About 70 local artists and do-it-yourselfers took used and donated items from Habitat for Humanity of Central Arkansas Restores and turned them into auction-worthy items for the fundraiser Restore and After, held Sept. 15 at Embassy Suites.
Up-cycled items included jewelry made from hardware, a child's play kitchen and a variety of rehabbed furniture. Guests, about 600 of them, bid on the silent and live auction items and enjoyed a gourmet mac-and-cheese bar, a s'mores bar, grilled cheese sandwiches and chili cheese dogs. The signature drink was, appropriately, the Screwdriver.
North Little Rock Police Officer Tommy Norman was honored with the Golden Hammer Award for his contribution to the community, specifically time spent volunteering at Habitat for Humanity Rock the Block events.
Raymond Donaldson got a special party treat: He learned that his application for home ownership was approved. Habitat's marketing director Becky Pittman said Donaldson was approved to buy the first tiny house to be built by the nonprofit agency.
The event raised $75,000, and every dollar will go directly to building a house, Pittman says. The organization has built or rehabilitated more 160 houses for families in Pulaski and Lonoke counties since it started here in 1990.
-- Story and photos by Cary Jenkins
High Profile on 09/25/2016