Haven and Recovery Point, among many others. He developed the Continuum of Care’s Steering Committee, a body which is tasked with coordinating the activities of more than 40 agencies serving those experiencing homelessness and overseeing more than $2 million in federal funds.

Bob retired as executive director of Harmony House in 2015 after returning the agency to financial stability and rebuilding its programs. During his three-years, he developed Nelson Apartments and the Jobs First program and secured two sites for planned affordable housing for our client population.

Bob is known as a person who is up working, dreaming and planning while the rest of us are still asleep. He strives to be part of the solution and has   dedicated himself to creating networks and mentoring those who can help build a future that meets the needs of the most vulnerable in our community. In his retirement, Bob volunteers as a consultant with United Way, providing support to nonprofit leaders in Huntington. Bob lives in Teays Valley with his wife, Linda. He has two sons, two daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren.

 

Volunteer of the Year: Monty Fulton

Monty Fulton has been involved in the Huntington community his whole life as an employee, business owner, parishioner, volunteer and leader. He is inspired by Matthew 25:40, which states: “The King will      answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.’”

That led him to help start the “Got Blessings in a Backpack” program at Central City Elementary, lead annual mission trips to Peru through First Presbyterian Church, where he is also an ordained elder, and volunteer with Harmony House and World Changers. He also started Helpington, a neighborhood cleanup program in the West End.

He is the past president of Huntington Jaycees, former owner of Irvin’s Men’s Shop and was employed at Service Pump & Supply for 32 years, retiring in 2013.

 

Community Parnter of the Year: Burrito Riders

The Burrito Riders started in 2012 as a bicycle-based organization dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of the homeless and those in need. They seek to build relationships within our community to foster hope and to show God’s love by helping to meet basic needs, both physical and emotional.
Almost four years later, they’ve given out more than 30,000 burritos. Along with a regular, twice monthly distribution of burritos, the burrito riders have provided moving blankets, sleeping bags, tents, as well as nearly 40 bicycles through the ReBicycle program. The ReBicycle Shop is a free, non-profit bicycle shop that provides refurbished bicycles to individuals who earn them by volunteering with Harmony House and within the ReBicycle Shop itself. In addition to bicycles, the shop is equipped to provide a wide variety of repairs and maintenance, for free, for people who rely on their bicycles.

 

Business Partner of the Year: Bulldog Creative

Established in 1999, Bulldog Creative has grown from a one-man show to a team of more  than a 16 talented  designers, programmers, producers and account executives, now in two locations. Bulldog Creative assists a wide range of clients, including banks, educational institutions, medical facilities and industrial companies. Services range from all things advertising and marketing, including logo development, media planning  and buying, collateral materials, website design and programming and HD video production

The beauty of Bulldog is that you can have all of your advertising and marketing needs met in one place, creating a consistent, cohesive message. Bulldog Creative staff say that Harmony House is an invaluable resource for the Huntington community and are honored to support its mission and assist in spreading its message through the new website.

 

We also held our first essay contest, called “How to be a Friend to the Homeless.”  We received more than 50 essays from Cabell County. This year's winners are: first place, Lataveus Booker, Explorer Academy; second place, Alyssa Burtnick, Highlawn Elementary; third place, Logan McGlothin, Cox Landing Elementary.

 

We also want to thank our sponsors, who helped me this the most successful Hometown Breakfast yet!

 

Last updated: 2016-11-15